Well done to everyone who raced and great to see more new folks joining (I'm not the rookie anymore).
This week was targeted at an indoor meet on Thursday evening, a bit of a trek for me and a late start to my race 9:30pm, more to come.
Mon Double: AM recovery 3.54 @ 8:03 / PM Easy + 6 x 250m @ target 3k pace - 6.1 @ 7:26
Tue Double: Lunch 4.21 @ 7:50 / PM Easy 5.14 @ 7:49
Wed PM Easy 5.12 @ 7:49
Thu Indoor meet, 3,000m B race
I had a few cracks at breaking 10 outdoors over the summer.
Mid May as I was exiting Spring mileage based training I placed 1st M50 in our country champs in 10:05.4 in what was a solo run after 2 laps with splits of about 3:16-3:24-3:25. I was pretty happy with this and felt with targeted training I could go close in 1 of 2 graded meets that I planned.
4 weeks into a bastardized JD plan came the 1st meet, 10:04.2 off reduced mileage and more speed work with an almost identical result 3:16-3:24-3:24, but with 6 weeks to go until the next race I felt I could nail it.
Lots of complicated sessions followed and I felt reasonably confident toeing the line.
The result was a season's worst 10:13, 3:21 followed by a serious fade 3:25-3:28, left me scratching my head running the last 2k at 5k pace.
I ran a week of easy mileage around my favorite haunts and then took a complete 3 day break. This gave me some time to assess. I came to the conclusion that running hard complicated interval sessions off reduced mileage were not giving me the bang for buck I was looking for.
This cycle has been focused on getting the mileage back to respectable levels, with a sustained tempo run at the core, building to a 10 mile run with 6 miles at 6 min pace, 30sec to 60sec strides and keeping a medium length run in the 13 - 16 mile range.
Thursday night has 2 x 3,000m at the end of the evening an A race with a handful of sub 9'rs and the rest targeting sub 9:30 and a B race for everyone else.
I got a clean start and was in 4th after a lap, glancing at the clock for 37 secs.
Quite quickly this became a time trial for me, with the 3 at the front (1 pacer and 2 participants) much too strong for the rest of us and me pulling away from the next group, not ideal, but here we go.
This was a test, I was targeting 40 seconds a lap and each time I came to the line I would glance up and see a 6 turn to a 7.
In control through 6-7 laps, 1k @ 3:17, had a buddy shout 4:57 @ 1,500 and made it to 2k in 6:37.
Only my 2nd indoor race and the longest having done the mile 4 weeks previous, I experienced an usual dryness in my mouth, the lack of air was sucking every bit of moisture I had out of me and as my breathing increasing, my mouth became dryer.
I'm hanging on now entering the red zone and doing little deals with myself, "1 more 40 sec lap and you're 3 seconds up with 4 to go, another glance, another split ending in 7, come on then 1 more.
At this stage I become aware of the stadium compare getting exciting about the race in front of me, or should I say behind me! I can hear him say 500 to go for the leaders as I'm entering the home straight with about 650 to go.
I recall 7:57 with 3 to go, I knew I had to be under 8, focusing on form now and working really hard, 8:37 and I can hear fast approaching footsteps. I keep my line and eventually get passed like I'm standing still in the winners last 40.
As I go through with a lap to go, fook the clock is stopped at 9:15 and noticeably increase my effort for an unnoticeable increase in pace and drag my ass around the last lap in an estimated 38 for 9:55.
A little fist pump follows and shortly after I'm on my knees, very happy.
The week was rounded off with a little mileage.
Fri PM: Easy 100, 13.62 @ 7:21
Sat AM: Had to bring Mrs SP to A&E after she fell walking the dogs, got in a slow 8.25 @ 7:58 while she was getting sorted.
Sun AM: Freezing rain so I retired to the pain cave for a gentle 10 mile progression run on the treadie - 10.86 @ 6:54.
Possibility of getting an indoor mile in on Thursday to see if I can sneak under 5 mins.
Happy Running
SP