Running in Circles

HazelBee

A little bit of background info....
I'm a female in my early thirties and have been running for about 3 years, though recently took a few months off after jogging up until 5 months pregnant. I had my lovely little baby in January and have been back running for about 6 weeks and ran my first post-baby race last week, 5km in 26.05 which I was pretty happy with all considered!

Previous to pregnancy I have run lots of 10k races, getting progressively faster with my PB being 51.11.
I have ran 2 half marathons, the first in 2 hours 6 mins and the second in 2 hours 2 mins.

Anyway I've so far I've always just gone out and run, picking a distance to train for and slowly building up my mileage. This year, apart from rebuilding my base, I'm going to try and take a more focused approach to my training runs and see if I can build up my speed. I would love to get my half marathon under 2 hours and my 10km under 50 minutes.

I'm going for a lactate threshold test towards the end of the month and will be working on a training plan from there, so I think it is an opportune time to begin a training log!

laura_ac3

Best of luck with the training and new log.

Dubgal72

Ah delighted to see you've taken the plunge! Best of luck, I'll be following with interest

HazelBee

I said I would wait until I had my fitness test and training plan before starting my log.
I got my results on Sunday so here goes....

According to my results I've been undertraining at my easy 10.30min/mile pace and I need to push myself to get real benefit from my runs. I suppose I've been conservative while getting back into it after my pregnancy but I'm ready to give this plan a go now.

Here is what my training plan looks like for the nest 2 months. The aim is to build strength and get me used to zone training.

MONDAY THRESHOLD RUN ZONE 2 BUILD TO 30 to 45 MINS
TUESDAY KETTLEBELLS/ WALK
WEDNESDAY RECOVERY RUN ZONE 1 30 to 45 MINS
THURSDAY CIRCUIT CLASS / WALK
FRIDAY THRESHOLD RUN ZONE 2 BUILD TO 30 to 45 MINS
SATURDAY LONG RECOVERY RUN ZONE 1
SUNDAY REST

Current goals are to race 10km on June 28th and to lose the extra 14lbs of baby weight!

Bungy Girl

Well done on the 5K - that's a super time so soon after the birth of your baby! Best of luck with the training and the log.

annapr

Hi Hazelbee, good luck with the training and the log. Could you say a bit more about what type of test you got done and where? Thanks!

HazelBee

The test I had done was a lactate threshold test with Fitness Analytics in Galway.
The test involved 9 short runs on the threadmill, increasing in intensity. After each run a blood sample (a pinprick to the finger) was taken to measure lactate levels. This was to find my lactate theshold and work out a training plan suitable for me. This link explains it better!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactate_threshold

HazelBee

Monday
Today was supposed to be a threshold run but I have to switch the start of my week around a bit because I have a 5km race tomorrow night. Instead I aimed to do the recovery pace run, using my new HRM for the first time. After my warm up I realised my watch was not picking up my heart rate so I tried to guess at the correct intensity. I ran 25 mins at 9.35 min/mile. Looking back at my results, during the test my recovery zone was around 9.10min/mile so hopefully I wasn't too far off.
When I got home I fixed the problem with the monitor so I am all set for tomorrows race!

HelenAnne

welcome!

ariana`

Hi HazelBee.

Are you doing the Galway 5km series?? Have you done it before? I did it last year and it's a brilliant way to improve your 5km time.

Good luck tonight! And good luck with your log! I'll be following you and all going well in a few weeks time i'll be looking for tips on getting back into it after baby's arrival.

HazelBee

Hi Ariana, I'll be doing some of the 5km series. It's hard to get away for all of them with the baby.

Tuesday
It was a wet night for the first of the series. By the time I had my warm up done, I joined the throng way too far back. When the race started I was stuck behind people who were going a lot slower than I needed to run and I wasted a lot of energy in the first km trying to weave my way through the crowd to a good spot.

I averaged 8.22 min/miles and noted I was running around 7.55min/miles from 3.5km. If it wasn't for such a slow first km I would have ducked under my last 5km time of 26.05 but instead finished in 26.20.

On a positive I was running between zone 2 and 3 for most of the race so at least I got my training in!

ariana`

Well done! I heard over 700 runners started last night & i heard from a few struggled to get out of the crowd for the first 1-1.5km - it can be hard to judge where you should start in a crowd that size. The crowd tends to thin out a bit as the series goes on. Well done on your time, you'll definitely get under 26:05 before the end of the series.

Dubgal72

HazelBee wrote: »

Hi Ariana, I'll be doing some of the 5km series. It's hard to get away for all of them with the baby.

Tuesday
It was a wet night for the first of the series. By the time I had my warm up done, I joined the throng way too far back. When the race started I was stuck behind people who were going a lot slower than I needed to run and I wasted a lot of energy in the first km trying to weave my way through the crowd to a good spot.

)

Hi HazelBee, you're doing really well, I am full of admiration for your dedication alongside your new baba!
You've probably realised that weaving is a waste of time If a second finish line was placed 150m after the first, which one would you pick?! Weaving *makes* you pick the farther finish line, every time. If you get caught like that again, I'd recommend that you sit tight and use the enforced slowness as additional warm up...and also you are guaranteed a healthy negative split (where the second half is faster than the first. This usually also results in a faster overall time too )

HazelBee

Thanks Dubgal....I definitely wasted too much energy doing that. I'll give your tactic a go next time and try position myself a bit better before the start.

As for my dedication, I honestly don't think I'd have gotten over the birth as easily as I have both mentally and physically if it wasn't for staying active!

Wednesday
I usually get out for a walk with baby but the weather was not on our side today.
I did do a 30 min kettlebell workout with an 8kg bell. I used to be able for much heavier but all in good time!

HazelBee

Thursday

In the morning I had a very easy 20min cycle and a not so easy circuit class.
In the afternoon myself and the baby got out for a 1 hour walk.

HazelBee

Friday
I was very tired this morning heading out as I had been up several times during the night. I did a quick warm up and then sped up to get myself into the right zone. It felt a lot tougher than the pace I have been running at recently but was manageable for a time. I noticed myself getting a bit sloppy at the 20 min mark so I cut it off there and will up it by 5 mins next week.

2.27 miles in 20mins

I'm taking today as a day of rest and will get my long run in tomorrow.

HazelBee

Sunday
Wasn't really in the mood heading out today and the wet weather didn't help, but once I have a plan I have to stick to it.
It took me a few minutes to get into the right zone. I felt initially that I was going very fast for what was supposed to be my recovery pace but I eventually got into the swing of it.

I ended up covering 6.3 miles in 60mins, avg pace was 9.32 min/miles.

Total miles this week 13.91

annapr

That's a good run today, Hazelbee... but if it was really supposed to be recovery pace, then looks too fast to me! (not that i'm an expert). I keep seeing that slower is better for long runs...

HazelBee

It definitely felt like that to me at the start. I'm following the heart rate training zones I was given. I'd usually do my longer run slower than that. I felt fine a couple of miles in but I did expect the zone to have me going a bit slower alright!

HazelBee

Monday

Another 20 min threshold run. This time I did 2.38 miles which is a slight improvement on Friday. Average pace was 8.24 min/miles. Again I really felt it at the 20 min mark so I'm going to wait until next week to add another 5 mins.

Greenmachine

Where do you see yourself focusing in the coming months hazelbee, shorter or longer distances?

HazelBee

Greenmachine wrote: »

Where do you see yourself focusing in the coming months hazelbee, shorter or longer distances?

Hi Green machine. I'm going to focus on improving my 10km and half marathon times. I'd eventually like to do a marathon and would LOVE to do DCM but after a think, it would be silly to go for that this year with a small baby to look after and after only returning to running in March. I think focusing on matching and hopefully improving my pre-pregnancy times is a more realistic goal for this year.

Bungy Girl

HazelBee wrote: »

Monday

Another 20 min threshold run. This time I did 2.38 miles which is a slight improvement on Friday. Average pace was 8.24 min/miles. Again I really felt it at the 20 min mark so I'm going to wait until next week to add another 5 mins.

Hi HazelBee, are you doing a warm-up/cool-down before and after the 20 mins?

HazelBee

Hi Bungygirl I'd say about 5 minutes either side. I start off with a slow jog (included in time) to get me up to speed and then after the 20 minute mark I've walked home(not included in 20mins). I've done the same on the longer recovery pace run. I'm doing my stretches from the gym when I get in then afterwards.
Would you think that's a long enough warm up?

Bungy Girl

HazelBee wrote: »

Hi Bungygirl I'd say about 5 minutes either side. I start off with a slow jog (included in time) to get me up to speed and then after the 20 minute mark I've walked home(not included in 20mins). I've done the same on the longer recovery pace run. I'm doing my stretches from the gym when I get in then afterwards.
Would you think that's a long enough warm up?

Personally I do a longer warm up but that's because it takes me a while to feel ready for the faster stuff. I think it's an individual thing. I just misunderstood your post and thought you were going straight into the faster pace , my mistake. Isn't that very close to your 5K pace though ? Sounds like a tough session!

HazelBee

Tuesday
30 min kettlebell workout with 8kg bell

Wednesday
Recovery zone run today
Decided to try a bit of a longer warm up today after what you were saying bungygirl and walked for 5 minutes before starting my watch. I ran slowly then for another 5 minutes and did 25 minutes in recovery zone. It was much easier today and I felt comfortable the whole time so my body must be starting to adjust. I felt nice and clear-headed after it as well, which was much needed today!

Time 30min
Distance 3.37miles
Avg Pace 8:54min/miles

Ososlo

HazelBee wrote: »

Tuesday
30 min kettlebell workout with 8kg bell

Wednesday
Recovery zone run today
Decided to try a bit of a longer warm up today after what you were saying bungygirl and walked for 5 minutes before starting my watch. I ran slowly then for another 5 minutes and did 25 minutes in recovery zone. It was much easier today and I felt comfortable the whole time so my body must be starting to adjust. I felt nice and clear-headed after it as well, which was much needed today!

Time 30min
Distance 3.37miles
Avg Pace 8:54min/miles

Isn't your 5k recent pb 26ish mins (8:2xx pace)? How can 8:54 pace be a recovery run?
Maybe I'm missing something?

HazelBee

Hey Ososlo
I had been running very conservatively to get myself back into it after birth. What I'm following now is the plan set out for me after my lactate threshold results. I wasn't working hard at all up to this and I'm following the heart rate training plan in order to improve my fitness and in turn my times. Each week I'll be covering more a little more ground within the same time/HR zone as I get fitter.

Ososlo

HazelBee wrote: »

Hey Ososlo
I had been running very conservatively to get myself back into it after birth. What I'm following now is the plan set out for me after my lactate threshold results. I wasn't working hard at all up to this and I'm following the heart rate training plan in order to improve my fitness and in turn my times. Each week I'll be covering more a little more ground within the same time/HR zone as I get fitter.

Hey
To me (I'm not that experienced but I've read about this stuff an awful lot) a recovery run is almost like a walk as the effort is so easy. It doesn't take much effort at all.
I'd run my recovery runs up to 2.5 mins per mile slower than my 5k pace. Slower even if I was feeling tired.
Unless you ran the 5k race at a very easy effort (for you) then today's "recovery" run can't have been at recovery effort.
But maybe 'recovery' means something else according to the plan you're following. I must say I'm a little confused!!!

Ososlo

sorry. me again:D

HazelBee wrote: »

I wasn't working hard at all up to this and I'm following the heart rate training plan in order to improve my fitness and in turn my times. Each week I'll be covering more a little more ground within the same time/HR zone as I get fitter.

were you given a % of your max hr to run that recovery run at today?
I'd do recovery @ sub 75% of max if using hr monitor.

HazelBee

Hi Ososlo, I've been given a range to run within based on my results. Yesterdays run was 150-157bpm. Maybe it's the wrong language to be using!

Ososlo

HazelBee wrote: »

Hi Ososlo, I've been given a range to run within based on my results. Yesterdays run was 150-157bpm. Maybe it's the wrong language to be using!

Yeah that's probably it.
What's your max hr? You'd normally run recovery runs about 50bpm slower than max.
edit. Recovery runs are just that. To help you recover from a hard run the previous day so are by nature very very easy effort.

HazelBee

Ah ok! Well to clear up any confusion I'll refer to them as zone 1 and 2 in future logs. I've to work within these 2 zones for the next 6 weeks and then the plan will be adjusted accordingly. Zone 1 is 150-157bpm and Zone 2 is 158-164bpm.

HazelBee

Thursday
Circuit class
20 minute cycle
60 minute walk with the buggy

Friday
I'm always ready to crash by the time Friday evening rolls around and was not looking forward to this evening run. Once I got going though I really enjoyed it, even though it was my harder effort run. I walked for 5 minutes after again and then started with a 5 minute warm up run and then 20 minutes in zone 2. That's five minutes more then I could manage this time last week and I recovered much quicker afterwards. Progress!

Time 25:01 (5 min warm up, 20 min in zone)
Distance 2.97 miles
Avg Pace 8:25