Long-Term Ultra Planning

Darling Wanda wrote:

On paper it certainly looks like you are having a hard time getting your performance enhancing drugs these last couple of years. We'll know you have a new source if we see any improvement

I have my performance enhancing drug. My lungs are just footing the bill now, instead of my heart later.

0-1F Today I ran 5km recovery as a separation between the first and second sets of progressively increasing blocks of easy days that make up the bulk of the GPP phase. It was humid again tonight. Fueled well. No strength training on the plan, will do yoga after dinner.

DATA: 5km in 24:38

Splits: 5:10/4:42/4:57/4:35/5:08

Gain: 28m HR: 153/172 Cadence: 161/171

0-(1SaSu)(2M) I've been working away from home the last few days, so I've stayed away from posting because my brain needs to be there. Not to sweat, though, because I surely did! Three runs executed, as planned. All Easy 6.5 km, with an attempted 1km at a higher Strides Per Minute. Now that the trial that I agreed to is concluded, towards the end of the post I'll explain what I see from the data, some prior experiences, and why I think the higher (near-180) stride rate mileage is worth further exploration in some small doses and specific use cases.

Bottom Line Up Front (DATA)

Run 1: 6.5km in 30:43

Splits: 4:33/4:39/4:22/5:08/4:37/4:21/3:00

Gain: 30m HR: 161/178 Cadence: 161/216 (Test KM Fail @ 174spm)

Strength Training: 5x10 of Push-ups, Sit-ups, and Goblet Squats (4 sets of 20#, 1 set of 35#)

Run 2: 6.5km in 32:16

Splits: 5:21/4:31/4:31/5:24/5:09/5:00/2:17

Gain: 31m HR: 151/172 Cadence: 161/202 (Test KM fail @ 169spm)

Strength Training: 2x25 Push ups, 50 Air Squats as a single set, and 4x12 of 2-count flutter kicks

Run 3: 6.5km in 31:00

Splits: 4:53/4:46/4:24/5:09/4:45/4:24/2:38

Gain: 19m HR: 150/171 Cadence: 163/234 (Test KM @ 182spm)

Strength Training: 5x10 each of Push-ups, Russian Twists (20#), and Lunges (20#)

The easy work will be hard in a bit. For now, I think my blood pressure and blood sugar are both having a hard time normalizing to the activity level. Tomorrow I will have a recovery day, and then the final set of 6.5km easy days (four). Once I hit 5 days of repeat easy work, I'll start increasing the mileage. The longest run of GPP is 14km. It's the second to last day of the 7-day block, which (with rest/recovery days) takes the phase to exactly 5 weeks. It's a very rhythmically neat progression. That 7 day test will be the exponential curve of death, I think you all will enjoy either watching me suffer, and/or fail. From the amount of crank emails I get, I know you want me to fail. Good. That's what I'm here for. Say it louder.

I think the stride rate trial requires further investigation for two reasons:

1) I am a poor crash test dummy. Of the 5 days that I was supposed to execute the kilometer-long trial, I believe I was only able to come close for 3 days and really only execute once. I want to be judged on my data, and the outcomes that the analysis of that data can bring. I have developed bad data, and I apologize for that.

2) I see the point of an increased stride rate, and am a fan of limited applications. I hit that 234 max rate during the successful 1km. Once at a real gait, truly able to efficiently stretch my legs out, I was able to up the stride rate to a point where 180spm actually felt efficient on my legs. I do not think I currently have the stretch reflex and/or neuro-muscular development at this time to move my long legs fast enough to make 5:00/km make sense at 180spm. So for the time being, I think further increasing average stride rate across runs progressively is the best possible course of action. Given Bompa's assertions about long-term skill development, and the application of stride rate to running being within the skill-based domain of things, that I can develop a lower-pace efficiency closer to the low-mid 170's without really having to engage those stretch reflexes and waste energy unnecessarily.

I'm looking forward to the rest day. I've also undercutting my caloric intake, so I'll have to adjust that upwards significantly. I made bread today, and it was delicious. Proofed the Yeast with coconut sugar. Gave the whole loaf a great color

What futility!

My life restrains me, fully,

from enjoying it.