Go Hard

Under the AnT post I mentioned the difficulties I've had in hitting and maintaining running above the anaerobic threshold. Since that post I've had another two attempts. First up I hit about 3:47/km for 4 out of the 6 repeats plus to two dips down to 3:38-3:39/km. The intensity was definitely up and it was clear my legs weren't used to holding the pace here. The seventh repeat was a blow out to 4:12. Still not on holding 3:42/km for at least 8x1km, but a lot closer. About eight days later I got through to 8x1km. A big improvement. This time the running felt a little more natural and I wasn't as destroyed during the recovery kilometres. The average gave me 3:44/km with a variance between 3:39-3:50/km. These sessions are quite tough, but aren't causing a drop in the rest of my training. In fact there's been a very gradual creep in my recovery and basic running speeds from about 6:30/km a couple of months ago to around 5:30/km at the moment. This is also refl...

A longish run out on the trails started a couple of hours before dawn. I was hoping to cover 30km, but had to be content with 25km so I didn't encroach on family zoo time. Following soon after an extra 14 hour night shift, setting the alarm for 04:30 was already a big enough ask. Since the sun had better sense than I, the way was illuminated by my headlamp. The run was slow when compared to most of my other sessions of late. That didn't matter, speed isn't everything. Relaxed technique over as much technical stuff as I could find was what I was after. It did point out I've let some of that slip. The trails were all familiar to me. I've covered them many times. Linking up the main segments in different ways made it all a little more interesting. Being so early meant I was first through most sections for the day. That had me covered in an insulating layer of cobwebs by the end. Everything also looks different through the tunnel of light emanating from the hea...

Doable on paper. Bit harder in the real world. So far for my AnT runs, I haven't quite reached the mark.   I don't see this as a problem, more as information on my exactly where my fitness is at. I suspected a certain gap after the Coburg Harrier's New Years Resolution 12km, and that's been confirmed with two attempts at the faster intervals. Analysis of my race at Coburg showed I raced at almost exactly the same heart rate from go to woe. That gave me a gradual but consistent slowing over the race. I lacked the ability to push up the intensity and pace in the end. It's like there was some sort of ceiling imposed. The same has happened in the interval sessions since. The good news is that below these speeds (3:53/km and slower) I am excelling. My ability to hold them feels almost comfortable and I can keep going. So what's the problem? Basically it's a simple lack of specific fitness above anaerobic threshold leading to maximal oxygen uptake. Once I hit ...

About eight weeks (8 day version) is what I have to get up to standard. Two months is another way of looking at it. What's involved? Of course I need to clarify exactly what I'm training for. First up is the 10km Cross Country. A course that is a mixture of mainly flat bike path plus a couple of hills, with some thick and slow going grass. I feel the course runs nearly 2 minutes slow. Here I need to be in 37 minute 10km form (38-39min on this course). To do that I require a mix of fast flat speed and good strength. The cross country is backed up a week later with the half marathon. An absolutely flat circuit around Lake Wendouree. Based on previous years I need to be around 1:22 shape to be with a chance of top spot. I'm setting my sights on cracking the race's overall best time of 1:19:59. Then it's two weeks before the M2M. Here I have 19km of very steep, hilly dirt and fire trail for leg one. Then maybe under 3 hours later the relay comes back to me for a fai...

Nothing happened in terms of racing towards the end of 2012. A little bit of training filled the gaps. 2013 kicked off with a couple of races and some good training thrown in followed by a very down week. Now it's time to ramp things up. What's next? A racing schedule is taking shape. At the moment I'm not looking at hitting my main races without the traditional peak and drop. Instead I want a more linear progression that I can continue to improve beyond those races. Added in should be a touch of specificity to ensure I can make the most of my fitness in the races. The schedule is: Emergency Services Games  - 7th and 14th April 10km Cross Country Half Marathon Marysville to Melbourne  - 28th April Run legs 1 and 2 (19km and 14km) Great Train Race  - 5th May My goals are set high for these races and the short version is I'm looking for personal bests. Am I in form to hit those goals? If I raced them next week then the answer is 'no'. ...