Mental hurdles... Or just the heat?

[Madmick]

hiya

Great site and looking to take full advantage of all you're offering. Big thanks regardless.

Did one cycle of your sub 45 10k before summer for a Canada Day race. Towards of the program realized that more than one cycle would have been ideal, but didn't find till late.

Achieved all the targets and ran a 45:07. Was gutted but blamed on experience as I felt I started out too fast and couldn't hold it together. I had to sprint the last 100 to get that close.

Promised myself I would do a sub 45 ASAP then settle into running for fun and enjoyment. I'm 40 btw...

So thought two cycles might be enough and just completed one cycle today. Hit all of the targets except the 2k challenge early in the program, and thenlong run had to pack it in at 1:10 only 12 k. Before summer race that was 15k in 1:30. Today's 10 was not good.

Plan was to run at 4:30 pace hoping that I'd have some gas and kick for the final bit and get over the line just shy of 45 but would have been happy if just over. Done at 5.85... Discouraged but managed to do the last 4k, 1 at a time sub 4:30.

In Tokyo and it is bloody hot. Every run has been challenging, this includes the easy runs. Very hot but also feeling very discouraged and quick to pack it in towards the end of runs. Been trying to convince myself that the heat is the problem but also worried that I'm just giving up to easy.

Any advice on 'mental' hints/techniques would be much appreciated and if you have the time perhaps I could post my times and relevant data for some feedback... How you get to them all, I've no idea.

Cheers,

Mick

[TheEd]

Hi madmick and welcome to the forums

great to see you have enjoyed training and testing yourself over 10km ..

first off you mentioned - Hit all of the targets except the 2k challenge early in the program

that unfortunately is the 'crux' of the program and that is the session that builds mental mental strength to achieve your 10k goals .. you hit the target in the 2k session and the 10k race becomes easier

the 2k session when done on one's own is more difficult that racing the 10k in a race

for the future it is good to find a training partner to share the 2k load

you welcome to post your times and relevant feedback and I shall assist where possible

also note that when striving towards a goal their is the mental and positive energy associated with a new challenge, this does wear off and with time you will learn there is a lot more to the 10k programs which takes all these aspects into consideration

good luck and enjoy the running

TheEd

[Madmick]

Thank you for the welcome.

Spoke with some fellow runners last night who are suffering as well in the heat. As well, some very interesting articles on the web, re: running in the heat, and just how much of an affect this has on the body and subsequently performance.

Understanding now that quitting at 6k wasn't as much of a psychological failure, more likely it was just too hot for the pace and distance I expected i'd be able to do... So feeling better already.

Temps are supposed to be dropping next week as I commence the next cycle leading up to october 8 race. Looking forward to posting my data.

How important is some hill work, and if beneficial should I look to do speed work on them or just get up and down? Current training routes along a river are fairly flat.

Mick

[TheEd]

first off about the heat/warm conditions .. here 2 articles on Time-to-Run

Training and Competition in Warm Conditions

and

Collapse in the heat

as for Hillwork .. these programs make the most of the sessions needed to achieve the various times and when the athlete progresses time wise they will note that Hillwork is introduced though the session that has the greatest impact on improvement is most definitely the 2000m session

once the athlete has gone through a few cycles and then has an off period followed by the Build Up we alter the program slightly with the knowledge that the athlete has been through the process and is ready for the changes to the program

we can't provide too many elements until the athlete has developed, so the programs are progressive

hope this helps

TheEd
ps.. less to start with is always better and you can know that the programs are all progressive according to athlete feedback

[Madmick]

Many thanks for the articles, very interesting stuff.

Since Saturday's 10 km 'practice race' I've followed up with two easy runs with the missus. Left the gps watch at home both times and was delighted with the outcomes.

First one run at a very slow pace and managed to find some shade for about a 5 km very enjoyable run/trot. Same on the menu today, but later in the day as the sun was dropping and the thermometer read a remarkable 26. After 3 km wanted to stretch my legs and go a little longer than my partner had in mind. Felt like I flew the last 5km and was great fun without my core temp skyrocketing. What a difference a few degrees can make!

Comments on hillwork noted and will go with the training plan posted. Results to follow in the coming days.

Thanks again for your time and effort.

M

[Madmick]

Easy 60-70 min. on Tuesday

Completed and splits below. A little sluggish in the legs, the day before exertions when I decided to 'stretch my legs' on an easy run didn't go unpunished.

Lungs and head felt great, temp. was low again.

Total time running 1:02:51, total distance of 11.63K, ave HR 134, max 151

km, pace, ave HR, max HR
1 5:25 116 125
2 5:28 128 134
3 5.50 130 133
4 5:31 130 136
5 5:25 127 133
6 5:19 133 135
7 5:22 137 140
8 5:27 135 139
9 5:26 140 144
10 5:17 141 146
11 5:11 148 149
12(.63) 4:58 150 151

Followed this up on Wed. with an easy 30, didn't bother to keep data as time away from GPS watch seems to reduce pressure to perform and takes away from the enjoyment and opportunity to relax in the run. Is the data on the shorter easy runs valuable? Legs still a bit heavy, but managed to complete just over 5k in the 30 min.

Tokyo being bombarded by a typhoon at the moment. Hopefully (or not???)cleared up tomorrow morning for the 2k trials.

Thanks,

Mick

[TheEd]

keep it cool .. don't get blown away and enjoy

all in one day

TheEd

[Madmick]

Up early, typhoon passed... sun and temp.'s up

First one felt good, but was feeling it early in the calves and the discomfort lasted throughout the session. Think I might need to do some strength/endurance training on that muscle group.

Last two were quite hard, last one especially.

Splits below:

2K Time(1k splits), pace, ave HR, Max HR

1 8:21 (4:03, 4:15) 4:09 143 150
2 8:39 (4:13, 4:24) 4:18 147 154
3 8:42 (4:20, 4:21) 4:20 152 158
4 8:56 (4:23, 4:32) 4:27 154 159

Disappointed not to make that last one, but a much better performance than the previous cycle when I couldn't finish numbers 5&6.

In an earlier post, you said,

"that unfortunately is the 'crux' of the program and that is the session that builds mental mental strength to achieve your 10k goals .. you hit the target in the 2k session and the 10k race becomes easier

the 2k session when done on one's own is more difficult that racing the 10k in a race"

Why exactly is that, adrenaline, crowd???

Mick

[Madmick]

PS. I've got a footie game this Saturday, a conflict with my longest run day. Any suggestions on how to work the schedule around that?

[TheEd]

play the footie and if possible a light 20 to 30 minute run the day after .. if legs allowing

in the first week of the cycle the long run is reasonably important, so we need to see whether we can slot a 1hr run in at a later stage

enjoy

TheEd