Had a pretty easy week, though Sunday was a long (nearly two hours with lots of rest breaks) and full fartlek session covering paces all the way from 400 to threshhold; total of 28 minutes at effort. 5x50 w/5 min recovery (where I did some hops over cones and tires) 9.9-9.2 in trainers, so faster than the same session a few weeks earlier. I am feeling a bit more solid on tempo runs.
One nice bit I've tweaked is stairs: I have long done short 4-15 sec) combos of different height concrete steps, including hops. The difference is I now time them, and it is fun to have the additional feedback on my fast twitch status (such as it is as a congenital middle-distancer). I feel it will also translate well to hurdle running, as does my mini-cone wicket training.
Of course still doing backwards uphill walking and running a few times/week. I feel this really bulletproofs my legs in terms of imbalances
I am also playing with CNS training by taking weight off using my arms to sprint and hop in place to increase turnover and reactivity. Fisky take note.
The easy week last week must have kicked in today: I broke my toughest hill sprint record . I've time-trialed this one 50-60 times over the last five years, so a very solid mark which I lowered from 45.9 to 45.5. I also PRed for a few other circuits and felt sharp throughout, even finishing with a "Frog-Boiler Mile" where I ran 4x400 w/200m jog, cutting down from tempo to mile race pace. Very satisfying session overall.
With the somewhat warmer weather it is easier to take the longer rests (5 min+) it takes to hit top gear, and I am able to do some nice yoga moves in between reps to keep the hips, back and legs limber.
I have distilled all of my mental cues for hard reps down to the following: "KNEES! KNEES! KNEES!" which keeps my entire body focused on frontside lift and keeping the knees high and popping forward. This even helps on slower tempos and reps as fatigue drops the knees and the stride length.
The easy week last week must have kicked in today: I broke my toughest hill sprint record . I've time-trialed this one 50-60 times over the last five years, so a very solid mark which I lowered from 45.9 to 45.5. I also PRed for a few other circuits and felt sharp throughout, even finishing with a "Frog-Boiler Mile" where I ran 4x400 w/200m jog, cutting down from tempo to mile race pace. Very satisfying session overall.
With the somewhat warmer weather it is easier to take the longer rests (5 min+) it takes to hit top gear, and I am able to do some nice yoga moves in between reps to keep the hips, back and legs limber.
I have distilled all of my mental cues for hard reps down to the following: "KNEES! KNEES! KNEES!" which keeps my entire body focused on frontside lift and keeping the knees high and popping forward. This even helps on slower tempos and reps as fatigue drops the knees and the stride length.
The easy week last week must have kicked in today: I broke my toughest hill sprint record . I've time-trialed this one 50-60 times over the last five years, so a very solid mark which I lowered from 45.9 to 45.5. I also PRed for a few other circuits and felt sharp throughout, even finishing with a "Frog-Boiler Mile" where I ran 4x400 w/200m jog, cutting down from tempo to mile race pace. Very satisfying session overall.
With the somewhat warmer weather it is easier to take the longer rests (5 min+) it takes to hit top gear, and I am able to do some nice yoga moves in between reps to keep the hips, back and legs limber.
I have distilled all of my mental cues for hard reps down to the following: "KNEES! KNEES! KNEES!" which keeps my entire body focused on frontside lift and keeping the knees high and popping forward. This even helps on slower tempos and reps as fatigue drops the knees and the stride length.
great work X Y
Thanks Chris. I just started a new job where I will be on my feet all day, I'll see what effect that has on my progress.
After the great hill sprints earlier in the week, I kept it pretty light (new job), but yesterday did my weekly long fartlek with 4 x 1K quick tempo on a dirt path (slight up and down hill) and 10 x 1-2 min 5K-1500 pace on various hills and road segments. Pushed the football sled for 200m backwards after, with some jumping on and off a big tire. I felt stronger on the K's than last week, and I feel that if I stick with just the fartleks on weekends and speed midweek as hard sessions with other days light I can progress through the spring into summer.
yesterday, 1km warmup and cooldown, grass spikes freelap timed 5x100m 3m rest between 19.06, 17.41, 17.18, 16.86. 16.67 (felt pretty good but got tired last few).
I will keep my speed work to reps up to 90% effort, and work hard on leg strength.
then 5km bike ride to work, stepups, walking lunges, 5km bike ride home.
First time I have done strict stepups on my left leg at bench height, so pretty happy. I will test my standing long jump NFL style every now and then to see if my power is improving.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Fri-swim 2500m all freestyle, semi-easy as active recovery
Sat-4-foot box jumps and burpees for 40 mins, hard stretching for 30 mins
Sun-squats, parallel max at 3 plates, sit max at 2 plates, full at 1 plate warm down, and back extensions w/45-lb plate (and slept midday for 90 mins!)
The sleep was great😁. Also ate a boatload of good food last week, incl lots of pasta, cabbage rolls, spaetzle, salads, etc.👍👍
Today it’s an hour of drills., looking forward to it.
Saw a 59 year old run 12.45 a few days ago FAT. 100 meters. Maybe a slight headwind or no wind. He hadn't raced in like 10 years at least a 100m outdoors. Will be amazing to see him compete at 60 next Summer
Saw a 59 year old run 12.45 a few days ago FAT. 100 meters. Maybe a slight headwind or no wind. He hadn't raced in like 10 years at least a 100m outdoors. Will be amazing to see him compete at 60 next Summer
BACKGROUND: I've been doing 800m-specific workouts for the past month. Partially, it's because I'm racing the 800m this summer, but also because a hip injury has kept me from doing pure speed for a month. Two days ago, I did my first speed workout since March 28. I just did what I felt like doing so this wasn't a typical workout, nor do I plan to do it again. It's too much of a mishmash. Anyway...
I did 2x100 in 17.6 15.5. Then, I did 4x33.3m in 5.28 5.15 4.94 5.01. I finished with 2x200 in 37.5 33.1. For reference, my recent PB are 15.38 and 31.4 for the 100/200 in spikes so these were pretty good efforts.
The day after, I was sore... quads, abductors, etc. Nothing specific. Just overall leg soreness. I used a foam roller, a massage gun, and some liniment.
Today, the second day after, I am STILL sore.
I've always been able to run hard every other day. I need to get back into that schedule so I need to hit this soreness with everything I can.
Soak in a hot bath for a bit? I find this helps a lot after upping intensity. When I was a MD / LD guy, suddenly chucking in some speedwork was always a recipe for DOMS and I always had to let it sort itself out, never managed to stretch or massage it away.
Did my first 100m of the year a few weeks back. Absolutely dire, having caused my back and hips to seize up.
Training for the last week or so has been a mix of accelerations (20-30m from crouch or standing), flying 20s off 30m run-in, some fast 60s and a few 150s. Reduced gym work at the moment while I wait for my hips to stop aching. And lots of drills.