Breakout - project breaking 10

Setting targets and goals is the only real way to motivate yourself enough to break out.

I've blogged for years and years about the same old shit, but I've always had 2 sets of goals - one set that I'm happy to declare and a second set that in my head I really want to achieve.

So it's about time to start putting the big goals out there.  I honestly only wanted to get myself back into 'competitive' shape last year - i.e. for a fat 44 year old bloke I was really happy to break 17 mins for 5km.  I think sub 17 is the kind of standard that gets you a bit of credit at club level, but isn't going to start worrying the guys who are winning local races.

So this year my focus is really going to be track, and steeplechase specifically.  If I'm running well there, I'll be worrying the winning guys locally on the roads!

I really want to break 10 mins for 3k 'chase - 9.58 would be good enough for top 10 all time V45.  Then I think 4.25 over 1500m and sub 16 for 5k would be the other big targets, probably in that order.

They all seem a bit of a pipe dream looking at them now, and looking at the times I've run last year. But saying that I reckon I was pretty damn close to that sort of shape in 2010 - off just made up marathon training.

I've always said fast times are a state of mind.  You have to block out thoughts that you've arrived when it's starting to go well.  Knocking out sub 6 min mile tempos and thinking you've arrived - you have to push on and keep bringing those down.  It's too easy to plateau, you have to make the jump when you get there. Too many easy excuses are out there, plenty of people run quick, you just have to believe you can.

So what does it really look like to be in this kind of shape?

Well the reality is the speed needs to be there.  Lets start at the bottom - 800m.  I would say at a minimum I would need to be in 2.12 shape for 800m.  To run 2.12 - well, I'd have to be capable of 59.xx I reckon for 400m which means my 200m intervals need to be 30 secs (off a decent recovery).

Start building speed, economy is easy to follow.  The issue is always going to be battering the legs over the track by running in spikes.  There is no way around needing spikes to run quick.  S&C is the key to building that.  The age old problem of just running and letting S&C and rehab slip causes all the problems.  Spike up, run QUICK, build leg strength and spike up etc. etc. you get the picture.  The reality is it's hard work at this age on the body so you have to give it the best chance to be able to perform.

At the same time as building speed, building tempo via threshold is another critical step.  3k chase & 5k are about economy.  Being able to buffer that pace, and the only way to do that is to run quickly without effort!  I have always thought that 5.3x pace at threshold (true threshold) unlocks the door to sub 16.  The real problem is not running this too hard and stepping into tempo mode.  Keeping  alid on the threshold and developing pace by economy.  Those times will come down, you just have to be patient.

Develop fast overall speed and the race pace will come down.

2 x track sessions + 1 x threshold + 2 x S&C + 7 x rehab = Preston's law - the basic principle of running fast.

Everything else should facilitate the ability to run these sessions.


So, we need a start point and a point where we can move on.

Stage 1 - continue rehab and progress.  Build slowly and add 1 quality session per week.  Incorporate track work.  Progression - am I strong enough to run 40 mpw with 3 quality sessions? Times required to progress - 2.18 for 800m - lets look at this from a pure speed prospective.  It's not about running quick over longer work, if I can't crack 2.18 for 800m then I am not ready to get specific and I need to be patient.

Stage 2 - sharpening. No we are talking!  Start racing and bringing times down.  Sessions should be at the target paces.  Everything is about quality here, mileage is irrelevant.  Finish block once I am capable or within spitting distance of the target markers - 2.12 for 800m & threshold at 5.3x pace.

Stage 3 - peaking.  Focus!  This is the bit where we pick target race - a 3k 'chase and have a go at it.  This is the major focus of the season.  Nail that time and then pick the other races off once it's done before you loose the peak.  An open 1500m, a 5,000m track, 5k road & Parkrun.  There should be form for 2-3 weeks.  Maybe even build those races before hand whilst building the peak.

Stage 3 is where I have not been since I was a teenager.  Stage 2 I've rarely got close in any build.  This is something much more specific.  The reality is, I've pretty much split between stages 1 & 2 depending on how I feel.  That is fine to go fairly quick.  To be fast needs proper focus.  This is how I plan out the boys training.  Walk before you can run.

So to stage 1.

Get a benchmark.  Currently 18.17 for 5km, we'll hopefully adjust that down on Saturday!  (Hmm, it's Friday night, I'm tired and not overly confident as my legs are battered!)

18.17 = VDOT 55
16.48 = VDOT 61

The target is to bring that VDOT up to 61 (which is where I was pre-injury).  That #should# put me on the edge of moving into stage 2 - at least that's how it felt I could progress last time.

Current training intensities V target training intensity

Easy / Long =7:30/mm / 6:50/mm
Threshold = 6:20/mm / 5:50/mm
200m rep = 40 / 37
400m rep = 81 / 74

I'll continue the Daniels sessions - I thought there was huge value in those.  I'll work through the easier ones to start - 8 x 200 off 200 jog with the 200 target time of VDOT (40 for now)

Once acclimatised I'll build up and use - 6 x 400m, 4 x 200 (off 200 jog) and 10 x 200, 2 x 400 (off 200 jog).  I'll keep pushing these track sessions until the times come down - once I am hitting those 61 VDOT numbers I will move on to phase 2.


Tue & Thu = Track session
Sat = Parkrun OR threshold
Sun = Long run
Wed = Rest (S&C focus)
Mon + Fri = Easy

Pretty simple schedule.  This will be more than enough to get me to my initial targets.  Another big issue I'll have is the fact that I pretty much need to bin everyone off and not get involved.  The key is hitting those 3 Q sessions so the other sessions are critical in recovery

The lack of a traditional 'base' or winter miles is purely due to time and focus.  I need to get quick and I need to do it fairly quickly.  If I can build a consistent set of training weeks then that will work out.  I need to be improving leg turnover.  Sub 60 for 400m is a big ask right now at any stage but that is required to hit 2.12.  My aim is to run 2.12 for 800m - that opens the door to much quicker times over longer distances #believe

So, the focus is simply just on stage 1. No race targets (yet) everything is simply aimed at running 2.18 for 800m - a big, big step up in track fitness from where I achieved last year.

Week 1 (Jan 30 2020)
Session - 8 x 200m. Avge 37.1
Light session as an introduction, in spikes
Session was on VDOT target which is nice, hard work as no speed work.  Very tough by the end but a good start.  The good thing was 35 avge will be very achievable for more than 8 reps in a couple of weeks of work.

Session - tempo (1 steady, 3 hard, 1 steady) 3 @ 6.17/mm
Felt harder than it should, not been feeling 100% though. Steady miles were OK - 6:58/mm but down below 6.20 was hard.  Bang on VDOT target but need to keep working this down to sub 6 and increase. Probs with HRM so no real data but did feel very much tempo effort. 6.32/mm avge for the 5.  Couple of weeks more work to do. Could def add in another Q session but need to keep a lid on the other stuff if so

Week 2 (Feb 3 2020)
Session - 3 x 1,000m. Avge 3.21
Light session, mainly tempo layered up in next%.
Progressed from 3.25, 3.19, 3.15 - decent pace by the end but not 100% by a long shot. Happy with pace considering.  Long way off form but to be fair that's a decent session solo in the cold.
Will probably aim to add one more next week and keep paces roughly the same.
Good base to build from.

Session - 10 x 200m avge 36.5
Light session, first 8 in next% last 2 in spikes.  Walked 200 after 5 and changed footwear after 8.
Not the best session, felt pretty ropey on warm up and didn't feel 100% during.
Improvement on last weeks session by half a second.  Good sign considering I'm still not healthy.

Week 3 (Feb 10 2020)
Session - 4 x 1,000m. Avge 3.22
Light session, couldn't push on. Windy AF.
Felt ropey, windy night just couldn't get into it.  Worked hard but just didn't have that extra bit tonight.
Wore streak LT spikes - absolute game changer for comfort.  3.25, 3.22, 3.22, 3.21

Session - threshold (4 threshold, 1 steady) 4 @ 6.20/mm

Not right today. HR was way too high but comparing to 2 weeks ago that is progress. Had to stop half way and also after 1 mile to brig HR down.  Was climbing to 165 bpm.  Pushed too hard too soon so pace was steady throughout.  Not terrible, it IS progress but it's not quite there yet.  Will try a flat threshold 5 next time to see what pace looks like when a) I'm healthy and b) it's flat

Week 4 (Feb 17 2020)
Session - 8 x 200m. (Approx 31 secs on marina)

Holiday so cut back week just ticking over. One session, 8 x 200m (ish) effort with jog back recovery.

Session with boys, went OK to be fair.  Just something to tick over.

Week 5 (Feb 24 2020)

Session - 4 x 1,000m. 
First real setback of the plan last night.  First rep in 3.25 feeling pretty good but plantar was sore so sacked it.  Frustrating but at my age I guess this is one of the things we deal with.  Rehab routine daily with flexibility & strength work from now onwards!

Session - 12 x 200m. (Approx 31 secs on path)
Much better, was slight downhill to help leg speed.  Wore wrong shoes (infinity) and achey afterwards but net-net I'll take that.  Brutally tired at the minute, really struggling to hold it together.  Extra food helped today, even if just for motivation.  Hopefully recent miles pay off.