Date: 1 June 2010
Time: 11:42 min
Distance: 3.0km km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/35258740
The break from proper training up until 19th May does seem to have had a lasting effect. My ability to run fast over shorter distance has deteriorated quite a bit. My legs feel ok right now, but aerobically I feel a bit low. I cannot sustain 3:30 pace repeatedly at all, I just run out of breath.
Perhaps this is a result of the longer distances as well as the disrupted training. I have been told that focusing on longer runs tends to slow you down a bit over shorter distances.
I had to stop at each 1km split today, and I used the convenient excuse that my shoelace came undone. It actually DID come undone twice, each time just before the 1km split. I could have kept going with the loose lace but I didn't.
Tomorrow I have a 50min run and a 10x30sec speed run with 30sec rest the next day. Three days off and then a 3hr run.
I plan to do an accurate dressed rehearsal of the race in that run. That includes taking Gu at each 10km mark and drinking 200ml of water. I will try to pace at exactly 4:55km/min as well, a pretty ambitious time. But the only way to know what goes one when I do that pace over a longer distance is to actually try!!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Planned run 3 hours
Date: 30 May 2010
Time: 2:59:02 min
Distance: 34.17km km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34997928
Finally I have completed a decent _long_ run. The pace and distance is exactly what I had hoped for. In this run I tried not to monitor my watch so much to get feedback on my pace. I just ran to how I felt.
As per usual, I ran much faster than I should early on, lots of 1km splits under 5min per km, and most at around 4:50min/km. That pace slowed to about 5:10 after 20km or so, and after 24km's I slowed even more. I ultimately ground down to slower than 5:30min/km pace after 27km's with the pace blowing out to 6min/km after 30km's.
The 6min/km pace coincided with hills that have in the past _stopped_ me in 50min runs in the past. So the fact I held 6min/km pace on those hills in the last few km's of a 3hr is really good.
SO overall realy satisfied with this one. I legs were massively fatigued, and I had signs of low energy at the end - Hands tingling, teeth tingling. I did not take any food along the way except for a bannana. I certainly will take a Gu every 10kms in the race, and slurp 200mls of water with it. That will likely eliminate that energy loss.
Injury wise, I have none of the old problems. The week off seems to have helped the left knee recover almost completely. There is an ever so slight twinge there but it is fine. The only real worry is that my left heel is painful. It looks a lot like this Retrocalcaneal Bursitis
The symptoms I have match precisely. The treatment is 'stop running' etc etc.. I am certainly not going to do that after nearly 6 months build up to the marathon. I have had the issue on and off and in varying severity ever since I began running. If it is bad after the marathon, I will seek treatment and stop running for a while until it is totally recovered.
Time: 2:59:02 min
Distance: 34.17km km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34997928
Finally I have completed a decent _long_ run. The pace and distance is exactly what I had hoped for. In this run I tried not to monitor my watch so much to get feedback on my pace. I just ran to how I felt.
As per usual, I ran much faster than I should early on, lots of 1km splits under 5min per km, and most at around 4:50min/km. That pace slowed to about 5:10 after 20km or so, and after 24km's I slowed even more. I ultimately ground down to slower than 5:30min/km pace after 27km's with the pace blowing out to 6min/km after 30km's.
The 6min/km pace coincided with hills that have in the past _stopped_ me in 50min runs in the past. So the fact I held 6min/km pace on those hills in the last few km's of a 3hr is really good.
SO overall realy satisfied with this one. I legs were massively fatigued, and I had signs of low energy at the end - Hands tingling, teeth tingling. I did not take any food along the way except for a bannana. I certainly will take a Gu every 10kms in the race, and slurp 200mls of water with it. That will likely eliminate that energy loss.
Injury wise, I have none of the old problems. The week off seems to have helped the left knee recover almost completely. There is an ever so slight twinge there but it is fine. The only real worry is that my left heel is painful. It looks a lot like this Retrocalcaneal Bursitis
The symptoms I have match precisely. The treatment is 'stop running' etc etc.. I am certainly not going to do that after nearly 6 months build up to the marathon. I have had the issue on and off and in varying severity ever since I began running. If it is bad after the marathon, I will seek treatment and stop running for a while until it is totally recovered.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Planned run 4x1km speed with 1min30 standing recovery
Date: 28 May 2010
Time: 21:24 min
Distance: 4.42 km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34818538
Not the greatest speed run for me today. Felt quite tired and lacking energy. If a speed run goes well for me I feel strong and have a good springing step. Today none of that I had to grind it out.
Looking at previous runs I have done of this type, I did a more consistent pace over all reps, all around 3:50 last time. Last year I could not manage any better than 4:00 for each rep. Today I did :
3:35
3:48
4:00
3:59
I guess it is not so bad considering I am feeling crap.
Time: 21:24 min
Distance: 4.42 km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34818538
Not the greatest speed run for me today. Felt quite tired and lacking energy. If a speed run goes well for me I feel strong and have a good springing step. Today none of that I had to grind it out.
Looking at previous runs I have done of this type, I did a more consistent pace over all reps, all around 3:50 last time. Last year I could not manage any better than 4:00 for each rep. Today I did :
3:35
3:48
4:00
3:59
I guess it is not so bad considering I am feeling crap.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Planned run 1 hour 20 minutes
Date: 26 May 2010
Time: 1:20:39 min
Distance: 16.37 km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34606816
Good longish run for the mid-week. The pace I did this one in - 4:57min/km - is pretty much what I need to do for the full marathon distance if I want to get in under 3hr30min. I am seriously fatigued right now, sore from an accumulation of all the runs I have done since I returned from travelling. I also did a pretty hard gym session last night - hard on legs, buttocks and stomach muscles.
I am having a whole day off tomorrow so as to recover properly. I will do some sit ups though just to keep building core strength. 4x 1km on Friday, and then gym again Friday night, and Saturday off. Sunday another 3hr run :)
Time: 1:20:39 min
Distance: 16.37 km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34606816
Good longish run for the mid-week. The pace I did this one in - 4:57min/km - is pretty much what I need to do for the full marathon distance if I want to get in under 3hr30min. I am seriously fatigued right now, sore from an accumulation of all the runs I have done since I returned from travelling. I also did a pretty hard gym session last night - hard on legs, buttocks and stomach muscles.
I am having a whole day off tomorrow so as to recover properly. I will do some sit ups though just to keep building core strength. 4x 1km on Friday, and then gym again Friday night, and Saturday off. Sunday another 3hr run :)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Planned run 6 x 500 metres with 1 minute standing recovery
Date: 25 May 2010
Time: 15:20 min
Distance: 3.26 km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34497310
Decent speed session considering how sore I am. I have returned from travelling for work, when I missed 19 days of planned runs - I managed to get a little bit of running in that time, but ended up with 7 days straight no running at all.
When I returned, I did a 1hr20 run straight up, then a 50min run the next night ( Friday last week). Then I did a really tough 3hr run Sunday. I had Monday off, and went to the gym last night Monday. That all added up to very sore legs!
I worked out steadily at the gym, easy weights on these 'Smart Strength' machines. I like them because they are smooth. There are a collection of 10 of them, each working all the muscle groups, including legs. I worked legs much harder than anything else.
I also did 15min on a cross trainer machine, set on 'Round the World' and maximum effort setting 25. It is a good strength/aerobic work out with no impact.
I have a 1hr20 run tomorrow, I might see if I can do that a little harder than I have recently, depending on how my legs are tomorrow.
Time: 15:20 min
Distance: 3.26 km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34497310
Decent speed session considering how sore I am. I have returned from travelling for work, when I missed 19 days of planned runs - I managed to get a little bit of running in that time, but ended up with 7 days straight no running at all.
When I returned, I did a 1hr20 run straight up, then a 50min run the next night ( Friday last week). Then I did a really tough 3hr run Sunday. I had Monday off, and went to the gym last night Monday. That all added up to very sore legs!
I worked out steadily at the gym, easy weights on these 'Smart Strength' machines. I like them because they are smooth. There are a collection of 10 of them, each working all the muscle groups, including legs. I worked legs much harder than anything else.
I also did 15min on a cross trainer machine, set on 'Round the World' and maximum effort setting 25. It is a good strength/aerobic work out with no impact.
I have a 1hr20 run tomorrow, I might see if I can do that a little harder than I have recently, depending on how my legs are tomorrow.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Planned run 3 hours
Date: 23 May 2010
Time: 2:56:20 min
Distance: 31.55 km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34206981
Yet another mile stone distance, I did 31.55km in 2hr56. Farthest I have ever gone, but I did do it very slowly.
The disruption to my training schedule that my work travel has caused certainly made me lose condition. I have taken a small step backward, but it is not too bad. I have speed sessions this week, relatively low km's, so that will give me a chance to recover for my next 3hr run next week. I hope to do a slightly faster pace next week.
The run was quite painful. I began with sore legs from the previous two runs I did this week. My energy levels were ok, no sign of any fade or 'wall' in that respect. I did hit a point where fatigue in my legs was a bit too much. I maintained a reasonably good pace until around 29kms, a bit better than 5:25min/km, but nose dived from there.
The distance I can do before the fatigue nose dive happens seems to be steadily extending to further, so hopefully that trend will continue.
Time: 2:56:20 min
Distance: 31.55 km
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34206981
Yet another mile stone distance, I did 31.55km in 2hr56. Farthest I have ever gone, but I did do it very slowly.
The disruption to my training schedule that my work travel has caused certainly made me lose condition. I have taken a small step backward, but it is not too bad. I have speed sessions this week, relatively low km's, so that will give me a chance to recover for my next 3hr run next week. I hope to do a slightly faster pace next week.
The run was quite painful. I began with sore legs from the previous two runs I did this week. My energy levels were ok, no sign of any fade or 'wall' in that respect. I did hit a point where fatigue in my legs was a bit too much. I maintained a reasonably good pace until around 29kms, a bit better than 5:25min/km, but nose dived from there.
The distance I can do before the fatigue nose dive happens seems to be steadily extending to further, so hopefully that trend will continue.
Friday, May 21, 2010
7 weeks to go
So, it is now 7 weeks to go before my first full marathon race. I had planned to do the Noosa Winter Festival Half Marathon on 23rd May, but decided not to. I have one of the total of three 3 hour runs scheduled on the 23rd, and I was willing to do a half marathon race instead. The other two 3 hour runs happen on 30 May and 6 June.
But since all the disruption that this travelling has caused, I was in no shape at all to do a decent HM, and the benefit of such a race is minimal. I really need to get the endurance aspect of training done so the 3 hour run is more important at this stage in training.
Just to summarise - I went to Canberra on the Monday, May 3rd. I did the following runs while away:
- 5km on May 4
- 18km on May 5
- 10km on May 7
- 4km on May 13
I returned to Australia on 19 May, and needed a day to recover from jetlag and the horror of the travelling itself:
- Up at 5AM in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia on 17 May
- Worked up until 5:15PM in Al Khobar , finally found evidence required to locate where a technical issue could be resolved. It ended up being in a third party software module
- Got back to Hotel, grabbed a limo to Bahrain, had dinner in a Turkish Restaurant
- Had to catch a plane from Bahrain to Dubai at 3:50AM 18 May, so went to a late night bar, had a few beers
- Got to Airport Bahrain at about midnight, checked in
- Flew to Dubai, had a few hours wait there then 6:50AM flight to Brisbane.
- 14 hours to Brisbane.
I was lucky the aircraft was not full, and I had seat D, with two seats vacant. That allowed me to stretch out and sleep a little. Even then I was sleep deprived.
From now on I need to make every run count, and hit the gym to build up strength again. The 3 hour run in two days will be very hard, so I will take it really slow.
But since all the disruption that this travelling has caused, I was in no shape at all to do a decent HM, and the benefit of such a race is minimal. I really need to get the endurance aspect of training done so the 3 hour run is more important at this stage in training.
Just to summarise - I went to Canberra on the Monday, May 3rd. I did the following runs while away:
- 5km on May 4
- 18km on May 5
- 10km on May 7
- 4km on May 13
I returned to Australia on 19 May, and needed a day to recover from jetlag and the horror of the travelling itself:
- Up at 5AM in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia on 17 May
- Worked up until 5:15PM in Al Khobar , finally found evidence required to locate where a technical issue could be resolved. It ended up being in a third party software module
- Got back to Hotel, grabbed a limo to Bahrain, had dinner in a Turkish Restaurant
- Had to catch a plane from Bahrain to Dubai at 3:50AM 18 May, so went to a late night bar, had a few beers
- Got to Airport Bahrain at about midnight, checked in
- Flew to Dubai, had a few hours wait there then 6:50AM flight to Brisbane.
- 14 hours to Brisbane.
I was lucky the aircraft was not full, and I had seat D, with two seats vacant. That allowed me to stretch out and sleep a little. Even then I was sleep deprived.
From now on I need to make every run count, and hit the gym to build up strength again. The 3 hour run in two days will be very hard, so I will take it really slow.
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