Monday, April 12, 2010

settling into a pattern...

two high-intensity, high-volume weeks and i was feeling very tired at the start of last week. i decided at the start of the week that i would throw out the schedule and run an easy week to absorb the fitness gains, rest, restore and get ready to build again. still managed to hit 155km (97 miles) for the week. thought about going out and running 5 more kilometres to hit that magical figure of 100 miles but decided that numbers are irrelevant and put the feet up to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

training over the last few days has been great and without a schedule i haven't been stressed when runs planned the day before are missed or altered due to other life events. i have noticed though that i have fallen into a either of two patterns of easy day-intervals-tempo-long run repeat or easy runs-hard run-long run repeat. on days when i have been thinking of dropping a run i've subconsciously headed to the local grass track and run some repeats. last sunday was such a day and when i eventually got out i put in a good long warmup of about 7-8k before hitting the grass track for what turned out to be some 800s. feeling tired i didn't want to go out and cruch myself but just wanted to loosen up my legs and hips and feel good running a little faster than normal. ran them all at what felt like tempo effort and then put in a hard 400 before heading home for the evening. finished up with another good run...

the runs...

fri pm: long 2h06 (29k) blaxland east-glenbrook-np-euroka (via singletrack)-bennetts-oaks-home - smashing run, felt strong running threshold effort all the way from euroka to the oaks then maintained a strong effort all the way home. passed james and andy lee on their runs...

sat pm: 1h03 (14k) warrimoo-highway-glenbrook pool-lagoon-home felt crappy and so decided to cut the run short heading down attunga for a short loop back home. felt ok about 5mins later so hit the highway down to the pool and back home via the lagoon.

sun am: driving duties for the NSW mountain running champs

pm: 1h11 (16k) 5x800m + 1x400m intervals 7-8k warmup and then 800s with short rest of 1-2mins in 2:52,51,47,46,42 then 400m in low 70s. 15min cooldown home.

mon pm: 2h22 (~31km) rangers gate-oaks-helipad+10min-return after a tough climb out of the wier felt great and easy up to the oaks gate (in 39-40') and kept going up past the helipad feeling strong on all the climbs. thought about going all the way to woodford but it was starting to get dark. smashed it on the way back running quicker than marathon pace. thought i would pay for it but climbed strong to the top. awesome run but sore after... (need to work on my core strength)

tue noon: 1h11 (15+km) nepean river-lapstone station (via trail)-knapsack-mitchells-emu plains started out feeling sore (back) and stiff and thought the hills would sort me out but climbed well and ran steady from the knapsack bridge back to work. consumed a record number of apples in one go!

1 comment:

Semifreddo said...

I always feel like my training is going ok, then I read your blog...155km in a week is massive, good on you.

You were just in front of me going down Rusden Road on Sunday - I was going to call out, then realised I wouldn't have been able to keep up with you!!

Hope you keep feeling stong right up till race day.