Parkrun Improve

[NeilJ]

I ran Saturday Parkrun in 25:43 @ 148BPM HR without issue.
I am just struggling to run before and after the Park run run as requested coach.

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This morning I did do my longer tempo Monday run up in the high vineyards, it was only 10, 49 Km but with a fairly significant elevation gain and drop. The ascent of 370 m over 40’48.0 and descent of 358 m in 25’12.0 my average HR was 145 BPM. I do recognize that it maybe a little high but that is mainly due to the route. Thoroughly enjoyed my run this morning.

[TheEd]

hi Neil .. so last weekend ParkRun you ran it a little harder so the cycle this week would aim more towards training .. so in theory you should create a rhythm where the week you train more you are more fatigued

so this weeks parkrun it would aim to do the same as 2 weeks ago .. yes yes

TheEd

[NeilJ]

Thanks Coach for the advice and contnued encouragement, also for posting my running story, herewith Wednesdays training:

I ran the Wednesday, “speed session”. This wasn’t great but I felt better than the previous one that I ran, there was a bit of lethargy in the legs but the breathing felt a bit better. Herewith the session.

1st Km – 1.02Km - 4’59 @ 150 BPM although my HR was a bit high I did feel that I ran a little within my max potential.

2nd Km – 2.02Km – 10’16 @ 154 BPM I started the 2K segment quite well and maintained good form until the 2nd 500 m and felt everything just collapse after that over the next 1.5K. My legs felt really heavy, head drop and shoulders drooping. I managed to focus at least on maintaining good breathing through the rest of the segment.

3rd Km – 1.03Km – 4’48 @ 154 BPM Sharp start to the segment and again a bit of fall off through the middle from around the 400m mark until about 800m. I forced myself to pick it up over the final 200m and finished strong but broken over the line.

The session I think went fairly well given my heavy legs which may have been the result of Monday’s longish run high up on the slopes of the Vineyards. Looking forward to the Parkrun in the morning.

[NeilJ]

Parkrun on Saturday was slightly better than anticipated where I ran in 25'12 at AHR of 151 BPM. Given that I wasnt feeling particularly great at the start things went fairly well. I was in actual fact quite surprised when I hit the 3Km mark and checked my watch to read 15:10, which given how I was feeling came as a pleasant reveal. My HR was particularly high which I think may have been a prime indicator as to how I was feeling. all in all quite satisfied with my run. Now if I can toe the line feeling positive and in good health and run at around this pace then surely the sub 25 must be achievable.

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Ran my longer one in the Vineyards up on the hills again this morning on a perfect winter’s morning. A glassy sun warmed the path just sufficiently to provide a warm glow without being too hot, without a breeze this was a beautiful run in a time of 1'04"26 at AHR of 146 BPM. Loved the run this morning, although I could feel slightly tight glutes over the top of the long climb. It is however these mornings that remind me of the most critical reason for running for me and that is to just acknowledge the gift of moving in nature in the full immersion of me with my thoughts. The greatest privilege a human can be granted.

[TheEd]

hi Neil, hopefully this is the start where things gain momentum

nice

TheEd

[NeilJ]

Thanks coach herewith is my little hill repeat workout.

Wednesday’s hill repeats went well and I actually felt pretty good right throughout holding proper form and posture. I started with a 1.8KM warm-up in 6’56 / K and finished with a 1.74KM cool down in 6’03 / K Here is the data:

1. 182M in 53’8 @ 142 BPM. I ran straight into the 1st segment from my warm-up onto the hill with my HR already at around 127 BPM. I don’t think it had any ill effects on the remainder of the session.
2. 180M in 51’7 @ 134 BPM. Remarkably I notice that my HR got up to 156 BPM it averaged only 134 BPM for this segment.
3. 180M in 51’6 @ 140 BPM. Very steady but had to focus to maintain posture.
4. 181M in 53’8 @ 133 BPM. I let this slip ever so slightly as I prepped mentally for the final segment.
5. 174M in 49’8 @ 136 BPM. I noticed I ran this ever so slightly shorter this the time. This finish line I use for this session is a tree on the opposite side of the road and not a solid fixed line. 
6. 183M in 49’6 @ 137 BPM. Decided to do the 6th repeat as I was still feeling pretty good, I made up for the short run on the previous effort and as it was the final one I threw a bit more effort at it.

This felt like a mini breakthrough session and I was feeling just a little stronger than I have in previous hill repeats. I deliberately cut my recovery times to around two minutes as I felt that I had not been putting enough stress on my cardio system, due to the elongated recovery.

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Finally arrived at my Park run with an absolute intention to crack 25:00 minutes on this beautiful Saturday morning. The temperature was around 14 degrees with no wind and a cool fog over the park. I felt that although the goal had been set previously and committed to with Gavin, I had been continuously delaying the effort, week by week as I was certain that at some point I would nail it. This morning was that week, during the weeks training I set the intention that it was going to be this Saturday as I was getting frustrated by the continual delays and internal excuses. The splits were:

1K 4’51.5 @ AHR 144 BPM. I decided that I needed to go out at a reasonable pace before hitting the 1st hill.

2K 5’12.4 @ AHR 149 BPM. This was over the 1st climb and I tried to keep it steady without blowing up over the top.

3K 5’03.0 @ AHR 152 BPM. The 3rd K is a combination of moderate downhill and flat which I decided was going to be my recovery section before approaching the hill for the final time. I ran this steadily not wanting to overcook my system or legs prior to the hill.

4K 5’09.3 @ AHR 156 BPM. Back up and over the 1st climb for the second loop was a bit of a stretch and I really had to find that voice of determination to maintain my pace. My max heart rate here peaked at 159 but I knew that if I could just get over the top and through the 4K mark in around 20’15 I could make up the difference through the finish.

5K 4’40.9 @ AHR 156 BPM. There is a short climb at around 4.2 K where I had to hang tough and then it was downhill and flat to the finish. I really had to kick over the final 200m to break the 25 min mark but just got there.

Thank you Gavin for your support and encouragement to get me to this 1st significant step towards getting back to where I was pre Covid. I must be honest that there were times that I doubted that sub 25 minutes would be achievable again, especially on this tough course but here we are. Much of the acknowledgement must go to you coach for having the faith and tenacity for hanging in there with me, its hugely appreciated.

[TheEd]

Hi Neil .. I was most happy to see the breakthrough

hopefully training this week has been more enjoyable

TheEd

[NeilJ]

Hi Neil .. I was most happy to see the breakthrough

hopefully training this week has been more enjoyable

TheEd

Thanks Coach, as life would have it just at the point of breakthrough I had a little mishap. I was sorting out my garage on the Sunday just after my breakthrough park run and reignited an old injury in my lower lumber spinal area, so my apologies for the lack of posting over the past 10 days.
 
I did manage an 8K shuffle last Tuesday in 57’36 as I tried to complete my 12K tempo training but at the 4K mark decided to err on the side of caution and turned back.

Having missed the speed session on Wednesday I ran a slow 5.29K  in 33’23 trot, Friday on the flat just to establish if I could manage Saturdays parkrun, that wasn’t too bad.

I did manage to get through Saturday on my home parkrun course with gritted teeth in 26’27. I was in a fair amount of pain and even screwed my watch up but got my time from the PR site.

Having done some exercises prescribed by previous Biokineticist visits, by today Tuesday, I felt that I could attempt a run and went into the vineyards and am happy to report that although a little tense and very mild lower back discomfort, I was able to get though my tough 10K route: 10,39 Km in 1:05’39. I think that my AHR may reflect the state of my current condition at 146 BPM. I think that this was a response to the stress and tension that held my run and form together, rather than any malaise or real pain that I felt.

Post recovery I do feel a slight pain in my lower back and will monitor that and run accordingly for the balance of the week. If I’m in good enough shape I will tackle the speed session on Thursday, otherwise it may just be a light jog.