A Slow Journey to Faster Times

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Somewhere in there but I will not worry about times until I get to the startline. Main focus is to keep the training going and enjoy the race. I will try to do a few more races in the meantime, and maybe the half at Longford.

It's definitely half the battle getting there fit on the day. I might see you in Longford. Hoping to run that race myself.

dublin runner wrote: »

I am going to throw a small spanner in the works!

Firstly, well raced. Is sub 1.23 not a bit soft though? Looking at how you race (negative splits etc), I think you are selling yourself slightly short. I think you should target 1.21:30. I think Longford is a far enough course and a month away. A more aggressive target might be in order.

10 Miles: 1.01:39=6.10p/m
HM: 1.21:30=6.13p/m

(I am fully aware it's very easy for me to give my 2 cents sitting at a keyboard!!)

Although I've been sticking with sub 1:23 in my log here, I was actually thinking I could hit something in the 1:21's myself.

No pulling the wool over your eyes!

Tuesday 29th July - 135 minutes Easy
15.14m @ 8:55/m average (115bpm avg)

Due to my shift patterns this week and since I took a complete rest day yesterday, today was my only real opportunity to get a long run in. I decided to take it very easily, as the last thing I need to be doing at the moment is injuring myself unnecessarily. Happy enough with how it went. Will get a Steady session in on Friday and will fit in as many easy miles as I can around work on the other days.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:52 (113bpm)
Mile 2 - 9:08 (117bpm)
Mile 3 - 9:12 (117bpm)
Mile 4 - 8:54 (115bpm)
Mile 5 - 8:57 (116bpm)
Mile 6 - 9:20 (116bpm)
Mile 7 - 9:05 (116bpm)
Mile 8 - 8:50 (117bpm)
Mile 9 - 8:35 (109bpm)
Mile 10 - 9:01 (110bpm)
Mile 11 - 8:39 (115bpm)
Mile 12 - 8:30 (114bpm)
Mile 13 - 8:45 (120bpm)
Mile 14 - 9:00 (117bpm)
Mile 15 - 8:52 (118bpm)
0.14 - 1:21 (113bpm)

viperlogic wrote: »

Interesting as that equates to the bottom end of the P&D guidelines of 74-84% of Max HR. Which for me, max HR of 183, equates to range of 135-154bpm. By above that would be 133 or lower.

My last LSR was progressive...
11K @ PMP+20% - 4:59 min/km (8:01 min/miles) - 137bpm - 75%
11K @ PMP+14% - 4:45 min/km (7:38 min/miles) - 140bpm - 77%
10K @ PMP+8% - 4:30 min/km (7:14 min/miles) - 148bpm - 81%

Then again, every coach/book is different, JD has the range at 65-79% of Max HR which for me would be 119-145bpm.

All this stuff sounds too technical for me
As the old as saying goes: If it's not broken, don't fix it :pac:

viperlogic wrote: »

yaboya1, do you do any faster LSR's or some that have some section at MP?

I haven't been doing that so far. All my easy runs have been at the lower HR, while my Steady runs have been at whatever Steady HR I've progressed to. I've been using race results as a gauge to my progress and what MP to target. In saying that, I was thinking of throwing in a big MP session (something like 20 with 15@MP) around three or four weeks before Berlin.

viperlogic wrote: »

Very true, and it certainly isn't broken from following your progress. Fantastic stuff.

You're going well yourself. You might have TbL to keep you company by the time you get to Amsterdam.

ger664 wrote: »

Berlin is the target not Longford. You should really be racing that in the middle of a tough Race Prep section of P&D so you may not hit 1:21. I wouldn't worry on missing that target just keep in mind the end game.

Cheers Ger. Looks like I'm going to be jumping into that part of the plan on the 11th August. There is an MP run (18 with 14@MP) due to be done on the 24th, so I was thinking of swapping that whole week around with the following week which recommends a tune-up race. I'd get the 17m Long Run done on the Monday after Longford since that race is on a Sunday rather than a Saturday. Do you see any harm in that?

Wednesday 30th July - 45 minutes Easy
5.12m @ 8:48/m average (117bpm avg)

This was all I had time to fit in today. Seems to have got rid of any soreness in the legs from yesterday though.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:50 (120bpm)
Mile 2 - 8:41 (115bpm)
Mile 3 - 8:40 (117bpm)
Mile 4 - 9:02 (122bpm)
Mile 5 - 8:40 (115bpm)
0.12 - 1:10 (116pm)

Friday 1st August - 75 minutes Steady
11m @ 7:09p/m average (150bpm avg)

I've been feeling pretty lethargic and leaden legged all week. I think it's down to my two races in quick succession, as I remember the body being in similar shape back in May when I ran three in the space of two weeks. Anyway, I knew I had to get this session done despite the fact that I wasn't 100%, so I bit the bullet around 2pm. I was expecting the splits at 150bpm to be around the 7:00min/mile mark. The HRM was showing exactly the readings I was expecting for the warm up and first 4.9 Steady miles (some pace variation due to a strong wind). At that point it started to go haywire again, jumping from 110 to 162 in a matter of seconds despite the pace/effort remaining the same. I knew then I'd have to forget about it for the remainder of the workout, so I disconnected the strap and ran by feel for the rest of the way. Again, the later mile split differences are down to the wind being with/against me.


Splits:

2 mile warm up - 9:07 (123bpm), 8:37 (128bpm)

Mile 1 - 7:04 (148bpm)
Mile 2 - 7:12 (150bpm)
Mile 3 - 7:29 (150bpm)
Mile 4 - 7:29 (151bpm)
Mile 5 - 7:15 (149bpm)
Mile 6 - 7:17 (???bpm)
Mile 7 - 7:05 (???bpm)
Mile 8 - 7:03 (???bpm)
Mile 9 - 6:55 (???bpm)
Mile 10 - 6:57 (???bpm)
Mile 11 - 6:58 (???bpm)

0.5 mile cool down - 4:03 (???bpm)

I'm happy with the session overall, but it did take more out of me than I would have expected. It definitely does seem like my recent race efforts have left a lingering effect. I don't think a couple more days of complete rest would do me any harm. The HRM has now earned the Timeform squiggle and can't be trusted anymore. Since I was only going to use it for a week or two more though, it doesn't really matter. I'm going to play it by ear over the weekend. If I feel good, I'll run. If not, I'll rest. Either way I'm going to jump into the P&D plan on Monday. Just over 8 weeks to Berlin