A solid start to the week... 10 miles 1300ft... skins weather again!
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A solid start to the week... 10 miles 1300ft... skins weather again!
15 x 2min hard efforts, with 90 seconds easy jog between. 8.5 miles. Hot work!
1km easy, 5km hard, 1km jog from my front door. Simple but effective.
3 x 5 minute efforts, 3 minute rest between.
5.5 miles of which approx 2.5 miles were hard effort.
Good to get out in the sun after a week of treadmill training in the garage.
Total for the week, a very solid 70 miles and 15,200ft.
Felt very strong in the legs on the occasions i went out on the roads. Although i do wonder if i'm going to be "up to speed" when the first parkrun comes round... been working hard in the rep sessions, but it's just not the same as club night...
10 mile zigzag run up the mighty Chevin and then a sprint session between lampposts on the way home.
"club night" and a session sent through the airwaves by our coach...
1 min, 2, 3, 4, 5.... all off 1 minute easy.
Found it much tougher than doing the same session in reverse (5,4,3,2,1) a couple of weeks ago. i found with the 5 minute start that you hold a little back and then speed up as the reps get shorter. But starting at 1 minute, you go off hard and then have to maintain it.
6 miles. Coupled with a 6 mile "tempo" run this morning, a decent haul for the day.
Celebrated my birthday by flogging myself within an inch of my life on the treadmill...
4 x 1 mile with 2 minute easy in between.
Must've been working hard as a near neighbour poked their head in to see what all the noise was about... apparently sounded like i was in a bit of pain!
8 miles of which 4 were sustained hard effort.
Progressive 12 mile run this morning. Started off at what felt around 8:30/mile for the first couple... gradually increasing the pace... for the final 2 or 3 miles it felt pretty fast (for me), not a million miles off 5km pace...
Apologies for intruding into your personal thread Travs,;), but what do you think about all this virtual stuff going on at the moment?
My club and many others are doing virtual races, 5k's, Miles, Relays etc.
Each to their own but I think it is virtual, and real, bollocks!
PS. Well done for keeping this thread going as I enjoy reading about your exploits.
Personally the virtual stuff doesn't interest me one iota... not least because i don't use Strava or a gps watch, so i can't get properly involved even if i wanted to.
I think there was some kind of race/event linked to the National Road Relays, where 12 runners from the club submit a 5km time... our club went in for that, but there may have been technical issues.
On the other hand, i do appreciate the ability to maintain contact with my club/group... we have a Whatsapp group for sharing training/race info, and our coach is using that to issue training sessions once or twice a week... of course there is no obligation to do the sessions, but it's nice to retain some structure to the week, and feel part of the group.
We have another guy posting live circuit training sessions from his garden/kitchen on a monday evening, and various club "challenges" each week... planks, wall sits, skipping etc...
None of which interest me, but i guess some people find the motivation helps them to keep going...
What does rile me is "friends" on facebook tagging me in absolute bollocks challenges... i.e "run 5km or donate to the NHS..." sorry mate, i'm already running enough, and please don't tell me how to spend/donate my hard-earned money!
Another strong week... 75 miles, 14650ft with two decent rep sessions.
With the bookies predicting that i'll be furloughed later this week, hopefully going to get a few more weeks of good mileage.
Also hoping to use the next few weeks as an opportunity to try and knock a kg or two off...
Club session tonight... 5 x 1 min, 3 x 3mins, 5 x 1min, all off 1 minute rest/jog.
8.5 miles, of which approx 3.5 were hard effort (my final minute rep was a lot longer as i just kept going until empty!).
I think the official guidance from UK/EA to clubs is that runners should not be pushing themselves to maximum, thus potentially reducing their immune system. I expect that has filtered down to the coaches, hence my past few sessions looking a little light.
Obviously any session is tough if you work hard enough, but our usual club sessions would typically include more like 4 miles of hard effort, and they have been distinctly lower than that since the lockdown.
A steady 7.5 mile run this morning, and a progressive 8 mile tempo run this evening.
Ran my local parkrun course in a very disappointing 20:21
Ok I had to do a lot of weaving off the course to stay away from others. And I've been training twice a day since the lockdown, so not exactly fresh, but still way off where I should be.
Admittedly did go off a little hard, and it told on the final lap when I lost a stack of time.
Just have to write it off as a bad day, dust myself down, work hard, and try again in a couple of weeks!
Bit the bullet and did 200/400/600/800/600/400/200 on the playing fields across the road... horrible I’d have rather run 25 miles but I know it’s good for me so onwards and upwards :)
Great stuff... we do similar pyramid track sessions... but perhaps 4 x 200m and 2 x 400m at each end... can confirm they hurt like hell!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Daletownrunner
Very steady 11 miles flat today.
24hrs on from my poor outing yesterday, i'm feeling a little more philosophical... perhaps my body needs time to get used to regular 70 mile weeks, and just going out and doing a 5km attempt without any prior thought or preparation, i was never going to break a pb on tired legs... still doesn't hide the fact that it wasn't a good run though!
Another couple of weeks and I’ll start to add to it hopefully, just wish I could be as comfortable as when putting a stride in at the end of a long run, hopefully it’ll come with time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Another solid week numbers-wise... 73.5 miles/12,300ft...
Minor disappointment with the poor "parkrun" effort. Hopefully will see a longer-term benefit with some good strength to take into the rest of the year, whenever that may be.
Furloughed now so at least another three weeks of good mileage all being well.
a rare run as Mrs WP was back in work.
3.6 miles, 660ft, 37 minutes
Off up Gib Lane towards Tockholes, then down Broken Stone Rd before up Stockclough Rd and cross country to the Rock Inn where I was meeting her as she walked back from her work.
Started at 370ft and finished at 740ft so pretty pleased to be almost 10 minute miling.
Waited for the rain and very quiet, so a good move, although just a light shower on the gravel cycle tracks around Witton made it feel quite slippy with the sap off the trees probably to blame.
Heavy legged, so a faster than expected 3.13 miles, 27:05 run down to Witton and back.
39 days on the bounce now and even though most has been walking, I fell like I need a couple of days off at some point, but I'm loathe to do it :D
Club night.... 1min, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....
Varying rest periods which i didn't even attempt to memorise, so kept it at a minute's rest throughout.
8 miles.
Another Witton run. Went just after rain had stopped today. Still quiet. Stuck mostly to the grass which was nice underfoot with just a little give for a change.
I felt stiff as a board and a touch of sciatica down my right leg. 40 days now. I will at some point put some rest or very easy days in and then see if I can pick it up a little.
4.25 miles, 38 mins.
Another flatish 6.5km road run 5km of which were pretty much full gas. My knees will be glad when this is all over and we can return to hills and mud.
6 x 1 mile tempo efforts. With rest periods, warm up/down, a reasonable quality 9.5 miles.
5.30 miles, 68 minutes, 1150ft
First run up Billinge Woods for a fair while. I had my first proper day off for 40 days yesterday and felt OK today. My aching feet were certainly in better order.
Steady away, but on the first downhill got a sharp pain in the right hip. I get a bit of sciatica in there at times, but this was different and had me worried initially. Stopped for a couple of minutes, stretched and walked around. Decided to cart on and walked it off. Steady from them on, especially down hill.
Might stick to flat or bike this weekend.
A steady 13 miles through the grim landscape of the Coventry Canal, then back north out of the city on one of the main arterial roads.
Bought about a total of 83 miles and 15,000ft for the week... my 3rd biggest week ever, and my highest ever week whilst training solely from home base (my two bigger weeks were in Skye and the Lakes respectively).
Should certainly hit another reasonable total next week, but will be dropping it down for a couple of days after tuesday's session, with a view to another "parkrun" attempt on friday or saturday, hopefully on slightly fresher legs than my previous attempt.
83 miles cracking mileage :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Admittedly that's a combination of road and treadmill.
Finding the increased mileage sustainable as long as I stick to my regulation two hard sessions a week. At least another fortnight of furlough so hope to keep it up a while longer...
popped in a 30 minute exercise bike this morning before my walk this afternoon.
As it was supposed to be the commencement of the track season this week, our club session this week was strongly biased towards that...
6 x 1min HARD efforts, with 3 minutes rest period.
As it was a short and sharp one, i did it on treadmill last night, then repeated it on a road hill (3 up 3 down) tonight.
Tough on both nights. On the treadmill really pushing the leg speed hard, and just have to knock the minute out or fall off... and on the road, running the efforts hard as possible for the first uphill/downhill rep, then beating your marker on the subsequent efforts.
I did find a point tonight on the downhill reps where i felt i could not accelerate any faster as i simply don't have the required leg speed/turnover... (it was a moderate slope, perhaps 7 or 8% max gradient).... i've barely ever managed to reach that point on a fell race as simply don't have the nerve to push the speed that hard on the fell.
First run since hip problem last Friday, although I've walked every day clocking up 33 miles.
Just to the Post Office and then a few loops on the grass of Fenniscliffe playing fields before heading home.
3 miles, 26:46 and felt OK ish.
Back out again early. Got something on today.
What a lovely morning for a grass run around Witton and back across Feniscliffe.
3.14 mile, 26:49
Can feel the hip still, but likely to be 3 days of walking now as the wife is off until Monday.
Ran the local parkrun course again this morning. Experimented with starting slower and trying to run very relaxed and consistently throughout.
Ran the first small lap (perhaps just over a km) 20 seconds slower than last time, and finished up 16 seconds quicker overall.
20:12..... still disappointing. Perhaps it's the increased mileage... i have took it easy the past 48hrs but still did 2 hard sessions at start of week, and 10 easy miles yesterday... or perhaps the lack of competition running a solo time-trial... but i'm struggling to find the difference between last summer when i was pushing 18:30 and what i'm doing now.
Will have another attempt this time next week, trying to push it a bit harder than today, in what may be my final week of furlough.
Proud of the wife today. Previously 2 x 3 mile runs in January.
Today 6.9 miles, 84 minutes, 750ft around the Beamers Trail as a run/walk.
Another solid week numbers wise... 67.5 miles, 15,750ft
Debating having either a) a week of only easy running, b) all easy apart from one club session, or c) all easy apart from one parkrun effort...
Just to mix things up. Although this evenings announcement throws a few other possibilities into the mix too...!
I'm massively surprised on your mileage you are only hitting 20.12 for 5k. I would have thought if you've upped your mileage you might be overly fatigued/over trained and need a block of recovery. But that's just my tuppence, you know your bodyQuote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Thanks Matthew...
Well my pb is 18:34, so I'm inclined to agree with you totally.
I do have to say that my Parkrun course is a tough one. Plenty of twists and turns, 7 turns which are almost hairpins, and two hills which by road standards really do slow you down.
However I got my 18:34 on this course last July so not making excuses.
Im also working on a theory that my two recent attempts have "failed" due to not warming up sufficiently... I usually run down to my Parkrun, about two miles, but last couple of weeks I've drove down and just done a few strides before starting.
I do think the lack of competition is also a big thing.
Lot to be said for a good warm up. When I used to do park run, this was something I incorporated into my Saturday morning. Used to do at least 15-20 minutes gradual build up - enough to make you out of breath and break into a sweat without dipping into the reserves too much. I contributed this to my finally breaking 20 minutes - a barrier I had been at for too long. Got down to 19:10 in the end - Not been for a while but I think I'd be glad to be sub-21 these days!
The competition element is definitely a big thing too - you know the people who run at the same pace or slightly quicker and that gives you a good "hare" to chase down.
I went cross-city to run one of the regular club routes. A 6.5 mile run with a 2.1 mile time-trial in the middle.
Managed the 2.1 mile effort in 12:42, which is only half a second off my pb, and is around 6:03/mile (or around 18:50/5km) pace. So i'm no closer to solving the mystery of my parkrun struggles, as the legs are still obviously there.
Suspecting it's a combination of insufficient warmup, and lack of competition.
Caused some concern to a dog-walker today who coincidentally happened to be right near to the "finish line" of my effort... as i threw myself over the line and was bent double in a groaning heap of sweat, he was pretty shocked and asked if i needed help... managed to gasp out that no i was fine and was actually having fun...