The advantage of doing back to back weekend long runs is that you can squeeze lots of miles into a week without actually realizing or meaning it! By the time I had jogged home happy with my Sunday workout I worked out that from the previous Sunday I had notched 90 miles, including 2 20 milers and 2 workouts.
Following the Tuesday workout, Wednesday was a recovery day before Thursday's planned 20. Thursday I typically meet up with the Dowd crew for a 9 mile loop that is always good fun and good company, so I decided to incorporate this run into that time. I went to bed at the same time as the kids and forced myself out of bed at 4 for a 4:35 start from the Dowd. After 3 solo miles I looped back to the Dowd for the arrival of my first support crew- Jason, Danielle and Dalena. At 5:30 we circled back again and picked up Shenna and at 6:00 we came back again to meet up with the main crew. I had time to change into some dry clothes and take in a gu before heading out for the last phase of my run. It was a nice and relatively easy way to get over 2.5 hours of work in and worked out so nicely that I'm planning the same deal for my 20 miler this week.
I asked Coach the reasoning behind setting me three 20 milers in successive weeks when I wasn't training for a marathon and was advised that as long as I ran them nice and easy and didn't try to kill myself completing any of them they would be invaluable elements of my training mix for the Half build up. A point I was able to pick up on in the latest Running Times issue
where in an article about Peter Snell it talks about Lydiard's theory of the longer slower runs being a key promoter of fast twitch muscle fiber recruitment. Good stuff!
Friday and Saturday saw another couple of easy days before my next workout on Sunday which was 4 miles, 2 miles, 1 mile, 1 mile all with half mile jog recovery which I completed on the trails of Mcalpine before finishing off at the track. I ran 23:14, 10:49, 5:14 and 5:06 which was pretty much as prescribed although Coach did want me to try and dip under 5 minutes for the final mile, a feat which proved elusive. Regardless it had been another good workout and the culmination of my second successive 70 mile week.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Catching up with Coach!
Tim paid an unexpected visit this week! Though sick as a dog we were able to get some miles in together this morning as I headed to the track for my 2*4*1000 workout (first 4 in 3:20 with 200 jog- felt smooth, second 4 in sub 3:10 with 400 jog- felt hard but still under a semblance of control).
Spada joined us too and was able to help me through the first 800 of each of the first 4 and the first 600 of each of the second 4 while Tim took over from Spada to run the last 400 of each of the second 4 so I was lucky to have good company for this one.
It was great to see Tim again and the conversation flowed and flowed until I realized I had better say my farewells and get to work at some point!
Training continues to flow nicely at the moment, I got a good 2:20 plus run in on Sunday, today's workout, 20 more of the same on Thursday and a hard tempo workout ahead this weekend. Five and a half weeks until Myrtle....
Spada joined us too and was able to help me through the first 800 of each of the first 4 and the first 600 of each of the second 4 while Tim took over from Spada to run the last 400 of each of the second 4 so I was lucky to have good company for this one.
It was great to see Tim again and the conversation flowed and flowed until I realized I had better say my farewells and get to work at some point!
Training continues to flow nicely at the moment, I got a good 2:20 plus run in on Sunday, today's workout, 20 more of the same on Thursday and a hard tempo workout ahead this weekend. Five and a half weeks until Myrtle....
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Doing work
This week and the first week of July are always the busiest work weeks of my year and this past week was no exception. I went straight to work after my 16 last Saturday and was working past my girls' bedtimes every day until yesterday. These weeks are always a challenge to my training. My life basically becomes wake, run, work, eat, sleep, repeat. Having said all that I managed to get a good 24*400 workout in on Monday morning and ten mile runs the other mornings leaving me on course to hit 70 miles in the week for the first time in ages even allowing for a day off today. Tomorrow I'll be hopefully bringing up that 70 mark at the end of my planned 20 miler. Meeting up with a good crew so it should be fun and hard work.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Closing out the year
Friday was a ten miler with friends at Mcalpine, today was a 16 miler with friends at McMullen. Feeling very spoilt as Monday I'll be solo doing lots and lots of quarters. The temperatures are just about to plunge too. Joy.
Still, heading into 2012 I can't complain. I'm feeling as fit as I've been in a long time and am excited to hopefully see what a few months of consistent and sensible training may bring.
Happy New Year!!
Still, heading into 2012 I can't complain. I'm feeling as fit as I've been in a long time and am excited to hopefully see what a few months of consistent and sensible training may bring.
Happy New Year!!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
2011 recap
I always like to reflect at the end of the year on how the past twelve months have played out. It helps me identify things I did well, things I need to improve on and helps me set my goals for the coming year. With that in mind, here’s a brief month by month recap of a year of the Captain’s Log!
January
Miles- 256
Races
CRC Hangover Run 5k XC (16:33- 2nd)
Winter Flight 8k (26:54- 4th)
Injuries- None of note
The year started off with me eschewing the marathon focus of most of my friends and training to run a fast 5k and 10k in the Spring. I had gotten in about 5 weeks of solid work after recovering from my November 2010 Marathon and was ready to hit the road running on January 1st. I opened up with a solid showing at the CRC hangover run with John Compton showing me a clean set of heels. This was to be the start of a regular pattern for the year ahead! Winter Flight was another solid enough effort (and another thrashing at the hands of John ha ha!)
February
Miles- 278
Races- None
Injuries- None of note
February was my highest mileage month of the year in spite of its brevity. I avoided racing and got some good training in before the important races in March and April that were going to kick in
March
Miles- 235
Races
Get Your Rear in Gear 5k (16:14- 1st)
49er Classic 5k (track) (15:31- 4th)
Shamrock 4 Miler (21:19- 3rd)
Injuries- Strained calf after 4 Miler
March was a bittersweet month in many ways. Sweet in that I was able to set a new 5k PR at age 36 and prove that Winter training had gone well and that I was all set to roll at the Richmond 10k in April, bitter in that I followed that Friday evening race with a hard race effort at the first GP race of the Season literally the next morning and paid the price with a slightly strained calf that set me back a few days and ultimately proved costly at Richmond. In hindsight I could have just ‘jogged’ the 4 Miler to get the bonus points for the GP series with minimum effort but at the time that wasn’t really an option with it being the first race of the Series and me having no idea of how the rest of the year was going to pan out. So no real regrets.
April
Miles- 251
Races
Ukrops 10k (33:02- 20th)
Run For The Money 5k (16:55- 1st)
Museum Mile (4:42- 7th)
Skyline 5k (15:53- 2nd)
Injuries- None of note
This was a month that started pretty badly but finished strongly. I was disappointed with my race in Richmond but it was another awesome race experience there and I will be back in 2012! I was on course to meet my goal time half way through the race but an inexplicable side stitch hampered my run and the week I had been forced to take off in March came back to haunt me. The Run For The Money race was my yearly good running deed of raising $1,000 for the Catawba Lands Conservancy (they may well need to find a replacement winner next year if this race clashes as it typically does with the Racefest 10k which I plan on running this year. The Museum Mile was a fun and novel event that I hope they are able to put on again next year and Skyline was a race where I reaped the benefits of racing aggressively, nearly beating long term nemesis and king of the roads Bob Marchinko for the first ever time in the process. We would meet again later in the year.
May
Miles- 257
Races
Falafel 5k (16:13- 1st)
Twilight 5k (16:09- 2nd)
Great Harvest Bread (16:20- 2nd)
Run For Peace At Home (16:31- 1st)
Injuries- None of note
Now it was time to start focusing on my next race which was decided to be the USATF Masters 10k track race in July. It was a busy month racing, with a couple of local races that I was able to jog to the start line, pick up the wins and jog home and two more GP races where John Compton again destroyed me. However, safe in the knowledge that he was unlikely to complete enough of the races in order to be a factor in the end of year standings, I was finishing far ahead enough of my other rivals to already start thinking of getting that elusive overall GP victory that I was after.
June
Miles- 271
Races
Summer Track Series
King Tiger 5k (16:08- 1st)
Summer Breeze 5k (16:06- 1st)
Injuries- None of note
With training focussing towards the track 10k in July, the Summer Track series gave me the opportunity to get plenty of track work in. The highlight a 9:50 2 miler, the low point a horrible 5:01 in the Championship Mile, most of these races were done as part of a larger workout. 2 more solid wins in the Grand Prix Series and overall victory was closer. The second of these also saw me crowned as 'Fastest Male in Mecklenburg' ha ha!
July
Miles- 265
Races
RFYL 4 Miler (20:51- 2nd)
USATF 10k (33:28- 1st)
Injuries- None of note
A good month! Two weeks out from my goal race I was able to take advantage of a sudden cool down in temps to set my second PR of the year and also beat Robert Marchinko for the first ever time. Then it was on to a hot and humid Cleveland where I became National Masters Track 10k Champion after a good tactical race. Robert was second to make it a CRC 1-2 and I spent three hours immediately after the race trying to produce a sample for a random drugs test!
August
Miles- 229
Races
Blue Points 5k (16:31- 5th)
Rock N' Run 5k (16:14- 1st)
OrthoCarolina 10k (34:14- 3rd)
Greek Fest 5k (16:24- 2nd)
Injuries- Sick the week before Greek Fest (only illness of year)
With my goal race out of the way and the Carolina temps continuing to rise and rise, I took this time as a chance to chill out a bit, cherry pick some races and generally just ease off a bit. To be fair, my relaxed approach led to some pretty average racing this month but at least my batteries were getting recharged and I could focus on finishing the year strong. Blue Ridge relay loomed...
September
Miles- 262
Races
Blue Ridge Relay (2nd Team)
Hit The Brixx 10k (33:52- 1st)
Injuries- none of note
Blue Ridge Relay was my favorite race of the year and one of the best running experiences of my life. CRC's epic adventure is recapped here. A week later I was able to recover sufficiently to lead the 10k from gun to tape and virtually seal the Grand Prix. As September came to a close I had my sights set on a final training push for the year towards the Thunder Road Half.
October
Miles- 65
The mileage says it all. Hopes for the Half were shot as my knee finally gave up on me and I pulled the plug on the year. I jogged around the final Grand Prix race of the Season to clinch victory but otherwise took a few weeks off to get my knee fixed and renew my appetite and start thinking of goals for 2012.
November
Miles- 214
Races
Fix4TheDay 5k (16:55- 1st)
Injuries- none of note
I gradually upped my mileage through November and reintroduced some speedwork, including the race which I was able to jog from my house to and pick up some shoes in the process :-) The next goal race was selected- Myrtle Beach Half in February 2012.
December
Miles- 280
Races- none
Injuries- none of note
With 2 runs left in 2011 this month should actually end up being my heaviest mileage month of the year! Concentrating on building my mileage and gradually increasing the intensity of my workouts at the expense of any racing at all, I am hoping I can stay injury free through this training block and be in a good position to attempt a PR at Myrtle in February. My tune up races will be the CRC Winter Classic 8k and Cupids Cup 5k. The post Myrtle plan is to return to Richmond for unfinished business in the 10k and also run the Race Fest 10k before getting ready over the summer for a 4th stab at the Marathon in the Fall. I'm looking forward to representing the 'TrySports' racing team after RFYL chose to discontinue their sponsorship program and also to many runs and workouts with my mates in the Charlotte Running Club!
Happy New Year all!!
January
Miles- 256
Races
CRC Hangover Run 5k XC (16:33- 2nd)
Winter Flight 8k (26:54- 4th)
Injuries- None of note
The year started off with me eschewing the marathon focus of most of my friends and training to run a fast 5k and 10k in the Spring. I had gotten in about 5 weeks of solid work after recovering from my November 2010 Marathon and was ready to hit the road running on January 1st. I opened up with a solid showing at the CRC hangover run with John Compton showing me a clean set of heels. This was to be the start of a regular pattern for the year ahead! Winter Flight was another solid enough effort (and another thrashing at the hands of John ha ha!)
February
Miles- 278
Races- None
Injuries- None of note
February was my highest mileage month of the year in spite of its brevity. I avoided racing and got some good training in before the important races in March and April that were going to kick in
March
Miles- 235
Races
Get Your Rear in Gear 5k (16:14- 1st)
49er Classic 5k (track) (15:31- 4th)
Shamrock 4 Miler (21:19- 3rd)
Injuries- Strained calf after 4 Miler
March was a bittersweet month in many ways. Sweet in that I was able to set a new 5k PR at age 36 and prove that Winter training had gone well and that I was all set to roll at the Richmond 10k in April, bitter in that I followed that Friday evening race with a hard race effort at the first GP race of the Season literally the next morning and paid the price with a slightly strained calf that set me back a few days and ultimately proved costly at Richmond. In hindsight I could have just ‘jogged’ the 4 Miler to get the bonus points for the GP series with minimum effort but at the time that wasn’t really an option with it being the first race of the Series and me having no idea of how the rest of the year was going to pan out. So no real regrets.
April
Miles- 251
Races
Ukrops 10k (33:02- 20th)
Run For The Money 5k (16:55- 1st)
Museum Mile (4:42- 7th)
Skyline 5k (15:53- 2nd)
Injuries- None of note
This was a month that started pretty badly but finished strongly. I was disappointed with my race in Richmond but it was another awesome race experience there and I will be back in 2012! I was on course to meet my goal time half way through the race but an inexplicable side stitch hampered my run and the week I had been forced to take off in March came back to haunt me. The Run For The Money race was my yearly good running deed of raising $1,000 for the Catawba Lands Conservancy (they may well need to find a replacement winner next year if this race clashes as it typically does with the Racefest 10k which I plan on running this year. The Museum Mile was a fun and novel event that I hope they are able to put on again next year and Skyline was a race where I reaped the benefits of racing aggressively, nearly beating long term nemesis and king of the roads Bob Marchinko for the first ever time in the process. We would meet again later in the year.
May
Miles- 257
Races
Falafel 5k (16:13- 1st)
Twilight 5k (16:09- 2nd)
Great Harvest Bread (16:20- 2nd)
Run For Peace At Home (16:31- 1st)
Injuries- None of note
Now it was time to start focusing on my next race which was decided to be the USATF Masters 10k track race in July. It was a busy month racing, with a couple of local races that I was able to jog to the start line, pick up the wins and jog home and two more GP races where John Compton again destroyed me. However, safe in the knowledge that he was unlikely to complete enough of the races in order to be a factor in the end of year standings, I was finishing far ahead enough of my other rivals to already start thinking of getting that elusive overall GP victory that I was after.
June
Miles- 271
Races
Summer Track Series
King Tiger 5k (16:08- 1st)
Summer Breeze 5k (16:06- 1st)
Injuries- None of note
With training focussing towards the track 10k in July, the Summer Track series gave me the opportunity to get plenty of track work in. The highlight a 9:50 2 miler, the low point a horrible 5:01 in the Championship Mile, most of these races were done as part of a larger workout. 2 more solid wins in the Grand Prix Series and overall victory was closer. The second of these also saw me crowned as 'Fastest Male in Mecklenburg' ha ha!
July
Miles- 265
Races
RFYL 4 Miler (20:51- 2nd)
USATF 10k (33:28- 1st)
Injuries- None of note
A good month! Two weeks out from my goal race I was able to take advantage of a sudden cool down in temps to set my second PR of the year and also beat Robert Marchinko for the first ever time. Then it was on to a hot and humid Cleveland where I became National Masters Track 10k Champion after a good tactical race. Robert was second to make it a CRC 1-2 and I spent three hours immediately after the race trying to produce a sample for a random drugs test!
August
Miles- 229
Races
Blue Points 5k (16:31- 5th)
Rock N' Run 5k (16:14- 1st)
OrthoCarolina 10k (34:14- 3rd)
Greek Fest 5k (16:24- 2nd)
Injuries- Sick the week before Greek Fest (only illness of year)
With my goal race out of the way and the Carolina temps continuing to rise and rise, I took this time as a chance to chill out a bit, cherry pick some races and generally just ease off a bit. To be fair, my relaxed approach led to some pretty average racing this month but at least my batteries were getting recharged and I could focus on finishing the year strong. Blue Ridge relay loomed...
September
Miles- 262
Races
Blue Ridge Relay (2nd Team)
Hit The Brixx 10k (33:52- 1st)
Injuries- none of note
Blue Ridge Relay was my favorite race of the year and one of the best running experiences of my life. CRC's epic adventure is recapped here. A week later I was able to recover sufficiently to lead the 10k from gun to tape and virtually seal the Grand Prix. As September came to a close I had my sights set on a final training push for the year towards the Thunder Road Half.
October
Miles- 65
The mileage says it all. Hopes for the Half were shot as my knee finally gave up on me and I pulled the plug on the year. I jogged around the final Grand Prix race of the Season to clinch victory but otherwise took a few weeks off to get my knee fixed and renew my appetite and start thinking of goals for 2012.
November
Miles- 214
Races
Fix4TheDay 5k (16:55- 1st)
Injuries- none of note
I gradually upped my mileage through November and reintroduced some speedwork, including the race which I was able to jog from my house to and pick up some shoes in the process :-) The next goal race was selected- Myrtle Beach Half in February 2012.
December
Miles- 280
Races- none
Injuries- none of note
With 2 runs left in 2011 this month should actually end up being my heaviest mileage month of the year! Concentrating on building my mileage and gradually increasing the intensity of my workouts at the expense of any racing at all, I am hoping I can stay injury free through this training block and be in a good position to attempt a PR at Myrtle in February. My tune up races will be the CRC Winter Classic 8k and Cupids Cup 5k. The post Myrtle plan is to return to Richmond for unfinished business in the 10k and also run the Race Fest 10k before getting ready over the summer for a 4th stab at the Marathon in the Fall. I'm looking forward to representing the 'TrySports' racing team after RFYL chose to discontinue their sponsorship program and also to many runs and workouts with my mates in the Charlotte Running Club!
Happy New Year all!!
More hay in the barn
After a much appreciated lie in on Wednesday morning, it was time to hit the track again after work. I headed down to Community Middle School track where I was to meet Anna and Greg for some company at what was a new running location for me. The track was decent (especially for a public middle school!) although I had to wear a headlamp as the lighting was minimal down the back straight. On tap was 4 sets of a mile plus 400, with 30 seconds between the mile and the 400 and a lap jog between each set,. Tim had set me the goal of sub 5:25s for the miles and sub 75s for the quarters and I averaged around 5:21/74 for the workout without ever feeling I was going to the well. I returned home to my empty house and fuelled up and got as ready as I could for my next run which was to be the Thursday morning Dowd run. After an expectedly sore and tired run the following morning it was good to reflect while showering before work that I had got another good 20 miles of work in since leaving my desk the night before.
For the rest of the week I am planning on getting another 10 or so in tomorrow including my weekly strides and drills and then 16 for my long run on Saturday, in so doing reaching my 65 mile goal a day early leaving Sunday as a no run day, which the fam will appreciate seeing as they get back from VA on Saturday. Next week will be challenging as I will have my busiest work week of the year and need to get 70 miles in. However if I can get 65 in on 6 runs as I plan to this week then that gives me hope that I shouldn’t need to run any more than 7 or 8 times next week. Onwards…..
For the rest of the week I am planning on getting another 10 or so in tomorrow including my weekly strides and drills and then 16 for my long run on Saturday, in so doing reaching my 65 mile goal a day early leaving Sunday as a no run day, which the fam will appreciate seeing as they get back from VA on Saturday. Next week will be challenging as I will have my busiest work week of the year and need to get 70 miles in. However if I can get 65 in on 6 runs as I plan to this week then that gives me hope that I shouldn’t need to run any more than 7 or 8 times next week. Onwards…..
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
All the small things
We all say we are going to change and improve things in our training but rarely do we actually do anything about it for one reason or another. Usually I fall in to that category. I say I’m going to do something, start doing it, but then slowly fall off again. Usually because your improved fitness gives you a sense of invincibility- I’m getting fitter so I must be doing alright, why bother with all the other stuff, let’s just carry on as I am doing.
Well this time I have made some little tweaks to my schedule and habits and I really do feel it is benefitting me so far in this training block. I’m trying to eat a bit better and get more sleep and I’ve been taking my multivitamins. I’ve been doing yoga classes twice a week at work and keeping on top of my core exercises and strengthening the leg muscles that need to fire when you are running but can’t be targeted by running alone. I’ve been doing my drills and strides once a week after one of my easy runs and finally, and perhaps most significantly, I’ve been making sure to refuel immediately after my hard workouts and long runs with a good recovery drink. First time I’ve really used these products and I really feel I’m reaping the benefits. My recovery from workouts is seeming much better than before!
Whether it is down to one of the above measures in particular or just a mix of doing all of them, I can definitely say I’m feeling happy with how training is going and how I’m feeling on a day to day basis. Long may it continue….
Well this time I have made some little tweaks to my schedule and habits and I really do feel it is benefitting me so far in this training block. I’m trying to eat a bit better and get more sleep and I’ve been taking my multivitamins. I’ve been doing yoga classes twice a week at work and keeping on top of my core exercises and strengthening the leg muscles that need to fire when you are running but can’t be targeted by running alone. I’ve been doing my drills and strides once a week after one of my easy runs and finally, and perhaps most significantly, I’ve been making sure to refuel immediately after my hard workouts and long runs with a good recovery drink. First time I’ve really used these products and I really feel I’m reaping the benefits. My recovery from workouts is seeming much better than before!
Whether it is down to one of the above measures in particular or just a mix of doing all of them, I can definitely say I’m feeling happy with how training is going and how I’m feeling on a day to day basis. Long may it continue….
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