Im doing a 5k race next week, my hamstring is strained, I think I'll be fine by Saturday, should I do a tempo Wednesday? I'm aiming for a 18:30 (for the race).
Im doing a 5k race next week, my hamstring is strained, I think I'll be fine by Saturday, should I do a tempo Wednesday? I'm aiming for a 18:30 (for the race).
If my hamstring was strained, I wouldn't. You're likely to race better on a rested hamstring, without a tempo, than on a blown hamstring, having done a tempo run.
The only thing high intensity workouts do the week before a race is help you keep what you've got. They can't bring new fitness quick enough to make you faster, that close to a race. But they can hurt your fitness if they create an injury.
If the hamstring is better, do a short tempo. If not, don't.
Without the hamstring strain, maybe. With the hamstring strain, definitely not.
Yeah, I was thinking I'm keeping my runs short and easy, stretching and icing. It's from 200s I did about 7 weeks ago and it hasn't helped that I'm always on my feet at work and also running on top of it. Hasn't really improved, so I'm resting and going easy the next week.
I don't think I would do a tempo as my last workout before a 5k unless it's early season, not a goal race, and you're planning on running faster later on. I think it's more important to take care on the injury if it's a serious one. How important is the 5k? You won't lose a ton of fitness if you get it under control and target something else.
Anyways, I like to do my last 5k specific workout ~8-10 days out from my goal race. Then I'll do something light early the week of the race like a small number of 400s (6-8) at 5k pace (no faster). Then 200s or 300s 2-3 days out. If I were doing a half marathon or marathon, I more/less do a broken tempo race week. k's or 1200's at threshold with jogging rest. Feel like that kind of thing leaves me stale for the sharpness of a 5k but primed for a marathon where you just need to lock into pace. But maybe you're asking about the tempo because you think faster running would upset the hamstring too much. At that point, maybe just skip the mid-week workout and do some strides 2 days out. A Wednesday tempo isn't going to make/break your race.
Without a strained hamstring I would do the tempo.
With the strained hamstring, I would do the tempo but cross train it. Use the bike, ellipicial or pool and go by time and heart rate.
I'm feeling a lot better, not too much pain, doing 6 miles today, was going to do 8, but got that race coming up. Dropping off some of the milage.
I'm not sure if anyone really cares, but I ran today and felt great! Ran 18:42, was aiming for 18:30, but happy regardless.
Well done. I'm glad you listened to reason and skipped the tempo run.
colder and wiser wrote:
Well done. I'm glad you listened to reason and skipped the tempo run.
Being 26 and having a full time job of always being on my feet and working 12 hour shifts, as well as just started to start seriously running again back in may, it was smart not to run the tempo. Leg also doesn't hurt as much too, but my hip flexors are killing me. Taking a a week off to relax.
Am I living in the twilight zone? The Boston Marathon weather was terrible!
Is there a rule against attaching a helium balloon to yourself while running a road race?
How rare is it to run a sub 5 minute mile AND bench press 225?
Move over Mark Coogan, Rojo and John Kellogg share their 3 favorite mile workouts
Mark Coogan says that if you could only do 3 workouts as a 1500m runner you should do these
Matt Choi was drinking beer halfway through the Boston Marathon