XC Runner

cfitz

shels4ever wrote: »

Whats your plan for the summer have any big targets? or just planning to get the best possible pb's over 3k?

Getting the 3k time down again is the main aim. And hopefully I'll get to race a few more 1500s as well along the way.

cfitz

Monday 7 June 2010:

25 minute jog

PM
60 minutes steady
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)

cfitz

Tuesday 8 June 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
55 minutes steady
4x600m strides
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)

cfitz

Wednesday 9 June 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
35 minutes steady
4x300m strides
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)

cfitz

Picked up a cold so had to take a few days off.

Thursday 10 June 2010:

Rest


Friday 11 June 2010:

Rest


Saturday 12 June 2010:

Rest


Sunday 13 June 2010:

Rest


Monday 14 June 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
35 minutes steady
4x300m strides
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)


Tuesday 15 June 2010:

15 minute warm-up jog
Strides
4x300m with 1 min recovery (49, 50, 52, 51)
5 min break
4x200m with 1 min recovery (32, 33, 33, 33)
20 minute warm-down jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)


Beautiful evening, about 21 degrees and maybe a bit more wind than you'd choose, went to the tartan track. First time doing this session, nice to do something a bit faster.

cfitz

Wednesday 16 June 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
60 minutes steady
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)

cfitz

Thursday 17 June 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
50 minute run with 20 minutes hard (approx. 10 easy, 25 hard, 15 very easy)
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)

Splits for fast laps (approx. 850m on grass):
3:18
3:13
3:10
3:06
3:01
3:00
2:56


Friday 18 June 2010:

Rest


Saturday 19 June 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
55 minutes steady
4x600m strides
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)


Did this run on the roads because it was very late. Felt like I was in a very comfortable rhythm early on so I didn't try to push it on. Checked my watch a few miles in at a landmark I often use and my time was a bit slow. But without much stress I was able to pick it up during the run and finish quite quickly (making back up any time I'd lost earlier in the run) without hardly realising that I'd picked it up. So maybe there was something to be said for noticing my cadence rather than just chasing the clock.

cfitz

Sunday 20 June 2010:

70 minutes easy
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)


Monday 21 June 2010:

Rest


Tuesday 22 June 2010:

15 minute warm-up jog
Strides
15 minute warm-down jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)


Wednesday 23 June 2010:

15 minute jog
Strides
1500m track RACE, Irishtown (not sure of position, 4:25.59)
20 minute jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)


Went in the B race at the graded meet with a plan of hitting 68 second laps through increasing the effort on each lap and racing for a good finishing position rather than just thinking of times. Start was fairly crowded and I ended up out very wide around the first bend. My pace was a bit choppy and I found it difficult to judge how fast I was running. Went through 400m mid-pack in 69 seconds. Picked it up along the back straight and moved up closer to the top of the field. Got passed again on the home straight by a few people and my 800m split was a worrying 2:19/2:20. Again I tried to push on down the back straight and made up a few places but exactly the same as lap 2, I got passed again on the home straight. Started to lose contact with the group now and my 1200m split was a distressing 3:34. I had company from behind and I tried to run strong over the last 300. Held off the guy chasing and finished with 4:25.59. Not a great time so hopefully July will be bring me more success.


Thursday 24 June 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
60 minutes steady
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)


Friday 25 June 2010:

25 minute jog

PM
35 minutes steady
4x300m strides
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)

cfitz

Saturday 26 June 2010:

15 minute warm-up jog
Strides
4x300m with 1 min jog recovery (49, 51, 50, 52)
5 min jog recovery
4x200m with 1 min jog recovery (34, 33, 34, 32)
20 minute warm-down jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)

On a very windy tartan track near the sea outside Dundalk.


Sunday 27 June 2010:

25 minute jog

PM
55 minutes steady
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)


Monday 28 June 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
35 minutes steady
4x300m strides
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)


Tuesday 29 June 2010:

Rest


Wednesday 30 June 2010:

25 minute easy run
4x100m (30m roll-in, 40m sprint, 30m roll-out)
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)


Thursday 1 July 2010:

17 minute jog
Strides
3000m track RACE, Santry (10th, 9:28.21)
20 minute jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)

Very windy. Got to 1200 in 3:37 and blew up. Very disappointing.


Friday 2 July 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
60 minutes steady
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)


Saturday 3 July 2010:

15 minute jog
Strides
1000m Time-Trial (2:53.5)
20 minute jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)

Did the time-trial on my own on a very good tarmacadam loop. Was a windy day but didn't seem bad during the run.

cfitz

Sunday 5 July 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
45 minute run with about 6 minutes fast in the middle and last 20 cool down
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)


Monday 6 July 2010:

Rest
Visit to osteopath


Tuesday 29 June 2010:

25 minute easy run
4x100m (30m roll-in, 40m sprint, 30m roll-out)
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)


Wednesday 7 July 2010:

12 minute jog
Strides
3000m track RACE, Santry (6th, 9:26.2)
20 minute jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)

Another windy evening in Santry. Tried to race this time rather than pay attention to splits. First few laps were a bit slower than usual for me and the race felt a bit more controlled than others recently. But I still tired as the race went on and finished with a disappointing 9:26.


Thursday 8 July 2010:

35 minute easy run
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)


Friday 9 July 2010:

12 minute jog
Strides (1x long maybe 200m, 3x short)
10 minute jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)

Felt really loose and fast on the short strides.


Saturday 10 July 2010:

12 minute jog
Strides
8km road RACE, Headford (2nd, 27:22)
20 minute jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)

Happy with my run tonight! It was like the monsoon in Headford but there was a good crowd of just over 200 out for the race anyway. Warmed up in the rain on the grass in my DS Trainers. Then changed out of my wet t-shirt and socks and put on my Nike Skylons. The weather was relatively settled for the wait at the startline.
The initial leader and eventual winner took off from the gun at a nice pace but no-one followed him for long. I was somewhere just inside the top ten and was trying to loosen out the legs. Wasn't long before I moved up easily and I found myself in second place not long after the first kilometre. The leader was already well ahead but the guy I'd just passed tacked on to me and seemed happy to settle in behind me. During the first half of the race I pushed along occasionally checking myself so that I didn't get carried away and blow up. I wasn't making any real ground on the leader and I still had company right behind me.
After the 4k mark the course became quite undulating and I was aware of this because there was a gradient chart with the course map back at the clubhouse. I'm not always a big fan of hills so I tried to keep it pushed along as we hit the first few. I kept my opponent at bay but he got a bit close at one stage and that might have spurred me into pushing it on a bit. As the next few hills approached I attacked them a bit and I started to figure that if he was comfortable he'd be wouldn't be sitting right back behind me, so now I started to run more aggressively in an effort to shrug him off. At the 5k mark we turned onto another road and hit a fairly large hill, this is where his breathing and footsteps seemed to fade so I put in a strong effort over the next while and although I didn't look back, I think this is where I made the decisive break.
I was afraid I might be losing a bit of ground now that I was out on my own so I tried to keep the concentration up. The rain start to pour seriously over the last few kilometres. I was happy to see the town as I got inside the last kilometre and I looked over my shoulder a few times near the finish but I held a gap of 17 seconds in the end to take 2nd place with the winner over a minute ahead of me.
The rain got even worse for the warm-down! I was happy with how I raced and I think it was a fairly good performance.

Krusty_Clown

Congratulations on the second place cfitz. Sounds like you ran a sound strategic race. 2 Races in four days? Fair play to ya.

cfitz

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Congratulations on the second place cfitz. Sounds like you ran a sound strategic race. 2 Races in four days? Fair play to ya.

Thanks. I think with the shorter track races you can get away with running them fairly often. The 8k road race seemed to stay in the system a bit longer judging my last session.


Sunday 5 July 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
40 minute easy run
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)


Monday 12 July 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
45 minutes steady
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)


Tuesday 13 July 2010:

15 minute warm-up jog
Strides
4x300m with 1 min jog recovery (49, 51, 50, 52)
5 min jog recovery
4x200m with 1 min jog recovery (34, 33, 35, 34)
25 minute warm-down jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)

Wet and windy night on the track. Think the body must have been a bit tired coz it took a huge effort to hit the splits on the 300s - struggled to recover between reps and the 5 minute jog before the 200s didn't feel like enough at all. And it showed in my 200m times.


Wednesday 14 July 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
50 minutes steady
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Circuit (2x8 exercises, 30 seconds on 30 seconds off, 90 seconds between sets)

cfitz

Friday 16 July 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
35 minutes steady
4x500m strides
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Some gentle core exercises


Saturday 17 July 2010:

40 minute easy run
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)


Sunday 18 July 2010:

10 minute jog
Strides
1500m track RACE, Santry (Not sure of position, 4:30)
20 minute jog
Stretching

The frustration continues. It was a horrible windy day and I arrived at the venue half an hour before my race (coz the timetable on the AAI site was out by an hour). But even so it was a very poor time. This year I conciously neglected some flexibility and upper-body work that I'd done last year. I've started to add some of it back in gradually (and some not so gradually) and already I'm regaining some flexibility. But if that doesn't help I'm starting to run out of ideas...


Monday 19 July 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
45 minutes steady
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)
Some gentle core exercises

cfitz

Tuesday 20 July 2010:

Rest


Wednesday 21 July 2010:

15 minute warm-up jog
Strides
4x300m with 1 min jog recovery (48, 50, 50, 51)
5 min jog recovery
2x300m with 3 min jog recovery (48, 49)
20 minute warm-down jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)

A bit calmer on the track than last week but still a fairly significant wind on the home straight. Nice to go a bit faster than the last few weeks. But the second set of 300s should surely have been faster.

cfitz

Thursday 22 July 2010:

45 minute steady run
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)


Friday 23 July 2010:

15 minute jog
Strides
1500m Track RACE, Tullamore (2nd, 4:25.5)
20 minute jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)

Ran as a guest in the Offaly Championships. It was a perfect evening for running and it looked like there would be one other guy in the race at a similar level to me. I wanted a good blowout so after 100m when the pace wasn't that quick I took the lead. I brought us through 400m in 68/69 feeling fairly controlled. I tried to push it on and was still leading at 800m in 2:20 but still had company right behind me. I tried to stretch my lead but I could still hear him behind me. I didn't get the 1200m split but the guy behind me made a big move with about 250m to go. I didn't react that well and even in the last 200m I didn't feel like I had a great finish. The winner was able to ease up and still finish 2 seconds ahead of me.

Felt like I gave a good effort though and hopefully I can build on this race.

cfitz

Saturday 24 July 2010:

50 minutes easy
Stretching (more than usual)
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)

myflipflops

Very interesting log. You are 28 right?

Can you give more details of what your 'steady' runs consist of in terms of pace? You spend a lot of time training and have a very sensible plan together. It strikes me though, that with an increase in the intensity, you could slash your track times drastically. 15.30, 9 minutes and 4 minutes flat would be very achievable for you off maybe 3 months of increased intensity considering the base you have there.

Have you ever considered getting a coach?

cfitz

myflipflops wrote: »

Very interesting log. You are 28 right?

Can you give more details of what your 'steady' runs consist of in terms of pace? You spend a lot of time training and have a very sensible plan together. It strikes me though, that with an increase in the intensity, you could slash your track times drastically. 15.30, 9 minutes and 4 minutes flat would be very achievable for you off maybe 3 months of increased intensity considering the base you have there.

Have you ever considered getting a coach?

I have a coach at the moment. I'd be very interested to hear what kind of schedule you would suggest (I started a recent thread here if you'd like to read it: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055974985).

My steady runs usually start very easy and finish quite fast - a very rough estimate would be maybe starting at 7:30-7:45/mile and finishing at about 5:45-6:00/mile.

Thanks for taking an interest. Let me know what you think...

Oh, I'm 27 by the way. 28 in October.

cfitz

Sunday 25 July 2010:

70 minute easy run
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Circuit (2x9 exercises, 30 seconds on 30 seconds off, 90 seconds between sets)

myflipflops

cfitz wrote: »

I have a coach at the moment. I'd be very interested to hear what kind of schedule you would suggest.

I'm not a coach so I would only suggest schedules I used to do myself. It just strikes me that the times you are running are not a reflection of the effort you are putting in training wise. Certainly in terms of the amount of time you spend and the sensible approach you take (stetching, strength work etc), you are not getting the results that could be possible.

I'm coming from having ran times (albeit it a number of years ago) that I think are achievable for you - 3.56, 8.35 and 15.12. 1500 and 3k from when i was 19, 5k from when i was 18. That range is in your capabilites i suggest.

Firstly I think you should increase the tempo of your steady runs. 45 minutes need to become 60 minutes and a minimum of 90 minutes on a Sunday. The Sunday run is a staple of nearly all distance training. Running at 7.30 per mile and finishing at 5.45 per mile is not 'steady enough. Once warmed up, 6 mimute miling for an hour will benefit you greatly. Stamina is clearly your issue when running on the track.

4x300m with 1 min jog recovery (48, 50, 50, 51)

This kind of session needs to be upped too. If you are running 4X300, it shoud be 45, 45, 45, 45 at least. That's a very doable session. The session with 4X300 followed by 4X200 should be 45, 45, 45, 45 foolowed by 30, 30, 30, 30 at least. Again, a very doable session. Increasing your steady runs in terms of time and pace will enable you to get these sessions in.

I don't wish to be cricitcal of your current coach but i think you are capable of much more than the times you are producing and the training schedule is not aimed towards this. As I said previously, just readin through your blog, I'm pretty sure you are in scenario where 2/3 months of increased training could realistically knock 30 seconds off your 3k time.

I hope i don't sound too critical here, I'm not trying to be. Your blog just struck me as interesting.

woodchopper

myflipflops wrote: »

I'm not a coach so I would only suggest schedules I used to do myself. It just strikes me that the times you are running are not a reflection of the effort you are putting in training wise. Certainly in terms of the amount of time you spend and the sensible approach you take (stetching, strength work etc), you are not getting the results that could be possible.

I'm coming from having ran times (albeit it a number of years ago) that I think are achievable for you - 3.56, 8.35 and 15.12. 1500 and 3k from when i was 19, 5k from when i was 18. That range is in your capabilites i suggest.

Firstly I think you should increase the tempo of your steady runs. 45 minutes need to become 60 minutes and a minimum of 90 minutes on a Sunday. The Sunday run is a staple of nearly all distance training. Running at 7.30 per mile and finishing at 5.45 per mile is not 'steady enough. Once warmed up, 6 mimute miling for an hour will benefit you greatly. Stamina is clearly your issue when running on the track.

4x300m with 1 min jog recovery (48, 50, 50, 51)

This kind of session needs to be upped too. If you are running 4X300, it shoud be 45, 45, 45, 45 at least. That's a very doable session. The session with 4X300 followed by 4X200 should be 45, 45, 45, 45 foolowed by 30, 30, 30, 30 at least. Again, a very doable session. Increasing your steady runs in terms of time and pace will enable you to get these sessions in.

I don't wish to be cricitcal of your current coach but i think you are capable of much more than the times you are producing and the training schedule is not aimed towards this. As I said previously, just readin through your blog, I'm pretty sure you are in scenario where 2/3 months of increased training could realistically knock 30 seconds off your 3k time.

I hope i don't sound too critical here, I'm not trying to be. Your blog just struck me as interesting.

Hold on a minute here since when does hammering out your aerobic runs at six minute mile do you any good. It is a silly pace for this athlete to run at as it is too slow for a tempo yet to quick for a recovery run. Runninng at six for your whole run is a waste of time as it will effect your harder workouts becausse the athlete will not be recovered from the run. If the athlete wants ro to incorporate a steady state run into their programme then running at 6 minute mile pace might be fine but only as a workout not on an easy day.

As for the 300 metre workout why does running at 45 second pace seem a better option. Running at this pace is most likely 800 metre pace coupled with the four 200s in 30 seconds would leave 2k worth of 800 metre training in the legs of short recovery. This hardly makes any sense. Instead if the athlete wanted to run a session at 800 metre race pace Ecoli gives a good session which has ample recovery between sets.

One should run their ordinary runs by feel not by the pace on their garmin. The body is at its best when utilizing its censory data. Run by feel not by garmin should be the motto.

ecoli

Both the lads make good points here. Regarding your easy runs these should be at constant pace rather than a progression. Progression runs go from recovery aerobic pace to sub threshold pace and as such they are not letting your body recover. This does not mean that you have to do all your runs at the same pace but rather some runs can be 7 - 7.30 pace and some slightly quicker but on your long runs you should not be near your tempo or sub threshold (Marathon) pace

Regarding the shorter session rule of thumb should be focus on pace or recovery not both. This should be taken into account when increasing reps or increasing pace if you increase the amount of reps the recovery should reflect that. Likewise if you are focusing on more speed orientated session you should not increase amount of reps

The session i recommending is not to be used too often as it is a speed based session and as such the recoveries are long.

If you were to take myflipflops session into account maintain the paces you are currently doing and start to bring down the times over a time span rather than doing both at once

myflipflops

woodchopper wrote: »

Hold on a minute here since when does hammering out your aerobic runs at six minute mile do you any good. It is a silly pace for this athlete to run at as it is too slow for a tempo yet to quick for a recovery run. Runninng at six for your whole run is a waste of time as it will effect your harder workouts becausse the athlete will not be recovered from the run. If the athlete wants ro to incorporate a steady state run into their programme then running at 6 minute mile pace might be fine but only as a workout not on an easy day..

As a build up to running quicker on certain days it will do him the world of good. His steady runs are too slow and short as it currently stands. They are not building the the desired aerobic ability. The steady runs are more like recovery runs all the time.

woodchopper wrote: »

As for the 300 metre workout why does running at 45 second pace seem a better option. Running at this pace is most likely 800 metre pace coupled with the four 200s in 30 seconds would leave 2k worth of 800 metre training in the legs of short recovery. This hardly makes any sense. Instead if the athlete wanted to run a session at 800 metre race pace Ecoli gives a good session which has ample recovery between sets.

One should run their ordinary runs by feel not by the pace on their garmin. The body is at its best when utilizing its censory data. Run by feel not by garmin should be the motto.

Are you arguing that running the 300's at a slower tempo is actually better than if he ran quicker?

Personally i would increase the length of the session. 10X400 would suit more for a guy who seems to be a 3k runner. A session of 4X300 is borderline useless to a middle distance runner unless they are about increasing speed. In that case, increase the pace and increase the recovery.

My general point is that the tempo and length of his training needs to be increased to improve. It won't take an enormous increase but he has to move out of his comfort zone. Moving towards this is the first step.

Run as you feel is a fine philosophy and I agree with it. I was never a garmin user. My point is about moving out of the comfort zone that he is currently in. There is no hard training in there at all.

Again, I am not a coach. I just have a number of years experience running and have ran times that i think cfitz would like to get towards and he has the capabilities to get there. 9 minutes for 3k is not a difficult time at all. I would be nearly certain that if he implemented some of my suggestions, he could get to that time pretty quickly.

myflipflops

woodchopper wrote: »

Hold on a minute here.

Going back on your post in cfitz thread in the main forum, we are actually on the same wavelength.

You recommend upping the session to something like 5X 600. I totally agree with that. My suggestions above were ways to alter the training he currently does in order to improve rather than change training. Personally, I would completely change the training plan. Longer runs, quicker a couple of days a week and longer sessions. 10X400 or 5/6X600. 1000 meter intervals through the winter. Run 300 intervals on the track after the hard work has been done. Doing 300 intervals when you are in 9.20 shape is putting the cart before the horse.

He has a coach so he either needs to stick with that coaches general plan or move coach.

shels4ever

Maybe I'm the only one on here who thinks that cfitz trainin is one of the better structured out of all on borads. Easy miles done easy , and hard running done hard. Maybe missing some higher miles from very early in the winter when he was away but other then that not too far from pb range at all.
I would prob have run a few 800's early in the season to get the legs going before hitting 1500, and 3k pb's but thats just the way think .
Other then doing the tempo runs fast and the reps fast I don't believe that you need to run fast on easy runs. Lots of times these are to recover from the hard runs so don't see the need or reason to do them fast.

Maybe a nice thread on this would be handy rather then taking up the log.

@myflipflops
At what point in a training cycle would you be doing the easy runs faster would this be in a race phase or prior to that, or is it a general all year thing?

myflipflops

shels4ever wrote: »

@myflipflops
At what point in a training cycle would you be doing the easy runs faster would this be in a race phase or prior to that, or is it a general all year thing?

I would not increase the recovery run speed. If 7.30 miling is what he is comfortable with on a recovery run then that is what he should do. I would recommend (I used to do!) a couple of longer runs much closer to threshold than cfitz currently does. Twice a week during heavy milage training in the winter and leading up to the summer and then once a week when sessions are involved.

They would have been 55 minute 10 mile runs or something similar. Not hurting myself but definately moving. That was what suited me.


I agree that his training schedule is one of the bettered structured. I like a lot of what he does. There is a superb base there to work off. It is what made me read through the log. I believe at his current effort and training level, he will not improve substantially though. Maybe cfitz is very happy with the times he's running. He is a perfectly capable club runner as it stands. If he wishesforward though, the schedule has to change. Personally i think he has 8.45, 3.58 and 15 minutes in him by next summer. It all depends on what his goals are.

shels4ever

myflipflops wrote: »

I would not increase the recovery runs faster. If 7.30 miling is what he is comfortable with on a recovery run then that is what he should do. I would recommend (I used to do!) a couple of longer runs much closer to threshold than cfitz currently does. Twice a week during heavy milage training in the winter and leading up to the summer and then once a week when sessions are involved.

They would have been 55 minute 10 mile runs or something similar. Not hurting myself but definately moving. That was what suited me.


I agree that his training schedule is one of the bettered structured. I like a lot of what he does. There is a superb base there to work off. It is what made me read through the log. I believe at his current effort and training level, he will not improve substantially though. Maybe cfitz is very happy with the times he's running. He is a perfectly capable club runner as it stands. If he wishesforward though, the schedule has to change. Personally i think he has 8.45, 3.58 and 15 minutes in him by next summer.

+1
Yes I've hear a few coatches talking about the benifits ot 10 mile runs close to the limit but not going faster , Actually think Jerry Kiernan used to do this and prob uses it with his group now too.

myflipflops

shels4ever wrote: »

+1
Yes I've hear a few coatches talking about the benifits ot 10 mile runs close to the limit but not going faster , Actually think Jerry Kiernan used to do this and prob uses it with his group now too.

Joe Sweeney is a very good mate of mine and is training with Kiernan for the last year. I'll ask him what kind of run longs he puts in. I know one session he did this summer was 8X600 with a minute rest and another was 12X400 with 30 seconds rest.

cfitz

Thanks for all the replies lads, I haven't had the time to fully study them all yet. But if you've any more suggestions or opinions, keep them coming. Thanks again.


Monday 26 July 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
45 minute steady run
6x250m strides
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)

cfitz

Tuesday 27 July 2010:

AM
25 minute jog

PM
60 minute steady run
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)
Gentle core exercises

Wednesday 28 July 2010:

AM
25 minute easy run

PM
15 minute jog
Strides
3x300m with 12 min walk/jog recovery (46.10, 45.85, 46.10)
20 minute jog
Stretching
Strengtening exercise for left ankle (10 reps)
Press-ups (x20)
Plank (10 breaths)


My coach got me to do a speed test this week. Went to the tartan track as usual, but brought my spikes with me this time. There was a breeze coming diagonally down the home straight but it calmed as the session went on. 12 minute recovery didn't seem as long as I thought it would at all! Body could feel the hard sprints, especially in my arms. On the 2nd rep I felt like my form went altogether over the last 50m - kind of like I was dragging my left leg along with me! Didn't happen again on the last rep but it did feel like I was swimming for the line a bit towards the end.