Sunday, September 5, 2010

Another week gone

Another solid week of training with legs holding up pretty well, other than the odd twinge in the adductor, itb and calf.

Was able to get some quicker stuff in, tempo, medium long run and long run. I also passed 500kms for the month of August which is the first time I've ever exceeded 500kms in a calendar month-ended up doing 518.5kms.

Week in Summary 131.66k@4:27

Mon 19.03k@4:44 Two recovery runs, am 11.4k pm 7.03k.

Tues 14.5k@4:10 incl 8*250 pickups @3:36 and 4.5k@4:06 approx MP to finish run.

Wed 13k@4:14 incl Mona Fartlek of 5.27k @3:47.

Thurs 25k@4:25 Medium long run with Biscuitman around Burswood, Maylands and South Perth. We just cruised along with plenty of chat along the way, was suprises how quick we went.

Fri 8.62k@4:38

Sat 14.43k@4:09 incl 8k tempo @3:50

Sun 37.08k@4:35 2hr 50 min long run. Woke up with the tummy feeling very unsettled, had a couple of green teas to try and settle the tummy a bit, it helped a bit.

Long run included a number of toilet stops including stopping at home for a few minutes at the 16k mark. Tummy settled properly at about the 25km of the run and the last few kms were a lot more pleasant. Tried to simulate the Melbourne Marathon as much as possible by including some hills from the 32km mark and ran in my first pair of DS Racers.

Good to get another long run in. Wasn’t the perfect long run due to the stops and the tummy,as I would also have liked to have done a faster finish today, however considering everything, I’m more than happy with the run.



I am 5 weeks out from Melb Marathon and haven’t done a fast finish long run, which I think I should do at some stage. I’ve done 4 30k + runs in this programme with a couple more 25k+ runs. I still have 2 or 3 30k+ runs still planned depending on the following.


I’d be interested in people thoughts on the following for next weekend and what I should do.

The options are
a) Do a 10k race and do faster finish 30k + run, the following weekend ie 3 weeks out.
b) Do a 10k race and don’t worry about a fast finish long run.
c) Don’t do the 10k race and do a fast finish long run 4 weeks out.

Thanks guys


At present I’m leaning towards option A.

3 comments:

trailblazer777 said...

Another week of the Clown juggernaut hurtling towards big success!

I think all 3 options could work well for you.
Thoughts;
1. You'll get far more physical gains from the fast-finishing long run, so that should be a higher priority than the 10k race.
2. The 10k race is more about tuneup, and mental confidence, variety, fun, getting used to holding good speed, and maybe a small contribution towards finding an extra gear in the marathon, or the ability to surge a bit, step up the pace when appropriate. Its value in the master plan is very small, but its also a good guage of where you are at, and how you are going, and so gives you a good indication of what sort of targets you should be chasing in the marathon. If you are on a steep improvement curve that can be very important.
3. You'll probably get more benefit from the fast finishing long run, but the 10k would be very useful too.
4. The fast finishing long run will take something out of the tank, and require some significant recovery so the bigger the gap between that and the marathon race the better. 3 weeks should be sufficent break, but 4 weeks would be better. The fast finishing long run should NOT be done in the last 20 days, and especially NOT in the last 3-14 days, as the problem of recovery (varies a lot depending on your training and racing experience) could cancel out any gains, and maybe even reduce your time in the main race, due to being too weary to perform at optimum.
In Summary;
I'd recommend doing the fast-finishing long run either mid-week after the 10k race, or even on the sunday arvo after the 10k race, or with 3 weeks to go, that way you get the benefit of both, but if it comes to a choice between the two, and the body is good, then drop the 10k, its not worth as much.
The bigger gap you can put between the fast-finishing long run and the target race the better.

Well done on the 500K+!, and on lpgging a stack of good long runs and medium runs, nearly time to start tapering, and working the speed work for some more intense but less tiring stuff? Either way looking good. Hope you can keep the niggles at bay as Sling and I are struggling to do at the moment.
ok I'll try and shut up now.

I think LeCras got an All-Australian spot. My mob has to beat the cats and the pies for a shot at glory. Big ask, but not impossible, we shall see.

Epi said...

I think option 3 is better for you.

I'm not sure you have too much to gain from the 10k race. You have already set a blistering PB and would be unlikely to improve on that by much without pushing yourself to the limit - which you wont want to do. Yo uknow that you're running great so you dont need it as a confidence builder. The advantages would be race environment practice and help deciding pacing for the mara.

I know you like to do a long run 3 weeks out but it is pushing the limits of recovery, especially coming off such high mileage. I'd do the last real long run with fast finish 4 weeks out and then if you must do a 30+ 3 weeks out, force yourself to go really slow, perhaps by running with a slow runner like myself!

That's my 2c anyway

Sling Runner said...

Yes, a tough decision to make. Basically with a 36.45 10k time and 82 HM, you actually have 'earned' the right to run 2.55 marathon.

How about something radical like 15k warm up, then do the 10k race followed by a long cool down. Even if you 'only' run 38mins 10k, that's already 15-20secs/km faster than MP on tired legs.