RW Forum Six – Sub 5 Vanessa Ford with Plum

This week seems to have shot by in all sorts of weather.

Thursdays run - slightly less than anticipated due to torrential downpours and me getting lost as follows:

• Dist: 5.27m
• Time: 51:43
• Splits: 10.09, 9.42, 9.26, 9.58, 9.44, 2.40
• Avg pace: 9.48 min/mil
• Stretching 10 minutes

Saturday I decided to go to a Kettlebell Pump class - felt ok the rest of the day but woke up this morning with every muscle and cell screaming at me - note to self, don't do hard classes on the day before a long run .

Todays run was lovely weather wise and didn't feel to bad despite the aches and pains from yesterday:

• Dist: 10m
• Time: 01:46:30
• Splits: 10.55, 10.32, 10.51, 10.44, 10.29, 10.57, 10.28, 10.42, 10.25, 10.21
• Avg pace: 10.39 min/mil
• Walking 10 minutes, stretching 15 minutes

I tried cliff blocs on this run - not to bad if you like jelly and they tasted ok. The hardest thing was getting them out of the packet.

This weeks total mileage = 21.85m

It's half term week so plenty of time to run. The plan is Tues 4, Weds 3, Thurs 6, Saturday 12, Sunday 2 easy.

Yesterday was such a beautiful day for running - sun shining, frosty but warm enough not to need hat and gloves. I had a lovely run around the lake and along the canal - who wouldn't want to run in such a lovely place?

• Dist: 6.21m
• Time: 58:32
• Splits: 9.51, 9.41, 9.16, 9.06, 9.24, 9.25, 1.48
• Avg pace: 9.26 min/mil
• Walking 5 minutes, stretching 15 minutes

I'm really pleased with this as I wanted to see if I could do 10k at a faster pace so I've beaten my own PB and broken the hour mark

Wow  top runnnind there V........the split times there are awesome..........  whats the plan for the weekend?

Hi Plum,

I did 2.5 m Wednesday (no splits - not garmin country) in 21.43 and this is yesterdays:

• Dist: 3m
• Time: 28:42
• Splits: 10.26, 8.58, 9.16
• Avg pace: 9.34 min/mil
• Stretching 15 minutes

Not my best run ever and cut short as I wasn't feeling to great so I'm taking today off as a rest day even though I'm 1.5m down on my planned mileage. 12m planned tomorrow and a 10 mile walk Sunday (instead of my 2 m recovery run).

My big question now is - 2 weeks to MK Half, what's my approach? Do I go all out to run it in the fastest or do I stick to my weekend run pace or do a bit of both? I've never run in a proper organised race before (well not since school anyway)

Any tips gratefully received

You will have people around you and the tendency will be to go faster than you plan to especially in the first part, exactly yhe same as on the day of the marathon, it is surprisng how having people around you drags you along a bit quicker, also you will not have road junctions, traffic bikes etc to worry about.

Best intentions would be to run the first half at your long run pace then stop looking at the watch and give it a bit of a lash in the second half......only problem with that is holding yourself back at the start  

and dont change your routine just because it is a "race"  same breakfast same warm up and cool down and same nutrition you are currently happy with

and blinking enjoy it -)

I'm looking forward to it actually now that's it's so close (let's hope I feel the same about the marathon a bit closer - I'm dreading that at the moment)

Yesterdays run was hard work. I've been a bit off colour all week plus I probably had one glass of red to many Friday night and hubby was supposed to be biking alongside but had to work instead. I also ran to fast I think so I just burned myself out with the combination above.

• Dist: 12.56m
• Time: 02:10:42
• Splits: 10.03, 10.11, 10.16, 10.14, 10.36, 10.25, 10.16, 10.20, 10.18, 10.57, 10.41, 5.55
• Avg pace: 10.24 min/mil
• Walking 10 Stretching 15 minutes

The last couple of miles I felt like I was running through treacle so my aim next week is to slow it down a bit from the start.

Today I walked 9 miles with full pack in 3 hours - lovely scenery but boy was it cold. An afternoon of sofa and crap TV beckons.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Having a bit of a negative "I can't believe I signed up to this, I'm never going to be able to run that far" week so far - not sure why. Here's how the weeks gone so far.

Monday:

• Dist: 4.01m
• Time: 39:51
• Splits: 10:09, 9:43, 9:59, 9:56
• Avg pace: 9.57 min/mil
• Stretching 10 minute

Weds:

• Dist: 3.17m
• Time: 27:31
• Splits: No splits recorded
• Avg pace: 8.41 min/mil
• Stretching 10 minute

Today's plan is 6 miles and Saturday14.

Dont you dare be negative...... look back and think of when youy started and how far you have come already, you have the mental toughness to do it, all we need to do is sort out the physical side and it will be a walk in the park without the walking......

14 miles on Saturday will be a doddle...... weather doesnt look too crap either

Thanks Plum.

Thursday - not a bad run:

• Dist: 6.2m
• Time: 01:03:21
• Splits: 9.53, 10:17, 10.21,10.28, 10.20, 10.00
• Avg pace: 10.13 min/mil
• Stretching 10 minute

Saturday:

• Dist: 14m
• Time: 02:31:58
• Splits: 1 10:36 2 11:03 3 10:27 4 10:29 5 10:06 6 10:29 7 10:11 8 10:57 9 10:46 10 10:36 11 10:12 12 10:26 13 10:42 14 10:51
• Avg pace: 10.51 min/mil
• Brisk walk/jog 10 min Stretching 15 minute

One of my running club advised thinking of it as a 5 mile run, then a 5 mile run, then a 4 mile run rather than 14 miles and that actually worked well and all was going OK until mile 12 when I reckon I hit my personal wall. The last 2 miles were awful, everything hurt and I was so tired. I don't know if it was because I'd run alone (hubby was away so couldn't bike alongside) or because I hadn't slept particularly well but I felt miserable by the time I got home. I did eat carb and protein the night before, large bowl of porridge in the morning, drinks and snack whilst running. Who knows.

My heel was quite painful yesterday afternoon but I've iced and massaged it and (touch wood) it feels OK today. I'm also losing a toenail which doesn't help so that's all strapped up.

I've been out this morning and done a slow and steady 1.6m to loosen things up and I've booked a sports massage for tomorrow.

This weeks total miles = 29

Next week - 3 Mon, 3 Weds, 6 Thur, 3 Sat, MK Half Sunday and some work on the positive mental attitude

Thanks carterusm,

Just a short one today:

• Dist: 3.63m
• Time: 48:30
• Splits: forgot to charge Garmin
• Avg pace: 10.40 min/mil
• Stretching 10 minute

followed by a sports massage which hurt but overall legs feel better. The heel problem is apparently a heel bursa for which I've been given specific stretches and self massage techniques so hopefully I'll be able to keep it away.

I'm actually looking forward to the MK Half on Sunday now .

Hi

sorry been off wandering again   MK will be a good test of how far you have come and you will be pleeasantly surprised how comfortable it will be

you talk about struggling in the last couple of miles last weekend but they are all still at or below your average pace for the run, you have the endurance starting to buld now and you just have to work out what pace you can keep going at for the longer distances.... the aveages are getting faster as you get stronger and you have just to have that faith in your own ability, negativity is not allowed here :-0 

MK is just anothe step on the road to achieving your goal and has to be treated as such, it is not the reason for the training but part of it and you have to use it to learn from, it may not go perfectly but whatever happens we can look and learn from it and use it too improve again.

Go do it girl.....

Thanks Plum.

This weeks runs so far:

Weds:

• Dist: 3.2m
• Time: 27:28
• Splits: No splits
• Avg pace: 8.40 min/mil
• Stretching 10 minute

Thurs:

• Dist: 5.4m
• Time: 56:53
• Splits: 10.17, 10.09, 10.26, 10.11, 10.25, 5.2
• Avg pace: 10.16 min/mil
• Brisk walk 15 mins Stretching 15 minute

The heel was a bit sore earlier in the week but I'm keeping on top of it with the exercise/massages I've been given. I'm really looking forward to Sunday now. I'm planning to do my Saturday run tonight and have a complete rest day Saturday instead. Does that seem sensible?

indeed and i presume you resisted all urges to g9 cantering round the lanes.....

Chip time 02:09 dead on - happy days

As usual Fridays run didn't go as plan as youngest informed me he had climbing, not leaving me enough time to run. I went out Saturday instead and had a very satisfying run. I decided to check out the last mile of the MK Half course as it's uphill.

• Dist: 6.2m
• Time: 01:02:48
• Splits: 11.11, 10.26, 10.10, 10.12, 10.13, 10.25
• Avg pace: 10.26 min/mil
• Brisk walk 5 mins Stretching 15 minute

Sunday I woke from a crap nights sleep feeling sick to the point where I had to force down porridge and malt loaf. Once I got to the start and met some friends I felt better.

• Dist: 13.1m
• Time: 02:09:00
• Splits: 09:17 09:22 09:42 09:55 09:58 09:53 09:58 09:55 10:00 10:00 10:12 10:29 09:54
• Avg pace: 9.53 min/mil
• Brisk walk 15 mins Stretching 15 minute

I started faster than I should due to both the runners and the fact it was a downhill start and it took me a couple of miles to reign it in a bit to a sustainable pace (I hoped). I felt pretty comfortable the whole way round to be honest. I had a tight calf at mile 5 and just ran with longer strides for a bit and that sorted it and I felt a bit lightheaded at mile 11 but had a big drink of water and felt better.

I carried water and drank all the way round, just sipping, and probably drank 500ml in total and I had a clif shot block at miles 5, 8 and 11 - the first made me a bit nauseous but I think maybe I should have drunk more to get it down. I sprinted up the hill at the end as it's one we do in training often but that's the only bit I felt really puffed.

I'm really please overall and (apart from a painful heeel yesterday afternoon) feel great today.

Thanks for all the encouraging word - it really does help.

Bloody marvellous effort, excuse the language  

You must have had an enormous confidence boost from that ..... it wasnt the best of weather out there yesterday but you ran an awesome race...... all the training has paid off up to now, all we have to do is just keep the bandwagon rolling along. hope you are feeling ok today, tomorrow you will probably be a bit stiffer but a light run if you can should shift some of that lactic from those brilliant legs of yours..... what is the plan for the rest of the week?  

Thanks Plum.

I did a very slow steady 3.5 miles last night - no splits and I didn't even bother to time it but felt all the better for it.

Plan for the week is: Weds club 5K, Thurs club 10K Sunday 16-18m.

I'm thinking of swapping a couple of runs around for my holiday weeks. Instead of doing 20m on Sat 30th I thought I'd do 10 ish and then do the 20m on the following Tues just before flying to Turkey as it will be easier on home turf. That means w/c 25/3 total miles will be down to 23.5 (from 33) but the following weeks will be up to 26 (from 12) as I will not be running at all for the 3 days we are in Istanbul. What do you think?

Total miles last week 31.5

I understand the dropin mileage for the holiday and that is fine as we have known about it all along, if you feel comfortable oving the long one to just before you go and then maybe doing another long one once you get home and have the washing in the machine then fine,,,,,keep ypour legs ticking over on holiday but use it to rest a well... Coming back refreshed will reap enormous benefits once you hit the tarmac again

I'm certainly looking forward to the holiday .

This weeks so far:

Weds (snowing):

• Dist: 3.17m
• Time: 27:32
• Splits: no splits
• Avg pace: 8.42 min/mil
• Stretching 15 minute

Thurs (pouring with rain):

• Dist: 6m
• Time: 01:00:32
• Splits: 10.00, 10:17 09:57 10.00 10.07 10.11
• Avg pace: 10.00 min/mil
• Brisk walk 5 mins Stretching 15 minute

Todays run is now tomorrow as I have to spend the day in Leicester at a climbing comp with youngest son. The weather looks crap for tomorrow so I may well be running in wellies .