I've been bringing my easy runs down week after week so I appear to be getting faster. The last few days the roads were pretty icy so I was running a little slower just to be on the safe side.
I've been bringing my easy runs down week after week so I appear to be getting faster. The last few days the roads were pretty icy so I was running a little slower just to be on the safe side.
cramister wrote:
I've been bringing my easy runs down week after week so I appear to be getting faster. The last few days the roads were pretty icy so I was running a little slower just to be on the safe side.
Ice is a problem.
Seems your on path...congrats.
Time trialed an 800 today, thought it’d be nice because the weather said it would be warm
13mph winds and hail by the time I warmed up with some ice around 300-350 meters. I figured I was already out there so I just said screw it and ran it anyways
2:24 with 68-76 splits (first 200 was 32)
The first lap was pretty slow and sort of set me up for the final time, but I’m happy I went out and tried to give a good effort despite the conditions
Any comments or advice on this would be appreciated, and I am thinking about redoing this in 2 weeks or so, after getting some more solid training in
Excellent performance in such conditions.
Trying again in a couple of weeks is a good idea, if the weather is okay.
If the weather is not so good, run in training shoes. It is important to get a time to compare, and nothing wrong with running in training shoes, so that the next time you can compare your progress.
Going out in 32 was the right idea.
Running the 800 is like having a Holley carburetor. It's about pouring the gas in and flying around the track. The training is to allow a better recovery from a fast first 200m. As the weather warms and you have more training, the race is about a fast 200m that extends to 300m, with a good stride through the 400m.
68-76 is much better than 72-74.
Before long, you will be able to go out in 30, and the first lap will be 64 (maybe faster). The 2nd lap gets faster, even though it feels slower, because you have better technique and because you were running faster. It is like driving 70 mph and then having to slow down to 30 mph in a small town. You feel like you are crawling along because you were driving much faster.
I've found some grass, even though a narrow strip, so I've done some pain-free running the last few days. One day, I walked briskly for almost 6 miles, because there is a steep hill with a path at the end. I ran the hill, taking off so fast that I felt young. I had to slow up after a bit, and yet the run was great and challenging, as I held on against the lactic acid and the lack of oxygen.
Then, after 90 sec rest, I ran another hill at pace. Almost a waste of time. Does nothing, but probably many who post on LRC prefer the 2nd.
Because of the hip replacement freeing up my hip joint, I can run up stadium steps one-at-a-time much faster than when I was young and racing. However, because the hip replacement is hinged now, I have no ups, so I can't hardly hope to run two-at-a-time.
Speed is ups. After my first hip replacement (over 40 years old), which was titanium and not hinged into my hip bone, I could take just three steps and touch a basketball rim from a two-footed jump. Before the replacement, I could jump even higher.
So I am not exaggerating to say that when running up a hill I can still accelerate.
I did squats in HS and college. I bounded up hills. I worked on my calves with weights, and strong calves are super-important to spring in your stride. Sebastian Coe had very large calves for his size, and I had very large calves for my size (just under 6').
11/21 - 11/27 47 miles
11/21 M - AM 3.5/30:30 PM 5.54 42:32 (3.13 miles in the middle at 22:45)
11/22 T - AM 2.05 PM 1.52/12:07, 3.06/20:28 (6:42-6:52-6:30), 1.52/13:58, (6.1/46:33 total) 4x15 sec hills
11/23 W - AM 2.05 16:48 PM 4.09 32:21
11/24 T - AM 3.04/25:47 PM 2.5 WU, 800 time trial in 13mph winds and hail/rain, 2:24 (68-76)
11/25 F - Off
11/26 S - AM 2.04/17:00 PM .57,3.11/24:23
11/27 S - AM 10.06/1:21:30
Okay down week, scheduled it to fit in with Christmas too. Tuesday's tempo felt just right, It was relaxed and in a good rhythm without straining.
On Thursday I saw the weather was supposed to be nice so I did an impromptu time trial. By the time I was ready, it was a mix of rain and hail with 13 mph winds and ice on the track around the 300m mark. Went through with It anyway and I know I'm way fitter than 2:24 so I might do another one in 2 weeks or so.
Plantar got tight on Saturday and long run sucked Sunday but It happens. Got lazy with strides and hills so I'll be doing those more these upcoming weeks. I have about 5 weeks left until the season starts so I'll keep putting in good mileage and workouts until winter track with the bigger focus on spring.
Decent week: Thought the highlights were the improved paces on T, the 800m TT under difficult conditions, and a decent time for 10 miles.
Hope plantar was a temp deal. Maybe because weather makes it tough to run anywhere but on roads.
Top speed is key to feeling ready for a fast 800m.
I found a park with 40m incline, and 45m incline back up the other way. 10 sprints, less than 40 secs rest. Turnover was faster than when I was young (hip replacement freed up hip range of motion). Felt like I could do anything.
Yea the plantar thing has happened before it’s due to flat feet or something, I wear inserts and they help
I get some physical therapy on it and it helps a lot but couldn’t get in because of the holiday.
I actually know a good gentle incline to do some strides and turnover so I could probably incorporate them there.
And I should add the 10 miler was capped off with a sub 7 last mile to make up for the shuffling in the middle when my foot was sore, so it was a nice finish to a meh run
Your training is solid however for only doing 40-50miles a week you should be doing singles rather than doubles - this will allow you to build more aerobic fitness in my opinion. Also allow you to develop more sports specific strength
Also please ignore all the advice 76chine is giving you, it’s complete garbage
great finish to the 10-miler.
The gentler inclines can be just the ticket for working on sprint speed.
Sounds like the plantar issue is being handled.
Honestly, I think as someone who leans more to mid-distance 800-1600 stuff It's not bad advice, run fast stuff with turnover in order to keep the speed and stay sharp for when I'm racing fast in a few months.
This was just a down week so I kept to the double schedule so my body stays used to it. In past training blocks, I've gone up to 60-70 which may be considered more appropriate for doubles.
cramister wrote:
Honestly, I think as someone who leans more to mid-distance 800-1600 stuff It's not bad advice, run fast stuff with turnover in order to keep the speed and stay sharp for when I'm racing fast in a few months.
This was just a down week so I kept to the double schedule so my body stays used to it. In past training blocks, I've gone up to 60-70 which may be considered more appropriate for doubles.
Nothing wrong with such doubles.
Ran 45-50 mpw in HS, less as soph.
Our HS team did doubles 3-4 time a week, either 2-3 miles in mornings or 10 x 100m. Had to get up very early to do the runs before getting ready for school, but the doubles helped set up the afternoon workouts, etc. I usually ran 6:30 for 2 miles, and the 100m in 14-16 sec, depending on the weather.
I will guarantee our HS team competed as fast or faster than anyone else, as we were expected to be the best in CC, and in middle-distance relays, and to be among the best in everything above 200m. Your workouts are just fine. Even our top HS 2-miler didn't run much more mileage (he ran almost everything at 6 min/mile or well under), and he was around 9 min for 2-miles for junior and senior year.
12/28 - 1/03 72.89 miles
12/28 M - AM 3.02/24:49 PM 6.91/41:25, 4x10 sec strides, core
12/29 T - AM 3.02/24:37 PM 1.91/15:26 WU, 5.00/35:05 (7:15-7:10-7:01-6:44-6:55), 2.63/23:11 CD (9.54/1:13:42 total)
12/30 W - AM 3.77/30:00 PM 6.47/48:57
12/31 T - AM 3.05/25:11, 4x300 (54-54.5-53-52.8), 6x200 (38-37-38-40-37-36.9), 2.83/24:32 PM 3.02/24:19
1/01 F - AM 3.58/28:47 PM 6.45/51:30, 4x15 sec strides, core
1/02 S - AM 3.75/30:00 PM 4.23/32:45, 4x15 sec strides
1/03 S - AM 11.12/1:30:50
Finally hitting the mileage I wanted to. This week went pretty smoothly and I never really felt tired or beat up.
The progression run on Tuesday was pretty good, felt like I held back a little because I've never really tried to do a longer continuous effort like that, the last two miles might be a little off as I might have taken the 4 mile split too early but still a pretty good effort. My plan is to alternate between 3-4 mile tempo and 6 mile progression every week.
Thursday's workout was in the morning so I felt a little sluggish, but I did my intervals by accelerating, going into a full sprint, then slowing down into the finish. Nothing fancy just turnover work.
The long-run started off slow with a tight plantar I had to stretch twice, but I finished pretty strong around 7:20 pace by the end
Solid training week.
Very nice average time on Monday's 6.91 miles at 41:25. I assume that was not 51:25, like on Friday, but if 51:25 for almost 7 miles would still be solid
Solid progression on miles on Tuesday as you picked up the pace.
Wednesday's 6.47 at 48:57 was a good pace, as well.
Thursday's intervals keep some speed and form in the week, as well as the strides on Friday and Saturday.
Good run on Sunday.
This looks to me like the kind of week, and you will be able to nudge down the paces for runs and intervals, that over time results in success when transitioning to track.
Oh yea I accidentally said 41 instead of 51 on that run my bad
But yea this week has gone pretty well, as I’ve been able to get my easy runs faster without any effort, and quite a few days I closed the second halves of runs in 7:20 pace
Hoping to bring down the paces a little more and see a drop in the tempo times over the next few weeks.
Still a good pace.
If you have a hilly course, that can be useful on slower days, because you can still get a decent acceleration up (not real fast), while taking it easy once up the hill and on the way down.
The legs can handle persistent stress much easier than when the focus is on aerobic/anaerobic paces over set distances. In HS, rarely ran distances with the metronome efficiency that is popular on this site, but this site is geared toward older runners that want to race half-marathons and marathons.
Yeah, all of my runs are on hilly routes, it's just the nature of where I live. It gives me an added boost to my fitness and training even if the paces aren't as fast as they could always be I know the effort and intensity levels are right for where I run.
Don’t take this the wrong way, kudos for getting out of the door twice a day and running. But I think you would benefit from more days at with runs at 60 minutes, or more. Not saying everyday, but a 90 minute LR + 2 other days over 60 minutes would be good for you aerobically.
coleiolio wrote:
Don’t take this the wrong way, kudos for getting out of the door twice a day and running. But I think you would benefit from more days at with runs at 60 minutes, or more. Not saying everyday, but a 90 minute LR + 2 other days over 60 minutes would be good for you aerobically.
Nah I get what you mean, I think my tentative plan is to get up to 60 min in the afternoon most days and probably make the Saturday run shorter/off
In the past, I've added a lot of mileage fast and been inconsistent. So this time I'm trying to work into more volume safely.
Thanks for the advice, I'm eager to see where I can go by the time I'm running an hour most days!
1/04 - 1/10 61.68 miles
1/04 M - AM 3.00/23:57 (tread) PM 5.46/44:06, plantar flared up bad
1/05 T - AM 3.01/25:56 plantar hurt a lot PM 1.57/12:17 WU, 3.02/20:15 splits (6:47-6:41-6:39), 2.03/16:56, 4x15 striders. No pain!
1/06 W - AM 3.52/30:04 PM 7.6/1:00:05, 4x15 striders
1/07 T - AM 3.85/30:07 PM 8.13/1:02:00 with 4x5 on 5 off
1/08 F - AM 3.62/30:02 PM 8.79/1:08:08
1/09 S - AM 3.96/31:06 PM 31:32/4.12
1/10 S -Got sick, bad stomach ache
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All in all very good week, started off rocky with the plantar but after I changed my shoes for Tuesday’s session I ran decently, pretty tired but same pace I ran at a good effort 2 weeks ago in way worse conditions physically.
Then I started to run about an hour a day most days and did the fartlek workout on Thursday which felt moderate, can improve on that.
This week I didn’t really get good sleep but my runs were often pretty good, but on Saturday night I got some food from a local restaurant and it made me sick.
Sad I couldn’t do the long run but happy I got a solid week in despite some things preventing my recovery, excited to tack next week!
Hope you recover quickly.
As to the foot pain, perhaps replacing one of the slow runs with brisk walking.
Keep the knees slightly bent (not like race walkers).
You mentioned living in a hilly area, so power walks would be great for strengthening the hips as to transferring power from the feet, calves and legs to the lower back and abdomen.
I also like water running for this, but brisk walking is great, because of the longer time each stride to support the body and push off the body weight, whereas with running the movement is very quick and is more facilitated by momentum.
It helps so as to feel the power with each stride.
If strides are going well, that is great.
Tuesday 3 miles at a good pace.
Improvement on pace during Thursday morning and afternoon.
Also for Saturday morning and afternoon.