Monday, July 9, 2012
Melbourne Marathon training - week 4
Another 135km week.
It should have been about 140km but I had to cut my AM and PM recovery runs short on Friday due to time constraints. I don't think it did me any harm but I do like to see the mileage going up.
It was a successful week running wise as I got some good quality in.
On the Monday I did my 8km tempo run. I wasn't as fresh for this as I hoped I would be. Saturday's long run with David was a bit harder than planned and the start of the Tour de France has impacted on sleep quantity slightly. I think I will have to ration my viewing for the big mountain stages as the sprint finish stages are like watching basketball (ie you only have to watch the last 5 minutes).
Felt very comfortable early on the tempo section but as usual it got harder around the Narrows. I need to find a better loop, maybe I will head out to Lake Monger one morning.
So in the end this tempo was was pretty similar to last week. Averaged 3:39-3:40/km for the 8km.
On Tuesday I did a 24km medium long run. Ran the first 12km @ 4:24/km average pace then ran an 11km progression before 1km jog home. Haven't worked out average pace of the progression but overall pace was down to 4:16/km by 23km. Ran the last km of the 11k @ MP but at 3:47 it turned out to be quicker than MP which was pretty encouraging.
Wednesday was a double recovery run and then on Thursday I did the regular 21km medium long run around the Bridges with Rob. We ran a bit quicker this week than last week, although it still felt easy and conversational at an average pace of 4:30/km. We picked it up a bit from the flagpole but stopped for a quick chat with Simon E and then I never really got going again.
Double recovery on Friday and then long run Saturday. The long run ended up being a negative split. I didn't set out with the intention of doing this but after running around 4:30/km pace on the way out I slowly picked it up on the way back and ran the last 16km at around 4:15/km average pace with the last full km @ MP. Recovery run on Sunday before Ben's soccer.
This morning (Monday) I had a pretty average tempo run. I ran 16km with 8km at tempo as I have been doing over the past few weeks. Felt Ok but just didn't crack it with the tempo run. Felt comfortable aerobically but just not the pace I was after. No excuses with the conditions either. Averaged 3:43/km which is the slowest session of the past few weeks. Interestingly even though the tempo was slower, my overall pace for the 16km was quicker at 4:11/km (compared to 4:14/km) mainly due to a quicker cool down. I think the problem may be that my aerobic strength is ahead of my muscular strength. I have been a bit slack on doing (or more accurately, not doing) my strides and this won't have helped. Also I'm just a bit generally tired both from training and slightly reduced sleep from watching the TdF.
So - more sleep and more strides is the plan this week but it gets hard when the Tour moves into the mountains as I think that is when it most resembles running as a competition and that is when it is the best to watch.
This afternoon I went into The Running Centre and picked up a couple of tickets to the showing of Town Of Runners on 25 July. $20 a ticket from the Running Centre. Looks like a great movie. Here is the trailer:
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Melbourne Marathon training - week 3
135km this week
Monday - 16km with 8km @ tempo. I had this scheduled so went through with it even though I was a bit worried it was too close to Saturday's hard effort.
I felt OK - would like to be running quicker but I am feeling more controlled at this pace than a few weeks back so there is some improvement efficiency wise at least.
Pace slowed a bit over the last 4kms which was also when I was running over the Narrows and then into the wind. Averaged 3:39 so at least I made my goal of under 3:40.
I have adjusted my program so that I will run a tempo run against this coming Monday after an ordinary (ie not MP) long run and then fortnightly after that (on the off weeks from the MP long runs).
Medium long runs on Tuesday and Thursday (23km and 20km) with double easy/recovery runs on Wednesday and Friday.
On Saturday morning I had a fantastic long run with Dave. Cold, dark run up to Zamia Cafe in Kings Park to meet up for a 6.30am departure as Dave only wanted to run 22km. 9.32km to Zamia, some of which was pretty slow as I picked my way down the Green Mile in the dark despite having a light on my cap.
Then we ran out to City Beach and back pretty much along the City to Surf course at a pretty honest pace. Dave had us at 1:27 for the half marathon and we finished at 3:45/km pace. Overall 30.5km 4:17/km.
Felt really good, just rolling through. Recovery run this morning and hoping to back up for a good tempo run again tomorrow. Conditions should be perfect so I hope to improve on last week's effort.
Cracked out new shoes this week, both Kinvaras and Mirages. It always feels good to be running in new shoes and there is nothing better than a new pair of Kinvaras.
I still have a few new pairs of Kinvara 2s to get through before I move on to the recently released Kinvara 3 which I am really looking forward to.
Monday - 16km with 8km @ tempo. I had this scheduled so went through with it even though I was a bit worried it was too close to Saturday's hard effort.
I felt OK - would like to be running quicker but I am feeling more controlled at this pace than a few weeks back so there is some improvement efficiency wise at least.
Pace slowed a bit over the last 4kms which was also when I was running over the Narrows and then into the wind. Averaged 3:39 so at least I made my goal of under 3:40.
I have adjusted my program so that I will run a tempo run against this coming Monday after an ordinary (ie not MP) long run and then fortnightly after that (on the off weeks from the MP long runs).
Medium long runs on Tuesday and Thursday (23km and 20km) with double easy/recovery runs on Wednesday and Friday.
On Saturday morning I had a fantastic long run with Dave. Cold, dark run up to Zamia Cafe in Kings Park to meet up for a 6.30am departure as Dave only wanted to run 22km. 9.32km to Zamia, some of which was pretty slow as I picked my way down the Green Mile in the dark despite having a light on my cap.
Then we ran out to City Beach and back pretty much along the City to Surf course at a pretty honest pace. Dave had us at 1:27 for the half marathon and we finished at 3:45/km pace. Overall 30.5km 4:17/km.
Felt really good, just rolling through. Recovery run this morning and hoping to back up for a good tempo run again tomorrow. Conditions should be perfect so I hope to improve on last week's effort.
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| Mirage 2 |
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| Kinvara 2 |
Monday, June 25, 2012
Training for Melbourne Marathon - week 2
129km this week.
Monday was 16km + 10 x 110m strides.
Tuesday 21km medium long run and Thursday 20km medium long run with double recovery runs on Wednesday and Friday.
Saturday 28.7km with 12km @ marathon pace (overall average pace 4:10/km). A bit quick out of the gate this morning, probably a combination of feeling pretty good and trying to warm up a bit.
Averaged around 4:24/km for the first 15km and then ran 12km @ MP. Managed to average 3:49/km for the marathon pace section which is 1 sec quicker than MP with some slightly quicker kms making up for a couple of slower ones which were mainly when having to make multiple turns.
1.5km jog home.
Surprised that I was able to make the 12km without completely smashing myself although I was certainly feeling it in my legs for the rest of the day so wore compression recovery socks. That was a hard workout on the back of 93km in the preceding 6 days.
Sunday was an early 8km recovery before heading off to Sammie's soccer in Kalamunda.
Felt pretty good this week and backed it up with a good tempo run this morning. I feel like I am building a good base which should set me up for a good half marathon in mid August and then a good block of really specific marathon pace running.
Monday was 16km + 10 x 110m strides.
Tuesday 21km medium long run and Thursday 20km medium long run with double recovery runs on Wednesday and Friday.
Saturday 28.7km with 12km @ marathon pace (overall average pace 4:10/km). A bit quick out of the gate this morning, probably a combination of feeling pretty good and trying to warm up a bit.
Averaged around 4:24/km for the first 15km and then ran 12km @ MP. Managed to average 3:49/km for the marathon pace section which is 1 sec quicker than MP with some slightly quicker kms making up for a couple of slower ones which were mainly when having to make multiple turns.
1.5km jog home.
Surprised that I was able to make the 12km without completely smashing myself although I was certainly feeling it in my legs for the rest of the day so wore compression recovery socks. That was a hard workout on the back of 93km in the preceding 6 days.
Sunday was an early 8km recovery before heading off to Sammie's soccer in Kalamunda.
Felt pretty good this week and backed it up with a good tempo run this morning. I feel like I am building a good base which should set me up for a good half marathon in mid August and then a good block of really specific marathon pace running.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Training for Melbourne Marathon - Week 1
Last week was the first "formal" week of my training program for the Melbourne Marathon.
Total - 125km which was my biggest week since the end of last year when I started tapering for the Houston Marathon.
Monday's 16km with 8km tempo turned into 16km with 9km tempo. It was very much tempo effort rather than tempo pace. Was still a bit fatigued from a big Saturday (hard run then moving furniture from Nan's) combined with running part of this tempo straight into the storm as it blew through again this morning. As result there were two kms where I was running 4:00/km pace The last few were with the wind or when it was in a bit of a lull so I added one km as I was now feeling like I was in a bit of groove. Last km was 3:43.
21km medium long runs on Tuesday and Thursday with doubles of 9km/6km on Wednesday and 8km/6km on Friday before a 29km long run @ 4:29/km pace on Saturday. 8km recovery early on Sunday before watching the marathon.
This week will be pretty similar. Monday was 16km + 10 x 110m strides (with a boring walk back recovery but it is important to get full recovery on these). This morning's run was 21km @ 4:30/km.
I'll be keeping my "fundamental" longer runs all between 80-90% of marathon pace, which is in the range of 4:13-4:36/km. I expect to be at the slower end for the first few weeks and then be more around 4:22/km from then on.
This Saturday will be my first marathon pace/specific endurance long run 29km with 12km @ 3:50/km. Will be a bit of a test so I need to make sure I don't start out too quick. Forecast is for cold weather later this week so should be good conditions.
Total - 125km which was my biggest week since the end of last year when I started tapering for the Houston Marathon.
Monday's 16km with 8km tempo turned into 16km with 9km tempo. It was very much tempo effort rather than tempo pace. Was still a bit fatigued from a big Saturday (hard run then moving furniture from Nan's) combined with running part of this tempo straight into the storm as it blew through again this morning. As result there were two kms where I was running 4:00/km pace The last few were with the wind or when it was in a bit of a lull so I added one km as I was now feeling like I was in a bit of groove. Last km was 3:43.
21km medium long runs on Tuesday and Thursday with doubles of 9km/6km on Wednesday and 8km/6km on Friday before a 29km long run @ 4:29/km pace on Saturday. 8km recovery early on Sunday before watching the marathon.
This week will be pretty similar. Monday was 16km + 10 x 110m strides (with a boring walk back recovery but it is important to get full recovery on these). This morning's run was 21km @ 4:30/km.
I'll be keeping my "fundamental" longer runs all between 80-90% of marathon pace, which is in the range of 4:13-4:36/km. I expect to be at the slower end for the first few weeks and then be more around 4:22/km from then on.
This Saturday will be my first marathon pace/specific endurance long run 29km with 12km @ 3:50/km. Will be a bit of a test so I need to make sure I don't start out too quick. Forecast is for cold weather later this week so should be good conditions.
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