Let's get it started

Race week !! It's been a while before I've had some proper racing on the go but 2 races this week - exciting times!

This is where indoor season really kicks off now. If I'm honest, I feel a little under prepared at this stage but I'm definitely holding best form overall for many years.

First up is the mile tomorrow. Ideally I would go sub 4.50 - I think that'll be a really positive start to the season. I'd say I'm 100% capable but it's likely that I'm really rusty and with only 1 proper session in the bag it's a big ask to run 72s (well, 36s indoors!). It would be very disappointing to be outside 5 mins but I would say 4.55 would be (just about) par. That would equate to 4.35 for 1500m and I think I'm in shape to run 4.30 but without races and more sessions the legs may not be quite ready.

The 3000m is more interesting as in theory I should be more comfortable. Weds will be a good pointer but my main hope there is to get pulled around by a good pacer as 15 laps solo is very tough to hold it together.

Training has gone well so far. I'll use this week to put together finishing touches next week and see where I need to focus. I'll choose the 2 track sessions on the fly.

Always feel like I'm holding back in race week. Rest day yesterday and today I'll run easy 5 and strides tonight - it'll be a big gap between runs to give my legs the maximum recovery.

Run Britain Ranking dropped to 1.1 on Sunday which is annoying. I'm hoping that's down close to 0.5 by next Monday if I hit my targets. Currently 269th V45 in National Rankings - 0.5 would be Just outside 200

Monday - rest

Tuesday - 5 miles easy(ish) 6:43/mm feeling fast.

Wednesday - Race day. Shakeout in the morning and then warm up / cd 2 miles total at a pretty solid effort (6:45/mm ish). Race went much better than expected. 4:49.08 but felt very strong - there is more in the tank. Started solid and settled in early. Got to 5th / 6th place at 200m and got inside. Slowly made my way up. Through 400+ in 71 and pace stabilised. Started to feel very relaxed from here. Not sure of split at 800m as saw 2.26 on board but cannot be right (was 2.25 after watching video - splits below). Felt good and worked behind top 2 with just over 400m to go with a solid dig to get position. Held well behind leaders but they were 17-18 and last lap burn up was always going to be hard for me but actually picked up the pace. Very pleased with that at the finish. Through 1500m in around 4:28 so not a million miles off where that needs to be.

Splits - 71, 2.25, 3.38, 4.49 (71)

Need to work on overall cruising speed - so 1500m sessions are biggest pay off. Last session was a good indicator or race pace so volume is correct.

Watching youtube stream of race actually paced pretty solid and finished with a 70. Things are looking up! Mile pace is now 71.8 per 400m - 800m pace was 70.1 not long ago.

WAVA calculator puts that as best ever OAPB race (86.86%) equivalent to 4:27 over 1500m and equivallence of around 16:2x for 5k and 9.3x for 3k. Will be great to see how Sunday goes now.

Target will be 38 sec laps (76) and see how that goes for 3.10 per km. Ideally that will be very close to 5k target soon so it'll be interesting how that pans out.

Thursday - am) 5k shakeout with Ange to wake the legs up and let all the lactic out! pm) 5 miles with DC @ 7.14/mm felt really easy. Only issue was slight knee pain - think the new NB fuel cell are causing knee pain so fucked them off and ordered Vaporfly replacements.

Great news that Scotty updated PO10. Currently ranked #1 UK V45 for the mile and all time indoor #10. My best ever OAP performance on PO10 and I am only a week into track training AND it's still bloody freezing.

So, new and immediate targets - 3000m on Sunday 9.3x - 1500m Sunday week - 4.2x (low) and Park Run following weekend sub 16.30. Make the most of this wave of form. If (it's a very big IF) I can stay healthy then the future is very bright :)

Friday - back to earth !! Very tired and achy today. As planned, knew today would be tough as I thought yesterday I'd be able to run a bit steadier. 5 with strides @ 7:38/mm avge but mainly in the 8s. Good lunch was needed and need to stay hydrated today. Adaptions happening. Key now is relax through today & tomorrow and recover for Sunday's race.

Saturday - up for ParkRun. No 50 for me! Drove to Ferry Meadows as wanted to reccy the course. Bit greasy in the first mile but well worth a visit when it's warmer. Stories prob still gets the nod. Ran nice and easy in prep for tomorrow. 20.13 - 6.30s feeling very comfortable. Bit of a sprint finish but good for waking the legs up! Now rest, eat clean and recover. Tomorrow is a great opportunity for another OAPB and decent ranking!

Sunday - up after a solid nights sleep and feel OK. Legs ache a little, nothing a good stretch out won't cure. Left glute tight but eased off with stretching. Hip flexors finally starting to feel better. Actually no complaints today. Plan is to get there, do an easy warm up when I arrive and then a proper steady warm up as I prep to race rather than shakeout at home. I'm also wanting to do a solid cool down to get some miles in but you never know how knackered you'll be!

No race plan really, won't know until the gun goes bang! I'm hoping I feel as relaxed and flowey at pace as I did on Wednesday. Good thought is that I felt pretty rubbish pre race but amazing once I started so there is that if I feel bad! I guess start out with 37/38 sec laps and hope they stick for a bit before dropping off. 38's for 3.10 per km and see what happens.

The race. Arrived and did an easy shakeout at 7:30/mm. Felt bleugh. Sat around and then did a proper warm up with no Garmin. Probs 6:25 pace - felt pinging! Actually tailled off as knew legs were A1 today. Spikes on and did strides and drills. Felt heavy but knew today would be good.

Spoke to Adrian pre-race. Didn't realise he'd entered. A sub 16 runner last year but I'd beaten him in the mile. This wouldn't be a stroll.

Gun went and settled to the front. Adrian on my shoulder and Jamie Mac behind. Pace feels OK and check clock - 38 first lap so need to increase tempo. 76 for 400m and 2.32 at 800m. Feels fast but in control. My body is doing the work, just focus and pass 1st km in 3.10 just going and knowing I am towing the field. From here I start feeling strong, push the bends and relax the straights. One of those days you know you are stronger. I could blow up - who knows, but it's fun on the front running quick!

Through the mile in 5.04 so even pace. 2km up next in 6.19. I'm clear now. Pace feels really quick but I'm not slowing. Laps tick off and last 800m doesn't feel bad at all. Don't really wind it up but work hard through the line and electric clock stops at 9:29.02 - boom huge OAPB !! Unfortuntely some kind of error as they go to manual timing for the official results and it's 9:29.9 which is under the 9.30 barrier but I'm robbed of top V45 for 2023. Never mind, another go in a few weeks.

Solid weeks running that. 4.49 mile and 9.29 3000m. Off 2 weeks track specific work that's massively positive. Next week the plan is to dial those paces in and aim for a sub 70 sec lap 1500m at Sheffield. 

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