Phase 2 - Track Season 2024 - the Reboot

Back to racing - 29 days after my disaster at Peterborough a chance at redemption at Watford. Chose the 1500m as it was the best chance to get something decent done. 3000m is still a bit of an ask.

My legs have been constantly battered since returning. I've really pushed my body hard to get fit. Now is the time to stop pushing for fitness and try to get back into race shape and use that fitness to build some racing form.

Monday

Rest, well needed and nothing whatsoever today.

Tuesday 

35 min shakeout with 4 x 20 sec strides. Full mobility.

Felt good and moving well, good sign. Still a bit of fatigue in there but can feel things starting to come together.

Wednesday

Race day!

am) shakeout nice and relaxed 2km ish village run. Breakfast 3 eggs on toast. Lunch of Jacket potato with cheese and sausage and beans. Rice pudding snack and red bull 2 hours out.

Meet Andy at Watford and do 2 mile warm up. Tempo 800m in around 2.45 half hour before race starts.

Warm up but don't feel fully engaged in the process. I need a line in the sand before I can fully get on board. If this goes tits with a 4.30+ or spectacually well then I can dial in but right now it's too sketchy. Peterborough really did take the wind out of my sails.

Andy's race is before mine. He goes through in 66 and runs strong. Races are fast first lap across the board so my plan is settle in and know it's going to be fast. Don't push too far forward.

Line up. have to remind myself to get psyched.

We are off. Settle in and get inside quick and towards the rear. Boxed in and it's already scrappy. As I approach 300m I think this is too fast it's going to be 48-49 and I'll need to dial back.

Pass 300m in 52. Fuuuccckkkk

Through 400m in 71.xx and I am totally boxed. No space so just stay put. Goes like this through to 800m. Lots of clipping and prety much entire field of 13 is fighting for about 15m of track.

At 800m get closed out by kid from Highgate. Lots of checking back and clipping but at least we start to roll more. 800m in 2.23

At around 500m to go we start to push. As always when you're not race fit and rusty it feels way too hard but I'm moving.

Pass the bell in 2nd last place in 3.15. Don't recall any mental math but finally some glimpses of fresh air.

1200m in 3.33. Make a big dig to come into lane 3 and pass the slow group. Pass a few on the straight with a big effort and push hard at 200m to go.

On the home straight. Couple of young uns come back past me. Don't relax as such but keep it strong (as I imagined I wanted to run).

Finished up with 4.22.84 - a small seasons best. 67 last lap and 2.17 last 800m.

Pretty pissed wt the finish because it was so scrappy. Literally 6/7 times I was caught and had to check pace, very messy as both the other 2 races over 1500/mile this year. I'll get one right !

Was better than Par I had set myself so have to be happy and confirms I can stop pushing for fitness and start race season properly now.

70.1 per 400 lap pace avg. Back to where I need to be.

Andy had a brilliant 4.21.77 finish in a polar opposite race to me.

2 mile cool down. 

Next day thoughts - happy with the outcome. Know there is more in the tank and finished feeling that. Closing hard means I know 4.19 is in touching distance.

From here I need to pick wisely and not get drawn in to sloppy races where I don't progress.

Thursday

After not much sleep last night today is just relaxing. Hit the track to run and just flush out the legs with some threshold.

2 mile warm up. Session was 2k (200 jog) 400 (400) 1200 (200) 400 (400) 1000

We paced Paul for his session so paces were around 87 per lap on longer and 78-80 for the 400s.

2 mile cool down. 8 / 8.5 for the session.

Legs felt really good by the end. Perfect way to shakeout the race at this stage.

From here I'm starting to eye up next races. I think they are going to be building towards a bigger attempt. It would be crazy right now to not focus on getting the 1500 target below 4.20. My next race will be the OAP race where I'll go to 800 (and probably threshold the 3000 afterwards). I think there may be some competition there but equally may just be solo. Either way I still think I can knock out a 65 first lap and see what happens. The SAL the following Weekend I have a lot of choice for racing. Right now the best option looks to be 3000m as I think with another 10 days solid training I should be very capable of running 74s. Failing that the 1500 or there is always the 400 hurdles / 400 double if I decide to train through the week. It'll all depend on how the Monday goes and how the weather looks. I don;t want to run a 3000m unless I am looking to run 74s without fail and put Torun to bed. The picture clears up after that race. In fairness I have LOTS of 1500 options coming up so don't need to panic. I think the 800m I will leave until August as a target and that frees up the road 5ks and 3000s and anything else (400/400h)

Friday

Legs feeling OK, need to address nutrition now and make sure I eat cleaner and give myself enough protein. I won't track (yet) but once I start hitting real targets then that's critical to move forward. I am on the cusp. Big worry now is motivation - need to start to feel like an athlete. I didn't engage Wednesday was just going through the motions. I need my arrogance back.

Gym today. Start looking at speed work and time to get that work in to focus on the areas I struggle with.

Hit the strength room in the gym. Sit - stand (0kg, 10kg, 20kg x 8) - calf raises x 60 - weighted Pogos - nordics (3 x 15) - rdl with barbell (mistake) (2 x 8 x 40kg, 2 x 6 x 60kg)

The RDLs were a mistake as should stick to dumbells. the heavier one started to break form and engage back. Not much hammy work so called it a day after some mobility as no point taking risks. Going forwards I'll do RDLs with dumbells then split squats and some upper body but apart from that all good as a structure.

Track tomorrow for some mile pace work.

Saturday

Yup, wake up and hamstrings are fucked ! As is low back !! Ease it off before breakfast but still very tight on the hammys.

Head to track and meet Tom & Andy. 2 mile warm up.

Session is (500 / 400 / 300 @ 3k off 60) 1 lap walk (3 x 1000m off 90 @ 5k) 1 lap walk (500 / 400 / 300 @ 1500 off 60)

First set feels hard work (it's windy). The kms feel really comfortable as we knocked the pace back and the last set feels pretty comfortable and hit paces strongly. Last 300m was tough off short recovery but hit it right.

2 mile cool down.

Times - (1.36, 74, 57) - (3.20, 3.18, 3.19) - (1.28, 69, 51)

Considering how heavy I felt actually pretty comfortable session and wasn't too far in the hole. First set if anything felt the worst. The kms felt really comfortable at that pace. Andy led out the 500 and that was relaxed. The 400 I led and wasn't pushing over and beyond. The 300 I knew would be a tough ask but nailled it at 17s. Also wore Takumi Sen so still more there spiked up.

Need to relax pretty hard this afternoon and then nail a long un tomorrow. Things are still moving in the right direction and all I am trying to do now is get faster. Strength is where it needs to be for now.

Really unsure of entering Gothenberg steeplechase but with entry closing in 3 days it's just got to be a no. With house on the market and loads going on it's a bit of an ask. I think I would be OK but I'm not confident enough to lay it out and commit. If I enter 5k as a backup it's 145 euro to enter then probs another 400 for flights for me & Ange and another 400 on accomodation. It's a 1000 euro trip and I'm not even certain I can even get over water jumps right now!

I feel like I am being a pussy but I am focussed on hitting 1500 and 5k times as a priority. I think if I hadn't been injured there would have been an outside chance as I wouldn't have had to chase fitness up to this week so I would have had plenty of time to get relaxed over barriers. Right now my priority is 3 x sessions, 1 x strength, 1 x long run and 1 x recovery run. Adding in more means subtracting from another and I just don't have that luxury until I have at least hit 1 goal this season.

Sunday

Up early to run and met Dan & Brooksy. 13.1 miles @ 7.35/mm on the hilly route through Alconbury. Hammys were crazy tight and also right achillies was sore as calfs and hammys pulling up.

Got through it but soreness made it pretty uncomfortable.

Few G&Ts in the afternoon and mucking about by the pool in the sun. Happy days!

Pretty solid week as it led in with next to nothing and then raced on Wednesday. 41 ish miles. A race. 2 sessions. Long Run, Gym session all bagged so boxes ticked. Need my DOMS from the Gym work to subside now and move on to another week of bringing my racing legs home.

Race was scrappy but the main thing was I hit the time I needed to. From here I can really build in to the season without panicking about form. Next week is a solid week of training hitting all pace bands. I'll race the vets league the following Monday and the plan will be to hit the 800 hard for a time, tempo the 3k and then just an interval on the 400 relay (if we have a team) !

Happy with where I am at. Pretty much regained my lost fitness and from here on I can start to target races with a better aim rather than a wing and a prayer.