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Earning my go-faster stripes...
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There's no silver bullet that's for sure but your consistency is the most important thing.
Yep, exactly. I have a terrible habit of going back and forth between different methods so that I'm pretty sure I make them all ineffective! But sure it's all running. No doubt it would make a difference at a higher level if you're down to trying to shave seconds off your best possible performance, but I'm a long way away from that kind of fine-tuning
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Monday 16th - Easy run + physio exercises
3 miles / 10:04 avg pace
Treadmill. Forgot the HR strap too. Short on time for this but happy to at least get something in.
Tuesday 17th - Easy run + 6 x 12 sec uphill + 6 x 100m strides
7.05 miles / 11:03 avg pace / 152 (180) HR avg (max)
Did this same run back in February and my pace was quicker and heart rate was lower then, so apparently I'm getting worse at running
In fairness it was very windy and quite warm for this, so I'm hoping that contributed at least a bit...
Wednesday 18th - Rest
Headed to the gym at lunch to get changed and go out for a run, only to discover I hadn't brought my runners.
Thursday 19th - Morning runmute + Pilates
6 miles / 10:38 avg pace / 158 (170) HR avg (max)
Splits: 10:57, 10:42, 10:12, 10:40, 10:37, 10:50
Crikey! Clearly the combination of early morning, terrible night's sleep, backpack and hot weather is NOT one that works for me. Effort was through the roof for an apparently 'easy' run.
Good pilates class at lunchtime.
Friday 20th - 6 x 3 min uphill @ 3K - 5K effort
8.8 miles / 10:44 avg pace / 157 (195) HR avg (max)
Paces for the intervals: 8:00, 8:14, 8:12, 8:11, 8:10, 7:59
Garmin gave me a new max HR for this, when I think says it all really. Absolutely brutal workout. Ended up doing it in the baking heat (relatively speaking), into fairly strong wind up the Khyber. I've never done extended hill reps before and didn't know what pace to aim for as the hill element obviously throws the 5k pace way off. Went by HR instead and ended up reasonably consistent, apart from the first and last, if slow. Never been so glad to finish a workout, or so close to pulling the plug. Happy to have made it through.
Saturday 21st - Rest
College day.
Sunday 22nd - Endurance run (Goal: 10:41 - 9:38 pace)
10 miles / 10:27 avg pace / 159 (176) HR avg (max)
Splits: 10:36, 10:37, 10:49, 10:38, 10:11, 10:15, 10:08, 10:26,10:04, 10:45
Let's just say the previous night was a lively one, and as a result this was a real struggle. Windy again too, so that gets some of the blame for the much-too-high HR. Made it through and got home and lay on the floor for a while feeling sorry for myself
Weekly mileage: 34.85 miles
I feel like I was working too hard in general this week, and I should have been more disciplined with the efforts. No idea why everything seemed much harder overall, but maybe the warmer weather was enough to do it.0 -
Monday 16th - Easy run + physio exercises
3 miles / 10:04 avg pace
Treadmill. Forgot the HR strap too. Short on time for this but happy to at least get something in.
Tuesday 17th - Easy run + 6 x 12 sec uphill + 6 x 100m strides
7.05 miles / 11:03 avg pace / 152 (180) HR avg (max)
Did this same run back in February and my pace was quicker and heart rate was lower then, so apparently I'm getting worse at running In fairness it was very windy and quite warm for this, so I'm hoping that contributed at least a bit...
Wednesday 18th - Rest
Headed to the gym at lunch to get changed and go out for a run, only to discover I hadn't brought my runners.
Thursday 19th - Morning runmute + Pilates
6 miles / 10:38 avg pace / 158 (170) HR avg (max)
Splits: 10:57, 10:42, 10:12, 10:40, 10:37, 10:50
Crikey! Clearly the combination of early morning, terrible night's sleep, backpack and hot weather is NOT one that works for me. Effort was through the roof for an apparently 'easy' run.
Good pilates class at lunchtime.
Friday 20th - 6 x 3 min uphill @ 3K - 5K effort
8.8 miles / 10:44 avg pace / 157 (195) HR avg (max)
Paces for the intervals: 8:00, 8:14, 8:12, 8:11, 8:10, 7:59
Garmin gave me a new max HR for this, when I think says it all really. Absolutely brutal workout. Ended up doing it in the baking heat (relatively speaking), into fairly strong wind up the Khyber. I've never done extended hill reps before and didn't know what pace to aim for as the hill element obviously throws the 5k pace way off. Went by HR instead and ended up reasonably consistent, apart from the first and last, if slow. Never been so glad to finish a workout, or so close to pulling the plug. Happy to have made it through.
Saturday 21st - Rest
College day.
Sunday 22nd - Endurance run (Goal: 10:41 - 9:38 pace)
10 miles / 10:27 avg pace / 159 (176) HR avg (max)
Splits: 10:36, 10:37, 10:49, 10:38, 10:11, 10:15, 10:08, 10:26,10:04, 10:45
Let's just say the previous night was a lively one, and as a result this was a real struggle. Windy again too, so that gets some of the blame for the much-too-high HR. Made it through and got home and lay on the floor for a while feeling sorry for myself
Weekly mileage: 34.85 miles
I feel like I was working too hard in general this week, and I should have been more disciplined with the efforts. No idea why everything seemed much harder overall, but maybe the warmer weather was enough to do it.
Nice week. I'd say the warmer weather plus wind plus backpack made everything harder.
I went back to my log to see what I wrote for that/a similar session:
"This was a new kind of torture wrought upon me by Pfitz. Found it tough. Doubted my ability to continue after the first one but stuck at it. The splits are closer to 5k pace than 3k pace. I only included three-minute recoveries when I set the workout up, but I took a wee bit longer. I also walked some of each recovery."0 -
Nice week. I'd say the warmer weather plus wind plus backpack made everything harder.
I went back to my log to see what I wrote for that/a similar session:
"This was a new kind of torture wrought upon me by Pfitz. Found it tough. Doubted my ability to continue after the first one but stuck at it. The splits are closer to 5k pace than 3k pace. I only included three-minute recoveries when I set the workout up, but I took a wee bit longer. I also walked some of each recovery."
Thanks - nice to know I'm not the only one who found it tough! I was VERY glad (when I got home and looked at the plan again) to see that this particular workout isn't repeated at any stage! So at least it's just a painful memory now 0 -
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Think I'd like to chalk this one down and forget about it as quickly as possible!
Monday 23rd - Strength training
30 mins of squats, lunges, planks, etc.
Tuesday 24th - Easy run + 6 x 12 sec hill sprints
5.2 miles / 10:46 avg pace / 148 (178) HR avg (max)
Should have done a set of strides too and brought this up to 7 miles, but I didn't have time. Heavy legs from the gym session yesterday, but the hills felt great!
Ordered new runners last week which arrived today. Looking forward to trying them out!
Wednesday 25th - Easy run + Pilates
6 miles / 10:32 avg pace
Splits: 11:16, 10:57, 10:19, 10:22, 10:13, 10:14
Morning runmute with backpack. Felt very tired at initially but got more and more into it and ended up really enjoying it. Forgot HR strap. The new runners seem to do their job though. Pilates was good, though I got weirdly dizzy after it.
Thursday 26th - Easy runmute
4.55 miles / 10:58 avg pace / 150 (166) HR avg (max)
Evening runmute this time, in the opposite direction. Super slow but still felt like I was struggling a bit. Haven't been sleeping well all week.
Friday 27th - Failed VO2 Max session
6.5 miles / 10:46 avg pace / 159 (196) HR avg (max)
3 x 1k repeats (pace per mile): 7:35, 7:38, 7:44
Well. The first time (I think) I've not finished a workout. To be totally honest, I just wasn't able for this. I've no idea why it felt so tough, but it did from the very outset, and it didn't get any easier. Plan was 5 x 1k at 3k - 5k pace. I barely managed the third repeat as the pace dropped, before stopping and having to sit down. Felt really dizzy. Garmin gave me another new max HR (second in two weeks). I'm fairly disgusted with this, and don't understand what happened. It does suggest that I'm not in shape for the paces I've been aiming for though, so might need a rethink.
Saturday 28th - Recovery run
3.75 miles / 11:27 avg pace / 150 (161) HR avg (max)
Up and out before breakfast. Lovely sunny morning. Took it slower than I've run in a very long time, but it didn't feel like a recovery effort.
Sunday 29th - LSR
11.05 miles / 10:27 avg pace / 154 (177) HR avg (max)
Splits: 11:01, 10:24, 10:25, 10:19, 10:44, 10:20, 10:26, 10:19, 10:18, 10:27, 10:31
Headed north out along the seafront for this. What a day for it! Beautiful. I enjoyed this but I felt unusually tired towards the end of it, seemed to take more out of me than usual.
Weekly mileage: 37 miles
Not a week I feel good about, frankly. Nothing felt quite right, and Friday's session was one of the worst running experiences I've had. Everything seems to be both slower AND harder than it should be. I have no idea why. I'm hoping it's just tiredness as I haven't been sleeping well, but that doesn't really seem like enough of a reason. I somehow seem to have lost fitness and I can't understand it. Yes I had an interruption in the plan due to the glute issue, but that only involved a step back for two weeks, so it shouldn't have major consequences. It's a puzzler, and an annoying one! But there's far worse problems out there, so not worth stressing about.0 -
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Thanks for the encouragement/reassurance you two!
Not even! I'm only 4 weeks in! :eek:You're about halfway through the plan, right? That could explain the slower/harder feeling.
Strongly considering this myself at the moment. If I can work up the courage I'm going to go check one out next week.I'm rubbish at VO2 Max workouts. I did one the last time I followed a Pfitz plan, failed another and bailed on the rest. I think I need to join a club if I'm to try these again.Don't be too hard on yourself. There is generally a reason behind the feeling you had on Friday. Often times it's just a bad day. How often in logs here do you read about someone feeling really terrible on a run only to be back in form in no time at all.
I won't mention the dizziness and the idea of going to a GP anymore lol.
You mentioned not being in shape for the paces you are aiming for. What paces are they?
Do you mind if I ask what your resting HR is?
I swear the dizziness had stopped completely or I would have gone to the doctor! If it comes back again I'll go, it's annoying me now.
The 5k pace I've been using for training is a good bit faster than I've ever run a 5k (haven't raced one in almost a year), but it's the time suggested off my Raheny 5 mile result. So should be manageable I would have thought, but I definitely didn't manage it last week. 7:30 - 7:40 p/m ish.
No idea what my resting HR is! I think it's fairly high, because it always seems to be when I try to measure it, but then trying to measure it makes me anxious so that probably drives it up...On an unrelated topic, delighted to see you post on the novices thread. Is that a statement of intent? :-)
Ah sure I suppose I might as well have a go... :pac:0 -
Thanks for the encouragement/reassurance you two!
Not even! I'm only 4 weeks in! :eek:
Ah sure I suppose I might as well have a go... :pac:
Four weeks is halfway in Pfitz terms
The plan gets easier around the time of the tune-ups, so weeks 4-6 are the toughest (at least in my experience).
Woot to DCM 0 -
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Somehow we're now well into May (:eek: :eek:), so I might as well recap April! Despite cutting my mileage in half for two weeks due to a niggly hip/right leg, it ended up being my second highest mileage month of the year. Which is possibly not a good thing, but here we are...
| 2017 | 2018
January | 14.5 | 124
February | 61 | 121
March | 90 | 152
April | 116 | 129
May | 113 |
June | 114 |
July | 143 |
August | 84 |
September | 104 |
October | 113 |
November | 137 |
December | 36 | Last week was a step back/recovery week, which I thoroughly enjoyed I had a work trip at the end of the week anyway so it fitted in nicely.
Monday 30th April - Rest
Nothing planned for today but I vaguely intended to get out for a recovery run. I was dead tired though, and given how crappy most of the previous week's running was I though an aul' rest might be the best thing.
Tuesday 1st May - Speed session: 2 sets of 4 x 200m (800m - mile pace) w/ jog recoveries + 3m runmute
7.3 miles @ 10:36 avg
Splits: Set 1: 47 seconds, 50, 49, 52. Set 2: 49, 51, 53, 52
FINALLY! A workout that felt good! Easy even. Needed this. Prescribed pace would have these at 54 seconds a repeat, and they all ended up being too fast. Deliberately slowed down for the last two to try and hit the target. Felt very comfortable. Granted it's not a very hard session anyway, but a much-needed little boost all the same.
Did that at lunchtime and then finished the day with a runmute home to bring up the mileage.
Wednesday 2nd - Easy run + Pilates
6 miles @ 10:41 avg / 150 (164) HR avg (max)
Runmute into work in the morning with the backpack. Surprisingly enjoyable actually, despite a late night last night. Easy pace is definitely slower lately, which fits with the general lack of running energy, but that's probably to be expected to balance out the harder work.
Thursday 3rd & Friday 4th - Rest
Work travel, no chance to run.
Saturday 5th - Easy run
8.7 miles / 10:18 avg pace / 156 (167) HR avg (max)
Splits: 10:43, 10:44, 10:41, 10:48, 10:42, 10:01, 9:19, 9:42 (10:02/6:55)
A little longer than planned because I got lost. Was trying to get home to get ready for a hen party that afternoon, so preparations ended up being fairly rushed
Sunday 6th - Easy run
8 miles / 10:21 avg pace / 155 (166) HR avg (max)
Splits: 10:28, 10:38, 10:43, 10:35, 10:12, 10:10, 9:56, 10:04
Followed almost the same route as previous day. What a day for it! Glorious to be out.
Weekly mileage: 30 miles
Ended the week feeling a lot better than I started it, so I guess the step back did its job
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Aaaand here's the rest of the week:
Thursday 17th - Endurance runmute in the morning with backpack
11 miles / 10:05 avg pace / 151 (165) HR avg (max)
Splits: 10:50, 10:28, 10:35, 10:14, 10:02, 10:24, 9:58, 9:57, 9:40, 9:26, 9:56
I was very much in two minds about whether this was a good idea or not after the session the previous evening, and I've never done such a long run as a runmute either. But I decided to give it a go and cut it short if the body was complaining too much. Surprisingly it was really enjoyably. Legs were most definitely tired, but in a satisfying way rather than a "I want to stop" way.
Friday 18th - Very easy run + a few strides
6 miles / 11:25 avg pace / 142 (165) HR avg (max)
Super slow easy run with a few strides thrown in too. Legs definitely tired from the week.
Saturday 19th - Rest
Away at a wedding. No running but much dancing!
Sunday 20th - Recovery run
2.5 miles / 11:06 avg pace / 141 (150) HR avg (max)
Short and sweet recovery, just to get the legs moving a bit again.
Weekly mileage: 40.6 miles
And that concludes my first ever 40 mile week! Have to say it was a very satisfying week's running. Felt really good throughout and enjoyed the work. I'm just hoping it won't have me too tired for a 5k this Tuesday, which will be my first race since January! :eek:0 -
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Thanks for asking! I'll write it up and post it in a bit. Can't say I enjoyed it, but I got a new PB out of it all the same. Congratulations on your new one too
Looking forward to hearing the details
I just saw it on Strava. Well done on the PB. I'm looking forward to reading the report.
And thanks :cool:0 -
Monday 21st - Recovery run
3 miles / 11:22 avg pace / 139 (149) HR avg (max)
Conscious that I haven't been the smartest in terms of tapering for the race tomorrow, I kept this to a gentle recovery run too.
Tuesday 22nd - Race Day! Bob Heffernan 5K
8 miles including warm up and cool down
What a glorious evening to be out running. Arrived and was amazed at how many of the runners were wearing club gear and, well, looking like real runners. Started to feel a bit out of my depth, if I'm honest. But what of it, we were all there to run and no one was going to be paying any attention to me anyway.
The Race
I somehow thought that this race went by gun time so I started my watch as soon as the gun went off, resulting in my Garmin being out for the whole thing. Nearly tripped over a shoe that someone had lost at the start line (tough break for whoever that was!).
Straightaway the effort seemed high. Too high? I wasn't sure if it was tiredness, or just that a 5K should be hard from the start. I wasn't really feeling it, but I knew I'd be disgusted with myself if I gave in, so I tried to hold the pace at least. It was pretty manageable for about the first 3km or so and then I started to feel it, and the doubts/thoughts of slowing down started to creep in. Strangely the legs felt perfect, just had no spring in them. The breathing was getting tough though. This seems to be par for the course for me, when I struggle it's aerobically more than anything. I think I more or less kept the pace fairly steady despite this, but the Garmin was all over the place.
Passed a few people. I had been shoulder-to-shoulder with another woman since just after the start, and she fell slightly behind me but kept close. Coming into the last 500m she pulled beside me again and then moved on.
I had no kick whatsoever, I've never felt so flat in a race. Saw the clock and pushed as best I could, thinking I had just barely missed my target. Came through and found a grassy corner to sit down on for a few minutes, felt fairly wobbly. Quickly settled though, and once I'd eaten a very welcome free granola bar I actually felt great doing my cool down jog a little later.
So, the target going in had been 23:30. I thought crossing the line I had missed this by a couple of seconds, but then it turned out the race was chip timed after all. Woop!
Official time: 23:23 (PB)
Previous race PB was 25:44 (a year ago), though I did a park run in 24:36 last summer.
I guess I'm pleased? I dunno, this one feels a bit anticlimactic. I guess racing when coming off my highest mileage week ever wasn't going to be brilliant anyway. But it wasn't a goal race, and I got the time I was aiming for, I just didn't feel good out there. Felt a bit like my body was stuck in a lower gear or something.
Mostly I'm reminded of how completely not enjoyable 5Ks are, which makes me wonder why do more of them? At the same time, I have somehow developed the lofty notion that I want to see a 22:xx 5k time beside my name some time in the future. Oh and if I can have a unicorn too I'd take it 0 -
It was a great run, well done. 5k's may be painful but will be a huge benefit to you. I wouldn't worry about feeling flat, it's easy to feel that way in the midst of such a quality field and after a week of heavy training. Will you be doing some sort of taper for Dunshaughlin?
You're so right about the "real runners" thing. I thought I was the only non club runner there. 0 -
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Thanks a million for the well wishes folks! Much appreciated
Yep, definitely. Dunshaughlin will be the culmination of the plan I'm following now, and there's a decent taper for it.Will you be doing some sort of taper for Dunshaughlin?Great report and great running Eyrie. I have no doubt you have more in you when you're feeling less flat. 22:xx isn't too far away. Nothing wrong with lofty notions - train hard and dream bigWubble Wubble wrote: »Congrats on the PB! 22:xx is far from a "lofty notion". Great to see the mileage paying off. Plenty more improvement to come
Thanks for the votes of confidence there! I suppose it should be achievable in theory with some focused 5k training. I just really hate 5Ks...:rolleyes: :P0 -
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