Moving Forwards

These blogs really need to be more interesting. I think a weekly format is helpful for me but boring as shit! Maybe some more analysis would help?

Last 7 weeks have seen some pretty solid base building and consistent work. How's about a chart to show how I have improved my fitness...

Week	Miles	TSS	CTL
1	36	286	22
2	40	332	27
3	40	344	30
4	59	521	37
5	42	410	40
6	44	417	43
7	42	377	45

I've slowly increased fitness (CTL) over those 7 weeks. The big week in week 4 helped overall fitness BUT at the expense of massive amounts of fatigue. My TSB is finally coming down and should head in between -4 and -10 this week as it settles. This to me indicates that next week I should really start feeling fresh between sessions and not get the odd run where I have literally zero legs.
Mileage wise, I'm happy maintaining 40-45 per week with 2 sessions and a race (under control). I know this needs to climb to 50+ BUT I am progressing things in order and want to get what I can out of this mileage before I move too far ahead of myself.
Form wise my 9.50 for 3k equates to around 17 flat for 5k. That is a big step up from last weekend and exactly the sort of progress I need to be making. The next logical step is to crack 17 mins at Park Run, that then puts me in the ball park to start really shifting.
My aim to get there for this block of training is to slowly add pace to the sessions. This week the focus is on leg speed and pushing LT pace down towards 5.45/mm. I feel like I need a confidence boosting target 5k pace session too, just to get the legs used to feeling relaxed and cruising. I am lacking the extra zip at the start of the race where race pace feels too slow. It 100% does not at the minute !!
I am going to hit all my sessions on the treadmill for the foreseeable. There are countless reasons that I'm not going in to but for me it's a really valuable tool and it equates correctly for the training paces to race paces. 
Monday - rest day (from running). Key is recovering hard after last week. Race + hangover + long run = very lethargic. Lots of stretching, Normatecs and some S&C today - glute band work & calf strength. Nothing crazy just 25 min circuit. Have to keep this strength work up at least 2 of each per week (today was 1 of each). Last few weeks I have been tired doing a session day after rest day but today I really needed it. TSB is -15 today and will be -6 tomorrow. Haven't been that fresh for 5 weeks!
Tomorrow and Thursday session are key this week to building confidence for next couple of weeks. Now I have couple of races under my belt I am happier knowing what sort of effort I am looking at pace and power wise. First things first, get recovered well today and hit tomorrows session with good legs.
Tuesday - bit tired first thing after driving J to work training (hour round trip) and squeezing a session in before alarm maintenance company turned up.
Session was planned as warm up, 5 @ LT, 8 x 60 off 2 at mile, 5 @ LT then cool down.
Here's the treadmill chart -

8 min solid warm up @ 14 kmph with 3 x 20 secs strides.
5 mins LT @ 16.8 kmph (5.45/mm) with HR steadying at 159 bpm which is perfect and just under.
Couple of mins for toilet then straight into
8 x 60 with 2 mins recovery. Starting at 19.3 kmph and climbing 0.1 to 20 kmph for rep 8.
Couple of mins to let HR drop to 110 bpm then 
5 mins LT @ 16.8 kmph (5.45/mm) with HR steadying at 163 bpm which is perfect and just over.

Cool down (alarm guy turned up early plus had to stop after 3 mins to stretch back out as glute was tight).

The aim of the session is to improve threshold pace (not duration). The reason that I do the 60s off 2 mins recovery is to make sure HR doesn't go crazy and lactate levels remain lower through the efforts. Otherwise the last block would be lunar effort and far too hard. It also adds a little bit of speed as the 60s are quicker than normal session.

Decent session today, really happy with that. It'll be interesting to see the value on Saturday but if this all keeps progressing then I would like to continue with this one and maybe combine it with some longer and shorter efforts in there.

The current short term plan is to do St Albans 10k IF I crack 17 for Parkrun on Saturday. If I don't then I'l most likely just repeat Parkrun until I am back under 17. If I can get below that now I'll be really happy as I don't feel like I am really pushing anything yet.

Thursday session I am probably going to do the 6 x 3.30 at target pace after today's run. I could probably do with some extra speed work to make me faster but I'll bank what I have today and use Thursday as a benchmark session.

I finish these sessions feeling really strong. Today right now I could comfortably see myself doubling today but generally by the enxt morning the fatigue has crept in ! Tomorrow the plan is a long easy run (11ish) so I'll see how that pans out!

Wednesday - as expected, woke up feeling tired !! Right glute aches so lots of stretching and band work pre run. Not 100% that I am healthy right now, lots of shit going around including the dreaded C bomb!  Will play today's run by ear but just looking for a lap of the Cambourne tempo route at the minute (7.5 miles). Really not expecting that I'll be feeling strong enough for a tilt at a decent run on Saturday but I'll live in hope and prepare for it.

Outcome - yep, was an easy run. Actually felt really good today, very relaxed and HR nice and low it was just the aches and pains that stopped any kind of push. HR down at 138 bpm so pretty much recovery which considering I have another session tomorrow is no bad thing. Really could do with the weather picking up though !!  It is utter dog shit again :( Definitely feel the speed work is causing the major aches and pains so need to mitigate this and maybe control those paces somewhat.

Thursday - woke up pretty achy and tired. No idea why I am so lethargic lately as I should be fresher. Possibly a cold but I don't feel that ill.  Still waiting for my legs to start pinging. Once that happens I am in business.

Session planned as 6 x 3.30 off 90 @ 18 kmph. An old classic and a fairly good fitness indicator. Ummed and ahhed about it but eventually decided to just do it. In theory it should be 6 @ 17.6 (target 5k pace) but I decided to try and relax at a faster pace.

Warmed up OK, felt pretty good after a long stretch and roll. Onto the treddy and rep 1 started at 12 kmph so a good 15-20 secs to get up to pace. Once settled in it was pretty hard going to get into a rythm. Jumped off at 3 mins instead of 3.30 by mistake. Actually felt like the correct numbers so left the session there.

6 x 3 @ 18 kmph off 90 recovery. Power for the main part was 350+ watts which is around 3k effort so happy with that.

Cool down outside and finish up feeling pretty good about the state of my running !!  It's frustrating because I just know I'll be tired all afternoon and come tomorrow morning aching like fuck !!

Legs are starting to come back to me. I feel strong it's just the pace that's always slightly lacking. I just need those legs to ping and i'll be golden.  Parkrun Saturday with a 16.59 target. if I wake up fresh and recovered I'll be confident but right now I am thinking 17.15 may be more realistic.

I'll continue this training block with those 2 sessions dialled in and increase pace over he next 3 / 4 weeks if things progress. I do need a longer long run at least bi-weekly. Steady runs are bang on but easy runs just need to flow a bit quicker.

Friday - recovery. First time for weeks I've felt really good in the morning. Run was mint, low HR felt easy and just plodded along at 8s. Feels like whatever I had in my system has departed. 

Classic prediction time for tomorrows Parkrun. Not going to be over confident this time !! I will try to run to around 350ish watts and stick to that. I should be in sub 17 shape but cant be 100% how legs will respond to heavier training this week. I'd be happy with 17.15 but anything above that will be dissapointing even on tired legs. I am hoping that I get to the first mile quicker than expected and feeling like it's slow - not had that feeling for a long time !!! I should be getting through the first mile at 5.30 but I'm hoping it's a cruisy 5.25 as I know I am in the game then.

No sub 17 = no St Albans 10k on Friday. I'll be back for more lol

Saturday - what a difference a day makes. And not for the good! Woke up feeling a little ill and legs like empty lactic tanks. Felt ropey as. 

Did a lot of rolling and prep just to try and get myself going but basically felt flat. Left a bit late and got caught up in road works. Met Briggsy for a warm up and again just felt harder than it should.

Started too hard as usual getting hearded but settled in. Didn't really track power for the whole race. Tuck in to a group and sit in. Long straight pre-mile is a big headwind and feels tough. Group slows so I push forward. 5.32 first mile - shit it's slower than I would like.

Second mile and as usual I am pushing on. Legs feel heavy, not sore although glute isn't happy just really heavy and flat. No ping in them, just like my initial interval sessions. Nothing much of note happens. Didn't clock the split but I'm already getting a sense that I'm slower than last time and head is struggling. Mile 2 was 5.32 which is actually really solid. 

Last mile, working to keep pace with guy in front but he's a bit stronger and I'm not happy or comfortable. Just want it done now. Never get a sense I am moving well but to be fair the mile passes pretty quickly. Debate switching screens with 2 turns to go to get an idea but can't really be arsed. I know it's not what I want to see and I just want to get to the finish! Mile is up in 5.40 - clearly where I have dropped from the guy in front. Mainly due to lack on focus if I am honest.

Last bit just maintain pace. 5.30 pace and HR remains the same.

Official time - 17.18 for 5th place. 

From Stryd -

Stryd says 17.17 for 5k, 353w avge, 165 bpm (Max 171)

Clearly the last 2k is where it got away. HR stays fairly low for top end effort, would expect 3/4 bpm higher flat out.

Pretty much in line with 2 weeks ago except - faster by around 10 secs and also considerably more power. Not sure why if felt so flat but this is the sort of power I would expect on a fast course on a fast day to be running sub 16.30.

Possibly due to having a curry last night. Something glutened me so that's likely why I feel shite. Just dissapointed with this but you have to lick your wounds and push on.

It is not an improvement from last weekend BUT I won't change anything just yet. I'll try and come back firing next weekend with intent and better preparation. Sessions will remain the same but hopefully be ready for it.

So I'll take some positives from this - I did not feel right. Power was where it needs to be. Mid 5.3x pace feeling flat is not a terrible place to push on from. I was running 17.45 last year feeling like this. I don't have to run St Albans 10k. 

Discipline let me down. I should have dialled in food yesterday, Friday is the only day I really need to be sensible.

Tomorrow I will likely run steady to hard for an hour and maybe ease in a double to get miles in.