HADD training plan

Catching up after long weekend away (not running) but competing in Sporting Car Trials finals in Cornwall (which involved lots of walking up slippy hills and lots of adrenalin rushes so HR got high but not necessarily in a good 'sustained' way)

Chick - RESPECT!!

Keir - great performance - HADDing rules

Been on bench for a week - so back to running this week. Worried now about trying for PB at Silverstone HM in March. I'll just have to relax about it and see how it goes.

Keir ... fantastic win! Sounded like a tough day out too!!

Brian. Sounded like a really tough day out for you too ... hard to cope with 1st class and all!

13.2 miles at the crack of dawn yesterday ... 68% maxHR on a very hilly route ... legs were still mashed from Brian's 5M race on Friday. And boy of boy was it was COLD at 6:30! Then went off to the peco XC race at Bramley Fall to watch my son race over 2M - he came in 3rd and just avoided getting chicked by the first girl  (very important when you're 14!) ... she was literally half his size.

Double commute day today... stage 1 done.

Good running, Dr. Dan

Keir: top class racing .

Andy: sorry to hear you are benched. Remember what I said about regular physio / sports massages ...   perhaps something to try to "un-bench" you sooner rather than later?

StewartC wrote (see)

That is some session Chick, how long did it take to recover from, and excellent pacing, all your hard work is paying off

I'm going to put the last couple of days out of my mind and just crack on with the "shit" phase, I'm not sure weather to rest or not tonight as I had a sports massage

I'm very lucky to recover quite quick. Generally any exertion is forgotten by the time I'm home and got some food down me throat ... the occasional rest day helps too. Monday is usually my rest day.

I would rest after a sports massage.

hollers wrote (see)

I've had my own wow moments this week. An evening 9 miler at 75% came in at 7:55 pace which represents approx a minute improvement from when I started hadding 10 weeks ago and then did 11 miles with 9 @ 80% and I was hitting 7:10-7:15 without any obvious drift.
I'm nervous about doing my next run in case it's a disappointment.

 - top news, hollers. See, your long run yesterday proved how far you've come and that the good runs earlier in the week weren't a one-hit wonder. Hope the groin thing is just a small niggle.

JohnnyBike wrote (see)

I visited my orthotics man yesterday for gait analysis. My current orthotics (which are 7 years old) are correcting my calves by about 90% but I have ordered some new ones to get the extra 10%. I think it worth it if if helps me avoid injury. That costs me at last 2 physio sessions a time so £70 * 4 injuries a year.

This morning ran 4.75 miles to the gym, stretched etc for about 10 mins and then ran home for another 3 miles. I was adopting a jog/walk/stare into the distance strategy round about 6 miles as the break had caused me to stiffen up a bit, then a runner had the temerity to go past - no doubt feeling very cocky.  I gave him 25 yards start and then ran 45-50 seconds a mile quicker than I had been doing for 1.5 miles for only a 10bpm rise in HR. Stuffed him into the distance. It is those little things that make me feel I can improve relatively quickly once I start getting the miles in.

Nice one, Johnny. I love it when you leave people eating your dust . Hope the orthotics erase those calf probs once and for all.

JohnnyBike wrote (see)

Secondly I think it was here or on the P&D thread she said something about the weather normally being better at 05:00 then than later on in the morning and I wondered if anybody else had picked up on that and how factual it was.

Would be interested if it's the same in other regions. I'm in Northern Germany and  got wet on many a lunchtime or evening run cursing myself for being such a lazy sod because early morning it was fine and dry

whoops, that was cut off ...

BD: hope your running goes well this week.

Did 19 miles progressive yesterday - 6m @ 9mm, 6@ 8:30 and 6@ 8:00 and 1m coold down. Felt pretty strong but the cold wind and occasional sleet shower made it a bit hard in places.

BD, Hope this week is back to normal training-wise.

DrDan, Nice long run, and thumbs up to Dan jnr! A chip off the old block...

chick, good progressive long run there. Don't you be peaking too early.

Lunchtime towpath 90min run, 12M @ 7:27 for 139 (75%) Did an MP session with a colleague, middle 70mins at 7:15 pace.

A very Impressive Long Run Chick !!

Nice lunchime Run too Brian  -Nice MP pace in the middle.

A record week for me last week. 70 miles. Doubles certainly help the mileage. A cut back week this week to about 55 or so I think. I have also dropped out of a 12Km race to ensure that I avoid injury. At the moment its mainly slow miles for me - with the odd SS or progressive run. Running with the dog has helped keep the miles slow Happy with Training so far - just need a few more long runs under the belt in the next few weeks !! !!

Sorry, fell off the support bus. Lots of great stuff going on so congrats to all on great work (and speedy healing to those in need).

Keir, you rock! Congrats.

I'm buried in work, not getting much sleep at all, and this week's ILTHR run showed it. Pace was OK, but at mile 5 I literally felt sapped of strength. I feel like I'm in an overtraining funk but haven't put in enought miles for that. I think it comes down to 2 things: lack of sleep and not drinking nearly enought water (been eating pretzels, etc during the work binge).

Today its sunny and 50 degrees (feels like a sunny July day!). Debating getting some easy miles in but fear work precludes this.

Sounds tough VTR but hang in there. I am sure it will get better soon. Just treat it as an enforced rest and try and make the most of it. Easy for me to say I know.

Good luck at the Helsby hm on Sunday ATD

VT: It's a hard ask sometimes to balance training and work, especially if work takes it out of you. I would probably leave the ILTHR runs for a while - they may do more harm than good if your defences are already down from work stress. Stick to easy running, try and get some more zzzs and hopefully things will settle.

Andy: great stuff!

AGF: that's mega miles! Excellent!! I have to admit that I really hate doing doubles so respect for getting some in!

Brian. wrote (see)

chick, good progressive long run there. Don't you be peaking too early.

EEEK! I have just started P&D today ... and I was struggling. So I guess no danger of peaking just yet. The struggling was down to snow and -8.5 degrees (16.7 F) which caused my asthma to flare up. Needed the inhalter twice. VT would probably run in vest and shorts  ...

Chick, hope the asthma has settled down, sounds like tough conditions for running

VT, hope the work situation improves 

Thanks for the support you guys. Chick, you have a good suggestion. Dial it down until the crisis is past. I took yesterday off (despite the awesome weather) and will likely do as you say, keep it easy and relaxed. No need to push in this stretch as I've really got until summer to begin the formal marathon build up. And sorry to hear about the breathing difficulties in cold weather. You might not like it in VT, but you'd absolutely hate it in Minnesota where I grew up...seriously cold there!

Getting back into it - but taking it easy with 3 runs from Saturday all at 4 miles and less than 75%.

Prior to my 'rest' last week I had been getting a burning sensation in the base of my heel which I believe may be a touch of plantar fascia. I do have a high arch with little give in it so I require good support. I changed shoes in November from Brooks to Asics which now have only 150 miles on them - have done these short runs on my old Brooks and I'll try the Asics again later this week.

BD, Aaaaagghh! If it is the dreaded PF, be very careful. Rehab it properly or you may be struggling for a long while!! I've had problems with PF on both feet.

Last hard session prior to Brass Monkey HM on Sunday:

8.5M incl 3M @ target HM pace. 61:49 for the whole run (7:16 / 73%)

3M tempo came in at 6:05 pace for 162 (88%)

Had to slow down for icy parts on the towpath too. That's given me a bit more confidence for Sunday. 

Brian - good luck for Sunday - how are you tackling it? Splitting into 3 parts 75% / 80% and 85%??

Also - if I have got PF - how did you tackle it (I know we are all different but it would be good to hear some ideas). Correct shoes for one!!

Be careful BD!

Nice going Brian ... let's just hope for okayish weather now!

3rd consecutive 2x5M double for me today ... hoping for a 4th tomorrow before a couple of days rest, although I may do single 5ish at lunchtime on Friday, depending on work.

BeDe, I tend only to run marathons at HR (and am seriously contemplating pace in future), and will run to feel on Sunday. I will have one eye on pace though, and want to go thru the first 3 miles at no more than 6:12 pace. After that I'm hoping to accelerate, ideally running the first 10k at about 6:10 pace. I averaged 168 (91.3%) at Eindhoven, would like to average round about the same. Obviously dependant upon the weather - it's looking dodgy at the moment.

PF - Rest and ibuprofen until it stops hurting whilst walking. Then very gradual rehab. It's a case of stretching and strengthening. The PF is generally caused by a tight calf (which also can be caused somewhere else, for me it's because my shoulder dipping slightly because of a lower back problem). So stretch and strengthen the calves firstly and then stretch the foot. I find the best way to stretch the plantar fascia is 1. rolling a golf ball under the arch. 2. Kneeling and sitting on my feet with the toes stretched outwards behind you. 3. Coupled with stretching the toes the other way by pressing the ball of the foot into the wall whilst standing, which curls the toes upward agianst the wall. Hope that makes sense!

Thanks AtD, hope the niggles are subsiding.

DrDan, Nice doubling. All-in-all your gonna be as well prepared as you could be for BM. Things have gone well since shaking off the lurgy.

I'm relaxed about the BM. Had convinced myself I was a way off pb shape having struggled the last 2 or 3 weeks. Yesterdays run has given me some confidence but not getting my hopes too high cos of the crap weather. It's amazing what a bit of taper can do - missed the weekend long run and the gym session, and hey presto - the run becames much easier/faster. Looking forward to meeting up with a few forumites.