Talkback: ASICS Target 26.2 Team: Lee

Great to hear what's been going on

JohnFol @ runningBug 

Race day has now come and gone, due to iPad being out of charge I have been out of internet action, so here is a summary of the day. 

Completed a 2 mile warm-up, feeling slightly heavy legged but at the same time didn't feel slow, so toed the line with anticipation.

It turned out to be a strange old race, started well enough and sensible, the first mile in 5:22, but it is downhill and with the wind, then I settled into my running going through 2 & 3, in 5:45, 5:40 respectively, knowing that 35:00 was bang on at halfway.  I then slowed to take a drink and struggled to get back into my rythem for around 300m, and then started to punch the wind (it was pretty strong) mile 4 completed in 5:55, not too bad I just need to up the pace.  This however proved impossible, I turned onto the coast path and into the teeth of the wind, as I was running on my own it halted my progress and I slowed still further turning in a 6:12 mile.  At the end of this mile I was caught by a couple of other runners who I could shelter behind, as we made our way into the last mile, during this time we picked-up the speed and places (4, I think); mile 6 was completed in 5:50, OK for a wind against mile.  The final sprint for 1/4 mile was at 5:25 pace to finish 23rd in 35:58 (or 35:57 chip).

How do I feel about the race....OK, disappointed with the time, OK with the placing, annoyed about the wind as it meant it wasn't a true test of my current pace.  This is after 62miles in the last week with jetlag, not much sleep and a transatlantic flight.  But much more positively, at the end I felt like I could run the same pace for another 10km, so the engine is fine, just needs some more tuning.

I then ran a 2mile warm-down and felt like running much further, what is marathon training doing to me?

Steve, I have a few questions for you:

1. The fartlek session this week, how is it best run.  We have a club handicap (around 4miles) on Thursday could I use that?
2. When will the next installment of the training plan be ready?  I have entered Wokingham half as week spoke about
3. What would be a good ASICS half to run before Paris?
4. What do you think of the performace yesterday?

Re Fartlek - yes do the Handicap run but you won't win it if you do as I suggest and run 2 minutes hard (at 5k-10k pace) and then 30 secs fast jog (marathon pace) and back to 10k pace etc for as long as you can

Wokingham will be fine - will post next month's training shortly

Asics Half - probably Fleet would be ok though 3 weeks before as reasonably close to you though entries are closed so Asics will have to assist.

 If you were prepared perfectly and conditions were ideal then high 35s may be cause for concern but in circumstances it was still good speedwork. You can't always run good races if in hard training and less so if still possiblt jet laggged and in unfavourable conditions!

Choisty, seems like a pretty good effort in tough conditions + weekly mileage + Jet lag. well done.

Question for Steve, I'm aiming for a 2:45 at this years VLM (which is probably my stretch goal, as choisty would put it). I have a 10k this weekend. If the conditions are good on the day, what time should i be looking at if my VLM target is realistic?

 Thanks

Otis

Otis - basically a 2:45 equates to around 35 minutes for 10k though I was only running around 36 last time I broke 2:45 three years ago. However have also been in sub 34 shape before and couldn't break 2:45 then so no steadfast rule and lots of factors involved. I've known sub 33 10k runners who can't break 2:50.

 To run 2:45 is 6:17 a mile and a sub 2:45 is possible as long as you can run a 10k at least 20 seconds  a mile faster (high 36s) but even more possible if you can do it 30 seconds (high 35s) or 40 seconds faster (high 34s)!

Steve, I will stick to the plan and run fartlek today as you wrote about 2min hard 30s at marathon pace for 5 miles.  Then I will do the 800s on a loop thursday.

 Otis/Fraser, thanks for the support, after looking at the results I beat 4 chaps who I've been behind this season so it wasn't all bad!

I liked todays session, I put it off as late as I could but managed to drag my sorry butt out in the end, dreading it after Sunday.  I ran between 5:20 - 5:34 for the hard 2 mins, then got the wrong end of the stick and ran 1min recovery at marathon pace, well just outside 6:20.  I lost concentration on a couple of the recoveries and ran close to 7:00 pace.  It was nice that 6:20 pace felt easy.

I must write on my hand what I am actually suppose to be doing then I won't get it wrong.

Does anyobne else find that a session that you have been dreading actually turns out to be excellent

Also I am trying a protien shake afterwards for the first, I'll let you know how I feel tomorrow.  Anyone else with experience fo these?

Hey Choisty... well done on the Asics selection. I'm enjoying readingyour thread.

Not sure what your experience of your new Garmin is but I find the workout option really handy on mine when doing progression/fartlek training. Means I don't have to keep on top of what Ive done and what I'm meant to be doing as it's all pre-programmed before I go out. Also great for setting the pace and making sure I stay on course.

RE: protein shakes, not quite the same but I like For Goodness Shakes after tough sessions. They give me 50% of the carb/protein i need (based on McMillans RUNRR) straight after my run and then I eat the other 50% in solids within an hour of the session.works for me.

Johnas, I like the garmin and douse it for intervals but didn't know how to program in 5miles of 2min hard with 1min (although it should of been 30sec) recovery as I didn't knwo the distance I woudl be covering, also I found it handy to be able to ready the pace mid rep to ensure I was on pace.  I should of looked at more for the recovery as I did slip 4 times to a pace closer to 7min/miles due to lack of concentration.  Suggestions welcome on how to program it better.  I am using the SIS REGO shake, which tastes superb but I tend to through most of it around the kitchen!

Steve,  I just wish the race was today as I felt liek I could really fly, damn jetlag, did I mention on the return flight that I sat next to a chap with a leaking colostomy bag, the stentch was horrific!  The 6:20 pace feeling easy was a revelation and made me think this was the reason you set this session, to show how easy marathon pace should feel.