4 weeks to Canberra : Anaerobic conditioning

My 4 weeks means that this is the start of the 4th week before Canberra. My week starts on Sunday. In fact there are 5 week from Sunday 15 March but the last week I count down the days - so the last Sunday before (12th April is 6 days and the Saturday 0 days.)

Well what does 'anaerobic conditioning' mean. Not sure but that is what Lydiard called the last few weeks before the taper. Really it means getting faster and do the training to achieve that. It means also that the longish runs during the week will get shorter but more intense. My overall weekly k's will drop quite a lot as well.

Also this week I have the SMC 30k and I will have an easy week to mini taper for that.

Program for the week:
S: 2 x 1ok + 1 x 5k
M: Quick lap of the Bay at about @ 4.30 + 8 x 100 windsprints with 300 jog between;
T: 90 minutes @ 4.40
W: 3k TT + 45 minutes @ 4.40
T : Lap of the Bay at about @ 4.15 + 8 x 100 windsprints with 300 jog between;
F : Rest - yippee !!!
S : Rest - again yippee !!!!
Sunday : 30k at SMC - hopefully below 4.25 pace (Now that could be very difficult)

4.6 Sunday 15 March: 2 x 10k + 1 x 5k
About a 5 minutes rest between. Wanted the 10k's to be @ 4.40 pace and then 4.35 and then the 5k as close to 4.15 as possible. The first 10k was exactly at 4.40 because I eased up in the second 5k. In the second 10k I did not ease back in the second 5k even though I was ahead of pace and did that in 4.32 per k. Could not have gone quicker in the 5k for 21.30 @ 4.18. All done on the 5k challenge course and then a slow jog home.

4.5 Monday 16 March: Bay 29.57 @ 4.17 + 8 x 100 strides w 300 jog

It been a heavy last 3 days with about 84 ks so a quick lap of the Bay might not have been that quick. However the endurance strength came through for my first time under 30 for a long while. It has come just as I needed something to show the hard work is taking effect. And just as the Lydaird program says ' you will not be ready until race day so have patience in the program and be patient...'

That time came on the back of strength endurance and not speed as such. To engage the fast twitch muscles that have really been dormant to date I need to do some short fast run - not really for fitness or speed but to bring them into play. They need to be engaged so that they can join in the work effort when running the marathon. So 8 x 100 with a 300 recovery jog. Not times just run on perceived effort. Then 4 x 100 with a short walk. Started off with a 20 seconds 100 metres (WTF but then again I do not train to run short and fast) but managed to get a bit more fluid for a 17 seconds last one.

A short fast and very different session. Lets hope it works.

4.4 Tuesday 17 March: Not quite the program
I was supposed to do 90 minutes @ 4.40 but I really felt strong in my stretching and warm up so I decided a bit of a shorter session with more speed would be a better choice. So I went off for a lap of the Bay with the promise that if it was under 30 I would consider a second lap after a short break. Finished the lap in 29.45 @ 4.15 and I felt totally spent.

I then did some stretching and really did not want to do a second lap as I guessed it would start off quick and then get slow, ugly and be a disappointment. I am reading a book on Zatopek at the moment and I am inspired by the intensity of his training. I also looked at his races on YouTube yesterday and he seems to be in extreme discomfort when running but just continues. So with that vision of him in my mind I set off and felt good all the way, in fact I could not have run any faster as my legs could not turn over any quicker (I need to do some more leg speed sessions). My heart legs etc were working well and that aspect did not restrict my pace it was I could not increase the leg speed. Finished in 29.15 @ 4.12.

Maybe I have reached a stage in my preparation where the endurance is there and is not a major limiting factor in my pace but it is my yet to be fully developed leg speed that is the limiting factor. I am now convinced that I need to focus on the shorter faster stuff to increase the leg speed. A suitable session is set for Thursday.

4.3 Wednesday 18 March: 3kTT + a lap with JD
Before meeting up with JD for the usual Wednesday run I did a 3kTT on some tired legs but managed in the dark 11.42.The started off with JD for a lap of the Bay with the Dog loop. We were on 4.40 pace to the little bridge at the dog loop and then I went on my own back to the Rowers (JD has always agreed that I could leave him about here). Ran very firm the last 4k in about 4.10 to get back for a 10k loop in 4.32.

Finished the morning off with 8 x 100s but certainly in very tired tired legs.

4.2 Thursday 19 March: No training
First I had to be at Court very early. Second I decided that less is better in the mini taper for Sunday.

A quote from the book on Zatopek I am reading :

'Sport not only influences one's health and physical disposition but also to a high degree one's whole character. If one forces oneself to train once or twice, that is of not great importance. But if one does it a hundred times, then one acquires which enrich one's whole life.'

4.1 (29 days)Friday 20 March : No training

28 days Saturday 21 March: No training

So 3 days off on the basis of the SMC 30k on Sunday

Summary:
K's for the week : 82
Total k's since 30.11.08 : 2208
Average per week : 138

The week felt great at the start and then felt srange with no running in teh last few days. I have to admit I prefer some running even if it is slow to no running as a taper.