Winter 25/26 - 10k Training Week 3
Time to reflect - it's actually been a solid block now of training since resuming in November - 18 weeks. In that time I have only raced once so I think it's fair to call it base work !!
Fitness is improving as are paces. I'm at the point where I am holding back effort and covering decent training volume at intensity. I'm not getting carried away, I know I've done very little quick stuff but the plan was always to get to Thorney at threshold.
It's March, the weather is picking up and I am healthy. One small niggle at the top of my left hip flexor / quad but that seems manageable and I'll keep an eye on it and stay on top of rehab.
The plan this week is - rest Monday, threshold Tuesday, easy hour Wednesday, something like 12 x 400 @ 5k on Thursday, easy Friday, LT1-2 Parky Saturday and pace job for Cambridge half on Sunday. It's got opportunity this week as I want to give myself the option to hammer a Parkrun hard on Saturday if I am feeling well and also have the chance to put on some big miles with Sunday being up to 17 with warm up and cool down
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Monday
Travel to Lower Mill and back, rest day. Ate pretty shit again, need to get on top of diet once again.
Tuesday
Up feeling good. Pretty relaxed. See Andy has done 4 x 2km this morning so anything from 25 x 400 to 8 x km tonight !!
Need to stretch and roll out my back and hips today. Very tight anyway and 6 hours in car yesterday has not helped.
Few bits to do today but planning on a shakeout this morning if time allows.
Run - get a 2.2 mile shakeout done.
Session - decide to do Andy's threshold which was 20 x 400 off 30. In the Rebels and just roll out between 81 and 84 for the reps and getting to 0.25 so average of around 81/82 per 400m split. Actually a really good session and roughly 5k pace for 5 miles of efforts. Short recovery keeps the HR high throughout so a really good response on the body.
12 miles for the day. Very achy, need to get on top of left hip flexor. Rehab done late in the evening whislt watching some golf YT.
Wednesday
Weigh in 64.6 kg.
Really good again, seem to be hovering around this low point and at race weight so happy to be here.
Legs tired but will stretch and roll out this morning. Few bits to sort today but nothing crazy. Will keep to recovery and likely go 6 - 8 miles depending on how they feel.
After last night I think targeting 3.20 per km for Podium is the right place top start. It's not crazy fast against current fitness and allows some safety if I do blow up. Pretty set on a full taper week - same plan as Battersea 2023. It's not the best for Thorney the following week but it will allow me to gain more confidence.
Possibility of running Parkrun hard on Saturday still, thinking to test the waters in carbons for the first km or so and see how the body responds. Get above threshold to around 165 bpm and hold it. Not 100% that I'll be recovered fully by then so will play it by ear.
Today though just roll out an easy day and get the legs to come back to me.
Run - recovery 6 @ 8.20/mm. 130 bpm. Felt very heavy and tired today but run was actually better than expected. Hips are tired from intervals.
Debating tomorrow, Friday & Saturday. It's possible I'll shape up ready for a session tomorrow but that feeling of recovering and then battering is getting tiring!
I will likely just run an easy long-ish tomorrow and then shorter easy with strides Friday. That should leave me feeling fresh enough to run hard at Parkrun.
55 per week with more quality is becoming harder to stay on top of. Recovery is slower so need to consider this. At least next week starts a 2 week taper cycle so the legs should hopefully freshen up a bit.
Thursday
Up and atom. Feel good today, recovered from Tuesday. Left quad slightly aches still but other than that I feel pretty solid. Deciding today that I'll back off and not do a session. I could but I'll go through feeling battered again tomorrow so the plan now is to let the legs come back a bit.
I'll run 10 easy and relaxed today. 5 & strides tomorrow. Hit Parkrun with an eye on an effort on Saturday with a view to ease off (6) and then long and very easy on Sunday (17). That in theroy will put me in a really nice spot heading in to taper with an opportunity to have a solid 5k effort to work from (hopefully 10k pace).
Lot to do today. House going on the market so I'm in charge of getting the garden ready.
Run - 10 easy (ish) @ 7.10/mm for 145 bpm. Not amazing and felt a little fatigue but main thing was moving well. As I start bouncing more with my run form my hips and quad are slightly straining. Worth staying sensible and persevering though as it's going to be better come race day.
Felt physically good today, could have sessioned but would have been so tired afterwards so wise choice I think.
Will go 5/6 easy easy tomorrow and try to hit PR harder on Saturday.
Average pace is coming down with fitness now. I'm moving better. Still want to target starting at 3.20 per km next Saturday but sub 17 is still the A goal. Plenty of time to go harder. I am bought in to just ticking up the miles and base work until it get hotter and finally having a proper summer season!
Friday
Feel a little heavy this morning. Out last night, Turkish plus couple of beers. Nothing crazy but feel bloated. Def need a couple of good nights sleep to finish off this base block.
Will run with John this morning very easy and off road and keep it chill. With 17 on the cards on Sunday I can relax a bit now and don't need to chase miles.
Run - 5 miles very easy over the trails around Warsley. Tired again in the evening. My back is tight and just seems to cause issues down the chain. Rehab done, at least I am staying on top of that this week!
Decided to focus on food now until Podium to give myself a chance to feel better. It's possible that eating too much shitty food is causing a bit of tiredness.
Saturday
Up at dogshit to prep. Plan today is Parkrun at 10k effort. This is an easy session when you are dialled in but I haven't run a hard Parkrun at this kind of effort & pace for nearly a year.
Warm up OK, then into PR. Settle in to a group of around 4/5 with Udders at the front. We start rolling at about 5.38 pace (did not check after the first km just kept an eye on HR). Effort felt higher than HR was suggesting - just an early start. Caught and moved into 2nd at the back of the course about 2km in as Dave made a move to go clear.
Ran in front of t-rex man and pulled him along until the bottom turn at around 3km. He passed and sat in front and I just settled with that HR / effort rather than push.
Just rolled out to the finish trying to keep everything where it was. Guy in 4th pushed fairly hard and expected him to pass as I wasn't going to close out but he stayed sensible.
3rd place in 17.35 official (17.34 on Garmin as started bit back). 3.31 per km or 5.40 per mile. 158 bpm avg and 164 max (but 163 was where it settled). Decent 10k effort on a quick course. I'd say that's realistic pace for Thorney and I'll start at 5.40s and see how it pans out.
Felt harder than 10k effort (it always does) BUT HR was correct.
For me, I'd be very suprised not to crack 17 mins off the back of that. It was pretty comfortable for 5k effort.
Main issue is probably lack of race fitness. That extra bit of sharpness you get from races is not there. By the time I get past Battersea in April I'll be much more prepared to run hard.
Issue with barcode on watch so had to do an extra lap to the car then back and return to get to cafe!
6.25 miles @ 6.29/mm.
Tomorrow I carry the 1.45 flag at Cambridge Half so that should be fun. 17 miles will get me to 55+. Then it's proper taper week and see what's in the tank fully recharged.
Sunday
Up and very tired! Late to bed and early start. P&R and 2 miles in to town. meet the crew and then into the half marathon.
Run - 13.1 miles @ 1.44:53 @ 7:57/mm @ 141 bpm. Was absolutely fine. HR little higher for this pace than I'd like but flag, talking and cheering pushed it up.
2 miles back to car and 17.2 miles for the day.
Very tired, need sleep and recovery.
56.8 miles for the week. That backs up a 3 week block since illness of 55 miles per week. Base work is in the bag now. 6 rehab sessions is also a record.
Decent Parkrun of 17.35 at a low HR shows there is more in the tank. Still a way to go but time to freshen the legs up. Taper week heading into Podium 5k with a massage and ease right back on the miles.
Bit of a concern on left upper quad. Not terrible but can't shake it. Will book in with Tom.
This week should show me where I am at. Honestly, this week I am fucked. Lot on and it's taken it out of me. Next week the plan is to operate very relaxed and get all that recovery and good nutrition in.
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