XC Runner

cfitz

Babybing wrote: »

Ill be following this with great interest cfitz:D

Good luck with it:cool:


Why the very specific distances for recovery jogs (e.g. 375m, 225m)...is it just to do with the time it takes to do them?

Cheers. Well in May the recovery between the 600m reps will only be 50m jog, so I just multiplied up a bit for the first week and then lowered it in stages after that. And the 1200s was something similar too, has to get down to 250m jog I think. It looks a bit silly there I suppose, but it's just to get me used to the reps so I'm not that worried about it.

Running Bing

Whats your best distance cfitz?

Do you have any times in mind for the summer?

cfitz

I'm not really sure what my best distance is, I'm far better at cross-country than track or road, so that would suggest long distances but some of it is to do with the surface rather than the distance I think. I like 3000m and my PB is 9:19, so the plan is to lower that this year. I ran a track 10000m last year in 34:03 during my base phase so it might be a better distance for me, but this year its all about the 3000m.

cfitz

Week 22, Day 6:

55 min easy run
4 x 100m sprints
Stretching
Circuit (3 set of 9 exercises, 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off, 90 seconds between sets)
Some core exercises

Found the run tough enough because I was running with a guy who is in a lot better shape than me and my hamstrings seemed very tight too. Replaced 'bicycle crunch' sit-up with moving plank exercise because of recent tightness in hip. Replaced one of my usual core exercises with a one leg plank for the same reason.

Next week is meant to be an easier week. Basic plan for the next 7 days is:

Sun: 2 x 1200m in 3:43, 375m jog rec.
Mon: 25 min jog / 35 min easy, 3x8 circuit
Tue: 25 min jog / 35 min hard
Wed: 25 min jog / 35 min easy, 4 x 100m sprints
Thu: 3 x 600m in 1:51, 225m jog rec.
Fri: REST
Sat: 45 min easy, core

Racing Flat

cfitz wrote: »

Week 22, Day 6:


Sun: 2 x 1200m in 3:43, 375m jog rec.
Mon: 25 min jog / 35 min easy, 3x8 circuit
Tue: 25 min jog / 35 min hard
Wed: 25 min jog / 35 min easy, 4 x 100m sprints
Thu: 3 x 600m in 1:51, 225m jog rec.
Fri: REST
Sat: 45 min easy, core

What does 35min hard mean?


Interesting sessions - 2 x1200 at that pace seems much harder than the 3 x 600...

thirstywork

35mins hard could be a tempo ie increasing the pace as you run or just a solid pace at lactic treshold pace.
Seems like you are doing alot more quality stuff !!!
any reason why you aren't running over an hour?

cfitz

Racing Flat wrote: »

What does 35min hard mean?


Interesting sessions - 2 x1200 at that pace seems much harder than the 3 x 600...

35 min hard means run hard for 35 minutes - how much clearer can I be?

They will normally be 3x1200 and 6x600 I just adjusted it a bit coz it's an easy week. The 1200 and 600 sessions will usually cover the same distance at the same pace, so it looks as though the 1200s will always be a much tougher session.

cfitz

thirstywork wrote: »

35mins hard could be a tempo ie increasing the pace as you run or just a solid pace at lactic treshold pace.
Seems like you are doing alot more quality stuff !!!
any reason why you aren't running over an hour?

Yeah it's a fairly sudden jump but I need to start getting used to the sessions so I can do tougher ones in the summer. My long run will go over an hour in the next few weeks and most of the other runs will get a little bit longer too. For the last few years I've kept the length of the runs up during the track season so I'll have to wait and see how this new strategy works out.

cfitz

Week 22, Day 7:

15 min warm-up jog
2 x 1200m with 375m jog recovery
Strides
20 min warm-down jog
Stretching
20 Press-ups
100 Sit-ups (2 variations 60+40)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)


Did the workout on a decent gravel track. Times were nothing like what was prescribed, but it's a start. Hamstrings were a bit heavy. Lovely day but a strong breeze down the home straight. Nice to get out for my first track workout in six months. Didn't have much left for the second rep. Splits were something like this:

200m 37
400m 75
600m 1:55
800m 2:33
1200m 3:51

200m 39
400m 79
600m 2:00
800m 2:43
1200m 4:06

cfitz

Week 23, Day 1:

AM 25 min jog

PM 35 min easy run
Stretching
Circuit (3 sets of 8 exercises, 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off, 90 seconds between sets)

cfitz

Week 23, Day 2:

AM: 25 min jog

PM: 35 min hard run
Stretching
20 Press-ups
110 Sit-ups (2 variations 60+50)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)


Really windy this evening. Nice grass lap of about 850m around some pitches. Happy overall. Splits were:

Lap 1: 3:38
Lap 2: 3:31
Lap 3: 3:21
Lap 4: 3:11
Lap 5: 3:14
Lap 6: 3:19
Lap 7: 3:24
Lap 8: 3:26
Lap 9: 3:21
Lap 10: 3:14
and finish out to 35 minutes (total distance approximately 8.8km)

cfitz

Week 23, Day 3:

AM 25 min jog

PM 35 min easy run
4 x 100m sprints
Stretching
20 Press-ups
90 Sit-ups (2 variations 40+50)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)

kennyb3

your a model of consistency, keep up the good work. did some better running of late, thanks for the kick up the back side.

when do you plan to race next?

also i see you do good bit of core work and some press ups, do you feel this greatly aids your running? just at present i dont do any upper body work and am thinking i should start doing sit ups before or after my runs

cfitz

kennyb3 wrote: »

when do you plan to race next?

also i see you do good bit of core work and some press ups, do you feel this greatly aids your running? just at present i dont do any upper body work and am thinking i should start doing sit ups before or after my runs

I've a 3000m race on Tuesday. After that I might just try to get some good training in for the next few weeks.

I find it hard to know exactly how much the core work helps my running. I think it's good to be fairly strong all round anyway. To my knowledge, a strong core can help a lot towards avoiding injuries. I think it could be important to keep you running efficiently when your body is tired during a race and I reckon it could also help to improve your running style.

kennyb3

cfitz wrote: »

I've a 3000m race on Tuesday. After that I might just try to get some good training in for the next few weeks.

I find it hard to know exactly how much the core work helps my running. I think it's good to be fairly strong all round anyway. To my knowledge, a strong core can help a lot towards avoiding injuries. I think it could be important to keep you running efficiently when your body is tired during a race and I reckon it could also help to improve your running style.

thanks. i think i ll add some core work to my training. i think the main way i can improve quickly would defo be by loosing 4 to 6lbs i know im carrying around with me on these runs.

let me know how you get on, on tueday. how will you prepare for it over next few days?

cfitz

kennyb3 wrote: »

thanks. i think i ll add some core work to my training. i think the main way i can improve quickly would defo be by loosing 4 to 6lbs i know im carrying around with me on these runs.

let me know how you get on, on tueday. how will you prepare for it over next few days?

My training coming up to the race won't change too much because it's early in the season - for more important races I might ease back coming up to them. I've switched around one or two of the sessions to suit the race is all. The schedule is attached in one of my posts back a few pages.

One other thing, I do a lot of sit-ups, but plank exercises seem to be considered a more useful option for runners. I've started doing some now, so maybe you could do those rather than sit-ups. I'm not really an expert on core work so all my advice could be way off!

cfitz

Week 23, Day 4:

15 min warm-up jog
Strides
3 x 600m with 225m jog recovery
20 min warm-down jog
Stretching
20 Press-ups
100 Sit-ups (2 variations 40+60)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)


Ran on a tartan track tonight. Weather was pretty bad, raining some of the time and very windy down the home straight. Target time for the session was 1:51 and I did all 3 reps in 1:52, so I'm very happy with that.

cfitz

Week 23, Day 5:

Rest Day
Sports Massage


Massage left me feeling fairly tender!

cfitz

Week 23, Day 6:

45 min easy run
Stretching
20 Press-ups
90 Sit-ups (2 variations 50+40)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)
Some core exercises


Plan for the next 7 days is something like this:

Sun: 25 min jog / 35 min hard
Mon: 25 min jog / 35 min easy, 4 x 100m sprints
Tue: 3000m RACE
Wed: 25 min jog / 45 min easy, 3x9 circuit
Thu: 3 x 1200m in 3:43, 375m jog rec.
Fri: REST
Sat: 60 min easy, core

cfitz

Week 23, Day 7:

AM 25 min jog

PM 35 min hard run
Stretching
20 Press-ups
110 Sit-ups (2 variations 50+60)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)


Weather was better than the last day I did this, but still a bit miserable. Felt like I got it right this time, quite happy with my splits on the 850m grass loop:

Lap 1: 3:29
Lap 2: 3:26
Lap 3: 3:21
Lap 4: 3:16
Lap 5: 3:12
Lap 6: 3:06
Lap 7: 3:06
Lap 8: 3:05
Lap 9: 3:07
Lap 10: 3:08
and finish out to 35 minutes (total distance approximately 9.2km)

cfitz

Week 24, Day 1:

AM 25 min jog

PM 35 min easy run
4 x 100m sprints
Stretching
20 Press-ups
100 Sit-ups (2 variations 60+40)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)

cfitz

Week 24, Day 2:

12 min warm-up jog
Strides
3000m RACE (9:33 I think, but I haven't seen the results yet)
20 min jog
Stretching
20 press-ups
110 sit-ups (2 variations 60+50)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 back extensions (2 variations 30+30)


Lovely night for running and I was feeling good during the day. Pace didn't seem that hard at the start, so I went straight to the front. Went through the first lap in 72 but I wasn't able to keep on the pace that I wanted and after about 1500m I was a little bit behind schedule and it was obvious that I was slowing. I'm not really sure what was going on behind be but I think I had a decent lead for most of the race. For the last kilometre I think I failed to keep pushing it and with 200m to go I heard some footsteps behind me so I wound it up a bit and finished fairly hard to win by a few seconds. Wasn't very happy with my time but quite happy to get a win! Splits that I can remember were:

400m 72
800m 2:28/9 (76)
1200m 3:44/5 (76)
1600m 5:00/1 (76)
2000m 6:17 (77)
2400m 7:40 (83 Ugh!)
2800m -
3000m 9:33 (I think)

shels4ever

cfitz wrote: »

Week 24, Day 2:

12 min warm-up jog
Strides
3000m RACE (9:33 I think, but I haven't seen the results yet)
20 min jog
Stretching
20 press-ups
110 sit-ups (2 variations 60+50)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 back extensions (2 variations 30+30)


Lovely night for running and I was feeling good during the day. Pace didn't seem that hard at the start, so I went straight to the front. Went through the first lap in 72 but I wasn't able to keep on the pace that I wanted and after about 1500m I was a little bit behind schedule and it was obvious that I was slowing. I'm not really sure what was going on behind be but I think I had a decent lead for most of the race. For the last kilometre I think I failed to keep pushing it and with 200m to go I heard some footsteps behind me so I wound it up a bit and finished fairly hard to win by a few seconds. Wasn't very happy with my time but quite happy to get a win! Splits that I can remember were:

400m 72
800m 2:28/9 (76)
1200m 3:44/5 (76)
1600m 5:00/1 (76)
2000m 6:17 (77)
2400m 7:40 (83 Ugh!)
2800m -
3000m 9:33 (I think)

Well done on the win, easy to fall asleep when you have a large lead, Wouldn't worry about the time in a race that you won from the front if pushed i'm sure there would have been more time in the legs..

Well done you hammered my pb

thirstywork

always nice too get a win and the only way is up now for the rest of the season for you.
you seem to be hammering the press ups and sit ups,i have never done any in my life,maybe its time to start doing some but i feel that running takes up enough time already.
what kind of spikes are you wearing or did u wear flats?

Racing Flat

The only ones I got...
400 77/78
1200 5.12
...so 5.03 pace for last 1400. Delighted with that. I knew with 800 to go I was closing, but it was a fair lead. Had a feeling though that as you were time-trialling that if I was to get up to you say at 200 to go, you'd have been able to up it again, maybe I'll find out next time .

cfitz

Was away on holidays for a week so I'll try update the log today. I wore Adistar LD spikes ThirstyWork. They're probably not the latest version - I think Cragg used to wear the same ones, white/orange/black. Racing Flat hopefully I'll go faster the next time, so you'll need to knock a few more seconds off that PB!

Racing Flat

Come up to the 4 miler tonight and we'll see what you're made of :P. Handicapper has you at about 21.29...

cfitz

Racing Flat wrote: »

Come up to the 4 miler tonight and we'll see what you're made of :P. Handicapper has you at about 21.29...

Only got off the plane at around midnight last night so I'll pass on that thanks. Hope you have a good one! Maybe another 3k late April if I can find one.

cfitz

Week 24, Day 3:

AM
25 min jog

AM (again coz I had to go for my flight at 12:30!)
45 min easy run
Stretching
Circuit (3 sets of 9 exercises - 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off)


Got up at 7am for my morning run. Later run was really slow and I felt wrecked. The circuit was done when I got to Romania late that night.

Week 24, Day 4:

15 min warm-up jog
3 x 3:48 with 2:30 recovery
20 min warm-down jog
Stretching
20 Press-ups
100 Sit-ups (2 variations 40+60)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)


Trained on a busy potholed road near my guesthouse. Didn't have any distances so ran by time instead of doing 1200s with 375m recovery. Lashed rain on me and I didn't feel like I got the best out of myself.

Week 24, Day 5:

Rest Day

Week 24, Day 6:

65 min easy run
Stretching
20 Press-ups
90 Sit-ups (2 variations 50+40)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)
Some core exercises


Out and back run up into a scenic gorge in the Piatra Craiului national park. Uphill out and downhill back. Lovely weather all week except for that first morning. Was snow and ice high up in the mountain though so I had to go slow for a small bit. Schedule was 60 minutes but was happy enough to do 65 minutes as a consolation for the weak session on Thursday.

Week 24, Day 7:

15 min warm-up jog
6 x 1:51 with 1:30 recovery
20 min warm-down jog
Stretching
20 Press-ups
110 Sit-ups (2 variations 50+60)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)


Went by time instead of trying to guess 6 x 600m with 225m recovery. Did the session on the same potholed road as before, but the weather was a lot nicer this time and there wasn't so many trucks on the road. Still found it harder to get the best out of myself than when I'm on the track.

Week 25, Day 1:

AM
25 min jog

PM
40 min steady run
Stretching
Circuit (3 sets of 10 exercises - 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off)


Done on a very dusty road.

Week 25, Day 2:

AM
25 min jog

PM
40 min hard run
Stretching
20 Press-ups
100 Sit-ups (2 variations 60+40)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)


Went ok but probably could have been a good bit better. Some big dogs came at me at one part and terrified me until someone called them off.

Week 25, Day 3:

65 min easy run
Stretching
20 Press-ups
110 Sit-ups (2 variations 60+50)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 Back Extensions (2 variations 30+30)
Some core exercises


On the dusty road again. Was up hiking at 4:30 in the morning so took it easy. While I was out running a stork came over to look at me, glided just about 2 metres over my head - must have had a wingspan of about 4 foot!



I'll try and attach a picture of the area now. The morning jogs were very slow. A lot of the trip also involved a load of hiking up steep mountainsides to search for wildlife. Saw one bear but no lynx or wolves unfortunately.

cfitz

Week 25, Day 4:

15 min warm-up jog
Strides
3 x 1200m with 350m recovery (3:55, 3:55, 4:00)
20 min warm-down jog
Stretching
20 press-ups
90 sit-ups (2 variations 40+50)
Moving plank exercise (3 reps)
60 back extensions (2 variations 30+30)


Ran on tartan tonight. Miserable night with a really strong wind on the back straight. Times are a long way off the target, but I seem to be making good progress so I'm fairly happy.