Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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
I don't go looking for an actual Max HR because I don't hold with wiping myself out.
As for the 300 Watts FTP? Again, it was something worked out indoors.
Sure it's only five minutes, but I was talking as I did it. Twenty minutes? One hour? I could do it. But I don't need to. I'd proved enough to know it (the ability) is there.
I train with the idea of developing the ability of doing xy or z in training. It doesn't mean the same as actually going and doing it. Doing it just removes the ability to do it.
Anyway, back to training. Already done 75 minutes. 206 Watts, av HR 121 bpm. That's 3.7 watts/kg.
🙂
Reg - it normally takes a lot to lay me low. I could probably count on one hand the number of times it has ever happened. It's the after effects that have been the biggest issue. My 4 week RHR average was 40-42bpm all of last year until I got flu/pneumonia/chest infection. It had started to come down (averaging high-40s) before covid struck which left it in the upper mid 50s range. It was coming down (really) slowly before the latest bout hit.
Just a 5m jog yesterday. 4 this morning as 2 jog, 2 brisk. More later, and hopefully in the gym too if time allows.
The highest power I have held for 20 minutes is 364 watts, which equates to an FTP of 346w. It was absolutely one of the hardest and most disgusting things I've done on the bike. For the first 5 minutes of it though, I was averaging 373w at 162bpm (107% of FTP), that's 82% of MHR, just over zone 2 low end of zone 3. Final average was 175 BPM.
In power terms however, that's above threshold and into Vo2max territory, not zone 2/3. The point being that 5 minutes is not enough to gauge the heart rate or perceived effort. Once you overcook it and that heart rate sneaks up and then the lactate starts to burn, you can go from chatting away to dying very quickly.
An FTP of 346 gives me a zone 2 in power terms of 190w-260w. I could certainly hold 260w for several hours when fit.
An FTP of 300w is 165w-225w. So 4 w/kg for you is right up towards the top of zone 2. You should be able to hold 225w for several hours.
300w at 55kg is an FTP of 5.45 w/kg. World Class is 6. Yours would put you as a middling domestic pro which sounds a bit punchy ;-).
And something from last year.
I was always good on a bike. Way better than as a runner. However running is far safer as regards competition.
Ok, other news. Now 1st claim Harrow AC and the Alphafly Next% 2's are on order. Big discount from Sportsshoes.
🙂
Like the racing, drinking combo, SC. Sociable running at its best.
I enjoyed the clattered 4% photo, SG. Getting good value for money there.
TT good info on NB. Haven’t tried much beyond the (Excellent) 1080s. Used to have some Zantes and have always found myself getting confused by the number-based models. Hope the Covid feelings disappear fully soon and your wife is ok.
Sorry to hear you are on the bench too, Jools.
How much were the Alphas, Ric?
So a week ago I finally clocked a V40 sub 20 minute parkrun, with a 19:36 on the winter course in Cheltenham. It is four flat tarmac loops vs two hilly grassy laps. In theory much faster, but with it being deliberately a little longer (I think this is a parkrun HQ directive for reserve courses, others on here will no doubt know if this is true) and laps three and four involving a fair bit of overtaking, the differential in summer vs winter times isn’t as great as one might expect. Still, a good monkey to get off my back.
Easy Sunday and Monday, before ten minutes of weights in the gym on Tuesday. Two sets of light squats and straight leg deadlifts. My first since early summer so taking it deliberately steady. Headed out for a session of 5 x 1200 at tempo a short while later, but my lower hamstring, upper calf started to seize up a little at the end of the second set. It relaxed during the two minute recovery jog, but really seized up at the end of the third. Game over so had a walk of shame back to work, blessedly short at only half a mile.
Lucky enough to have a very good strength and conditioning guy employed at school - he runs injury clinics and more. Diagnosed it as a problem with the distal hamstring and a reaction to the straight leg deadlifts. He also laughed when he realised I was injured an hour after making a return to the gym. So much for good habits 😆. Absolutely agony later that afternoon and couldn’t even walk down to the fields for rugby coaching.
Loosened a bit since and I’m hopeful it’s not too bad. Have done a couple of rehab strengthening sessions and two lots of 20 minutes on the ergo (inspired by Reg). Found it easier to get HR to easy running levels on that than the bike or elliptical.
Can now do basically anything except running without pain. Strangely running and skipping drills all ok, even jogging backwards. But jogging forwards is too painful after five or six steps so will take a while longer.
Grateful really that I’ve gone this long since the stress fracture in 2020 before another injury. God knows how you cope, Reg, pinging some finely tuned muscle very other week.
Takes an outside observer to notice, as my lad casually mentioned, "Shame your running doesn't match your cycling! Crap style, no speed!". Thanks pal. Maybe you should get a job?
Guess I'll need to get on with it then. So,
Another session on the half flooded field yesterday. Four short reps followed by five long & finally eight short. Added up to about 3 miles. Average pace around 7 min/mls. Fastest rep was 6 min/ml pace. Wearing the Dragonflys as usual. Great shoes. Water in, water out. Wash down after better than any XC spikes I've ever had.
SQ, the Alphas cost £222.45 inc postage. With the money saved off of the full price I bought some New Balance Fresh Foam 860v12 which, after some calculations effectively cost me £2.50!
I have the Alphas now. Glad I have a shoe-horn as they can be challenge to get on. They won't be returned, not least because I've had cause to cut some of the shoe away. Nothing massive. Just a hard piece of reinforcing where the laces are anchored. Pressed a little too hard on a bony part of my foot. Sorted 👍. Super comfortable now.
Off for another block on the bike. Three hours yesterday. Probably the same today. Just base. I'm reserving the really intensive stuff for running.
🙂
On the O60's thread they are much the same. Just older and worse. All ill and injured to some extent. Yet forcing themselves out running, regardless. Can't see the point myself. I'd have gone back to my fishing before then.
🙂
Ric - I couldn't get on with the Alphaflys personally. I found them too unstable cornering.
Saw out my week with 7m easy Thursday pm, Friday off due to a chiropractor session, 6m easy Saturday, and 7m easy yesterday, to give me 50m for the week. So 9m better than last week, but no weights sessions this time due to needing the chiropractor/post-chiropractor. Will hopefully start to reintroduce sessions this week.
Really soft and cushioned but no inner support as regards pronation. I'd tried them out for short runs which seemed ok, but during the first race, an edition of the Hillingdon HM, I could hardly keep the things on as they kept trying to twist off as I went around bends.
They were so bad that if I could have run in just socks, I'd have binned them en-route. Instead I waited until the end. Time of 76:30 wasn't too bad considering.
🙂
SQ - Hope you heal up soon. Obviously I touch wood every day - other than colds/Covid/ falling over/turning ankles, my last 'running injury' was my Piriformis troubles in roughly 2007. Well done on the Parkrun!
Eastern xc champs on Saturday, place just the other side of Cambridge. Put some pics of the course including a long water feature on Strava.
Our course was 3 x 4k laps, 12mm spikes were ok, ground quite firm, few bits of mud. Main competitor Ty has just turned 50, decent runner but he had decided to do the Wolverton 5m at MK and then drive over to the XC! Another guy, Lee from Southend was there too - I usually beat him but he's a 45 and running well.
So off downhill to start, up the side of the hill to the top, double back down the middle of the hill, through the pond. By this time Lee was 20m ahead, Ty was already a way back so realised I just needed to get round to get first V50 prize. So back up to the top and turning right and down the side of the hill to the bottom of the course. Was trying to get closer to Lee, but he was slowly getting away.
Nothing much happening 2nd lap, I was just getting closer to a V40 infront of me. But my guts were starting to give me a bit of grief, so Lee was starting to get away further.
The V40 was back infront of me by the time we went through the pond for the 3rd time, but I got back on it up the hill and round the right hand side. So just a few small hills at the end of the lap and into the finish. 5.50 miling for the 7.1 miles, about 8th and 1st V50. Got a nice shield.
12 yesterday at MK around the lakes, 8 this morning, 5m or 10k later with the ankle biter.
SC - nice racing; well done.
Decent start to the week. 7m+ / 4m easy double on Monday - the 7+ was 2.5m easy, 6 x 1min uphills, 2.5m steady (6:48). Focus was more on strength and form rather than gunning it. Yesterday was 9m easy / 5m very easy.
Ric, you've gone to a lot of effort with that shoe photo, not only matching socks but what also looks like a matching carpet! We've seen the training numbers, the kit, all we need now is for you to show us a performance.
Well done on the V50 prize SC. That's a remarkable injury record! I do wonder how much of it is luck and how much is sticking to a sensible training plan. In other words, am I cursed with bad luck or am I just an idiot!
Good to see a solid start to the week TT.
I have also started to form a pattern of increased running volume. Last few weeks of 0,0,1,13,14,18 and 12 so far this week and expecting 24. I'll try to stick to a maximum of four runs a week and just increase the volume and quality of those hopefully. Max out at 40 mpw with an 8,8,10,14 type pattern.
The first ASICS I bought seemed to help rid me of the plethora of injuries that I had. They seemed to have a slow reacting gel in the sole with a really good arch support. None of the subsequent models matched them.
🙂
Did some more numbers yesterday. Thirty reps of around 40 seconds with 20 seconds worth of whatever to make up the minute. Can't say it was fast, but that's the surface I'm hoping to race on.
Peter Coe said that most injuries were the result of training errors. Had a point.
🙂
That's @RicF for ya Reggie
Injuries wise - suppose I've got quite sturdy joints - seen runners with incredible bodies constantly pinging this and that. Better to be average I suppose. My dad did OK with injuries too I think.
New session at home last night. 10 minute tempo around to a 30 second short sharp hill - did 20 of those after 2 mins rest. Then another 2 mins recovery then the 10 mins tempo back.
Quiet now as got LFOTM on Friday.
Anyway I thought someone's club did the masters relays last Sunday??? Waiting for a report no?
SC - I like a mix of tempo and hills. Partially because I hate doing too many hills so it makes it a more worthwhile workout.
Ric - that quote is about as redundant as it gets surely? Take out external influences (e.g. getting tripped by somebody else) and what else could cause injuries other than training errors? I've yet to get injured when I've not done something stupid in my training!
3m @ 10k effort earlier came out at 5:59 pace, so I'm in marginally better shape than I thought.
SQ - Reg level of hurting yourself there, 10 mins into a weights comeback........Peg 40 are £63 on the Nike site if you use the code on the website.
Took my ability to attract a crap weather day to a race to a new level Sunday at the Gosport HM with 50plus mph winds for the seafront based race.
"Any fool can profit from his own mistakes, but a wise man will learn from the mistakes of others" (1961) And "Bearing in mind that the average angler does not catch big fish, we may learn something by seeing what he does and then deciding how our methods must differ from his". (1953)
I came across those in 1974. The first statement was obvious. The second had an underlying truth to it that is more profound today than ever.
TR, I ran the Gosport HM as my first ever race. I ran 1:29:00. In the lead up, I made every mistake in the book and sort of got away with it. Afterwards my back seized up so bad that someone asked if I needed a wheel-chair? I have a diary with all the details - just one line for a day. Might be entertaining as a read.
As for the wind down at Gosport? On one occasion I hit the block headwind (always is one) seemingly alone and two miles later discovered an entire line of others behind me. They remained that way to the end, just further back. That was two years later, running 1:16:33 for 30th (57:13 pb at ten miles)
🙂
Stumbled on Nike Dragonfly for £60 on Pro Direct. Had to be done - so that will be 2 in boxes in the wardrobe. Be ok for a couple of years now at least!
Gosport. I ran it once. Windy, twisty sections around cones, etc. Should've hated it, but would like to get on the course fit on a still day as it should be quick. Interesting pacing from your example - 5:43 pace for the first 10m and 6:13 for the rest. Those behind you must have really struggled if you were still gapping them. Some people can't deal with wind.
Speaking of races though, when is this training approach of yours going to be applied to a race, and what will the target be? (and what will the surface be as you've shelled out on both Nike spikes and road racing trainers?)
SC - I was just saying to SG elsewhere that I should really look at the sales. Dragonfly for £60 sounds like a cracking deal.
Short jog last night (not much inside 9m/m), and a very easy 9m earlier (8:06). Hopefully lining myself up to go slightly quicker tomorrow before a chiro follow-up.
I've sort of earmarked a handful of XC races and then there's the Hillingdon Christmas day 3.2 miles. I did that event in 1987 doing 18:29. With the clown shoes and a following breeze I might just beat that. However, the thought of doing so is ludicrous. I mean, 36 years later, and faster?!
🙂
🙂
Reading back, Ric I'm in stitches at some of your posts, you've had everyone eating our of your hand with your wind ups
You've got a distinct writing style that makes it sound like you're being serious, but you've thrown a load of comedy gold in recently.
Olympian V02 max levels.
Pro cyclist power readings (on a home stationary cycle).
Buying £222 Alphaflys, then hacking them about to modify them.
Saying you've got a loaded schedule of races, when you've not raced more than once in about 5-6 years.
Teasing talk of a big race return, then blaming traffic for a race on your doorstep?!
Then literally a minute after saying just ticking over is your humble aim at your age, saying you're aiming to shatter your own record at a race, that'd require something like a 17.40 5k, which is probably top 5 or so in the V60 rankings?
You crack me up big man, but it was a good read back
The plan is apparently 30mins in gangs of 2-4 of similar levels, doing 1k reps, at 800m solid, then 200m step up. Recoveries and pace to be decided in said groups.
Then probably more foolishly, they're doing a similar relay to that one I did in the summer.
Mixed pair, 800m each, x4, then run the last 800m together.
That'll be for fun I dare say by then!!
At any rate, negativity is an abyss of despair and drudgery that I strive to avoid. In running terms if you know of the Datchet edition of the TVXC league, it's close to that. Or thinking the whole world looks like West Thurrock.
As I said, I consider myself lucky to be alive.
At 10 months old I was but days away from dying. The scar visible on my stomach shows the emergency intervention which saved me. As well as that, I was born with a genetic condition called MEN1. Average life expectancy untreated is 50 years.
However, 63 years old today! Treated. Thanks NHS 👍. Cost to the tax payer? about £100,000 so far.
Operations are part of the treatment. I've had two to remove tumours from my parathyroid glands, one of which was to rectify the mistake made the first time around. For the second operation I had a investigative procedure called venous sampling. Fun, not. The man in charge had a lead vest on.
Then there was the tumour on my pancreas! I had the usual procedures some of which suggested I avoid babies and pregnant women. No mention of pregnant men, and in these days of equality tch! The one in my lung is on hold for now, but the pancreas pest was dealt with. Major surgery, and that day, Garmin said that I was 'peaking', so just as well I was in top shape.
I tell you, when I woke up from the operation, I had the numbest back side going. And a load of pipes and things.
There's a tumour in one of lungs. But it's on hold for now. Can't be that bad, I didn't feel my lungs at all during today's Hill Session!! whey hey!
12% hill on the golf course. One miles worth of efforts lasting around 25 seconds each while maintaining 'Don't over do it'. Finished well, and cold.
Stevie G said: Cheers SG, but big! A towering 5' 4" no more.
As for the writing style. I like to think I have something to contribute but accept that others might not want what's on offer. So I chuck in the odd joke/anecdote as an attempt to lighten things up. Can't say I take myself too seriously if at all, so the jokes invariably on me.
eg, I was once knocked unconscious by an incident in a sports centre. In A&E the medics were puzzled by the rash and dots all over my face. Wondered if I had a disease or allergy. Neither. It was caused by being hit full in the face by a basketball toe-punted from 3 yards away by a student wearing steel toe-capped boots.
The dots were from the dimples on the ball. 😅
🙂
Some of the pack. Highest count eleven.
Yes, SG. A freezing night session mid-winter on the track. Doesn't sound wonderful but as a nod towards those who are ill, injured; or like the entire role call of the O60's thread, both. A session under such conditions would be a god send.
Today and maybe (probably) tomorrow will involve more of the indoor bike shit. Means to an end. I can safely add an element of blatterment to the proceedings there and not risk twanging something. The recovery level is so good, it gives me the option of a decent session.
I'm aiming to repeat yesterday's hills as 'the' session leading up to Saturday's cowardly bail out 🙄 I mean XC race. I reckon Monday and Thursday will suffice*.
*When conditions get really bad, I employ the 'doing a Richard Brown', approach. He's a runner (sub 2:00 800m pb) who struggled to match several members of my club over the country. Until, it snowed.
For that week leading up to a particular race, we all attempted to keep our training going. Slipping about in frozen ruts and on iron hard roads, niggles were abundant. And then come race day, everything had thawed.
So, none of us were in great shape. And 'the Brown', simply ran away from all of us easy as you like. When asked how it was, he wasn't knackered like everyone else due to the snow and ice? he flip replied with, " I took one look outside and said 'I'm not going out in that shit! And that was it. Five days doing nothing.
That's a result borne of pragmatism. Less proven that time to be more.
🙂
Race reports surely?
Back to all about me then,
Putting my neck on the line, I'm planning another sprint (relative) session up the golf course. And, if the results from the last one have anything to go by, this session might be more frequent than not.
The results came out after 48 hours on the indoor trainer. The Garmin algorithm decided the numbers deserved a promotion on the VO2 Max.
The number looks good, but personally, I'm prepared to take at least 10% off in a futile attempt to keep competitive Alpha male rugger bugger types from rattling the bars of their cages.
If I have a personality label it's one called a Sigma Empath (aka a C**t!). It's something Alpha's cannot deal with.
That word on the Garmin? Superior! Mildly embarrassing that one. I mean, I have no idea why Garmin see's fit to put that on it's illustration, I knew this already 😉
🙂