Post injury - wanting sub 40min

[dale_8888]

Hey TheEd,
Well I was feeling a fair bit better than yesterday but still a little tired. I went to do the 400m session as I thought I was up for it.

In the warm-up for the 1st 5min I just ran 1km and slowly built up the speed, max at about 4:00/km. The other 5min just random warm-up drills.

Session:

time av HR max HR rest av HR min HR
88.9 | 168 | 178 | 60.0 | 149 | 114
86.6 | 162 | 179 | 60.0 | 151 | 120
86.1 | 165 | 183 | 60.0 | 158 | 126
88.3 | 170 | 184 | 60.0 | 163 | 128
88.4 | 171 | 181 | 60.0 | 159 | 130
87.0 | 172 | 183 | 60.0 | 163 | 135
89.0 | 174 | 184 | 60.0 | 167 | 138
87.9 | 168 | 186 | 60.0 | 165 | 135
87.6 | 168 | 182 | 60.0 | 167 | 139
86.7 | 173 | 185 | 60.0 | 167 | 137

I did the intervals on a road with a slight incline with the odd numbered intervals going up hill. The incline was small enough that it doesn't register with Garmin, it looked like about 0.5m elevation change with the eye. I found the session very challenging, particularly the first interval. For the first time I used the 60 sec rest to walk around rather than be dead still.

[dale_8888]

Had a bit of a break, lost my way a little bit.

Trying to find what works for me. I think I need to work on speed more. I did a 2.4 race in 9.30 which is garbage.

I have been running every day for the last 5 days.

Mon - 600s, no HR monitor

lap | time | pace | rest
1 | 2:18 | 3:49 | 60.0
2 | 2:15 | 3:45 | 60.0
3 | 2:14 | 3:43 | 60.0
4 | 2:16 | 3:47 | 60.0
5 | 2:16 | 3:46 | 60.0
6 | 2:19 | 3:51 | 60.0

Tue - cruisy 5.6km, av pace 5:30, no HR monitor, was definitely above 140 HR

Wed - 400s, no HR monitor

lap | time | pace | rest
1 | 84.2 | 3:31 | 60.0
2 | 81.2 | 3:23 | 60.0
3 | 83.7 | 3:29 | 60.0
4 | 84.7 | 3:32 | 60.0
5 | 86.8 | 3:37 | 60.0
6 | 84.4 | 3:31 | 60.0

Thu - 5.6km cruisy, av pace 5:33, no HR monitor

Fri - 5.8km cruisy, av pace 5:15, no HR monitor

I haven't been doing any riding or swimming. I have done a few circuits in the gym to elevate my HR.

I feel that the 140HR is just too low. The reason I say this is that any sort of heat and humidity just kills it completely. I went out a few weeks ago and couldn't get below 7:00/km below 140 HR which, to me seems like an utter waste of time and is extremely boring. I enjoy running at anything below about 6:20/km but above that is just boring!!!

So, I did a bit of reading and I think it wouldn't hurt to allow my HR to go to around 145bpm in the easy runs. Saying that, at the moment I want to be able to do 1500 in 5:15 and get my 2.4km time well under 9.00, then do a 3000 under 11:00 and so on.

Can you please give me some guidance on how to get this speed?

[TheEd]

Hi Dale, I have taken a while to answer your post .. what would you like to achieve, when would you like to achieve these goals?

from there we will see what structure can be provided

cheers

TheEd

[dale_8888]

I am very slow for what I want in triathlon, all three disciplines, so what I wanted to do was start from the ground up with shorter, faster races and try to carry the speed into longer races.

Goals:
Ironman in sub 10 hours (5 years) sub 3.5 hour run
Olympic tri 2:10 (3 years) - sub 40min run
Sprint tri 1:05 (2 years) - sub 20min run
5km sub 18 (1 year)
2.4km sub 8:24 (1 year)

With these in mind I would like to start with the 2.4/5km training.

I have a very distinct feeling that I have NO speed in me at the moment. I did a 2.4 the other day in 9.30 (3:57min/km) (it was quite warm and humid), and today I did some 800s, which, according to my 4km TT of 15.46 I should be doing in 2:57-3:05, which I couldn't achieve.

800 session:
int time pace av HR max HR min HR
1 | 3:03 | 3:49 | 165 | 182 | 113
R | 1:00 | XXX | 154 | 179 | 129
2 | 3:03 | 3:49 | 174 | 185 | 127
R | 1:00 | XXX | 165 | 183 | 139
3 | 2:36 | 3:53 | 177 | 184 | 139 -- had to make a toilet stop, so shorter run and caused rest to be MUCH longer.
R | 20:0 |
4 | 3:03 | 3:48 | 167 | 183 | 118
R | 1:00 | XXX | 157 | 182 | 132
5 | 3:02 | 3:47 | 172 | 183 | 132
R | 7:17 | same reason as before!!!
6 | 3:02 | 3:48 | 174 | 183 | 138
R | 1:00 | XXX | 163 | 182 | 136

The toilet breaks were somewhat beyond frustrating, although I could not have continued with those intervals and that rest for the set I don't think. I was not using a track, I was on a road with winds up to 20kts, did each interval in one direction (straight road). This has just really brought home for me that I lack the ability to maintain speed.

With this in mind I was hoping to use the next 3 weeks (including this one) to build a bit of speed, then I am going away for 4 weeks, then I will be back with a vengeance on this speed thing!

Sorry for my posts before, I do NOT doubt your abilities as a coach I just get frustrated running at 7min/km when I would run an ultra marathon faster than that pace. I think the heat and humidity has been effecting me somewhat as well.

Plan: Run 2 hard sessions per week + 1 long run, the rest easy with maybe one or two moderate sessions, maybe a tempo run. I am very keen on reacting to how my body is feeling though, so if I feel fatigued or whatever I am happy with 2 hard and 1 long per week, no moderates.

I was thinking 400 and 800m intervals to reduce my 2.4 and 800m time. Not too sure about rest though. Due to my lack of speed I was thinking for the 800s rest 2min running at 3:45-3:50 and reduce the rest as I get better.

[dale_8888]

Today - easy jog, 6.63km, 38:01, av pace: 5:44, av HR 146

km pace av HR max HR
1 | 5:28 | 139 | 149
2 | 5:40 | 146 | 151
3 | 5:41 | 147 | 151
4 | 5:53 | 147 | 151
5 | 5:49 | 148 | 150
6 | 5:48 | 149 | 151
X | 5:52 | 149 | 152

I was totally doing it by feel and it felt easy. I did it at lunch time, and I think the heat and humidity are getting to me, mostly the humidity though.

[dale_8888]

Did 400s again, 60sec rest. Was conducted on a flat road, 400m each way, warm and humid, nil wind.

Lap time pace av HR max HR rest HR
1 | 1:28 | 3:40 | 164 | 180 | 121
2 | 1:27 | 3:38 | 164 | 177 | 130
3 | 1:26 | 3:36 | 163 | 179 | 137
4 | 1:26 | 3:36 | 165 | 179 | 141
5 | 1:25 | 3:33 | 166 | 180 | 137
6 | 1:26 | 3:36 | 162 | 182 | 141
7 | 1:28 | 3:39 | 171 | 180 | 139
8 | 1:26 | 3:36 | 169 | 181 | 142
9 | 1:26 | 3:35 | 171 | 181 | 151
10| 1:25 | 3:33 | 175 | 187 | 139

Some feedback and guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[dale_8888]

I've found my way again.

Easy 30min yesterday, easy 10km today, 1km intervals tomorrow, I'll finish off a cycle from there then do the triathlon.

From there, 4 weeks of course so I won't be training, (out bush).

Then next race is Sydney City2Surf on 12 Aug. I would like sub 56min (14km race), but anything less than 1 hour is good for me. When I get back I'll get on YOUR program.

[TheEd]

Hi Dale, if I do assist you, you must please listen

from the outset I have been trying to get you to achieve balance and not to overtrain

this has been my reluctance to assist you

so please commit and hopefully we able to move forward

TheEd

[dale_8888]

Ok, I'll start by finishing this cycle, racing, doing a week into a new cycle then I'll go out bush.

I'll start by keeping my easy runs around 140bpm. Is it ok if I keep them under 6:30/km as sometimes 140bpm drags me closer to 7min/km?

I don't have a track for the 1km intervals tomorrow, so I'll see if I can find a flat bit of road.

[dale_8888]

TheEd,

For the 5km paced run on Saturday I was thinking of start at 4:15/km then see how I feel. I would start quicker however I am unsure as to what my body is doing at the moment, so I'll take it easy then try and still get sub-20.50. Is this a good idea?