Update #31
Replies:
@Jayordon
I did all of the runs on the treadmill that week. For Tuesday and Friday, being the first time I did doubles, I just took it easy on both runs. For these runs I start at 6mph on the treadmill and increase .1mph every minute until I hit a pace that feels comfortable. That’s why they’re “slowâ€.
And funny you mention easy pace… apparently (according to science) I’ve been running too fast…
Lol Wednesday. I just stopped and saw 5.98 and was like, “fvck! I should’ve kept going!â€
@Igor
Thanks for posting!
My goal right now is to be able to run a certain amount of miles each week, so that’s my primary focus. Ideally I would have 3 weeks of an intensity level (say, 50mi a week for 3 weeks) and then I would back off for 1 week and do a time trial/race near the end of that week to get new training paces.
Racing: there’s two types of races in my book right now—time trials to measure fitness and racing to kick ass. TT to measure fitness happens during the season, racing primarily to kick ass happens near the end of the season. I’ll get there one day… lol
@ukathleticscoach
I’m flattered that you think I’m a good runner! Yes, the aim is to make the team/the top of Everest. Honestly, I’m just trying to get fast though. I can worry about the specifics when I get sub 8:45, which will be a while.
@George llie
Interesting workout.
Through my research, I can see your point. The 3k derives 88% of its energy from aerobic sources. Thus, the most benefit would be seen by doing easy runs, tempo runs, and vo2max intervals. With the majority of runners being aerobically poor (not making any assumptions about you!), the vast majority of benefits are seen from just sub 85% of Vo2max, or roughly 88% of max hr.
Basically, your improving on what the most typically poor area of fitness for most runners. So, I totally see where you’re coming from.
..
Weekly Report:
S: 50min, 8.52mi*
M: 40min, 5.26mi
T: 30min, 3.65mi*
W: 30min, 3.65mi*
R: off
F: off
S: off
Total: 150min, 18.22mi
*denotes treadmill run.
..
Comments:
The foot has returned! And not in a good way, lol.
I am way more calm about this than I was on Tuesday. Tuesday, I felt as if I had been betrayed by my body and I felt as if I was a man without a plan or a chance. Luckily, I got over myself in short order, lol.
Rest started on Thursday and will continue until the pain disappears. After 5-7 days of no pain, I'll get back into running again. Will likely cross train during the 5-7 day period on my bike trainer.
Why did this happen again?
I think this is the reason:
Mileage after FA break: 24mi, 46mi, 55mi (pain sets in), ~66mi (if ran wkt on 7th day of week)
Mileage returning to running: 15mi, 31mi, 44mi
You get the picture.
I was doing this because I was trying to shoehorn myself into what most people would assume is 'doable' when returning to running from a break. After all, I was doing 50mi weeks just a month ago, right? /s
At any rate, it has caused me to do a lot of thinking. And research. The results of this, in brief:
#1) I was doing my runs too fast.
My last recorded effort was a 16:49 solo 5k on a hilly course. With an easy pace of 60%-70% of V02MAX, that would put me at 8:31-7:13 pace. John Kellogg recommends staying at or below 60% of V02max, daniels says 59-74%, Rubio says 55%-75%... you get the idea. I was doing runs around 7:30 pre injury and then I slowed down to 8-8:30 once my foot started hurting the second time. Theoretically, the lowest cost-most benefit pace I should be running is around 8:30, at least when building volume.
That might seem slow to some people but to quote Scott Christensen, “You cannot pick and choose what parts of science you want to believe.â€
#2) I only care about track.
So, it makes sense that I should build my year around that. It will take me longer to build up to the mileage I want to have each week, so why don't I factor that in? Instead of starting in November/December for track, why not September/October?
In Better Training for Distance Runners, Martin & Coe outline a 33 week schedule. For me to reach the mileage I will need, 70-80mi/ a week (Martin & Coe, Rubio, Kellogg, Christensen, and Daniels agree on this) I need to add another 2 weeks of transition and 8 weeks of base building to that (at least, this time around)
Plan: 20wks of aerobic base building, 8 wks of increasing intensity, 7 wks of harder tempo, 6 wks of consolidation for racing.
We'll see how it goes. Can't really do much if I can't get healthy now, though. Between now and the great base building I'm planning on doing exactly what I did in the fall and experimenting more on my body. It will serve as a trial run for my track buildup starting August.