Weeks taper program

I have a taper in my program and I thought I would set it out before the week starts as I need to follow it and not add anything to it. I uesed it and it worked the last time I ran under 3.

MONDAY
7k very easy with stretching - 6 minute pace

Done - and what a pleasure to ease out Sunday's aches with a rather pedestrian 6 min k pace but at that speed it gives you time to enjoy the pleasure of the early morning crispness around the Bay. Did some stretching while watching some birds hunt for breakfast along the waters edge. They are probably there each morning but on other morings there is no time to observe them.

TUESDAY
2 x 5k @ 4.00 with 5 rest

19.35 out along the 5k challenge course with 6/7 minutes rest then back again with thoughts of it getting ugly near the end but gritted and held on for another 19.35 - splits for the second run 3.48/3.57/3.56/3.58/3.54 - took the first 2 k to get into a rhythm and it was then okay and I held on up the last up hill on the last k to the Rowers.

WEDNESDAY
16k @4.40 - KL in 75

I was a bit naughty this morning as I didn't follow the program exactly. Mt PB for this run was way back in December at 71.58 and I haven't been close to it for sometime. So I thought I would give it a shot to guage where my fitness is and a hard 16k run will do no harm at this stage and it would not be faster than MP anyway. Suprises can always happen when you least expect them as I finished in 69.58 @ 4.22 - so a massive PB and a good indicator that all is going well.

THURSDAY
5 X 1K @ 3.45 with 2 walk between

Changed the session slightly. Decided I wanted a mix of a longer tempo run and some 1ks. 3k in 11.22 then 3 x 1k : 3.35, 3.30 and 3.35. I thought they would be much slower taking into account it was the 3rd hard session in a row and the 3k to start could have blown any speed but giving each a full effort resulted in better than expected times even on a rested day. The taper seems to be going very well.

FRIDAY
5k very easy with stretching - 6 minute pace

Decided the ultimate easy day was no running or exercising - a genuine recovery from the last three days was total rest.

SATURDAY
Program rest - will probably do the 5k challenge in 18.45 would be fine

At the last minute and very early decided to do the TT. Perhaps being alone, rushed and dark all went against me as it was a rather pedestrain 19.10 that did not even feel like challenging sub 18. After the run it was off to my daughters softball grand final and they won 31-3 - yippee!!

SUNDAY
16k @4.40 - KL in 75 and 5k @ 4.15

Did the KL run in 74.32 which is right on the pace I wanted although it felt tough. Decided to leave the additional 5k. After a quick trip to Port Macquarie to watch Aunty in the IM and back late in the nighy/early morning - and 800k round trip in 15 hours and all the rest of the time on the course. For those who are not aware KL stands for Karins Loop - one of her favourite training runs for IM - as it starts and finishes just 200 metres from my door and is a challenging 16k with hills I use it as my longish run often.

Aerobic : AK 16k @ 4.33 + 10k @ 4.16

The last long hit out with the last 10k at MP. All up about 30k. The 16k felt easy the 10k felt hard so the MP needs to feel more comfortable and sustainable so I hope the recovery will achieve that. Some sessions in the next 3 weeks will test if that is happening.

No run - recovery

All part of the adaption and recovery programmed for this week

Easy around Bay

Ran with Auntie and very easy around the Bay. She is on the last countdown to IM next weekend.

No run - recovery

16k easy @ 4.40 average

Still feeling the affects from Sunday.

Tempo 5k + MP 10k - well almost

Same session as Tuesday last week but I thought I was not fully recovered from Sunday so I had my doubts about completing it. In the warm up the weather felt okay but by the end of the 5k I was drenched in sweat and not felling comfortable.

Managed the 5k in 19.55 - the same as last week.

Started on the run but by now I felt humidity and the k's were clicking over at 4.20 not 4.10's. I struggled to the end of the 5k in 21.45 and decided that the next 5k would get slower and no benefit would be achieved from that and the risk of an injury was increased so I was happy to go off and do some stretching.

No doubt the slow down was caused by not being fully recovered from Sunday.

Easy around the Bay

SMC : 30k 2.09.36 @ 4.19 pace

An overcast morning at Smithfield. Temp about 19 with humidity about 70% - which is a lot more pleasant than the last few runs.

This was a serious hit out to asses my present fitness and consider what if anything can be done before the taper to improve it. If I want to run under 3 for Canberra the I need 4.16 pace - I did not think I could do this as I had just 3 easy days before the run. However I expected that 4.24 must be possible in the circumstances. Last month I ran 25K @ 4.30 pace so fitness should have improved so that I could run faster a longer.

It is not an out and back course and so none of the 5 k splits are run twice and measured from the same points so it is difficult to run even and each have hills. So even splits is not realistic but notwithstanding that my splits were all around 21.15 which is spot on pace with one in the middle with 2 hills at 22.40. That additional 90 seconds was the difference between the 4.19 pace run and the goal pace of 4.16.

Taking that all into account it was a run that indicated that sub 3 is possible but with still a little do to sharpen up and then a genuine taper, proper carbo load and a smart race plan.

Rest and no run

With the 30k on Sunday and I am wanting it to be a good indicator of my present fitness level I thought to be conservative a rest was better than even a recovery run. The time will give me a good indicator of the planned race pace as well as some TT's during the taper.

AK run : 16k : 74.44 minutes @ 4.40 pace

Up a bit earlier than ususal and so enjoyed the cooler conditions.

I have 3 time points in the run and was some minutes behind 75 minutes pace at 5k but managed to pick it up and hold it to the end. I would have liked to have been back down in the 72's but this is right on the fastest pace for the run according to the program. Lets hope the program knows what it is doing and thatthe pace is within the correct zone to have the right affect for race day.

Temp 5k + MP 10k

A coolish moring around the Bay 18 and humidity at about 80% but reasonably comfortable. A strong breeze maybe caused that.

Mission 5k under 20 and then 10k in under 42.30.

Had to push firm on both and managed 19.55 + 41.40. Mission accomplished.

Easy around Bay

Some Mondays after a hard session I do not run but today I did and went very easy and then enjoyed some streeeeetching in the cool overcast morning.

TT : 2 x 10k : 41.50 + 41.45

Just wanted 2 runs under MP which is 42.40.

Temp : a very refreshing 16 with humidity about 60%.

Ran the 5k challenge course out and back with a 10 minute break so that I was fully recovered before starting the second run. Each were under 21 for the 5ks. Reasonably satisfied with the effort but I feel I still have a lot to do before Canberra. They were not as comfortable feeling as I had hoped although I can reduce my pace by about 5 seconds per k and still remain at MP.

And finished off with another 10k at about 4.50 pace for just over 30k for the morning.

It is not panic time but certainly each of the few sessions left before the taper need to be of the highest quality and very focused on what is to be achieved from the session.

No run - recovery

Easy 10k : 40.57

Another cool morning around the Bay with a bit of a chill to the air. Also a strong breeze.

Temperature about 19 with 65% humidity.

As planned cruised the 10k in 40.57 with 20.32 and 20.25 splits.

Rest and no run

I thought with the increase in intensity I should opt to be cautious and balance QUALITY with QUANTITY. So not wanting to risk an over use injury I decided the best training this morning was rest and recovery.

I feel better for it.

But back to high intensity tomorrow. If all goes to plan then I will run a 10k in something like 40.xx and then a firm 5k which might sneak under 20.

Bay 28.19 + 4 x 800

Another cool and still moring around the Bay. BOM says about 18 but humidity up in the 80's. It didn't feel that humid perhaps because it was cool. It was just so so pleasant starting the warm up.

Another session continuing the faster than MP running.

I haven't run a flt out Bay for a month (has it been that long). Felt almost recovered from yesterday so I though a good time might be possible. The last time under 29 was in December at 29.54 so pleased with the time. Then did some stretching and then 4 x 800 in 2.58/2.59. They were tough but controlled to just get under 3.

Fingers crossed things continue to progressas they are and that the peak comes on time - not early and not late. Early is the problem but I think this year I have it close to right.

Tempo 2 x 5k + MP 10k

What a great morning around the Bay. Very very cool compared with the last month or so, low humidity but a strong wind which made the running a bit tough in the exposed sections. The wind was no doubt a small factor in the times.

In the countdown to the marathon I now need more sessions at or below MP - the long slow runs are now just a once a week session. So the intensity is well and truly on the increase.

Splits for the 5ks : 19.56 + 19.55
Marathon Pace 10k had 5k splits of 21.33 and 21.26 (21.20 is exact MP for 5 k)

No run - recovery

Loooong run : 36k @ 5.15 pace

I felt okay to start and it stayed that way all the way. The k's just kept clicking by with no problems.

It was almost the same course as last week with a couple of very testing hills at the end. It maybe the longest run I do before Canberra. Pace was about right although a little quicker would have been more pleasing but after yesterday and the humid conditions this morning I will take it.

10k at MP : 41.55

With a light day yesterday I had the option of no run to 10k at Marathon pace.

I woke up feeling okay so decided on the 10k MP run. This was 4.15 per k pace. I have been running shorter faster and longer slower but I now need to consolidate with some MP runs and then slowly increase the distance as the marathon approaches

Today was the first session for this training. Being fatigued during the week I was not sure what I could manage. It was 5.30am when I started and so it was impossible to see my watch so I set the watch to beep when I was not in the 4.00 - 4.15 range. It seemed to take a long while to get it to stop beeping.

Managed the first 5k in 20.45 and the return in 21.10. Pace would have been 42.30 so mission accomplished. Next Sunday I plan to do 2 x 10k at MP with a 5 minute break in between. There is no reason to do this session again as it can be done and nothing is achieved by doing it again.

Easy around Bay

Fatigued day

Went out early thinking in the warm up - I am fatigued and I am sure I will cause an injury and regret not following my instinct and heading back home. However I pressed on with the session. The slow times indicated I was fatigued and I was relieved to return home with no injury.

I need to just level out the intensity for a week or so or something may give.

The session was to be 3 x 3k and hopefully times like last week. But the splits went backwards at 11.36 + 11.45 - I then had serious doubts about doing another and so settled for 2k in 7.50. A ho hum day!!

I did look at my training diary from last year and on the same day last year I did 2 x 3k at 12.36 + 12.16 and was pleased. So.... I guess I should be very pleased from that comparison.