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| eurodonkey |
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Hard to stay anonymous at this point as I can't explain it very well in words... type "print button for ebusiness" into Google and you'll find us. If anyone wants to reach me directly it's "andy at (above company name) dot com". My hip is pretty good - just a very slight 'tiredness' on hip flexion today the morning after a track workout, so I guess I'm better. I had a chat with the PT who treated me today and she thinks there may have been some bursitis under the hip flexor. I'm nearly through what I hope will be a 70 mile week, and easing back into my normal gym workouts. I'm just a bit irked because 2 weeks off plus 2 getting back equals a month missed, and track season is approaching fast. Not sure whether to spend the next 4 weeks pushing for 80mpw (which I never managed before), running harder base work (long reps, tempos) at 70, or doing a lot of hills and strength-endurance. I'm doing the local 10k on Sunday morning and will decide after that... |
| eurodonkey |
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FO, I'm very sorry to hear this. Hope the surgery goes well and you're on the mend soon... |
| Impossible Dream |
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Weekly Summary: Designated "Easy" Week 3/6 - 14 miles steady 3/7 - 2 very easy 3/8 - 5 easy 3/9 - am 3 easy, pm 6 easy plus 8 x strides 3/10 - am 3 easy, pm 7 total including 2 mile time trial in 10:49 3/11 - am 4 easy, pm 8 easy plus 5 x strides 3/12 - 6 steady plus 6 (or 7?, lost count) by steep, short hill repeats (50 yards) Totals 58 miles in 10 sessions Supplemental Tuesday - Core Routine, Upper Body Weights Wednesday - Core Routine Thursday - Warm up with light core, 2 x 8 exercise circuit (Included Burpee for first time, OH MAMA!) Friday - Core Routine Saturday - Core Routine, 3 x 25 push ups Started this week out right with 15 miles in 1:48.... Feel a little beat up afterwards with lots of hills in this course. I hope everyone else had a great week! Have an awesome Sunday everyone. |
| eurodonkey |
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Hope you don't mind me posting a summary too, a bit more verbosely than on the Masters thread. I'm reaching a point where I could use some outside input so will throw out a few questions later. 72 miles, lots of aches and pains getting used to 2x-daily running again (although at least different parts hurt each day). Injury is basically over although the right hip is still a little weaker. Weight stuck just below 72kg and refusing to drop more despite a week of 500+ deficits each day M: am treadmill 'descending reps': 2000 at 80sec pace, 1800 @ 79, 1600 @ 78 etc until I hit zero. This was the session I was going to finish my 'early base' period with before the injury, so was determined to tick it off p.m. deep tissue massage T: am easy 6, pm easy 6 (bruised!) W: am easy 8, pm easy 5 speeding up Th: am easy 8.5, pm track session: 7 x (2x300) [40sec, 2min between sets]. Started with 55, most of them 50-52 Fr: a.m. weights session + 1.5mi cooldown. First try at some of my 'normal' weights exercises - split squats etc. p.m. work kind of went crazy, no time to run Sat: easy 11 with older son on his bike (push him uphill, chase him down them..) Sun: did the twice-yearly local 10k race (400m from my home) in 34:06. Sore and tight in lots of places from Thu/Fri, never had a chance of holding the winner (some lycra-and-gadget-clad triathlete). I was hoping for sub 34 but can't complain, as I was 34:52 six months ago. -- If it's OK I'll post up some stuff in an hour or two about my season plans and get all of your input on what to do next It somehow seems a lot harder to figure out my own training than other peoples' and there are some fine minds on this thread I'd love to tap into... |
| eurodonkey |
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As discussed I'd love to get some suggestions into my own training. Very happy to answer more questions. I'll kick off with some background now then ask what you think I should do in the next month... Background: turn 45 next week. Ran 26.x, 54.7, 1:55, 3:52 (1500), 8:16 (3000), 8:57 3000sc, 14:45ish in mid 20s off 60-70mpw. Made all the usual 80s mistakes (racing in training etc). Then had 15 years mostly off running, starting businesses and raising family. Now 2 years into comeback. Came back more via speed/strength than mileage, got back to 27.3 200, 4:15 1500, 9:05 3000, 26:41 5m last year. Decided I was ready for a proper winter with more decent mileage. Training time is limited and a little unpredictable as kids have very busy school schedules and workload at work varies wildly, BUT unlike most I can train in the daytime. The plan this season is/was to peak in late June/ early July and hold through to early August, for races between 1500 to 5000. If I'm fit I can race in my club's national league team (4 key meets from early June to end August); and there are many meetings at all distances from early May to end August. We'll have a family vacation in early August which ought to be the 'end of season break'. The plan in September WAS: Oct-Dec: build mileage; lift weights for leg strength; 2 'quality' sessions (reps, tempo or club XC races) per week not taken particularly seriously, short hill sprints to keep top end speed. Jan to mid-Feb: hold mileage, take intervals a bit more seriously, let mileage speed up. 2-3 more serious XC races. Maintain weights and hill sprints. Feb week 3: skiing, easy week Feb 28 - Apr 10: lots of hills: springing, bounding, hill reps 2x weekly aiming to build strength endurance and maximum power; also a couple of 5k races. mid April onwards: track work: intervals at various paces from spring , race whenever possible Due to various interruptions (travel, conferences, work, family stuff, the odd cold, body just taking forever to adapt) it took a lot longer than expected to get up to 70mpw and fully adapt to it. I finally managed that for a month in Jan, with a lot of easy running rather than the faster progression runs I hoped to be up to by then, and started to get quite fit, although I missed a few weights sessions and hill sprints due to time pressure and fatigue. I then had an injury meaning I've basically missed a month getting back today to the fitness I had in mid Feb. Track work has to start by Apr 16 (our club's first shakeout meeting). So, the problem is what sessions to do in the next 4-5 weeks or so. I really want to do a lot of hill work, hit the same sessions at least 8 times and feel the progress; but I feel I need to improve the aerobic side too with tempo and 5k-type work, as I am not obviously ahead of my fitness last year. I'm also wondering about the circuits and weights. I have had advice from a great strength/sprint coach in the last 18 months and got a lot stronger through lifting from Oct-Dec. I don't want to stop totally and lose this, on the other hand if you're lifting hard for max leg strength then it really needs 48 hours with no more than easy running until the next attempt to run hard. I will mostly be training alone, and am lucky that I can train off-road in daylight at lunchtimes with no hard time limits 1-2x each week. Some ideas... - try a little bit of faster running most days. e.g. now the clocks are changing I have a mostly-off-road 5m route home. I could try to wind this up slowly, run 10min at tempo pace then 4 fast strides along the football fields most nights. In addition there could be two days with decent hill sessions at lunchtime. - alternatively, there's the "kitchen sink session" approach - do 2 big sessions each week with a mix of hill work, tempo, long reps, and aim for the usual larger volume of easy running in between. something like... Tue lunch: warm up, hill bounding/springing/sprints, 5min jog, hard 1000m, 5min jog, 6x1min hill, 5min jog, hard 1000m, jog, collapse and slurp sports drinks and snacks all afternoon in the office.... Sat morning: warm up, 5k parkrun (low key weekly 5k at 09:00), mile jog, 6 x 1min hill, home. - or am I worrying too much? Should I just do the hills twice a week as my quality sessions, trust that the shorter bursts of work will improve aerobic fitness anyway or not lose it, and use the track work from April onwards to top up the aerobic engine a bit? - any other approaches? Ideas, criticism, suggestions etc welcome...thanks all... |
| eurodonkey |
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I'm impressed! Hope the aftereffects weren't too bad. How many did you do? I'm clearly not as hard as you as I haven't attempted them alone. My gym has just launched a Thursday lunchtime circuit run by an ex pro soccer player and I'm going to give it a go - maybe a few other people and someone blowing a whistle will bring out the inner wild animal... |
| Impossible Dream |
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Euro, 15 reps on the first set, I think I did 12 the second set. They were hard, especially as the 7th exercise in an 8 exercise circuit. Did the heavy leg weight work out last night. I'm sore today, but that's probably due to combo of a 15 mile hilly run plus the weights. I'll take a crack at providing some advice tonight or early tomorrow after I've had a chance to really read over your info, plus I want to review some stuff in the Daniel's book which I think is directly applicable to your situation. |
| eurodonkey |
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ID, it's really impressive what you're doing on the circuits and weights. But don't feel you have to push those sessions to the point where they interfere with your running sessions, or indeed the recovery from them. I bet your running muscles are already a lot stronger than 4 weeks ago. If you're tired on a Sunday night by all means cut the weight back a bit or even skip the session. |
| Impossible Dream |
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Euro, On occasion, I'm mentally tired, but infrequently not to physically tired to complete a work out. Last night I was having a little trouble getting motivated, but ultimately just pushed on through and was happy I did. I should share that I did not do the vertical jumps in my work out, much to the appreciation of my wife. :) I'm taking it easy today, though, and tomorrow morning for that matter. On another topic, I think I'm ready to shop for some racing flats. First pair in a long, long time. I'm looking at the Nike Air Zoom Streak XC 2. It looks like a versatile flat at a reasonable price. Any thoughts or opinions? |
| eurodonkey |
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As I trudged around the roads yesterday in my Nike Pegasus I was thinking about the same thing ;-) Last racing shoes I bought were about 18 years back. We got my kids' junior school caretaker a pair of Adizero Adios - the only shoes ever to go sub 2:04 for a marathon. He likes them. He used to be a 28:30 guy in his youth, raced against Bedford, Pre, Lasse Viren - you name it. He's just turned 60 but when he gets into his comeback we'll all have to watch out! |
| Impossible Dream |
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Btw Euro, Great 10k!!! Congrats! |
| eurodonkey |
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Thanks - although it was frustratingly close to beginning with a '33'! In my oxygen-depleted state I managed to convince myself around my 3:30 split between 7 and 8k point worked out to 33:00, not 35:00 :-( It's becoming clear that the next month will be crazy and unpredictable at work and training will be more a matter of fitting in what I can, when I can rather than any kind of optimal recovery and frequency. If I get out on time I'll try some hills tonight on the way home, and then I'll see if there's enough energy left for a 10min hard stretch. How did the review go? One tip from me - don't let them double your workload until after your 15:30! |
| Impossible Dream |
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Euro, Although I haven't had time to review the Daniel's stuff I was referring to yesterday, I have had a chance to review your advice requesting post and form an opinion at the very least. IMHO, I think you're underestimating your aerobic fitness vs. last year. Especially based on a 34 10k, vs 34:50 last time out, indicates aerobic strength. That said, I personally favor a bit of the kitchen sink approach at least until mid April when your track sessions start. I say that with the caveat that it should be kitchen sink "lite". In other words, a heavy emphasis on doing your work outs with your finger on the pulse of how you are reacting to them. Don't overdo it. I also favor continuing aerobic development throughout the season, but that just might be a personal preference of mine. Review? Well, it went ok, except that my bonus reward was well below my expectations, which I am puzzled by considering the bottom line metrics which my group achieved (14.5% increase in revenue year over year for starters). Anyway, I'm planning on putting together some data for him to review so he can perhaps reconsider his bonus decision, its not sitting well with me. I'm certain he feels like he is being fair, but because it is all a bit arbitrary, at the very least I need to get some clarity from him. |
| eurodonkey |
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Thanks very much for the feedback! I was planning exactly such a session at lunch today, but things got too busy. Luckily a group does hills near my house once every 6 weeks and it was tonight, so I got a slightly different session in. Almost 1km loop, 500 rising (with a steep last 100) and 450 very fast jog down (definitely sub 7 pace 'recovery'). I did the full 12 laps, having never managed more than 8 out of 12 in previous years. So that's 7 miles of near-tempo that happened to include 12 good hills, and a good aerobic stimulus. I'll try for the next one on Fri/Sat. I definitely want to keep the 2 easy days between sessions - it does seem to be working.. Good luck with the negotiations! |
| Impossible Dream |
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Well folks, tonights session is exactly the reason I love running. I got out on the track, got into a wonderful rhythm and it just seemed effort less. Started with a jog to the track and then 5 easy laps, followed by 6 strides on the straights while jogging the curves. After my warm up was complete, off on my 9600m tempo run I went. 1600m splits (rounded up) were as follows: 6:17 6:09 6:06 6:04 5:57 5:52 Total time was 36:24. If you can't tell already, I felt great. I definitely felt as if I could continue on at that pace. I'll likely come back to this work out in the last week before my HM and see if I can run the same work out with similar splits and see how much easier it feels in 5 weeks. |
| eurodonkey |
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That is really impressive. It's a big moment when you can cruise below 6min pace! Care to take any wild guesses at pace for the half? I take it the weather is improving....We're still having some frosty mornings but the sun is peeping out most days, the cherry blossoms are out, and I had the rare luxury of ending up in shorts and T-shirt last night! Makes an incredible difference. |
| Impossible Dream |
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Euro, Yes, weather was really nice. 49 F when I left the house with only light breezes. I'm a bit wimpy when it comes to keeping warm (kind of ironic considering that I grew up in a region where -30 F was relatively common in the winter time), but I did have considerable less gear on for this run and it definitely makes a difference. So, now that I'm confident of my HM goal for April 16, I'll share it. I definitely want to run faster than 1 hr 20 min. Considering last nights work out, though, I think if I don't run sub 6 pace average it will because I had a bad race. The HM course, as best I can tell, is built for speed. It's point to point and has a pretty good drop in elevation from start to finish with only one spot where you climb the whole race at around 5 miles. I plan to run the first 10 miles of the course either this week end or next. BTW - I think I've finalized my plans for my tempo type work outs leading up to the HM on April 16. Here there are with the logic I'm using for the timing. March 22 - Mile on/Mile off.... 5 or 6 reps? Least intense of the work outs in my estimation. March 29 - 8 mile tempo, try and lock in a comfortable pace no faster than 6:10's. I want to finish this work out feeling relatively fresh. Will alter it to 7 miles if I feel like I'm over extending myself. April 5 - 5 min on/5 min off for 70 minutes (the Malmo work out)... I have a feeling this is going to be the hardest work out of the series. Intense might not be the best description, but this will be solid work out 11 days out from my HM April 12 - A repeat of last nights work out, 6 mile tempo, no faster than 6:04 average. The idea will be to get out and run relatively hard but hopefully my fitness by this date is such that this isn't a taxing effort and will give me additional confidence as the final work out prior to the race. That last week I think will be a slight taper with the idea of showing up that morning feeling fresh and energetic. |
| VF Runner |
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Nice workout and some nice training going on. To me the 8 mi. tempo looks toughest but I guess that all depends on exactly what kind of paces you use for the "Workout of Malmo". That could quickly go from easiest to hardest depending. If you do get down to 1:20 (or better yet, 6's) for the HM I'll be extremely happy for you, but I'll admit a bit jealous. It's been awhile since I've seen sub 1:20 for a 1/2. Admittedly, it's been awhile since I've raced a fast 1/2. Good luck. In my world I had a much better speed workout last night. Just 5x600 averaging 2:00, but coming off 22 on Sun. and another new lifetime weekly high (88) I'm happy to say it felt soooo much better than my attempt at speed a couple of weeks ago. I've also gotten about two weeks of M/W/F core work in. Super simple stuff so far, but getting the habit going. |
| Impossible Dream |
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VF, Considering your tempo from last week, it would be nice if we were in proximity. It sounds like we could help each other along. As it is, though, I'm inspired by your efforts anyway. Nice work on the repeats and especially the core work. I'm finding it hard to believe that my core has ever been this strong considering that I've been so consistent for months. I really think core work is going to pay big dividends for you. I think it helps most of all with an efficient running form. Great mileage last week also, VF. Will we both be joining the 90 mile club this week? |
| Impossible Dream |
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Malmo's prescription for the 5 on is "hard"... :) I've got a notion of what hard running is, which is why I predict this one is going to be a toughie. The 8 miler is long, but I really do plan to try and keep the pace sane for that one. I want to run it as relaxed as possible and I think I'll go as slow as 6:20's if necessary. If that gets to feeling hard, I think I'll cut it back to 7 miles. |