Thursday 24 February 2011

Change of plan pays dividends

                  Thursday,  and it was back to the track for my weekly fix. 
Having completed 1000 reps then 600 reps in the last two sessions, I had  pencilled in  300 metre
reps with 100 interval recovery to hopefully bring the pace down under 7 mins.  But I would see how the 2 mile warm up went today.
  Not unsurprisingly, the 12+1 completed on Sunday, the longest run of the year,  took quite a bit out of me. though I didn't struggle on the day particularly.    Monday  saw me sharing a run with Pat for a change over 4 miles and her pace was more than enough.   Tuesday,  a steady undulating 6 on the road and yesterday
it was back to the reservoirs for a very muddy 7 mile circuit. (But 2 minutes faster than last week)
 Consequently I was hardly fresh after the warm up around the park today, which exceeded 20 minutes.   I just didn't  feel up to  300 reps at what would have to be under 7 mins pace! 
                               So for once a rethink and a change of plan. 


 I decided it would be interesting and meaningful to do another 5K "time trial"  as it was 4 weeks ago that I did the first of the year.   If I had a nice flat "parkrun" handy which started later than 9 a.m.(!) I wouldn't put myself through these alone on the track but there isn't so needs must.
 I recalled that my January time was 25.27.   I was  pretty confident that I could mange a sub 25 so it made the maths easy.  Keep each of the 12 laps at or just below 2 mins, 
sprint the last 200 and "job's a good un" as they say.
The first 10 laps went.............
  1.55  1.58  1.56  1.57  1.56  1.56  1.56  1.54  1.54  1.54
At this point  I was starting to calculate that a sub 24.00 mins time might be possible so pushed on a tad....
finishing with  1.51  1.47 and the half lap in 53  for 23: 53 by the end.  Nice one! 
 I actually started to feel like a runner rather than an aged plodder over that last mile.  So  a very pleasing 1 .34 mins improvement over 4 weeks.   Hopefully it can be maintained ......with care. 
  Last January a similar trial time was 22.42 compared to a race 5K time about 2 minutes faster so today would suggest a race soon would be a reasonable exercise. There is a low key 10K on Sunday within a 2 hour drive.  See how the next 2 days feel!    First task get the ice pads on the legs  for a bit of relief then a well deserved can of Holsten Pils recovery fluid.  (Better than your Budweiser, Danny)


 

5 comments:

  1. That's a nice 5K time Terry and a whole minute per km faster than my best so far. I can really appreciate the effort you must have put in. Well done! Regards John

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  2. Budweiser got sold to some european outfit back in '08 (?). More of a micro-brewery guy myself, but honestly what runner can't relate to good pizza and beer after knocking down another barrier?

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  3. Danny...I'll send you a pic of a typical local Beer Festival over here. Plenty of good micro brewery prouct on offer for tasting.
    John...thanks. Yes, working hard to make PWs more tolerable. (Best track 5K was 15.18!)
    But looking forward to reading about YOUR PBs in the year to come. T.

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  4. Terry, I really have to admire you for being able to churn out those great times on solo work-outs. As I get older I find it more and more difficult to get out there and do worthwhile speedwork on my own. I really wish I'd someone to 'trade punches with', someone of a similar competitive nature to make me dig deeper to help me realise my true potential. I get frustrated, feeling there's a world champion trying to get out but powerless to unlock him on my own.

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  5. Answer could be you coming through to Nelson with me one time you're up the dales. Sure we could sort a good session out. Or simply a run midway 'twixt you and Ilkley? Email me anytime.
    All the best, Terry

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