Daz Does Tri

Thorney 10k race week. A good chance to stretch the legs out and see how the strength work is really paying off. Couple of good weeks banked. Actually they have been fantastic apart from a couple of sessions here and there. Aim this week is to hit a really strong volume session as confidence for the race and then deliver on the 10k.  I actually have no real idea on what I can do. In my head I feel like I should start out at 5.30 pace and see how it goes. On my longer reps that's not too much of an issue an I figure I'll certainly get to 4 before I die. 10k has always been a disappointing distance for me. 5 miles I have always done week but for some reason 10k just doesn't work out. Nonetheless the plan this week is to get a solid one in the bank before next weeks 'race prep week'. Rough outline for the week is ... * Get clear of whatever is in my system causing fatigue * Nail a strong volume session * Recover well * Don't get too pissed Wednesday night * Stay he...

One door slams shut and another opens... Moving from indoors towards the outdoor season and in the break between seasons the focus is very much 5k now. If I can hit that target I can move towards track and have fun. Monday - woke up really, really tired. Sore throat too. With Ange away i've been spread very think this weekend and my body has responded badly. Too many matches burned. Rest day, not even lights strength work. Went to bed at 9.30 and slept heavy. Tuesday - up and feel much better. Still a tickle in there but legs feel very good this morning. Easy & rest = adaptions. DC joining me for session so happy days - a great reason not to bail! Not sure how I'll feel but push on anyway. Meet at PnR and into - Warm up - 1.36 miles @ 6.36/mm 139 bpm. That felt crazy easy. strides and drills then got on with session. 2 x 2 miles 2 miles - 10.42 - 5.21/mm - 161 bpm (168 max). Felt a bit bleugh but once I got going it was nice and consistent. HR under control and max at that ...

OK, so right now things are definitely moving in the right direction. Each week I am getting fitter and stronger. Form isn't necessarily catching up - I'll discuss that in a bit. However I am moving generally in the right direction - i.e. results are improving. Ultimately only race times matter. Sure, at a national level race positions matter BUT I'm just trying to run faster. Each time I race I am pretty much looking to PB (OAPB in most cases!).  Fitness v Form I define f itness as my maximum potential. So right now I would say I am fit enough to run 16.20 for 5k. Form is how close you are getting to that maximum potential. It's pointless being in 16.20 shape but barely breaking 17 mins. This is where I have gotten it very wrong in the past. My form has been very high at low fitness levels - so I am in 16.55 shape and I am running 17.03 for example - but as I get fitter I don't carry that form forward. You get frustrated thinking your not fit enough and end up chan...

Ended up last week with a rest day as a precaution for a tight calf. Frustratingly I seem able to run on it but doing anything hard and fast seems like it will cause problems. BMAF 3000m indoors is on Saturday, maybe I can make the start line but I don't really want/need to take unnecessary risks at this stage. I'll start the week basically just testing things out and make a decision based on how the calf responds as to what comes next. My calf may not be the issue - my right hammy is tight as is my IT band - seems referred pain in the calf BUT I'll test out. The plan (Monday, today) is to run easy-ish today. 45-50 mins on the roads and see how it all feels. If OK I'll do a hard track session tomorrow and really get a sense of where I am at. If that's good then it's all systems go for BMAF. If it doesn't look good then I'll sack off indoors and possibly finish out with a standard week and Parkrun hard. What I don't want to do is cause long term damag...

Last race of the indoor season is on the horizon and right in my sights now. 3000m at Lee Valley. Entries have closed so I get a really good look at who I am up against. I'm fastest V45 on paper but just like the 1500 I have guys who can close out faster than me. It makes things simple for me because it just means I have to go out and make it hard from the start. No worries about 'championship racing' - if I'm 100% healthy I'll be going out from the gun to run quick. If someone hangs on and out kicks again then so be it. Big factor will be mixed racing. I am assuming looking at start lists that they'll run a V35 & V40 combined race and then a V45 & V50. This would help massively as there's 3-4 V50s capable of running sub 9.20 so I could hitch a lift there. Just like the 1500 I will assume that an OAPB will be good enough for a medal. The key now is a solid week of hard training sessions (1 x volume, 1 x 1500m) and get to next week all set to taper do...

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 ...