2025 - Cutback Week after Base

Finally, I have to admit I was absolutely fucked by the last run of the base training block. It didn't bite at all until the last few days but slowly increasing intensity and hitting correct gym sessions finally drained me.

So this week is a cut back week. The aim is to recover from the miles and get plenty of rest whilst keeping the intensity high.

The plan looks something like rest - intervals - easy & gym - intervals - rest - light tempo & gym - threshold. Unlikely to exceed 40 mile this week and I am basically favoring recovery over junk.

Monday 3rd February 

Absolutely shredded. Back and upper glutes in bits. Lots of stretching and sitting around.

Tuesday

Feel much, much better, still a few aches but no real pain. Aim tonight is to keep session under control and just get rolling. Will wear Vaporfly. Back on the Gamin & HRM as want to see where I am at and start thinking about correct 5k effort for Seville. Hoping that's going to be sub 17 (5.25s)

Got to Eddy with J and it's warmer tonight. Session was 5 x 4 mins (90) and 1 mile threshold.

Set off with Ian and the girls. 

Efforts were 5.26/mm, 5.18/mm, 5.21/mm, 5.30/mm (started to struggle last minute or so and tried to relax) then 2 mins 08 @ 5.28/mm. Longer recovery (toilet break) so 3.30 ish and then mile at 5.42.

Cool down cut short as went back for J but 9 miles with about 4.25 miles of quality.

Jake, Matt & Andy absolutely ripped a session tonight. those boys are flying.

Back home and rolled, stretched, iced, gunned & Normateced my legs and this morning woke up fresher than usual.

Right calf was tight and achillies slightly sore. Not unusual after an effort but need to work on this calf before it becomes an issue.

Really positive session and a step in the right direction. Obviously it's a really tough session coming from where I am. First Eddy for 2 months. Really bit hard on the 4th rep into the wind.

I know paces will come down from here but do feel a little behind schedule. That 17 min mark is close. Think I really need to get some speed in the legs and relax a bit more. Vaporfly are not best shoe choice either so def some time to be had there.

Just need to relax and stay positive. And sort this calf out!

[9]

Wednesday

Woke up feeling much better than expected. Still not 100% and right side from glute down to calf is tight so needs attention.

Easy 5 miles over the trails in trail shoes and felt pretty good by the end of it. Ran slow - around 8.05/mm which was perfect. Gym later to work on basic strength and keep on top of rom.

Basic strength work, very tired today so hit glutes, calfs, light arms. 

[14]

Thursday

Up and atom. So today the plan is to really work on easing off my back and calf. I think the back tightness is causing the hips to lock up and the calf to pull. Frustrating but just battle through.

Officially pulled the plug on indoors.

Have to be patient. If it's tight tonight then I just have to pull up and wait it out. Ditto Saturday.

Feeling very positive about things, just under caution with the calf but I know the issue will be once I plateau around 16.30-16.45 as that's where it usually does.

In my head I feel that if I can run 60 mpw, do the sessions, hit a really good lift session and a half arsed one and keep on top of all my re-pre hab work then I don't see how outside doing anything stupid I won't get there.

Lots of stretching and rolling this morning. I'm also a bit more positive about hitting my diet well.

Shoe rotation is set -

Race - Adios Pro 4

Tempo - Vaporfly & Pegasus Pro

Track - Takumi Sen

Plodding - Superblast 2

Trail - Zegma

KISS from here one. Everything else is for sale. If the Vapes don't work out I'll switch out to Peggy Pro or Evo SL

Track.

Session was 4 x 400 / 2 x 800 / 4 x 400 / 2 x 800 off 200 jogs and 400 jog all at 5k pace. 4 miles at 5k with lots of recovery is a pretty easy enough session.

Working with Tom, Ian and Gabi I sat on the front and set the pace for 80 sec laps (16.40 schedule).

Times went - 83,79,78,78 - 2.39, 2.37 - 79,77,78,78 - 5.40

Track got very sketchy all the way around as session went on and was unrunable by the last 400 so we switched to road and did a mile threshold.

Moving pretty well. This effort isn't killing me BUT I do feel like I am moving much faster. First rep was strange as lost concentration for it to drop that low (40 through 200) but 78s is actually pretty solid 3k pace for where I am at (9.45) so even at that level I am progressing. 

Main takeaway is that my calf is still attached so all good there. I did not expect to roll along the full session when I rocked up. Lots of rolling tomorrow and then see how it responds on Saturday when hopefully somewhere around that last mile pace can be hit at PR.

[23.32]

Friday

Gym - arms with Ange. Nothing crazy just some machines and free weights to get something done. No running as cut back.

Saturday

Parkrun. Plan today was to go a little harder and see what is in the legs. Outcome - not a lot! Started around 5.45/mm but quickly settled back to 6/mm.

18.42 on the clock (6:01/mm) but 6:04/mm on my Garmin. 159 bpm (I65 max). Legs just felt a little fatigued from the weeks training BUT it is a 30 sec improvement on last week. Disappointing as I'd hoped to tempo at around 5.4x pace but not this week.

Short cool down and warm up so 5.84 miles total. Gym later with Andy & Dani.

Quick analysis and pretty much where I was at on restart in August so roughly where I started to gather some pace and same calf issue on the comeback then too!

Reality is I just need to keep my head where it needs to be. This week has been low volume but high quality (6.2 miles @ 3k/5k, 2 miles @ tempo (5.40/mm), 3.1 miles @ threshold) with another 8 steady tomorrow so big increase which will pay off down the line. 

As much as I want to be cruising at 3.30/km at this effort I am not quite there yet! Only been 'training' 2 weeks now and only 1 full week of sessions. Patience! My calf / achillies is much much better and I would take that all day long over hobbling fast.

Next block starts with a big week followed by a proper taper week which is where I will reap the benefit.

Gym with Andy, Dani & G. Kettlebell swings. Deadlifts to 75kg, Squats to 70kg, Barbell Squat to Shoulder Press (?) to 25kg, Squat jump to 40kg, Split Squat to 50kg, Row to 40kg, Calf Raise to 50kg.

Nicely tired after this, will sleep well tonight!

[28.2]

Sunday

Really tired this morning. Combination of 2 late nights, full week of training and weights yesterday and body is feeling it.

Ummed and ahhed today and wanted to get to track later to do some easy miles around Js session. Decided to head to Cambourne and just knock out steady 8 as head is not dialled in with this fatigue. Then I'll do 2 + 2 with J later to bring up the 40 for the week.

Straight out the car, watch was showing 6:50/mm and effort felt high. Passed old 1 mile spot and as usual Garmin is late. Was at 6:46/mm on mile 1 and quickly down to 6:30/mm overall average. Started to feel easier - initially I thought 7s would be a struggle!

Got to 3 at 6:25/mm and then 4 at 6:22/mm overall. Bit of a stop then headed back. Average stayed at 6:23/mm for the run. 

Felt pretty easy at that pace, surprisingly much easier than 6s for 3 yesterday but body is in bits with fatigue and it was an effort to get 8 in.

Ticked it off though and back home for food before heading back out again soon.

Met J at track after he finished work and did 2 easy with him. He was too tired for a session so I called it there and went home (was cold and raining).

[38.2]

This week has been pretty decent. Although it's a cut back in mileage - I've dropped all easy stuff - it's been full week on the quality front.

8 miles steady, 5 miles threshold, 6.3 miles at 3k/5k for 19.3 miles of quality. Way up from last week. Add to that 3 gym sessions and I am really getting the work done.

Looking forward to a taper week as that is in theory when fitness will start to rise.

Right now steady is around 6:20/mm

Threshold around 6:00

5k/3k in the 5.20s.

1500 pace would really help but right now I just want to layer on fitness first and not rush things back. It's a long season (if I do it right) !!!

Feeling good, I am fitter than I think I am but it's hard work pounding away and not really recovering enough to get a good effort out. Park run was hard work running 6 flat pace, I didn't have the legs as they are just not recovered enough but that is the plan.

Sundays run was revealing. Tired and heavy but felt relaxed in terms of pace.

I've climbed 2 mountains in the past few weeks. 60 miles of running (x3) and a full week of sessions and quality. Plan now is to put them together for a week and see what that brings.

I think once I start to taper I'll really see the benefit of the load. Right now it's overwhelming but it'll rapidly drop once my body starts to adapt.