Running away

Baby75

S&C I think I need to do more

ariana`

Monday, Feb 5th
Total: 1 hr gym s&c session + 5km recovery run
Avg Pace: 8:21 min/km
Splits: 8:29, 8:29, 8:24, 7:54, 8:27
Avg HR: 160 bpm
Comments: Running in the snow again, longest Winter ever :rolleyes:

Tuesday, Feb 6th
Total: 9.12 km (56:49)
Avg Pace: 6:14 min/km
Splits: 6:18, 6:14, 6:16, 6:14, 6:15, 6:27, 6:02, 6:09, 6:13
Avg HR: 157 bpm
Comments: On my own and running into heavy snow for the last few kms but got it done, it was supposed to be 60 mins but the roads were getting ropey, I was back at base and kid’s activity was due to finish up so i called a halt a few minutes short of the hour. Happy with the even splits.

Wed, Feb 7th
Woke up with a sore throat - that’s what getting soaked to the knickers 2 evenings in a row does. Kid’s birthday anyhow so took a rest day. Hate loads of cake instead

Thurs, Feb 8th
Total: 5.3km (39:32)
Avg Pace: 7:28 min/km
Splits: 7:33, 7:29, 7:24, 6:55, 7:41, 8:12 (.3)
Avg HR: 158 bpm
Comments: I’ve a nasty head cold but a nice evening for a change so I headed out anyhow to do a very easy paced short run.

Friday, Feb 9th
S&C

Sat, Feb 10th
Total: 8km (6x2min off 1 min rec)
Avg Pace: 5:23 min/km
Interval Splits: 4:50, 4:44, 4:54, 4:56, 5:00, 4:42
Avg HR: 167 bpm
Comments: Had a short window of opportunity before a busy day with my son’s birthday party so i set up a 40 min session and off i went for this. The aim was 4:55-5:15 min/km pace so 3 of these were too fast, i’ll get it right eventually! But in the meantime surely it’s better that they’re too fast than if i couldn’t hit the pace?

Sunday, Feb 11th
Total: 16.4km (1:41:31)
Avg Pace: 6:11 min/km
Splits: 6:41, 6:25, 6:17, 6:19, 6:23, 6:20, 6:11, 6:13, 6:12, 6:17, 6:05, 6:01, 6:09, 5:56, 6:00, 5:48, 5:31 (.4)
Avg HR: 150 bpm
Comments: More snow Despite the weather this was one of those runs that just felt great from the off, comfortable pace and no trouble picking up the pace a little at the end for my first attempt at a fast finish long run. I went off road for this to my closest parkrun and did 3.5 laps, a bit monotonous but at least i felt safe as the roads were deadly, and it was a novelty being able to plug in headphones without worrying about traffic. There was a blizzard for about 4 km that started off nice with falling snow flakes but got tough as the snow started to feel more like hail but otherwise a near perfect run. Nice run to finish the week.

Comments: 44km. Not bad for a week spent losing a battle with a head cold and with the weather being completely sh*t. Kept the mid week runs shorter than normal but i got 5 runs done instead of the usual 4. I guess i’m a bit inconsistent in some ways but just trying to keep the training as balanced and consistent as i can while working around real life.

skyblue46

That's a good week in the circumstances and a couple of nice sessions too. Well done.

ariana`

skyblue46 wrote: »

That's a good week in the circumstances and a couple of nice sessions too. Well done.

Thanks S. Despite not following a plan i'm reasonably happy with the last 6-7 weeks running. I've a couple of races in March which i guess will tell whether I'm fooling myself or not :eek:

skyblue46

ariana` wrote: »

Thanks S. Despite not following a plan i'm reasonably happy with the last 6-7 weeks running. I've a couple of races in March which i guess will tell whether I'm fooling myself or not :eek:

Is the half your first one? When and where is that on?

ariana`

skyblue46 wrote: »

Is the half your first one? When and where is that on?

My 2nd but my other one was Oct 2016 so it almost doesn't count. I'm doing Rock & Road (Kinvara) on March 3rd.

Huzzah!

ariana` wrote: »

Sat, Feb 10th
Total: 8km (6x2min off 1 min rec)
Avg Pace: 5:23 min/km
Interval Splits: 4:50, 4:44, 4:54, 4:56, 5:00, 4:42
Avg HR: 167 bpm
Comments: Had a short window of opportunity before a busy day with my son’s birthday party so i set up a 40 min session and off i went for this. The aim was 4:55-5:15 min/km pace so 3 of these were too fast, i’ll get it right eventually! But in the meantime surely it’s better that they’re too fast than if i couldn’t hit the pace?

I guess it depends on the purpose of the intervals to know if running them too fast is of any benefit or not. For me, running my tempos at an incorrect pace is pointless. Not sure about these intervals, though. Perhaps someone with more experience can advise. I'd imagine the fact that the last split is your quickest is a good sign.

ariana` wrote: »

Comments: 44km. Not bad for a week spent losing a battle with a head cold and with the weather being completely sh*t. Kept the mid week runs shorter than normal but i got 5 runs done instead of the usual 4. I guess i’m a bit inconsistent in some ways but just trying to keep the training as balanced and consistent as i can while working around real life.

I think you're more consistent than you give yourself credit for

skyblue46

ariana` wrote: »

My 2nd but my other one was Oct 2016 so it almost doesn't count. I'm doing Rock & Road (Kinvara) on March 3rd.

Ah nice spot for a race particularly if the weather is ok. It's the first of the couple of races you have planned? What's the other one(s)?

skyblue46

Huzzah! wrote: »

I guess it depends on the purpose of the intervals to know if running them too fast is of any benefit or not. For me, running my tempos at an incorrect pace is pointless. Not sure about these intervals, though. Perhaps someone with more experience can advise. I'd imagine the fact that the last split is your quickest is a good sign.

I'm not 100% certain but I think I was told that the maximum benefits are if you stay in the range. Going faster doesn't accrue much extra training benefit but increases tiredness and risk of injury. So yes whether it's tempos or intervals you're probably doing the right thing by staying at the correct pace.

Baby75

I think that is a great weeks training given the weather you are keeping the easy, easy and that was a nice session you got done

i’ll get it right eventually! But in the meantime surely it’s better that they’re too fast than if i couldn’t hit the pace?

That is a good question, I wonder about that my self, I found the same when doing a few sessions before my 5km and I recovered quickly as well. I can pace a tempo run fine I find it harder to do the interval, but then I was working off an old 5km time and by my new PB my paces for interval match my 5km effort using McMillan calculator for training paces.

what pace calculator are you working off

ariana`

Huzzah! wrote: »

I think you're more consistent than you give yourself credit for

Thank you Huzzah.

skyblue46 wrote: »

Ah nice spot for a race particularly if the weather is ok. It's the first of the couple of races you have planned? What's the other one(s)?

Craughwell 10m on March 25th is the other race.

skyblue46 wrote: »

I'm not 100% certain but I think I was told that the maximum benefits are if you stay in the range. Going faster doesn't accrue much extra training benefit but increases tiredness and risk of injury. So yes whether it's tempos or intervals you're probably doing the right thing by staying at the correct pace.

Yeah that is pretty much what i understand as well. No gain really but increased injury and fatigue risk. I will keep trying to get them in the right zone

Baby75 wrote: »

I think that is a great weeks training given the weather you are keeping the easy, easy and that was a nice session you got done


That is a good question, I wonder about that my self, I found the same when doing a few sessions before my 5km and I recovered quickly as well. I can pace a tempo run fine I find it harder to do the interval, but then I was working off an old 5km time and by my new PB my paces for interval match my 5km effort using McMillan calculator for training paces.

what pace calculator are you working off

The plan for these was 5-10km pace so i didn't use a calculator just the average pace from my 5 & 10k PBs.

Baby75

I think you may have been bang on for your 5km interval paces maybe a second or two faster so that is maybe why you found them very doable and recovered well in between each one.

4.47 interval based on your 5km PB

ariana`

Baby75 wrote: »

I think you may have been bang on for your 5km interval paces maybe a second or two faster so that is maybe why you found them very doable and recovered well in between each one.

4.47 interval based on your 5km PB

Oh where did you work that out from? I get so confused with all this pace stuff I used to think running was a simple sport :pac:

Baby75

ariana` wrote: »

Oh where did you work that out from? I get so confused with all this pace stuff I used to think running was a simple sport :pac:

So did I LOL
I bought an app for my phone I love working them out I think I am a bit of a freak LOL I will send it to you on WhatsApp

eyrie

That's a great week, nice going Particularly the long run, sounds like you're in great form now.
I've only had a couple of runs in the snow so far so the excitement/magic hasn't worn off, but I can see how it might stop being fun when you have a week of it plus a cold. Hope the head clears soon!

Swashbuckler

More important than the pace how did they feel ariana? Did you feel you had to really work for them or did you feel reasonably controlled? In other words were you flat out?

skyblue46

Swashbuckler wrote: »

More important than the pace how did they feel ariana? Did you feel you had to really work for them or did you feel reasonably controlled? In other words were you flat out?

Just a question on this that you might be able to help with. Do different sessions stress/ improve different things? I'm doing the graduates HM plan and I have found some sessions easier than others and some downright hard, you could call them flat out. Does that mean I should adjust paces so that all are of equal effort or just that some areas need more work than others?

Swashbuckler

skyblue46 wrote:

Just a question on this that you might be able to help with. Do different sessions stress/ improve different things? I'm doing the graduates HM plan and I have found some sessions easier than others and some downright hard, you could call them flat out. Does that mean I should adjust paces so that all are of equal effort or just that some areas need more work than others?

I'd be slow to comment on the specific plan as I've never seen it but absolutely in the last 14 weeks training I have done some sessions where the legs went before the lungs, other sessions were lungbusters, other sessions felt comfortably hard and so on. For example one session I had was 12mins at 7min/mile pace followed by 10mins at 6.50 followed by 8mins at 6.40. That session felt solid but not overly stressful. It was one of those sessions that works on my stamina. Another session was a whole bunch of 300m intervals at 5.25min/mile pace with 60s recovery. A real lungbuster. So yeah some sessions are for speed. Others are for strength and others are for stamina. Don't be worried if they feel different.

I guess the key thing is to try and get clued into what your target effort level is for any given session.
I've learned from experience that when I see those 300s at 5.25 pace in my weeks plan then the effort level in that session will be pretty high but other weeks I see the 12/10/8 for example, I know shouldn't feel too stressed and should feel like solid controlled running.
Hope that makes sense.

Swashbuckler

Just to add, for arianas session above I would expect a session like that should feel like almost 5k or 10k race effort but not completely balls to the wall flat out.

skyblue46

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Just to add, for arianas session above I would expect a session like that should feel like almost 5k or 10k race effort but not completely balls to the wall flat out.

Yeah I get you. My balls to the wall was on a 300s as well...it was the short (by my standard) recoveries that killed me. This week is 16 X 90 secs at threshold with 30 sec recoveries. I'm expecting it to be a bit tough towards the end! :pac:

skyblue46

Sorry for hijacking the thread E...:-)

Swashbuckler

skyblue46 wrote:

Yeah I get you. My balls to the wall was on a 300s as well...it was the short (by my standard) recoveries that killed me. This week is 16 X 90 secs at threshold with 30 sec recoveries. I'm expecting it to be a bit tough towards the end!

Same for me. 60s recovery made the 300m intervals relentless. Yep sounds like another tough session for you this week. Haha. But to be honest those sessions are my favorite part of running. I love them.

Kellygirl

Well done Ariana. That’s a brilliant week’s running especially in the weather.

ariana`

Swashbuckler wrote: »

More important than the pace how did they feel ariana? Did you feel you had to really work for them or did you feel reasonably controlled? In other words were you flat out?

Definitely not flat out, i aiming for hard but not flat out sprint, i was conscious of keeping my form as well (not that i have a clue of how good bad my form is at the best of times really but i suppose i was trying to stay relaxed). I was ready to go after the 1 min recovery each time and finished feeling like i'd worked hard but that i could have done 1-2 more.

Swashbuckler

ariana` wrote: »

Definitely not flat out, i aiming for hard but not flat out sprint, i was conscious of keeping my form as well (not that i have a clue of how good bad my form is at the best of times really but i suppose i was trying to stay relaxed). I was ready to go after the 1 min recovery each time and finished feeling like i'd worked hard but that i could have done 1-2 more.

Then definitely don't worry about overshooting the pace a little! Sounds like the effort is spot on. Sometimes we (myself especially) get too hung up on a number on a watch when in reality it's the effort level that matters.

ariana`

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Then definitely don't worry about overshooting the pace a little! Sounds like the effort is spot on. Sometimes we (myself especially) get too hung up on a number on a watch when in reality it's the effort level that matters.

Cool that's good to know, thanks

ariana`

Monday, Feb 12th
Total: 1hr gym S&C session - mostly body weight work - glute bridges, plank, lateral plank, lateral steps with band etc.

Tuesday, Feb 13th
Total: 14.05 km (1:30:07)
Avg Pace: 6:25 min/km
Splits: 6:22, 6:31, 6:44, 6:28, 6:40, 6:43, 6:49, 6:50. 6:38, 6:37, 6:25, 5:43, 5:34, 5:47
Avg HR: 151 bpm
Comments: Loved this run, felt so comfortable, chatting for most of it and it was actually dry and even a little bit bright at the start! I had to pick up the pace for the last 3km to get back on time to collect my son, this wasn’t part of the plan but to be honest i enjoyed pick up and it didn’t feel like a slog, and i was back just in time. Lovely run.

Wed, Feb 14th
Total: 5km (40:20) Recovery
Avg Pace: 8:04 min/km
Splits: 8:10, 8:24, 8:03, 7:31, 8:12
Avg HR: 160 bpm
Comments: Back to the rain, soaked to the skin, very very easy pace following 4 tough days. Physio earlier in the day today as well, he was pretty happy with me, yay!! I knew myself the niggles have been less and less recently, delighted.

Thurs, Feb 15th
Total: 1hr gym S&C session - mostly body weight work - glute bridges, plank, lateral plank, lateral steps with band etc.

Friday, Feb 16th
Total: 9.6 km (1:01:44)
Avg Pace: 6:26 min/km
Splits: 6:36, 6:20, 6:41, 6:22, 6:29, 6:38, 6:14, 6:01, 6:27, 6:31 (.6)
Avg HR: 159 bpm
Comments: Headed out on my own for this, i was late getting out so it was dark which meant i had to stick to the main road which is always extra busy on a Friday evening, no real joy in it from that perspective but the running felt fine, comfortable steady pace.

Sat, Feb 17th
REST

Sunday, Feb 18th
Total: 18.1 km (1:50:12)
Avg Pace: 6:05 min’/km
Splits: 6:45, 6:26, 6:02, 5:59, 6:10, 6:07, 6:03, 6:01, 6:09, 6:01, 5:53, 5:59, 6:03, 5:55, 5:59, 6:00, 6:08, 5:59, 5:32 (.1)
Avg HR: 152 bpm
Comments: Did this off road again and really enjoyed it, despite the constant rain. Faster than LSR pace should be i suppose but the route is dead flat and i just settled into a comfortable pace and didn’t bother looking at the watch. That’s my last LSR before HM so fingers crossed i’ve enough work done now. Having not followed a proper plan i’m really doubting myself now, i’ve probably been p*ssing into the wind the past 8 weeks and if that's the case it'll be a hard lesson.

Comments: 46.75km/29m. Nothing major really a bit of a meh week really - no session, only 3 good runs + 1 recovery :cool:

Swashbuckler

It's funny how people can have different perspectives. That week looked anything but meh to me. That strength and conditioning will truly stand to you in the long run and has taken serious discipline to keep it up so give yourself a pat on the back.

eyrie

Have to agree with Swashbuckler - doesn't like like a 'meh' week at all! It's all down to how it feels to you though of course But getting in solid mileage as well as all that strength training is brilliant. I think you're going great

Baby75

I think it looks like a great weeks training I think you have been very consistent getting out for your midweek runs and long one at the weekend we always doubt ourselves just before a race bit of the ol taper madness creeping in

have you a time in mind for the half