Make me faster Preston

As the dust of the last couple of weeks settles it's time to start looking at moving on. First up, this week I really need to (1) recover and (2) get back into the swing of things. A transitional week to get back on top of things. Nothing too crazy just some intensity, some volume and some consistency.

Monday - rest day. Half hour strength was plenty. Good sleep.

Tuesday - transition session. 10 x 600m @ 5k effort. At Eddington. Was feeling lazy. Timed first one. 600m in about 1.56 and then switched off and kept the effort around that. Recovery was about a minute to 75 secs max. 

Very business like. Never really that into it but didn't struggle at any stage and felt really consistent and relaxed. Decent volume at 5k affort without having to go deep. Just what I needed, knew I would still be leggy today so didn't have any desire to do anything crazy.

See how tomorrow goes but Thurs will either be 2 x 4 x 400m OR 200/200/400 x 3. Those sessions are pretty good for developing 800m pace which is where I am lacking.

Will 100% not do Podium 5k after last couple of weeks. Will do club champs 1500m on Sunday though but will be on training legs.

Wednesday - tired today. Weird sore pain in right hipo flexor I think from key rubbing in pocket from yesterdays session. Low back and hips feel very tired.

Ran 8 easy over the Eltisley loop feeling relaxed. Definatley something not quite 100% tho. Frustrating, has been a bit bleugh since Battersea.

Wanted to hit the golf this afternoon but def need to give back and hips some TLC. Think hammys may be the issue so loosen everything around them off today and focus on strengthening them the rest of this week.

No PO10 update since Friday yet.

Thursday - track today. Arrive nice and early. Legs are definitely not 100% yet. Weird ache at top of left quad is concerning. Glutes ache, back tight and right shin sore. Apart from that all good lol.

Warm up with DC and in to session. 2 x (4 x 400) off 200 and 400 walk. DC does 300s as he's coming down off marathon. Reps in 70, 69, 69, 70 and 69, 68, 68, 67.

2k cool down feeling tired, starting to pump in some lactic there !!

Decent session, 69.xx avge set 1 and 68.xx set 2. Struggled a bit into wind but happy to make some progress. Ideally run these in 68 through the card off less recovery but this week is just getting back to productive work.

Obviously faster the better on these. Taking more recovery does seem to help give the legs a chance, 2 - 2.30 per rep is a lot but can build that back down through summer. Just want to get paces right on these sessions and can make the recovery harder as summer progresses.

Right now I think I'll do a double as a shakeout tonight but see how the legs respond through the day.

1500m race on Sunday. Ideally go sub 70 per lap but anything around a seasons best would be great at this stage. Don't need to go full bore on the pressure in May, I made that mistake last year and was totally burnt out in June.

Felt very heavy and unresponsive in warm up - I have felt like that since Battersea - BUT started to feel a bit like I was moving better through the session.

I would love these to be around 62s but July time, feels a long way off but just need to get the work done. Next week I reckon a more traditional mile session on Tues and a proper speed session on Thurs is on the cards.

Friday - very easy shakeout 5 with 3 x strides. Very tired and unresponsive. Expect that on a build week! Out tonight. Must. Be. Good !!

Still no PO10 update on Mid Cheshire - grr !!

Saturday - bleugh, late night, 6 G&Ts and a large Magners with a 10pm curry to top last night off. Funny old evening catching up with AC & Griff. Woke up fine tbf just heady. Out early to meet Dan & Gemma at Caldecot then 1.35 for about 13 miles nice and easy. Guts do not feel happy at all !!

Decent miles banked though and all set for tomorrow now. Really wanted to run on training legs and I've achieved that. On 42 ish for the week so should weigh in with around 50 which is bang on. Now I'm getting some solid results I may lift it through this block to 55-60 for the rest of May.

Key now though is staying on top of the strength work and not going too far off piste with the diet.

PO10 updated. 21st V45 in UK with 16.00 which is quite honestly fucking insane. It's only 1/3 through the year. 

Current rankings -

800 - 21st

1500 - 10th

Mile - 2nd

3000 - 4th

5k - 21st

Parkrun - 64th

10k - 100th

Sunday - club champs. Legs felt pretty shite beforehand. Arrived at track for 12 pm and was only person there lol. Expected to be racing in 4th race but hardly anyone turned up so was just girls race first then boys. Oldest after me in my race was bottom year u15 lol.

Taken this as an E race, really just wanted a hit out on tired legs and I definately got that. From the start I settled down to 1500 effort. Young kid on the front went through quick in about 68 and I was 2nd in 71. Pretty disappointing as wanted to be 68 but just kept digging. Went through 800 in 2.21 (70) feeling heavy but pace was fine. KM in roughly 2.56/2.57 and bell in about 3.15. Passed the kid on the straight. Just tried to keep things moving in the right direction. 3.33 at 1200m (72) and worked pretty hard and tried to run hard but controlled finish. Stopped the clock in 4.25:7 a 3 sec SB and 2.5 ish OAPB. Up to 8th V45 (was 11th this morning)

3 mile cool down and worked out around 6.5 for the day.

Pretty happy with that. In a race and on a fresh day that would 100% be very close to a sub 4.20 so exactly where I need to be. I'm improving at a decent pace, just need to keep making the right decisions.

Roughly 48/49 miles for the week. 2 sessions, a long run and a race. Things are bubbling along nicely.

Been an interesting few weeks. Feel like I am just on the verge of nipping the heels of the top guys now. I'm a long way ahead of previous years in fitness. I don't feel like i have changed much, just keeping things more specific, consistent and actually taking longer recoveries seems to be paying big dividends. The strength work is back on track and that's really helped.

Next up will probably be a 3k / 1500m weekend in a couple of weeks so a solid week of hard building followed by easing back again.