Bringing the Legs In

OK, so now it's been long enough. I really need to be pushing onwards. Stuck in the never ending loop of fatigue and half arsedness.

This week I really need my legs to turn up. Racing is starting in earnest so I need to be knocking at the door not ringing the phone. The plan is to run hard but under control, keep paces relevant and feel my legs start to pick up the last few weeks of conditioning and feel stronger.

Monday - rest. Last week was a fuck up but I did bank some solid efforts. Lets get it to pay off.

Tuesday - Intervals. 4 x 6 mins @ just under 5k effort. Off 2 mins then 2.30 for last 2. Pretty good session. The idea of this was that I should start to feel relaxed at pace for long-ish efforts. 24 mins at probably 5 mile race effort so a good solid session. 

Rep 1 - 348w, 3:26 per km, 158 bpm (166 max)

Rep 2 - 348w, 3:26 per km, 163 bpm (168 max)

Rep 3 - 346w, 3:28 per km, 163 bpm (168 max)

Rep 4 - 347w, 3:27 per km, 164 bpm (170 max)

This is very much under control, really pleased with HR not getting crazy. It does show that there is a huge engine under the bonnet but I just don't have the torque right now to release those horses.

Comparative session to this for reference was 4 x mile with DC off 2.30 then 3 & 3 mins. Pace was quicker (5.23 -> 5.15) but HR was so much higher (was 178+ max).

I'd say mission accomplished in keeping things in check. 3.25 is 5k pace this season so that's absolutely spot on. I'd say benefit to LT is huge here.

Next week I will likely move on from the longer reps and move towards a mile based approach. I will do Thursday's session as my longer intervals and add in a proper speed session. I enjoy this kind of training, possibly add it back in but all going well Park Run will be a longer tempo based session as I won't need to push hard once I have cracked it!

I'm still missing that sub 5 min mile speed that I need to be capable of dropping without killing myself.

Wednesday - recovery plus strides. The new thing! Very easy jogging and 4 x 25-30 sec floating efforts at relaxed speed. Getting this up to 2.36/km pace at the end and feeling very relaxed. I think these may do wonders for turnover which is what I need.

Feel fairly achy but much improved from Monday. I just need my body to feel strong. If I can recover well it will be 400s tomorrow (on treadmill of course).

Must admit that after strides my body woke up and felt better. I thionk doing these at half way is a great way to get them done plus miles are just slightly increased.

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Thursday - session. Felt pretty good pre-session. Like my legs are starting to return. Less aches and pains. Hopefully that's a good sign.

The session alas was not. Plan was 12 x 75/45 @ 19 kmph. I decided to warm into it with the first 2 at 18 and 18.5.

Session ended up as 6 x 75 off 45 (18,18.8,4 x 19) and then 5 x 60 off 60 with last 3 at 18.5. And then last one 75 off 45. Complicated I know. Basically the legs never really felt like they were at the races.

Not sure what's wrong, either coming down with something (don't feel million percent), case of cba disease or the Takumi Sen are just too harsh.

It's a possibility that I am coming down with something as I feel a bit meh.

CBA - another possibility. Few things on my mind. Struggled to get going.

Takumi Sen - another big possibility. they feel old school harsh. I reckon in Alpha Fly this session would feel a lot easier. Big case for keeping the Takumi Sen for sessions here. Train hard, race easy!

Breaking down the session - actually power in the TS is higher than treadmill - was reading at 377w for 3.05 per km at 19 kmph so I'm working harder for less return.

Dropping to 18.5 kmph gave 367w at 3:11 per km 

Possibly better zone but I think I just find running in the Takumi Sen a lot tougher than the Alphas. Good training aid though so I'll look to keep this up and use them for sessions.

I'll continue to race in the Alphas for now. Once I'm quicker I'll race in a rotation to compare shoes.

Not the best session in the world but at the end of the day it matters on Saturday not Thursday!!

Next week this will be my longer session. I may have to drop to 10 to start with and nail the 75/45 rather than struggle to 12. I need leg turnover right now, I am strong but not fast so a block of speed focus and the paces should start to drop.

Saturday, thinking Gt Denham for a change. Might be a nice way to take the pressure off as no one I know usually turns up. I haven't run there since 2019 so may just be a nice plan. Only issue is going to be an earlier start but lets see what happens.

Tomorrow is recovery plus strides again. Legs coming back will be a huge bonus. Fairly confident of a decent run on Saturday - god knows I need one! 

Friday - easy plus 3 x strides. Felt really good today, legs starting to come good. Aces and pains very slight but def improvements. Would be nice to get a solid run of form going now. 

Really enjoying these easy / strides runs. Think they are helping but guess we shall see. 

Tomorrow. Actually fairly confident now. I'll go to Great Denham instead of Stories - few reasons. Firstly I just want to compare like for like efforts. I have a sneaky feeling GD is quicker for me. Secondly, less pressure - too easy to get caught up with regulars at SF. Will be nice to make a change of scenery. Finally I can just focus on me, do my warm up and get in and out ninja stylee.

Reckon I will get dialed in to pace and keep it there. Legs don't feel so amazingly fresh that I'll do anything stupid first mile but equally I feel like they are coming good. Reckon 16.55

Actually, checking weather Storys is looking very slightly quicker than GD hmmmm think that may be a change there.

Saturday - yep, Storys it was and correct decision. Weather was A1 perfect. Good warm up, legs feel a bit heavy which is usually a better sign than when they feel great. Start fairly hard, almost in the lead at one early stage and get into a really good lead group of 5 of us. Settle in nicely through the first mile and were all moving along well. 

Through the mile in 5.21 on Garmin but again it's long. Working hard to stay attached in this group, half way around the lap I start to loose ground. Focus now is do not explode. Mentally or physically !

Keep working, check HR and it's 171 bpm so bang on. Leave screen to just HR. One in front starts dropping and I reel him in and pass on the finish straight. 2nd mile was 5.26 on Garmin.

Last mile, challenge now is hold off Ty ! HR 173 bpm so aim is to just keep that there. Working hard now to keep that. Mile up in 5.29 and it's all about getting to the finish in one piece.

Final result - 16.49, 167 bpm avg (174 max), 349w.  Finished up a pretty solid effort. Fastest this year but 14 secs and best position (4th). Happy with that. 

Definitely feels like there is more there. I know I can go quicker on a better evening race but conditions were fantastic for an April Park Run. Focus now is getting that leg speed going so I feel faster. 16.30 is the next target, eyes on the prize!

Good cool down with DC and decent day banked.

Really keen to move on to a mile based approach next week. My base is pretty solid, I'm not dying in 5ks so I am strong but I really want that 5/mm speed so I feel super easy at pace.

Next week onwards my 75/45 will be my anchor point. This is a session I'll do weekly to build strength and from there I'll do a proper speed session that will monitor pace fitness and bi-weekly double speed session. I'll keep a long run in bi-weekly but miles is not the focus now. I'll need to race to develop that speed relaxation.

If I Parkrun now it'll be 10k effort with some mile reps thrown in afterwards at LT all in the cause of building fitness. I have to think of this as the start and not the end. this is the stage that I traditionally plateau. Running a chunk under 17 it's tempting to keep what you've got but I need much much more and the only way there is to address what needs addressing.

Sunday - long and easy. Long day before I had even run taking J to work them Jr Park Run with Sawyer and Lola. Kids killed it today with pair of pbs and no3 all time for Sawyer !

Drove to St Ives to meet Monkey & DC. 15 miles on the same route we did last year. Felt shocking at the start and took 6-7 miles to get into it. Felt pretty good until 12 then took it's toll a bit last few. 

15 miles at 7.23/mm. 140 bpm / 278w avge. Happy with that and can now move forwards into phase 3. Very tired in the afternoon, few aches and pains. Def need a good rest day tomorrow and ease out those aches.

44.9 miles for the week. 442 TSS and CTL sitting at a high 54. Fatigue is pretty high, really need a down week going into next weekend.

Thoughts now turn to putting fitness into times. I have options that I am weighing up and they're all pretty good.  

PB5k on Wednesday. Massively unlikely I can be arsed to travel 2 hours to get there. I know I can OAPB but not sure it's going to be quick enough to justify the effort.

Storys Field Park Run on Saturday. Again, if I go in fresher I will most likely run a Park Run pb BUT 100% with a 9am start it won't be that quick.

Bedford Autodome 5k. This is likely to be the one I settle on. As long as it's not blowing this is probably my choice. 11.30 am start is perfect for me. I've run well there previously (OAPB course) and I think I casn go quicker. It also gives me a solid week and plenty of time to recover.

First things first. I am very fit BUT very tired. My body needs to take this all on board and bring that speed into my legs. That's how progress is done! Recover well before I re-start.

Next week I'll need to have a target in mind and start shooting my shot.