Turbo Wk 17 Wednesday 27th January 2010

4x 10minutes at 300watts on the turbo this evening as my first bit of excercise this week. Went a whole load better than expected and feared. Numbers from the session were pretty similar to when I previously did this session on 14th January.
Massage tomorrow, and perhaps if I can get up early enough a swim to make up for missing Tuesdays.

Week 16 review and Wk17 + Lanzarote Preview

Week 16 was billed as a hard week. I certainly found it hard even with softening a couple of sessions and missing a few, though work assisted with those ommisions. No swims this week. Struggling because I'm tired, though can't help wonder with the number of bugs going round if I'm fighting something off. But as negative as I was with my rides at the weekend, and you'll note how slow I've been with updating the blog, I have to conceed that I did get out there and those miles are in the bank. Certainly the running is strong which is the main aim. Just need to get over mental set-backs and get out there again for some more. Fortunately this week is a recovery week as per the schedule below, and I'm being allowed to take the first half of next week easy so that I can get in some quality bike sessions whilst in Lanzarote for a week from next Thursday, the current schedule for that is included below.

Long ride Wk16 Sunday 24th January

Was meant to participate in the VC Norwich Reliability ride with strict instructions to latch onto and hang onto the fastest group. I really didn't feel up to that and didn't get out of bed in time to join in.
Instead I went for a solo ride with the aim of 3 hours at 18mph. I was barely able to average 15mph. My body just didn't want to work harder than 70% of heart rate max and the legs didn't want to turn over faster than 80rpm. The mind was not in a good state. Thought about stopping at my Mum's and asking for a lift home. Felt like pulling over and laying on the road side to cry. Can't recall ever being so keen to get off a bike.
Not a bad little 45 mile route and discovered that the Carrot Cake Clif Bars are jolly tasty.
Decided against doing the 30minute timed swim in the evening that I'd asked my mother to lap count for me. Instead I treated her and my brother to take away curry.

Long Ride Wk 16 Saturday 23rd Jan

Was very fortunate to have the company of Gary Wootton and Jonathan Briggs for a long ride. The schedule nearly put them off riding with me. The target pace was "too rich" for them. As it turns out it was too much for me too. I felt tired and it was hard work. We went upto the North Norfolk Coast to find some hills and devised a twisty route.

Immediately followed that up with a 16 minute run. A transition run (t-run). Aim had been 2 miles so without a measured route to follow decided to run for 8minutes then turn round and run back. The legs really didn't want to know and it felt awful. Was pleasently surpised to discover I'd covered 1.9miles.

Mile efforts - Wk 16 Friday 22nd January 2010

Following the long run home on Wednesday I jogged back into work yesterday Morning. It was only 1.6 miles, but fairly hard work. Thanks to a full day at work that spilled into the evening (admittedly the last bit was a meal and beer with new colleagues) I didn't get to do the scheduled turbo session. As my legs were tired I really didn't mind. In fact to be honest I was glad of the excuse to skip training. Must be a sign that I was tired.
Another early start at work meant I missed the scheduled swim. I did get out for a quality run session though. 5 x 1 mile efforts with company from Lynn Emmett, Paul French, Danny Mann and Simon Black. Okay, so they didn't all do all 5 of the mile efforts, but it was good to have company, support and encouragement.
And yes I was tired, and each effort was hard, but I was really pleased with the consistency. I'd been aiming to run each at 6:15 - 6:20, though the target was 6:26 which is 20minute 5k PB pace. My splits were 6:19, 6:20, 6:20, 6:24 and 6:23. Haven't done this session since 10th November when the splits were 6:23, 6:25, 6:16, 6:42 and 6:33. Definately an improvement and this time round I've done more running in the lead up to the session. In 4 days I've run 33.5 miles. In fact I've run 100 miles in the last 3 weeks.

My Legs Hurt - Long Run Week 16 Wednesday 20th Jan

No two ways about it my legs hurt. I really don't expect any sympathy. In fact feel free to tease me. Legs were tired before I even started the 18mile run home from work this evening. 8.5hrs in a meeting with no drink before wasn't the best preparation. Was perhaps also wearing too much, but being warm when I've got runs in warm climates coming up is probably a good idea.
The aim was 18miles at 8:20mpm pace. The first mile was on the pace even with a delay to cross Queen's Road. But it wasn't long before the legs started to feel heavy and protest. It's at times like this when you're mind starts getting negative. Training when on form is easy. Everything is positive. But when it becomes hard work it really becomes hard work. When it's easy you feel confident and have a "bring it on" attitude, but when tired the self-doubt creeps in and thoughts like "what have you signed yourself up for you prat" enter your head.
To try to cope you convince yourself your going okay and actually going further than planned (wouldn't have got away that that one if I'd pre-measured the route). I was telling myself the route was going to be more like 18.5 - 19 miles. Turns out it was 17.9miles but once I'd worked out that equates to 8:35mpm I'm content baring in mind how heavy the legs felt. Average pulse at 73% is pretty similar to the 74% of last week when I averaged 8:25mpm. So it is just the legs being heavy and not me being slack that is the cause of the slower pace.
To be completely open and honest, I'm not relishing the thought of the next 4 days of training. In fact I'm a little nervous. I'd quite like next weeks rest week to be starting tomorrow. Oh well, it's the hard work now that will make the difference and we don't do these things because they are easy.

Tired Tuesday. - Wk16 19th Jan 2010

Did not want to get up this morning to go for a swim. Felt tired even though I'd gone to bed early. Admittedly I'd read the chapter on Ultramarathon Running in Tim Noakes book "The Lore of Running". Really good book I must get my own copy and return this one. I then started a new novel Azincourt by Bernard Cromwell. Even so I put those down at 11pm so ought to have been able to get up at 6am. Took until 8:30am to get out of bed which is the latest I can leave it to get to work (sort of) on time.
Laying in bed probably did me some good, though racked with guilt that wasn't 2 hours of quality sleep and means I'm behind schedule before the week's routine even starts.
Did manage to get out for the 10x 400m run efforts at lunchtime with Paul French. The head was still groggy, the legs were protesting and a busy week at work was on my mind. I was meant to be targetting 80-85 seconds for the 400m efforts. I was struggling to get under 90 and on the 7th with my mind thinking how I was going to get the long run in tomorrow, the swim I've missed and the mile efforts in on Friday that effort slipped to 95. Each effort started fresh enough thanks to the 90s rest, but 'sharp' wouldn't be a way to describe how ever Paul or I were feeling. Legs didn't feel quite like jelly. They didn't feel like they were going to give way. Rather, they felt obstanent and unco-operative. Wasn't as out of breath on this session this week as last, I'm blaming the legs because they just wouldn't go round fast enough to stress the heart and the lungs. I'm sure a comparison of the heart rate trace to last weeks will show that. I did absolutely nail the start of the 10th and final effort. Got to 300m absolutely flying (well as near to it as possible for me) but then faded significantly, though even slowing over the last 100m posted a time of 80seconds. Maybe there was some subconciousness thoughts trying to preserve the legs for what is to come over the next few days, though I did feel better for that blow out.
Now need to work out how to fit in an 18mile (2.5hour) run into tomorrow's schedule around meetings solidly from 9am through to 6pm. I suspect trying to get a swim in as well is being just too optimistic.