Daz Does Tri

Back on the grind today. Latest block is over and now the plan is to get back with an 'easy' conditioning week and return to 'standard training' - if that's a thing! Monday - am) some S&C back on the bands. Gotta build those calfs up again too with plyo and raises this week. It's been a while so need to get back on the horse with strength. Quick analysis of race from video. 200m splits -  lap splits 400 splits 800 / 700 km splits 35.58 36.68 72.26 35.85 34.5 70.35 2.22.61 35.59 2.58.2 35.64 71.23 2.58.26 35.65 2.57.23 18.59 54.24 2.05.47 So again, paced really well. Picked up very slightly as it went on, obviously closed out slowly as I'd lost the race (18.59 for 100m - was maybe 19 secs). This has been the theme indoors, my splits have been mega consistent. Think there is a quicker 1500m in there, just need to get dragged round. Do not regret taking it out as I did, I had the chance to win it. Maybe on better legs I'd have run Jamie off if I was 2 s...

Time to sharpen up this week. Peak for the National Champs on Sunday. Basic outline of the goals - Short term - 1500m this week. Next week, mainly easy back to conditioning. Build back for 3000m & 800m indoors start of March. Get a solid (i.e not 100% Parkrun time in). Mid term - standard training - block of 5k Races late April / Early May. Recover from that and back to standard training. Race through this training. Long term - June / July focus on a target race at each distance over 3/4 week period. Go for times, 100% track training. Get a steeplechase on the board.  August - rest up, back off and recovery / conditioning.  Think about maybe getting that hernia sorted. So, that out the way, this week. Monday - full rest. Normatecs, stretching, etc. Feel good Tuesday - track. 1500m specific session. 8 x 400m off 100m walk. Ended up with short break after 4 to swap out spikes. Asics shreded my calf. Adidas much better. 70, 72, 69, 69 (change spikes) 72, 72, 72, 72 Basically ...

Race week !! It's been a while before I've had some proper racing on the go but 2 races this week - exciting times! This is where indoor season really kicks off now. If I'm honest, I feel a little under prepared at this stage but I'm definitely holding best form overall for many years. First up is the mile tomorrow. Ideally I would go sub 4.50 - I think that'll be a really positive start to the season. I'd say I'm 100% capable but it's likely that I'm really rusty and with only 1 proper session in the bag it's a big ask to run 72s (well, 36s indoors!). It would be very disappointing to be outside 5 mins but I would say 4.55 would be (just about) par. That would equate to 4.35 for 1500m and I think I'm in shape to run 4.30 but without races and more sessions the legs may not be quite ready. The 3000m is more interesting as in theory I should be more comfortable. Weds will be a good pointer but my main hope there is to get pulled around by a go...

Feeling like I am in good shape, but putting down a poor marker is always a sticking point for me. Start to second guess my training and generally revert to doing something different which eventually nets out with worse of similar results. In fact looking back at training logs and matching up to po10 it's so easy to look and wonder why I stopped doing things when results were good. I'm there right now. Saturdays 16.57 is actually a poison challice. It's a quick time BUT it's not close to what I wanted. The effort was low, in the past I've had races where I just couldn't get the effort out BUT the problem this time is it's not an outlier - I've run 17.45 last year and a week later 16.49. This is the point I usually start Strava stalking and then doing sessions and runs other people do. Not this time. WWtGD - what would Ken say to me ?? He'd wobble my head and make sure I stuck to the plan.  I have to have confidence in what I do - there are a million ...

Easing between finishing base and starting track work for indoors this week. Plan is to arrive on Saturday morning Park Run feeling pinging. Monday - rest - first in 10 days. Didn't actually feel like I needed it but good to let the legs recover at my age. Tuesday - am) speed work - treadmill. 2 x (4 x 60 / 60). Done as 2 sets are changed trainers half way through. Calf started tweaking in Takumi Sen so work the Metas and no issues. Done at 21 kmph. Felt very comfortable by the end - good sign of progress. Probably up there as fastest session I have done which is a great sign. pm) 4 miles recovery @ 8.25/mm. Legs pretty battered Wednesday - 9.7 miles coke club. Felt very easy, relaxed at a slow pace and great time on feet. Cold and wet. Thursday - am) low tempo. 5 @ 6.12/mm feeling very comfortable and easy. These sessions are great for confidence. HR max 159 bpm and 150 avge which is really low at this pace. Strength has improved for these to feel so casual. Took an easier sessio...

10 days of base all finished. OK, so that's not entirely true, I've actually had a pretty decent build up since I returned from holiday and aside from the odd week that's been hampered I've hovered around 50 miles per week. Volumes were thus ... 51,62,34,57,60,45,55,40,58,42,53,51,57,21,12,45,44,45,50,60,39,60 That's actually 22 weeks of base training !! Blimey it's almost half a year just to get ready to start racing !! Avge of 47 miles per week which with 2/3 low weeks is pretty darn good for 5km fitness. Last run of BASE today and it was the best run of the entire block. Aim was to run 5 miles steady (just under threshold) and around 6.25/mm ish pace with a mile easy at the end. Outcome was 6 miles at 6.17/mm with mile splits at 6.37, 6.09, 6.07, 6.07, 5.53 and 6.43 cool down. HR maxed at 159 and was 149 bpm for the 6 which is incredibly low. Off of that I know I am in really good shape easpecially off tired legs. In fact it's up there with one of my best...

Last long run of the block done on very tired legs. The hilly and soul destroying Alconbury Loop ! Good news is it all went well. Pace got better as we went on and legs although tired were responsive enough. This run brings up 54 for the week (70 rolling 7 day average) and 93 miles for 10 days with 1 to go. Added 6 points to my CTL from 53 to 59 too so almost back to where it was in late November. Plan for tomorrow is a solid 5 miles at just under threshold pace - top end of steady as a confidence builder (if my legs hold out over night !!). Really feeling fitter at the minute and first 70 mile week for nearly 11 years. It's all for shit though if I'm not getting faster so the plan next week is to ease in to a ParkRun on Saturday. Not sure where as it'll be weather dependent but most likely bet is Stories although Ferry Meadows or Bedford could be done if it's slippery out. Right now I am bang where my target paces are when I am fit but I really need to move those on a ...