6 weeks to Canberra : Anaerobic work

At last you may say. I am about to do a few weeks of high intensity anaerobic work - perhaps some would say speed work. Yes Lydiard does have speed work but only near the end of the preparation when all of the base work and hill work has been done.

So what's involved? Here is what I plan this week:

Monday : 5 x 800 better than 4 minute a k pace - so about 3.15 + a 1 hour run at @ 4.40
Tuesday : About 90 mintes @ 4.45
Wednesday : 3k TT in less than 12.30 minutes + 45 minutes @ 4.45
Thursday : About 2 hours @ 4.45
Friday : 5 x 200 - just for form + 1 hour @ 4.25 or better
Saturday : 5k TT less than 21 minutes
Sunday : About 2 hours 45 minutes @ 4.45

7.6 Sunday 1 March : What a difference 2 months makes
Same course as Sunday 30 November that is 3 x 10.2k loops around the Bay and some other variations. In November total time 2 hours 57 minutes @ 5.47 per k pace with the last loop at 6.15 pace or would that be a shuffle. Today total time 2 hours 24 minutes @ 4.46 with the last loop at 4.50 pace. November average HR 136 today average HR 141. So not much of an increase in HR but a significant reduction of pace.

7.5 Monday 2 March
5 x 800 better than 4 minute a k pace - so about 3.15 + a 1 hour run at @ 4.40
5 x 800 all between 3.09 - 3.13
The 2 laps of the bay for 32.30 @ 4.40 and 32.33 @ 4.40
Session accomplished but it was tough and I am sure I will be fatigued tomorrow and the set pace is already looking difficult to maintain. It is amazing how with just some slight changes the intensity of the sessions are increased and the cumulative effect is a significant increase in effort over the whole week.

7.4 Tuesday 3 March :
Tuesday : About 90 minutes @ 4.45
Did I think this would be beyond me today? Yes it is tough pace to do in the middle of hard training. I thought I would drift off the pace to closer to 5 but it just go to show that you have to be mentally tough sometimes or really all the time. Ran 20.4k in 1.36.03 @4.42 with the second loop @4.40. Gotta love the negative split.

7.3 Wednesday 4 March : 3k TT in less than 12.30 minutes + 45 minutes @ 4.45
I run with JD each Wednesday and I was going to do the TT before meeting him at the Rowers at 6 but it was late night with the usual SMC Committee meeting and I just didn't get up in time. I will do it tomorrow. So it was the usual Bay loop with the dog loop added - 9.15k @ 4.50. I then run with JD until the little bridge and he heads home. The ran then 6k back home @ 4.35.

7.2 Thursday 5 March : 3k in less than 12.30 minutes + 45 minutes @ 4.45
Decided an extended TT session would be better than one repeat and some 4.45 running. So I did :

3k in 12.26 @ 4.09
2k in 8.04 @ 4.02
3k in 12.03 @ 4.01

I really struggled on the first run and just could not get moving with any ease and it felt awful. I needed to use an ugly gut busting effort with no form. On the second it was still a struggle but less than the first. On the third I thought the legs would have no strength but I seemed to glide along with what felt like a lot less of an effort than the first. Lets hope that feeling and the increased speed increases over the next few weeks.

Ewan: Yes the speed work has come on this week with none before BUT I did 3 weeks of hills to prepare for the speed work. The hills are not really direct training for the marathon but are the foundation of the speed work. Hills are intended to add strength to the muscles and tot he tendons around the ankles all to prevent injury in the speed sessions. Also I have come into this phase without any injury or niggle - however I do 10 minutes or so stretching each morning for the Achilles issue. It has not gone away but it does not affect my running.

This week has seen a huge increase in the intensity of each run as regards pace with the long run days still having a large distance BUT this phase of the training is all about an increase in intensity. All the training that has gone on in the last 3 months was to get me to this stage so that I could handle the increased intensity. I just hope nothing breaks.

With the increase in intensity I am finding the mental effort is huge - the physical effort is also high whereas previously the balance was the other way around. It is not a routine that I can keep up for a long time and I think another 3 weeks or so at this level will see me be very much relived to reach the taper. The intensity will not reduce but the distance will generally reduce ( at least those runs between the speed sessions) and that will be a great relief and I may go back to fully enjoying running and training.

At the moment the training is a chore but it is necessary means to an end. And as the end is in sight I will make it but just.

7.1 Friday 6 March: 27.5k @ 4.50

Becuase of my run with JD Wednesday I missed the TT for that day. So I decided to do it on Thurdsay and run the long run today and drop the 200 run throughs. I was dreading this session all day yesterday as I knew I would be fatigued and it would hurt all the way as I would have to push to get close to 4.45 pace.

I started in the dark and was pushing hard or at least I thought I was and at the end of the first 10.2k loop I was on 4.59 pace. I thought I was on my limit but that was mental and pushed harder on the second loop to 4.49 pace. Finished of with 32.18 lool pf the Bay @4.36.

I was so pleased it was cool for most of the run and low humidity. I should have pushed harder on the first loop and not be limited by my mental perception of what was the quickest I could run.

7 Saturday 7 March

No run - passive rest !!!!

Thoughts:

A 141k for the week abd in the last 14 weeks 1956k @ 140 per week. It is difficult to keep up the k's and incorporatethe speed work as well. I had planned a Friday afternoon run and another on Saturday but neither happened for various reasons.

I still have serious doubts about getting down to a 3 hour marthon and even getting a good time in the 30k at SMC in few weeks. The 25k was about 4.28 pace that nows seems an impossible ask.