To race is but a dream...

[TheEd]

Hi Daz, as long as you keep the body and mind healthy, a great deal can be achieved

work on slowly rebuilding the confidence, and don't take too bigger a bite as to what you can do

short-term goals are important, they must be achievable, so as to build the confidence

we will get there

TheEd

[shadydaz]

16/12/19
Resting HR 47
6.10km
33:55
5:33/km
Ave HR 137
Max HR 164

17/12/19
Resting HR 43
8.09km
44:22
5:29/km
Ave HR 140
Max HR 172

18/12/19
Resting HR 48
12.40km
67:36
5:27/km
Ave HR 150
Max HR 170

[shadydaz]

19/12/19
Resting HR 35
6.11km
33:04
5:24/km
Ave HR 156
Max HR 169

[shadydaz]

210/12/19 2km Intervals session

Resting HR 44
16.70km
80:03
4:48/km
Ave HR 154
Max HR 193

3.01km Warm up in 15:34

1.
4:19.5 ave HR 129, Max HR 134
4:17.9 ave HR 130, Max HR 135
8:37.4 Average pace 4:18.7

R120: 5:21/km ave HR 132, Max HR 135, Recovery HR 130

2.
4:15.9 ave HR 147, Max HR 169
4:18.7 ave HR 167, Max HR 193
8:34.6 Average pace 4:17.3

R120: 5:34/km ave HR 171, Max HR 178, Recovery HR 166

3.
4:22.6 ave HR 170, Max HR 176
4:19.1 ave HR 173, Max HR 184
8:41.7 Average pace 4:20.85

R120: 5:21/km ave HR 171, Max HR 176, Recovery HR 169

4.
4:20.0 ave HR 173, Max HR 177
4:18.4 ave HR 171, Max HR 178
8:38.4 Average pace 4:19.2

R120: 5:17/km ave HR 169, Max HR 174, Recovery HR 166

5.
4:19.2 ave HR 170, Max HR 175
4:15.4 ave HR 171, Max HR 176
8:34.6 Average pace 4:17.3

R120: 9:39/km ave HR 155, Max HR 171, Recovery HR 138

2.0km Warm down

Average km pace for intervals: 4:18.7/km
Average km pace for intervals: 4:35.5/km previous session

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/4353439722

Set myself my first tougher target with this session. The aim was to step up the intensity a little bit but go for consistent paced reps and last the whole session. I think I achieved that pretty well. target pace was 4:20/km, so just marginally quicker than the paced 10km from last Sunday. Stepped it up to 5 reps too and certainly felt it in the last rep, I wasn't struggling but was riding the clutch on the "overdrive" toward the end of the rep, trying to hang on to target pace and managed to find something to knock out the quickest km split. This is the hardest training session I have allowed myself to do since 2017 and was feeling it last night, even after the piping hot salt bath and plenty of stretching. Surprisingly fresh as a daisy today in the legs considering the effort last night and weekly mileage so far. Plenty of rest and fuelling prior to tomorrow's lsr session.
In summary, despite the extra rep, a successful session with drastically improved interval split times in comparison to the previous 2km session. Moving up a level, which needs to happen if i am going to run a marathon in 15 weeks time!!

[shadydaz]

21/12/19 rest day
Resting HR 45

22/12/19 Long Run
Resting HR 42
32km
2:45:46
5:11/km
Ave HR 155
Max HR 181

km 3-12 54:20
km 13-22 52:09
km 23-32 48:13
Last 5km split 23:55

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/4357806429

That went according to plan and felt better than expected. Massive confidence boosting run, the furthest i have ever run, the previous distance PB being 25.6km. Stopped at 11km and 21km for stretches and a nutri-grain bar. The negative splits and pace increase were planned as i wanted to gauge what is potentially going to be possible! successfull negative splits and a hot finish, last 2km being 4:45 and 4:38.

Happy Monkey. Time for recovery and rest.

[shadydaz]

23/12/19
Resting HR 37
5.47km
30:22
5:33/km
Ave HR 140
Max HR 177

Little shake off. Was tough so took it very easy but loosened off after 3km. Plenty of stretching and eating being done. Feeling much better this morning, should be able to sneak out later for another loosener, maybe a touch further, will see how legs feel.
With this run I've hit highest monthly distance YTD and second highest monthly distance ever. Feeling a lot more secure in my body's ability to cope and recover these days. Not carrying any injuries, managed tight spots on the hammys effectively which have now freed up completely so only preventative maintenance required.

Looking forward to the New Year and the new challenges that is going to bring.

[TheEd]

Hi Daz, wonderful to see you have been able to put a fair amount of decent training together

here's to 2020, may the coming year be a major success for you in all avenues

onwards TheEd

[shadydaz]

Hi Daz, wonderful to see you have been able to put a fair amount of decent training together

here's to 2020, may the coming year be a major success for you in all avenues

onwards TheEd

Thanks Coach, your words mean a lot.  I am now in a record mileage month, feeling strong and healthy, got a few more days left for a bit more mileage and then into 2020 with new challenges and hopefully some improvements and consistency.

---

24/12/19
Resting HR 41
6.12km
33:09
5:25/km
Ave HR 126
Max HR 135

25/12/19
Rest day
Resting HR 44

26/12/19
Resting HR 43
11.50km
62:25
5:26/km
Ave HR 157
Max HR 180
not sure what happened here, over-indulgence on Christmas day haha!

27/12/19
Resting HR 42
8.09km
42:25
5:15/km
Ave HR 136
Max HR 158

[shadydaz]

28/12/19
Resting HR 46
12.30km
63:55
5:12/km
Ave HR 146
Max HR 162
Edit - this 12km included 3x1km at tempo R60 fartleks style!! Hence the slightly lower pace average

29/12/19
Resting HR 46
8.10km
42:57
5:18/km
Ave HR 153
Max HR 171
Planks and press ups before run.

Ticking over.

[shadydaz]

30/12/19
Resting HR 46
5.40km
30:04
5:34/km
Ave HR 135
Max HR 159
30 mins strength training and some good stretching


31/12/19 RACE DAY 5km
Resting HR 45

Warm Up
1.65km
9:12
5:35/km

RACE -
1. 3:53.3 Ave HR 128, Max HR 137
2. 4:02.9 Ave HR 142, Max HR 157
3. 3:59.7 Ave HR 146, Max HR 171
4. 4:09.3 Ave HR 159, Max HR 170
5. 3:55.2 Ave HR 174, Max HR 215

TOTAL: 20:00.4.
Gun time 20:00
Chip time 19:58

Warm Down
1.55km
9:12
5:56/km

Target for the race was 21:30. It was a nice crisp morning, perfect conditions for me to stay cool and maximise effort with minimal stress. I got up near the front and set off at a decent pace given the slippery grass underfoot. By the time we had hit the path at about 0.6km in, was into a nice comfortable rhythm and despite the early effort just felt like I could hold that pace without it being too much strain to hang on to later on. Slowed it down to about 4min/km and held firm, despite the event being in a public park full of living, moving obstacles I was feeling relaxed, concentrated and holding pace with ease. That was until KM4. This was the toughest section of the race and had to manoeuvre over several patches of slippy, ankle deep mud and back through a single file under bridge pass at the end of this km(which I was stuck behind a couple of runners that were fading and pedestrians!). I managed to get past all of them and back across another off-road, slippy section and into clear running (bar living obstacle dodging again) through the last KM. It was a tough last km and I was hanging on but managed to take another two places or so and accelerate even on the slippery grass (but not quite enough) to 2:34/km across the finish line, once I realised the sub 20 was possible. This realisation was a 1 second too late unfortunately but what a result regardless!! That was a tough effort as you can see from my max HR in the last split! Went with the road shoes as 4km was on pathways. Recovered quickly afterwards and eased off with a gentle mile.
For my first ever non parkrun 5km I am very happy with that, think I placed top 15, to be confirmed, possible top 3 V40+ haha!! Thought a hard 5km would give a good time trial to measure where I am at going into the new year and all I can say is wow!! There should be good things to come! Maybe even back to Sub 20 sooner rather than later ?

Edit - finished 12th place, second male V40+. Nearly won a trophy haha, 13 seconds shy though!

278.3km total for December. Feeling strong and optimistic about Next Year!!