Today's Training

[Mike T]

Good luck in that track race Travs!

[Travs]

I had decided that today's run would be reps round the field near my home, even before last night when I read the chapter in The Race Against Time where Richard Askwith goes for a run on Dartmoor with Gavin and Jo Pavey, and Jo mentions the importance of speedwork. My route for these reps has traditionally included a trod that weaves among the trees on the lower side of the field; but the trod has been gradually getting more obstructed, and I have now given up on it completely; so today's route kept to the edge of the open field, as is 5-10 seconds faster.

This was only my sixth run since having more than three months off with injury. After the first three reps had times of 1:55, 1:59 and 2:03, I thought of throwing in the towel. But the fourth one was completed in 2:01, so I kept going, and the remaining four had times between 2:03 and 2:06. Getting back to racing fitness is taking a while.

Jo Pavey also mentions doing sets of ten 2-minute reps; but I imagine she covers rather more distance in her two minutes than I do.

I don't think there's a magic number or duration of reps which provide the best results.... its individual to the athlete and what you're training for.

In my current training group we rarely do more than 3 miles of effort in a session, perhaps 4 miles in winter. On the track we rarely do more than 8-12 reps of 400mtrs.

In my old group we were doing more like 5 miles of effort in a typical session, and up to 16 reps of 400mtrs on the track.

Which one is the best, who knows? I'm quicker now, but is that a result of the specific sessions? More likely the result of accumulated years of training? Or racing a bit less...? But then again it could be emphasis on harder continuous runs?

Anthony i was at Birmingham University last weekend to spectate at a track meeting, and i bumped into Colin Lancaster.... i'm sure you'll know the name, i think he was your era (and similar standard) on the Shropshire and Welsh fell races.... and he was an 800mtr runner of some repute as well.

Had a good chat with him, and he is heavily involved in coaching now.

[Travs]

Good luck in that track race Travs!

Thanks Mike....

10:17 (pb by 14 seconds)

km splits
3:20
3:30
3:27

The difference between now and a couple of years ago is not necessarily the speed.... i'm pretty sure i was running my opening km in around 3:20 before, if not a bit quicker.... but the fact that i'm stronger now and able to hold it together a bit better for the rest of the race.

I was under heavy pressure through the middle part of the race with a guy slipstreaming me for 4 or 5 laps, but once we hit 800 to go, that little bit of increase of pace and i was able to make my position safe (was approx 6th overall out of about 18, and 2nd B runner).

Also i need to bear in mind that i've not raced on track for two years, so work off a bit of rust and i could probably take at least 10 seconds off that.... unfortunately due to my other commitments i'll not get the chance to do so.

Although i'll likely do the next track league in about 4 or 5 weeks, and i think that one will be a 5km.... with my time today, surely i'm in with a shout of breaking 18mins.

75 miles for the week.

Next week i've got the Swirral Grind on friday evening, which is an uphill race from the Hodgson Brothers' playing field in Patterdale, up Birkhouse Moor, and finishing on Helvellyn via Swirral Edge. Hopefully i can get amongst it in both the v40 and the overall standings.

[Mike T]

Well done - always nice to get a pb.

[anthonykay]

I don't think there's a magic number or duration of reps which provide the best results.... its individual to the athlete and what you're training for.

In my current training group we rarely do more than 3 miles of effort in a session, perhaps 4 miles in winter. On the track we rarely do more than 8-12 reps of 400mtrs.

So my 8 times round a loop of just under 500m is well within that amount of effort. In my younger days I occasionally turned up to a Charnwood AC track session; when we were doing 400m reps, it was generally 12 of them, which was certainly enough for me.

Anthony i was at Birmingham University last weekend to spectate at a track meeting, and i bumped into Colin Lancaster.... i'm sure you'll know the name, i think he was your era (and similar standard) on the Shropshire and Welsh fell races.... and he was an 800mtr runner of some repute as well.

Had a good chat with him, and he is heavily involved in coaching now.

I recognise the name, but I didn't know Colin Lancaster.

[anthonykay]

Buck Hill and the Outwoods today. I don't know what conditions were like for those converging on Wasdale Head to say farewell to Joss, but here it was about 26C with the sun blazing down. 26C in the shade is fine when you are in the shade, but no more than a quarter of this route is in woodland.

I walked most of the way up Molly Webb's Hill and Buck Hill, partly because of the vegetation and partly due to lack of fitness. But then, power-walking is useful training for fell races; but not when it's slightly downhill, as on the brackeny path back to the Outwoods from Buck Hill. I do hope that Kev Shand has told Dan Taylor that part of the Turnslack RO's duties is clearing the bracken on the descent back to Calderbrook. Damn, now I've jinxed myself by mentioning a race that I'm intending to run on the Forum.