The thing about shoes wrote:
What is interesting about MSN is that it makes an attempt at how to balance everything and make training sustainable indefinitely.
Every critic of it is always going on about how you leave stuff on the table by not sharpening (X) or not periodizing .. and that may be true. But the average guy here is not young anymore and will gladly leave a bit on the table in order to ensure consistency and longevity.-
I get doing your best to PR. That makes running fun. But end of day neither my workplace or kids are going to get any joy out of me running a 14:59 or 2:29:59 marathon.
So once you're at a certain age not getting hurt is more important that the size of the PR. As long as you improve (or decline slower depending on your age).-
The main critisism of NSM basically comes down to "Oh noes .. You could be even faster, if you took more risk .. Don't you want to be Kipchoge?????"
Utterly silly if you ask me
I missed my 4-mile race yesterday due to life stuff getting in the way (and just being dumb and forgetting, I tend to do that). The race was The Crooked Shillelagh, a 4-mile race on a bike path in Hilliard.
Rolled out of bed and did a 4-mile time trial in 27:56. NSM works.
Have been averaging 35-42 mpw the last few months, 2 workouts a week, nothing super-crazy, like 3x9 or 3x10, 4x6, etc. Long runs about 10-11 max, all easy, no MP work or anything to disturb the force. Have run about 375 miles since early December.
Was hoping to break 30 for 16 laps (about 1:52-ish per lap), or 7:30/mile. Did 1.5 EZ at 9:40, really slow. Warm-up dynamics Jay Johnson style.
Opened up and felt good, 1:50, 1:50 the first two laps. Legs felt strong and controlled, no tweaks or injury. I run at a local school and there is always a wind coming up from the south on the final straight.
Laps 3-6: 1:48, 1:46, 1:47, 1:45. Nice and steady, locked in, didn't look at watch unless it was to hit the lap counter. At some point a lady and her kid took over lane 1 and I had to run in lane 2 at times, no big deal.
Laps 7-10: 1:44, 1:44, 1:43, 1:41.5. Getting faster, it's starting to feel intense but it doesn't hurt.
Laps 11-14: 1:42, 1:41, 1:40, 1:39. This is where I pushed. Finally went under 100.
Laps 15-16: 1:40, 1:38. Last lap was the best. 27:38 for 6400m.
Ran an extra 30-40m to actually get to 4 miles (6400m is just under at 3.97-ish) and still snuck under 28!
This is not a fast time by any means but for someone struggling to run 6 miles EZ at 9:30/mi. on Dec. 11 it shows that patience and hard work pays off.