Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
The Middle Ground
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Okay Phil will get some for you - have you tried Old Winchester before?
Off to bed now so will catch up Kelly's report in the morning
As always happens when I bring the kids, I got no warm up, although thankfully there was an almost half mile jog from the racecourse to the start line.
I genuinely just wanted a pb (1.14.12, avg 7.24, even though it is years old and I've done 69.xx in a HM - that one is for you Stevie
Intended to start at 7.20, but it felt a-ok. Glanced at my watch every now and then and told myself I really should slow down, but it felt right. How come the wind never seems to assist you in the same proportion that it hinders you?
Was all going swimmingly, then turned a bend just after 5m and wham! Holy cow. As it was a loop race, I was faced with the realisation that it was only going to get stronger the closer I got to home. Tried to claw it back, my breathing was too hard, but even up to 7m I thought I could still pb. The dog leg section went on way longer than I remembered from last time and the only silver lining was that there wasn't as long to go when we got back to the main road.
Except...
Turned back onto the main road and it was like a brick wall. As I looked down at the 9m buzz, I thought as long as it is 1.06, I could maybe still do it. 43s over target and the worst mile EVER. It was so hard. I might have swore out loud at one point. My only regret is that I didn't look at my watch again until the end. If only I had known. My number OCD is very annoyed at me
7.09 7.09 7.06 7.13 7.08 WHAM 7.49 7.31 7.27 7.50 8.00(!) 0.02 - 7.21
I started my watch at the gun so take off that 0.02 and as close as you can get to any race distance. I think my chip time is 1.14.26, or 28. 28 I think. Avg 7.26. Bugger.
I know this wasn't a case of starting too fast and pay the price. I'm pretty sure I could have maintained pace on any other day. Most people say the wind added 2-3 mins so I'm actually pretty delighted with that, much better than I thought I could do and despite the fact my lungs are still hurting now, I think this can get me back on the road.
3 races in 3 weekends next month -
I know you have a couple of 10m splits in a HM faster then an actual 10M race.
Well that attempt at cheek was a fail!
My next 10M is in September. We'll see if I can get back to proper form by then
Hate that I can't edit on an ipad.
Hi,
Thought instead of starting a new thread (again), I'd try and get some info from some of you guys in here. Also hoping that by posting my progress here, it will give me more motivation to get out there!
I've been running on and off for a while, and only recently started running regularly in the last month in preparation for my first HM. Started with 5km, up to 4 miles for a couple of weeks. I then entered my first 10km race, and ran that last weekend.
I hadn't run further than 10km until yesterday (and infact, I've still only run 10km 3 times). I then went out yesterday and ran a very easy 8 miles in 1:07 picked up the pace to run the last mile in 7:35. I'm planning on doing some shorter runs at the start of the week, but similar to what Bob said, I'd like to run 10 miles as that's a big milestone. Would you guys suggest that I did a 9 mile later this week? Or would it be okay to go for 10miles straight off? I know that when I say "easy" its hard to gauge, but essentially, I felt like I could have gone on if I had maintained my 8:15min/mile pace, and not sped up at the end. I ask because despite being younger than virtually everyone on here, I have a habit of picking up niggly injuries!
WJh, nice pb, well done. Going out in 6:01 might be a faster side of ok, but looks like you held it together pretty well!
Curly - be fitter! Honestly, not much different I could have done racing wise - aside from set off faster to get some kind of windbreak from the guys in front. Found it very difficult to fully push as well, it's the first 800 I've run since August so to a certain extent I'm out of practice.
9 20+ milers!? Well I think you are about as prepared as you can be! 7:30's feeling maintainable for 26.2?
Shame about the relays Phil, nice session bagged anyhow.
Kelly conditions sound awful. No point in reading into your times into that kind of wind.
Got a nice list of track fixtures through yesterday - evening of April 25th AAAC have a 3000m which I think I am allowed to enter (I'm sure they'll be up for making up the numbers) so could be fun.
Could do the triple jump too....
Blimey - busy weekend with some good running despite the weather!
T'Other worldly stuff from T'Other Man - sounds an amazing experience.
Stevie and WJH - superb performances at Eastleigh - congrats. WJH continues to be a walking (running) advert for the benefits of the sensible, measured addition of more miles. Huge PB, and good luck with the interview.
Duck - Yes, interesting point about the effect of mileage/intensity on easy pace. I know that 9.07/mile for less than 3 miles was more than quick enough the day after my 10k race the other week! You mention 'pre-run breakfasts' - I was more thinking the other way round.
Good effort from you in the 800 particularly given the conditions and lots more track (and field!) to come for you it seems.
Kelly - Can sympathise with your problems with the wind, had similar myself yesterday along the Trent and rowing lake at Holme Pierrepoint albeit not in a race obviously. Good run from you nevertheless. Hope the marhsalls' curry and beer went down well, YD!
Curly - sounds like you're pulling everything together superbly. Well done.
Phil - shame about the relays, but a good session anyway, and was also at the multiple Yorkshire puds yesterday at the pub after my run along with pork and beef. Yum.
I 'suffered' a catholic education too - don't have much time for them nowadays I have to say.
Alehouse - Watching in this weather?! Lunacy. Good work on the continued progress though.
Tom K - Welcome along - Tom and I encouraged each other along to our respective first 10k races on another thread recently. You'll get advice from more experienced runners than me I'm sure, but think the standard advice would be to only add half a mile or a mile at the absolute outside to the length of each successive long run, and keep the pace slooooow - keep those niggles at bay by giving your body a chance to adapt.
Well - despite the conditions yesterday (-2C air temperature with a wind chill of -9C in the biting East-North-Easterly according to Garmin Connect) I ventured out into the lying and falling snow to crack the 10 mile mark for the first time regardless. Was ok initially, but then turned a corner on the Trent and into the teeth of it for well over 3 miles. 17mph officially, but more like 30mph I'm sure once it was being funnelled down the rowing lake at Holme Pierrepont. Absolutely unbelievable, and that -9C wind chill would surely have been wrong side of -15C along there. Couldn't feel my knees despite the compression tights. The mile splits tell the story.
8:39, 8:48, 9:07, 9:33, 9:35 for the first 5 miles, and then a joyous, free wheeling 8:22 for the 6th mile immediately after the turn with it at my back (1:13 quicker for less effort and despite deeper snow on that side of the lake!) before 8:32 to 8:48 splits for the last 4 and a bit miles depending on whether I was being buffeted from the back, front or sides! Felt really strong during the last few miles, and was merrily wishing good morning to anyone who was listening down by the canal.
Despite that really tough 3 miles in the first half of the run, I actually enjoyed it, and wading through shin deep snow drifts in small sections down by the Trent was great fun if hard work. 10.25 miles in total in exactly 91 minutes at an average of 8:52 pace. Feeling really happy with the way things are going, and whilst today is a rest day as I look towards my 10k on Easter Monday, the legs would be in good shape if needed.
As an aside, I came past 8-9 feet snow drifts on one road on my way into work this morning in North-West Leicestershire. Not seen anything like that since I was a kid and actually lived round these parts in the late 70s! It's nearly sodding April!
SG – Good to see you continue to make solid progress. You seemed to have a stretch where you hit a plateau so it must be nice to find there was still more improvement to be had. It’s a good motivator for me as I haven’t really progressed for a while but am sure there’s lots more to come.
WJH – Smashing run that. Enjoy the tumbling PBS!
YD – Find me a mile race and I’ll run you that sub 4.50
Curly – You’re training has been excellent for this marathon. I think you are going to be on for a good one.
Kelly – Glad that you had a good race and are hopefully now back on track. What are your 3 upcoming races?
Forgot that I'm supposed to be doing the Elswick relays on Friday too but that is only a couple of miles.
I'm May I'm doing the Tees Barrage 10K, Edinburgh HM and June the Middlesbrough 5K and Tyne Bridge 5m. I'm sure there is something else but can't remember.
I'll not race over the main summer while I begin marathon training and will probably pick a few races in Sept before the marathon in October.
Kelly – I was going to do Hartlepool but opted for Blyth instead. I might do the Terry O’ Gara 5k but I found it quite a testing little course last year. You get that and then the relays on the same course a couple of weeks later. I’m doing the Tyne Bridge 5 miler as well. Enjoyed that one last year.
Alehouse and Curly – yes I was demoted, the race clock didn’t fit on my car, so someone had to fetch a trailer down for the clock. So they drove the lead car and I got stuck on the course, bleedin freezing it was!
Gym's are rubbish. I just need to decide on a local gym that’s expensive or a cheaper one near work (50 mile round trip from home) that I would only use when at the office.
Though I have been asked to join the club committee, suppose its about time I got involved in helping out.
Mr V – Hartlepool has a fast reputation, I would have probably done it as its in my club championship list.
Kelly – I could see you enjoying yourself during the race
Welcome Tom K, stick around and you might pick up some good tips and some nonsense!
TOM – your experience in Kenya sound brilliant, if not blimming tough!Altitude makes me fart!
Things are dire here, I am going to get a gym membership
Kelly - Oof! More character-building racing. Summer training prep for a marathon will be a breeze after all this nonsense.
Curly - That's a new one on me. BTW I actually dreamt of cheese last night.
YD - The more expensive the gym, the more you'll use it. FACT!
Tom K - Welcome!
BBB - Well toughed out. Conditions will be so much easier by Easter Monday, I can feel it in my bones!
I'm continuing to tweak my marathon training schedule as we head towards taper time. Coach Ken likes the idea of threshold sessions leading up to the race, partly to make marathon pace feel easier. Maidenhead 10 takes care of that for this week (plus something "long interval" shaped for tomorrow, although not sure exactly what at the moment, probably mile reps) then next week I'm moving my Thursday 10 @MP run to the Sunday, 2 weeks out, to effectively be a final quality but cut-down LR, and do some more threshold mile reps on the Thursday. It's all getting a bit too exciting.
Afternoon all, how cold was it yesterday? Brrrr! Managed to narrowly miss my target time at Eastleigh but this was still around a minute off my previous PB from Stubbington earlier this year, got round in 41:35. Felt like I had a bit more in the legs but felt pretty uncomfortable most of the way round so couldn't really push any more than I did. I need to concentrate on starting a bit slower for my next one aswell - the first half mile or so must have been done at low 6's.
I was going to ask if you all think sub-40 is achievable in the next 6 weeks but looking at WJH's impressive performances has answered my question (with the right training and dedication obviously!) Well done for that one! More easy miles it is for me then
More importantly, I checked this race performance on the McMillan calculator and it's saying I should be capable of a 20:01 5k time, sub-20 is something i've been hoping to achieve for a while but haven't really had the chance. Might just have to give it a bash on saturday!
YD, Phil: Thanks for the welcome. Advice duly noted Bob. I'm planning on getting somewhere near 20mins on my first park run this weekend Iower. Interestingly, the under 20's record time for my course is 20:50, and is held by a guy who I went to school with and who was a complete dick so it will please me greatly if I can beat him. And if I can get inside 21mins with a 10km pb of 43:59, I'm sure you can dip inside 20mins at a push
Can't believe this weather. It was absolutely freezing, and I wasn't even out running early. Still recovering a bit from my first 8m on Saturday. Had planned on a 5 mile easy run, but the country park was quite literally a mud bath, so took a bit of a shortcut and ended up doing 4m with the last mile at tempo run pace (7:05). Total time was 31:15, although it felt harder than that. Probably a combination of tired legs, and running into a gale force wind for what seemed like the whole route.
Mr V, I think it was less a plateau, and more a period where I was rehabbing from a slight hip thing, didn't race for a fair while, and then some hilly/undulating courses didn't give the best chance to smash times.
That's the point though isn't it, a small niggle can at worst take you out, and at best take you off form, and before you know it you're watching months come and go...so it really is all systems go while feeling good!
Welcome to you Tom.
And I look forward to some marathoning type big repots for a few on here
Stevie - Congratulations. That is two decent chunks off in quick succession now, confidence must be sky high at the moment?
Mr V - Good time of year to go off on a trip like that and it sounds like you got full value from it.
Duck - 2:13 in March must have you pondering what sort of time you will be talking about by the end of the Summer?
Curly - 9 x 20 milers in the bag. That is a completely different training load to anything you've done before, you must be feeling strong as an ox?
Alehouse - These sessions are building up nicely, obviously it is working in terms of adding strength as oppose to continually having setbacks. So onwards and upwards....
Kelly - Very accurate report. Hannah says it could have been her race that you were describing, which is not surprising really considering you ran seconds apart for pretty much the whole race. As it turns out you probably had one of the best runs of the day, even if it might not have felt like it at the time.
Race report to follow:
From the blog:
An excellent evening of pre race top notch cuisine and quality ales was provided by YD, along with overnight accommodation a mere 200 metres from the Thirsk 10 race HQ. This made for a very relaxed race morning.
It might have been relaxed but as Hannah and myself went to do our first recce of the outdoor conditions, the iciness of the air hit you immediately. Furthermore, although it didnt appear too bad initially, once we had run up and down the last mile of the race it was clear that the wind was going to be horrible.
Thirsk 10 is always a good race for bumping into people that you havent seen for a while with its catchment area naturally extending up into the North East. As such, it was good to bump into Kaysdee on the start line, for whom this really represented a comeback race after a protracted period of non racing. It was even better to see that she probably had one of the best runs of the day, finishing mere seconds outside her PB of 74:12.
Also, as we were chatting with YD in the car park pre-race, a chap ran past, gave the thumbs up and shouted 'Love your blog'. Since everyone was well wrapped up I have no idea whether it was someone I knew or not. Who were you? That made my morning
As the race got underway it was sunny and conditions were actually pleasant, in fact not far off being perfect.
I'm in the light blue Barnsley AC vest, with white long sleeved shirt with Hannah, to my left, showing me a clean pair of heels in the early stages! Despite our wimpiness, there were plenty hardy souls, such as Ian Ogden and Martin Sanders, quite happily running in just a running vest in these sub zero conditions. Mad or hard?
I was looking to potentially be in comeback PB shape in time for this race, which would require a 59:52 or better.
The first 5 miles seemed very comfortable with splits of 6:06, 5:57, 5:51, 5:57, 6:01 for a first half of 29:55.
On the basis of how everything was feeling at this stage, it seemed entirely reasonable that I was in shape to run a negative split from here, which I usually do at Thirsk, and therefore in shape to run a comeback PB.
However, the only way that was actually going to happen in this race was if the gale force winds from the warm up had miraculously dwindled to a mild breeze for the closing stages. It didnt take long to find out that that wasnt the case. As the corner was turned just after the half way point, so that we were now running in the direction of the finish, there was an immediate slowing as the headwind did its best to push us back in the direction of the A1.
The remaining splits were 6:36, 6:17, 6:21, 6:48, 6:42 for a second half of 33:13 and an overall 1:03:08.
That sort of tailing off would normally indicate some kind of spectacularly inept blowing up but on this occasion I was quite happy at the finish that this was sub 60 fitness.
To show how the wind affected others:
Kevin Ogden - 26:55, 31:27
Kev Doyle - 28:59, 31:33
Hannah Oldroyd - 35:16, 39:24
Kaysdee - 35:45, 38:41
Usually you think of wind as being worth a few seconds here and there but on this occasion it was worth minutes!
PRF! Good to see you...just read the blog...only to come on here and find the blog! Taking a leaf out of your book to an extent at the moment: 1 hour 20 minutes walked today in the woods about a k from my house...an hour of walking up and down the same 500 metre path to avoid the wind...struggling to stand up when out in the open. A run is planned for tomorrow...after I have my first prostate treatment check up! It is for dosimetry purposes, in particular.
No snow here yet! Just icy winds.
Welcome Tom K - I'd just advise to go back a few weeks and read the advice given to BBB as it sounds like you are in a very similar place! Good luck
iower your pb now equals mine - 5k pb off that 10k was 20:03 (in less than ideal conditions) so you should be able to snag that sub 20! I would worry about the sub 40 - it will come
Kelly and PRF nice reports - did you not do the up and back at 7 miles this year?
Good to see you have more plans in pipeline Kelly I suspect from your report and bookend you are in the same sort of shape as me right now so something of the 69-70 minute time for 10 miles, so you just need some good conditions to nail some good times and you'll be on your way to pbs again soon!
PRF yes I feel strong, but not as fast as I was hoping for. I have a 3m handicap road (but not flat) race next week so will assess how the taper is working there, hope my handicap isnt too bad! What is your taper going to look like?
Phil ah nice dream. Old Winchester is made like cheddar, aged like parmesan so crumbly chunky "blokes" cheese, I'm working Thurs night so will bring some along
How are you getting to the race by the way?
Alehouse that is a little nuts but liking the dedication to the walking cause.
And you too prf - well done!
Meant to say, if you read today's Guardian, we may be wasting our time:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/mar/25/tabata-harder-faster-fitter-quicker
iower - Very nice. 3 x PBs at Eastleigh from thread contributors...can't be bad! The 20 minute 5k mark would also be a great one to break through. Not sure how realistic that's going to be for me this year, though I'd like to give it a crack during the summer.
Tom K - Hope you show the 'complete dick' what's for this weekend...that did make me chuckle!
PRF - Good race report - you've illustrated the problems the wind caused very well. Excellent run nevertheless.
Alehouse - Hope the checkup goes well and you get your run in later. Interesting article you linked - similar to this - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17177251 Having watched that program, I used the principles described when I first started getting myself fitter again in late August last year. Hard to draw anything conclusive from my few weeks at it and a sample of one, but it did give me a kick start into what I'm doing now which nothing else had ever done before, and once I started introducing longer, more aerobic sessions on the bike after a few weeks, the speeds, distance and calorie counts I was recording in a half hour session were certainly in excess of those I used to try to hit on the same bike when I was almost a decade younger in my early 30s.
YD - What to say?
Good luck witht the gym hunt, and hope the eventual change of weather brings a change of fortune for you too.
OK - with no parkrun on Saturday, I've only had a single tempo run in the last 13 days at any sort of pace, so I'm going to largely repeat my successful preparation for my first 10k race with a couple of short, quicker sessions tonight and Thursday to get the legs used to moving a bit more swiftly again. Progression run tonight with a warm up of a couple of kms, and then aiming for a km each at my last 10k race average pace (7:21), a realistic target pace for Monday (7:13), and finally at ideal pace (7:08) which would see me close to YD's prediction (44:13) after my last race and also nudge a 65% WAVA rating - 44:22. 7:08 pace may prove unrealistic for the race regardless of how it goes tonight, as after the flat pavements and paths at Rushcliffe (73ft of ascent in total), Monday's at Wollaton Park is multi-terrain and undulating with over 500ft of ascent including a handful of sharp 'uns. Hmmm.
Thanks everyone...still really pleased and didn't expect that sort of time! Not sure if anyone remembers Squall_88UK by the way, he had his own thread on here a long time ago with the aim of hitting sub 40...although he did that a few years ago he also managed a PB with 38:58! He's more into cycling these days so was very pleased with that!
Yesterday was a funny day, interview didn't go so well in my view but it was the first I have had for years - thanks for the good wishes though BBB!
Hopefully there will be more opportunities to come if there is no success with this one! 22 miles yesterday late afternoon/evening was always going to be a funny one a day after a 10k race. Felt a few short sharp niggles with my calves over the first few miles as I warmed into a stride and ever so slightly felt my right knee at times over the course of the run which may possibly have been the same thing that ruined my marathon last year...however, it was good to get time on feet with this averaging well over 9 m/m pace in about 3 hours 25 or so! Luckily, the legs, calves, etc feel fine today! That said, I think it's a case of being very careful from here on in and giving it a few days rest and easy running before hitting some shorter focused quality MP/threshold efforts as part of the tapering phase!
Enough on me now though!
Well done on the PB iower
...heard one or two people say the wind down here was worth the cost of perhaps 10 seconds??? So with that in mind, it's a good effort! Since the start of the year I have upped the mileage from about 25-28 a week (approx) to 35-38 to well over 40 over the last few preceding Eastleigh! So it definitely has been a case of increasing the mileage...although training for the Brighton Marathon/taking motivation and ideas from this thread have been two big factors with this!
...and again, I thought Eastleigh was cold/windy until reading both Kelly and PRF's race reports! Those last 5 miles sounded mentally and physically attrocious! Well done on getting through though and that's very encouraging to be so close to a PB in those sort of conditions Kelly!
Good luck with the Maidenhead 10 this weekend Curly and Phil. Sounds like sensible approaches with Brighton in mind! Looks like a cold Easter on the way (when is it ever going to warm up???)...but at least it might not be so windy! Enjoy the cheese too! Sounds nice!
That altitude training sounds awesome TOM! Particularly as I sit here from my desk at work looking at the grey laden skies outside! Then again, I am not sure i'd be thinking the same sort of picture in some of the tougher sessions!
Is there nothing like a Pure Gym up your way YD? Or any other sort of cheaper gym facility local to you? Sounds like a challenging morning marshaling. Hope there is some better news on the injury front sooner rather than later!
Well done on the 10 mile run by the way BBB! Sounds like things are progressing nicely! Hopefully it may lead to progress for your 10k on Easter Monday!
Interesting article Alehouse - do you believe there is any substitute for base building when looking at whats being said with this?
Any other races planned Dash/Mr V???
Hi Tom K - taking advice and bits of information off here seems to be working for me so far!
Oh and Stevie - what did you think of the incline at Eastleigh in the end!??? Forgot to ask on that one!
Curly, thank you, despite promises from various people, you are the first to use the b*** imprecation that I've been after.
Great pbs, WJH and Stevie, really good progression in sub optimal training conditions. And great celebrating, WJH, I love that feeling of "now I can enjoy myself with a blow out"
Phil, you're giving me food envy. Not much quality meat out here (paging Stevie to the innuendo), and the menu isn't likely to change while I'm out here.
Alehouse, that's a great walk-and out here you'd have some great views, and it's tough enough that you could walk without any guilt at not running. Or, probably, any desire to do the latter.
BBB, t'other worldly, I like it.
YD Ethiopia! Though funnily enough I was reading Running with the Kenyans, which made me feel immersed in African running. Julia B admits to bias, but reckons the Ethiopian way of training would make for a book more interesting than tales of massed groups as there are in Iten. After the world cross result, I guess the time is right. Now I just need to be quicker to keep up and make some notes for it.
Kelly and Prf, great racing, and reports. Reminding me what all this training is for-I'm not sure how long it has been since I just trained for 5weeks without at least a parkrun to push myself at.
And Tom K, I hope you beat twitface's time, then beat it again, and again...
For me, finally what feels like a solid week. I had Sunday off after Saturday's epic, then did a hilly 8 yesterday, and 9 miles with 15 lots of 2min uphill. Which felt pretty good, though after missing Haile at the camp on Sunday, I then missed out on the Bekele brothers at the local track this morning, so I'll have to rock up there on one of my last two Tuesdays. Off to the gym for some gentle exercise biking, and pick up some more ideas on strengthening exercises.
prf - So it was windy then?
Good stuff, nice report.
iower - Another great run and PB at Eastleigh.
BBB - I'll be impressed if you can hit planned splits 5s/m apart.
WJH - Look after those legs, even if they feel OK today. 10k and a 22 miler is a fair effort!
Curly - I'm getting driven to Maidenhead, somebody else's turn to drive. That's one of the other reasons I joined a club, I think!
So, another target to have in mind for the marathon: top 3 or 4 finish in the club. (The London Marathon is also officially the national champs and the southern champs.) I found out this weekend that our NIre international runner and marathon club record holder - 2:16
- will be running, so with a 2:19 runner as well this makes our team pretty bloody strong! No pressure...
6M easy and 5 x threshold miles this evening.
WJH – Good luck with the interview outcome and a nice effort with the 22 miler. Coming together nicely for Brighton. Re my races I’ll probably be doing my first post injury one on Sunday. A very hilly 10k with the 2nd half on rocky paths and grassy fields. The last few years it’s been 10.3k but they’ve finally got round to moving the start so it’s a proper 10k distance this time around. As it’s a slow course I can just enjoy it and not be too concerned with times. I’ve then got a flat and fast 10k the following weekend which should give me a good idea of where my fitness is at. I’m not expecting to be anywhere near pre injury fitness but if I can notch a sub 38 at that one it will give me something to build on. If I can do that it should put me on course for sub 37 fitness by the time my hometown 10k comes around on the 5th May. I always want to do well at that one!
Bob – Sounds a toughie on Monday. Try not to worry too much about time and just enjoy and run to feel. Those kind of multi terrain events can be tough to run fast times on.
PRF – Top blogging and another step towards a likely big performance at London.
SG – Fair point and I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same about my running in that although my times have improved little in the last couple of years I think it’s due to circumstances conspiring against me rather than a plateau. Sooner or later I think (hope!) I’m going to get a run of really good PBs.
Kelly – Great to see you racing again and enjoying it (sort of!). Hopefully that’s going to kickstart a good year for you.
TOM - Sounds like you are getting some nice training in over there. Looking forward to seeing what results you get when you come back!
I opted for an extra rest day last night as I got home late from work, was freezing cold and just really did not fancy it. I’m working on the assumption that when you really, really don’t feel like it your body is telling you to take a rest! Anyway feeling much more motivated today and plan to head out for at least 10 this evening and will probably add some MP effort in there for as many miles as I feel like.
WJH - 22 miles the day after a race?! Yowser.
TOM - Hope you come across one of the big guns before you head home! Will look out for the effect all this has on your racing when you return home - will be fascinating to keep tabs on both times and how you feel in yourself.
Phil - Er, yeah...strong club competition indeed! And yes, you're probably right on those splits, ahem! It's more a case of having a target in mind for each of them really. Reminding myself what the previous pace feels like to run, introducing the pace I'll be looking to settle into a rhythm at on Monday, and then at the end of those seeing just how realistic it might be to push on from that to something that would give me the sort of buzz I felt at the end of my first 10k race if I can pull it off on Monday - current forecast a tropical 4C by the way...Easter bloody Monday!
Mr V - Good luck with the comeback race on Sunday! You're right on times for me on Monday, hence why I'm looking at a relatively modest target in terms of initial pace. I'm therefore also looking at placing. There was a field of just over 350 last year, and if it's a similar size and strength, I might get close to the top 50 odd. Will give me something to gurn for as I try to pick a few off again in the closing few hundred metres!
Looking further ahead, I'm interested in canvassing opinions on the below link. I've read quite a bit of this guy's blog, and after another month to 6 weeks of base building, I might find myself a bit more strapped for time to commit to running as we'll be into the cricket season. As mentioned earlier, I'd like nevertheless to see how close I can get to a sub-20 minute 5k this year, and there's what looks like a very quick local race in late June. By late May, I'll have close to 6 months' running training under my belt - is that enough of a base to consider 'sharpening' myself up for a few weeks for a crack at a fast 5k with 3-4 weeks training along the lines of what he's describing, or is that sort of regular hard running a likely shortcut to injury risk?
http://the5krunner.com/2011/08/22/5k-sub-20-minute-5k-running-and-training-plan/
If you don't want to read the whole article, this is the key part: -
1. 5x1k at 5-10 secs/km faster than next race’s target pace if you can. 3-5 minutes rest in between efforts.
2. 5 mins at 30 secs/km slower than your target race pace no rest then 3 mins at 5-10 secs slower than target race pace. Repeat with no rest. Then rest for 6 minutes and re-do all 4 effort periods again with no further rest.
3. Short speed intervals, typically 12 x 1 minute, 1 minute rest: at faster than target race pace. This should be faster than your 5x1km speed above, say at least 10 secs/km faster. With this one you can INcrease the recovery time up to 2.5 minutes providing you increase the effort-period pace.
4. An ‘intensive endurance long run’ of 60-90 minutes where you push the limit of where you can ‘just’ speak (so, 4-6 repeats of: 10 minutes in HR zone 2; plus 5 minutes in HR Zone 3; no rest) OR, if you don’t like ‘long’ runs, do 2×20 minutes with 6 minutes rest. Do each 20 minutes at target race pace less 30 seconds/km – this approximates a SWEETSPOT run (minimal damage/speedier recovery).
5. Re-test your 5k PB once every 4-6 weeks after a 3 day abstinence taper and re-adjust your training PACE accordingly. Taper properly for your big race.