Monday
AM: 50 @ 7:57 per mile - first day of work so headed out and got my first 6:30 AM run in for a while- lovely watching the countryside go into colour over the hour
PM: 57 @ 7:09 per mile - headed to Stortford and ran the 8 mile loop- quite pleased with pace
Tuesday
AM: 33:49 @9:03 per mile- very busy day today with work, cleaning house and driving to Gatwick to pick up parents
PM: 45:37 @ 7:24 per mile- got to Striders about 20 minutes late (amazing I got there at all though- flew around M25) and started jogging 'til I met Ian halfway through the time trial and paced him to end so was nice having company for a bit of faster running over the hills- then went and jogged back to car cheering on the others finishing.
Wednesday
AM: 39:02 @ 8:56 - 3rd morning run in a row- going well.
PM: 75:07 @ 7:31 per mile- run around Stortford 10 mile route - nice to have a big bunch with faster ones easing off a little bit at start and slightly slower guys pushing it- some great running towards the end and great to be able to get 10 miles in with company at a decent clip.
Thursday
AM: 26:53 @ 7:30 per mile with Marcus from work- kept up a very decent pace and was impressed- just around the airport and down along the runway. Debbie was very sweet and did me a squash for when I got back!
PM: 16 wund, 3 x mile [120] - with Lee, hit 4:59,4:55,4:59 - pace felt ridiculously quick for what we were running and both really struggling. That was the plan for the session with the option for 4 or 5 but it just wasn't going to be worth it so instead joined the young 'uns after a 3 minute recovery for their 2 mile tempo (5:25/5:20) which felt incredibly easy compared to the miles, couple more minutes then a final mile of 5:17 to finish which was again easy. Very odd session - got some decent work in though...
Friday
AM: Rest day
Saturday
PM: 15 wu, Met League XC 28:44 for 30th place- went out way too hard with the leaders and died the slow death for about a lap until I rallied a bit- dissappointed but 30 seconds quicker would have moved me into the top 15 so might just be a case of getting my tactics right.
Sunday
PM: 76:53 @ 8 per mile IIs-Vs dinner previous night + dancing so already tight calves had seized up so just went for a relaxed jog over the mud - did 6 strides towards the end of the run and was moving okay. Thought about adding on an extra 35 minutes for a bigger week and proper long run but decided that given recent niggles a smaller week probably wouldn't hurt.
Total: 535 minutes / 71ish miles
Summary: Overall a much better week- lack of a long run and decent Tuesday session was poor and still a bit annoyed/dissappointed with Saturday race but on the whole to get back up to 70 miles this week and, now I'm reviewing, those miles being much quicker than expected (and also with having started work this week me struggling for time a bit) am really quite pleased.
Training to slightly alter for next two weeks in specific build up for Telford but really looking forward to it now and think I definitely have a shot of a) running a significant road 10k PB (33:14) b) running an overall PB (32:15 track) and c) breaking 32. Looking forward to it.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Weeks Commencing 9th and 16th November 2009
Sorry for the long delay guys- after the fairly epic 16+ miler on the 8th November the wheels started coming off a bit so I backed off - here, roughly, is how the last few weeks have gone...
Week Commencing 9th November 2009
Monday
Rest day; after the 16.7 miler just to let myself recover a bit
Tuesday
AM: 40 minute recovery run @ 8:36
PM: 15 wund track session at NR - 5,4,3,2,5,4,3,2 with 90 seconds recovery between each rep hitting just short of 1600,1300,1000 and 700 for reps respectively- finishing most reps either with or just ahead of Hendrik
Wednesday
AM: 43:03 rec/easy run @ 7:34
PM: 82:26 rec/easy run @ 7:58 - done with Jamie and Phil from BSRC - unfortunately got a bit lost - pleased to help Jamie maintain 8 mm though. Slight knee pain on last few miles of this run which got much worse as I got near the finish. Legs generally tired and sluggish.
Thursday
AM: Rest- knee pain had abated but not totally gone so skipped morning run
PM: 15 wund, tempo run 28:39 /5:40 for 5 miles going 6:00 down to 5:20 - struggled in wind and just generally felt carp- knee definitely not happy and decided to see physio and take a few days off.
Friday
Rest- knee felt a bit better but not risking it
Saturday
Rest- same as Friday
Sunday
AM: 30 minute run v. v. easy at 9:06- knee held up fine
PM: 40 minute ex. bike ride- knee was fine
Total: 325 minutes / 43ish miles
Summary: Week going well till the knee- hopefully few easier days will let it recover
Monday
AM: Rest- just giving the knee one more day with this weeks rest week
Tuesday
AM: Physio- confirmed knee should be fine and just a tight quad muscle directly above it pulling on it- huge relief.
PM: 46:03 steady/tempo @ 6:49- odd experiment at Saffron Striders with lots of extra loops and people trying to catch up etc. Not totally sure if it worked but a good experiment and something to definitely be considered. Had some decent bits of pace running with Nick
Wednesday
PM: 67:00 @ 7:44- out around the BSRC 8 mile(ish) loop tonight and added a little on- nice run.
Thursday
PM: 15 wund + strides, Tempo with the lads at Herts Phoenix running a straight tempo with the young 'uns dipping in and out- 27:26 for 5 miles- 5:29 pace which was dead on the target- felt tougher than it should have done- but then I was running up front all by myself bar two laps and those two laps felt a lot easier and were a few seconds faster as well! Wind on the home straight was brutal.
Friday
AM: 30 rec @ 8:53
PM: 58 steady @ 6:55 per mile- first double day since the niggly knee and did this with Anupam around a three bridges/marston ferry loop which was good fun having not done it for a while. Pace varied with some fast sections at v. low 6 minute miling and quite a bit in the low-mid 7s whilst we chatted.
Saturday: Rest (yes- second one for the week- I had a long drive back from Ox hungover and shattered so with Hereward the next day I decided to take a break)
Sunday: 15 w/u 1:00:47 for 9.84 awful miles (a good run- effort-wise close to 5:30 or so per mile) 2nd on stage and 3rd team
Total: 336 minutes / 45ish miles
Summary: A marginally better week across the week- really quite pleased with the Hereward run and whilst the mileage was low- I got a good race, tempo run and some faster running on Tuesday including a few hills. Mileage is perhaps slightly better than reported because this week I ran very few of my recovery runs and just concentrated on getting one decent run in a day. Must say I'm pleased when my "down" weeks are now 45+ miles - okay, by a lot of standards that's still carp but for me right now making sure I am injury free and remain so is priority one and so if running two weeks at 40/45 is needed then I prefer that to one more week at 70 and then three off!
Hereward Relay Report
I had high hopes of the Striders managing to take the title with a strong squad this year and we'd been up for it for the previous 3 months. Chris Dodge started the team well with a 5th place on the first leg only 2 minutes behind the leaders- if that could be kept constant we were in with a shot! At the second leg we saw Mayezar Firouzi coming in a very good time of around 1:03 and thought it might be game over - but Nick absolutely pulled it out of the bag and managed to take 15 seconds out of him coming in 1:45 later in second place overall and individually on the stage (as a Bury St. Edmunds runner was ominously behind him but had cut our lead on them marginally). Unfortunately whilst in a very solid third place and catching the Cambridge Tri guy Ian was sent the wrong way by a misdirected arrow. As I waited for him to come in to Welney ready for the final leg to Ely first and second went through (with Bury St. Edmund starting a minute ahead of Cam Tri and with Kev Murphy on last leg the whole thing being a bit of a foregone conclusion- wish I'd had the chance to start level with him and try and hang on) it was a long wait and after fourth and fifth started about 5 minutes after the two leaders Ian finally came in after rhaving gone around 3/4 minutes off the route. I set off into the driving wind (it is point to point and all South into the wind) and thankfully the leg started on the road- I rapidly reeled in the two who had set off ahead of me over the first 3k and was then faced with the prospect of a very gloomy 45+ minutes running totally on my own over narrow tracks and muddy fields with the fens all around me. Then it started raining, and hailing, oh yay. I kept pushing hard pretty much the whole way in miserable conditions with the pace eventually falling to 7 minute miling despite the effort being consistent (and on a road it would have been ~5:30 pace I reckon) - I actually at one point just yelled "Oh F@:k" when I still had half an hour to go in the sleeting rain which is a first for me in a race (though not in a training run...). Really very pleased to just finish and quite surprised the time stacked up so well compared to others. I reeled the Cam Tri guy in massively but never quite got him in sight so I could really kick on. Striders will be back next year to try and take on Bury St. Edmunds once again! It was however our highest ever finish and I think fastest legs by Striders ever on legs 2 and 4 so an awesome effort. We got very cool pint mugs to go with our well earned horse brasses.
Week Commencing 9th November 2009
Monday
Rest day; after the 16.7 miler just to let myself recover a bit
Tuesday
AM: 40 minute recovery run @ 8:36
PM: 15 wund track session at NR - 5,4,3,2,5,4,3,2 with 90 seconds recovery between each rep hitting just short of 1600,1300,1000 and 700 for reps respectively- finishing most reps either with or just ahead of Hendrik
Wednesday
AM: 43:03 rec/easy run @ 7:34
PM: 82:26 rec/easy run @ 7:58 - done with Jamie and Phil from BSRC - unfortunately got a bit lost - pleased to help Jamie maintain 8 mm though. Slight knee pain on last few miles of this run which got much worse as I got near the finish. Legs generally tired and sluggish.
Thursday
AM: Rest- knee pain had abated but not totally gone so skipped morning run
PM: 15 wund, tempo run 28:39 /5:40 for 5 miles going 6:00 down to 5:20 - struggled in wind and just generally felt carp- knee definitely not happy and decided to see physio and take a few days off.
Friday
Rest- knee felt a bit better but not risking it
Saturday
Rest- same as Friday
Sunday
AM: 30 minute run v. v. easy at 9:06- knee held up fine
PM: 40 minute ex. bike ride- knee was fine
Total: 325 minutes / 43ish miles
Summary: Week going well till the knee- hopefully few easier days will let it recover
==============================================
Week Commencing 16th November 2009Monday
AM: Rest- just giving the knee one more day with this weeks rest week
Tuesday
AM: Physio- confirmed knee should be fine and just a tight quad muscle directly above it pulling on it- huge relief.
PM: 46:03 steady/tempo @ 6:49- odd experiment at Saffron Striders with lots of extra loops and people trying to catch up etc. Not totally sure if it worked but a good experiment and something to definitely be considered. Had some decent bits of pace running with Nick
Wednesday
PM: 67:00 @ 7:44- out around the BSRC 8 mile(ish) loop tonight and added a little on- nice run.
Thursday
PM: 15 wund + strides, Tempo with the lads at Herts Phoenix running a straight tempo with the young 'uns dipping in and out- 27:26 for 5 miles- 5:29 pace which was dead on the target- felt tougher than it should have done- but then I was running up front all by myself bar two laps and those two laps felt a lot easier and were a few seconds faster as well! Wind on the home straight was brutal.
Friday
AM: 30 rec @ 8:53
PM: 58 steady @ 6:55 per mile- first double day since the niggly knee and did this with Anupam around a three bridges/marston ferry loop which was good fun having not done it for a while. Pace varied with some fast sections at v. low 6 minute miling and quite a bit in the low-mid 7s whilst we chatted.
Saturday: Rest (yes- second one for the week- I had a long drive back from Ox hungover and shattered so with Hereward the next day I decided to take a break)
Sunday: 15 w/u 1:00:47 for 9.84 awful miles (a good run- effort-wise close to 5:30 or so per mile) 2nd on stage and 3rd team
Total: 336 minutes / 45ish miles
Summary: A marginally better week across the week- really quite pleased with the Hereward run and whilst the mileage was low- I got a good race, tempo run and some faster running on Tuesday including a few hills. Mileage is perhaps slightly better than reported because this week I ran very few of my recovery runs and just concentrated on getting one decent run in a day. Must say I'm pleased when my "down" weeks are now 45+ miles - okay, by a lot of standards that's still carp but for me right now making sure I am injury free and remain so is priority one and so if running two weeks at 40/45 is needed then I prefer that to one more week at 70 and then three off!
Hereward Relay Report
I had high hopes of the Striders managing to take the title with a strong squad this year and we'd been up for it for the previous 3 months. Chris Dodge started the team well with a 5th place on the first leg only 2 minutes behind the leaders- if that could be kept constant we were in with a shot! At the second leg we saw Mayezar Firouzi coming in a very good time of around 1:03 and thought it might be game over - but Nick absolutely pulled it out of the bag and managed to take 15 seconds out of him coming in 1:45 later in second place overall and individually on the stage (as a Bury St. Edmunds runner was ominously behind him but had cut our lead on them marginally). Unfortunately whilst in a very solid third place and catching the Cambridge Tri guy Ian was sent the wrong way by a misdirected arrow. As I waited for him to come in to Welney ready for the final leg to Ely first and second went through (with Bury St. Edmund starting a minute ahead of Cam Tri and with Kev Murphy on last leg the whole thing being a bit of a foregone conclusion- wish I'd had the chance to start level with him and try and hang on) it was a long wait and after fourth and fifth started about 5 minutes after the two leaders Ian finally came in after rhaving gone around 3/4 minutes off the route. I set off into the driving wind (it is point to point and all South into the wind) and thankfully the leg started on the road- I rapidly reeled in the two who had set off ahead of me over the first 3k and was then faced with the prospect of a very gloomy 45+ minutes running totally on my own over narrow tracks and muddy fields with the fens all around me. Then it started raining, and hailing, oh yay. I kept pushing hard pretty much the whole way in miserable conditions with the pace eventually falling to 7 minute miling despite the effort being consistent (and on a road it would have been ~5:30 pace I reckon) - I actually at one point just yelled "Oh F@:k" when I still had half an hour to go in the sleeting rain which is a first for me in a race (though not in a training run...). Really very pleased to just finish and quite surprised the time stacked up so well compared to others. I reeled the Cam Tri guy in massively but never quite got him in sight so I could really kick on. Striders will be back next year to try and take on Bury St. Edmunds once again! It was however our highest ever finish and I think fastest legs by Striders ever on legs 2 and 4 so an awesome effort. We got very cool pint mugs to go with our well earned horse brasses.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Week Commencing Monday 2nd November
Monday
AM 30:46 @ 8:47 easy Post HM
Tuesday
Rest day - drove to Oxford- ChCh social - too much red wine (my nemesis)
Wednesday
AM 64:31 at 7:13 per mile steady. Really nice run up the canal and back through Godstow with Matt, Jess and Hayley with Anupam joining in from time to time.
PM 41:23 at 10:01 per mile v. easy - absolute shuffle with MC gurk - nice chat though!
Thursday
AM 15 warm up, 30 minute tempo @5:35 per mile, 22:15 warm down. FIrst session post HM so took it very easy - ran with Carl and we several laps of Uni Parks at a comfortable rhythm- very pleased with how relaxed this felt.
PM 39:45 recovery at 9:08 per mile - hate running in the rain but this wasn't too bad.
Friday
AM 40 recovery at 9:01 per mile- met up with college mates previous night and quiet night ended up with me leaving the night club when it closed... avoid anything called a "happy" bucket.
PM 40 easy at 7:25 per mile after driving home.
Saturday
PM 25 w.u. RAF vs. EAA vs. Filthy Tabs race at RAF Halton 30:35 8th 17 w.d. (65)
Sunday
PM 1:50:34 steady at 6:36 per mile - first half done about 7:00 and then dropped pace without meaning to to 6:00 for most second half. 6:0x pace felt incredibly easy and finished the run very strongly.
Total Running: 505 minutes
An odd week coming as it did post HM and with my trip to Oxford. Total volume is a little down on what I'd hope but not particularly worried about that as it would only have been a second run on the Monday or Tuesday of about 35 minutes which in the big scheme I decided would be a poor move due to the HM and decided to let my legs recover a little bit more. Legs were still a bit sore on Wednesday but the shuffle helped that and then the Thursday tempo was very pleasing with how relaxed it was- my true tempo pace has almost certainly dropped to more like 5:25 rather than 5:30 I think - I'm sure that a combination of little sleep on Thursday (and not a great amount on Friday either) with the tempo affected Saturday's race.
Saturday was my debut as team manager and really enjoyed it and thought the squad did superbly with particularly good runs coming from Carl and Paul I would say. In addition to have 4 of us finishing within 10 seconds showed that the squad was all fairly balanced. Personally I was quite disappointed being ~20-30 seconds down on where I would hope to be- I set off extremely fast, then died very badly in the woods before being caught by the rest of the East runners before rallying and staying in fairly close contact. In retrospect I probably should have pushed on a bit more when feeling good in the second half of the race.
When I consider the poor tactics (well- it didn't work but I did intend to try a fast start), lack of sleep and maybe some residual soreness in the legs from last weekends 5k/HM double I reckon it was an okay run but I definitely hope to run much better in a month or so's time.
The Sunday run by contrast was awesome- first time doing a 110 minute run as a "regular" long run as opposed to a one-off longer effort. First 45 minutes was very relaxed at 7:00 in gloves and jacket, stopped for a minute to grab some water at home before carrying on - without realising it I must have been running faster even though I felt very easy and for the last 40 minutes or so was dropping 6:0x and sub 6 minute miles. Very pleasing to average 6:36 and feel very strong though doubt I'll be able to do it long-term. 2 more 110 minute runs and then will be attacking the two hour mark which will be a real indicator of how I'll deal with marathon training.
To cover 20 miles I reckon I'll be running between 2:00 and 2:30 depending on how I feel from day to day- the idea of during a 3 week training block doing a 2:30 time on feet run over 20 miles @7:30 per mile, a 2:00 run at 6:00 or probably not a huge amount off marathon effort (as untapered and not as fit as I will be come marathon day!) and a shorter 3 mile warm up, 10 miles @ MP, 2 mile warm down effort- seems very tempting but that's just me ruminating!
So- for a post HM week covered ~67 miles with a not great race, good tempo and very good long run. Not bad at all!
AM 30:46 @ 8:47 easy Post HM
Tuesday
Rest day - drove to Oxford- ChCh social - too much red wine (my nemesis)
Wednesday
AM 64:31 at 7:13 per mile steady. Really nice run up the canal and back through Godstow with Matt, Jess and Hayley with Anupam joining in from time to time.
PM 41:23 at 10:01 per mile v. easy - absolute shuffle with MC gurk - nice chat though!
Thursday
AM 15 warm up, 30 minute tempo @5:35 per mile, 22:15 warm down. FIrst session post HM so took it very easy - ran with Carl and we several laps of Uni Parks at a comfortable rhythm- very pleased with how relaxed this felt.
PM 39:45 recovery at 9:08 per mile - hate running in the rain but this wasn't too bad.
Friday
AM 40 recovery at 9:01 per mile- met up with college mates previous night and quiet night ended up with me leaving the night club when it closed... avoid anything called a "happy" bucket.
PM 40 easy at 7:25 per mile after driving home.
Saturday
PM 25 w.u. RAF vs. EAA vs. Filthy Tabs race at RAF Halton 30:35 8th 17 w.d. (65)
Sunday
PM 1:50:34 steady at 6:36 per mile - first half done about 7:00 and then dropped pace without meaning to to 6:00 for most second half. 6:0x pace felt incredibly easy and finished the run very strongly.
Total Running: 505 minutes
An odd week coming as it did post HM and with my trip to Oxford. Total volume is a little down on what I'd hope but not particularly worried about that as it would only have been a second run on the Monday or Tuesday of about 35 minutes which in the big scheme I decided would be a poor move due to the HM and decided to let my legs recover a little bit more. Legs were still a bit sore on Wednesday but the shuffle helped that and then the Thursday tempo was very pleasing with how relaxed it was- my true tempo pace has almost certainly dropped to more like 5:25 rather than 5:30 I think - I'm sure that a combination of little sleep on Thursday (and not a great amount on Friday either) with the tempo affected Saturday's race.
Saturday was my debut as team manager and really enjoyed it and thought the squad did superbly with particularly good runs coming from Carl and Paul I would say. In addition to have 4 of us finishing within 10 seconds showed that the squad was all fairly balanced. Personally I was quite disappointed being ~20-30 seconds down on where I would hope to be- I set off extremely fast, then died very badly in the woods before being caught by the rest of the East runners before rallying and staying in fairly close contact. In retrospect I probably should have pushed on a bit more when feeling good in the second half of the race.
When I consider the poor tactics (well- it didn't work but I did intend to try a fast start), lack of sleep and maybe some residual soreness in the legs from last weekends 5k/HM double I reckon it was an okay run but I definitely hope to run much better in a month or so's time.
The Sunday run by contrast was awesome- first time doing a 110 minute run as a "regular" long run as opposed to a one-off longer effort. First 45 minutes was very relaxed at 7:00 in gloves and jacket, stopped for a minute to grab some water at home before carrying on - without realising it I must have been running faster even though I felt very easy and for the last 40 minutes or so was dropping 6:0x and sub 6 minute miles. Very pleasing to average 6:36 and feel very strong though doubt I'll be able to do it long-term. 2 more 110 minute runs and then will be attacking the two hour mark which will be a real indicator of how I'll deal with marathon training.
To cover 20 miles I reckon I'll be running between 2:00 and 2:30 depending on how I feel from day to day- the idea of during a 3 week training block doing a 2:30 time on feet run over 20 miles @7:30 per mile, a 2:00 run at 6:00 or probably not a huge amount off marathon effort (as untapered and not as fit as I will be come marathon day!) and a shorter 3 mile warm up, 10 miles @ MP, 2 mile warm down effort- seems very tempting but that's just me ruminating!
So- for a post HM week covered ~67 miles with a not great race, good tempo and very good long run. Not bad at all!
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Week Commencing Monday 26th October 2009
This is intended to be my substantially lower mileage week with a decent tempo run on Tuesday, and then 3 very easy days before racing a 5k XC leg on Saturday and a HM on Sunday for my second serious one.
Monday
40 minutes easy
Tuesday
Hard tempo- 36:36- course record at Striders averaging 5:30 per mile over an extremely hilly course. Took 1:32 off my own record on the course we run most weeks of the year.
Wednesday
80 minutes at 8 minute miling
Thursday
Rest day
Friday: 45 easy
Saturday:
15 warm up, 16:39 5k XC leg - reckon that it's worth around a minute if done on a track from others times, 5 warm down
Sunday
very short warm up, Stevenage half marathon in awful conditions and a tougher course than I remembered, ran 73:50 - not sure how much it's worth but probably a bit. Finished 4th behind James Lawler, Martelleti and Chris Smith. Generally very pleased- especially with champs qualifier.
Total running volume: 310 minutes ~40 miles
Aim was about 340 so losing a decent warm up and down for Stevenage was pleased.
Monday
40 minutes easy
Tuesday
Hard tempo- 36:36- course record at Striders averaging 5:30 per mile over an extremely hilly course. Took 1:32 off my own record on the course we run most weeks of the year.
Wednesday
80 minutes at 8 minute miling
Thursday
Rest day
Friday: 45 easy
Saturday:
15 warm up, 16:39 5k XC leg - reckon that it's worth around a minute if done on a track from others times, 5 warm down
Sunday
very short warm up, Stevenage half marathon in awful conditions and a tougher course than I remembered, ran 73:50 - not sure how much it's worth but probably a bit. Finished 4th behind James Lawler, Martelleti and Chris Smith. Generally very pleased- especially with champs qualifier.
Total running volume: 310 minutes ~40 miles
Aim was about 340 so losing a decent warm up and down for Stevenage was pleased.
3rd Half-Marathon- Poor time; Good run!
So today was the Stevenage Half-marathon. I did this as my debut 4 years ago running 77:42 and aside from a monumentally stupid run at Roding Valley (I was in excruciating back pain) where I DNFed this was my second serious HM effort. This time after a hard 5k leg at the ECCA relays yesterday- maybe a little silly!
Reasonable performance but poor time from me I'm afraid. Course was much tougher than I remembered and the conditions were awful. Constant rain and fairly high wind speeds.
Really not sure what it's worth on the "comparison-meter" - estimates ranged from a minute to up to 4 minutes! As it is am very enthusiastic for my next HM where I think on a decent course with decent weather I can aim for 71.
Finally I have to say an absolutely huge thank you to Lee for getting me around the first half- if I'd been on my own I would have shot off after 3rd place way too hard and early but Lee steadily worked me up there and took the wind when it was at it's worst. Couldn't ask for a better pacer or friend to come out there in that weather and help out.
Reasonable performance but poor time from me I'm afraid. Course was much tougher than I remembered and the conditions were awful. Constant rain and fairly high wind speeds.
Got absolutely soaked walking about a km to the start and didn't have anything to change into so ended up spending ~ hour in wet clothes before the race- didn't do much of a warm up as conditions were so poor- still had a little stiffnes in my groin and hamstrings due to the 5k XC race yesterday. Set off and two runners disappeared off into the distance (I'll leave you to guess who!) leaving me in about 15th place - I went past my original two guides for ~72/73 minutes ( this guy Andy - 72:46 and Grant- 2:37) and a lot of other runners very quickly. Thankfully one of my friends from yesterday was pacing me to half way so I always had company. The miles were badly out so won't bother you with too many of the splits
First few miles were mostly uphill and tough work- I found myself in 5th fairly quickly with 4th about 30m ahead and 3rd Chris - 14:50 5k / 31:40 10k/ 21st National XC! similar. and around 3/4 miles we entered a strong headwind and my mate started pushing- went with him and he pulled me up to 4th very quickly and onto 3rd place who we steadily caught up with over the next mile until at around 5 miles we caught him- he slowed slightly and I could hear 5th coming up beind fairly quick. My mate was quite keen for me to push on but he was dropping out in about a miles time and on this horrible day I was going to struggle running on my own in the second half - went through 6 miles in just under 34 minutes.I was feeling very comfortable still (aerobically was comfortable) - our group of three with me and Chris running pretty much level and 5th just off the back stayed together for about another 1.5 miles and then Chris started pushing on a long uphill drag and whilst my lungs were fine- my legs struggled with the extra pace and I dropped a metre or two back and tucked in behind 5th place.
I saw the gap was only ~10-20m so wasn't too worried but as I stayed behind 5th he kept on moving away and didn't realise just how much he was getting away- was planning to try and kick on at 10 miles (very pleased when I went through in a 56:1x PB and knew I had the sub 75 in the bag) and in retrospect after taking a quick recovery behind 5th I should have tried kicking on much earlier but in horrible conditions I lost a bit of nerve - right on ten miles though you go into the worst headwind in the course so I stayed tucked in and didn't kick on till mile 11- then went pretty well (got away from 5th without an issue) and was reeling in 11th but by now he was well clear ~180m I'd guess without me realising at all- reeled in a few seconds and cut him down to 28 seconds but finish came too quickly.
Odd race- final time of 73:50- which on the whole is a bit disappointing. On the other hand I don't think it's a particularly representative time (the runners I was planning to use as guides for 72/73 finished in 77 and 79 minutes, Chris has run 71:27 before, my friend who ran 59:07 at the BMAF champs in Portland for 10 miles finished outside 80 minutes) and to be as close to an athlete as good as Chris was very promising. The weather was horrendous and the course much worse than I expected- on the whole I'm relatively pleased with the performance, especially with the flat-out 5km yesterday, and as my second completed HM it's ~4 minute PB on the same course in the same conditions 4 years ago. At the 6 stage 4 years ago I ran 20:10 (awesome run) and this year I ran 19:47 so the difference over 6k isn't necessarily huge but over HM it's substantial showing my improved endurance.
Really not sure what it's worth on the "comparison-meter" - estimates ranged from a minute to up to 4 minutes! As it is am very enthusiastic for my next HM where I think on a decent course with decent weather I can aim for 71.
Finally I have to say an absolutely huge thank you to Lee for getting me around the first half- if I'd been on my own I would have shot off after 3rd place way too hard and early but Lee steadily worked me up there and took the wind when it was at it's worst. Couldn't ask for a better pacer or friend to come out there in that weather and help out.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Week Commencing Monday 19th October 2009
Sorry- none of the usual witty banter in log this week- report on Sunday League XC should be up once results are out!
Monday
PM 58:36 @ 6:28 per mile (might be slightly out as dodgy last few ks but definitely in 6:3x range) inc. ~8 strides mid-run.
Tuesday
AM 38:26 recovery at 8:10 per mile
PM 15 w.u inc. strides, 4 x (1600 @ 77/lap, 90, 400@~70, 90) 5:04,08,08,08 for miles feeling v. easy, 68,66,65,64 for 400s feeling easy as well. 15 w.d. (65)
Wednesday
AM 39:47 recovery at 7:47 per mile
PM 57:19 easy at 8:01 per mile with BSRC
Thursday
AM 41:36 recovery at 9:19 per mile
PM 18 w.u. 17 w.d. 10 x k off 200 jog @ 3:20- hit 3:20 +or- 1 second- last one in 2:55 as a blow-out- felt easy 3:20 pace was extremely relaxed (44 minutes running)
Friday
PM 100:12 at 7:09 per mile (14 miles) inc. 6 x Canova Hill Sprints
Saturday
Rest
Sunday
10 w.u. 15 w.d. Sunday League doing it at tempo. Somehow came 1st- 27:55 staying at tempo effort whole way.
Total Running Volume
535 minutes
Monday
PM 58:36 @ 6:28 per mile (might be slightly out as dodgy last few ks but definitely in 6:3x range) inc. ~8 strides mid-run.
Tuesday
AM 38:26 recovery at 8:10 per mile
PM 15 w.u inc. strides, 4 x (1600 @ 77/lap, 90, 400@~70, 90) 5:04,08,08,08 for miles feeling v. easy, 68,66,65,64 for 400s feeling easy as well. 15 w.d. (65)
Wednesday
AM 39:47 recovery at 7:47 per mile
PM 57:19 easy at 8:01 per mile with BSRC
Thursday
AM 41:36 recovery at 9:19 per mile
PM 18 w.u. 17 w.d. 10 x k off 200 jog @ 3:20- hit 3:20 +or- 1 second- last one in 2:55 as a blow-out- felt easy 3:20 pace was extremely relaxed (44 minutes running)
Friday
PM 100:12 at 7:09 per mile (14 miles) inc. 6 x Canova Hill Sprints
Saturday
Rest
Sunday
10 w.u. 15 w.d. Sunday League doing it at tempo. Somehow came 1st- 27:55 staying at tempo effort whole way.
Total Running Volume
535 minutes
Week Commencing Monday 19th October 2009
Sorry- none of the usual witty banter in log this week- report on Sunday League XC should be up once results are out!
Monday
PM 58:36 @ 6:28 per mile (might be slightly out as dodgy last few ks but definitely in 6:3x range) inc. ~8 strides mid-run.
Tuesday
AM 38:26 recovery at 8:10 per mile
PM 15 w.u inc. strides, 4 x (1600 @ 77/lap, 90, 400@~70, 90) 5:04,08,08,08 for miles feeling v. easy, 68,66,65,64 for 400s feeling easy as well. 15 w.d. (65)
Wednesday
AM 39:47 recovery at 7:47 per mile
PM 57:19 easy at 8:01 per mile with BSRC
Thursday
AM 41:36 recovery at 9:19 per mile
PM 18 w.u. 17 w.d. 10 x k off 200 jog @ 3:20- hit 3:20 +or- 1 second- last one in 2:55 as a blow-out- felt easy 3:20 pace was extremely relaxed (44 minutes running)
Friday
PM 100:12 at 7:09 per mile (14 miles) inc. 6 x Canova Hill Sprints
Saturday
Rest
Sunday
10 w.u. 15 w.d. Sunday League doing it at tempo. Somehow came 1st- 27:55 staying at tempo effort whole way.
Total Running Volume
535 minutes
Monday
PM 58:36 @ 6:28 per mile (might be slightly out as dodgy last few ks but definitely in 6:3x range) inc. ~8 strides mid-run.
Tuesday
AM 38:26 recovery at 8:10 per mile
PM 15 w.u inc. strides, 4 x (1600 @ 77/lap, 90, 400@~70, 90) 5:04,08,08,08 for miles feeling v. easy, 68,66,65,64 for 400s feeling easy as well. 15 w.d. (65)
Wednesday
AM 39:47 recovery at 7:47 per mile
PM 57:19 easy at 8:01 per mile with BSRC
Thursday
AM 41:36 recovery at 9:19 per mile
PM 18 w.u. 17 w.d. 10 x k off 200 jog @ 3:20- hit 3:20 +or- 1 second- last one in 2:55 as a blow-out- felt easy 3:20 pace was extremely relaxed (44 minutes running)
Friday
PM 100:12 at 7:09 per mile (14 miles) inc. 6 x Canova Hill Sprints
Saturday
Rest
Sunday
10 w.u. 15 w.d. Sunday League doing it at tempo. Somehow came 1st- 27:55 staying at tempo effort whole way.
Total Running Volume
535 minutes
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Week Commencing Monday 12th October 2009
Monday
AM 40 minute recovery run @ 8:03 per mile
PM 15 warm up and down. 10 x 1000 @ ~Tempo pace (off 200 fast jog) Was shooting for 3:32.5 per k- reps were: (3:31,30,29,30,29,26,31,31,29,19)with me kicking the last 200 in ~31so AVG 3:28.5 or 5:35/mile. Whilst the 200 recoveries were average 54.1 so my recovery was at 7:12/mile - nice trying this out. (75)
Tuesday
40 AM recovery- 8:26 per mile hamstring sore
PM 40 hilly tempo - ~5:56 pace over very hilly route. Best time is 38:08 and I ran 39:11 so a good strong run. Hamstring still a bit sore
Wednesday
AM 50 recovery @ 9:00 per mile- hamstring sore- decided not to do track session in PM.
Thursday
AM 50 recovery @ 9:22 per mile- hamstring attachment still a bit sore but better.
PM 56 at variety of paces - 35 with lads before Sunday easy/steady, then 4 x 400 on track off 200 jog keeping them relaxed @ 72-74 bar the 67 first one then 10 minutes warming down.
Friday
AM 58:30 @ 8:19 per mile- hamstring still quite sore- drove to Nottingham.
Saturday
Rest- In Nottingham
Sunday
PM - drove back from Nottingham- 100 minutes @ 7:27 per mile - started slow and finished quicker but getting dark so did last 10 minutes on treadmill.
Running Total: 510 minutes Cycling Total: 0 minutes
Total: 510 minutes
This was a weird week- concurrence of illness, my hamstring getting quite bad DOMS on Monday and that carrying over onto Tuesday which I've reclassified into a hilly tempo run as it was really quite quick together with going to Notts on weekend (awesome trip) meant that I wasn't able to give my hamstring a break all week and I think that's shown by the pace of the recovery runs getting slower over the week from Monday where I was barely walking for 8:03 to Thursday where I was struggling with 9:22. The 67 really pleased me on Thursday oddly as it was in clunky trainers and I really didn't feel like I was running hard- having done no conventional speed work I thought it might have gone slightly but it seems to still be there.
So- plus points- I got the running volume in which is one of my bigger weeks, two very reasonable runs/sessions and I've finished the week healthier and with a decent hamstring again. Negative points are I'm definitely down one session for the week, pace of runs was a bit slow and most importantly I didn't get any cycling in.
AM 40 minute recovery run @ 8:03 per mile
PM 15 warm up and down. 10 x 1000 @ ~Tempo pace (off 200 fast jog) Was shooting for 3:32.5 per k- reps were: (3:31,30,29,30,29,26,31,31,29,19)with me kicking the last 200 in ~31so AVG 3:28.5 or 5:35/mile. Whilst the 200 recoveries were average 54.1 so my recovery was at 7:12/mile - nice trying this out. (75)
Tuesday
40 AM recovery- 8:26 per mile hamstring sore
PM 40 hilly tempo - ~5:56 pace over very hilly route. Best time is 38:08 and I ran 39:11 so a good strong run. Hamstring still a bit sore
Wednesday
AM 50 recovery @ 9:00 per mile- hamstring sore- decided not to do track session in PM.
Thursday
AM 50 recovery @ 9:22 per mile- hamstring attachment still a bit sore but better.
PM 56 at variety of paces - 35 with lads before Sunday easy/steady, then 4 x 400 on track off 200 jog keeping them relaxed @ 72-74 bar the 67 first one then 10 minutes warming down.
Friday
AM 58:30 @ 8:19 per mile- hamstring still quite sore- drove to Nottingham.
Saturday
Rest- In Nottingham
Sunday
PM - drove back from Nottingham- 100 minutes @ 7:27 per mile - started slow and finished quicker but getting dark so did last 10 minutes on treadmill.
Running Total: 510 minutes Cycling Total: 0 minutes
Total: 510 minutes
This was a weird week- concurrence of illness, my hamstring getting quite bad DOMS on Monday and that carrying over onto Tuesday which I've reclassified into a hilly tempo run as it was really quite quick together with going to Notts on weekend (awesome trip) meant that I wasn't able to give my hamstring a break all week and I think that's shown by the pace of the recovery runs getting slower over the week from Monday where I was barely walking for 8:03 to Thursday where I was struggling with 9:22. The 67 really pleased me on Thursday oddly as it was in clunky trainers and I really didn't feel like I was running hard- having done no conventional speed work I thought it might have gone slightly but it seems to still be there.
So- plus points- I got the running volume in which is one of my bigger weeks, two very reasonable runs/sessions and I've finished the week healthier and with a decent hamstring again. Negative points are I'm definitely down one session for the week, pace of runs was a bit slow and most importantly I didn't get any cycling in.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Week Commencing Monday 5th October 2009
Monday
AM 30 minutes easy (7:10/mile) wet but still an okay run. Pace felt steady at the start and very easy at the end despite being ~45 secs/km quicker.
PM 51:30 recovery run at 9:01/mile with 8 x Canova Hill sprints - broke 10 seconds for three of them moving well on the sprints.
Tuesday
PM 15 wund 6 x 1300 on a 6:30 loop. 4:01,4:03,4:03,4:03,4:02,4:02 avg. 74.6/lap warm up excluding speed ladder, drills and strides and warm-down including 2 x 200m strides @ 10k pace
Wednesday
AM 39:11 recovery @8:52 per mile. Legs a bit sore esp. top of right hamstring
PM 45:14 steady @ 6:06 per mile. Awful rain. Splits on garmin seemed a little dodgy so average pace might have been a bit slower but generally moving pretty well in some awful conditions and muddier than usual forest paths.
PM PM 40 rec. on cycle 22.22km
Thursday
PM 15 wund, 27:33 5 mile tempo run (5:30 AVG), (60) miles were 5:51,5:42,5:27,5:18,5:07
Friday: Rest - played about 40 minutes tennis.
Saturday: 15 minute warm up, Met League 29th 15 minute warm-down!
Sunday:
AM: 101:16 long run AVG 7:26/mile (5:04,5:04,4:07,5:02,4:37,4:37,4:17,4:20,4:08,4:13,4:50,5:04,4:20,4:43,4:28,4:16,4:24,4:15,4:58,5:30,4:21)
PM 40 minutes cycling recovery 21.16km
Total Time Running: 454 minutes Total Time Cycling: 80 minutes
Total Training Volume: 534 minutes
Managed to miss out one 40 minute recovery run.
Met League Race Report
Messed up pacing totally. First lap was fine as people charged off and I set off well but was running comfortably and aerobically- then when I usually throw in my early semi-surge to move up a fair few places I was stuck behind people and unable to get past. Just sat in rather than forced my way through and continued to do that when I should have been running harder. Second lap I actually pushed a bit on the second half of the second lap and flew away from the people I was with (who were catching others anyway) - only person to come past me was Rich Williams absolutely storming past after stopping for laces or something.
AM 30 minutes easy (7:10/mile) wet but still an okay run. Pace felt steady at the start and very easy at the end despite being ~45 secs/km quicker.
PM 51:30 recovery run at 9:01/mile with 8 x Canova Hill sprints - broke 10 seconds for three of them moving well on the sprints.
Tuesday
PM 15 wund 6 x 1300 on a 6:30 loop. 4:01,4:03,4:03,4:03,4:02,4:02 avg. 74.6/lap warm up excluding speed ladder, drills and strides and warm-down including 2 x 200m strides @ 10k pace
Wednesday
AM 39:11 recovery @8:52 per mile. Legs a bit sore esp. top of right hamstring
PM 45:14 steady @ 6:06 per mile. Awful rain. Splits on garmin seemed a little dodgy so average pace might have been a bit slower but generally moving pretty well in some awful conditions and muddier than usual forest paths.
PM PM 40 rec. on cycle 22.22km
Thursday
PM 15 wund, 27:33 5 mile tempo run (5:30 AVG), (60) miles were 5:51,5:42,5:27,5:18,5:07
Friday: Rest - played about 40 minutes tennis.
Saturday: 15 minute warm up, Met League 29th 15 minute warm-down!
Sunday:
AM: 101:16 long run AVG 7:26/mile (5:04,5:04,4:07,5:02,4:37,4:37,4:17,4:20,4:08,4:13,4:50,5:04,4:20,4:43,4:28,4:16,4:24,4:15,4:58,5:30,4:21)
PM 40 minutes cycling recovery 21.16km
Total Time Running: 454 minutes Total Time Cycling: 80 minutes
Total Training Volume: 534 minutes
Managed to miss out one 40 minute recovery run.
Met League Race Report
Messed up pacing totally. First lap was fine as people charged off and I set off well but was running comfortably and aerobically- then when I usually throw in my early semi-surge to move up a fair few places I was stuck behind people and unable to get past. Just sat in rather than forced my way through and continued to do that when I should have been running harder. Second lap I actually pushed a bit on the second half of the second lap and flew away from the people I was with (who were catching others anyway) - only person to come past me was Rich Williams absolutely storming past after stopping for laces or something.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Training Camp 2009 : A Review
Having finally arrived back from the Lake District I feel the week should be memorialised somehow so here's my brief journal of what happened (or not!)
I wasn't going up with the minibus (I never go up with the minibus - I say it's because it's more convenient than going over to Oxford but really it's so I can take a huge bag and enough trainers to last a lifetime) as I was racing the South of England Road Relays and then taking Carl and Anupam up as well after our legs. Anupam and I both did first leg and I then went and did my usual walk and talk around the place before we left. We did a quick warm down and I decided that seeing as we were both ready to go and all together, it probably wouldn't hurt to wait a few more minutes and cheer people. Big mistake. Anupam promptly came up with the knowledge that his racers were currently halfway up the first hill and doing another 2 loops of the course on Daniel Thompson's feet as he'd stolen his trainers. Once plans for a citizen's arrest midrace were mooted we decided to go over and shift Anupam's stuff from Martin's car to mine (including a guitar...) and despite protests we'd be able to take it all, Anupam stayed to supervise before finally heading back to pick up his racers. On the whole I think Martin and I's plan for Daniel to send them piece by piece through the post over the term would have been much more satisfying.
Anyways- we finally set off- only an hour after we were meant to! Despite the application of the Brucey factor (extra half hour just in case) we were still an hour down and not making good time.
(Bonus points for naming the show and the episode this came from in the comments section)
Once on the road things started flowing though. Despite numerous debates about one and two stop strategies and whether Anupam had to wear clothes in the car (he did) and whether the cut price Jelly Babies were edible (they weren't) we actually did make good time and opted for the two stop strategy. A quick break and enough grub to last us most of the week from M&S (having just about managed to resist the temptation to grab a Burger King - Anupam's squeals of disappointment as we went past the next Services with a KFC were audible from back in London) we finally got into the Lake District and then began arguing as to whether we trusted the Tom-Tom or Tash's directions. We eventually decided on Tash's directions (in 30m take a right turn, then when you see the pub go left - missing out on the 20 miles inbetween!) which got us there safely at around 10. The minibus had managed to arrive earlier despite struggling up hardknot pass which resulted in everyone having to get out and walk. They did eventually realise this meant no one was actually driving the minibus up the hill so Cathy got back in and drove it up.
So- being an OUCCC training camp by the time we got there everyone had left for the pub and with only half an hour of drinking to go we set off in furious pursuit. Having accosted a bus depot and a mnin-railway we finally found the pub were everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and remarkably sober and being served by the charming Naomi. Time to put an end to that!
*** The rest of the evening is somewhat of a blur- I vaguely recall making a hilarious joke at Chris' expense which was apparently mean, making a very large bluff in a poker game and button-holing Andy for around an hour in the Men's loos (no- that isn't a euphemism) before finally stumbling up to bed with Anchorman blaring in my ear***
The next morning I arose with a little bit of a headache to the sound of very loud talking downstairs. Unfortunately the bunkhouse was very small and sound carried through-out the whole thing but we were off on a run! Tash used to live in the area and led us on a "3 mile loop" which I swear was actually much longer but took us through some very pleasant countryside and was my main run for most of the week. We were then led up a scramble to see what was apparently a very deep waterful which had Mcgurk and Titheradge sprinting to see who could reach the top first before realising the hill was about 400m longer than they thought it was. Oops. The waterfall was breathtaking and we then carried on climbing having to walk a little bit due to the steepness. We then went down through the moor and some of us added on an extra half hour once we got back with Ms. Badouin showing herself to be in excellent shape kicking away over the final 400m!
Afterwards we headed out to Whitehaven which as it turned out, wasn't really that interesting but we did have a very pleasant walk along the coast together with making our mark. Then a quick trip to Tescos to buy food (booze!) and we were back home.
In the evening we enjoyed ASDA value burgers cooked admirably by Mr. Gold. Then again to the pub but this time still slightly tender from the previous night I managed to admirably abstain whilst Anupam took himself down in thoroughly excellent fashion. By this time Mr. Duncan formerly of the terrible tabs had joined us and introduced us to the wonderful game of "mine" whereby everytime someone said the word mine they were forced to do press-ups. Increasingly ingenious plots to get the word said evolved through-out the week "I'm struggling with this cross-word- Seminal work of Adolf Hitler?" "Where does Copper come from" or from Mr Gold " Anupam- whose is that pudding?" repeated several times at increasing volumes. Some epic jenga was played.
We also had a very pleasant walk to see a field Sean had found for the session. This turned out to be a field which Sean had made up. We were unable to find the field and Sean's reputation as someone who likes to make things up to get attention continues. He also took advantage of a sheep.
The next day we had a session of 3/4/5 x mile planned off 60 seconds recovery on the roads. Well I say that, but it really was no simple task as approximately 57.21% of the previous day had been spent arguing about whether to run it on the road or the field, for time or for distance, what the distance should be, and whether Anupam was to be allowed to do it without clothes. Some nice running especially from Mr. Heyes and Mr. Assmundsen who is rapidly emerging as Oxford's secret weapon. Be scared Tabs. Be very scared.
(Yes... I'm aware he's not much to look at....)
In the afternoon we all just chilled out, watched Iron Man whilst some of us did oil massages and then a few of us headed out for a second run of the day around the three mile loop with Tom, Andy, Carl and Anupam (I think...) with my watch eventually giving up on me.
In the evening we went back to the original pub for a meal. It was pretty good with my black pudding starter being excellent followed by a very reasonable sirloin steak (rare). Much a pennying went on followed by a return to the bunkhouse and some interesting games which will never be repeated including a shocking Never Have I Ever performance from some of the group featuring Mile High clubs, public transport and the defilement of school libraries. The evening concluded with Jamie adding in his third run of the day in minamilist clothing.
Wednesday we were out for a much easier day as a group ran out to Ravenglass and a smaller group of us were following in the minibus and running back. Thankfully in the later group (old man Reynolds needs his sleep) we got there in time for hte changeover with it raining and debated which carpark we were meant to be in for a fair old while. Finally the other turned up having gone the wrong way and we headed off with Cathy starting off saying "Ouch" every step having done too many press-ups. This still didn't stop her nailing it up the hill though with some of the better bloke runners in the club out of breath. Mr. Samuel's displayed excellent navigational skills and is considering becoming an orienteer if it wasn't so declasse. As the "motor" of the group I ran in the centre. Jet engine Heyes ran behind whilst Carl was the windscreen spotting stuff out. Ms. Heyes was of course the pilot deciding where we were going whilst Tom Tom Samuels gave the directions in a stiff upperclass tone. This was possibly my favourite run of training camp.
During the day we went to visit the world's oldest working water mill. It was old. There was water. Some pretty ingenious machinery though. More entertaining was the nearby rockpool which Tash insisted you could and she had jumped into despite the water appearing about 50 cm deep. Off a escarpment about 3/4 metres high. David Taylor managed to slip on the rocks and nearly put himself on. On the way back Matt Gold invented the game with one rule "What Matt Says Goes" - whilst personally I think this is potentially akin to giving a 15 year old a 24 pack, the car keys and a funnel the game worked fairly well with the principle aim being to touch a species of animal and once touched that species no longer counted. After invading private property to find a chicken and Anupam harrassing some cows in a field he took an early lead through Duncan managed to find a squashed frog on the road.
This was unfortunately followed up by one of the world's first slug eating competitions. Yes. Slug eating. Duncan had a truly awesome specimen to devour and despite it's beer flavourings it did appear to be a struggle to get down.
Then followed up with a very pleasant 45 minute recovery run whilst everyone else did circuits and we wondered where on earth Gold, Heyes and Ansell had gone to on their trip to the supermarket. Finally we left for the restaurant (pub) leaving them to fend for themselves. The pub was very pleasant with a succesful trademark simultaneous double penny of a pennied glass leaving Mr Duncan in a precarious downing situation. Unfortunately I didn't get my gammon steak as ordered but was instead left with an overdone rib-eye steak. Thankfully Chris switched roughly half of his gammon steak for a tiny portion of my rib-eye. Sucka!
After the meal quite a few headed back (losers!) whilst the rest headed out on the mini-bus to Whitehaven in vain attempt of a rocking night out. With the only nightclub in the town closed we ended up in spoons with a pitcher of Purple Rain (+ 2 Vodka shots- excellent value) - arguing selection policies, politics and whether we could get away with calling Social Services and getting them to take Andy away.
Sadly we were now onto our final day after arriving back at the bunk-house in a relatively poor state. Something might have happened- I really can't remember. Dave and Martin threw up - it was a poor effort.
The final day was a hills session in the morning where most were doing 15 x minute with a 90 second recovery (girls only 12-14) with me stepping it up to 20. After Tom managed to lead us down a very wet trail for our warm-up and Anupam led a drills session along an incredibly pot-holed trail (If I don't have a straight,flat, tarmaced road to run on I get cranky) we started the session with me carrying my trainer and dropping it at the end of the first rep. For the next 18 reps I hit that trainer everytime before pushing a bit clear of in the final rep with Sean taking photos of us all running. Very pleased with the consistency here and everyone seemed to have a pretty reasonable session.
After everyone had waited for me to finally finish warming down we headed back and settled in for another afternoon of massage, Old School and general lazing. Quite a few people headed off on walks of varying length (apparently someone saw a Lake- I managed to avoid seeing one my whole week there...) and the like and seemed to have fun before my final run of the week with Anupam and David Taylor (who kept on pushing the pace!).
A group headed off to the pub whilst some of the others concerned themselves with abusing a set of frozen chickens. Arriving there I was informed that Tom had just told them to come back for food as it was ready. Promptly ordered a pint and started enjoying it before we headed back and were told firmly that we were going to have to queue up single file because we were late. Sadly immediately after food no-hands desert started and whilst some good efforts were made we could definitely use some coaching...
Promptly followed by no hands milk, rice pudding and in mine and Hayley's case red wine which was not succesful (and might have been the beginning of the end for her...).
After this "Cafe Disco" was opened and whilst beer pong was frantically organised dominated by Ms. Hanstock, some chatted and others began a "Ring of Fire" something wonderful happened. People started emerging in towels. Towel day was back with a vengeance baby! My hangover-brainchild last year of combining the towel with a belt to create a garment was being rapidly adopted (even by the girls) and a full blown towel party emerged! Then we got down to some serious boogeying after a masterful speech by Chris and a demand for Beer and Vodka funds from penny-pincher Das. Whilst for some the night ended quickly! for the rest we carried on into the early hours of the morning with McGurk's rocking tunes. There may have been a speech again. I really won't comment. But it did seem to go better than last year's. I think the difference this year was that I was topless. Definitely. Maire and Claire were under strict instructions to guard the girl's dorm which unfortunately failed when Mr Titheradge was found upstairs having Claire giggling along and feeding Maire Vodka Jelly. Fresher Sam was opening up some fantastic moves on the dance floor and the evening finally came to a close with Anupam cooking a load of chips. Danny T and Anupam decided to try and combine a naked mile with leaving a note and money for Naomi asking her to call them. On the way to the pub they lost the money leaving us with the enduring image of the two of them crawling naked on the road searching for money. Full moon that night...
Possibly having some notes on the Oxford Spirit helped as well...
So with the night drawn to a close we were leaving the next morning. Old men Darling and Reynold's had a decent lie in (seperate beds- though admittedly it is difficult keeping Darling out of mine and/or Ian's bed once he's had a few...) before venturing downstairs to say goodbye to the minibus as it took most home. Only for us to try the cars and discover Jamie's had gone. Popping the bonnet would be a mere formality for most of us but Jamie actually knows about cars. It didn't really help. The bloke from next door wasn't much use either agreeing with Jamie that it was the "electrics" and "modern engines" (key words for me to remember for next time) before we finally had to leave him having called the AA (Mr. Darling being the only OUCCC member to have had to call out the AA twice on training camps after his previous tight squeeze through a narrow hole) with the journey back commenced training camp was over for another (final?) year.
Many thanks to Chris and Tash for working so hard on the organization and Mr Gold for some excellent grub.
I wasn't going up with the minibus (I never go up with the minibus - I say it's because it's more convenient than going over to Oxford but really it's so I can take a huge bag and enough trainers to last a lifetime) as I was racing the South of England Road Relays and then taking Carl and Anupam up as well after our legs. Anupam and I both did first leg and I then went and did my usual walk and talk around the place before we left. We did a quick warm down and I decided that seeing as we were both ready to go and all together, it probably wouldn't hurt to wait a few more minutes and cheer people. Big mistake. Anupam promptly came up with the knowledge that his racers were currently halfway up the first hill and doing another 2 loops of the course on Daniel Thompson's feet as he'd stolen his trainers. Once plans for a citizen's arrest midrace were mooted we decided to go over and shift Anupam's stuff from Martin's car to mine (including a guitar...) and despite protests we'd be able to take it all, Anupam stayed to supervise before finally heading back to pick up his racers. On the whole I think Martin and I's plan for Daniel to send them piece by piece through the post over the term would have been much more satisfying.
Anyways- we finally set off- only an hour after we were meant to! Despite the application of the Brucey factor (extra half hour just in case) we were still an hour down and not making good time.
(Bonus points for naming the show and the episode this came from in the comments section)
Once on the road things started flowing though. Despite numerous debates about one and two stop strategies and whether Anupam had to wear clothes in the car (he did) and whether the cut price Jelly Babies were edible (they weren't) we actually did make good time and opted for the two stop strategy. A quick break and enough grub to last us most of the week from M&S (having just about managed to resist the temptation to grab a Burger King - Anupam's squeals of disappointment as we went past the next Services with a KFC were audible from back in London) we finally got into the Lake District and then began arguing as to whether we trusted the Tom-Tom or Tash's directions. We eventually decided on Tash's directions (in 30m take a right turn, then when you see the pub go left - missing out on the 20 miles inbetween!) which got us there safely at around 10. The minibus had managed to arrive earlier despite struggling up hardknot pass which resulted in everyone having to get out and walk. They did eventually realise this meant no one was actually driving the minibus up the hill so Cathy got back in and drove it up.
So- being an OUCCC training camp by the time we got there everyone had left for the pub and with only half an hour of drinking to go we set off in furious pursuit. Having accosted a bus depot and a mnin-railway we finally found the pub were everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and remarkably sober and being served by the charming Naomi. Time to put an end to that!
*** The rest of the evening is somewhat of a blur- I vaguely recall making a hilarious joke at Chris' expense which was apparently mean, making a very large bluff in a poker game and button-holing Andy for around an hour in the Men's loos (no- that isn't a euphemism) before finally stumbling up to bed with Anchorman blaring in my ear***
The next morning I arose with a little bit of a headache to the sound of very loud talking downstairs. Unfortunately the bunkhouse was very small and sound carried through-out the whole thing but we were off on a run! Tash used to live in the area and led us on a "3 mile loop" which I swear was actually much longer but took us through some very pleasant countryside and was my main run for most of the week. We were then led up a scramble to see what was apparently a very deep waterful which had Mcgurk and Titheradge sprinting to see who could reach the top first before realising the hill was about 400m longer than they thought it was. Oops. The waterfall was breathtaking and we then carried on climbing having to walk a little bit due to the steepness. We then went down through the moor and some of us added on an extra half hour once we got back with Ms. Badouin showing herself to be in excellent shape kicking away over the final 400m!
Afterwards we headed out to Whitehaven which as it turned out, wasn't really that interesting but we did have a very pleasant walk along the coast together with making our mark. Then a quick trip to Tescos to buy food (booze!) and we were back home.
In the evening we enjoyed ASDA value burgers cooked admirably by Mr. Gold. Then again to the pub but this time still slightly tender from the previous night I managed to admirably abstain whilst Anupam took himself down in thoroughly excellent fashion. By this time Mr. Duncan formerly of the terrible tabs had joined us and introduced us to the wonderful game of "mine" whereby everytime someone said the word mine they were forced to do press-ups. Increasingly ingenious plots to get the word said evolved through-out the week "I'm struggling with this cross-word- Seminal work of Adolf Hitler?" "Where does Copper come from" or from Mr Gold " Anupam- whose is that pudding?" repeated several times at increasing volumes. Some epic jenga was played.
We also had a very pleasant walk to see a field Sean had found for the session. This turned out to be a field which Sean had made up. We were unable to find the field and Sean's reputation as someone who likes to make things up to get attention continues. He also took advantage of a sheep.
The next day we had a session of 3/4/5 x mile planned off 60 seconds recovery on the roads. Well I say that, but it really was no simple task as approximately 57.21% of the previous day had been spent arguing about whether to run it on the road or the field, for time or for distance, what the distance should be, and whether Anupam was to be allowed to do it without clothes. Some nice running especially from Mr. Heyes and Mr. Assmundsen who is rapidly emerging as Oxford's secret weapon. Be scared Tabs. Be very scared.
(Yes... I'm aware he's not much to look at....)In the afternoon we all just chilled out, watched Iron Man whilst some of us did oil massages and then a few of us headed out for a second run of the day around the three mile loop with Tom, Andy, Carl and Anupam (I think...) with my watch eventually giving up on me.
In the evening we went back to the original pub for a meal. It was pretty good with my black pudding starter being excellent followed by a very reasonable sirloin steak (rare). Much a pennying went on followed by a return to the bunkhouse and some interesting games which will never be repeated including a shocking Never Have I Ever performance from some of the group featuring Mile High clubs, public transport and the defilement of school libraries. The evening concluded with Jamie adding in his third run of the day in minamilist clothing.
Wednesday we were out for a much easier day as a group ran out to Ravenglass and a smaller group of us were following in the minibus and running back. Thankfully in the later group (old man Reynolds needs his sleep) we got there in time for hte changeover with it raining and debated which carpark we were meant to be in for a fair old while. Finally the other turned up having gone the wrong way and we headed off with Cathy starting off saying "Ouch" every step having done too many press-ups. This still didn't stop her nailing it up the hill though with some of the better bloke runners in the club out of breath. Mr. Samuel's displayed excellent navigational skills and is considering becoming an orienteer if it wasn't so declasse. As the "motor" of the group I ran in the centre. Jet engine Heyes ran behind whilst Carl was the windscreen spotting stuff out. Ms. Heyes was of course the pilot deciding where we were going whilst Tom Tom Samuels gave the directions in a stiff upperclass tone. This was possibly my favourite run of training camp.
During the day we went to visit the world's oldest working water mill. It was old. There was water. Some pretty ingenious machinery though. More entertaining was the nearby rockpool which Tash insisted you could and she had jumped into despite the water appearing about 50 cm deep. Off a escarpment about 3/4 metres high. David Taylor managed to slip on the rocks and nearly put himself on. On the way back Matt Gold invented the game with one rule "What Matt Says Goes" - whilst personally I think this is potentially akin to giving a 15 year old a 24 pack, the car keys and a funnel the game worked fairly well with the principle aim being to touch a species of animal and once touched that species no longer counted. After invading private property to find a chicken and Anupam harrassing some cows in a field he took an early lead through Duncan managed to find a squashed frog on the road.
This was unfortunately followed up by one of the world's first slug eating competitions. Yes. Slug eating. Duncan had a truly awesome specimen to devour and despite it's beer flavourings it did appear to be a struggle to get down.
Then followed up with a very pleasant 45 minute recovery run whilst everyone else did circuits and we wondered where on earth Gold, Heyes and Ansell had gone to on their trip to the supermarket. Finally we left for the restaurant (pub) leaving them to fend for themselves. The pub was very pleasant with a succesful trademark simultaneous double penny of a pennied glass leaving Mr Duncan in a precarious downing situation. Unfortunately I didn't get my gammon steak as ordered but was instead left with an overdone rib-eye steak. Thankfully Chris switched roughly half of his gammon steak for a tiny portion of my rib-eye. Sucka!
After the meal quite a few headed back (losers!) whilst the rest headed out on the mini-bus to Whitehaven in vain attempt of a rocking night out. With the only nightclub in the town closed we ended up in spoons with a pitcher of Purple Rain (+ 2 Vodka shots- excellent value) - arguing selection policies, politics and whether we could get away with calling Social Services and getting them to take Andy away.Sadly we were now onto our final day after arriving back at the bunk-house in a relatively poor state. Something might have happened- I really can't remember. Dave and Martin threw up - it was a poor effort.
The final day was a hills session in the morning where most were doing 15 x minute with a 90 second recovery (girls only 12-14) with me stepping it up to 20. After Tom managed to lead us down a very wet trail for our warm-up and Anupam led a drills session along an incredibly pot-holed trail (If I don't have a straight,flat, tarmaced road to run on I get cranky) we started the session with me carrying my trainer and dropping it at the end of the first rep. For the next 18 reps I hit that trainer everytime before pushing a bit clear of in the final rep with Sean taking photos of us all running. Very pleased with the consistency here and everyone seemed to have a pretty reasonable session.
After everyone had waited for me to finally finish warming down we headed back and settled in for another afternoon of massage, Old School and general lazing. Quite a few people headed off on walks of varying length (apparently someone saw a Lake- I managed to avoid seeing one my whole week there...) and the like and seemed to have fun before my final run of the week with Anupam and David Taylor (who kept on pushing the pace!).A group headed off to the pub whilst some of the others concerned themselves with abusing a set of frozen chickens. Arriving there I was informed that Tom had just told them to come back for food as it was ready. Promptly ordered a pint and started enjoying it before we headed back and were told firmly that we were going to have to queue up single file because we were late. Sadly immediately after food no-hands desert started and whilst some good efforts were made we could definitely use some coaching...
Promptly followed by no hands milk, rice pudding and in mine and Hayley's case red wine which was not succesful (and might have been the beginning of the end for her...).After this "Cafe Disco" was opened and whilst beer pong was frantically organised dominated by Ms. Hanstock, some chatted and others began a "Ring of Fire" something wonderful happened. People started emerging in towels. Towel day was back with a vengeance baby! My hangover-brainchild last year of combining the towel with a belt to create a garment was being rapidly adopted (even by the girls) and a full blown towel party emerged! Then we got down to some serious boogeying after a masterful speech by Chris and a demand for Beer and Vodka funds from penny-pincher Das. Whilst for some the night ended quickly! for the rest we carried on into the early hours of the morning with McGurk's rocking tunes. There may have been a speech again. I really won't comment. But it did seem to go better than last year's. I think the difference this year was that I was topless. Definitely. Maire and Claire were under strict instructions to guard the girl's dorm which unfortunately failed when Mr Titheradge was found upstairs having Claire giggling along and feeding Maire Vodka Jelly. Fresher Sam was opening up some fantastic moves on the dance floor and the evening finally came to a close with Anupam cooking a load of chips. Danny T and Anupam decided to try and combine a naked mile with leaving a note and money for Naomi asking her to call them. On the way to the pub they lost the money leaving us with the enduring image of the two of them crawling naked on the road searching for money. Full moon that night...
Possibly having some notes on the Oxford Spirit helped as well...
So with the night drawn to a close we were leaving the next morning. Old men Darling and Reynold's had a decent lie in (seperate beds- though admittedly it is difficult keeping Darling out of mine and/or Ian's bed once he's had a few...) before venturing downstairs to say goodbye to the minibus as it took most home. Only for us to try the cars and discover Jamie's had gone. Popping the bonnet would be a mere formality for most of us but Jamie actually knows about cars. It didn't really help. The bloke from next door wasn't much use either agreeing with Jamie that it was the "electrics" and "modern engines" (key words for me to remember for next time) before we finally had to leave him having called the AA (Mr. Darling being the only OUCCC member to have had to call out the AA twice on training camps after his previous tight squeeze through a narrow hole) with the journey back commenced training camp was over for another (final?) year.
Many thanks to Chris and Tash for working so hard on the organization and Mr Gold for some excellent grub.
Week Commencing 28th September 2009
Monday
AM 90 minute long-run in Lake District 7:30/mile- tough terrain
Tuesday
AM 8 w/u, 7 x mile (60) all at around 77/lap but on roads, mile out downhill mile back uphill. 15 warm down
PM 45 Easy
Wednesday
AM 60 minutes steady @ 6:51 - huge hill then downhill before protracted flat straight. Really nice run with Carl, Tom, Cathy and Andy.
PM: 45 v. easy/recovery @ 8:08/mile
Thursday
AM 10 warm up, drills and strides, 20 x 60 Hills (90 recovery), 10 warm down
PM 36 recovery
Friday
REST- but ended up driving 7 hours to get home dropping Carl off in London. Sad training camp is over.
Saturday
PM 15 easy, 30 steady, 15 easy. K splits; easy (5:52,4:45,4:44) steady (3:38,4:19,4:18,3:57,4:00,4:14,3:42) easy (4:28,4:58,4:48,2:29)
Sunday
AM 15 w/u, strides Manuden 10k 35:44 2nd, 15 w/d Splits of (3:28,3:52,3:43,3:40,3:42,3:43,3:49,3:22,3:17,3:03) AVG 5:46/mile Really more of a tempo effort.
Total: 525 minutes running No biking
Overall a very good week though I drank a bit too much at training camp. Still got some "good training without going crazy" as DC put it and this was definitely a solid week. Everytime I finish that hills session I am pleased and the strength it gives me mentally really helps- doing last 5 reps solo was good. 10k was a lot of fun. Really brought to bear though that (even though I lost!) I'm not just able to win these level of races now but actually feel like I'm jogging through them which is a huge step up. Might have been interesting to see what would have happened had I gone hard from the gun - Lee reckoned I'd have taken him but not certain about that as he looked good. Really looking forward to my first Metropolitan League in the best part of 4 years next Saturday.
Race Report from Manuden 10k
10k for me this morning. Not an A, B, C or probably even a D race but just a nice jog in the countryside picking up a win if I could. Field of about 450 I think so bigger than expected. Had the club young 'un running whose 15 with a 35:mid 10k PB and Lee who ran 31:57 this year and potentially a lot faster.
Course was very hilly and a straight out and back. Was fairly sure that if I put the boot in from the start I could drop off Lee but that really wasn't the point so we jogged with Ed having a lot of fun (throwing water at each other, elbows, pulling vests, I swear if there was a 100m stretch we weren't chatting in I don't remember it) and another bloke who went off a bit harder then we overtook but managed to latch on. Ed commented afterwards that half of the race it didn't even feel like he was running because he was giggling so much at our antics. At 7k the other bloke tried to break clear so I went past and dropped down to ~10M pace with a 3:22 and a 3:17 for the next two ks. Lee sitting behind me and as expected with 300m to go he kicked clear leaving me to finish off with a 3:03 final k and total time of 35:44.
Average pace was 5:45 so pretty close to tempo with till 7k averaging around 3:40 or so per k I'd guess. Very enjoyable morning and nice to feel so relaxed running at that pace and feeling like it was jogging at TMP.
AM 90 minute long-run in Lake District 7:30/mile- tough terrain
Tuesday
AM 8 w/u, 7 x mile (60) all at around 77/lap but on roads, mile out downhill mile back uphill. 15 warm down
PM 45 Easy
Wednesday
AM 60 minutes steady @ 6:51 - huge hill then downhill before protracted flat straight. Really nice run with Carl, Tom, Cathy and Andy.
PM: 45 v. easy/recovery @ 8:08/mile
Thursday
AM 10 warm up, drills and strides, 20 x 60 Hills (90 recovery), 10 warm down
PM 36 recovery
Friday
REST- but ended up driving 7 hours to get home dropping Carl off in London. Sad training camp is over.
Saturday
PM 15 easy, 30 steady, 15 easy. K splits; easy (5:52,4:45,4:44) steady (3:38,4:19,4:18,3:57,4:00,4:14,3:42) easy (4:28,4:58,4:48,2:29)
Sunday
AM 15 w/u, strides Manuden 10k 35:44 2nd, 15 w/d Splits of (3:28,3:52,3:43,3:40,3:42,3:43,3:49,3:22,3:17,3:03) AVG 5:46/mile Really more of a tempo effort.
Total: 525 minutes running No biking
Overall a very good week though I drank a bit too much at training camp. Still got some "good training without going crazy" as DC put it and this was definitely a solid week. Everytime I finish that hills session I am pleased and the strength it gives me mentally really helps- doing last 5 reps solo was good. 10k was a lot of fun. Really brought to bear though that (even though I lost!) I'm not just able to win these level of races now but actually feel like I'm jogging through them which is a huge step up. Might have been interesting to see what would have happened had I gone hard from the gun - Lee reckoned I'd have taken him but not certain about that as he looked good. Really looking forward to my first Metropolitan League in the best part of 4 years next Saturday.Race Report from Manuden 10k
10k for me this morning. Not an A, B, C or probably even a D race but just a nice jog in the countryside picking up a win if I could. Field of about 450 I think so bigger than expected. Had the club young 'un running whose 15 with a 35:mid 10k PB and Lee who ran 31:57 this year and potentially a lot faster.
Course was very hilly and a straight out and back. Was fairly sure that if I put the boot in from the start I could drop off Lee but that really wasn't the point so we jogged with Ed having a lot of fun (throwing water at each other, elbows, pulling vests, I swear if there was a 100m stretch we weren't chatting in I don't remember it) and another bloke who went off a bit harder then we overtook but managed to latch on. Ed commented afterwards that half of the race it didn't even feel like he was running because he was giggling so much at our antics. At 7k the other bloke tried to break clear so I went past and dropped down to ~10M pace with a 3:22 and a 3:17 for the next two ks. Lee sitting behind me and as expected with 300m to go he kicked clear leaving me to finish off with a 3:03 final k and total time of 35:44.
Average pace was 5:45 so pretty close to tempo with till 7k averaging around 3:40 or so per k I'd guess. Very enjoyable morning and nice to feel so relaxed running at that pace and feeling like it was jogging at TMP.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Week Commencing Monday 21st September 2009
Monday
AM 42 minutes recovery running ~8:10mm felt pretty crappy and just bleurgh
PM 15 w/u inc. strides. 8 x km (200m/65 second recovery) 15 minutes warm down, was doing this with two of the younger ones Ed and Dave and also Adam. Started off at ~76 pace and ran a 3:07 but they were all struggling badly so slowed it down to 78s with a 3:13, still struggling so again to 3:17 and they just about stayed with that so next one was 3:19, then took a slightly longer walk recovery (was struggling to get them jogging the recoveries) and at this point Ed/Adam were going to alternate doing half with full reps and Dave was only going to do 2 more. 5th one in 3:04 with Dave taking it on quite hard. Then slowed back down again with a 3:20 before a solo 3:08 before finally me and Dave pushed the last one (him having taken last two reps out) and running 3:03. So 3:07,3:13,3:17,3:19,3:04,3:20,3:08,3:03 very inconsistent but it helped out the lads and gave me a nice taste of running a bit quicker.
Tuesday:
AM 49:30 recovery
PM 44 alternating kms. Easy kms in about 4:30, hard kms in about 3:20 avg. pace around 6:30 on a hilly route.
Wednesday
15 minute warm up and down. 6 x 2000 @ 80s per lap with a 90 second jog recovery. 6:38, 6:36, 6:37, 6:38, 6:38, 6:32. Really quite pleased with this session - good volume and intensity and the last two laps felt very easy.
Thursday
51 minutes easy - 8:17/mile with 8xCanova Hill Sprints (10 seconds) Moving okay but not great.
Friday
Rest day
Saturday
40 minutes steady (39:48) in the dark with Nike Zoom Road Explosions. Seemed to be working very hard for a slow pace. Maybe just the dark.
Sunday
15 warm up, SoE Road Relays 19:47 (9:41/10:06), 15 warm down
Total: 415 minutes / 55 miles
A low week which served as a pseudo-easier/recovery week. I'm relatively pleased with the 19:47 as it is a substantial improvement from 2005: (20:12) 2006:(20:48) 2007:(20:50) and off very limited training. Looking at some of the names I was running with there are some quicker runners there and hopefully a few more solid weeks training and I'll be closing in on others.
Special mention to Matt Carlisle for absolutely destroying his leg and to Pony for running 4th quickest leg of the team despite being weeks into his recovery from injury.
I reckon a rough conversion of about 4 minutes to 5k time. At least for the slower runners. Maybe that's wrong though. If it is close to that it'd show I'm in PB shape for my comparatively poor 3000/5000/5 mile/10kmR/10 Mile/Half marathon shape but still a bit off my 1500m/10,000m PBs.
AM 42 minutes recovery running ~8:10mm felt pretty crappy and just bleurgh
PM 15 w/u inc. strides. 8 x km (200m/65 second recovery) 15 minutes warm down, was doing this with two of the younger ones Ed and Dave and also Adam. Started off at ~76 pace and ran a 3:07 but they were all struggling badly so slowed it down to 78s with a 3:13, still struggling so again to 3:17 and they just about stayed with that so next one was 3:19, then took a slightly longer walk recovery (was struggling to get them jogging the recoveries) and at this point Ed/Adam were going to alternate doing half with full reps and Dave was only going to do 2 more. 5th one in 3:04 with Dave taking it on quite hard. Then slowed back down again with a 3:20 before a solo 3:08 before finally me and Dave pushed the last one (him having taken last two reps out) and running 3:03. So 3:07,3:13,3:17,3:19,3:04,3:20,3:08,3:03 very inconsistent but it helped out the lads and gave me a nice taste of running a bit quicker.
Tuesday:
AM 49:30 recovery
PM 44 alternating kms. Easy kms in about 4:30, hard kms in about 3:20 avg. pace around 6:30 on a hilly route.
Wednesday
15 minute warm up and down. 6 x 2000 @ 80s per lap with a 90 second jog recovery. 6:38, 6:36, 6:37, 6:38, 6:38, 6:32. Really quite pleased with this session - good volume and intensity and the last two laps felt very easy.
Thursday
51 minutes easy - 8:17/mile with 8xCanova Hill Sprints (10 seconds) Moving okay but not great.
Friday
Rest day
Saturday
40 minutes steady (39:48) in the dark with Nike Zoom Road Explosions. Seemed to be working very hard for a slow pace. Maybe just the dark.
Sunday
15 warm up, SoE Road Relays 19:47 (9:41/10:06), 15 warm down
Total: 415 minutes / 55 miles
A low week which served as a pseudo-easier/recovery week. I'm relatively pleased with the 19:47 as it is a substantial improvement from 2005: (20:12) 2006:(20:48) 2007:(20:50) and off very limited training. Looking at some of the names I was running with there are some quicker runners there and hopefully a few more solid weeks training and I'll be closing in on others.
Special mention to Matt Carlisle for absolutely destroying his leg and to Pony for running 4th quickest leg of the team despite being weeks into his recovery from injury.
I reckon a rough conversion of about 4 minutes to 5k time. At least for the slower runners. Maybe that's wrong though. If it is close to that it'd show I'm in PB shape for my comparatively poor 3000/5000/5 mile/10kmR/10 Mile/Half marathon shape but still a bit off my 1500m/10,000m PBs.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Training Week Commencing 14th September 2009
Training Week Commencing 14th September 2009
Monday
AM Did 50 recovery with 8 x Canova Hill sprints (9 seconds flat out)
PM 52 easy averaging 7:49.
PM PM 30 mins Ex. Bike 16.88km
Tuesday
PM 10 minute warm-up, 5 x 6.5@10k pace [90] 10 min warm down. AVG ~78/lap Was absolutely tipping it down with rain. First one averaged about 79 and was really struggling with vest constricting breathing. Then with vest off and Hugh turning up was running much better and most reps were either over or just before the 2k mark. Good session- pleased.
Wednesday
AM 40 recovery AVG 9:06 ~7km Felt really dull on this run and body didn't wake up at all till after half way (6:14,5:54,5:42,5:39,4:10,5:53,5:58,0:28)
PM 60:12 steady AVG 6:43 ~14km + Drills Meant to be an easy run but body was struggling to run that slow so let it have it's way and went faster. Very good run. Hamstrings felt tight at the end. (4:25,4:39,4:21,4:18,4:07,3:58,4:06,4:07,4:01,4:09,4:03,4:09,3:56,4:03,1:44)
Thursday
AM 30 recovery ~8:30
PM 15 w/u and w/d Strides + Drills 28:21 AVG 5:42 tempo plan was to start at 90/lap and cut down by a second per lap every two laps- didn't quite manage it but a good effort and general trend is there... Very pleased to see Adam run a huge PB over 5 miles with 28:41. (88,86,90,87,86,86,88,86,86,85,84,84,82,83,84,83,80,82,81,80)
Friday
Rest- legs itching to run
Saturday
AM 7:30 warm up,Hills all with jog down recovery 4 x 24 secs, 1 x 70, 5 min jog, 5 x 45, 5 min jog, 4 x 24, 1 x 68 7:30 warm down (45)
PM 34 recover @8:23 - unplanned but legs felt real antsy and just had to get out and run for a bit.
Sun: 90 easy/steady with Lee and Matt around St. Albans. Really nice run and some good athletics banter. Pace varied as various niggles played up so we were going at mid-low 6s for most the first half and the second half was a fair bit slower. Felt really good at the pace and moving well up the hills.
Running total: 512.5 Cycling Total 30
Really good week and my highest mileage since about February I reckon with exams, niggles and the groin. Saturday I actually wasn't able to resist going for a 34 minute unscheduled recovery run and it was difficult on Sunday as well! Very pleasing Tempo run and session on Tuesday at New River. Not perhaps the best sessions I've ever posted but Tuesday was good volume in horrendous conditions and Thursday was very pleasing with how easy it felt. Really pleased and now a slightly easier week in prep for the 6 stage.
Monday
AM Did 50 recovery with 8 x Canova Hill sprints (9 seconds flat out)
PM 52 easy averaging 7:49.
PM PM 30 mins Ex. Bike 16.88km
Tuesday
PM 10 minute warm-up, 5 x 6.5@10k pace [90] 10 min warm down. AVG ~78/lap Was absolutely tipping it down with rain. First one averaged about 79 and was really struggling with vest constricting breathing. Then with vest off and Hugh turning up was running much better and most reps were either over or just before the 2k mark. Good session- pleased.
Wednesday
AM 40 recovery AVG 9:06 ~7km Felt really dull on this run and body didn't wake up at all till after half way (6:14,5:54,5:42,5:39,4:10,5:53,5:58,0:28)
PM 60:12 steady AVG 6:43 ~14km + Drills Meant to be an easy run but body was struggling to run that slow so let it have it's way and went faster. Very good run. Hamstrings felt tight at the end. (4:25,4:39,4:21,4:18,4:07,3:58,4:06,4:07,4:01,4:09,4:03,4:09,3:56,4:03,1:44)
Thursday
AM 30 recovery ~8:30
PM 15 w/u and w/d Strides + Drills 28:21 AVG 5:42 tempo plan was to start at 90/lap and cut down by a second per lap every two laps- didn't quite manage it but a good effort and general trend is there... Very pleased to see Adam run a huge PB over 5 miles with 28:41. (88,86,90,87,86,86,88,86,86,85,84,84,82,83,84,83,80,82,81,80)
Friday
Rest- legs itching to run
Saturday
AM 7:30 warm up,Hills all with jog down recovery 4 x 24 secs, 1 x 70, 5 min jog, 5 x 45, 5 min jog, 4 x 24, 1 x 68 7:30 warm down (45)
PM 34 recover @8:23 - unplanned but legs felt real antsy and just had to get out and run for a bit.
Sun: 90 easy/steady with Lee and Matt around St. Albans. Really nice run and some good athletics banter. Pace varied as various niggles played up so we were going at mid-low 6s for most the first half and the second half was a fair bit slower. Felt really good at the pace and moving well up the hills.
Running total: 512.5 Cycling Total 30
Really good week and my highest mileage since about February I reckon with exams, niggles and the groin. Saturday I actually wasn't able to resist going for a 34 minute unscheduled recovery run and it was difficult on Sunday as well! Very pleasing Tempo run and session on Tuesday at New River. Not perhaps the best sessions I've ever posted but Tuesday was good volume in horrendous conditions and Thursday was very pleasing with how easy it felt. Really pleased and now a slightly easier week in prep for the 6 stage.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Marathon Announcement
Hey folks,
Well I'm imagining that I must have told 99% of people who come on here in person anyway, but after realising yesterday that I still hadn't told my parents!, decided I'd make the announcement on here as well.
I've decided to make my marathon début next year and the aim is to do so at London. This really means three things.
1. I need to run a sub 75 half OR get in via the ballot OR get in via a club place.
2. I'll begin my marathon specific training after the Herts County X-Country in early January.
3. My track season next year probably won't begin till very very late after which I'm intending to shift all the way down and have a go at running a 1500m PB.
The target to begin with will be 2:30. This obviously might get shifted slower(likely) or faster(I wish!) as I go along but given my performances over 10k and a few long-runs I've done together with my aerobic profile- I think I've got a serious chance. Added to this I'll hopefully be aiming to run a serious 10k PB by the end of the year at either the Leeds Abbey Dash or the Telford 10k (accommodation in Leeds the night beforehand would be appreciated!) .
I'm well aware that this is relatively early to run a marathon but having watched London the past two years I really wanted to be out there running and it was killing me not to be. I've known since I was a kid that I'd have to run the marathon to make up for my complete lack of base speed and whilst I still have a lot of unfinished business at 10k- I think a while of training for a very different event will be fun as well and probably help my 10k time. After my first marathon unless I run an absolute stormer the intention would be to wait 18 months until my next one - probably Berlin though I'd love to run New York or Chicago.
So - what does this mean? Well for a start I'm going to be bulking up my long run. My rather paltry 90 minutes, whilst sufficient for a 5k/10k runner, is going to need to upped to a regular 120 and probably look at running it faster as well. Even though I'm not starting the block until January I'm keen to start getting used to a few of the work-outs now and in particular I want to be doing some of the work-outs suggested by Canova. Big volume interval sessions which most people seem to hate I really enjoy doing.
Tempo running I'm relatively poor on at the moment but will become an integral part. An easy 8k tempo run on Friday went really well keeping up 5:40 pace very easily on rough terrain, which is exactly the marathon pace I need! An awful lot of my training over the next 5 months will be at 5:40 pace and I want to be able to lock into it automatically. Thankfully it's slower than the current 80/lap I lock into but the difference will be continuous efforts as opposed to reps of a couple of miles at the most.
I guess that's about it at the moment. Race plans, training emphasis and goals! I'm really very excited about shifting up to the marathon and hopefully it'll be a success. If I'm ever going to run internationally I really only have one race as an option and that's the marathon. I need to start getting used to them now so that when I'm 27/28 I'll be sufficiently conditioned and experienced to make a serious drive for a quick time.
Well I'm imagining that I must have told 99% of people who come on here in person anyway, but after realising yesterday that I still hadn't told my parents!, decided I'd make the announcement on here as well.
I've decided to make my marathon début next year and the aim is to do so at London. This really means three things.
1. I need to run a sub 75 half OR get in via the ballot OR get in via a club place.
2. I'll begin my marathon specific training after the Herts County X-Country in early January.
3. My track season next year probably won't begin till very very late after which I'm intending to shift all the way down and have a go at running a 1500m PB.
The target to begin with will be 2:30. This obviously might get shifted slower(likely) or faster(I wish!) as I go along but given my performances over 10k and a few long-runs I've done together with my aerobic profile- I think I've got a serious chance. Added to this I'll hopefully be aiming to run a serious 10k PB by the end of the year at either the Leeds Abbey Dash or the Telford 10k (accommodation in Leeds the night beforehand would be appreciated!) .
I'm well aware that this is relatively early to run a marathon but having watched London the past two years I really wanted to be out there running and it was killing me not to be. I've known since I was a kid that I'd have to run the marathon to make up for my complete lack of base speed and whilst I still have a lot of unfinished business at 10k- I think a while of training for a very different event will be fun as well and probably help my 10k time. After my first marathon unless I run an absolute stormer the intention would be to wait 18 months until my next one - probably Berlin though I'd love to run New York or Chicago.
So - what does this mean? Well for a start I'm going to be bulking up my long run. My rather paltry 90 minutes, whilst sufficient for a 5k/10k runner, is going to need to upped to a regular 120 and probably look at running it faster as well. Even though I'm not starting the block until January I'm keen to start getting used to a few of the work-outs now and in particular I want to be doing some of the work-outs suggested by Canova. Big volume interval sessions which most people seem to hate I really enjoy doing.
Tempo running I'm relatively poor on at the moment but will become an integral part. An easy 8k tempo run on Friday went really well keeping up 5:40 pace very easily on rough terrain, which is exactly the marathon pace I need! An awful lot of my training over the next 5 months will be at 5:40 pace and I want to be able to lock into it automatically. Thankfully it's slower than the current 80/lap I lock into but the difference will be continuous efforts as opposed to reps of a couple of miles at the most.
I guess that's about it at the moment. Race plans, training emphasis and goals! I'm really very excited about shifting up to the marathon and hopefully it'll be a success. If I'm ever going to run internationally I really only have one race as an option and that's the marathon. I need to start getting used to them now so that when I'm 27/28 I'll be sufficiently conditioned and experienced to make a serious drive for a quick time.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
First Proper Long Run Back
Did my first proper long run in a while today. 90 minutes split into 30 easy, 30 steady, 30 easy. Average came out at 7:35 per mile whilst I covered just over 20km. Really nice to actually get out and on my feet for that length of time. I also quite enjoyed experimenting with the steady section in the middle which was mostly at about 6:45 pace but the last few kms dipped down to sub 6 territory which was really a little bit too fast. Wore long tracksuit bottoms and they were really getting whipped around in the wind but was thankfully warm enough for a t-shirt. Not particularly looking forward to the winter months and wrapping up tight.
After run had about 20 minutes recovery during which I watched Alistair Brownlee storming home in his triathlon to win the world series. Made me think a little bit about the choice that a talented young endurance athlete has- years of mediocrity as a runner being possibly even the best 10k runner in Britain but not being allowed to run world championships by your federation (for fear that they'll embarrass them?? which seems ridiculous) and even if you do being beaten into oblivion by the majority of the East African athletes or going to Triathlon and having a legitimate shot, if you work hard, at being a world champion or at the very least being competitive. Triathlon also being a sport with far greater financial rewards, glorifying the distance athletes as opposed to the sprinters and increasing publicity. Given the choice I'm almost shocked that so many opt to choose endurance running and yet, I'm in exactly the same boat and can't easily see myself going multi-sport. In many ways I'd almost prefer to just switch to cycling rather than multi-sport which seems crazy. I do intend to continue incorporating work on the exercise bike into my daily training which is something I've been neglecting in the last two weeks.
The thing I have been very good on is incorporating more running drills and hopefully that'll pay off in terms of a more efficient form, stronger muscles with better flexibility and fewer injuries Whether it will or not remains to be seen.
Almost immediately after the long run I went to play tennis with my family. We actually managed to get through a whole set without arguing- must be some sort of record! Was quite a surreal experience returning to a tennis court after not playing more than a couple of times in the past three years. Was very pleased with how well my surve went (bloody thing seemed better than when I left!) but was shocked at how poor my groundstrokes were. Might be nice to get back playing again a little more frequently as I did used to really enjoy it- unfortuantely it's so hard to get quality singles games and whilst doubles is interesting I do eventually find it frustrating. I'm a loner at heart and enjoy the pitting of my own strength against that of an opponent and with two extra players on the court you just can't do that!
After run had about 20 minutes recovery during which I watched Alistair Brownlee storming home in his triathlon to win the world series. Made me think a little bit about the choice that a talented young endurance athlete has- years of mediocrity as a runner being possibly even the best 10k runner in Britain but not being allowed to run world championships by your federation (for fear that they'll embarrass them?? which seems ridiculous) and even if you do being beaten into oblivion by the majority of the East African athletes or going to Triathlon and having a legitimate shot, if you work hard, at being a world champion or at the very least being competitive. Triathlon also being a sport with far greater financial rewards, glorifying the distance athletes as opposed to the sprinters and increasing publicity. Given the choice I'm almost shocked that so many opt to choose endurance running and yet, I'm in exactly the same boat and can't easily see myself going multi-sport. In many ways I'd almost prefer to just switch to cycling rather than multi-sport which seems crazy. I do intend to continue incorporating work on the exercise bike into my daily training which is something I've been neglecting in the last two weeks.
The thing I have been very good on is incorporating more running drills and hopefully that'll pay off in terms of a more efficient form, stronger muscles with better flexibility and fewer injuries Whether it will or not remains to be seen.
Almost immediately after the long run I went to play tennis with my family. We actually managed to get through a whole set without arguing- must be some sort of record! Was quite a surreal experience returning to a tennis court after not playing more than a couple of times in the past three years. Was very pleased with how well my surve went (bloody thing seemed better than when I left!) but was shocked at how poor my groundstrokes were. Might be nice to get back playing again a little more frequently as I did used to really enjoy it- unfortuantely it's so hard to get quality singles games and whilst doubles is interesting I do eventually find it frustrating. I'm a loner at heart and enjoy the pitting of my own strength against that of an opponent and with two extra players on the court you just can't do that!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Making the Transition Part 4 - Easy and Recovery Weeks
So you've done 8 weeks solid training? Good work- odds are that you're in the shape to run faster than you've ever done before. You're probably getting pretty excited about how fit you are and starting to look at how fast you can run and whether you can add more mileage, an extra session or two - right?
Wrong. Time to step back and relax for a bit. You've been working hard and your body is exceptionally tired right now. Maybe you can realise it with sore legs and each easy run feeling just a little bit harder; or maybe you don't feel it but right now you need to make sure that all of the good progress you've made so far isn't lost to a silly injury or that you lose enthusiasm for your running as the thought of week after week of hard work mounts up.
So, to put it simply, enjoy yourself for a week. It's time to take a quick break, have a look at how far you've come and think about where you're going.
Easy and Recovery Weeks
What Are They?
An easy week is a week that you take off every 3-4 weeks. Generally you cut your mileage by around 25-50% and do less hard sessions and easier paced running.
A recovery week is a week that you take off generally at the end of a season so after a 12 week block of training is generally useful (so 2 easy weeks and then a recovery week). Once a year you'll want to take a longer break. Mileage is cut by 50%-100%.
The Theory
The theory of both easy and recovery weeks is fairly similar but can be split into two main areas. Psychological; physical.
Physically the process of training is a process of breaking down the body. Then it rebuilds itself back up stronger than before. Each run you do is straining the body and causing microscopic tears in the muscle fibres - obviously an actual tear in the muscle is an injury but these micro-tears are a positive - once they are healed up. It takes time for these to heal up though which is part of the reason why you take time in order to run faster after training as the muscles don't heal up immediately. A rest day allows the muscles to partially recover but the knots and problems that can present themselves in the body with weeks of consistent hard training don't relax in simply a week. Taking an easier week allows the muscles to fully recover and all of the little niggles which are present from day to day are given a chance to ease themselves out of the body. Similarly a recovery week does the same. Think about how long it takes for an injury to heal up. Whilst some injuries are acute (instant) many others are chronic. You are already partially injured! What an easier week does is allow the body to recover from that mini-injury.
Psychologically as much as you enjoy running it is the very rare athlete that never feels tired and constantly stays motivated. Many athletes train for a few months as hard as they can, then lose a bit of focus, maybe have a bit of a niggle and before you know it they've lost a lot of the progress they'd previously made. As athlete's have tired and fatigued muscles it does wear having to go out and run almost every day with little relief. Similarly when you have a niggle the knowing that in a weeks time you have a recovery makes it much more manageable. A week off allows you to regain your focus and get you ready to charge out the door once again.
The Practice
For an easy week I generally think that you want to reduce mileage by around 25-50%. Many suggest just a 25% decrease but personally I prefer a much more rapid decrease and I really just don't focus at all on running during that week. I usually include a few strides during the week but I wouldn't suggest that at this point for an athlete (yes- you're an athlete now-not a runner!) following this program but it shows how you incorporate more as you raise your training standard. The way to reduce the mileage is by cutting the "sessions" and cutting the number of runs so if you're regularly running 6 times a week for 40 minutes then just do 4 runs of 40 minutes. Sometimes I add some stretching as well more regularly and occasionally a few weights.
For recovery weeks do the same but cut the mileage even further and don't do strides- simply jog and enjoy yourself. If you've got a friend who's not as fast then go for a jog with them or at your running club go with the slow group for a change- sometimes they're just as interesting as the fast runners!
X-training during the week is fine but do it recreationally. Playing tennis or table-tennis or going for a gentle bike ride is fine. Hammering out hard sessions on the bike is bad!
Sometimes going for a sports massage during this week is helpful as you don't need to worry about running on tired muscles.
Finally (and this is perhaps a little counter-intuitive) - whilst a recovery week is always a recovery week if you're running a competitive schedule over the winter or summer then you're probably hoping to race at some point. With a week of very little running you're pretty well tapered for a good race performance. My "easiest" weeks in the past year have been directly before Herts County XC which was a breakthrough for me and the BUCS XC champs. Your muscles recover and you're in great racing shape so why not treat yourself and get into a race and show off your new abilities. Just make sure this is at the end of the week so you've had a good chance to recover. Similarly if you're thinking about racing a half marathon or longer then an easy week immediately afterwards combines recovering from the race and general recovery from training.
The Schedule
So right now we have an easy week schedule that looks like...
4 x 40-60 minute recovery runs
and a recovery week schedule of
2-3 x 40-60 minute recovery runs
So...
Weeks 1-4 - Get used to running 5/6 times a week
Weeks 5-8 - Incorporate threshold running and strides into your schedule.
Week 9 - Easy Week
With the recovery week to come later on! This program still has a lot to go but I would imagine the average athlete as outlined at the start of this programme would already be running perhaps a minute or two faster over 10k already.
In the next part we look at fine-tuning your motor and getting ready for some serious racing (though if you've added a race at the end of the easy week you'll already be seeing benefits). We'll be doing this through 5k/10k Pace Work together with our earlier threshold work and strides.
After this Part 6 will be Mile Pace Work concluding the series.
Wrong. Time to step back and relax for a bit. You've been working hard and your body is exceptionally tired right now. Maybe you can realise it with sore legs and each easy run feeling just a little bit harder; or maybe you don't feel it but right now you need to make sure that all of the good progress you've made so far isn't lost to a silly injury or that you lose enthusiasm for your running as the thought of week after week of hard work mounts up.
So, to put it simply, enjoy yourself for a week. It's time to take a quick break, have a look at how far you've come and think about where you're going.
Easy and Recovery Weeks
What Are They?
An easy week is a week that you take off every 3-4 weeks. Generally you cut your mileage by around 25-50% and do less hard sessions and easier paced running.
A recovery week is a week that you take off generally at the end of a season so after a 12 week block of training is generally useful (so 2 easy weeks and then a recovery week). Once a year you'll want to take a longer break. Mileage is cut by 50%-100%.
The Theory
The theory of both easy and recovery weeks is fairly similar but can be split into two main areas. Psychological; physical.
Physically the process of training is a process of breaking down the body. Then it rebuilds itself back up stronger than before. Each run you do is straining the body and causing microscopic tears in the muscle fibres - obviously an actual tear in the muscle is an injury but these micro-tears are a positive - once they are healed up. It takes time for these to heal up though which is part of the reason why you take time in order to run faster after training as the muscles don't heal up immediately. A rest day allows the muscles to partially recover but the knots and problems that can present themselves in the body with weeks of consistent hard training don't relax in simply a week. Taking an easier week allows the muscles to fully recover and all of the little niggles which are present from day to day are given a chance to ease themselves out of the body. Similarly a recovery week does the same. Think about how long it takes for an injury to heal up. Whilst some injuries are acute (instant) many others are chronic. You are already partially injured! What an easier week does is allow the body to recover from that mini-injury.
Psychologically as much as you enjoy running it is the very rare athlete that never feels tired and constantly stays motivated. Many athletes train for a few months as hard as they can, then lose a bit of focus, maybe have a bit of a niggle and before you know it they've lost a lot of the progress they'd previously made. As athlete's have tired and fatigued muscles it does wear having to go out and run almost every day with little relief. Similarly when you have a niggle the knowing that in a weeks time you have a recovery makes it much more manageable. A week off allows you to regain your focus and get you ready to charge out the door once again.
The Practice
For an easy week I generally think that you want to reduce mileage by around 25-50%. Many suggest just a 25% decrease but personally I prefer a much more rapid decrease and I really just don't focus at all on running during that week. I usually include a few strides during the week but I wouldn't suggest that at this point for an athlete (yes- you're an athlete now-not a runner!) following this program but it shows how you incorporate more as you raise your training standard. The way to reduce the mileage is by cutting the "sessions" and cutting the number of runs so if you're regularly running 6 times a week for 40 minutes then just do 4 runs of 40 minutes. Sometimes I add some stretching as well more regularly and occasionally a few weights.
For recovery weeks do the same but cut the mileage even further and don't do strides- simply jog and enjoy yourself. If you've got a friend who's not as fast then go for a jog with them or at your running club go with the slow group for a change- sometimes they're just as interesting as the fast runners!
X-training during the week is fine but do it recreationally. Playing tennis or table-tennis or going for a gentle bike ride is fine. Hammering out hard sessions on the bike is bad!
Sometimes going for a sports massage during this week is helpful as you don't need to worry about running on tired muscles.
Finally (and this is perhaps a little counter-intuitive) - whilst a recovery week is always a recovery week if you're running a competitive schedule over the winter or summer then you're probably hoping to race at some point. With a week of very little running you're pretty well tapered for a good race performance. My "easiest" weeks in the past year have been directly before Herts County XC which was a breakthrough for me and the BUCS XC champs. Your muscles recover and you're in great racing shape so why not treat yourself and get into a race and show off your new abilities. Just make sure this is at the end of the week so you've had a good chance to recover. Similarly if you're thinking about racing a half marathon or longer then an easy week immediately afterwards combines recovering from the race and general recovery from training.
The Schedule
So right now we have an easy week schedule that looks like...
4 x 40-60 minute recovery runs
and a recovery week schedule of
2-3 x 40-60 minute recovery runs
So...
Weeks 1-4 - Get used to running 5/6 times a week
Weeks 5-8 - Incorporate threshold running and strides into your schedule.
Week 9 - Easy Week
With the recovery week to come later on! This program still has a lot to go but I would imagine the average athlete as outlined at the start of this programme would already be running perhaps a minute or two faster over 10k already.
In the next part we look at fine-tuning your motor and getting ready for some serious racing (though if you've added a race at the end of the easy week you'll already be seeing benefits). We'll be doing this through 5k/10k Pace Work together with our earlier threshold work and strides.
After this Part 6 will be Mile Pace Work concluding the series.
Catch you on the trails,
Bryn
Bryn
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Making the Transition Part 3 - Strides
The first step has been taken towards being a faster more fluid runner. The previous week you'll have done your first threshold or tempo run and that's a great first step to have taken. You're now doing one of the two "base-building" work-outs. It's time to have a look at the second base-building work-out and this time it's focusing on your running efficiency.
The spectrum of running speeds is as broad as a rainbow. Most of the time you're running in green, yellow and blue. The aim of this series is to get you running in the red, orange, indigo, violet and sometimes even ultra-violet and infra-red. To touch upon speeds that you usually wouldn't see and hence give you a substantial advantage. Learning how to run at the lactate threshold will give you a big advantage and there are many stories from athletes who come off a period of just running easy miles and tempo runs and claim that they're in the shape of their life. This may well be true and aerobic ability is the number one component in endurance running but you also need to look at improving your running efficiency and giving your legs the mystical "zip" that track runners seem to have that road runners are accused of lacking.
Strides
What Are They?
Faster paced 100m accelerations done with full recovery.
The TheoryWorking on from the aerobic theory developed last time we can look at how these affect our three variables, VO2 max, RE and LT. Strides are almost entirely based on improving the running efficiency meaning that for a given pace you are running you will be using less energy and oxygen to do so as you get more accustomed to running faster. They have a minor effect on VO2 but it is minimal and little to no effect on the LT - aside from the fact that they do train the body slightly better to clear lactate from the blood but given the length and pace of the strides they are mostly alactic. What is perhaps most interesting about them is that they allow you to work on your stride length and rate as you strengthen the muscles and loosen the legs. They also prepare you exceptionally well for the minor but important surges, hills and tactical moves that may arise during a race.
The Practice
Strides are a fast-paced acceleration of approximately 100m but can really be any length from 60m to 120m. After completing one you can jog or walk back and start the next one but ensure that you are fully recovered.
You want to be focusing on a fast, efficient turn-over. More important than the speed you do them at is keeping your form as close to flawless as possible. Remember watching Haile Gebresellasie run and marvelling at that bolt upright, long striding step- try and copy it. You want to keep your arms parralel and swinging in a controlled but relaxed fashiong with wrists strong. You want to be as "up" as you can be with a lifted pelvis and allow your legs to almost flow under you. Don't overstride but ensure you feet land under your centre of gravity and concentrate on a fast and fluid turnover.
The pace is almost irrelevant here- I personally do them at something around 800 pace I think when in full hard training but 1500m pace is equally fine. The aim is to not strain. This is probably the overriding concept of this series; train don't strain. This isn't a sprint race it's a relaxed stride out. If you watch at your local race you'll see many of the local elite doing these before the race. If you feel yourself getting substantially out of breath then take your recovery as a walk not a jog back and do the next one slower focusing on driving the arms and a fast toe-off. You also don't want to feel any sort of lactate flowing into your muscles- stay loose and relaxed.
Within a session you'll generally want to do something from 6-12 but usually 8 is sufficient and any more and you'll be looking at a more serious session.
Now looking at how to incorporate them. There are two main ways of doing this and both have their merits.
The method I usually use is to do it in the middle of one of my runs- say I'm doing an hour run- I'll run out for 25 minutes, then do 10 strides with jog back recovery using a bush or the like as a landmark each time timing myself for 18-19 seconds for the first to set this landmark, then jog back 25 minutes. by doing them concurrently you can focus on each one on a different aspect of your form which I find very beneficial and helps me isolate different elements very well. The potential can arise however for it to devolve into a challenge and the risk of sprinting arises.
The second method is one which might be suitable if you do end up up running them too hard- the aim of these runs is to be alactic (without lactate) - then rather than do all of them in one go then split them up into your run. Do a 15 minute warm-up and then do a stride and carry on jogging. Every 5 minutes do a stride-out and carry on jogging until at 45 minutes when you stop and jog the 15 minutes left to get home as your warm down- you've done 6 strides during your run. This has the benefit of doing your strides over slightly different terrain but is harder to accurately judge pace- it forces you to get the "feel" right.
Some suggest doing these at the end of your run- I don't advocate this because it tempts people to sprint too much and you're running fast on tired legs and generating some lactate into the legs which isn't being cleared out.
In the first week (the second week of your tempo runs) incorporate these runs into one of your easy runs with a warm-up, strides and then warm-down lasting the length of your usual run. Aim to do 4 strides the first week, then 6 then 8. Once you've done 8 you've hit the total you need to be doing! I generally find that an 18 or so second stride and then a 100m jog back takes roughly a minute but if you need longer recovery then definitely take it but make sure you slow down your strides as well.
The Schedule:
So right now we have a weekly schedule that looks like...
4 x 40-60 minute easy runs
1x 20 minute warm-up, 8 minutes strides, 20 minute warm-down.
1 x 15 minute warm-up, 20 minutes @ threshold, 15 minute warm-down
So...
Weeks 1-4 - Get used to running 5/6 times a week
Weeks 5-8 - Incorporate threshold running and strides into your schedule.
Where...
Week 5: 2 x mile at tempo pace
Week 6: 15 minutes tempo, 4 x strides
Week 7: 20 minutes tempo, 6 x strides
Week 8: 20 minute tempo run, 8 x strides
In the next part we look at something a bit different- Recovery Weeks. I'd suggest undertaking this after finishing off getting used to Threshold and Strides.
The spectrum of running speeds is as broad as a rainbow. Most of the time you're running in green, yellow and blue. The aim of this series is to get you running in the red, orange, indigo, violet and sometimes even ultra-violet and infra-red. To touch upon speeds that you usually wouldn't see and hence give you a substantial advantage. Learning how to run at the lactate threshold will give you a big advantage and there are many stories from athletes who come off a period of just running easy miles and tempo runs and claim that they're in the shape of their life. This may well be true and aerobic ability is the number one component in endurance running but you also need to look at improving your running efficiency and giving your legs the mystical "zip" that track runners seem to have that road runners are accused of lacking.
Strides
What Are They?
Faster paced 100m accelerations done with full recovery.
The TheoryWorking on from the aerobic theory developed last time we can look at how these affect our three variables, VO2 max, RE and LT. Strides are almost entirely based on improving the running efficiency meaning that for a given pace you are running you will be using less energy and oxygen to do so as you get more accustomed to running faster. They have a minor effect on VO2 but it is minimal and little to no effect on the LT - aside from the fact that they do train the body slightly better to clear lactate from the blood but given the length and pace of the strides they are mostly alactic. What is perhaps most interesting about them is that they allow you to work on your stride length and rate as you strengthen the muscles and loosen the legs. They also prepare you exceptionally well for the minor but important surges, hills and tactical moves that may arise during a race.
The Practice
Strides are a fast-paced acceleration of approximately 100m but can really be any length from 60m to 120m. After completing one you can jog or walk back and start the next one but ensure that you are fully recovered.
You want to be focusing on a fast, efficient turn-over. More important than the speed you do them at is keeping your form as close to flawless as possible. Remember watching Haile Gebresellasie run and marvelling at that bolt upright, long striding step- try and copy it. You want to keep your arms parralel and swinging in a controlled but relaxed fashiong with wrists strong. You want to be as "up" as you can be with a lifted pelvis and allow your legs to almost flow under you. Don't overstride but ensure you feet land under your centre of gravity and concentrate on a fast and fluid turnover.
The pace is almost irrelevant here- I personally do them at something around 800 pace I think when in full hard training but 1500m pace is equally fine. The aim is to not strain. This is probably the overriding concept of this series; train don't strain. This isn't a sprint race it's a relaxed stride out. If you watch at your local race you'll see many of the local elite doing these before the race. If you feel yourself getting substantially out of breath then take your recovery as a walk not a jog back and do the next one slower focusing on driving the arms and a fast toe-off. You also don't want to feel any sort of lactate flowing into your muscles- stay loose and relaxed.
Within a session you'll generally want to do something from 6-12 but usually 8 is sufficient and any more and you'll be looking at a more serious session.
Now looking at how to incorporate them. There are two main ways of doing this and both have their merits.
The method I usually use is to do it in the middle of one of my runs- say I'm doing an hour run- I'll run out for 25 minutes, then do 10 strides with jog back recovery using a bush or the like as a landmark each time timing myself for 18-19 seconds for the first to set this landmark, then jog back 25 minutes. by doing them concurrently you can focus on each one on a different aspect of your form which I find very beneficial and helps me isolate different elements very well. The potential can arise however for it to devolve into a challenge and the risk of sprinting arises.
The second method is one which might be suitable if you do end up up running them too hard- the aim of these runs is to be alactic (without lactate) - then rather than do all of them in one go then split them up into your run. Do a 15 minute warm-up and then do a stride and carry on jogging. Every 5 minutes do a stride-out and carry on jogging until at 45 minutes when you stop and jog the 15 minutes left to get home as your warm down- you've done 6 strides during your run. This has the benefit of doing your strides over slightly different terrain but is harder to accurately judge pace- it forces you to get the "feel" right.
Some suggest doing these at the end of your run- I don't advocate this because it tempts people to sprint too much and you're running fast on tired legs and generating some lactate into the legs which isn't being cleared out.
In the first week (the second week of your tempo runs) incorporate these runs into one of your easy runs with a warm-up, strides and then warm-down lasting the length of your usual run. Aim to do 4 strides the first week, then 6 then 8. Once you've done 8 you've hit the total you need to be doing! I generally find that an 18 or so second stride and then a 100m jog back takes roughly a minute but if you need longer recovery then definitely take it but make sure you slow down your strides as well.
The Schedule:
So right now we have a weekly schedule that looks like...
4 x 40-60 minute easy runs
1x 20 minute warm-up, 8 minutes strides, 20 minute warm-down.
1 x 15 minute warm-up, 20 minutes @ threshold, 15 minute warm-down
So...
Weeks 1-4 - Get used to running 5/6 times a week
Weeks 5-8 - Incorporate threshold running and strides into your schedule.
Where...
Week 5: 2 x mile at tempo pace
Week 6: 15 minutes tempo, 4 x strides
Week 7: 20 minutes tempo, 6 x strides
Week 8: 20 minute tempo run, 8 x strides
In the next part we look at something a bit different- Recovery Weeks. I'd suggest undertaking this after finishing off getting used to Threshold and Strides.
Right - that's it for now. Catch you on the trails.
Bryn
Bryn
Friday, August 14, 2009
Making the Transition Part 2 -Threshold Running
So by now you'll have been training at a higher frequency for a few weeks and after the initial lethargy probably be feeling fairly good about yourself. You're probably finding all of your runs a little easier and starting to find yourself running more fluidly - possibly you've even lost a little weight. Hopefully you're enjoying your running more as well.
It's time for step 2: Run differently.
Once you're running regularly 5-6 times a week and focusing on relaxing more on your runs then you need to start thinking about how to progress. Running easily is a great way to progress and if all you do is build that up consistently you will make huge strides forward. You can super-charge that performance though with a combination of just 4 different sorts of runs. This piece will introduce one of them as the first step to getting you running faster. These two are what I'd define as "basics" running where you improve your basic running ability and they'll be followed up by the other two where you fine-tune the motor. Each of these sessions is prefaced by a 15 minute warm-up of very easy running and a 15 minute warm-down. You can opt whether to stretch after this warm-up. Generally I prefer to stretch at other times and when doing core but some prefer to do it now.
Threshold Running
The Theory:
The general running paradigm, greatly simplified, is that each runner has a given VO2 maximum which measures how much Oxygen you can take in and use. From this each runner can maintain a certain percentage for an hour in terms of limiting the build up of lactate - otherwise known as their lactate threshold. This is further complicated by different runners using a different VO2 volume at different paces so as one runner might run at 6mm at a VO2 of 60 whilst another at a VO2 of 65 - this is known as running efficiency.
I'll expand on this in a later post but essentially you can improve your performance by increasing your VO2 max, LT or lactate threshold or RE running efficiency. Threshold or tempo running improves your LT primarily or the %age of your VO2 max you can maintain for an hour but also has significant but lesser benefits for the novice runner of VO2 max and running efficiency at 5k-Marathon paces.
The Practice:
Threshold running is running at a pace that you can hold for approximately one hour. As a rough guide use the following paces based upon your 10k time...
40:00 -> 6:30
42:30 -> 6:55
45:00 -> 7:20
47:30: -> 7:45
50:00 -> 8:10
If your 10k is between these then interpolate.
It is better to introduce these gradually. In the first week (with the usual 15 minute warm up and down) replace one of your normal runs with a mile at the pace suggested above, run for 5 more minutes easily, another mile at the pace above. The next week after the warm-up, run for 15 minutes at the pace above. Finally graduate onto doing a 20 minute tempo run.
This is all you need to do at present. The aim of this run (and this training in general) isn't to be killing yourself- it's to be making consistent strong gains in your aerobic ability. Many choose to hit runs of this type at a very hard pace and leave themselves exhausted. When you get a chance watch the elites run on the TV at one of the major marathons or in a major 5,000 or 10,000. How hard do they look to be working? Barely at all most of the time. The key is to learn how to float through a race- not muscle through it. There will be a time to kill your body in tough work-outs but it's certainly not right now.
Whilst tempo running the aim should be to feel like you're running at a relaxed but fast pace. If you feel like you're overly straining then ease off slightly- whether you run at 6:00 or 6:15 or 6:30 isn't a huge issue as long as you feel you're working at a decent aerobic level. Fairly soon you will find it much easier to relax into this pace and hit the right pace instantly. That said I've regularly been guilty of messing up my tempo pace but the trick is to try and run by feel and get into a rhythm.
If you're training for any race distance between 10k and the marathon these sessions will be the staple of your sessions.
The Schedule:
So right now we have a weekly schedule that looks like...
5 x 40-60 minute easy runs
1 x 15 minute warm-up, 20 minutes @ threshold, 15 minute warm-down
In the next part we look at the second session that is part of our "basics" - Strides - I'd suggest integrating this into the second week of your "tempo" build up.
It's time for step 2: Run differently.
Once you're running regularly 5-6 times a week and focusing on relaxing more on your runs then you need to start thinking about how to progress. Running easily is a great way to progress and if all you do is build that up consistently you will make huge strides forward. You can super-charge that performance though with a combination of just 4 different sorts of runs. This piece will introduce one of them as the first step to getting you running faster. These two are what I'd define as "basics" running where you improve your basic running ability and they'll be followed up by the other two where you fine-tune the motor. Each of these sessions is prefaced by a 15 minute warm-up of very easy running and a 15 minute warm-down. You can opt whether to stretch after this warm-up. Generally I prefer to stretch at other times and when doing core but some prefer to do it now.
Threshold Running
The Theory:
The general running paradigm, greatly simplified, is that each runner has a given VO2 maximum which measures how much Oxygen you can take in and use. From this each runner can maintain a certain percentage for an hour in terms of limiting the build up of lactate - otherwise known as their lactate threshold. This is further complicated by different runners using a different VO2 volume at different paces so as one runner might run at 6mm at a VO2 of 60 whilst another at a VO2 of 65 - this is known as running efficiency.
I'll expand on this in a later post but essentially you can improve your performance by increasing your VO2 max, LT or lactate threshold or RE running efficiency. Threshold or tempo running improves your LT primarily or the %age of your VO2 max you can maintain for an hour but also has significant but lesser benefits for the novice runner of VO2 max and running efficiency at 5k-Marathon paces.
The Practice:
Threshold running is running at a pace that you can hold for approximately one hour. As a rough guide use the following paces based upon your 10k time...
40:00 -> 6:30
42:30 -> 6:55
45:00 -> 7:20
47:30: -> 7:45
50:00 -> 8:10
If your 10k is between these then interpolate.
It is better to introduce these gradually. In the first week (with the usual 15 minute warm up and down) replace one of your normal runs with a mile at the pace suggested above, run for 5 more minutes easily, another mile at the pace above. The next week after the warm-up, run for 15 minutes at the pace above. Finally graduate onto doing a 20 minute tempo run.
This is all you need to do at present. The aim of this run (and this training in general) isn't to be killing yourself- it's to be making consistent strong gains in your aerobic ability. Many choose to hit runs of this type at a very hard pace and leave themselves exhausted. When you get a chance watch the elites run on the TV at one of the major marathons or in a major 5,000 or 10,000. How hard do they look to be working? Barely at all most of the time. The key is to learn how to float through a race- not muscle through it. There will be a time to kill your body in tough work-outs but it's certainly not right now.
Whilst tempo running the aim should be to feel like you're running at a relaxed but fast pace. If you feel like you're overly straining then ease off slightly- whether you run at 6:00 or 6:15 or 6:30 isn't a huge issue as long as you feel you're working at a decent aerobic level. Fairly soon you will find it much easier to relax into this pace and hit the right pace instantly. That said I've regularly been guilty of messing up my tempo pace but the trick is to try and run by feel and get into a rhythm.
If you're training for any race distance between 10k and the marathon these sessions will be the staple of your sessions.
The Schedule:
So right now we have a weekly schedule that looks like...
5 x 40-60 minute easy runs
1 x 15 minute warm-up, 20 minutes @ threshold, 15 minute warm-down
In the next part we look at the second session that is part of our "basics" - Strides - I'd suggest integrating this into the second week of your "tempo" build up.
Right - that's it for now. Catch you on the trails.
Bryn
Bryn
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Training Week Commencing 20/07/2009 til Week Commencing 24/08/2009
Week Commencing 20/07/2009
Fri: Did massage + drills PM 20 minutes cycling
Sat: massage + drills 40 minutes cycling
Sun: 60 minutes cycling
Mon: 60 minutes cycling
Tue: 64 minutes cycling (32.18@56:03)
Wed: 70 minutes cycling (16.1 @ 26:30,40 in 70)
Thu:Rest
Fri: AM 5 minutes running- no pain but still didn't feel quite right PM 40 minutes cycling outdoors got soaked.
Sat: AM 7:39 running 1 mile. Groin still not right and little bit of pain at half way but better on way back PM 90 minute cycling 53km including 5 x 2 [1] hard.
Sun: AM 4:30 running better PM 90 minute cycle (50km)
Week(ish) Totals: Running: 13 minutes Cycling: 444 minutes Glad to get some decent work on the exercise bike done- looks like it'll be my main method of training for a while!
Week Commencing 27/07/2009
Mon: 90 minute cycling 48.8km
Tue: Rest
Wed: AM 8 minutes running , relatively pain free bar one short period 90 minutes cycling (45km), PM 10M TT on exercise bike (23:45 PB), 45 minutes total
Thu: AM 10 minutes running - actually pain free (aside from tripping up over a style...) best yet by some way. PM: 90 minutes 50.50km
Fri: AM 12 minutes running- again best yet and didn't feel anything but a tingle - stopped to stretch briefly at 6 PM 2:03 65.55km on exercise bike
Sat: Rest
Sun: 10 minutes totally pain free running with decent form! 120 minutes cycling inc. 3 x 5 hard (165-170), 5 rest
Total Running: 40 minutes Total Biking: 658 minutes
Total: 698 minutes
In terms of total training minutes, bar my 104 mile week, this is probably well up there.
Week Commencing 3rd August 2009
Mon: 18 minutes running
Tue: 23 minutes easy running 90 minutes cycling
Wed: AM 15 minutes easy running
PM 15 minutes easy running felt very tired so didn't cycle
Thu: AM 5 mins v. easy running
PM 135 cycling exercise bike (74.52km) inc. 5 x 2k (0.5k rec.), 2:47,45,41,40,29 all recs just over a minute. Last effort close to flat out.
Fri: AM 30 mins running, 60 mins cycling (32.22) PM (90 mins cycling 52.21km - interesting that this didn't feel too hard as my fastest steady ride yet over 90 minutes)
Sat: AM 40 mins running 60 mins cycling (32:22)
Sun: 120 minutes cycling (66km)
Total time running: 146 minutes Total Time Cycling: 555 minutes
Total time : 701 minutes
Week Commencing 10th August 2009
Mon: 38:30 running w. omega (5.3 7:15mm few light twinges), 90 cycling 48/9km
Tue: 40 easy/steady - couple of twinges but not too bad.
Wed: 45 steady - First 25 minutes v.good, next 10 minutes some twinges, last 10 fine.
Thu: 9 min warm up, 10:30 2 mile meant to be at 2 mile pace 5:13/5:17, 9 min warm down. No real twinges or problems. 100 mins cycling
Fri: Rest day
Sat: AM 30 minutes (4.2 miles) - 7:08 pace at reasonable clip PM 30 minutes at similar pace with 3 strides in. 90 minutes cycling (48km)
Sun: AM 35 minutes running at easy pace PM 32:30 with 2 miles at steady pace (6:00/5:40) very easy and relaxed. 75 minutes on exercise bike (40km)
Total Running Time: 279.5 Total Cycling Time: 355
Total: 634.5 minutes
Week Commencing 17th August 2009
Mon: 15 warm up and down, 12 x 400 (100 jog ~30 secs) 2 77s, 5 78s, 4 79s and a 72 to close. Felt good in first session back- was moving relatively smoothly and not struggling aerobically. Target was 80 so hauled self back in. 90 minutes cycling 51km
Tue: Really bad DOMS on inner hamstring area which struggled with.
Wed: Slightly easier but still in a lot of pain
Thu: 20 minutes recovery pace- in quite a lot of pain
Fri: 40 minutes easy/steady pace- moving well and no pain
Sat: 10 min warm up 10 x 750m grass loop (1 rec.) 2:25,24,23,23,22,23,24,21 Moving very easily and could have done quite a few more but kept it short so as to not aggravate groin, 10 min rec. PM 30 minute cycle (16.1)
Sun: AM 36:30 steady 5.7 miles avg. 6:24 but pace varied - very hot and legs just felt clumsy PM 36:30 recovery @ 8:14- 4.45 miles through forest around chickney and back by rugby club. Saw two foxes. Felt Wmuch better than earlier.
Total = 242 minutes running 120 minutes cycling
Week Commencing 24th August 2009
Mon: AM 39:30 easy to steady run 5.7 mile loop. Very hot. PM 36:30 easy running @8mm with OMEGA club - kicked in over final 150m to test groin and was absolutely fine.
Tue: 12 x 400 (2 minute loop) averaging 73s with a few 71 and 72s then a 1600 in 5:22 - all fairly relaxed w/u of 8 minute w/d 10 minutes
Wed: AM 42 minutes easy 7:42mm warm with a strong wind up the Valley and back by Rugby Club. Relaxed run and felt good. Left hamstring and right calf very slightly sore after session yesterday. After this run in the afternoon I felt a pain at top of my left groin so cancelled second run.
Thu: Rest day- just did 8 minutes to test groin and was fine. 40 minutes cycling 21.1km
Fri: Tempo run, 10 warm-up, 6k avg. 5:49 but dead on my feet almost from the start with last few k around 6mm, 8:30 warm down
Sat: AM 50 minutes easy inc. 8 x Canova Hill sprints PM 40 minutes easy @ 8mm
Sun: Progression run- 15 warm up, 2k@6:30 pace, 2k@6:00 pace, 2k@5:30 pace, 15 warm down
Total: 40 minutes cycling 354 minutes running (check total)
Week Commencing 31st August 2009
Mon: AM 40 easy @8mm inc. 8 x strides, 30 minutes cycling (16.77) PM 40 recovery @9mm ran with the lads from Omega but with Peter now living in Switzerland pace is much slower!
Tue: PM session at a very windy NR - 11 @ LT and was about 2 miles (82/lap) followed by 9 x 600 off 70 seconds averaging about 1:51/52 with a 1:46 chucked in the middle for a bit of fun 41:30 cycling 22.70km
Wed: 52 minutes easy with Martin avg. 7:58mm
Thu: 15 minutes warm-up + drills/strides, Cambridge 5k, 2nd place 16:15 - meant to be at tempo pace but probably ran too hard in the middle, sat back in the first k then started to take closer order and caught leaders at about 2k when Diarmont pushed clear- ran with him till about 4k with him consistently breaking and me closing the gap then over hte last k let him go. Could possibly have tried a little harder but with race on Sunday and knowing this was already too fast didn't want to do too much. Measuring on gmaps I got the race at 5.1km. 15 w.d. with Nick, Ian and Chris. Rumours of a Hereward team emerging...
Fri: Rest
Sat: 40 minutes easy around Cardiff inc. 8 x strides and then some drills. Surprised at how much of a valley Cardiff seems to be in - ran most of it uphill through some housing estates
Sun: Cardiff 10k- 15 warm up and then about 5 minutes of strides and drills. 33:14 - struggled to keep up over first 2k with Ben Paviour then dropped back slightly and ran with a Coventry Godiva runner for most of the way reeling in two Bristol runners. 11 warm down with various runners all much better than me! Not very pleased with the time- as fast as was possible given the amount of time I had to train but nowhere near where I wanted to be. A few months hard training will get me there I hope though... PM 20 minutes recovery and then drills
Week Commencing 7th September 2009
Mon: AM 38:30 2k warm up, 4k steady (4:07,4:24,3:52,3:53), 2k warm down + Drills
PM Meant to be 40 at recovery pace with jogging group but turned out to be 3 seperate handicap efforts. Took first one of 2.2 miles v. easy at 7:5x minute miling. Second one of 2.7 miles I started at around 6mm till halfway where I eased off and ran in at 7:30mm. Last one of 1.6 miles I hit relatively hard at around 5:20 minute miling over undulating terrain. 43:01 avg. 6:36mm followed by a pint from the local brewery.
Tue: AM 40:40 avg 9:27mm (recovery) + Drills
PM 44:13 Easy/Tempo/Easy run k splits (4:50,4:32,4:40,4:24,3:29,3:10,3:01,3:36,3:43,4:30,3:32,0:40) avg 6:24mm Went out very relaxed with Nigel's group watching Chris/Nick disappear into the distance and at the dog leg roughed out they had about 2 minutes on me. Accelerated to catch them and splits show how I ran to reel them in then gradually eased off once I caught them with the last 2k relatively easy (3:32 is very very misleading for last k as it's a very significant descent for the entire k)
Wed: AM Drills!
PM: 15 wu and wd + drills and strides 3 x 3.6k @ 80/lap [3 minute one lap jog] 11:57,11:59,11:57 - hard work on the track but thankfully had Noel and Richard dropping in and out (apart from a superb effort by Noel on the second). Really pleased as these were very under control.
Thu: Rest day- AM Drills PM 38:00 cycling (21.8km)
Fri: AM 52:28, 2k warm up, 8k @ LT (3:35-3:40), 2k warm down. (3:40,3:35,3:39,3:31,3:35,3:32,3:16*,3:31) Mum decided she wanted to come along on the bike so got her to carry some water but didn't have cap on right so she lost most of it! Felt good for most of it- not totally smooth but not bad either. AVG: 3:32 (aka 2:29:26) in trainers
Sat: 15 min warm up 3 sets of 5 x 20 second hill (jog down) with 3 minutes inbetween. 10 min warm down
Sun: 90 minutes 20km averaging 7:35 split into 30 easy, 30 steady, 30 easy. K splits of Easy (5:14,5:35,5:06,5:16,5:05,4:35) Steady(4:13,4:18,3:44,4:21,4:13,3:27,3:41) Easy(4:53,4:52,4:59,5:24,5:14,5:03,0:41).
Fri: Did massage + drills PM 20 minutes cycling
Sat: massage + drills 40 minutes cycling
Sun: 60 minutes cycling
Mon: 60 minutes cycling
Tue: 64 minutes cycling (32.18@56:03)
Wed: 70 minutes cycling (16.1 @ 26:30,40 in 70)
Thu:Rest
Fri: AM 5 minutes running- no pain but still didn't feel quite right PM 40 minutes cycling outdoors got soaked.
Sat: AM 7:39 running 1 mile. Groin still not right and little bit of pain at half way but better on way back PM 90 minute cycling 53km including 5 x 2 [1] hard.
Sun: AM 4:30 running better PM 90 minute cycle (50km)
Week(ish) Totals: Running: 13 minutes Cycling: 444 minutes Glad to get some decent work on the exercise bike done- looks like it'll be my main method of training for a while!
Week Commencing 27/07/2009
Mon: 90 minute cycling 48.8km
Tue: Rest
Wed: AM 8 minutes running , relatively pain free bar one short period 90 minutes cycling (45km), PM 10M TT on exercise bike (23:45 PB), 45 minutes total
Thu: AM 10 minutes running - actually pain free (aside from tripping up over a style...) best yet by some way. PM: 90 minutes 50.50km
Fri: AM 12 minutes running- again best yet and didn't feel anything but a tingle - stopped to stretch briefly at 6 PM 2:03 65.55km on exercise bike
Sat: Rest
Sun: 10 minutes totally pain free running with decent form! 120 minutes cycling inc. 3 x 5 hard (165-170), 5 rest
Total Running: 40 minutes Total Biking: 658 minutes
Total: 698 minutes
In terms of total training minutes, bar my 104 mile week, this is probably well up there.
Week Commencing 3rd August 2009
Mon: 18 minutes running
Tue: 23 minutes easy running 90 minutes cycling
Wed: AM 15 minutes easy running
PM 15 minutes easy running felt very tired so didn't cycle
Thu: AM 5 mins v. easy running
PM 135 cycling exercise bike (74.52km) inc. 5 x 2k (0.5k rec.), 2:47,45,41,40,29 all recs just over a minute. Last effort close to flat out.
Fri: AM 30 mins running, 60 mins cycling (32.22) PM (90 mins cycling 52.21km - interesting that this didn't feel too hard as my fastest steady ride yet over 90 minutes)
Sat: AM 40 mins running 60 mins cycling (32:22)
Sun: 120 minutes cycling (66km)
Total time running: 146 minutes Total Time Cycling: 555 minutes
Total time : 701 minutes
Week Commencing 10th August 2009
Mon: 38:30 running w. omega (5.3 7:15mm few light twinges), 90 cycling 48/9km
Tue: 40 easy/steady - couple of twinges but not too bad.
Wed: 45 steady - First 25 minutes v.good, next 10 minutes some twinges, last 10 fine.
Thu: 9 min warm up, 10:30 2 mile meant to be at 2 mile pace 5:13/5:17, 9 min warm down. No real twinges or problems. 100 mins cycling
Fri: Rest day
Sat: AM 30 minutes (4.2 miles) - 7:08 pace at reasonable clip PM 30 minutes at similar pace with 3 strides in. 90 minutes cycling (48km)
Sun: AM 35 minutes running at easy pace PM 32:30 with 2 miles at steady pace (6:00/5:40) very easy and relaxed. 75 minutes on exercise bike (40km)
Total Running Time: 279.5 Total Cycling Time: 355
Total: 634.5 minutes
Week Commencing 17th August 2009
Mon: 15 warm up and down, 12 x 400 (100 jog ~30 secs) 2 77s, 5 78s, 4 79s and a 72 to close. Felt good in first session back- was moving relatively smoothly and not struggling aerobically. Target was 80 so hauled self back in. 90 minutes cycling 51km
Tue: Really bad DOMS on inner hamstring area which struggled with.
Wed: Slightly easier but still in a lot of pain
Thu: 20 minutes recovery pace- in quite a lot of pain
Fri: 40 minutes easy/steady pace- moving well and no pain
Sat: 10 min warm up 10 x 750m grass loop (1 rec.) 2:25,24,23,23,22,23,24,21 Moving very easily and could have done quite a few more but kept it short so as to not aggravate groin, 10 min rec. PM 30 minute cycle (16.1)
Sun: AM 36:30 steady 5.7 miles avg. 6:24 but pace varied - very hot and legs just felt clumsy PM 36:30 recovery @ 8:14- 4.45 miles through forest around chickney and back by rugby club. Saw two foxes. Felt Wmuch better than earlier.
Total = 242 minutes running 120 minutes cycling
Week Commencing 24th August 2009
Mon: AM 39:30 easy to steady run 5.7 mile loop. Very hot. PM 36:30 easy running @8mm with OMEGA club - kicked in over final 150m to test groin and was absolutely fine.
Tue: 12 x 400 (2 minute loop) averaging 73s with a few 71 and 72s then a 1600 in 5:22 - all fairly relaxed w/u of 8 minute w/d 10 minutes
Wed: AM 42 minutes easy 7:42mm warm with a strong wind up the Valley and back by Rugby Club. Relaxed run and felt good. Left hamstring and right calf very slightly sore after session yesterday. After this run in the afternoon I felt a pain at top of my left groin so cancelled second run.
Thu: Rest day- just did 8 minutes to test groin and was fine. 40 minutes cycling 21.1km
Fri: Tempo run, 10 warm-up, 6k avg. 5:49 but dead on my feet almost from the start with last few k around 6mm, 8:30 warm down
Sat: AM 50 minutes easy inc. 8 x Canova Hill sprints PM 40 minutes easy @ 8mm
Sun: Progression run- 15 warm up, 2k@6:30 pace, 2k@6:00 pace, 2k@5:30 pace, 15 warm down
Total: 40 minutes cycling 354 minutes running (check total)
Week Commencing 31st August 2009
Mon: AM 40 easy @8mm inc. 8 x strides, 30 minutes cycling (16.77) PM 40 recovery @9mm ran with the lads from Omega but with Peter now living in Switzerland pace is much slower!
Tue: PM session at a very windy NR - 11 @ LT and was about 2 miles (82/lap) followed by 9 x 600 off 70 seconds averaging about 1:51/52 with a 1:46 chucked in the middle for a bit of fun 41:30 cycling 22.70km
Wed: 52 minutes easy with Martin avg. 7:58mm
Thu: 15 minutes warm-up + drills/strides, Cambridge 5k, 2nd place 16:15 - meant to be at tempo pace but probably ran too hard in the middle, sat back in the first k then started to take closer order and caught leaders at about 2k when Diarmont pushed clear- ran with him till about 4k with him consistently breaking and me closing the gap then over hte last k let him go. Could possibly have tried a little harder but with race on Sunday and knowing this was already too fast didn't want to do too much. Measuring on gmaps I got the race at 5.1km. 15 w.d. with Nick, Ian and Chris. Rumours of a Hereward team emerging...
Fri: Rest
Sat: 40 minutes easy around Cardiff inc. 8 x strides and then some drills. Surprised at how much of a valley Cardiff seems to be in - ran most of it uphill through some housing estates
Sun: Cardiff 10k- 15 warm up and then about 5 minutes of strides and drills. 33:14 - struggled to keep up over first 2k with Ben Paviour then dropped back slightly and ran with a Coventry Godiva runner for most of the way reeling in two Bristol runners. 11 warm down with various runners all much better than me! Not very pleased with the time- as fast as was possible given the amount of time I had to train but nowhere near where I wanted to be. A few months hard training will get me there I hope though... PM 20 minutes recovery and then drills
Week Commencing 7th September 2009
Mon: AM 38:30 2k warm up, 4k steady (4:07,4:24,3:52,3:53), 2k warm down + Drills
PM Meant to be 40 at recovery pace with jogging group but turned out to be 3 seperate handicap efforts. Took first one of 2.2 miles v. easy at 7:5x minute miling. Second one of 2.7 miles I started at around 6mm till halfway where I eased off and ran in at 7:30mm. Last one of 1.6 miles I hit relatively hard at around 5:20 minute miling over undulating terrain. 43:01 avg. 6:36mm followed by a pint from the local brewery.
Tue: AM 40:40 avg 9:27mm (recovery) + Drills
PM 44:13 Easy/Tempo/Easy run k splits (4:50,4:32,4:40,4:24,3:29,3:10,3:01,3:36,3:43,4:30,3:32,0:40) avg 6:24mm Went out very relaxed with Nigel's group watching Chris/Nick disappear into the distance and at the dog leg roughed out they had about 2 minutes on me. Accelerated to catch them and splits show how I ran to reel them in then gradually eased off once I caught them with the last 2k relatively easy (3:32 is very very misleading for last k as it's a very significant descent for the entire k)
Wed: AM Drills!
PM: 15 wu and wd + drills and strides 3 x 3.6k @ 80/lap [3 minute one lap jog] 11:57,11:59,11:57 - hard work on the track but thankfully had Noel and Richard dropping in and out (apart from a superb effort by Noel on the second). Really pleased as these were very under control.
Thu: Rest day- AM Drills PM 38:00 cycling (21.8km)
Fri: AM 52:28, 2k warm up, 8k @ LT (3:35-3:40), 2k warm down. (3:40,3:35,3:39,3:31,3:35,3:32,3:16*,3:31) Mum decided she wanted to come along on the bike so got her to carry some water but didn't have cap on right so she lost most of it! Felt good for most of it- not totally smooth but not bad either. AVG: 3:32 (aka 2:29:26) in trainers
Sat: 15 min warm up 3 sets of 5 x 20 second hill (jog down) with 3 minutes inbetween. 10 min warm down
Sun: 90 minutes 20km averaging 7:35 split into 30 easy, 30 steady, 30 easy. K splits of Easy (5:14,5:35,5:06,5:16,5:05,4:35) Steady(4:13,4:18,3:44,4:21,4:13,3:27,3:41) Easy(4:53,4:52,4:59,5:24,5:14,5:03,0:41).
Training Week Commencing 29th June 2009
Week Commencing 29th June 2009
Mon: AM 40 easy PM 55 easy with Will Mackay around Wandlebury- nice run and good to have someone to chat with, even if he is a tab!
Tue: Rest
Wed: 15 minute warm-up, 27:53 5 miles 1st place MWRRL around Welwyn. Drifted clear of Paul Greaves with 800 to go. 15 warm down
Thu: 20 minute warm-up, 17:02 5k @ Haverhill, 1st, big group up steep first hill, pulled clear with another bloke overr 3rd k, he slowed and Harry Fowler caught us at 4k and I went clear with about 500m to go again easing clear, 15 minute warm down bare-foot on grass.
Fri: 40 min AM leg quite painful, 40 min PM leg an awful lot better and generally just a better run, 21 minutes on grass
Sat:AM 40 min easy leg not perfect but much better than yesterday PM 41:34 easy w. 24 minute barefoot on grass , leg better than yesterday but not as good as the morning. PMPM 30 mins cycling (15km) (367)
Sun: AM 60 easy PM 40 easy
Total: 467 minutes running 60 minutes cycling
I felt really good on the Sunday. Took a day off on Monday. When I ran on the Tuesday I struggled to run more than 3 minutes and was in a lot of pain- grade 2 muscle strain. A week later it was no better but then ater seeing a physio it loosened greatly and I was back doing short runs within a week of that.
Mon: AM 40 easy PM 55 easy with Will Mackay around Wandlebury- nice run and good to have someone to chat with, even if he is a tab!
Tue: Rest
Wed: 15 minute warm-up, 27:53 5 miles 1st place MWRRL around Welwyn. Drifted clear of Paul Greaves with 800 to go. 15 warm down
Thu: 20 minute warm-up, 17:02 5k @ Haverhill, 1st, big group up steep first hill, pulled clear with another bloke overr 3rd k, he slowed and Harry Fowler caught us at 4k and I went clear with about 500m to go again easing clear, 15 minute warm down bare-foot on grass.
Fri: 40 min AM leg quite painful, 40 min PM leg an awful lot better and generally just a better run, 21 minutes on grass
Sat:AM 40 min easy leg not perfect but much better than yesterday PM 41:34 easy w. 24 minute barefoot on grass , leg better than yesterday but not as good as the morning. PMPM 30 mins cycling (15km) (367)
Sun: AM 60 easy PM 40 easy
Total: 467 minutes running 60 minutes cycling
I felt really good on the Sunday. Took a day off on Monday. When I ran on the Tuesday I struggled to run more than 3 minutes and was in a lot of pain- grade 2 muscle strain. A week later it was no better but then ater seeing a physio it loosened greatly and I was back doing short runs within a week of that.
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