Advice on recovery or easy run?

Sub430

Hi there,

I am following an adapted version of this plan for my half marathon training. Looking to do it in under 1hr40 (7:38 m/m).

10k pace is 7:19m/m, haven't done a 5k yet.

At the moment, my schedule is:

Mon - recovery run : 9:30m/m
Tues - intervals
Wednesday - easy (8:30m/m) or recovery (9:30 m/m)??
Thursday - tempo
Fri - rest
Sat - easy (8:30m/m)
Sunday - LSR (9:00 m/m)

The paces above are within -+10sec.

The Wednesday run is the one I need advice on, did it this morning at an easy pace but felt like I was plodding along, should I slow this down to recovery pace as it is sandwiched between two hard sessions or is 2 recovery runs per week too many?

Cheers for all advice.

ecoli

Sub430 wrote: »

Hi there,

I am following an adapted version of this plan for my half marathon training. Looking to do it in under 1hr40 (7:38 m/m).

10k pace is 7:19m/m, haven't done a 5k yet.

At the moment, my schedule is:

Mon - recovery run : 9:30m/m
Tues - intervals
Wednesday - easy (8:30m/m) or recovery (9:30 m/m)??
Thursday - tempo
Fri - rest
Sat - easy (8:30m/m)
Sunday - LSR (9:00 m/m)

The paces above are within -+10sec.

The Wednesday run is the one I need advice on, did it this morning at an easy pace but felt like I was plodding along, should I slow this down to recovery pace as it is sandwiched between two hard sessions or is 2 recovery runs per week too many?

Cheers for all advice.

Is this the first week you have done this? my advice is to always judge these things over the course of 2/3 weeks because anyone can have a good/bad week which doesnt reflect accurately. Also I would be of the run as you feel philosophy provided you dont go crazy on days you feel good.
If it persists however you have two options

1) aerobic development from easy runs is not a precise number but a range of about 30 secs so go to the upper end of the scale if you finding it tough your easy run pace on quick look seems to range from 8.30-9.00 which does not mean you get maximum benefit from being the bottom end of the scale. Both will yield same benefits roughly more importan to clock the miles rather than get too hung up on the paces. I myself dont check pace of my runs until after i have them completed.

2)is there any reason why you cant change your rest day from fri to thurs? Tempo's are less taxing on your body than intervals meaning that your easy run will be okay on Sat and you are ready to go for your LSR on Sundays.

Hope this helps

Sub430

ecoli wrote: »

1) aerobic development from easy runs is not a precise number but a range of about 30 secs so go to the upper end of the scale if you finding it tough your easy run pace on quick look seems to range from 8.30-9.00 which does not mean you get maximum benefit from being the bottom end of the scale. Both will yield same benefits roughly more importan to clock the miles rather than get too hung up on the paces. I myself dont check pace of my runs until after i have them completed.

2)is there any reason why you cant change your rest day from fri to thurs? Tempo's are less taxing on your body than intervals meaning that your easy run will be okay on Sat and you are ready to go for your LSR on Sundays.

Hope this helps

Thanks ecoli, I always wondered about that, just presumed that running at the quicker end of the range would be better, I'll just slow down on the easy runs and see what happens.
It's the second week of the plan by the way.

The plan is completely adaptable so you're saying.

Thurs - rest
Fri - tempo
Sat - easy
Sun - long

tergat

Sub430 wrote: »

Hi there,

I am following an adapted version of this plan for my half marathon training. Looking to do it in under 1hr40 (7:38 m/m).

10k pace is 7:19m/m, haven't done a 5k yet.

At the moment, my schedule is:

Mon - recovery run : 9:30m/m
Tues - intervals
Wednesday - easy (8:30m/m) or recovery (9:30 m/m)??
Thursday - tempo
Fri - rest
Sat - easy (8:30m/m)
Sunday - LSR (9:00 m/m)

The paces above are within -+10sec.

The Wednesday run is the one I need advice on, did it this morning at an easy pace but felt like I was plodding along, should I slow this down to recovery pace as it is sandwiched between two hard sessions or is 2 recovery runs per week too many?

Cheers for all advice.

sub430,

In my opinion the day after a workout/tempo/long run people should run very easy 20-60 mins depending on ability and on grass. Overal, use common sense. If your running is comfortable and somewhat slow, but not too slow, then it is probably recovery training and beneficial.

Running very slowly is ok in certain circumstances. When you are recovering from a hard workout, it is an excellent choice. Not only does slow running facilitate recovery by moving out damaged tissue and supplying nutrients for repair, it keeps the capillaries open and the mitochondria of slow twitch fibers stimulated.

You can only race aswell as you recover.

Tergat

Sub430

tergat wrote: »

sub430,

In my opinion the day after a workout/tempo/long run people should run very easy 20-60 mins depending on ability and on grass. Overal, use common sense. If your running is comfortable and somewhat slow, but not too slow, then it is probably recovery training and beneficial.

Running very slowly is ok in certain circumstances. When you are recovering from a hard workout, it is an excellent choice. Not only does slow running facilitate recovery by moving out damaged tissue and supplying nutrients for repair, it keeps the capillaries open and the mitochondria of slow twitch fibers stimulated.

You can only race aswell as you recover.

Tergat

Thanks Tergat, sorry for being slow (pun intended :pac:)

You say run very easy after workout/tempo/long run but running very slowly after a hard workout is ok.

Is very easy and very slowly the same thing?

tergat

Sub430 wrote: »

Thanks Tergat, sorry for being slow (pun intended :pac:)

You say run very easy after workout/tempo/long run but running very slowly after a hard workout is ok.

Is very easy and very slowly the same thing?

Sub430,

Sorry bad use of wording there. Yes both mean same thing. The day after a hard workout/tempo/long run you should just run as slow as you like as it is just RECOVERY and you are not trying to achieve any fitness gains.

Tergat

Sub430

Understood, sound advice as always.
Just going to run these without the watch.
Thanks again.