Wanted to say thanks

[kk_law]

Hi TheEd,

Hope you're enjoying the Olympics, SA is doing quite well with gold medals

Just wanted to catch up on the training since last week.

Saturday - Long Run: 2:08, 22.16km. Legs were feeling a bit tired, had a bit of a tweak in my shins so I went easy, avg HR 136.
Sunday - Recovery, 45 minutes, 9k, avg HR 138. Legs were still sore when I started but felt A LOT better at the end and afterwards.
Monday - 15-20 minutes easy, I didn't have watch on as it was just a warmup before my ultimate game (which I only played a little bit), mostly just rested.

Tuesday - I know I was supposed to do 70 minutes but I didn't have time so I did 45 easy (9km) on a course with some big hills. avg HR 139, legs feeling way better since last week although left shin was still funny.

Didn't have time to run yesterday, did a lot of stretching and foam rolling in my calves and ABC's to try to get that shin sorted out.

5x2K today, good warmup and shins felt a lot better. I had a good warmup with the following for the repeats:

Lap Time Avg HR Max HR Recovery HR
1 8:18 154 162 117
2 8:18 159 166 124
3 8:20 163 169 127
4 8:30 163 171 129
5 8:46 163 172 124 (after 2 minutes)

The first 3 was pretty easy, felt in control. I was strict about keeping rests to under 95 seconds. I could start to feel it in the 4th repeat and then died in the last one. That one hurt.

Anyway, I am on holiday this weekend but will try to find time to do the long run still on Saturday. It will be hilly where I am, do I still aim for 2 hours if I go easy on the downhills? I do like doing 2+hours on Saturdays and another hour + on Sundays, it seems to set me up well for the rest of the program.

Thanks,
KK

[TheEd]

KK .. when the 5th 2000m is handled with a 90 second Rest then your 10k racing will be a different story

as long as you able to develop currently in an upward moemntum then the results will follow

look after yourself and see whether the self treatment under the Shin Splints is of use

http://www.time-to-run.com/injuries/theb...plints.htm

Enjoy your weekend

TheEd
ps.. yes, SA has had an amazingly good start at these Olympics

[kk_law]

Hi TheEd,

I hope you're well and enjoying the last week of Olympics. Men's 10000M was one of the best races I've seen, thrilling to the very end. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the Farah, Rupp and Salazar trio.

Training this past weekend:

Saturday long run: 1:30, 16km, avg hr 128, max 155, rolling hills route around lake. I was on holiday so got up really early in order to get back before the kids woke up (didn't want to leave my wife to wrangle 3 monkeys). I was asleep for the first 3km at the very least, legs were so stiff and tired, took a long time to wake up. I turned at around 50 minutes and felt a lot better, shins/ankles were a bit tight but I didn't want to overdo it. I picked up the pace for 2km to 4:30 in order to stretch things out a bit and get a feel for the hills but then slowed it back down for the last stretch home. Jumped in the lake to cool the legs down.

Sunday: 60 easy, 11km, avg hr 138, max 158, same route but earlier turn around. Still testing the shins/ankles and things felt better so I just ran more freely. Easy on the downhills, ran the hills. Lake. I felt a lot better after this run.

Monday: travel day, no running but a lot of stretching, foam rolling and ABC's.

Today legs felt pretty much back to normal, I had a good warmup before the 6x1k session.

Lap Time MinHR AvgHR MaxHR
1 4:00 102 148 158
2 3:54 123 155 162
3 3:55 128 158 165
4 4:01 132 159 167
5 3:57 139 163 170
6 3:58 139 164 171

I kept the rests to 60 seconds, felt pretty good throughout. The last 2 were tough but it's easier to tough out 1k vs 2k.

Thoughts on the 5K tempo pace on Saturday? Aim for 4:10's and keep the HR below 165?

KK

[kk_law]

Reporting back on the 5K tempo:

Total: 20:35

KM Time AvgHR
1 4:13 144
2 4:09 158
3 4:03 163
4 4:08 166
5 4:02 169

Max HR 171

Felt pretty good, under control. No more pains in my ankles/shins after a good warmup.

I did an easy 60 yesterday, 12km avg HR 138. Legs feel good.

The kids have picked up a cold and it's got me as well but I'm hoping it's only a mild case of summer sniffles.

10x400 tomorrow, keep it at 86R60? The 10K race is this Sunday, flat and fast course.

KK

[TheEd]

if there are sniffles around, consider doing an easy 20 to 30 minutes and then continue as normal towards the event thereafter

Friday would be the 6 x 1 minute fast / slow, so what comes before then can be a little easier and come Saturday you should rearing to go

TheEd

[kk_law]

Hey TheEd,

Had the 10K race today, it went pretty well. Details:

KM Time AvgHR
1 4:11 146
2 4:10 160
3 4:11 164
4 4:15 166
5 4:18 167
6 4:15 169
7 4:17 170
8 4:30 171
9 4:28 170
10 4:14 173
11 00:12 177

Total: 43:06

It was on a gravel path, pretty flat course. I was aiming to run 42:30, I felt great through 5km (21:08) and was planning on holding 4:15's until 7km and then giving it for the last 3. KM 8 and 9 were through an open section with a stiff headwind though and I didn't realize how much that would take out of me. The last km was through trees so much more sheltered and I was able to pick the pace back up with a good kick at the end but I had lost too much time by then to make my goal of 42:30. Does wind make that much of a difference or is it just lack of aerobic capacity? Tried to draft off some of the runners ahead of me but no luck

I'm happy with the results though, definitely feel the benefits of the 5x2K here, much more confident with the progress and training. 10 secs off my PB from last month but I feel I had a 42:30 in me today. Onwards and upwards, looking forward to when I can do every 2k repeat on pace.

My next race is in early October (strangely there are no real 8 or 10K road races in September in Vancouver) and then the last half-marathon of the season is in mid November. What are your thoughts in terms of approach from here on in? Should I just stay on the program through the half and then schedule a break after that? Over to you Coach

KK

[TheEd]

nice going KK .. this is very much an experience 'thing'

the 5 x 2k session will bring you on par however once you have the pace on target there is one aspect where improvement can be placed and that is learning to work harder during the 'dead' kilometers which is from 7km onwards

you have to work harder during those km's

if you were to run 15 seconds per km during those km's you would have your 42:30

so from where I am sitting, the only way is up

nice to see that there is more to come

TheEd

[kk_law]

Totally agree, the last km isn't so bad because I can see the finish but km 8 & 9 always feels like no man's land, and I tend to lose focus. I will aim to really work that section in October's race, still a bit nervous about blowing up too early but the training at specific paces really builds the confidence to do the same in a race.

I will keep on keeping on. I do find this training and racing business a lot of fun and I feel the experience and lessons from every race very motivating.

[kk_law]

5x2K Results from today:

Lap Time MinHR Avg HR MaxHR
1 8:22 103 153 163
2 1:30 119
3 8:23 119 157 165
4 1:30 120
5 8:23 120 160 167
6 1:30 123
7 8:20 123 162 170
8 1:30 126
9 8:19 126 163 171

Recovery HR after 3 minutes: 114

A bit stiff during the warm up but got into a groove when I started the repeats. I tried running the first 100M of each repeat a bit faster and then settling into the proper pace for the remainder. I felt the strongest that I've ever felt doing this workout today, excited that I was able to hit the paces consistently and under control.

Anyway, I have a 2 hour run planned for Saturday. My next 10K race is October 8, which leaves pretty much 2 full cycles. Not sure how to fill in the weeks between now and then.

Thanks,
KK

[TheEd]

this is good going .. when it comes to the test during the training you can look to run a 4k time-trial or find a 5k time-trial

this session should give you a great deal of confidence

nice going

TheEd