Week 3 - Starting to roll

Week 3 - time to start moving! This week is transitional and should see me go from getting it done to knocking on the door!

Both calf muscles are tight and need attention. Ideally this week I will at least get into spikes at some stage.

The rough plan is - Sesh Tuesday & Thursday. Longer CC on Wednesday (I have been shattered last 2 weeks so this will be interesting. Parkrun tempo + intervals on Saturday (5am airport drop off beforehand aaahhh) and proper long run on Sunday.  Not too fussed aboput leg weights or plyos this week. Coming off sore calfs and achilies I'll just be happy to get faster with less pain. 50 miles (0/8/10/8/0/8/16)

Mentally I need to start dialling in to race effort, start to get psyched up to toe the line.

Diet needs to improve some. Not at panic stations yet but look to race at 10 st 3.

Hoping to feel healthy so plenty of sleep required.

Monday

Rest day (standard). No weights or plyos just full stretch, gun and normatec with some ROM stuff. Ideally wake up Tuesday feeling clear of last week. Some tightness today but nothing critical pre-rehab work. Just feeling tight enough to feel like I won't get through the sessions so need to stretch that out.

Tuesday

Decent sleep. Legs feel good today but have a slight nagging ache in knee. Fingers crossed no issue once I start running but other than that legs do feel so much better today.

Track tonight. Chilled all day as wanted to not cause any issue with my knee.

Standard warm up / cool down as wore the On Cloud Monster Hypers. First impression was really nice comfortable shoe. Will try them on long runs as they may work out great on those as stay off the Nike spin for a while.

Session was 4 x 800 @ 3k off 400 jog and 4 x 400 @ 1500m off 200 jog.

Windy and knew I would be isolated from main group (Max, Andy, Jacob & Matt) as they were looking at 75s and I was looking at 77s.

2.35, 2.37, 2.35 and 2.33 for the 800s. Through in 75 and 80 for second lap as wind was harsh. About right to say 3k pace there.

Decided to do 4 x 300m for the second part (in spikes) just to keepo the pace at target pace rather than actual pace as would have killed me on the recoveries.

51,51,52,52 actually feeling like I was moving well.

Another step up. Not a big jump that I need yet but more consistency banked. 

Chipping away at paces and slowly bringing them down towards something respectable. 77.5 works out to 9:41.25 for 3000m so we are starting to get towards where it needs to be (75.99). 

Wednesday

Legs feel better than expected. Calfs both ache but to be expected. Main thing is do not feel tired like I did last week !

Plyos in the morning and some upper body weights.

Extended coke club tonight. 1.7 with Dan and then 8 with Dan, Rich & Wayne. Improving again. 9.65 miles @ 8:04/mm HR avge 137 bpm. It's getting there but feel like I am on the cusp. Wore the On Cloudmonster Hypers. Think they're great for warm ups and slow short runs but legs bit battered afterwards.

Thursday

Up and feel OK. Legs slightly less battered as I am progressing. This is definately the worst thing, calfs are still really not happy and from low back down I ache. Left knee aches today - exactly same as right was on Tuesday. Lots of mobility to be done.

I think now, a block of focus is required. I need to get healthy, loose weight and get stronger before this starts to feel easy again. If I am honest I would take waking up pain free over form at the minute as it's really hindering. I ache constantly. 

Weight down to 66.2 kg this morning so around 10 st 6. I also need to start looking at fueling and hydration and recovery around sessions as I need those times to start heading towards race pace.

I have spent the last 5 months (from the best form of my masters life) either injured or chasing fitness. I haven't really enjoyed being fit for very long and it's quite a stressful way to train.

Off to session. Tonight the plan was to take nutrition seriously so hydro tablet 90 minutes before starting warm up (5pm). Gel on arrival (6.30) then into session. Immediately post session in the car had a recovery drink.

Session - standard warm up / cool down.

500/400/300 @ 3k pace off 60. 3 x 1km @ 5k off 90 jpg. 500/400/300 @ 1500 pace off 60. Lap jog between sets.

Have done this before with a lap walk between sets and paces were very close.

1.37/75/55 - 3.21/3.23/3.21 - 1.31/69/52 

Paces were exactly where they needed to be (76 per lap / 16.50 pace / 71 per lap). Windy af too and the gel really helped as I felt I could push harder without going deep. Well worth continuing with this.

Really pleased with that. These paces are right on where I should be and the minimum standard. I am really not pushing expectations too high. I just want to run 9.29, 4.24 & 16.29 in the next 3 races and  starting to look in the right ball park. Next week I will be aiming at these paces and trying to relax more.

No wind and help on the front that would have been a better session than last time for sure.

Friday

Rest day. Decided to total rest to save legs. I'm still not over confident to keep pushing and heading into a race block there is only so much I can get done. Need to figure out how to get more s&c and plyos in to my diet but probably when I have no races in the book.

Will most likely do Stories field tomorrow. Weather is shite so it'll be inny and outy sesh and I will get properly wet out there.

Saturday

Airport run at 4am - back by 5.30. Back to bed, slept through Parkrun lol

Eventually got out. Settled on 5 steady, 4 x 60/60 on the Cambourne route.

Mile splits were - 6.26, 5.59, 6.14, 6.08, 5.50 but was about 20 secs longer than normal on this route so probably like just under 6s avge. Hr cant work out avge as did manual splits but only got to threshold (163 bpm) and only raised up to 166 in the last 30 secs.

Pretty much straight into the faster stuff. Used alley between roads as was almost 60 secs at the right pace. Paces were 5.19, 5.03, 4.58, 4.38/mm

Decent run. Tiring but prob easier than doing Parkrun at harder effort. Good sesh banked though and hopefully didn't take much out of me for tomorrow.

Stopped with about 600m to go of cool down as calfs were just starting to grumble. Alphafly 1 on easy runs are not ideal!

Took the Maurten gel again pre-session and really felt it helped keep HR under control. Will continue with this pre-session. Also took reocvery drink immediately afterwards.

Sunday

Up early, needed more sleep. Legs a bit tired. Met Dan & Lee. 14.7 @ 7.58/mm on the St Ives -> Hilton loop. Pretty tired today but HR low. Legs were feeling it.

Best week back but still a way to go before I feel strong throughout.

Banked 48.4 miles for the week. Strongest I have felt and moving pretty well throughout. Paces starting to come in line and definitely feeling fitter. More work to be done but right now I am lacking races and they are the only thing that are going to get me headed in the right direction!

2 x plyo sessions, still need to work out how to get these inserted into the week.

Niggles seem to be improving to the point I am not so worried anymore but need to stay focussed.

Plan next week is to keep things as-is and then by the weekend start to ease back towards racing on Wednesday.