Winter 2024 - Week 10
Starting to head into a focus and target race block now.
Frustratingly coming off illness last week and starting Monday morning with a lot of shit on my chest. Not a lot I can do about it except try and eat, recover and sleep - as well as massive doses of medication.
I don't feel like I have lost a lot but I know that I haven't moved forwards right at the point I needed to. Last week was survival, minimal amount of effort and a distinct lack of s&c.
Ho-hum, I can't get down on it. At least I am not injured!
HR on weekends 'efforts' was capped but very encouraging. The issue is I don't feel like I can seriously rev the engine off the back of that.
I fully expect to slowly improve through this week and the plan is to add a bigger week with some solid sessions. I also made the descision to use Battersea as a platform to hit a harder 5k at Olympic Park on 11th December.
The plan now looks like this - big week this week. Taper week next week into Battersea (lets start with good legs). Decent week the following week and race an 800m untapered. Then I'll do a steady run on the Monday, strides Tuesday and hit 5k on the Wednesday.
I am hoping (and at the moment it feels beyond hope to have this) that I will finally get on some start lines feeling ready to roll. 3 good opportunities at distances to suit me.
Monday
Up and atom. Rest day. Mobility in the morning and will likely do uppers later today. Tickly cough as I am clearing shit off my chest.
Did some uppers & rdls circuit. Getting stronger slowly - the right way!
I really just want to feel healthy again :(
Tuesday
Up and feel much much better. On getting up, start to feel that tickle again. It's improved but we are still not out of the woods. This is fucking insane!
Plan today is 20 min shakeout on treddy followed by session tonight (long session on track as Eddy is out of action).
am) easy run outdoors. CBA top treddy. 2 miles at 8.15 pace. Still doesn't feel quite right. Can't remember how healthy feels tbh.
Weird one this cold, have looked back and had similar where it just hangs around for a couple of weeks or so. Plan is to just dial back the paces
So dialled back session tonight, still not 100% so little point going in to hurt locker. Right now I need to improve my health and start to feel like I can crack right on.
Thursday
Up and feel a little better but again, not quite sure I am 100%. Not sure on a shakeout today. May try one or may just sack it off. Track tonight so will be enough there to keep me going. Very strange phase at the minute. Motivation quite low after this little sickness bout. I'll obviously do the races but not expecting much.
2024 is ending pretty much how it's gone all along. Lots of promising signs but ultimately a disappointing return from the effort.
Run wise, the plan for me is this ...
Get healthy. Hopefully training hard under control while ill will really kick start some form at some stage. Once I'm 100% again motivation will return.
Get races done. I'll do these as best I can. I know I am behind where I want to be but racing at least will give me some mojo and excuse to taper in and out.
Wait it out. I'll just have to be patient. I know I'll be full steam ahead once I return to health but for the last couple of months it just has not happened.
Get on top of weights. Perfect chance to do those weights and get the strength that I have been missing.
Session - hit Eddington as track was frozen. 0 degrees and absolutely baltic tonight. No use of clubhouse either which was a non bonus lol.
Usual warm up. Session was Mile - 600 - 1200 - 400 - 800 - 200 off 70 (extra 10 secs to wait for Gabi but 80 on last one). Paces descenting 10k-5k on longer and 3k,1500,800 on shorter ones.
First rep settled in and not expecting much. Surprised I could hang on to Andy & Matt comfortably enough. Had time on and not paces so went with Andys. 5.19 pace for the first mile.
Second rep was expecting to struggle but went well even in to the wind. 1.55 for 5.01/mm and bang on pace.
Third rep felt comfortable. 4 minutes for 5.15/mm so bang on 5k target and HR only climbed and settled at 165 bpm which is very positive.
400 settled in and ran more reserved to pace. 71 but felt it the last 100m or so.
The 800m started to feel a lot faster than 5k effort. Last 100m or so dug in but pretty much session completed after this. 4.55 pace for just over 800m and moving well. Bang on 3k effort there.
The 200 was 36 seconds and was just basically a stride and don't do any damage!
Cool down back to car. 7.42 miles in freezing conditions. 3 miles of effort at roughly 3k pace feeling under control. Certainly the best I have moved for several weeks and it could not have happened soon enough. Confidence builder going in to next weekend and a race block.
Got home and ate, normatec legs and slept well. Roll on training camp in gale force winds :/
Friday
Hit lower mill for training camp. Here comes the shit part !!!
5 miles easy with Dan on Friday night. Not too bad, felt pretty relaxed.
Saturday
Few beers but OK. Hit Parkrun at Lydiard. Storm Bert hit so basically gale force winds and shitty rain. Started off thinking 6s would be fine just stay relaxed. A mile in at 6s and struggling to move properly. Basically just got worse and worse.
Stopped the clock at 19.39 for 6.18/mm. Fuck that was horrible. In fairness HR was low (about 154 bpm) but percieved effort was much much higher. Felt pretty ropey, not recovered.
Cool down and breakfast. 9.58 miles at 7.30/mm.
Sunday
Storm is even worse today. Fucksake! Raining hard and decide on just doing figure of 8 loops. Puddles are insane. Warm up 1.3 miles @ 8.28 into 4 mile 'tempo'. 6.35 avge. Absolutely shite. Sure it was faster but again, HR was under control. 155 max and 152 avge. Still not 100% but storm didn't help.
6.5 miles in 7.08/mm avge.
Peak week and not exactly full of confidence after the weekend. Have to put that to the back of my mind. 45.9 miles.
The good - banging session on Thursday and Tuesday wasn't terrible. HR is good, effort was OK just paces at weekend in the storm were shoddy.
The bad - confidence is on the floor. Really not expecting much on Sunday. I'll taper and do the best I can but it's a sighting expedition.
The ugly - I am still not 100%. I felt pretty ill Friday and Saturday night. I'm still coiughing (Monday) and I can't remember the last time I felt healthy.
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