Training, and More Training
Apart from a couple of days of recovery for shin splints last week, every day has had a decent level of training. The consistent workload looks to be working. I'm having to keep a close watch on my right shin, as there is a bit of an ache every now and then. Having identified the issue is with the insertion area of the tibialis posterior muscle, the management and preventative/compensation work appears to doing its job. That said, this week I've swapped the order of the steady long run with the marathon pace run to move the faster paced stuff further away from the speed day. It's the faster work that is aggravating things.
Each day my legs are always a bit stiff and sluggish at the start of every run. This sometimes remains for the whole session. A few seconds per kilometre have been knocked off the paces at or above anaerobic threshold level as a result. The promising note is the slower stuff, is naturally getting faster, but is actually feeling easier. For example, yesterday's steady long run was completed at an average of 5:11/km, whereas two weeks previous, over a very similar course it was run at 5:35/km and felt harder.
It looks like I've managed to prevent heading over the downside of an early peak. My body is responding almost as if it is in a low-intensity base phase, but with the ability to run quick if required. I wouldn't expect to see much improvement over the next two weeks, and might even feel flat at the start of the two week taper. Yet, with the improved base-endurance paces, the ability to run for a long time at a bit below threshold, with feeling comfortable at faster speeds, the ground work is all set for a good jump in performance come marathon day.
Each day my legs are always a bit stiff and sluggish at the start of every run. This sometimes remains for the whole session. A few seconds per kilometre have been knocked off the paces at or above anaerobic threshold level as a result. The promising note is the slower stuff, is naturally getting faster, but is actually feeling easier. For example, yesterday's steady long run was completed at an average of 5:11/km, whereas two weeks previous, over a very similar course it was run at 5:35/km and felt harder.It looks like I've managed to prevent heading over the downside of an early peak. My body is responding almost as if it is in a low-intensity base phase, but with the ability to run quick if required. I wouldn't expect to see much improvement over the next two weeks, and might even feel flat at the start of the two week taper. Yet, with the improved base-endurance paces, the ability to run for a long time at a bit below threshold, with feeling comfortable at faster speeds, the ground work is all set for a good jump in performance come marathon day.
Goal Inflation
With training going so well, and race day a bit over four weeks away I've found my mind trying to look too far ahead. This seems to happen leading into every important race I do. I start thinking about the next training plan, the next race goals and it seems almost like an excuse not to do what is required right now.
Along the lines of the mind trying to subtly sabotage things, I also start thinking I should go for an even faster race. An old article on training for Ironman written by Bill Davoren warns about this exact thing. Remember the original goals, and don't get carried away and blow the race.
So an important reminder to keep me on track:
Good to hear you are right on track. So does your goal mean that you are planning to run at 2.59 pace or are you planning to run faster than that? Or is it a state secret?? Cheers, PB
ReplyDeleteGood knee drive in that top photo Jason!
ReplyDeleteExcellent point about remembering the original goal (which is an amazingly meaningful time to all runners). If you're traveling well you could crank out a negative split or 12-minute last 3k.