Improving 10k time at altitude

[TheEd]

looking good Mark, and putting the sessions in consistently

should be able to build on this in the right way

4k to come

TheEd

[MarkCo]

Cheers. Quick question - I note on the build up schedule it says to do the 4k time trial on day 20 if doing two 3 week cycles. So presumably I substitute the time trial for the 40-50 "work the hills" session and don't do both? Do I still do the 75 min session on day 21 also?

Many thanks.

[MarkCo]

Hi TheEd

Hope you're well. 4k time trial tomorrow finally. Am quite excited to see where I'm currently at, but expectations are not too high - I'm not going to be able to attain the sort of 5k/10k pace I did in August now that I'm back at altitude. I'm hoping to be around the same or a bit quicker than the last time trial I did at altitude back in July, before the races and off/build up periods.

Anyhow, here's the last week or so. Will update tomorrow following the time trial.

25 Oct
Rest as per schedule

26 Oct (work the hills)
9.28km in 50:02
5:23/km
Av HR 147, generally maxing around 160-165 at the top of the hills and settling back to 135-140 before the next repeat.
This session felt really hard!

27 Oct (long run)
15.27km in 1:18:59
5:10/km
Av HR 147
Felt pretty good, best pace on a long run yet.

28 Oct (1 hour easy)
11.67km in 1:01:39
5:17/km
Av HR 143

29 Oct
Feeling fatigued so extra rest day.
I have noticed that I always seem to get fatigued with more than 3 (or sometimes 4) runs in consecutive days. Should I be forcing myself out or is the extra rest day OK?

30 Oct (1 hour easy with last 4km at 65%)
12.02km in 1:01:25
5:06/km
Av HR 144
Last 4k splits were: 4:51, 4:51, 4:46, 4:51 with an Av HR of 150-154.

31 Oct (1 hour easy)
11:08km in 1:00:43
5:28/km
Av HR 141
Felt pretty tired on this run. Also had to cross a footbridge twice at peak hour, so had to walk for a couple of mins.

1 Nov (5 x 8 mins)
Lap / dist / pace / Av HR / Max HR / Min HR (at end of rest)
1 / 1.70km / 4:41 / 149 / 153 / 138
2 / 1.72km / 4:39 / 152 / 155 / 141
3 / 1.68km / 4:44 / 154 / 157 / 142
4 / 1.67km / 4:46 / 154 / 158 / 142
5 / 1.69km / 4:42 / 155 / 163 / 144
(warm up and cool down 5 mins easy, rests were 2 mins easy)
Although very slightly slower, felt this was an improvement over my last 5x8 as more consistent and controlled. HRs also significantly lower and it felt more like a genuine 75% effort.

Cheers

[MarkCo]

Hi TheEd

OK, 4k time trial done in 17:45. Pretty much what I was expecting, very similar to the last 4k time trial I did back in July - slight improvement of 7 seconds this time but a slightly harder effort looking at the HRs. It was very hard going, I had to back off slightly in km 3 as my breathing was getting out of control and I started to feel a bit dizzy. Managed to pick up again for the final km. No where near the pace I was doing back in August in the UK (fastest 4km during Park runs was 16:12!!).

km / pace / Av HR
1 / 4:23 / 161
2 / 4:22 / 167
3 / 4:32 / 167
4 / 4:21 / 170
Total time: 17:45 (4:25/km).

Previous 4k time trial in July for comparison:
km / pace / Av HR
1 / 4:28 / 147
2 / 4:26 / 164
3 / 4:28 / 165
4 / 4:26 / 165
Total time: 17:52 (4:28/km).

Will be moving forward to the 10k schedule next week, so based on the above I'm thinking to start on the sub-45 programme as before, with paces as below:

4x2km - start at 4:40/km
6x1km - start at 4:30/km.
I can always pick up the pace in the last intervals if feeling good. Sound OK?

Also, should I still be doing the 75 minute long run (last run on the build up programme) tomorrow, or not?

cheers

[TheEd]

Hi markco, what we need to look at is the 7 second improvement, and also to take into consideration what you were doing before last 4k .. freshness and the training building up to that

so we always take the positives out of it ..

an improvement
coming off a build-up which is the step before going onto the 10k programs cycle

you should have everything under control

when you go into the 10k, the 2k session 'should' feel terrible, however you should (this should happen) move onto a new level by the end of the first cycle

so there we have it

onwards TheEd

[MarkCo]

Hi TheEd

OK, good stuff, thanks. Planning to start the 10k programme tomorrow. Am I right in remembering from somewhere, that I now replace all the 30 minute easy runs with 60 min easy runs? Can't find it on the programme page or remember where I might have read it!!

cheers

[TheEd]

Hi markco, yes, if you have adapted to running 60 minutes without any problems then that is the way to go

if you have problems then play it by ear and be cautious, the 60 minutes will also assist in taking you to the next level

on we go

TheEd

[MarkCo]

I think I'm OK with 60 minutes, except when I have to run 3 or 4 days or more in a row - this seems to accumulate into causing a bit of fatigue.

As you say, I'll be cautious and see how I go with 60 mins. If feeling a bit tired I can always slot in a 30 min easy instead, or if it's building up I'll have a rest day (especially if a quality session the next day).

I'll report back after the 2000s!

cheers

[MarkCo]

Hi TheEd

Did the 4x2km today after a slightly disrupted start to the cycle, thanks to a light cold. Took a couple of days off to try and help myself recover from it and wasn't 100% sure whether to go out today, but glad I did because I felt OK once warmed up (in fact better than I had been feeling during the couple of runs prior, when I must have been coming down with the cold), and put in my best 4x2km performance to date. I was expecting it to be really tough, but I didn't push myself to the limit and overall it was no more uncomfortable than previous 4x2km sessions. Went slightly faster, better pace consistency and all heart rates significantly lower than the last session back in July, so feeling pleased with that and definitely something to build on over the coming cycles

5 Nov
11.49km in 1:00:22
5:15/km
Av HR 148.
Felt fairly easy paced but HR higher than usual for the effort and felt a bit heavy.

6 Nov
11.96km in 1:05:11
5:26/km
Av HR 141
Slowed the pace on this run to keep HR 140-145 but not feeling "right".

7 & 8 Nov
Rested

9 Nov - 4x2000s
Interval / time / pace / av HR / max HR / min HR after rest (90 secs walking)
1 / 9:10 / 4:34 / 155 / 162 / 115
2 / 9:03 / 4:30 / 159 / 167 / 125
3 / 9:10 / 4:34 / 160 / 168 / 128
4 / 9:06 / 4:32 / 161 / 173 / 129
Av pace during intervals: 4:33/km

Previous 4x2000 session from 12 July:
Interval / time / pace / av HR / max HR / min HR after rest (90 secs walking)
1 / 9:23 / 4:40 / 158 / 166 / 128
2 / 9:06 / 4:32 / 164 / 170 / 136
3 / 9:12 / 4:34 / 165 / 171 / 139
4 / 9:03 / 4:30 / 168 / 180 / 139
Av pace during intervals: 4:35/km

Quick question - if I'm feeling good tomorrow, OK to do the long run? Or best to have another rest day?

cheers

[TheEd]

well well markco, this is quite significant .. best focus on not getting sick after this session, so administer caution in your other quality sessions and watch your morning pulse

nice going TheEd