Quest for a 4.19 - Week 5 - Big Build

This week it's all about a big push for some speed. I have Watford next Wednesday and that will be my big chance to finally nail a target this year.

4.19 represents a really big start point for me, I really think that's the point the door opens to some bigger performances over all distances. 

So the plan this week - start the week with recovery from racing. Rest is so overlooked by too many people IMHO. Run streaking at 40+ years of age outside national level competition is lunacy. Reset the legs, reset the mind.

I'll do 4 x km on Tuesday at 3k pace off good recovery. Not 100% but may do this on track to test out Garmin alert at time to correct pace. This is my strength session of the week.

Thursday it'll be 8 x 400m up track. Try to click off 67/68 feeling comfortable.

Wednesday will be double easy day, Saturday Long run - back on the 15 miles tip. Friday will be an easy day to chill and Sunday will be some relaxed 60/60s. 

I'll double up some days to get some conditioning in but that's the main outline plan. This should be enough of a push that a good day at Watford will finally see me nail a target.

Planning Phases

Right now - 800m, 1500m & mile. These are the focus events. Starting to move towards longer distances by adding 3k & 5k work but keep 400s and speed.

June 29th - End of July - 3000m / 5000m. Make that speed count. A short block of getting specific over the longer end of range. Target is 9.14 and 15.59. 3-6 x km and 10-12 x 400. Build that engine again. Race opps are Southern League 3000m (or take a backup 400H / 400 speed day) and a likely Watford 3000m. Then Ferry Meadows 5k and I have 2 track 5000m races 20/21 July depending on factors. I'll likely keep my powder pretty dry for these. 

I then (if I don't achieve) will have another couple of weeks to find a fast 3000m or 5000m which will be fine.

Late Season - August - I'll basically just tidy up loose ends. Ideally I will have already been hurdling so I would like to get a 2000m steeplechase at the SAL and I'll run the mile at Corby to try and get the club record. I doubt I'll drop an 800m but then I have chances at 1500m & 3000m. Basically training wise I'll just be ticking over and maybe start to bring back the longer thresholds.

Close Season - September / October - I'll switch off focus for a couple of months and relax and chill. I'll do some racing and maybe try a hard Parkrun but this is downtime in prep for winter. Training wise I'll go with the flow.

OK, got my head around it now. Close out Watford and get 5000m fit is the big takeaway for the next few weeks.

Monday - rest, Total rest although felt fine today and could have run no worries. Legs feel good. Hit a foo beers.

Tuesday - decide to run later as it's pissing down. Hit Stories for the sesh. 4 x km @ 3k effort off generous recovery (2-3 mins). Idea is to relax into session. 7.30 warm up. Few drills. Feel pretty good. It's warm and windy.

First rep - always unsure of how it'll go on the first one so push on. Have an idea that it needs to be 1.43ish at the monkey bars and hold about 1.22 for the last bit for a 3.05 km. Pass just outside and work the last bit. 3.08. Not too bad, it's in the right ball park.

Second rep - don't feel like I have pushed on but through much quicker and relax for a 3.06.

Third rep - switch it to do the km in reverse. Feel more relaxed at the start of this one. 1.18 at the monkey bars (in reverse) starts to bite last minute or so but through in 3.05.

Fouth rep - went for a piss beforehand - feel heavy from the start, not a lot of relaxing here this is hard work. Through in 1.20 so slightly slower and try to work harder at the finish. Feels a lot more than 3k effort now. 3.06

Tired old session that. I was battered at the finish BUT these sessions are completely solo and any wind make it really tough. 3.06 average is actually  very strong and almost on the money. I'm starting to get close to where I need to be now. Just have to keep chipping away.

Long cool down (15 mins) and I am absolutely exhausted afterwards. Likely the conditions which were pretty oppressive today plus the fact I've come off a pair of races on Sunday. Need to be sensible today and rest up and eat well to refuel properly.

This week is going to be tough, there is no getting away from it. If I am going to break through at Watford then I am going to need to put in the work.

I completely agree with Jakob I on the fact that you need to be confident in your training and not push too hard but sometimes to make tough times feel easy you have to lay some groundwork. I need to relax and be very comfortable at 3.10 per km and 69 per 400m for intervals and to get there I have to push down at the top end every now and then.

I'm also going to need to do a long solo run Friday as I'm buy all weekend so that'll be a very hard block from today until then!

No S&C today, just too much fatigue.

Wednesday - easy 3 shakeout am and then coke club with Rich. 11 for the day. 8/mm or so avge. Nice and relaxed and feel good.

Thursday - 8 x 400m with Geoff doing the last 200m. Dusted off the Garmin and set time alert to beep every 17 seconds for 68 pace. Each one I was slightly up at 100m and kept similar gap to 200 then slowly lost a bit at 300m and was on the money or just under at 400m. Great for this type of session as I def dialled back through first 100m and felt the benefit. Race pace wise I would def need to hit the marks correcty.

Recovery was 170 - 180m walk so roughly 2 - 2.15. About right for this type of session. It's target is 1-2 sec below 1500m pace but feeling relaxed.

68, 67, 67, 68, 67, 68, 68, 66 - pushed last one but still under control. Never an easy session but did not destroy myself and on already tired legs. This week the plan is to go deep and back off and recover as well as I can with nutrition and sleep.

67 high to 68 low mainly with a 66 high last rep. I'm really starting to chip away at times and fitness wise I am right in that 4.19 ball park.

Plan is to do some light S&C today (even though I am tired) but I won't double as I need to run long tomorrow to fit it in.

Friday - up and out early, 14 ish miles in 1hr 42. Felt easy but allergies were shocking. Felt pretty relaxed but had to nasal breath for long stretches to keep throat under control. Banked that one, was worried straight after few tough days but nice short block achieved. Eat & recovery now. Just under 40 miles in 4 days.

Saturday - out early and today so snuck in a very easy 5k first thing. Legs tight and tired no time to warm up properly.

Sunday - officiating all day at Suffolk Special Olympics & Quad Kids. Long oild day in the heat. Got back, quick shower and out for short easy sesh. Did the jog to cricket pitch (used the MUGA as it was busy). 8 x 60 on / 60 off at 1500-3k pace. Felt OK once legs opened up. 16.30 warm up, 15 sesh, 15 cool down.

Decent return this week. 2 proper sessions and felt OK although they were pretty tough at the end. 

Solo long run was mentally tough off the back of a block but felt ok with it. Legs need to recover now.

Mentally weird as I am either jogging incredibly slowly or running very fast. Not a lot of in between 6.30 - 7.30 stuff.

Feel like I am ready to move on now. Currently ranked 18th / 17th / 16th for V45 over 800m / 1500m / 3000m so nice and consistent !

Pace wise I feel like I have really moved my top end speed forward. Now the plan is to capitalise and move up through the distances. Watford next Wednesday is a golden opportunity to go quick and I just need to make sure I arrive prepared and ready to go. have a Vets 800m on Monday evening but the plan is just to race it and not push for a time ... although you never know !!