Chasing the sub 50 10k - for what seems like forever

To end the "step back" week off I trotted off ten slow miles Saturday morning @ 6:08 min k. Great run nice and chatty , solved the world's problems while keeping in aerobic zone all before breakfast .

After a party Saturday night and a couple of beverages I waited until Sunday evening to attempt a recovery . I thought I'd run with the weather so when it got particularly hairy I'd turn and go home - so I managed 3k kept going for an extra .2 to bring it to four mile . I apologise that somehow it got confusing and I ended up with 6.69 k and just couldn't be bothered running past my house.

Anyway the pace was messed up due to the wind , All in the aerobic zone which now feels odd since I adjusted the max heart rate (149 bmp) . I didn't try to go slow which I'm feeling incredibly guilty about because I was doing so well with slow , but it was horrible out there, I wanted to get home! The second part of the run whilst faster seemed effortless as I was literally flying! What a deadly feeling cruising along with the wind at your back!! Also I had refused companionship as I didn't want to ruin my slowness

Anyways 6.69k@ 5:45 min k

That brings the weekly total to 44.2 k . So not bad.

Next week will be lighter mileage wise as I have a wedding corkside at the weekend .

A big session planned for Tuesday !! We are nearly at the ultimate workout ......

What a night . My husband thinks I have finally lost the plot . Tell you what though there were lots of crazies out there , probably marathon runners mind.

Ok so the warm up wasn't the longest only about 1k@6:30. (It was a bit wet you know)

Then 3k at supposed race pace . Now the problem was here is that there wasn't a huge amount of visibility to look at watch and pace properly - made worse by me being a glasses wearer .( I did have a cap on but it was worse then useless)

So the first three k 4:52,4:57,4:54, a jog rest and a stop to try and clean off face and glasses . Then off again for second set , 4:57,4:55,4:56. Happy with this one in particular as a hilly section and wind had started to pick up. I felt a bit weak at the beginning of first one but ignored it and pushed through. Another 5 mins jog rest including stopping to wipe face,watch etc.

Couldn't see the pace on watch I think I may have pushed too hard in places.

The last set of 2k was a bit of a disaster . The first k was ok - 5 min k but the second was 5:21. Very not happy about that . Again I couldn't see the pace but thought I was clipping along nicely . I couldn't see a thing at this stage and had landed in the middle of lots of puddles, fell up pavements etc so that may have messed with pace . The first set was obviously too fast so there would have been so tiring issues . I'm hopeful that in a race I'd be able to see watch and pace a bit better??

Anyway glad to have it done .

Quick up date ;

Thursday - 6 mile steady@ 5:45
Friday - ten mile @ ten min mile
Big rest until tomorrow

Might have agreed to do the half marathon on Saturday ! Sure how bad can it be ??? I've lots of training done .... well two ten miles in three months . Eek

The plan is do just do it as a LSR . Adding three miles from last week ??? Dunno why I want to do just think I want to do races without racing so not can caught up in result .

I don't think there should be any issue really ? It shouldn't effect my ten k training . I'm going to run with some peeps from work don't by their first half !!!

Not planning on tapering . Doing a tough s soon Tuesday and a 3/4 miles slow Thursday ?

Kennyg71 wrote: »

I wouldn't jump up to running a Half, an extra 3 miles is big jump from where you are you are likely to be extending running time by 30 odd minutes, which is a big jump, you've been going well, why not stick to the your plan, them extra 3 miles could mess up last few weeks training for your 10k.

I thought you might let me away with it !!! I suspected that you or annapr would call me out and secretely hoping you would!! Of course your right dunno what I was thinking yesterday must have been still drunk from the wedding at the weekend ! I don't even like half marathons ! You have given sound advice to date so no reason to stop listening now ! Thanks again

annapr wrote: »

:pac: :pac:

For a minute I thought the real Bluesquare had escaped from the closet :pac::

As G says, if it's not in the plan, don't do it... your 10k training is going so well, we will be really mad at you if you sabotage it!

I couldn't bear it if you were cross so I better behave myself . Although after last nights performance I don't think I need a half marathon to self sabotage !

Thanks guys - I should probably stop wearing the watch as I'm nothing if not obsessive.!!

Anyways Thursday :

5 mile with 8*400 at alleged 5k pace with 200m active recovery

1 mile warm up @ 6:10min k
400m - 7:44,7:23,722,721,705,730,712,652(min miles)
2k cool down @ 9:52 min mile

As you can see disaster . The aim was to have a kind of fartkek session . I could not pace properly and went too fast and ended up having to walk/jog recover for the last 4. So it was kind of a nothing session . Good for weight loss though


Saturday : No half marathon . (Thankfully)

LSR: chatty 10 mile @ 9:44min mile (all in aerobic zone)

Sunday: Ran with the slow run sabotagers. Managed to contain them slightly and did 10k in 58:58mins. Would have preferred a slower run but it was one of those days that I needed company to get out the door .

Friday morning and I am exhausted . Already making excuses not to do a ten miler in morning - the other fella in my head is having none of it . Ba****d.

Anyways Tuesday:

Fartlek with long intervals(saving last McMillan session until next week)

Fartleks are fun. Everyone gets a chance to lead and you can't overtake the leader .

Warm up - 3.2k @ 6:13
Approx 4K worth of fast bits ranging from 300m to 800m with pace in between vo2 max and 5k pace (4:36-4:46)

Approx. 2.3k of slow bits in between @ average pace of about 6:40

Then a mile give or take cool down

Total run: 11k

This was a nice session and a welcome break from the tough sessions we have been doing lately . This felt challenging without pressure to meet target paces .


Thursday:

Now I hate Thursday lunchtime running . It's always hard and I never throw the moves I expect given my extreme athleticism. Sigh

So I decided not to bother with the session as it was never going to work out anyway . I can only do 5 mile and just ran out of the house with no plan . Warmed up for about 1k then decided to run at a comfortable steady pace secretely hoping this would be deadly fast . It wasn't 5:20 min kwas the best I seem to manage and it wasn't feeling that comfortable . Sped up slightly to 5:10 for a k then slowed down again to 5:17. Took a little breather ( this is standard on Thursday runs) then headed back - the return journey always easier as wind at back and mostly a slight decline .

I did the first k back in 4:53 and it felt easier then any of the above. I knew a difficult hill was presenting itself shortly so I did a nice easy k at 6:10. as I wasn't feeling martyrish

I went back then to comfortable steady and going with the legs and ran a 5:30k . Then just to really bring the old blue square back out of the closet finished it off with a fast k of 4:50.

What a crap run. I just went into granular detail to remind myself next time to have a goddamn plan .

No long run done on Saturday couldn't get out of bed . After a lot of cake ran tenk k later on in the evening at a 6:09 mink. It felt easy but I thought I was clipping along . I'm still waiting to be surprised and the end of the run by an amazing pace despite feeling the run was easy .

Legs starting to hurt , shins, calves , butt etc etc . Good job rub planned for Thursday . I should really roll myself but sleep always seems more appealing .

Five miles done Sunday evening , again at 6:00 mink.

Getting a head cold and not feeling very motivated right now . Need to stock up on vitamin D!!!

And knees I forgot knees . They ache as well.