If... the Unforgiving Minute

Cleanman

Nice 800 DL. Good to see you back in good form.

dna_leri

I had planned an easy run with strides for Thursday after the mile race but I felt up to something more strenuous so I went back to the Magness plan which had another one of his handy sessions: "Alternation: 4 laps of 200m (1mi)/200m (steady), 3 min rest 1x200m alternating 50m fast/50m cruise".
The 4x200m at mile pace were easy enough in under 35s, the first one a bit quick in 32s; the steady 200s took around 50s.
After the 3 mins rest, the alternating 50s were a good stretch out. I then wondered if I had misread the plan and was there supposed to be some more of these, so after another 3 mins I repeated the 50m alternations.
Even on the cool down my legs felt good. I think the work I did in building a better base earlier this year is paying off.
While I don't think it has made me faster, I do seem to be able to do more workouts in the week. It's either that or the EPO.

Saturday was another easy 10 miles - often the only run of the week where I am not on my own.
With a few faster lads joining us this week, the pace was up a little.

Sunday I planned 3x3x300 w/ 90sec rest and 4min rest (between sets) at 800m (total 2.7K at pace).
This was obviously a progression from the 3x4x200m (total 2.4K) that I did 2 weeks previously in 31s (incidentally bang on my actual race pace in Galway) but this was an extra 300m at the same target pace so I was not confident starting out and probably had myself beaten before I tried.
I did these on the tight 330m track I often use on Sundays when my usual one is often closed.
I did not let the kids on skateboards or the thunder storms that sent them for cover put me off - I just stored them up as excuses!
The first set went better than I expected in average 45.5s.
I started to suffer in the second set, dropping the average to 47.5s.
I kept the recoveries to plan and decided to quit if I could not keep the times under 48s.
The 7th rep was just under 49s so I left it at that but still feeling ok at the effort, if a little less confident than at the start of the week.

Not sure where my next race will be. I am busy at work next week so can't make it to the Dublin Graded Meet on Wednesday and probably not to the Galway Co Champs on Thursday. I had hoped to run a graded 800m at the Morton Games on Friday but they were oversubscribed and limited to 55 athletes so went with the fastest SBs and I did not make the cut. I am looking at the possibility of running in Tullamore the following week.

dna_leri

I have been off the radar here for a few weeks, mostly due to other priorities. I have had a few minor injuries but managed to train through them.

On Sunday my focal event for the year was on - the National Masters Track and Field. I entered for both the 400 & 800m in my M45 category. The scheduled time between them was 2 hours but I knew I would not be able to be at my best for both. I would need to be close to an SB, if I was to win. The last two years, I won the 800. In the past I won the 100 & 200m M40 category so I decided to aim for the 400 this year, even though most of my focus had been 800 until the final weeks. I have only raced one 800 (2:04) and one 400 (56.7) this year so far.

I arrived in time to see the 800 where my two closest rivals from the past few years went shoulder to shoulder in a thrilling finish, the order of which they reversed in the 1500m. In the warm-up I met Sacksian (who ran some good times in competitive races) and we discussed tactics for 400m -"get out strong, relax and finish strong" was my advice. Somewhere along the way I thought I recognised RayCun in the Bros Pearse vest too.

The weather conditions were awful, with events delayed by 30 mins for a thunderstorm. There was another shower as we lined up for my race. I drew lane 5, with 2 guys and an empty lane outside me. In lane 2 or 3 was a guy from Rathfarnham that I expected to do well - I think he won the M40 400m last year. Most of the others I did not know. From the gun, I got out hard and by the start of the back straight I had passed the two guys outside me.

I got to the end of the straight and realised that I had been pushing it too hard. I was not tiring but I had not followed my own advice (do as I say not as I do). I tried to relax around the bend, save something for the finish. "You are an 800m runner, you have speed endurance" I told myself. I lied.

The wind hit me as I came into the straight. I say wind but a light breeze would have been enough to get me at that stage. With 50m to go I was struggling. I kept waiting to see the Rathfarnham green shirt on my inside but no sign. With 20m to go, I was swimming. 10m - I was swimming in treacle but still leading. Only in the last few meters did someone appear in my peripheral vision. By then I had won but it was not pretty. Afterwards I estimated my time at 56.5s - almost exactly correct 56.48 - good enough to win by 0.4s

I hope to get to race another 800m before the season is out and then I will consider my plans for next year. While I enjoy racing on the track, I find it very difficult to get enough competition to be at my best.

Sacksian

Well done, DNA. Your 400 win was very impressive!

I heard someone beside me clock you at 25 something for 200 - not sure how accurate that is but you would have had a tailwind and you were really flying (there were audible gasps in the stands!). I think you were so far ahead going into the home straight that it never really looked like you were going to lose it, and if the Rathfarnham guy (who I’m fairly sure is a 400m specialist) had been closer earlier, it might actually have helped to push you a bit more, given the conditions on the track and the headwind in the home straight! Either way, it was a great finish to watch and brilliant to be on the right side of it.

My debut 400 was interesting! Honestly, I did try to follow your advice, but I didn’t have a clue what to do with the blocks, what to do with my arms once I got out or what 400m pace actually is - all very disconcerting - and, by the time the first 100 was over, I’d forgotten everything you told me after “get out strong”. Very happy to have done it nonetheless.

As for the 800m, frustrating to run my slowest time of the season when it mattered, just got injured at the wrong time of the season so went into it short of fitness and strength.

If you're looking for an 800, there's a graded in Santry next Wednesday.

Best of luck with what's left of the season and your training over winter!

dna_leri

Sacksian wrote: »

Well done, DNA. Your 400 win was very impressive!

I heard someone beside me clock you at 25 something for 200 - not sure how accurate that is but you would have had a tailwind and you were really flying (there were audible gasps in the stands!). I think you were so far ahead going into the home straight that it never really looked like you were going to lose it, and if the Rathfarnham guy (who I’m fairly sure is a 400m specialist) had been closer earlier, it might actually have helped to push you a bit more, given the conditions on the track and the headwind in the home straight! Either way, it was a great finish to watch and brilliant to be on the right side of it.

My debut 400 was interesting! Honestly, I did try to follow your advice, but I didn’t have a clue what to do with the blocks, what to do with my arms once I got out or what 400m pace actually is - all very disconcerting - and, by the time the first 100 was over, I’d forgotten everything you told me after “get out strong”. Very happy to have done it nonetheless.

As for the 800m, frustrating to run my slowest time of the season when it mattered, just got injured at the wrong time of the season so went into it short of fitness and strength.

If you're looking for an 800, there's a graded in Santry next Wednesday.

Best of luck with what's left of the season and your training over winter!

Sacksian - thanks for saying hello and the positive feedback. I'd like to say my tactics worked but there was luck involved.

If you get to do the blocks again, a simple guideline for spacing them is here:
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/sprints/blockset.htm

We both did well on the Athletics Ireland write-up:
http://www.athleticsireland.ie/news/master-champs-ends-2014-glohealth-track-and-field-season/

I think you were unlucky not to place in one of your races with very decent times that could have been good enough other years. I'd say the racing experience will stand to you in future events.

I hope to make it to the graded meet next week, thanks for pointing out that it's in Santry, I had not heard about the change of venue.

Sacksian

That's very funny about the AI site!

I'm delighted that they picked out your race as a highlight. Sitting in the stands watching it, you could sense that everyone was into it (they usually aren't for most races!) and, obviously, once it got into the final 5-10m, it was very exciting.

dna_leri

I decided to end my track season with the last of the Dublin Graded Meets in Santry this week. I signed up for the Grade B 800. I have only raced one 800m outdoors this year in 2:04.72. I hoped to break that SB (and outdoor PB) but I did not feel very confident. Since the masters in Tullamore, I have taken it pretty easy with just a few easy runs and plenty of beer.

I warmed up with a few laps of Ikea but got to Santry in enough time for a good warmup. The evening was almost perfect for running - cool, calm and dry. The turnout was the lowest I have ever seen for a Graded Meet. Obviously most people have already finished their season. A few of the earlier races were run off quickly with some combined grades but they still kept to the timetable.

There were two races in the men's 800m grade B, I was in the first heat in lane 8. I knew none of my six competitors but most of them looked about 16/17. Usually grade B in won in just over 2 mins. I got out well over the first 100m and found myself ahead going down the back straight as we broke from the lanes. I eased towards lane 2 and let a guy in yellow take the lead into the bend. I heard a split time of around 29s.

At 400m, I was in 2nd or 3rd. I felt we had slowed a bit so was surprised to see the clock turn 1:01 as I went through fairly comfortably. There were a few early moves around the bend and down the back straight but I did not panic. With 200 to go I upped the effort and caught a guy slowing on the bend. There was another guy on my shoulder so I could not pass easily but a space opened on the inside and I slipped through.

Down the final straight I was in 4th with 2nd and 3rd in striking distance and another on my shoulder. I kicked and closed the gap but did not catch anyone. I got a hand-timed 2:06.1 which I was a bit disappointed with. I could not immediately see where the few extra secs had escaped to. My 2:02 PB was set off 3x30s followed by a 32s so I was not far off that pace at halfway. I must have slowed down the back straight, maybe I should have chased the early breaks. I probably also lost a little on the final bend waiting for the gap to get past. Them's the small margins in 800m racing.

The second heat of the grade B seemed to be faster and less tactical which might have suited me better. Well done to Sacksian who ran a smart race there and probably a PB with what looked like even splits. Should be setup for a genuine attack on sub 2 mins next year.

I consoled myself knowing that 2:06 would have put me in the mix for the masters 800m if I had not chosen the 400 instead. Overall an average finish to an average season where I did not really race enough. I will keep this log open but as usual I will be a bit inconsistent so apologies in advance. I have not finalised all my plans yet but I will probably race indoors during the winter. This year I partially followed a training plan from Steve Magness's book "Science of Running" and am looking to take it from the beginning this time. I will start with base building over the next few weeks. One of the features of Magness's plan is staying in touch with speed throughout the cycle so hills sprints, strides and flat sprints are included right from the beginning - sounds good.

Sacksian

Well done! I actually thought that you nicked third - you were definitely finishing much stronger than the others, so maybe race fitness was better than you thought? You would have had 2nd in an 810m race!

I don’t know how you felt about your second 200m, but I’m definitely starting to think that conscious deceleration in the 2nd 200m (to let someone else take it out) can sometimes lose you a bit of time and make the 3rd 200m into more of a subsequent acceleration (rather than maintenance) so it feels a bit harder. Probably depends on how fit you're feeling and if you're going for a time or place...

Afterwards, I wasn’t sure how smart my race was! I thought I might have been able to eke out another few milliseconds if I had committed to the front two earlier but the time was another .9 or so off my PB anyway, so no real complaints. And, if I can stay relatively uninjured between now and next summer and get a little stronger, I should go lower again.

My main concentration is going to be xc for the winter though. Found a plan similar to Magness that I’m going to try to implement, in and around races and club sessions.

Good luck with the training - might see you at some indoors!

Sacksian

Also, you're right about the pace in our heat - it was just a case of follow the leader! And I think you're always going to run a PB in those circumstances if you're in the shape to do so. IMC races, if you can get to them, are a good opportunity for that - hoping to do a few of them next year.

dna_leri

Sacksian wrote: »

I don’t know how you felt about your second 200m, but I’m definitely starting to think that conscious deceleration in the 2nd 200m (to let someone else take it out) can sometimes lose you a bit of time and make the 3rd 200m into more of a subsequent acceleration (rather than maintenance) so it feels a bit harder. Probably depends on how fit you're feeling and if you're going for a time or place...

I was happy with the split of the 2nd 200 at the time but you are right about the importance of not decelerating to maintain the momentum into the 3rd 200m. The best way of setting a PB is to have a pacemaker who keeps it constant over the first 5-600 and then hang on for the finish.

Indoors can be good for that as it splits the race neatly into 4 laps if you don't mind the tight turns. Maybe see you there.

dna_leri

Just to keep this log alive, I will give a short update of my recent running activities.

After my last race at the end of August, I went pretty much straight into base-build phase. I don't believe in taking time off if I am feeling well. I had been winding down a bit at the end of the season and the first few weeks were mostly easy running.

I worked back a schedule from when I expected the National Indoor Masters Champs to be at the end of January and I started an 800m plan from Steve Magness' Science of Running.
I got through almost the full 8 weeks of base build when I found out that the date had changed and my target race is pushed out by about 6 weeks to mid March.

Rather than continue on with the plan and maybe peak too early, I decided to go back and repeat some weeks of the base build. First I ran a 5K race on a decent course where I went sub 17 a few years ago. I ran well but did not get out aggressively enough. I ended up on my own from 2K and I felt I was coasting with the wind at my back. We then turned into the wind (and rain) and I lost more time, I finished a reasonable 5th and 1st O40 but only 17:17. 5K is a race that you need to do often to get a good measure of pacing and pain. I'll try to do another in November.

Since then I have been back on base building work. A feature of Magness' base is that it's not just a base of slow-easy running. During base phase, you keep in touch with speed and build the base across a range of paces. I'm not following the plan exactly as I juggle the days to suit my personal schedule but so far I have kept to the weekly plan.

For example last week consisted of:
Mon - Easy run
Tues - Easy +12x200m (3K pace)[200m jog rec]
Wed - Easy run
Thurs - Easy run +10x10s hill sprints
Fri - Recovery run
Sat - Long run 10mi
Sun - Progression run 8mi
Total distance - about 50 miles.

This week includes 6x60m flat sprints, Fartlek at 10K to 5K paces and Progression Run from MP down to 10K pace. Long run does not go above 12 miles and total distance peaks at about 60 miles.

Sacksian

dna_leri wrote: »

I worked back a schedule from when I expected the National Indoor Masters Champs to be at the end of January and I started an 800m plan from Steve Magness' Science of Running.

This is an opportune return! I'm looking to put together an actual 800/1500 plan for indoors, rather than randomly making it up as I go along or haphazardly doing club sessions this time, so I'm really interested in this - is this your first go at a Magness plan?

I like the look of this base phase for building up my mileage (and staying roughly 5k fit) while getting ready for indoors.

Any other alternatives to Magness that you'd recommend considering?

dna_leri

Sacksian wrote: »

This is an opportune return! I'm looking to put together an actual 800/1500 plan for indoors, rather than randomly making it up as I go along or haphazardly doing club sessions this time, so I'm really interested in this - is this your first go at a Magness plan?

I like the look of this base phase for building up my mileage (and staying roughly 5k fit) while getting ready for indoors.

Any other alternatives to Magness that you'd recommend considering?

I got the Magness book around April this year and started picking bits out of it straight away. This is my first time to follow it closely or any plan for that matter.

Up to now I have tended to pick and mix my own training program based on inputs from multiple sources: Jack Daniels, Peter Coe, several good local coaches and the famous ecoli. Although there are merits to all of them, I would not recommend any other one above Magness and even then I have got to wait and see how this works out for me.

Magness has a good understanding of the difference between fast-twitch and slow-twitch runners and their approach to 800m. Daniels refers to this but I'm not convinced by his 800m plans.

For an 800/1500 focus you may need to decide between Magness' different plans for both if you go with his plans. There does seem to be a significant difference so you may want to select some elements from each which should be possible if you read and understand the approach.

I think it's possible to stay roughly 5K fit from any middle distance plan as long as you do not expect too much and are prepared to sacrifice the longer distance a bit and just use 5K races as an indicator of fitness.

YFlyer

Coe's training was suitable for one athlete and probably one only.

pconn062

Can I ask dna_leri, what Magness book are you taking that 800m training from?

dna_leri

pconn062 wrote: »

Can I ask dna_leri, what Magness book are you taking that 800m training from?

Science of Running

Highly recommend it for all middle distance runners.
First half is the science bit.
Second half is the application of the science including training plans from 800m to marathon.
Only negative is some of the awful spelling, grammar mistakes (at least in my Kindle version).

pconn062

dna_leri wrote: »

Science of Running

Highly recommend it for all middle distance runners.
First half is the science bit.
Second half is the application of the science including training plans from 800m to marathon.
Only negative is some of the awful spelling, grammar mistakes (at least in my Kindle version).

Many thanks, will be purchasing for my Kindle this evening!

conavitzky

Good to see ya back logging. I have the magness and daniels books and also think magness is a better bet for plans for the shorter stuff. Good luck with the plan. Will follow with interest. Well done to dk on his great marathon performance.

dna_leri

Another decent week despite the rain.

Key sessions were:

Tuesday: 6 mile including 6x60m on the track in flats with full recovery between at 90-95% effort.

Thursday: Fartlek with 4x(60,45,30 w/ 30s easy) w/ 3 min b/t sets at 10K-5K pace for about 8.5 miles.

Saturday: 10 miles easy with the lads followed by 6 strides in the morning. Lots of standing around later in the day left me with tired legs.

Sunday: Progression run - 10 min MP, 7 min LT, 5 min 10K w/ 4 min easy between for total of 9 miles including warm-up and cool-down. MP & LT are artificial paces for me so planned 6:50 & 6:20 pace with 5:50 to finish. Went a bit fast on the first section but got back on track and felt good at the end despite the week's exertions.

The other days were easy/recovery including 2 strength workouts.
More of the same next week.

dna_leri

Generally not a good week for me with a lot going on at work.
I did not make my track session on Tuesday but squeezed in a 10x10s hill sprints to get some quality done.

After a crappy start to the week, I consoled myself with the idea that at least I would be ready for a good threshold run on Thursday. Not so. I found out what I should already know that a few stressful days at work takes more out of me than a hard week of running. LT run was just over 5K in just under 20 mins (3.15 mi in 19:52), but the effort felt harder. Total just over 9 miles.

Saturday - over 12 miles on the trails with the lads. They were doing surges every few miles and I went with them on the first few then dropped back as that was planned for my Sunday session.

Sunday - a good warm-up, then 8x30s dropped in every km to a mile - I waited until I was a on a flat section each time. I don't know the pace of these surges, not as fast as strides but I stretched the legs out well. Again total just over 9 miles.

Both Saturday and Sunday were beautiful days to be outside but I did not appreciate them until after I had finished running. An ok week in the end. I was probably due a down week anyway and there is no point burning the candle at both ends.

Sacksian

Just taken delivery of The Science of Running - I think I'm going to use the 1,500/mile plan to take me up to the Masters. The extra mileage will be new to me (as is following a plan!), but I'd like to give it a go.

How much are you tweaking the 800 plan? I have to fill in races and would still like to make the odd club session - does that defeat the purpose, do you think?

ECOLII

Sacksian wrote: »

Just taken delivery of The Science of Running - I think I'm going to use the 1,500/mile plan to take me up to the Masters. The extra mileage will be new to me (as is following a plan!), but I'd like to give it a go.

How much are you tweaking the 800 plan? I have to fill in races and would still like to make the odd club session - does that defeat the purpose, do you think?

Postman must have had a bag full of the books today, finally arrived myself

Only got through first chapter so far so will be a while till I get a look at the plans but interesting read even if you never use a plan.

Sacksian

ECOLII wrote: »

Postman must have had a bag full of the books today, finally arrived myself

Only got through first chapter so far so will be a while till I get a look at the plans but interesting read even if you never use a plan.

Mainly got it for the plans but there's a lot in it besides them. Got Winning Running too today, from first glance, I think I'm going to really enjoy that.

dna_leri

Sacksian wrote: »

Just taken delivery of The Science of Running - I think I'm going to use the 1,500/mile plan to take me up to the Masters. The extra mileage will be new to me (as is following a plan!), but I'd like to give it a go.

How much are you tweaking the 800 plan? I have to fill in races and would still like to make the odd club session - does that defeat the purpose, do you think?

It is my first time following a plan also so I am figuring it out as I go along too. I am keeping pretty much to the schedule on a weekly basis although my easy running days are a bit lighter than recommended so my overall mileage is lower. I do move around the sessions within the week to suit my life.

For example this week, the plan has :
Mon: 4x3:30@10K
Tues: 4mi
Wed: 8mi +strides
Thur: Run+6x100m sprints
Fri: 7mi progression
Sat: 12mi and Sunday off for a 45mi week.

I did 4mi on Mon; the 6x100m sprints on Tuesday because that's when my club has track booked; 4 mi rec on Wed; 4x3:30 today again because I had a chance to hit the track before they turn the lights off; probably 4mi rec in the morning; 12mi on Sat and the progression run on Sunday because I usually have more time at the weekend.

I don't think moving it around within the week has much effect as long as you don't do too much back-to-back, unless that's intended in the plan.
In a few week's time I am planning a 5K race so I will juggle to suit that. If it was this week I would probably drop the progression and maybe go a few miles shorter on the long run.

Similarly I think fitting in a few club sessions would be a good idea if possible, especially if it has a similar purpose to the planned session. It's not good to run alone all the time. I know I look forward to the weekly long run with the lads on Saturday mornings - helps keep me sane.

Working back from the middle of March would see me starting the pre-comp phase in a few weeks. I guess it's the same for the 1500 plan? One thing I did was to add an extra week so that if something goes wrong like illness or minor injury, I won't have to worry about missing something in the plan and having to catch up.

I will be interested to see how you get on with the 1500m plan - maybe you will even start a log. Try "The Appliance of Science" as a working title? Let us know also what you think of Coe too. I got it a while ago and learnt a bit from it but was a bit disappointed I did not get more out of it.

Do try and read as much as you can of Science of Running before you dive into the plans as they make more sense with the background. I started on page 1, got about 1/4 way through, then skipped ahead to the second half which is easier reading and kept one eye on the plans as I read most of this section. I think I have read it all by now but probably I will start at the beginning sometime again if I can handle the typos - someone needs to have words with his 8th grade english teacher, s/he should be ashamed.

Sacksian

dna_leri wrote: »

I will be interested to see how you get on with the 1500m plan - maybe you will even start a log. Try "The Appliance of Science" as a working title? Let us know also what you think of Coe too. I got it a while ago and learnt a bit from it but was a bit disappointed I did not get more out of it.

Ha! I'd already decided any log would be called "Sub-4 before I'm 40". However, I'm 20s away from a sub-4 1500 and 12 months away from 40, which sort of makes a log with that title a little pointless! I'm also reluctant because I'm due a 2-3 month injury soon but it might be fairer than squatting on yourself, PConn's and KU's logs!!

At the minute, I prefer the style of Winning Running - it's a bit self-absorbed and bumptious but he's also writing from direct experience, which lends a bit of authority, and its specificity to 800m/1500m racing makes it particularly interesting to me!

There's a limit to how much a masters athlete can learn from the training of Seb Coe but there's already been one 800m gem from Winning Running that's made the purchase worthwhile: it seems obvious but I always have the leading leg and arm on the same side when I'm waiting for the gun (at any track race actually). Which means I have to subconsciously correct that in the first couple of strides to get into a proper pattern - should be worth 0.02s at least!

I've read a lot of the Magness stuff from his blogs and other sources, but looking forward to getting through it as I go through the training.

dna_leri

6x100m on Tuesday at around 400m pace - first 3 into the wind were just over 14s, next 3 with the wind just under.
Felt easy enough at the time but still some stiffness in the next 24 hours.

Thursday the plan was 4x3:30 (10K)[3']. I decided to round them up to K's as I made it to the track in time. What I forgot was 3:38 /km is my 10K pace. I could feel the difference in effort, averaging 3:28 but the recoveries were still well under the 3 mins.

I swapped my long run to Sunday and did the easy progression run with a head-torch early on Saturday. I started off easy enough around 7:40 /mi and finishing under 6:30. I checked the distance after and found it was 9 miles - a bit longer than expected but enjoyable.

On Sunday, I vowed to keep it very easy as I ran the 3.5 miles to the woods, did a lap and headed back home. The total was less than the planned 12 miles but despite the great running conditions, it felt like a slog. Still a decent week.

dna_leri

Tuesday's plan was 5x400,200(3K pace)[200m jog]
I averaged 74s for the 400s and 35s for the 200 so a bit fast.
Recoveries were around 1:30

Thursday was down for a hilly fartlek. I avoided any serious hills and hit paces based on feel.
2x4 min @10K; 2x3 min @5K; 2x1 min @3K with 2 min jog between each fast section.
Felt pretty good.

I dodged the long run on Saturday with just a shorter easy run and some strides at 5K pace.

Sunday I raced a local 5K. 6 weeks ago I was disappointed with my 17:17 in poor conditions.
This time weather was perfect and the course was flat with some good competition to push me to sub 17.
Last time out I held back too much in the first K and ended up isolated.
This time a group of 5 went off the front and I let them go again but still kept a decent pace of 3:15 for the first K.
At this stage I was leading a group of 4 or 5 runners - I never looked around to see who they were.
The 2nd K was 3:27 and I was catching the tail of the leading group as they split up. I moved into 5th shortly after half way.
The next Ks were 3:26 & 3:32, reasonably consistent if a bit slow, still no one else took the lead from the group which I guess was depleting at this stage.
I checked behind a few times as I moved to pass walkers on the main road and thought I spotted Conavitzky and one of my club-mates in the group behind. I expected one of them would take up the running in the last K and not wait until the finish to try and pass. By the time we got to the 500m mark I was confident I could hold them off. Con made his move with 400m to go, I went with him. He tried again and we bumped elbows as I drew level. He surged a third time and I stayed with him and then accelerated enough to break away. With the focus on racing, this K was a decent 3:14 - enough for a 16:56 SB for me and I think a PB for him, 4s behind. A good marker to end my base build phase with. 5th overall and 2nd M40.

Next week will be busy at work so I will stick to easy/recovery runs until later in the week, but I had allowed for this in the planning.

pconn062

Excellent run DL, you must be happy to be in that shape at the end of base building.

dna_leri

Last 2 weeks have been pretty busy.
I recovered well from 5K race with easy runs but did no sessions until the following weekend.

Did 12 miles on Saturday 6th.
Form and humour were good, almost buzzing, probably due to the easy week.

Sunday plan was 20 mins alternating 2 mins @ 10K, 2 min steady.
Went to plan with most of the peaks hitting sub 6 mins if not the 5:51 target pace.
Wind was on my back for the return journey which helped. Added a few extra miles at the end to go over 9.

Again the start of the week had other priorities so went out Wednesday instead in stromy conditions and did 6 mi progression followed by 2x100m & 2x150m hard.

Another long run on Saturday, ended up just over 18 km.

Today was my first race pace session of this season.
Plan was 3x8x100m(800m pace)[45",4' recovery]
Conditions were windy and I hit target pace when it was behind me but struggled into the wind.
The first set averaged 15.1s, the 2nd set 15.7s.
I lost timings for the 3rd set but I guess the slow down continued especially into the wind.
Although I know I finished with a 13.8s.

I have still not decided if I will run a 600m or a 3000m in the indoor baseline meet in Athlone on Wednesday.
I will see how I feel tomorrow.
Last year I ran sub 90s for the 600 off just a couple of speed sessions but I would not mind doing my first 3K either.

pconn062

Good luck tomorrow, have you made a decision regarding what distance you'll tackle?