What should i do next?

[niikp]

oh sorry they are all one race..so they have organised a 5k/10khalf marathon over the same route at the same time. I just need to pick which is the most appropriate and re jig the previous weeks work?

As my last 10k was 23rd Feb then it's probably most useful to race the 10k. Then that is the plan. That would mean that race day at the end of this cycle (this Saturday 30th) I would think to run a 4k TT, as I have run several 5k TT/paced runs in the past few weeks, whereas my last 4k TT was 27 March.

So 30th May is 4K race as the last day of this cycle. June 2nd would be first day of next cycle, June 7th would be the organised 10k Race.

So what do I change for that?

regards and thanks for the help.

Nik


regards

Nik

[TheEd]

4 k time-trial and then repeat week 3 of the cycle

ease into the next race

all good?

TheEd

[niikp]

ok got that, 4k this Sat then back to Day 14 working down to the 10k race the following weekend, sounds good.

thanks

Nik

[niikp]

Just an update on the end of the cycle 3.

CycleDay Date KM Time Pace HR-AVG/Peak/Rest
D16 27th May 6.99km 40:06 5:44 145/151 24c
D17 28th May 6.64km 40:02 6:02 143/149 25c (purposefully slower)

Race Day
D19 30th May 4.00km 16:57 4:14 168/174 20c

My last 4k TT was 17:23 back in March 27th, I'm pleased with the result. There was a little bit left at the end, maybe another 5-8 secs faster, but that would have been it. 9.5/10 effort. No aches or pains. Not sure on lap times but something like
4:12
4:16
4:17
4:12

2.5 to 3.5 was tough, I was getting really short of breath. Maybe I could have pushed a little harder in the 1st km to 4:08, then eased off a little more in 2 & 3, which may have given me a better sprint finish at the last km. I don't know. My 2nd 500m was at 4:08 so a little fast for sure.

It looks like I could break 45:00 10km, the race next Sunday should give me a little more drive and the sub 22 5k and sub 17 4k calculates out at around at 45 10km.

So this week is "stay injury free" week. I mapped this cycle against the other two cycles using a little effort formula i built (like speed|distance|Avg HR), it helps me judge my effort better, and my aim this cycle was to run the easy sessions slower and the quality sessions faster. The effort graph I made show that I did achieve that (other than the 6x1k where I had a better day in Cycle 2). I'll recalculate my time for cycle4 (after next weeks race) and try to keep my easy runs HR at 145 instead of 148.

regards and thanks for helping me achieve my goals!

Nik

[niikp]

Just an update on my "repeat week 3" week before my 10k race on Sunday.

CycleDay Date KM Time Pace HR-AVG/Peak/Rest
Day 20 30th May 4.2km 29:26 7:00 134/145 very easy recovery pace
Day 13 1st June 8.69km 56:16 6:28 142/153 picked a hilly course..but took it easy
Day 14 2nd May 5.14km 30:00 5:50 145/151 no major pains or aches, good run.
Day 15 3rd May 3x5min @ 10km pace (now 4:20 based on 16:57 4kTT)
1 1:13km 5:00 4:26 154/166/151
2 1.20km 5:00 4:13 166/171/162
3 1.14km 5:00 4:26 169/171/169

The run felt great, effort was around 7/10 even though my HR was 169, it just didn't feel panicked at all. AVG Pace was 4:22 and I was looking for 4:20. My last best fartlek session was last week at AVG 4:27 and this felt way better than that. It was cooler so that helped. I'd say this was one of my best runs this year. Oh and it was also the first time I did only 1min easy running breaks, previously I had to do 2mins.

My waking HR has dropped from 48 three months ago to 42 today, my V02max has moved from 39 to 48 in around the same amount of time.

So next 4 days I have 40mins easy, then 40 mins easy, then rest, then race.

[niikp]

Here is the update on the Race.

CycleDay Date KM Time Pace HR-AVG/Peak/Rest
Day *27 June 7th 10.0 47.35 4:46 168/179 very tough

Not what I expected, but at least a new PB at 47:35 (old was 48:47), and a new peak HR at 179 so I think i was trying pretty hard but it didn't work on the day. I stopped at 40min and walked for 1.5 mins, just could not keep that 4:30'ish pace going..

4:31
4:29
4:29
4:32
4:35
4:37
4:33
4:45
5:11
5:10

There's obviously a belief issue here, but I am also conscious of the fact that in my training this year I am spending very little time at sustained 4:30 pace. Shorter runs a little faster and longer runs a lot slower, but very little here at 4:30. Only the Fartleks are at 4:30. It feels to me like every two weeks I should be running at 4:30 till I can no longer sustain the pace, and trying to push that distance further and further, just to get used to the experience of it and what it feels like. Maybe each week trying to sustain for another km as a target.

Anyhow.. this is end of cycle 3(and an extra week) so a couple of days rest and then I'm in either cycle 4 or recuperation. I have no aches and pains so maybe cycle 4 then rest.

[TheEd]

niikp, at least there is progress, and it is a PB by 1 minute

there is a great deal more still to come, so do work on the positives from this

the fact that you were able to push your pulse to the highest it has been is also a good factor

hang in there, conditioning the body to running at pace takes time. Some may adapt quicker, however, the results will come with experience

should be good to look at cracking 22 minutes within the next 3 months

OK, what next, this is positive, so build on that

TheEd

[niikp]

Hi Ed, certainly positives. A PB can only be a positive. So where do we stand?

4k Mar 2015 18:27 May 2015 16:57
5k Nov 2014 23:34 May 2015 21:56
10k Feb 2015 48:47 Jun 2015 47:35
Monthly kms Jul 2014 12km May 2015 125km

Vo2Max Nov 2014 39 Jun 2015 48
Waking HR Jan 2015 47 June 2015 42

In fact the only number going the wrong way is my weight, which was 165lbs in Nov and now is 171lbs, but I am not sure what that is, my waist is the same so it could be on my legs. I'll work on that through June.

What are my goals, well 10km 45:00 seems clear enough. My plan is to take my race days and run them at 4:30 till I can't sustain that pace, completing 10km come what may but always trying to sustain 4:30 for longer each time.

The next major goal would be 4km 16:00, that would be massive to achieve, with 16:40 being a closer stepping stone. So 4:10 pace. Also to run my next 4km on the track, so no GPS shenanigans.

I can run 10km faster than I ran yesterday, I know I have that in me. I'll look out for another race at 5-8-10km.

So I will go into Cycle 4. Today will be my easy 30, tomorrow easy 30, then Cycle 4 on wed. Target pace times will be (based on 16:57), so:

4x2 4:20 , 6x1 4:10, fartlek at 4:20, easy's at 142BPM, longs at 5:20(or below 148 depending on weather)

regards

Nik

[TheEd]

niikp, are you able to provide an updated list of forthcoming events, so we can see how we can approach things

the fact that you have put on weight and that you are running 1 minute quicker over 10km is a major positive

I don't believe that there should be a focus on losing weight, but maybe being more conscious of what you eating, while increasing (albeit cautiously) the intensity and mileage

Currently everything looks good, and by having the weight drop naturally will lead to results. This is a given, however we must not become fixated on weight-loss

thanks for the feedback

on we go

TheEd
ps.. you ready for the 2k session?

[niikp]

Hi Ed, looking at races there are plenty coming up over the next 3-4 months, 5k/8k/10k. Almost every week there is something now.

I just got back from my 4x2k, which i just didn't have the energy to do. I think it's time for the off training. So I'll take the next 3 days off (I have a couple of small pains in my legs) and then go onto that easy 2 weeks. And see where we go from there.

I'll keep you up to date with progress.

Nik