Road Racing and Training Thread, Week Ending 1/14/18

SI - I appreciate the observation about the 20-miler, as it was very windy. The run put a huge smile on my face after a very difficult week. Thank heaven for running. What a blessing it is. The run also helped to finalize my decision in regard to a spring goal race (I chose a marathon). I have been noticing lately that I really do not get going until at least 10-12 miles in. So, why cut things off at 13.1 in a race? Even if I am feeling so-so, I find that I can finish decently if I run long enough.

AJ - I am so glad that I can do what I do.

New to the thread. Thanks to folks posting their training, it's insightful to see.

I'm building up for a hilly half in April here in northern Colorado, been doing base for the past 8 weeks - mileage of 44, 47, 59, 71, 73, 59, 50 (sick), 78 - easy/steady mileage, hill sprints, strides, and some pretty tame progression runs. Just starting to introduce specificity.

This week:

M

AM: easy 6 w/ wife + 6x10sec hills

PM: 6 steady

T

12.7 total - fartlek of 2-4-6-4-2-4-6-4-2 minutes with 2 mins steady recovery between each. 2's around 10k effort, 4's on the fast side of HM pace, 6's roughly HM pace.

W

11.7 easy, building a bit in the last 2-3 miles

Th

AM 4 easy

PM 5 easy

F

AM 5.5 very easy

PM 5 easy

Sa

13.3 total - 6 easy, 6 cutting down from 6:50 to 6:10, 2 min easy, 2x30sec fast on 2 min, 1 easy

Su

AM 4 easy

PM 5 eays

Total: 79

Good steady week. Plan is to do basically this, but with a longer (15-16 mile) easy-paced long run every other week, for the next 5-6 weeks, probably bumping up to 85-90 mpw as the long run gets a bit longer and some of the easy days bump up to more like AM 7 / PM 5. Then hit more HM specific stuff for the last 6-7 weeks of the block. The challenge for me is just staying patient and trusting that race pace will start feeling easy soon.

pewow - Thanks and congrats on the fourth place. Indeed, you have northern blood in your veins.

The rogue running podcast actually recommends attacking Houston early and as Slo-Twitch points out it was downhill and downwind in the first few miles so a positive split is not a bad result or strategy, but we all know you’re so focused on being a dick to smoove that you don’t really care about your credibility so just carry on and we’ll all go back to ignoring you.

The rogue running podcast and slow twitch are your credible sources? I sure hope that Smoove ignores you because if he tries doing the same thing on Boston’s downhills that will go over really well.

Too hot. You need to relax a little bit. Why so angry bro? You seem to have this wierd Smoove fetish. Also you never post training so i just assume you are a bitter jogger type.

And there have been a few posters (or perhaps it is just one?) that have done the same thing to me, with even more anger and disrespect. At least no one has ever called Smoove’s training “garbage.” I do not care what type of training one does—calling someone else’s training garbage is about as bad as it gets. One may disagree with someone’s approach. Fine. But the nasty language and such is completely uncalled-for. And all of this with no provocation, either. And that “garbage” made running interesting and rewarding, instead of a chore, and it got me a lot farther than some canned approach.

The Houston performances have me stoked to run on my day off! Really great work, guys!

OR 3/18 for me too, running on the Pacific coast. Let's get to work!

NaCR You're right to use the down time to strengthen other areas.

Smoove Enjoy those lightheaded beers. Don't let RRR drink you under the "age-graded" tables.

AdrianChr Looks very strong. Enjoy the mountains!

600 Meters per heartbeat? That's a stat I'm not familiar with. If you have a moment, would you elaborate?

AngryJ Massive PR! Your guts when your guts cramped seems like the key moment. Respect!

McTwist[/b ] That's a heck of a Tuesday

stat A strong week. Congrats on the Saturday mile

slo twitch No PR, but still a good day

Bdubs Beating 10 D1 guys :D

Still improving Good luck with the 2Q

pewow When it's too cold and icy to ski, I can't even imagine running!

Twig Mzungu Welcome!

M: My first double: 5.7k easy AM; 13km run home/ 15 minutes threshold in the middle

T: 6.6k recovery

W: 30.5k Progression long run MP+20% ~MP+10%

Th: Rest

F: 9.5k Easy

S: My second double: 10.1k AM, 8 minutes threshold; 12.1k run home, easy

S: 21k Progression MP+20% ~MP+10%

Total: 108.9km

A kind of new high for me; I remember I did 110 about 4 years ago, running 7 days. This was 6 days, 8 sessions.

My legs felt tired during the last 5k of Sunday's run, exactly what I was aiming for. Other than that, felt strong all week.

pewow, yeah this was about a PR by a minute and change. I still need to push it down a bit more because I'd like to take a shot a sub 2:30 this fall. You are hardcore my friend. That sounds like some serious Midwest winter weather. Good luck with your upcoming races.

@ slo-twitch My bad! It was a PR, but not the goal time!

Coach Jeff - You bet, my friend, let’s get to work! I am sure your training will inspire me. Nice run on Wednesday. Let those long runs build you. Have you mentioned which race you are running? It seems to have escaped me. Yes, let’s look forward to the day after St. Paddy’s (perhaps a few prayers would help), and it is my daughter’s b’day, too.

All the best to you...

I was a 1/3 mile to the finish when I saw slo pass. He was gutting that sh*t out hardcore. Was a very gutsy performance. All around good dude as well!

I didn't drink Smoove under the table! I would classify it as we can both hang.

Really fun weekend. I can attest to Slo - Smoove and AngryJohnny being really good dudes and really good runners.

I'm running the Wan Jin Shi Marathon. And we'll have to save the green beer for after the festivities!

First, Great job to everyone that raced. A good deal of PR's.

outsiderunner: Still a dang good week even if you did miss Friday. Nice 20 too.

Not a College Runner: Sorry to here you are injured again. Any idea why? Are they always in the same area? Wish you a speedy recovery I know it suxs.

Smoove: Congrats in the half. Sounded like an awesome weekend.

AdrianChr: I like the week. That 400 workout wow

600m Repeats: Good week. Looking forward to following your build up.

angryjohnny: Wow to think you hit your goal and a 3+ minute PR with your week that is very impressive. Without being sick, traveling and better rest you'd probably had another minute or so in you. Congrats on the performance.

Mctwist: Awesome week.

statfanatic: Wow great week. nice workouts and congrats on the mile.

slo-twitch: Good job in the half. Sounds like everyone had fun.

Bdubs: still a good 3,000. They are a tricky race especially when you are forced to do most of the work.

Still Improving: nice week. I hate ice.

DietBacon: good luck with the knee

runrincerepeat; 39 is still a good vacation week. Glad you had fun in Houston

pewow: Skiing sounds fun. Good job in the race.

Twig Mzungu: Welcome look forward to following your progress through that half.

Coach Jeff ROC: nice week. I liked the doubles and the workouts. Good luck in the Wan Jin Shi Marathon

My week really isn't worth mentioning. Ended up working to much so missed a few days swimming. Only did about 3 miles. Then this weekend I just laid around trying to stay off my leg. My brother plans on doing the full instead of the half so I might as well say F-it to an April half. The only plus for the week is my son said he'd talk his teammates into running a 10k on the 4th of July. I should be in shape by then.

@Smoove: Congrats for the race!!

@Adrian: pretty good volume, very nice looking week :)

@statfanatic: that workout is sick :D

I ran 1500m and 3000m verification races this weekend, it went pretty ok: i hoped to break 4 in 1500 but my 2nd 500 was awful :p

? Week 11 (Race week) ?

----------------------------------------------------

? Monday: 9km easy

? Tuesday: 2*(5*400) indoor

5*400 @ 65, 68, 69, 66, 67 rest 1.22

2.30 between sets and spikes on

4*400 @

? Wednesday: 20km easy

? Thursday: rest

? Friday: 8km warmp up + strides

? Saturday: 1500 Race: 4:00.14

I ran alone most of the race. the 2nd 500 was very bad and i realized it too late. 500m splits in: 1'19.x, 1'23.x, 1'17.x

? Sunday: 3000 Race: 8:41

Also ran alone all the race. i felt pretty good and didn.t push too hard.

1k laps in: 2'53.x, 2'57.x, 2'51.x

? Week total: 63kms (39miles)

Hi,

first, some comments:

OR - nice 20 miler! strong effort

Not a College runner - sorry about your foot. Had the same problem end of 2016, it sucks!

Smoove - Congrats on the race! Superb effort. Don't forget to enjoy it for a few days.

AdrianChr - The sunday run sounds like not a lot of fun. Props for pushing through!

600m Repeats - Now i understand what you write on strava - meters per beat. Never heard of that metric, what is it supposed to tell you?

angryjohnny - Congrats on the PR! Nice improvement over the last few months.

Mctwist - What is your goal for the half? You are flying on the mile repeats.

statfanatic - 4:17 sounds not too bad from my perspective :) and definitely not bad for the first race.

Bdubs - sounds like you could improve on racing tactics :). Still, 9:05 is not too bad.

Still Improving - good luck with the new cycle!

pewow - your overall volume is increasing nice and steady, isn't it? Keep it up

emanueltrandafir - almost sub 4! very close. the 3k time looks nice as well. Congrats. What do you mean the races were verification races? For what?

My week:

M - 9.3k + 4x20"

T - 20x400 w/ 90" jog rest (avg. 1-10: 81.6", 11-20: 79.3")

W - 13k am // 6.5k pm + 8*15" pm on treadmill

Th - 14.2k light aerobic fartlek on treadmill

F - off

S - off

S - 19.4k w/ 9.35k xc race, 3rd place in 34:35

T - 80.5

Tuesday was tough. Started running at 6:10am, and it took some reps before getting into a groove. Thought about quitting after hitting a 1:24 at some point, but am glad that I pushed through it.

Friday and Saturday I just did not find any time to run.

Sunday was the first race of a 3-race xc series. It was the same course as 6 weeks ago, but very different conditions. It was -2C, 10cm fresh snow and mud. I struggled with my 6mm spikes and ran 1:15 slower than 6 weeks ago. It was fun nonetheless.

Philip

thanks!

the 3000m race i.m training for it will be on 3rd of February. this weekend i just wanted to test myself

pewow wrote:

still improving - Good looking week. Any goals for your marathon

Current plans are to shoot for a 3:15:00 - 3:20:00 marathon time with the intent of getting a BQ. I'll be 50 next month which makes my BQ time 3:30:00 minus the necessary margin. Right now my plan it 3:15:00 based upon a 1:33:14 half marathon time and a 19:41 5k back in November. I think I left a bit on the table for that race, my goal was to try for 1:35:00. I ran that at a faster pace than I intended but it felt good so I stuck with it. I plan to do a 10mi race in March as another fitness check and will adjust my marathon plans based on the results. I don't have much of amarathon race history.

Spring 2016 Gettysburg Marathon 3:46:xx - ITBS in the middle of the race due to me going way too fast on a long downhill. Lesson learned.

Fall 2016 Richmond Marathon 3:29:12 - Went into this one with some sort of overuse injury around the hip. Not totally sure what the real problem was. Another lesson learned. My run training now incorporates strengthening exercises around the hips and core as well as flexibility work. I spent Q1 2017 doing PT followed by a gradual return to running for the rest of 2017 with a focus on quality running rather then quantity. So far so good. Things have been better. Besides the hip injury I had been running through a persistent ichial bursitis which seems to be gone now. I think working on flexibility helped with that.

Congrats to all those who ran in Houston this past weekend. It was a fun race to watch. Had a good week, but a busy week. Missed one run. Happy to hit the quality miles well. Feeling good.

M

6.3 Miles (6 x 800m @ 5k pace)

T

6.2 Miles easy

W

AM - 7 Miles easy

PM - 5 Miles easy

TR

5 Miles (3 Miles at Goal HM pace)

F

6 Miles easy

Sa

11 Miles (Had planned to run further, but ran out of time)

Total Miles: 46.6