After Sunday's hard 15 miler, I was glad that the scheduled Monday tempo run (31 Aug) was going to be a progression run. My legs were a bit stiff, but the easy warm up on the undulating trails round Damflask soon sorted things out, and the group moved nicely through the gears from 7 min/mile pace for the first mile to a bit under 6 min/mile pace for mile 4. As we hit the little bridge at the end of the lake, we started the final hard mile. I switched up to a race breathing pattern (blow out hardish every 3 steps) and picked up the pace to around 5:35 - meaning I ended the session in front on my own (I wasn't too unhappy about it!)
Tuesday's session was one that I would have dreaded a month or two ago: drills, short sprints, and then 8 x 400m flat out with 2 minutes rest between each. Thankfully, I have got more used to the hard, short stuff. Not a lot better at it to be honest, but used to it at least.
The session went well although my continued efforts to regain control over my diet / weight meant I was a bit hungry and I had a shocking 7th 400m rep when my energy seemed to just flush from my legs with 200m to go. Still, the reps averaged between 69 and 70 seconds, which is a couple of seconds quicker than in previous attempts. Bizarrely I found that focusing my eyes on the top of the tree in the distance beyond the finishing line seemed to help me cope with the inevitable trauma of the final 100m.
Wednesday in running school is 'rest day', which I have managed to adhere to once in the whole 9 weeks. A gentle 7ish mile trot up the porter valley is a bit like a rest isn't it?
Thursday was a classic Dave Oldfield SRC speed session: 8km of hard efforts starting with 1600m, then 2 x 1200m, 3 x 800m, and finishing with 4 x 400m. Rests shortened with the reps from 4 minutes to 1 minute. All distances are approximate as they are round a field in Darnall. Not that time and space are in anyway warped in that part of the city.
I managed to get out for an easy lunchbreak run on Friday, giving my legs a bit more recovery time ahead of the hill session scheduled for Saturday, . Just as well because Saturday's session was hard work. It was basically loads (14?) hard 1-minute hill efforts, quickly followed by 5 x 30s hill sprints. At least we then got a 10 minute walking rest before the usual 1.5 mile hilly time trial. I actually felt pretty good throughout the session - perhaps feeling the benefit of carrying a few pounds less than a couple of weeks ago. I even managed to catch Alex P on a few of the reps - although any improvements I make seem to be more than matched over the shorter reps by Alex C.
Sunday's run was an easy 3 miles on my own and then a nice social 12 miles with Trevor, Gareth and Kev B along the reopened canal towpath to Rotherham and back. The pace was just under 7 minute miles - until the last couple of miles, when Kev B always puts his foot down. I wasn't mature enough not to respond so the last mile went by in about 5:45. I think there is a lot to be said for Sunday runs with a hard finish.
Week 9
Whilst I considered the training during the first few weeks of running school a bit 'soft', the gradual increase in the quality work had left me in doubt that a lower-mileage / higher-quality approach can take more out of your legs. My average mileage for the last few weeks has been around 60 miles per week, compared to 80 in the months before London Marathon. But, if anything, my legs were probably more tired - my hamstrings in particular almost constantly aching.
My heart against pace calculations, my watch's VO2 max estimate (up to 65), and rep times, were all suggesting that the training approach was working for me - but I had no idea how this would play through to a race situation over any decent distance. It was also all a bit complicated because I had put on nearly 4kg of extra weight (8lbs) after reaching my low of just under 11 stone (69kg) before London. My basic conclusion after (too much) analysis was that I was probably fitter, but that the extra weight was masking the improvement.
Thankfully, operation food control was now in full swing and I was managing to maintain the ridiculous amount of discipline needed to avoid the biscuits, (extra) beer, kids leftover meals, second helpings and so on needed to live within my calorie target of 2,000 calories per day (net of calories burned doing exercise). Meeting this target should deliver a weight reduction of around 0.25kg per week. However, as the graph below shows, I was managing to exceed the target most days, so the weight was coming off a bit more quickly and by Monday I was bang on 71kg having lost 2kg (4.4lbs) in around 2 weeks.
Monday's tempo session at damflask has quickly become my favourite session of the week and this week's session was a nice 2 x 15 minute at tempo pace off about 5 minutes rest. I ran the session with Alex P, which meant the tempo segments of the run were a bit quicker than usual - around 5:45 pace. But it felt comfortable and there is something a bit special about weaving through winding trails at pace. Deb, Lola and Isla all came out for a run round the dam as well - as the kids prepare for the XC season. Nice to hear the odd shout out from across the water.
Tuesday is track day [shudders] and I knew this was probably going to be the last hard session before we started to wind down for the big day on the 19th (the Northern 6-Stage Road Relays we have all been training together for). The session was 2000m, 1609m, 1000m, 800m, off 5 minutes rest. I had to run to the session from work due to a late meeting, so I missed the drills and strides (funny how quickly you feel weird if you don't do drills before a quality session!) But, the session went well - following the usual pattern of me doing relatively well on the longer reps (6:28 on the 2000m and 2nd or 3rd of the group), before falling to the back over the shorter stuff (2:29 on the 800m). Still, felt good.
Wednesday's rest day was a bit of a fail as I ended up showing clubmate Gary Baker the first leg of the Sheffield relay. I had promised to take it nice and steady but I hadn't reckoned on Gary attacking all of the hills like a madman (all 1,200 feet of ascent over 9 miles). Still a nice run in good company and a lift back to EIS from Bev to collect the kids from athletics.
Thursday was the club mile time trial evening. I was firmly focused on the 5km qualification at Hillsborough Parkrun, which we were going to use to select the team for the Northern 6-Stage, so I had already decided not to have a go at my mile PB of 4:58 from a few months ago. Instead I helped a few club mates round by doing the pace making duties for 7 min/mile then 6 min/mile, and then the first two laps with the 5 min/mile group. Really enjoyable evening.
Friday's run was a short and slow 4-mile recovery run. I felt absolutely shocking - legs like lead, breathing hard, and a bit confused as to why. I put it down to over zealous food control and made sure I picked up the protein and calories intake for the rest of the day.
I had about the worst night's sleep ever on Friday night - with the qualification race on my mind, coupled with Isla's first school XC race of the season, complications around Lola's recent change of school, and the logistics of a Saturday that would see us spending most of the afternoon in Cudworth at the inter-counties were Lola was sporting a South Yorks vest for the first time (representing our great republic in the 100m and 100m relays, which are always about 3 bloody hours apart).
I needn't have worried. Isla had a great first race despite a pretty lazy summer - finishing 6th, and looking like there was more to come. Lola looked great in the 100m. And, the qualification parkrun went really well. I felt strong, light, and in control all the way round, running 3 evenly paced laps to finish in 16:56 - a big PB on the Hillsborough Parkrun course in less than ideal conditions. Members of the training group took the first 7 positions! It was good fun.
about 400m into the 3rd lap (alex p is about 15s ahead!)
about 400m into the first lap
Sunday started nice and early with a relaxed 12 miles from Infirmary Rd up to Bradfield and back - most of it with Joe SP.
Next week is all about maintaining a bit of quality, getting some freshness in the legs, and then attacking the 6-stage relays on the Saturday like a madman. Last time we did the Northerns we scraped qualification for the national 6-stage relays (top 25 clubs). This time we will be disappointed if we don't get in the top 15.
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