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| VF Runner |
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I agree with the sentiment about being in the right ballpark to help each other out. Like you said though, looks like just continued internet inspiration. I think that was my high week for this cycle. This week is easier and is supposed to have a tune-up race on Sat. There isn't really a race that fits, so it will probably be a 5-6 mile time trial solo. I'm also still working on that streak of 50 days - such unfamiliar territory for me, but still going well. |
| eurodonkey |
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VF, impressive mileage. You'll find the speedwork comes really fast; it was only a couple of months ago that ID was doing super-slow mileage, and then started doing his first few strides and hill sprints. Out of curiosity, what's in your core routine? So many people mean so many things by that term... Tuesday reminded me what a good speed session felt like, and today reminded me of what the day after feels like! Plodding a good minute per mile slower than usual. I think I've figured out a weekly pattern for the next month: Tue: mixed hill session: drills/bounding, set of 1min reps uphill, 10min tempo or 2x1000m or some such afterwards Thu: circuit; followed by 1-2 sets of heavy weights; then 6-8 short hill sprints after. Sat: either (local 5k time trial + hills after), or repeat Tuesday session Sat or Sun night: gym work, excluding glutes/quads/calves if tired 'mixed hill session' will involve some drills/bounding, a set of reps with jog back, and either 10min of tempo or a couple of flat repetitions. I discovered that Loughborough (our equivalent of Oregon) do these kinds of sessions regularly - always some flat running before or after a hill session. Since the hills are pretty tiring on the legs, my previous habit of doing weights later that night or the next morning isn't going to work any more. I'll make Thursday the day for muscular stuff, and always have an easy day between the quality ones. For the second gym session at the weekend I will deliberately try to spare the main leg muscles, but will work the things running doesn't: hamstrings, hip flexors etc. plus upper body Hopefully this will work but I think this means I have to do burpees tomorrow :-) |
| Impossible Dream |
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Euro, That looks like a great routine. I like how you are going to mix some tempo repeats with hills on Tuesday's. Perhaps that might be something to consider for myself on my Saturday hill sessions? Good luck with the burpees. I did my circuits today at lunch. The burpees were easier this week than last, but not by much. |
| eurodonkey |
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You're keen - not working hard enough yet? ;-) I think this is a good time to be cautious. You're taking on a big load with long Sunday runs at 15, and heavy weights later that night; going into it tireder would be tougher. It looks like Tuesday is your 'big session', so I'd suggest making sure Saturday stops when you still feel fairly fresh. Whether it's all hills, or some hills and some tempo, just make sure the total is reasonable - don't suddenly increase the load there too. You could consider cutting back the Sunday night weights to the minimum if making Saturday a bit heavier. If you can simply avoid injury for 4 more weeks, you'll get a good result in the HM. |
| Impossible Dream |
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All good points, Euro. You're right, if I'm not careful my enthusiasm will get the better of me. |
| eurodonkey |
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One good yardstick I like is: - a 'hard' session is one where you could maybe do 20% more if you have to. - a 'moderate' session is one where you could do 100% more again if you had to. I think Tuesday should be the only one we consider 'hard' at this stage. Maybe when we're homing in on that July/August peak you go to two 'hard' ones (and cut back to 60mpw for the last few weeks too...). Within that framework though (which I will try to observe too!) I think mixing up 2 types of training in a session makes a lot of sense. That way you can do 5-6 things in a week rather than 2-3. |
| eurodonkey |
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I couldn't make the session I planned, but squeezed in a circuit of sorts. 15 exercises, about 20 reps each. 20 burpees on the first set, just 12 and turned to jelly (US: jello?) on the last set. Then a mile jog to a hill and 6 all-out 50m sprints. Then wobbled pathetically back to the office. Looking back I was a good boy from Oct-Jan but with a couple of weeks taper and the injury it's almost 2 months since I last did steep hill sprints. This is going to be a tough week... |
| Impossible Dream |
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:) Jelly or jello works... Those burpees will get ya! Good work, Euro! |
| VF Runner |
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Euro - Just super simple stuff for right now. Crunches and/or sit ups, planks (all four - front/back/both sides), sing/double leg bridges, prone oblique twists, leg extensions. I'm adding in mountain climbers as a prelude to burpees. I'm being a little cautious because I feel like I have a very mild lower abdominal strain - possibly an adductor. |
| eurodonkey |
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Good to be sensible and gradual. I would suggest a few split squats (no weight) - like lunges but in place, without stepping forwards - as a gradual way to strengthen the adductors. Sideways-on step-ups are another good strengthener for adductors. Give those a week or two and make sure you feel comfortable with those and I can suggest some more. I wouldn't rush into more dynamic exercises. ID had been doing lunges for months before I suggested some light plyos. It's not a 'strength' exercise but the Myrtl routine in this video is really great if coming back from a groin strain - I do it as a warmup before strength work... http://vimeo.com/4752171 |
| VF Runner |
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Good point about the gradual. Thanks. That does look like a good routine for me at this point. I would put the combination of things I've been doing somewhere between pedestal and Myrtl. |
| Impossible Dream |
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A bit of a lack of sleep catching up with me. Cut last nights run short and took off the am session today. So, no 90 miler this week. I think I made the smart choice. I think we have managed to get our little guy back on the right track on his sleep cycle, so I'm going to lobby my better half to move my longer session back to the mornings. The longer session in the evening is much harder on me than the other way around. It's hard for me to wind down not to mention I just really have to eat after an hour+ run. Get that all under way at 8:30 pm or later can be a grinder. Thought I would share some thoughts that some of you all might appreciate, especially considering my board name. A few weeks back, something just clicked with me. I have just been feeling more confident in my athletic potential, if you can claim that about a guy about to turn 41. I just feel like if I keep at it, the goals I set for myself in this thread are inevitable. I'm not going to get cocky though and I'm going to continue to try and make all the best choices in my training to get where I want to go, but I am truly excited for what is to come in this aspect of my life. Thanks for all the encouragement along the way, everyone. |
| eurodonkey |
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Well, just when I thought I might hit 80, I came down with a cold and took the whole day off. Going to turn in early and hope it passes soon. Otherwise I'll have to do secret burpees in the garden shed ;-) |
| Impossible Dream |
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Euro, Get well soon! After 44 consecutive days, I took the day off yesterday. Lack of sleep was catching up with me. |
| Impossible Dream |
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Weekly Summary - 3/13 - 15 miles at 7:10 pace 3/14 - am 4 easy, pm 9 easy and 6 x strides 3/15 - am 4 easy, pm 9600 meter tempo in 36:24, warm up included 6 x strides 3/16 - am 2 easy, pm 10 easy 3/17 - am 4 easy, pm 7 easy 3/18 - OFF 3/19 - 12 x 60 sec hill repeats on the treadmill with wu and cd Totals - 10 sessions totaling 74 miles Supplemental Core Routine Sunday thru Thursday Sunday Heavy Leg Weight Work out Monday Light Upper Body Weights Wednesday Circuit Training Not the most stellar week of training. Lack of sleep really got in my way this week. I'm going back to the am long sessions this week in hopes that this will fix my sleep issues. My second 5k of the year coming up this Saturday. I'm really excited to get out and compete. Thoughts about my upcoming hard day this Tuesday. I was originally planning 1 mile on and 1 mile off, but I'm that resembles more of an interval work rather than what I'm looking for and that is threshold training. Reviewing Daniel's book, he suggests about a minute rest during cruise intervals of a mile in duration. So, I'm thinking rather than a mile easy, I'll do 60 seconds jogs between 7 to 8 mile repeats at around 6 minute pace. Thoughts? |
| Impossible Dream |
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A minor chink in the armor from this mornings work out. I intended to run 7 x 1600 m cruise intervals, but only managed 5. I ran the first 4 in 5:58/5:59. The 5th was a 6:03 and realizing that I was likely going to really extend myself on the last couple of repeats, I decided to cut my losses and call it a morning. I think it was a good decision. Although I decided to switch my longer session to the morning for the sake of helping me with my lack of sleep, so far the schedule adjustment hasn't helped. For some reason, I'm sleeping very poorly. I'm waking up frequently the last several nights with no provocation. Anyway, the less than quality sleep is definitely negatively affecting my training. I plan to take my next 3 or more running sessions very easy. I'm also going to bump my circuit session to Thursday rather than Wednesday this week with the thought of getting more recuperation time between my heavily front loaded training week. Most of all, I'm going to try and sleep. I think sleep and recuperation are the biggest factors in my training right now. I need more of both. Hoping all are having good training! |
| eurodonkey |
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Sorry to drop off the map for a few days. Things have gone a bit crazy at work and home, leaving less time for both running and letsrunning... I'm with you (in fact I am desperate for a good night's sleep too!). During tough/busy weeks I'd say it's much better to cut out some doubles, sleep in and run 60mpw with good recovery than to run 85mpw and get run down. Not every session can be a PB. Just remember you banged out 5 miles at sub-6 pace. That's a different world to 3 months ago and still a powerful training stimulus. |
| Impossible Dream |
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Thanks Euro. Yeah, I'm not beating myself up. I think I still got a quality work out in and I'm pretty sure I managed not to do any damage to myself by continuing a work out when my body was telling me to stop. So all and all, a net positive. Someone early in this thread pointed out that I tend to push the envelope. They were right and I don't like to give any ground, it tends to make me feel like I'm not working hard. That said, there is working hard and there is working smart and I think I need to find the balance a little better than I've been doing the last week or so. I'll heed your advice. I hope things get back on the right track for you. Life sometimes throws us curveballs. Wouldn't things be boring, though, if everything was always just the same? |
| VF Runner |
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"I don't like to give any ground, it tends to make me feel like I'm not working hard." This really struck a chord with me. Even on those easy days when I'm running by HR, if I'm on a familiar course I find myself wanting the fastest easy time possible. I've just spent too many years thinking you have to always run faster to get faster. |
| eurodonkey |
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Actually I can't complain. It's heresy here, but the curveballs for training mostly involve just being a bit more 'normal' by most peoples' standards. After 15 years when consistent training just wasn't feasible, I'm quite cool with '2 weeks forward, 1 week in neutral'. I have to share what ended up being a very good day yesterday, despite (shock, horror) not running. After 3-4 very tough and exhausting days with work projects, colds and fixing up the home, yesterday was my 45th birthday (new age group beckons...) and my wife took me out for a surprise lunch at a 2-Michelin-star restaurant - incredible meal. Then the evening saw the first of a series of talks I'm organising for my club, to try and educate coaches and younger athletes. A friend who is a great historian of the sport gave a talk on the evolution of the mile (get "3:59.4" by John Bryant, it's brilliant...John knows Bannister et al, met Wes Santee and everyone else in that story). Frank Horwill turned up - he's the last of our great coaches from the 70s and 80s still alive, and taught Peter Coe how to structure track work. And two former national XC champions from turned up and agreed to be panelists for the next one. We all enjoyed a modest beer or two afterwards. If we can keep these talks going, I'll be getting a large dose of motivation every month (as will our younger athletes...). Today was back to 'crazy' but I squeezed in my sessions in the gaps: 12 miles of 'kitchen sink training' including a 1300m time trial (my coach's idea to see how my 1500 fitness looks - managed 69 pace which is good enough), lots of hill drills and 1.5m of tempo. Now for some of that fabled 'sleep' stuff.... |