15 June 2008

Business As Usual

Pretty much business as usual. Wanted to run more, but can't do it due to work & home commitments. A 5k race next Sunday then a 12k race the following week. Will run the 5k hard, the 12k race will be treated as a tempo run to prepare for August 24th Half-Marathon.

My training this week:

Monday:
30 mins Easy Run (av 5:26 min/km)
Tired. Last week's long hours at work seemed to drain me physically & mentally.

Tuesday:
Off - no time to run.

Wednesday:
3k warm up to the track (incl 3 strides)

5 x 1000m VO2Max (av 3:41 min/km), high HR 192
Splits (per lap):
86, 88, 43 = 3:37 (av 174 bpm)
89, 89, 44 = 3:42 (178)
90, 89, 43 = 3:42 (180)
89, 90,43 = 3:42 (183)
89, 90, 42 = 3:41 (183)

Recovery were 400m slow jogs and 30secs drink stop for around 3:00 total
2.4k cool down (total workout 12k)
10 mins stretching/core
70 abs crunch + 2 sets weights for torso and hip

Had enforced 3 days off in the last 7 days due to work. For me, this resulted in fresh legs but loss in endurance. Ran the first 1000m too fast due to fresh legs and had to 'fight hard' after that. Wanted to quit ater the 4th interval but after extending the rest to 4mins, managed to complete the last one successfully.

Thursday:
35 mins Recovery Run (av 5:35)
20 mins weights

Friday:
57 mins Easy (av 5:00) with 10 mins @ MP
Hot day, should have stayed indoors. Headache for the whole day.

Saturday:
42 mins Easy (av 5:05) with 6 x 00:10 hills

Sunday:
10mins warm up on the track, incl 3 strides

8k sub-LT Tempo Run in 33:08 (av 4:09 min/km)
Splits (per 1600m):
6:36/165, 6:38/170, 6:42/175, 6:38/180, 6:34/186
Av HR 176 bpm, High HR 191

28 mins cool down incl 3 light strides
Total workout 15.5k in 72 mins (av 4:38)

A good workout but found the last 1600m tough as evidenced by high HR (186 bpm average). Cloudy morning but humid.

Total 59km for the week, 1571 km for the year

6 comments:

Clown said...

It's really hard when work makes it tough to run.

Some good sessions re the 5*1000m intervals and the 8k tempo run.

All the best with the 5k race.

Cheers

Epi said...

Will it be a 5k race or a 6.5k ??

Still great training paces - you just need a well oragnised race in decent conditions and this PB is finally going to come for you!

We continue to be impressed by your training

Epi

Jodan said...

See ya during the next 2 races, mate. =)

Ewen said...

I do hope it's a 5k, not a 4.8 or a 5.2.

I'm curious as to whether you think you've maintained your aerobic condition with this lower mileage training? Is there a trade-off between race endurance at half marathon distance and speed at 5-10k?

With the 8k LT (half marathon pace?), it seemed like the HR was continuing up with each mile.

Good luck for the 5k.

Sling Runner said...

Ewen,

I think my endurance has suffered. In the last 2 months, I only did 1-2 of 90mins+ aerobic run. However, my weekend track sessions could total to around 15-16k for the day (8k worth of tempo/intervals, 7k of warm up/cool down). So I hope the drop in endurance is mitigated partially.

Fortunately the HM is still 2 months away. I plan to do intervals more sparringly and focus on HM-specific sessions like long runs and tempo work.

By the way, it is interesting to see the training of a US-elite masters runner, Sean Wade. He rarely runs longer than 1 hour but his record at the masters age group are amazing. His training log here
http://www.kenyanway.com/TheCoach/CoachsTrainingBlog.php

Yes, I was also surprised to see my HR going through the roof during the 8k tempo run. I was lab-tested last year and my LT pace was 4:00. I would have thought that a 4:10 pace would be below LT and more like a HM pace. My guess is the rising HR was driven by the heat/humidity (cardiac drift) or perhaps the loss of endurance (ie my heart had to work harder than usual)

Ewen said...

I'd say the drift was a combination of running slightly quicker than threshold pace and the heat (or you just having an off day).

I read Sean's blog - he does a little more (still not big miles) when not in the racing season - and in previous years when building up for a marathon. He's talented (ex-Olympian). Talented runners can get away with less mileage (that's a generalisation).

A HM specific session that worked for me was 24k at a 'good' pace - 4:10-15 per k, when I ran my PB. Don't know how you can do any long runs in your heat/humidity though!