This is a big one, with a solid week and striders 10km on sat. I am really keen to put in a big one on saturday, however it is in a build week, so no taper. I am planning to at least have an easy run on friday so I can see how my training is progressing. No bold predictions, just want to run as hard and hold on as long as I can.
I liked what Ray James was doing with his blog by putting down what he has scheduled for the week. Without being a slave to a program, it helps you focus on the big picture and if necessary a session can change (or get ditched for a better offer!).
I am hoping to crack the 100km barrier this week for the first time in a few years.
Mon 2/4 Grass Run 10.5kms. Easy to Marrickville Park and 15 laps of 3/4s hard 1/4 recovery. Easy home. Good run, bangs the legs out and can still get the benefit of running on the softer surface. Worst case scenario with this run is a very cruisy run however if I am feeling okay when I get there I am going to attempt some quality.
Tue 3/4 15km Tempo - 60minutes. To be honest I couldnt wait to get home tonight to blog this as it was one of those runs that felt great from about 500 metres to the finish. Ran from home To Crystal, Norton Balmain Victoria Rd hook into the bay from Iron Cove, back up Lilyfield Rd and back via Norton etc. Have been really finding my zone lately on these sort of runs and tonight I wanted to test where the outer limit was. Running around the bay tonight I just slipped into 3.55 pace and whilst it was hard yakka, it felt controlled and with good rythym. The beauty of this run is that at the end of the bay you are only about 4kms from home so you start thinking about hanging onto a solid pace to the finish. Absolutely rapt to be able to hang onto 3.55 pace for 9kms including Lilyfield Rd. Even happier that I feel pretty good in the legs for the effort. Wish I could bottle this right now.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=363034
Wed 4/4 - 20kms. Just under 20kms in just under 90 minutes. Ran to Glebe Park around to and over the Anzac Bridge through Darling Harbour down Hickson Rd up Observatory and back home via King St Wharf, past Ultimo Tafe, Syd Uni and King St. Felt pretty bloody ordinary tonight so it was pleasing to run 4.30 pace - it certainly didnt feel like it. I didnt try and push it, to be perfectly honest it just wasnt in me. Trying to pretend I am Guzzo is only going to lead to injury and a lot of heartache so must remember to screw the sensible head on sometimes, which thankfully I did tonight. All things considered a pretty solid run.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=831775
Thu 5/4 3 * 1mile repeats. Program had 4 * mile repeats but the legs only had 3! The plan was 4 repeats with 2 minute walking slow jog recovery. The end result was 5.50, 5.40, 5.45 with 2 minutes recovery. Started the 4th and did a heartstring after 100 when I knew it wouldnt happen. The legs feel pretty shabby right now and I knew it was going to be tough, I just didnt realise how much. I am not too dissapointed but in retrospect I wish I had just planned a 45 minute run. The mile repeats were ambitous after a pretty solid few days leading up. The times to be honest are about 10-15 seconds off where I wanted them. However I am glad that common sense prevailed and I didnt let my ego drive that last effort because it could have been the start of something ugly. Very much looking forward to an easy run tomorrow.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=816096
Friday 6/4 Easy 7km As scheduled, threw in 15 30/30s to get the legs fired up.
Sat 7/4 Striders 10km My trusty Co Pilot 26 has been laid low with a knee niggle and was out today however I was joined from the glorious inner west by the most amiable of gentlemen(aside from when racing against him!) AndrewT who was pacing 40 minutes today.
Conditions were pretty ordinary - wet and windy. My favourite striders course, when you are on your game it can be quick however it can punish you with 3 hard climbs. I wasnt sure what to expect after a pretty solid week but the plan was to go out hard and see how I held up.
I ran reasonably well but had a bit of a shocker on the last lap when I was looking for the travellator up the pinch at the start of the last lap. I also found the downhills hard as it was very slippery on the road which threw out my rythym a bit. Hardened billygoats like Horrie loved it but it felt really tough on the legs for me. Once on the paths I was okay but on the roads I felt like I was auditioning for Dancing on Ice(sounds like a big night on Oxford St)!
I finished with 37.51 (37.50 on my watch) which is about a 30 second course pb which I cant complain about. Also this was the plan, to run hard on fairly tired legs. It kind of feels like a piece of the puzzle going into place.
As a reward there is a very large bird in the oven that International Drug Agencies would have had grave suspicions about. I am having it with roast veg & gravy suspicions!
Sun 8/4 Long Run 28 kms - 124 minutes. Wasnt sure what the legs had in store after yesterday. Also being easter meant the great easter egg hunt also meaning no early run this morning. I am not sure how I managed this but somehow I was able to secure a 2 hour leave pass at 8.30 with promises of flowers for a year etc etc leaving Mother to deal with chocolate egg aftermath!
Ran over to Centennial Park for an outside loop and a cobbled longer second loop to give me around(just shy but close enough)28kms in 2.04. Felt surprisingly okay but was happy to spend the majority of the run on the grass.
All up I for the week...98.5kms! If I had bothered to warm up and down yesterday I would have had my 100, but it was a pretty positive weeks training - lots of good specific quality running. No rest for the wicked, next week is a build week again, hopefully can take some momentum with me as I think I may need it!
Some photos of the easter egg hunt this morning, worth every bit of those missing 1.5kms.
I liked what Ray James was doing with his blog by putting down what he has scheduled for the week. Without being a slave to a program, it helps you focus on the big picture and if necessary a session can change (or get ditched for a better offer!).
I am hoping to crack the 100km barrier this week for the first time in a few years.
Mon 2/4 Grass Run 10.5kms. Easy to Marrickville Park and 15 laps of 3/4s hard 1/4 recovery. Easy home. Good run, bangs the legs out and can still get the benefit of running on the softer surface. Worst case scenario with this run is a very cruisy run however if I am feeling okay when I get there I am going to attempt some quality.
Tue 3/4 15km Tempo - 60minutes. To be honest I couldnt wait to get home tonight to blog this as it was one of those runs that felt great from about 500 metres to the finish. Ran from home To Crystal, Norton Balmain Victoria Rd hook into the bay from Iron Cove, back up Lilyfield Rd and back via Norton etc. Have been really finding my zone lately on these sort of runs and tonight I wanted to test where the outer limit was. Running around the bay tonight I just slipped into 3.55 pace and whilst it was hard yakka, it felt controlled and with good rythym. The beauty of this run is that at the end of the bay you are only about 4kms from home so you start thinking about hanging onto a solid pace to the finish. Absolutely rapt to be able to hang onto 3.55 pace for 9kms including Lilyfield Rd. Even happier that I feel pretty good in the legs for the effort. Wish I could bottle this right now.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=363034
Wed 4/4 - 20kms. Just under 20kms in just under 90 minutes. Ran to Glebe Park around to and over the Anzac Bridge through Darling Harbour down Hickson Rd up Observatory and back home via King St Wharf, past Ultimo Tafe, Syd Uni and King St. Felt pretty bloody ordinary tonight so it was pleasing to run 4.30 pace - it certainly didnt feel like it. I didnt try and push it, to be perfectly honest it just wasnt in me. Trying to pretend I am Guzzo is only going to lead to injury and a lot of heartache so must remember to screw the sensible head on sometimes, which thankfully I did tonight. All things considered a pretty solid run.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=831775
Thu 5/4 3 * 1mile repeats. Program had 4 * mile repeats but the legs only had 3! The plan was 4 repeats with 2 minute walking slow jog recovery. The end result was 5.50, 5.40, 5.45 with 2 minutes recovery. Started the 4th and did a heartstring after 100 when I knew it wouldnt happen. The legs feel pretty shabby right now and I knew it was going to be tough, I just didnt realise how much. I am not too dissapointed but in retrospect I wish I had just planned a 45 minute run. The mile repeats were ambitous after a pretty solid few days leading up. The times to be honest are about 10-15 seconds off where I wanted them. However I am glad that common sense prevailed and I didnt let my ego drive that last effort because it could have been the start of something ugly. Very much looking forward to an easy run tomorrow.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=816096
Friday 6/4 Easy 7km As scheduled, threw in 15 30/30s to get the legs fired up.
Sat 7/4 Striders 10km My trusty Co Pilot 26 has been laid low with a knee niggle and was out today however I was joined from the glorious inner west by the most amiable of gentlemen(aside from when racing against him!) AndrewT who was pacing 40 minutes today.
Conditions were pretty ordinary - wet and windy. My favourite striders course, when you are on your game it can be quick however it can punish you with 3 hard climbs. I wasnt sure what to expect after a pretty solid week but the plan was to go out hard and see how I held up.
I ran reasonably well but had a bit of a shocker on the last lap when I was looking for the travellator up the pinch at the start of the last lap. I also found the downhills hard as it was very slippery on the road which threw out my rythym a bit. Hardened billygoats like Horrie loved it but it felt really tough on the legs for me. Once on the paths I was okay but on the roads I felt like I was auditioning for Dancing on Ice(sounds like a big night on Oxford St)!
I finished with 37.51 (37.50 on my watch) which is about a 30 second course pb which I cant complain about. Also this was the plan, to run hard on fairly tired legs. It kind of feels like a piece of the puzzle going into place.
As a reward there is a very large bird in the oven that International Drug Agencies would have had grave suspicions about. I am having it with roast veg & gravy suspicions!
Sun 8/4 Long Run 28 kms - 124 minutes. Wasnt sure what the legs had in store after yesterday. Also being easter meant the great easter egg hunt also meaning no early run this morning. I am not sure how I managed this but somehow I was able to secure a 2 hour leave pass at 8.30 with promises of flowers for a year etc etc leaving Mother to deal with chocolate egg aftermath!
Ran over to Centennial Park for an outside loop and a cobbled longer second loop to give me around(just shy but close enough)28kms in 2.04. Felt surprisingly okay but was happy to spend the majority of the run on the grass.
All up I for the week...98.5kms! If I had bothered to warm up and down yesterday I would have had my 100, but it was a pretty positive weeks training - lots of good specific quality running. No rest for the wicked, next week is a build week again, hopefully can take some momentum with me as I think I may need it!
Some photos of the easter egg hunt this morning, worth every bit of those missing 1.5kms.
2 comments:
Sensational! It's those runs which make all the struggles worthwhile. Good luck on Sunday!
Huge course PB Nick. Great run in those conditions this morning. I loved the wet downhills I catch up more places.
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