Sub 20 5k

[runninggirl]

Hi TheEd,

I just finished the workout you suggested. It turned out to be 3.2 km@4:15 pace. The workout felt pretty good. I ran it on a flat bike path but wondered if I should have perhaps run it on the track as my Garmin kept losing pace so made it hard to keep even pacing. As per the program I will run 1 hour tomorrow, 30 minutes Monday, then the workout for Tues is 400s. Should I do that workout or the 3x5 min?

Becky

[TheEd]

HI Becky, great to see you floating through the cycle quite well

consider doing the 3 x 5 minute fartlek session

5 minutes @ 5k pace with 2 to 3 minutes easy in-between

have you anything planned for Day 18 of the program?

TheEd

[runninggirl]

Ok. Will do the 3x5 min session on Tuesday.
There is a possible Duathlon race next Sunday the 13th. It is 5k/12mi/5k. It is up in the air since the weather might be bad. If it is good weather I will do it. If it is raining I will pass on the race.
Then looking ahead I have planned:
11/9- 5k race
11/28(Thanksgiving) 5k or 10k race.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[runninggirl]

Hi TheEd,

I had a great session this morning. I did the 3x5 min@5k pace with a 3 minute rest in between that you suggested. Here are the results:
1-4:16 per km
2-3:58 per km
3-3:56 per km

I did these on a bike path so the first one may have been a slight uphill & the last two a slight downhill. I tried to slow myself down on the second interval thinking it might be too fast but it felt good so I went with it. I have to say this is the fastest I have run a training session in awhile. I am grateful to have found this website with the training program and for all of your help. I am seeing improvements I haven't seen in a long time.
The duathlon planned this weekend most likely won't happen. It involves some travel & I am not sure I want to travel that far after a busy week at work.
I am going to try & find a race on Oct 20th which would line up with 3 weeks in between the other races I have planned.
If I don't do the duathlon this weekend should I do a time trial?
I plan on continuing to follow the plan this week with 40 min tomorrow & the 6x1 min workout Thursday, then rest on Friday.
I welcome your thoughts & comments.
Thanks again for all of your help & feedback.
Becky

[TheEd]

nice to hear Becky .. now this is where you must learn about the new rhythm of the programs, where you don't crank up the intensity, so in the next cycle, don't look to run faster but instead introduce slightly more distance

so when you come out of the cycle you feel fresh as well as having further developed

as mentioned, there is a lot more to the programs which are aimed at being progressive

good to read you enjoying yourself

TheEd
ps.. yes, consider a 4k time-trial (this weekend) as a marker .. don't start off too fast but instead build up the speed finishing strongly on the last km, try to gain confidence from the process

[runninggirl]

Hi TheEd,

I am reporting on my 4k time trial this morning.
1-4:28
2-4:03
3-4:03
4-4:15

Total time-16:49

I calculated the distance incorrectly so had to turn around with .5 to go. I probably ran the 2nd & 3rd km too fast because I felt like I had to struggle in the last km. I am wondering if I should have done the 30 min with 6x1 min workout yesterday? Since I took yesterday off I felt flat today.
Thanks for the feedback in your last post. By adding distance do you mean when the plan says 30 min run 40 min, instead of 3x2000 do 4 x2000 but at the same pace as the last cycle? I am guessing the 1 hour runs should be kept at an hour at the point and not added to?

[TheEd]

not to worry .. it is only a marker .. the 4.03 per km, looks good though

yes, 3 x 2k becomes 4 x 2k

over time we increase the runs to 1hr and then we focus more on pace so we start covering more distance for the 1hr (if you have a heart rate monitor, then your pace becomes quicker at the same pulse)

one day hard ... one day easy

always reintroducing easy when feeling off until the bad days start becoming less

we move away from the principle that we must train hard no matter what but instead create the belief and self-confidence in what we doing

this way the running becomes sustainable as we do not attach it to the stress of having to do but enjoying what we do as we achieve the goals

a process of enjoyment with results

ps.. we also don't try make up for what we have missed, so the 6 x 1 minute fast / slow was on this occasion not done, as we progress the dots begin connecting and the results occur

[runninggirl]

Hi TheEd,

That all sounds really good. Just to clarify I did the 6x1 min workout two days prior to the 4k time trial per the program. I wondered if I should have done it the day before since I often feel stale if I take the day off before a race or workout.
My plan for this week is:
Sunday-60 min easy
Monday-40 min easy
Tuesday-60 min easy
Wednesday-30-40 min easy
Thursday-4x2000@4:20 per km

Does that sound ok? I welcome any suggestions or feedback you may have.

Thanks,

Becky

[TheEd]

Becky .. thanks for clarifying that .. ideally it would be great to introduce a day's rest, however if you feel better with the run before the race day then stick to the process, moving the 6 x 1 min fast/slow to the day before the race and then put 20 - 30 minutes on the day before (before the 1 min fast/slow) with the last 10 minutes pick-up

hope this is clear

TheEd

[runninggirl]

Hi TheEd,

Yes. That makes sense. I will do the workouts in that sequence before my next race. I also may have run the minute repeats too fast as I did it at the pace I wanted to run the time trial at.

Becky