Daz Does Tri

Rest day Friday, legs totally unresponsive. Went on the piss Friday night. Nothing too heavy but Parkrun Saturday morning was a disaster!

Wow, very tired run tonight. Legs heavy like a bag of spanners. No idea if I'll be able to run hard tomorrow but seems unlikely based on tonight's shit show.

Oh shit we've done that one a few times. Easy peasy run today.  Legs are pretty shagged if I am honest.  Race Sunday took a fair chunk out and last nights tempo just added a layer of fatigue.  It's a bit of a conundrum now as to wether I a) continue to bank fatigue and keep the training load high in expectation of future adaptions or b) back off, rest up and stay sharp and bank respectable times now.

Tempo Tuesday. Last week I had 3 track races (2 x 800 & 1 x 1500) and a failed tempo.  Aside from a 2 min and a 9 min effort I haven't done the usual 4-5 mile efforts for nearly 3 weeks so this week is about re-focusing on that. Plan was the usual threshold effort.  1 mile strong warm up.  Stretch & drills and into the 4 mile St Ives effort with the dreaded hill. Quick stop to bring down HR and then mile or so cool down at a strong pace.

East Anglian League today.  Interesting day as between myself, Jake & Sawyer we covered a ruck load of events (9 between us). My first event was the 800m.  After Wednesday I was confident a) I could run in spikes this time and b) I could go under 2.20.  Gun went off and settled in decent position. Pretty much isolated in 5th place but confident I'd hold off the guys behind.  Exactly same as Wednesday I didn't start moving well on the first lap.  Pushed as much as I could in 72 secs at the bell.  Not confident of a sub 2.20 I just worked hard on lap 2.  Caught a fast starter and pretty safe in 4th place. Miles and miles behind the first 2 (2.02 & 2.05) in 2.23.3.  3/10ths quicker than Wednesday.

Nice easy 8 with the monkey last night. 8ish at 7:30 ish avge spot on. Felt really easy and started to think I can start covering distance again without too many problems! Today session was 40 min threshold. Hit Godmanchester and head along Cow lane to Hemmingfords and back.  159 bpm absolutely no worries.

As planned did the 800m at the Cambs open tonight at St Ives. Felt pretty shite all day but was always going to get something done. Warmed up OK, really do need to do a solid warm up nowadays for anything with effort. The body can't go from cold to hot anymore!

Steady 10k yesterday. After Parkrun with the kids, legs felt good. Settled on low 7's at around 150 bpm so bang on steady effort. Run came in at 7/mm on the dot.  A good sign that fitness is there but must admit felt a bit shite after a week without doing much productive. Funny how the head goes, 6 miles felt a fairly long way after last week whereas beforehand it barely felt like I'd warmed up !

...come to those who wait. Legs are still pretty wrecked but much better than they have been.

Wow, I had no idea how much a battering I could give myself playing football.  Never again while I'm running !! Managed a mile on and off on Tuesday. Felt achey and pulled a bit on the hip flexor.

Dads 5-a-side tournament yesterday. 7 10 min games later and I am ruined.  I mean totally ruined!  I can barely walk, my hip flexors are shot, my back is in bits.  I've got a massive lump on my shin and one on my head!!

* This is an important note to self blog. If I ever have to come back again, re-read this!!! Alternative title - the most important blog I'll ever write 4 weeks ago - Recovery runs - 9/mm Easy runs - 8.15/mm Steady runs - 7.30/mm Threshold - 6.45/mm 5k pace - 5:53/mm (guestimate) After a consistent block these zones are currently- Recovery runs - 8/mm Easy runs - 7.15/mm Steady runs - 6.45/mm (guestimate) Threshold - 6.05/mm 5k pace - 5:30/mm Preston pace is all about how it feels. You train right -> you get fitter -> you run faster  So many people say easy runs are 8/mm and that's what it is ??  Easy is easy, today 7:54/mm was easy, you cannot just stick a pace to it. If your paces for each zone do not get quicker then you are not improving and your training is not working. Notice there is no steady data because I am not really doing any steady runs. I aim to do a hard day followed by a recovery and then easy day and loop around.  Ideally

Wow, Thursday I am not going to lie, I was battered. Felt like a hangover!  3.6 easy miles to loosen the legs off and they felt much worse than when I went to bed Wednesday evening. 2 miles very easy at the Track in the evening just to try and shake them out was all I could manage. Good stretch & a hot bath later and woke up Friday feeling much better.

Ferry Meadows, Peterborough 5k series.  It's the Cambridgeshire old middle aged road runners version of what Watford is to track. Guaranteed fast conditions, guaranteed company and guaranteed chance of a decent time. Have been training well lately, after an 18.12 within last weeks 5 mile tempo I fancied sub 17.30 earlier this week.  Went to bed last night feeling a bit rough and today felt shite.  Not shite enough to sack off the only chance of a race for about 2 weeks but still not great.  Really had to do this race so set my stall out at sub 18 being a must with a 17.30 if things went well.

Decent double day today. 4.3 this morning at a very easy 8/mm flat. On the trail route (this has become well overgrown) felt really, really easy at that. possibly best run for effort yet. Evening run a bit more effort but still below steady (RPE can't fine HR strap) - 7.20 pace for 5.3 miles, checking out nice and relaxed.

Decent training block over half term.  After my last post I eased up to the Westminster Mile.  We stayed in London the night before as Jacob's race was a big one but it worked out really well as I was off in Wave 1!