Last week I did 2x5k at 5:41 pace (between 10k and half marathon pace). This week I was struggling after 4k into the first rep at 5:48. I ended up doing 4000m, 1600, 2x2000 all at ~5:48. It felt a lot harder than last week. Is this just a normal variation that I should expect, or is something going wrong?
Keep in mind I'm a duathlete and I'm in the middle of a big volume cycle: 16 hours last week (6h run / 10h bike) and 12.5 hours in the past 4 days (shooting for 18 hours this week).
Anybody, anybody?
Sure, I've had variations at least that big.
Sometimes you have an off day or exceptionally good day for no apparent reason (or an obvious reason as the case may be). You can go more by feel regardless of measured pace or defer the workout until a better day. At any rate, see how your few workouts go - one workout does not constitute a pattern.
I seem to have had more random bad days when I was under-medicated for a sluggish thyroid. Maybe it's analogous if you're pushing your limits on the training.
donm wrote:
Last week I did 2x5k at 5:41 pace (between 10k and half marathon pace). This week I was struggling after 4k into the first rep at 5:48. I ended up doing 4000m, 1600, 2x2000 all at ~5:48. It felt a lot harder than last week. Is this just a normal variation that I should expect, or is something going wrong?
Keep in mind I'm a duathlete and I'm in the middle of a big volume cycle: 16 hours last week (6h run / 10h bike) and 12.5 hours in the past 4 days (shooting for 18 hours this week).
you should vary your threshold sessions - if you are not feeling in top shape do an easier session such as 6 x 1 mile @ T pace with 1 min recovery between each. I like to do this rolling programme:
1 6 x 1 mile @ T pace with 1 min recovery
2 3 x 12 mins @ T pace off 3 mins
3 2 x 17 mins @ T pace off 5 mins
4 fartlek with first 3 miles at T pace (usually 3 min efforts 30 sec recovery) followed by 1 min hard 30 secs easy efforts or perhaps 45+ minutes at adjusted T pace (see Daniels).
I find this stops you being competitive with your previous threshold workout. Its easy to get obsessed by beating your previous time when really the purpose is to hit the relevant pace and these sessions should get easier the more you do them.
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