Well done Llani, superb time.
I think for pro's it is easier, particularly if you are a track runner, as you have an "off season" during the winter (unless you're doing indoors which would mean you'll have two smaller off-seasons.
For me an "easy" day will still include one or even two easy runs of a few miles, nice easy pace. Will only have a complete rest day if i absolutely feel i need it.
What i have found over the last 18 months is doing less races has helped, allowing me to train properly in between... when i'm racing two or three weekends a month, good quality training is a real problem as i'm either recovering, or taking it easy before the next race.
Today I kept the many dog walkers and dogless walkers in the Outwoods amused with my first hill reps session of the year (in recent weeks the rain has given me all the excuse I need to avoid doing reps). The times were:
2:35, 2:42, 2:45, 2:40, 2:44, 2:43.
Although I have previously said that a mean of 2:40 is par for a good session of these reps, I was pleased with these times, given my current lack of fitness, just coming out of Winter.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
Wildboar Fell, from Flass, to Sand Tarn to TP, to High White Scar, along The Band, and return via Cold Keld to Street. 8.36 miles, 1 hrs 54 mins, 1963 ft ascent.
Bright blue skies and a good dollop of snow still on the tops, and a steady, but not unpleasant, headwind on the way up. Sat on the tailgate of the car supping a coffee afterwards, out of the wind and soaking up the sun, with Rough Fell sheep, nibbling the grass around my feet. Heaven.
Am Yisrael Chai
Another 40 minute continuous 15% gradient run, another notch up on the pace, and my first failure to complete.
Could only manage 35 out of the 40 minutes running, and needed two brief periods of power walking which made up the lost 5 minutes.
At least i know i'm working right up to my limit now. Not sure i've ever sweat so much in a (UK) gym.
Next week.... we are about to start a new 10-12 week training phase at the club and not yet recieved the training plans, so unsure of this weeks sessions. No doubt next weekend will see a second attempt at today's hill session.
Next race is Midlands 12-Stage in a fortnight.... last few years i've made the first team (even for the National 12-Stage as well), but always felt it was by default due to lack of numbers, rather than on merit... this year, although a number of the fast lads are available, it'll be interesting to see if i can get in the first 12 on merit.
A slow paddle over Beacon Hill and Windmill Hill in the rain and the clag. For once I remembered to put on gloves (as well as a waterproof top); I have come back from some recent runs with rather cold hands.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
Club night and 3 x 2km (actually the rep is about 15-20secs longer than 2km)
4mins rest
Having been pulverised at the physio this afternoon i was quite sore, and given permission to only do two reps if necessary.
We are set off at handicaps so that we are chasing down the slower guys, and the faster guys come flying past me at some point. Which keeps things keen with people to chase.
My target for the reps was 7:20..... i thought 7:25 was a decent aim, so the target wasn't too ambitious.
7:30
7:37
Not sure what happened on the 2nd rep, it felt as good as the first one, and although a bit sore, i certainly couldn't make the excuse of being in pain.... although the guy who went off on the same handicap as me reckoned we went off a bit slower on the 2nd rep.
And admittedly its only 2 days since that brutal hill session... and they are currently my toughest sessions of the week.
I thought about trying to redress it by putting everything into a 3rd rep... however feeling a bit sore, and with a gruesome track session coming up on thursday, decided it would be more sensible to call it a night.
I used my new GPS watch tonight for the first time (after leaving my previous GPS watch on the roof of the car getting changed after the Cardingmill Canter and then driving off and losing it somewhere on the A49 or M54!)
10 miles for the session, plus 4 easy miles this morning.
Breached the subject with my coach of dropping down to one club session a week after the road relays, in order to do two hill sessions per week... this recieved a positive response, and i'll be starting that within the next month.
Last edited by Travs; 12-03-2024 at 10:43 PM.
Indeed...
I had one of those Garmin Fenix thingies worth £600.... luckily i'd paid "only" 250 for it second-hand.
Cost me £220 for a new one. Went for a Coros Pace 3, which looks to me to be the best in that price range. I looked at the cheaper Garmin watches but the build quality is so poor.