Medicine

Over to Eaton Park for a fartlek run (that's what the training plan calls it - to me a fartlek is more ad-hoc, but never mind). Warm up by running out to and around the park for 16 minutes, then 6x 30s sprint + 90s recovery, and 8 minutes cool down/return to base.

It's a tougher session than it sounds (and/or I've lost more fitness than I thought)... the recoveries were definitely getting more and more important (and laboured) as the reps went on. I'm not quite sure how I'll do with 8x next week, but I know effort sessions do me good so I sort of look forward to them in a perverse way. Like cod liver oil, maybe - not pleasant at the time, but repeated regularly you really do see the benefits, so you just have to hold your nose, screw up your face to let the world know you're not bonkers enough to actually enjoy this, and get it done.

The drizzle decided to up its game as the session went on, leaving us to squelch back to the office, but to be honest it felt lovely and cool on my beetroot face so I didn't care. Training buddy Alice had enough energy to go back quicker than me - she hadn't done the sprints, but I still say she's darn good for a beginner. Keeps me on my toes, anyway. First back, first in the shower :)

What I learned today: the pool is going to re-open on Thursday at the earliest :(

Photo: Red Potion by A3sthetix, on Flickr

New blood

No, not mine! I'm still in one piece...

I've convinced my swim buddy, new colleague Alice, to do the Waveney tri as well (it didn't take much convincing to be honest :), which will be her first ever triathlon, and so today she came out for her first run since school. I was down for a fartlek session of 30 mins including six 30-second sprints, so I fitted that in by running ahead and then back to her as needed. Not that it was needed much - I think she'll be beating me before too long - but it was good to have company! And boy oh boy those sprints felt foreign... wobbly legs ahoy.

What I learned today: I can't run my watch's interval timer and stopwatch at the same time. If I'm doing intervals, it's not counting up my total run time. Boo.

Making an effort

Back to Thursday efforts for the first time in ages - over to the grass track for some short sharp sprints.

4 x 200m (relay, groups of 3) - 3 mins for the whole lot (I don't think we split the track into even halves, as my splits were 41, 49, 42, 48) makes about 6mins/mile.

2 x 100m (relay, groups of 4) - didn't time it. We cocked up using teams of 4, as that meant there was nobody at 0/400m on the second rep! So it was 1 x 100m and 1 x 200m. Lesson: teams need to be the number of relay stages plus one if you want to go round more than once!

2 x 150-200m - not exact, not timed, just an attempt at a handicap. Quite good fun running really quickly (everything's relative...) in a huge chaotic bunch!

Then I had to walk back as both my calves were cramping. Oh well - the main set was good. I'm not as slow as I might be, or thought I was, and am faster than some. It would be interesting to get some technique training, not that I will ever compete in anything sprint-like, but just to see how I could go faster.

Swimming harder

300 WU
7 x 100m moderate, 5s rest: 1:56, 1:58, 1:56, 2:02, 2:02, 2:01, 2:03
5 x 100m lactate, ~1 min rest (done @ 3 mins): 1:53, 1:54, 1:54, 1:56, 1:54
300 CD

Total 1800m

Not the best moderate intervals I've ever done. As usual, started faster and then tailed off, although I didn't really perceive that - it felt consistent to be honest. However, about halfway through each third 25m of the later lactate intervals, I really started feeling it - arms weak, technique worsening, breathing more erratic. I had to push it to keep going, yet the times are much more consistent!

My turns were not good today either. I seemed to fudge a lot of them, getting a faceful of water from somewhere and just not being very slick, basically. Over 4 lengths that probably doesn't make much difference, but it does affect whether I think I'm having a good session. At least there are no turns in open water!

More efforts

Twice in one day... what's going on? It was such a lovely evening that I decided to join the Conac gang for efforts. It was over to Eaton Park for laps on the grass - 6 x 3 mins, 1:30 recovery. The loop is about 660m, and I was doing around or just shy of a lap each time, so that translates to something around 8 minute miling, towards the middle of the pack. Not bad for my first effort session back since the injury.

Alternating

Trying to find something different, today I alternated 400m sets with 50m sprints (1 min rest between):

200m WU
50m 0:50
400m 7:45
50m 0:50
400m 7:56
50m 0:51
400m ?8:05-8:10 (watch buttons klutzfest)
50m 0:53
200m CD

I set my watch up for intervals at 1:05 (basing that on last week's performance, i.e. >1 min per 50m) and then just noted the time left at the end of whatever I was doing. However, the beep went after about 3/4 of a length on the last 400m so I must have left it going after the sprint - duh. It was noticeable that on the first two 400m I was getting further along each time the beep went, i.e. 1:05 was enough for me to do 2 lengths and a bit. On the third the size of the "bit" was much smaller most of the time and I was in more or less the same place when it went! Only on the last 2-4 lengths did I open out a bit. I've guesstimated at 7 full intervals plus about 20s before and 15s after.

First 400m was good, smooth and controlled and feeling powerful. Second was OK but definitely felt harder, I had to concentrate to maintain form. Third was getting very tough - aside from the confusion about the time, my arms were feeling pretty weak. The last 50m sprint left them feeling like noodles. Still - must have worked hard, and the times didn't fall off too badly considering.

Less dodgy swim

Was looking forward to a nice uncluttered lunchtime swim, and almost got it. Swam alone for warm up and first few 100m reps, then was joined by a couple, swimming 2 lengths at a time and then resting. They were swimming almost at my speed (and resting a LOT), so not too bad, but I did delay a couple of reps here and there to give myself some clear water.

300m WU
5 x 100m, 5s rest
9 x 75m @ VO2 max pace, 45s rest
6 x 25m sprint, ~20s rest
325m CD

Total 1950m

100m reps:
Did 5 - should have been 6, but, er, I can't count?! Times: 1:57, 2:02, 2:02, 2:01, 2:01

75m reps:
Done @2:15, between 45-50s rest, so 1:25-1:30 per 75m. Pleased with that, especially as some of them were slightly held up behind the other people in the lane. I was definitely pushing it, just not quite sprinting.

25m sprints:
Done @45s, 21-18s rest so 24-27s/25m. I was really feeling it by this point. On the last rep there was a guy in the lane next to me at about the same speed, so I tried to race him, and suddenly my left arm was just like jelly, no oomph at all. I guess I just used everything!

Before and after

Before: tired, slightly achy arms, not really up for it.

During:
300m WU
4 x 200m threshold: 3:55, 3:53, 3:58, 3:58
6 x 50m sprint: 52, 53, 52, 53, 53, 53
300m CD

After:
Tired, pleased, barely able to lift fork to mouth to eat lunch, so may starve to death this afternoon...

Seriously, I'm really pleased with the consistency of the times, and the times themselves! Under 4:00 for 200m is way better than I expected, and to hit 52s for 50m means I might finally have got the turns right. It was tough, but just the right amount of tough. This is why I should always make the effort to go even when tired!

Stepping up the swim

Up to 1850m total workout today:

300m warm up
200m drills (stroke count - minimum 21; closed fists)
6 x 100m moderate, 5s rest (all between 2:04 and 2:09)
9 x 25m sprint (between 24 and 27 s)
1 x 25m slow (because I can't do odd numbers of lengths! and my float was at the other end...)
200m kick (zzzzzz)
300m cool down

Felt really good, especially the sprints. I'm really getting back into it.

Flying

Well, after a sluggish recovery run on Monday, tonight was quite something! The usual efforts route; the main session was 2-4-6-6-4-2 minutes with 2 minutes rest each time, and our group at the back did 2-4-6-4-4 and then a longish cool-down via Fiveways. Fran and I were keeping each other going, not quite racing but really keeping the pace up. She was wearing a Garmin and came up with an average of about 8:30/mile for the efforts, and one in particular that was down at 7:57! Excellent stuff - hard work AND good fun. Nice one!

Porked out - back to hills

After 5 days of either travelling to/from or attending a workshop in Warsaw (where there was no time for running, even if I knew where to go!) I am feeling porky - literally. I think I have eaten most parts of the pig over my stay.

So, tonight there was no chance of wimping out of efforts, and it was over to Guardian Road. Many of the group did 4 reps of each, I did 3 and that was enough. Pushed it a little bit on the middle set and struggled slightly on the last one, then took a very slow jog home. Felt very good, though - just pleased to be out doing something!

Four fives

Efforts tonight - good paced warm up out to Norvic Drive, then around the usual effort loop (Unthank, ring rd, South Park) making up 4 x 5 mins with 2.5 min recoveries. As far as I could work out, I was doing the efforts at 9 min miles, as usual falling in between the front and back groups (I chose to double back and meet the others behind, as none of them had a watch!). Then to make up 30 mins for warm up and cool down, I came back via Fiveways. The efforts went surprisingly quickly, but perhaps that means I wasn't going fast enough!

Familiar territory

Okay, back to efforts it is. Norvic Drive, so a nice easy reintroduction. Three loops, three efforts each, then the dreaded Peckover Road on the cool down/return to base. Did the last flat effort all out, just for the hell of it - fun :) Good steady pace on the others, though.

Lurking at the back

Another run a bit like Monday - I wasn't slow in the grand scheme of things, but found myself there at the back. We did a pyramid run, 1 to 5 minutes and back again, 1 min rest each time. I was with Claudia, who was getting left further behind than me, so felt we should stick together. I just turned around about 30s before the end of the runs to pick her up again, no problem. We cut the route short, going from North Park to the Avenues via Northfields school instead of the ring road, and finished about the same time as everyone else. 25 minutes of effort seems like quite a lot - on the summer it was more like 16-18.

In the pink

Eaton Park efforts - 4 x 4 min, 2 min recovery. Ran them at the sort of pace I am hoping for on Sunday, rather than all-out - felt strong and the pace was sustainable if tough. Ended the run with a nice pink sunset :)

Switcheroo

Back and forth on efforts in Eaton Park tonight, on the main path loop - 2 mins, 1 min recovery, turn around, same again, don't turn, same again... then it got a bit hazy. Sometimes regrouping on the recoveries, sometimes not. Who knows. Anyway, a good session.

I think I went off slow on the first one, and overcompensated on the second as I finished it still ahead of everyone else. It was downhill after that (not literally, unfortunately). By the last rep I was pretty tired, and also conscious that I should not wear myself out before Sunday! Lesson - don't get all cocky on rep 2 of 8.

Fartlek

A bit of short, sharp fun out with Lorraine and Anita at lunchtime, taking it in turns to nominate efforts. 4.8 miles in 44 minutes (including efforts and recoveries), so 9:16/mile average but including some real full-on sprints as well as walk breaks.

Warm up to Eaton Park, then:
NE corner past speedway track to first crossroads
SW corner to exit by yacht pond
alley between Buckingham Rd and Unthank Rd (short hard sprint)
along Sunningdale from Wentworth Green to bollards (sustained effort)
along Greenways from Atmere Close to Cranleigh rise (short hard sprint)
up Ebbisham Drive from Greenways to first corner and down again (Kenyan hill)
Waitrose car park entrance to far end of Eaton bridge
Newmarket Rd from Newmarket Close to Colney Lane (hill)
Colney Lane from Cringleford Chase to Newfound Drive (sustained) then to next telephone pole (sprint)
Then cool down via the woods, metal bridge and across the field to Chemistry arch.
Full route.

Really good fun - exhausting, and we've all got wobbly legs now, but definitely good fun!

Five times... er...

Eaton Park efforts again. Same route/loop as last week, but just five laps of the grass this time with 1:30 recovery. It was initially billed as "somewhere between 800m and 1km" but after the first lap (which I did in 3:07), that was hastily revised downwards. Someone's GPS suggested 0.42 miles, which we roughly converted at the time to 640m, and GMaps agrees with the properly worked out conversion which is 675m.

My times were 3:07, 3:07, 3:10, 3:11, 3:04. It felt sustainable for the lap, but I don't think I could have done 1.5 or 2 laps continuously at that pace. Mark came along too and did the first one at 3:20 (7:52/mi), then the next 3 progressively a bit slower, and sat out the last one. Fair enough, for his first Thursday session!

Three minutes for 675m = 7:09 per mile, with +/-5 seconds per lap equivalent to +/-12 seconds per mile, so that puts my reps between about 7:20 and 7:35/mile. I am pleasantly surprised by that - I would have said around 8 or just below. To put it in perspective, my 5k PB of 24:33 is 7:54/mile.

Rained on

Little effort session over in Eaton Park (since we are apparently not allowed to use the grass track any more!) - efforts of 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1 minutes, with a minute rest in between each time. Thinking of the race tomorrow I didn't push it too much but still had a good session. It was pretty muggy out there, wonderful when it rained though!

Nine out of ten

Efforts down on the grass track - 10 x 400m with 90sec recoveries. I managed 9/10, one of those broken as I had to run for the bushes and pit stop. Times were 1:45, 1:42, 1:41, 1:45, 1:46, (broken), 1:48, 1:47, 1:51. Not bad going, but that was enough for one night.