3000m Euros Week 1 - The Importance of Visualisation

I think I can officially say winter training is over for me. Time to focus on indoors and specifically 3000m at the European Masters Champs in March.

It's a huge relief that I seem to have come out of the dip that I found myself in and have a solid week banked where everything was where it needed to be.

There are 7 full weeks and 5 days until race day. I'd say right now I'm in or around 9.30 shape. Long way to go but a decent place to start. I ran 9.29 last Feb feeling good and I think I can move on from that with a solid block of training.

Confidence is key for me. I need to start thinking about myself and how I want to feel through this training block.

I want to enjoy running and I want to be excited by racing. I want to feel that at my age every opportunity to run fast is a gift. I love the fact that I can race at a high level and every time I step out on the track it may be the last time I ever get to improve.

This version of me is someone that works hard and enjoys every chance. I'll be nervous but I love the fact I can compete.

Visualising how I want to see myself and how I want to feel is a huge part of my focus. I have targets and plans and if I can't enjoy the process and the outcome then what is the point?!

Training wise I want to start seeing my <5 min efforts at sub 5 pace and my 400s at sub 70. That's the two pace targets that will see me hit my goals.

I know that it's UK winter. We have gale force winds for the next week or so and it'll need to be realistic based on that. 

I want to feel recovered and fresh going into each week, nailing sessions and building fitness. Each week slightly faster and longer than the previous one (aside from race week!)

So that's the plan. I am going to feel excited each time I run hard. Training or race. Remember those times when I was shit or when I was fat or when I was injured. I owe it to those memories to have fun and enjoy the moment.

Monday 22nd Jan

Rest day. Working trip to Lower Mill. Ate shit.

Tuesday 23rd Jan

Session day. Focus on mobility and eating well. Gale force winds forecast so no idea if session will happen or not.

Thought of the day - increase hip flexor strength. Need to do couple of sessions per week and see benefits.

Did 5 each leg of 10 sec banded hold. 8 each leg of stair bounce off and 8 each leg of banded drive. Pretty much activation work but ideally work on this each day and then 1 big strength day each week and lets see how it progresses.

Lack of hip flexor strength and range of motion does explain a lot.

Session - Eddington in the wind. Wasn't as bad as advertised but 20 mph +. Session was 400 / 800 / 1200 / 1200 / 800 / 400 at mile, 3k, 5k. Ended up with 69, 2.31, 4.00, 2.30, 69. The longer efforts were very tough in that longer headwind but the 800s and 400s were really strong.

Finished up with 4 x 170m.

Really good confidence session, felt in control on the 400s and the 800s (slightly over) were quick in that weather.

Rolling nicely. 9 miles so need to add 1 somewhere before the weekend. Confidence high after that, it's progress. Definately feel like im in better shape than last year and time to improve over the next couple of weeks.

Wednesday 24th

Tired today. Got carpenter over clashing with CC so ran 2.5 easy on my own early and hoping to try and get to CC to get another 8 in.

Have to be careful to balance out fatigue and training load and not chase miles. Right now I am chasing speed and getting the balance right is critical. Running 10 today cannot be at the cost of a good sesh tomorrow.

Went out for 2.5 easy before CC but Rich & Wayne waited so ended up doing full 10 @ 8.11/mm (Wayne was flying). 12.5 for the day. Mileage on track but very tired. Did some band work on hip flexors. [21.5]

Thursday 25th

Obsessed with the notion that sorting my hip flexors is the answer. Track tonight, will do a lot of mobility to ease off back today as feeling tight.

Session - 4 x 800 off 200 jog and 4 x 400 off 400 jog (5k and 1500). Wore Alphafly. 2.39,2.40,2.38,2.37 - 69,70,67,66

Really, really positive session. The 800s were off 60 secs and felt crazy easy. 400s were first time this year that I hit 1500 pace and felt under control. 

Either the Alphafly on track are a game changer or the hip work I am doing is paying off but I am not changing either ! Windy tonight and felt like I could keep pushing. 

Friday 26th

Good spot today. Rest day, feeling fit. Times are around best summer sessions so know I am in good shape. New plan seems to be paying off. Big session tomorrow at 3k pace so need to be dialled in. Foot sore at top from Alphas on track but otherwise seem to be building upwards. Lots of R&R on legs today. 

Have to make the most of this bubble, keep progressing and moving fitness forward. One more week and then back right off for the mile / 3000 races. 3 sessions per week feels very VERY close to the edge for me and I wouldn't be happy doing that for long blocks. Next week will be a big week Tue - Sat then I will need a week after race week of steady sessions and runs. I'll probably go 2 maybe 3 weeks before I go back to 3 sessions for a block depending on how races go.

Going back to visualisation I am definitely becoming a happier runner and it seems to be paying off.

Saturday 27th

Big session. 4 x 400, 2 x 800, 1 x 1600 all of 400 steady jog and target 3k pace.

[75,74,74,74] [2.30, 2.31] [5.07] - felt really good. Fatigue was high but banged in a really solid session and worked really hard to keep it moving. 3 miles at 5.02/mm. Pace felt realistic as 3k effort and on very tired legs I'd be confident of going 9.20 ish in a couple of weeks on fresh legs. Key will be nailling starting pace and not doing anything silly first few laps.

Over the moon with this one and to be fair whole group nailled it (I pulled everyone home in sub 5.10 on last rep).

Moving well, that is exactly how I want to feel running smooth. Long long way to go but I am in the right ball park.

Hit some hip flexor work tonight. This is going to be my lucky charm.

9 for the day brings up 39 for the week.

Sunday 28th

Long run, off not huge amount of sleep. Andy & Matt joined me & Dan and did same route as last week. 14.1 miles @ 7.20/mm feeling easy. 133 bpm avg compared to 138 last week.

53 for the week, another really good one. 3 sessions including 2 miles of 1500 pace, 4 miles of 3k pace and 4.5 miles of 5k pace. Really coming along nicely now and feeling strong on tired legs.

Looking forward to taper time, think that will be a game changer. Another solid week and then switch it off and head into race mode for an interim block where it'll be bench-marking and learning what needs working on.