Sex-charged fop blew my junk TV quiz

[Konstantin]

Thanks and welcome back GMS. Yes, busy and focussed - all runs count these days.

Monday
Hill sprints. 0.85 m warm up then 10 x 1 min. Hard!

Thursday
20 x 100m.
Mean 20.22 off 30.5s rest

10 x 200m.
Men 41.4 off a 59.5s rest

Hard session that I need to do more often.

Tempo run delayed due to a funeral, travelling and work committments.
Saturday my 15 yo son entered the local 10k and overtook my pb.

Sunday
12.5 mile tempo run. Uphill section 2 miles, aiming for 7:00. Did around 7.02, which is better than usual. Half mile splits 3.38, 3.29, 3.35, 3.23.

Downhill aimed to extend the tempo section to 4 miles, including run throught hte 400m tunnel. Target race pace is 6:51 but I usually aim to beat this, 6:40 (3:20/half) is nearer the mark. Beware the vegan train, went off really well and kept going well. Half splits were: 3.09, 3.13, 3.24, 3.18, 3.23, 3.16, 3.25, 3.10. The Garmin bleeps both target time and distance splits, they got further and further apart and at the end were about 50 seconds apart. Total for the section 6:34/mile. Feels brilliant!

Tried caffeine tablets and took abut 150mg an hour before. Tried cold bath afterwards, 15 minutes. Reckon it was good. No rest day between the hard tempo run and my speed session tomorrow so I need to recover.

[gms]

Are you planning on any races soon?

[Konstantin]

Yes, the big one is Sunday 29th, HM. I would very much like to take 1:29:59 (current Pb 1:30:22, last year) but that will be tough.

After that there may be a 5k (!) but only 2 days afterwards.

April stats. Late, so sincere apologies to everyone who has been so eagerly awaiting them.

Mileage 106 (pretty good)
Runs 13 (good)
Mean distance 8.15
Interval sessions - 8 - 62%
Long runs - 5 - 38%
Long run mileage - 58.5 - 55%
Effort 6.85 (high!)
Enjoyment 4
Points - 244.5
Mean points per run 18.8

[Konstantin]

Tuseday

Single miles fast off a longer rest. The course has some hill in it. 6:36, 6:40, 6:54, 6:54. Mean rest 3:33.

Thurs

Was in a city for a course so did Garmin Fartleks in the bif city park. I set it so I did 400m fast then 200m recovery. 12 reps. It was somewhat different because there were a range of gradients and unlike my normal intervals I didn't know where the finish was going to be. Mean 1:42, 1:31 recovery.

Sat

After much deliberation I decided to start tapering now. I'm not doing a high mileage but my routine is (by standards at least) quite intense. I'm more concerned about resting the muscles which are feeling muscle damage right now.

I was out by about by 5:30am, did my weekend long run with no speed aspect as I have recently. Didn't feel strong, did 10.5 miles at 9:10 ish per mile.

[Mr. Cleetus]

Sounds like a good plan. Almost race time!

Do you have a pacing strategy for the race? Are you going to try and hit a min/km or run with a pace group or something similar? What'd you think of the caffeine tabs?

[Konstantin]

Sounds like a good plan. Almost race time!

It's 2 days until the gun fires. It's been an odd preparation - not much speed work until after the marathon, then more intense speedwork than ever and some great tempo runs. I'm sorta nervous, sorta ready to go and straining on the lead. I don't have the exact word for how I feel, so I call this state of mind 'grrrr'.

Do you have a pacing strategy for the race? Are you going to try and hit a min/km or run with a pace group or something similar?

Hmmm. I know what I'm doing but can't really explain it. I intend to run even, v slightly negative splits. I plan to run with my watch covered until mile 10, as it can be distracting and affect you mentally if you keep looking at it. I need to run as hard as I can with the knowledge that it ends just past 13. Time splits are not always relevent because there's two hills. Last year I was 22 secs overall off the target pace, which is 6:51, so I was running about 6:53 average. But two of the miles were over 8:00. Splits are on this log if you go back a year (p17), you'll see what I mean.

I think the main strategy is to run hard, think about technique, and stay positive. I don't envisage having motivational problems.

What do you think about the caffeine tabs?

Well, caffeine is caffeine and there seemed to be a similar effect. I'll stick with them and take a 150mg 1 hour before the gun goes bang.

[Konstantin]

Finished the HM this morning and it didn't go according to plan. Why? Well, lets not make excuses but I've had funny preperation. Not so long ago I did no running due to time restraints. Then I did a marathon which is still in my legs, and went straight into intensive speed training. This week we had a 'family incident' (lets just leave it at that) which means I had disrupted sleep and unwanted stress. Although that's stabilised, I was not 100% myself and although I ran hard, I was way off target.

New course includes slightly more hight gain too. Did the first couple at target pace (ish) and watched the 1:30 pacer pass me, didn't worry as I planned to warm up late and finish well. Struggled to pick up pace and a friend (aiming for 1:35ish) kept catching up with me.

Unlike previous years I coped fairly well with the two hills, but attempts to step up the speed showed it just wasn't there.

I finished on 1:35:37 (confirmed).

Didn't hit the 1:30 target and I'm a bit disappointed overall. I know I'm capable of doing better, it didn't come together on the day. But I'm already looking at other races, refining the training plan, and getting going again. I need to look at bodyweight, consider stretching again and otherwise keep going with my 2 x intervals, 1 x tempo run week. I still believe it's sound and working.

[Anton]

i'm sorry that you didn't get the time that you wanted, but that still is a very very repectable time. I know what you mean about the marathon staying in your legs....i'm sure i can still feel mine and that was over 2 months ago. onwards and upwards!

[soniczip]

being there and doing it despite all is already hitting a target
a better time result will come next time, no worries!
what do you mean you need to look at bodyweight?

[Konstantin]

Thanks fellas, on reflection I'm being a bit hard on myself, it was kjust that I was training really well and I had that 1:30 in view. There will be other attempts. The marathon may be 10 weeks ago but I went straight from it to an intense speed training programme so there was a fatigue issue.

Bodyweight? Well, my scales broke so I have only a vague idea what I weigh. i think I need to strat checking regularly, and I may need to lose a small amount. I strongly believe that I'm better overweight rather than even a shade underweight because I lose power if I'm under, but there is an optimal weight somewhere.

onwards and upwards!

You bet! just booked for another HM in two weeks. I think of it as a non-Pb course because of the hills, but my friend feels it's faster. I could find out by comparing historical times on it, but will probabaly aim for 1:32. That said I tend to run my best for the day and whatever time it is just happens.

[Mr. Cleetus]

Argh, too bad! Straight back into it - good to see I think that's a great idea to stick with your current plan; give it a bit of time to start working for you.

[Konstantin]

Over a month since the last post in VFs least interesting training log. Where was I?

Strange for me, but I haven't been running and haven't missed it. I was tired after the May HM - probably tired before it. This year has not been planned well - marathon on insufficient training followed by 6 month's speed training squeezed into 10 weeks. I was overdoing it with three heavy speedwork sessions per week and paid the price.

Since then there's been little inclination to run, or train at all. I've developed some sort of strain in one thigh which I thought would dissolve with rest, but hasn't, but that's not been the reason I haven't run.

Still, not all bad. I've started some bodyweight exercises with my medicine ball and stuff, and last week i went to the gym and did some upper body strength work. It's been enjoyable and unusually for me, I've wanted to go back to the gym. I fancy trying to improve my bench press max (current 60kg) and get a squat or two done. I've also found I was 5kg overweight, although I lost a bit of that and am now about 3-4 over.

I'm eating loads for fruit and sprouting veg and it's feeling great. Some days I only eat about 20% cooked stuff.

There isn;t likely to be a great deal of training, but posting again is probly a good idea.

[thestoatyone]

Welcome back dude (If we could say you ever really went away...)

Doesn't sound like you have much enthusiasm for the running, you're not feeling depressed or anything I hope?

[baldy]

I've also found I was 5kg overweight, although I lost a bit of that and am now about 3-4 over.

What do you base this overweightedness on, BMI or your usual weight.
Nothing wrong with mixing it up a little, gym stuff can be really fun, come to the dark side

[Konstantin]

Right, lets get this log moving again. I am training, I'm not running, so lets get back into some sort of logging because it always helps.

The update on my running is this: I have a mystery leg complaint. I feel like a lame horse, by left glute feels wrong, sometimes it's lower in the hamstring. Just walking up hills feel like it's weak and I'm dragging it. So eventually I went to see a physio and she wasn't so sure. She considered a nerve at the base of my back but thinks that's not it, but she has found something on the side of my leg (a sore bit). She's lent me her ultrasound thing for 2 weeks, but has basically told me she has no clue what’s going on.

So, this runner is an ex-runner for now.

Doesn't sound like you have much enthusiasm for the running, you're not feeling depressed or anything I hope?

My enthusiasm had gone, but I would like to go back. I have been very busy with work, which has been great. I didn't train much for a while, but now have discovered other things.

Above I said I wanted to improve my BP pb (60kg) - well now it's 80kg and I think it'll go further. I train with my limited 36.5 kg weight in higher reps at home then go to the gym occasionally to push that pb. Deadlift has gone up a bit too but there's no squat rack so I'm not doing that!

I've also found my old disco exercises and am loving them. I do my 10 minute test with a z-bar, just fit as many curls as I can into 10 minutes. I’m up to 311 with 20kg and 24kg is around 240. I’m also doing packs of cards with curls, chin ups, crunches, hindu squats, press ups on handles, medicines ball presses and other b/w stuff. Pointless targets but it’s keeping me fit.

There’s a couple of fun classes I heard about locally in fields with cross training techniques, it sounds great and I need to make a space to do them, so far I’ve failed to.

I've also found I was 5kg overweight, although I lost a bit of that and am now about 3-4 over.

What do you base this overweightedness on, BMI or your usual weight.

I was best running at 72kg and am now around 76. But I must have put on some muscle as I can lift better (and me guns look good). If I get to run again I will need to get the weight down, but then again, the cardio training will ring it down.

Nothing wrong with mixing it up a little, gym stuff can be really fun, come to the dark side

Yes, there’s been some bright sides to this injury, I’ve taken off some blinkers and found some stuff I enjoy, and think I will discover more. I’m still not a big gym fan, my local one isn’t too bad for loud dance music and posers (apart from me ) and with an MP3 shuffling the complete works of Machine Head it becomes quite tolerable.

In summary, I need to get back posting, keep enjoying it and keep training in stuff I enjoy.