Obviously after the track season I lacked the endurance necessary for distance running but I've been pleasantly suprised at how quickly that has changed and I'm possibly now in the best shape of my life with a range from 800m to half marathon.
I felt I wanted to share the last few weeks training and how I got to where I am now. Also a few people have asked me what kind of training they should be doing and what sort of things I do so I thought they may find it interesting.
Week 1
Sunday 19th October
Birmingham Half Marathon - After injuring my calf in the week prior to this I was forced to stop, stretch and walk 4 or 5 times after mile 8.
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| Great photo not a great race |
Tuesday - 30 mins - easy (calf still sore)
Wednesday - 30 mins easy (calf improving but still sore)
Thursday/friday/saturday - rest. (Decided not to run to allow my calf time to heal before sunday. I then became ill with a stomach bug on the friday.)
Week 2
Sunday 26th October
Sunday 26th October
Three Counties League Cross country - Wellingborough.
Pulled out after a mile feeling sick and lethargic. My calf felt tight too so I probably would have pulled out with that anyway.
I felt extremely fed up and disappointed so decided to rest for the remainder of the week until Saturday where I enjoyed an easy parkrun with friends.
Week 3
(Feeling positive, rested and ready to rebuild)
(Feeling positive, rested and ready to rebuild)
Sunday 2nd November
11 mile tempo @ 6.04 average
Monday - rest
Tuesday - Track session (vo2 max) 7 x 800m (1min recovery) 2.39/2.37/2.37/2.39/2.40/2.40/2.37
Wednesday - 30 mins easy @ 7 - 7.30 pace
Thursday - rest
Friday - 45 mins relaxed @ 6.45 pace
Week 4
Sunday 9th November
Three counties League cross country - Wooton
4.5 miles 5.55 average (fairly flat course)
10th position (highest finish to date)
*caught another cold!
Monday - rest
Tuesday - Lactate threshold, 3 x 7 mins (2.30 recovery)
1 - 5.26 avg
2 - 5.35
3 - 5.45
Struggled with this session because I had a cold but paces were still ok although the first rep was possibly too quick.
Wednesday - 6.5 miles @ 6.45 pace
Thursday - rest
Friday - 30 mins relaxed, 4.6 miles @ 6.32
Saturday - (Vo2 max) 7 x 3 mins 10 seconds hard (1 min recovery). On Abington Park cross country course.
Week 5
Sunday 16th November
Long run - 70 mins relaxed - 10.2 miles @ 6.52
Monday - 30 mins easy @ 7.30
Tuesday - (Vo2 max) 6 x 1k (75 seconds) rec, 3.20 target.
3.21/3.21/3.19/3.20/3.19/3.16
Wednesday - rest
*caught another cold!!!!!
Thursday - 4 x 1 mile @ target 5 mile pace (5.30) (2.30 jog recovery)
Struggled to hit paces as I wasn't feeling well but I wasn't far off.
5.39/5.38/5.38/5.42
Friday - rested instead of an easy run because I was ill.
Three counties League cross country - Wooton
4.5 miles 5.55 average (fairly flat course)
10th position (highest finish to date)
*caught another cold!
Monday - rest
Tuesday - Lactate threshold, 3 x 7 mins (2.30 recovery)
1 - 5.26 avg
2 - 5.35
3 - 5.45
Struggled with this session because I had a cold but paces were still ok although the first rep was possibly too quick.
Wednesday - 6.5 miles @ 6.45 pace
Thursday - rest
Friday - 30 mins relaxed, 4.6 miles @ 6.32
Saturday - (Vo2 max) 7 x 3 mins 10 seconds hard (1 min recovery). On Abington Park cross country course.
Week 5
Sunday 16th November
Long run - 70 mins relaxed - 10.2 miles @ 6.52
Monday - 30 mins easy @ 7.30
Tuesday - (Vo2 max) 6 x 1k (75 seconds) rec, 3.20 target.
3.21/3.21/3.19/3.20/3.19/3.16
Wednesday - rest
*caught another cold!!!!!
Thursday - 4 x 1 mile @ target 5 mile pace (5.30) (2.30 jog recovery)
Struggled to hit paces as I wasn't feeling well but I wasn't far off.
5.39/5.38/5.38/5.42
Friday - rested instead of an easy run because I was ill.
Saturday - rest
Week 6
Sunday 23rd November
Three Counties League X- country - Wing
14th position (17 higher than last year)
4.85 miles @ 6:10
On a Tough course.
Monday - 35 mins recovery run @ 7.30
Tuesday - (lactate threshold) 3 x 8 mins, 2 min recovery (target 5.40).
1- 5.40 avg
2 - 5.37
3 - 5.39
Wednesday - 45 mins easy. 6.3 miles @ 7.09
Thursday - 20 easy @ 7.40 + 4 x 100m Strides.
Friday - rest
Saturday - Wolverton 5
5.03 miles - 27.47 @ 5.31
my first race over this distance and a very pleasing result considering.
I might add that I ran a 5 mile tempo on Wednesday 9th October a couple of day's before I pulled my calf prior the Birmingham half marathon. I managed to run 29.49 and it was far from easy. I had to push to stay on pace In the last couple of miles (which possibly means it wasn't a tempo) so the improvement from then to now is quite dramatic.
I'm planning to attempt a pb at parkrun this weekend and another the week after at the Milton Keynes winter half marathon so hopefully my form continues and this post is also.........
To be continued..............
Sunday 23rd November
Three Counties League X- country - Wing
14th position (17 higher than last year)
4.85 miles @ 6:10
On a Tough course.
Monday - 35 mins recovery run @ 7.30
Tuesday - (lactate threshold) 3 x 8 mins, 2 min recovery (target 5.40).
1- 5.40 avg
2 - 5.37
3 - 5.39
Wednesday - 45 mins easy. 6.3 miles @ 7.09
Thursday - 20 easy @ 7.40 + 4 x 100m Strides.
Friday - rest
Saturday - Wolverton 5
5.03 miles - 27.47 @ 5.31
my first race over this distance and a very pleasing result considering.
I might add that I ran a 5 mile tempo on Wednesday 9th October a couple of day's before I pulled my calf prior the Birmingham half marathon. I managed to run 29.49 and it was far from easy. I had to push to stay on pace In the last couple of miles (which possibly means it wasn't a tempo) so the improvement from then to now is quite dramatic.
I'm planning to attempt a pb at parkrun this weekend and another the week after at the Milton Keynes winter half marathon so hopefully my form continues and this post is also.........
To be continued..............
