Moraghan Training - Stevie G

You're certainly having a long time of the full comeback Phil! Reminds me of the time I was healing up after a footy injury, months just come and go.

Hopefully you'll be cracking for the summer at full pelt though.

You do look a bit like that chap Ric K who used to have a site of race photographing!

Matt, i didn't get the calculator out, but sounds a good session.

Always hard coming back to the logner stuff Philip. Getting there though

Nice session Matt.

SG - what's this about a sub 1:18? I'll settle for nothing less than beating Phil Wicks (which is just as likely)

Spoke to Anuradha Cooray today. He was very disappointed with his 68:36 at Watford Half. Shouldn't have been, as it was only 1:30 down on a 63 min Ethiopian!  I told him he should have done Wokingham!!)

yeah why on earth did he bother with a hilly course a similar distance away!? Clearly these chaps don't do the research we do.

Reminds me of Nick (forget the surname) who turned up on this forum once to ask advice about Marlow half. I told him, it's "very hilly", but he still went and did it.

Was aiming for sub 1hr 15 for a championship place, missed it by 30secs, went and did Gosport a month later and smashed miles under 1hr 15

Nik Browne. 2:29:47 in Boston 2011, got the year with a 26.2 mile tail wind.

The Bus wrote (see)

Always hard coming back to the logner stuff Philip. Getting there though

Got to decide how long long is. Normally I do 13-15 midweek and longer at the weekend but no need to do so as no mararthon before October so maybe I need less distance and more intensity. Don't think 4x200 will be on my list though.

A decent session tonight: 3 x 4mins, 3 x 3mins, 3 x 2mins, 3 x 30seconds. All with half recovery, apart from 30 seconds that was full recovery. Average pace for each set was 4mins (5:35per/mile) 3mins (5:34per/mile), 2mins (5:22per/mile) 30sec (sub 5pace) Felt really good and form was much improved. Shows how the wind can play hell with your effort levels.

Good to see your on the mend Phil, I'd just leave the intensity out and get plenty of base mileage in so you're strong and aerobically fit again. Do you use a HRM to keep tabs on fitness? Coming back from the niggle in December I've found it very helpful to keep an eye on mine now and then.

Stevie see wrote (see)

Do you use a HRM to keep tabs on fitness? Coming back from the niggle in December I've found it very helpful to keep an eye on mine now and then.

I don't as I have never found a use for one: I run harder, my heart beats faster, not rocket science. If I train at 140 BPM and race at 140 BPM then I won't beat my PBs.  If you have some guidelines to follow I may well do so.

I know my aerobic/easy zone (or fat burning) is 150 to 165 beat per min. So in early Jan to do 7 miles @ 7:45pace at 167 beat per min. Then to do 10.5 mile @ 7:10 pace but with 153 beats per min. I know I'm back at it. Sometimes perceived effort can be misleading; there were many runs in early Jan where I felt OK again, only to realise my heart rate was right up. I don't use it for anything else - never for effort training or tempos, that's all pace based.

Once the aerobic base is back and you're clicking miles off at a low HR then that's when I got back to the hill/interval sessions.

I knew I shouldn't have come on for a read this week. Whats with all the hyping SG! I'm already having the weeks pre-half highs and lows.

That target seems achievable... but look at those splits...
Trainings been solid and quick the last few weeks... but have I done too much and will I be tired on the day...
Havent done a interval session with the club for weeks...
And all the rest!

I know what you mean PC2 - I've already had the start of flu and several unexplained injuries this week  Just the usual pre race hypochondria in the run up to a big event!

Philip, for what it's worth, if I was in your shoes I'd be trying to build up both distance and endurance, but very gradually on the intensity almost on a run-as-you-feel basis with the main focus on building endurance. Not sure about HRMs myself, but many who use them swear by them.

Sorry PC2, you'll notice I've used the magic tactic of deflection to hype the pressure on you lot

Let's just hope the snow doesn't come and make it a right old hardship for us all!

Nice F OFF today, and Sat is 4 and 3. Nice.

Never bothered at all with heart rate monitors and the like. How would you factor in running up hills for instance, that'd be harder work on the Heart rate, so you'd have to estimate it out.

SG - shows how different we all are for preparing for a race.  I wouldnt go out for any run the day before a race let alone a double (even though they are minor distances) yet i know others that its essential for them. My coach for example does the same as you too.

Stevie G . wrote (see)

How would you factor in running up hills for instance, that'd be harder work on the Heart rate, so you'd have to estimate it out.

That sort of thing is actually much easier with HR. Say I go out for a run at easy pace of say 8 m/m and there is a hill and I run up the hill at 8 m/m and down it at 8 m/m it is obvious I have worked hard up and rested down. With HR I could do the same so lets say my easy pace is 50% so with my HR range from 60 to 180, 50% is a HR of 120. I therefore run at 120 and as I go uphill I slow down to keep it at 120 and downhill I speed up, so a much more even run. Many runners go uphill too hard and downhill too easy because of misconceived perception.

My issue is then the difference between this theory and reality. I could easily set a 50% run and execute it, but if I had a coffee beforehand my HR would be elevated, and if I was ill the same. I could also say do a standard course in a standard time and look at how my HR behaves but again there are so many factors that come in it is hard to spot what is fitness and what is an argument at work.

dean richardson 7 wrote (see)

SG - shows how different we all are for preparing for a race.  I wouldnt go out for any run the day before a race let alone a double (even though they are minor distances) yet i know others that its essential for them. My coach for example does the same as you too.

This Nike store ad is getting on my nerves now!

I'll always do a short, easy run the day before a race, as otherwise the legs seem to stiffen up. usually rest on the Friday. Not sure I'd do a double though 

Weather forecast is looking very dodgy - very wet, but biggest risk is getting stuck on the way back in snow, with some forecasts predicting 4" of snow in the Chilterns later in the day! Best make sure to take some warm clothes and food!

With HR Philip, isn't one of the reasons to use them to know when you have an elevated heart rate through being ill and adjust your effort accordingly? The coffee point is interesting - I always have a strong coffee before a morning run!  the biggest issue for me with a HRM is the thought of wearing the chest strap....

In older days I used to rest the day before a race. Before a half marathon I used to barely move! But then this was the same mentality that saw me barely ever do a warm up.

Pre race runs get your legs prepared, and just as importantly throw off that restlessness.

Can't worry about the weather. If it does suddenly become a ridiculous monsoon, it'll at least make a great story. Be glad this is a 25mile trip rather than last week's 75mile trip!!

nike ads are making it bloody hard to edit that post....so just to add, i'd normally do say a 6 and a 4 on a saturday, so the 4 and 3 keeps the structure similar.

the 3 will be so easy it won't risk anything! But it'll keep things loose and show me sunday is on!

because while it's the same mileage, a 7 in a single is more impact than a 4 and a 3.

It's a similar  reason that I do doubles rather than a 10 at easy most days.

The Bus wrote (see)

I'll always do a short, easy run the day before a race, as otherwise the legs seem to stiffen up. usually rest on the Friday. Not sure I'd do a double though 

Same as Bus for me.  For a Half Marathon, I'll rest on the Friday, but do a 3-miler Saturday evening including some short bursts at race pace.  Apart from anything else, it settles the nerves (unless you suddenly discover a new niggle!).

For a 10K, I'll usually just do my normal training (plus the Saturday evening 3-miler) then race, unless it's a major target race.