6 races in 7 weeks??

AuldManKing

I know....................I know.............:p

Well, actually, I don't know - 'cos I'm asking advice.
After following JD's 5k/10k plan fairly solidly for the last 12 weeks - I'm soon to be entering (from 15th May) into the 'competition phase' of the plan.

I've a few target races and a number of other races that I'd like to do, but they all come thick and fast in a 7 week window.

I'd like your thoughts on this schedule:

14 May: 5m Terenure (aim sub 30)
23 May: 5k Bob Heffernan (Indifferent about -but a good 5k primer?)
30 May: 5m BHAA Dunboyne (Target Race - aim 29:10)

10 June: 5k Patrick Bell (Target Race - aim PB:17:3x)
18 June: C'Knock 5k (indifferent - aim - O40 prize
29 June: Clonee 10k (Main Target Race of the year - aim 36:5X)

3 of them are midweek races - so long runs aren't too impacted.

My training has been about 60 miles a week so I expect it to reduce to 40-50m during this competition phase.

Any thoughts if this is too much??

BeepBeep67

AuldManKing wrote: »

I know....................I know.............:p

Well, actually, I don't know - 'cos I'm asking advice.
After following JD's 5k/10k plan fairly solidly for the last 12 weeks - I'm soon to be entering (from 15th May) into the 'competition phase' of the plan.

I've a few target races and a number of other races that I'd like to do, but they all come thick and fast in a 7 week window.

I'd like your thoughts on this schedule:

14 May: 5m Terenure (aim sub 30)
23 May: 5k Bob Heffernan (Indifferent about -but a good 5k primer?)
30 May: 5m BHAA Dunboyne (Target Race - aim 29:10)

10 June: 5k Patrick Bell (Target Race - aim PB:17:3x)
18 June: C'Knock 5k (indifferent - aim - O40 prize
29 June: Clonee 10k (Main Target Race of the year - aim 36:5X)

3 of them are midweek races - so long runs aren't too impacted.

My training has been about 60 miles a week so I expect it to reduce to 40-50m during this competition phase.

Any thoughts if this is too much??

Sessions could suffer, but they say a race is as good as 2 sessions?
You could overcook yourself, but you could learn a lot - does it really matter if you have a few bad races towards the end?

AuldManKing

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Sessions could suffer, but they say a race is as good as 2 sessions?
You could overcook yourself, but you could learn a lot - does it really matter if you have a few bad races towards the end?

I dont mind bad races in between - but if it hindered the target races - then I'd reconsider.

TRR_the_turd

AuldManKing wrote: »

I dont mind bad races in between - but if it hindered the target races - then I'd reconsider.

If you're going to go for it forget about a plan because you will basically have to make it up as you go along. You've no way of knowing how you're going to feel. Just listen to the body and if it's too much back off!

TFBubendorfer

With so much racing I think you should completely bin any additional sessions. The races alone are likely to fill your need for fast running, any more and you're risking overtraining.

Easy running in-between for recovery and racing as fast as you can - that's highly polarised training, which can work very well if done right.

Wubble Wubble

My own tuppence ha'penny....having done something similar i.e. 5 races out of 6 weekends (and with a lot less mileage on board) earlier in the year.....

Yes, these are definitely doable, with the mileage you've built up in recent months.

How hard do you want to run them all though? 80-90% for the non "target" races?

Are there any that you could live with skipping, if push came to shove?

Obviously there's a lot more experienced runners on here, but that's just my opinion. Ultimately, you'll be able to judge for yourself, as you progress through the schedule above, what's working for you and what isn't. There's a fine lineup there anyway, whatever way it pans out!

Duanington

Think I did something similar early lasy year A - maybe not quite as packed with races but not far off it. I think common sense prevails here, cut the mileage back, run easy stuff actually easy....I'd still throw in the odd mini session though, just to keep things fresh and maybe to keep some focus ( I know I would need this).

Listen to the body of course, you're going well at the moment, no point in throwing it away for races that you're feeling indifferent about\towards

davedanon

I'll see your 6 in 7, and raise you 8 races in 8 weeks. Mostly decent runs, apart from Ballycotton, and yielded one major PB, and 2 medals (1 Leinster, 1 National).

gramar

You have at least 7 days between races and I don't think the recovery after 5/10km races is that long. You have a lot of miles in your legs so no reason why you shouldn't be able to give them all a good go.

El Caballo

Had a similar kind of race schedule with XC a year and a half ago. Agree with TRR, a lot of my training in between races was just played by ear, if I felt like crap, I binned a day or took extra recovery and didn't really do any sessions between races. Mostly, my training was just easy running with a Thursday workout of 6-10 200's at a good clip with full recoveries just to keep sharp but not kill myself.

I did feel really tired coming into the last 2 races, still ran really well but definitely needed a break for racing to recover after it.

davedanon

Most of these races I've done have been 5k/10k, but after the Liverpool Half I definitely hadn't recovered a week after for the GIR.

PaulieC

Hello RK

AuldManKing

PaulieC wrote: »

Hello RK

yeah, thats kinda what I'm thinking.

If my key race is at end June - why am I ruining my chances with so many races between now & then - its an RK thing to do alright.





But he was way cooler,right??

Gavlor

It's a hobby, you enjoy racing, they're short distances.

Race the lot.

BeepBeep67

AuldManKing wrote: »

But he was way younger, right??

FYP

Testosterscone

Just wondering how things are going on this?

Currently running on my 7th race in 9 weeks with a few more on the horizon, feeling good, running better than ever and will probably keep it up to some extent during the marathon build up.

Finding the races are providing a mental toughness that I would find hard to replicate in training and getting me experienced to suffering through those "dark" moments I know are gonna come around on the big day.

AuldManKing

Testosterscone wrote: »

Just wondering how things are going on this?

Currently running on my 7th race in 9 weeks with a few more on the horizon, feeling good, running better than ever and will probably keep it up to some extent during the marathon build up.

Finding the races are providing a mental toughness that I would find hard to replicate in training and getting me experienced to suffering through those "dark" moments I know are gonna come around on the big day.

Was just thinking of my original post earlier - so this is timely.

The original plan/Actual result was:

14 May: 5m Terenure (aim sub 30) - Actual: 29:46
23 May: 5k Bob Heffernan (Indifferent about -but a good 5k primer?) - Didnt do it
30 May: 5m BHAA Dunboyne (Target Race - aim 29:10) Actual: 28:53

10 June: 5k Patrick Bell (Target Race - aim PB:17:3x) Am doing it
18 June: C'Knock 5k (indifferent - aim - O40 prize New Plan: Pacing sub 20
29 June: Clonee 10k (Main Target Race of the year - aim 36:5X) Am doing it


So - I'm glad I didn't do the Bob Heffernan - had I done it, my training volume would have been lighter and possibly impacted on my later races i.e. Clonee.

This is the 1st time I'm properly following a 10k plan and I'm finding the 'competition phase' tough as the mileage is less and the sessions seem 'easier'. I find myself trying to make them tougher.

Following the Patrick Bell this week, which I'm tapering for, If the wind plays ball on the night, I'll have a 5k PB to go with my 5m PB at Dunboyne and have 2.5 weeks to properly prepare for the Clonee 10k.

In between I'll be pacing the Castelknock 10k - which is a great compromise as I'll do a few miles before hand - run the 3.1 miles as its close to my new MP - and then do a few miles afterwards - so it'll be a decent session as part of a long run.

So - I'm happy I didn't do the original schedule.

TFBubendorfer

Going very well so far by the looks of it but be careful.

AuldManKing wrote: »

the mileage is less and the sessions seem 'easier'. I find myself trying to make them tougher.

A wise coach once said "you can't train hard and race well at the same time". If you keep doing hard session you will leave your best race on the training ground.

AuldManKing

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Going very well so far by the looks of it but be careful.



A wise coach once said "you can't train hard and race well at the same time". If you keep doing hard session you will leave your best race on the training ground.

noted, with thanks.

My goal race is week 6 of the 'Comp' stage and after so many weeks of hard training, you just get that feeling that you might have moved past the peak!

Testosterscone

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Going very well so far by the looks of it but be careful.



A wise coach once said "you can't train hard and race well at the same time". If you keep doing hard session you will leave your best race on the training ground.

Not sure I agree with this to be honest, some times I think we need to be in touch with that type of hurt you only get from a race, stray to far from it and the barrier around the comfort zone can develop and leave us soft. Agree that it's a fine line but if managed right the idea of "racing yourself into peak fitness" can ring through.

TFBubendorfer

Testosterscone wrote: »

Not sure I agree with this to be honest, some times I think we need to be in touch with that type of hurt you only get from a race, stray to far from it and the barrier around the comfort zone can develop and leave us soft. Agree that it's a fine line but if managed right the idea of "racing yourself into peak fitness" can ring through.

Not disagreeing with you in general but in this case he's already doing 5 races in 7 weeks and already experiencing plenty of race hurt.

To keep on pushing in training on top of that all would really be pushing your luck.

Itziger

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Not disagreeing with you in general but in this case he's already doing 5 races in 7 weeks and already experiencing plenty of race hurt.

To keep on pushing in training on top of that all would really be pushing your luck.

I agree with this. When you don't race much, then you need to push hard in certain sessions or you won't respond on the day.

AMK is racing a lot in this phase so doesn't need to be doing too much in training.