I have found as the years have rolled by that if the Sunday race has been anything over 10k that it has become necessary to be careful about what I do even on Tuesdays. Waiting until Wednesday before attempting to push the pace again. On Sunday at Preston I spoke to Evan Cook of Blackburn after the 5K and he said he had suffered hamstring problems having done a speed session on the Tuesday after his 36.26
10K at Trafford. He is 58! Too much, too soon, we agreed.
Having said all that, Sunday's race was "only" a 5K so I decided to do a hill session today, ( a speed session without the speed) offroad tomorrow, a sustained run on Thursday, easy Friday, track on Saturday and the longest run on Sunday. Sounds like a plan!
As I've retreated from road runs over the last few years the hill sessions have become increasingly less frequent. So today, a couple of miles warm up then working to 3 lengthening markers did 4 x A, 4 x 2A, 4 x 3A. Doing the first set I thought the session would prove to be too easy but by the time I attempted the 4th rep on the last set I was feeling the strain. 7 in total with cool down. Quads quite sore.....where's that ice! Today's session was on tarmac but the hardest hill sessions I ever did were on sand. I think Percy Wells Cerutty the famous coach started the trend at his Portsea training camp in Australia. This old photo (circa 1960) depicts one of his groups working on the dunes. Notice the excellent arm and knee action particularly of the second runner 1960 Olympic 1500 metre champion , Herb Elliott. To replicate the sessions Sale Harriers organised for groups to holiday in Llanbedrog in Wales in the '60s. If you find some big dunes next time you're on holiday give it a go...but remember you have been warned!
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