The Breaking 2:24 Project
Blog 5
27/6/2018
Hey Cult,
To my regular readers, I apologise for the delay I try to consistently release this blog each Tuesday and feel a deep sense of dread when I fail to achieve this. I learnt one big thing in my early blogging career this week, allllllwwwwaaaayyyss ‘save’ as you go. Yep, yesterday I was good to go, I’d written all I wanted to write and I lost everything. So, this is the hastily re-hashed version!
If you are a first time reader of this blog, welcome to the fold.
What is run culture? I have been involved in running from a personal perspective for the past 20 years and treating running injuries as a full time physiotherapist for the past 8. Over the past several years, with family, friends, friends of friends, I have realised I field strings of running/physio related questions on a daily. I have become somewhat of an authority without even knowing it.
So, I created Run Culture as an online platform where passionate runners can; learn, enjoy, cherish, look forward to, share, discuss, and grow in regards to everything running. The aim is to consistently pump out a weekly value ridden run culture blog be it an interview or a personal piece on training/ injuries or some other running related topic (Hey, I’m open for suggestions?!) For those currently injured please feel free to jump on the injury discussion board I have set up, found under the menu section on the homepage.
A bit about me; For any one who has ever done the Myers & Briggs personality test, I am an (INFJ) Advocate. It’s a rare personality type; I enjoy helping others, I have an insatiable desire for continued learning, I am creative, I am analytical, I don’ t like stopping till I get to the heart of the matter, I have unflappable focus, I’m a good writer, I’m a perfectionist, I am insightful, passionate and determined. I enjoy the authentic company of other like-minded souls.
Advocates are many things; often they are councillors, work in healthcare, and or are funnily enough often passionate bloggers/ writers! To me, it just makes sense to write about running, all things running. I’m not forcing it, it’s just coming natural to me, I want to do it and I want to make a difference. As a physio I feel I will be able to provide some valuable advice in terms of prevention and rehabilitation down the track too. The prospects of Run Culture excite me, so please stay forever tuned. My writing and flow should improve, surely.
So, where were we, that’s right, Blog 5 of my; ‘Breaking 2:24 Project’- a series of posts documenting my 16 week lead up to the 2018 Berlin Marathon.
As I mentioned at the end of last week I had to alter what I originally had planned for this week after I came 55th at the State Open 10km Bundoora Cross Country (last year I came 22nd). Suffice to say I was disappointed but also the run made sense. In retrospect I went into the race too flat from my big ‘3 by 3km’ session I did the Wednesday before the race. It’s a mistake I am happy to make if I have a good one up at the Gold Coast half marathon on July the 1st. It just shows how caught up in it all us runners can get no matter how experienced we are. I’d been feeling ‘just so damn good’ in training that I had the foolish belief that ‘I’d be right.’
So, I just jogged till Thursday. I canned the original idea of hitting one more half marathon specific workout on Wednesday (5k,4k,3k at half marathon effort) as I really do feel I’m ‘fit enough’ and now I’ve just go to ensure I’m ‘fresh enough’ come race day. I still did two heavy gym sessions this week, next week I am just going to turn these sessions into some walking in the pool/spa and some light Pilates. I also got the routine massage on Monday. Next week I will shorten a few of my runs, do no sessions and get rid of my three weekly double runs.
Below is the week that was;
AMPMMonday70 mins easy at Langy Flora and Fauna Reserve
(15.4km at 4:33/k)Tuesday60 mins easy at Coolstores Rail Trail
(13km at 4:39/k)35mins easy at Patterson River (7.3 km at 4:49/k)Wednesday90mins easy at Devil Bend
(19.7k at 4:35/k)Thursday36mins easy at Edithvale Bike trail
(7km at 5:09/k)10 by 400m at Sandy Aths Track
(69,67,68,66,66,66,66,66,64,63)
4k warm up and down (5:20/k with papa)Friday60mins easy at Frankston Reserve (11.3km at 5:17/k)Saturday35mins easy at Edithvale Bike trail
(7km at 5:05/k)60min progressive run at Braeside Park .
(16.7km at 3:36/k)
10min warm down (1.8km at 5:20/k)Sunday1hr 40mins long run
at Langy Flora & Fauna Reserve.
(20kms at 5:01/k)Weekly Total Mileage:131kms1 massage, 2 gym sessions
3 doubles, 1 track workout, 1 progressive run, 9 easy runs.
On Thursday I caught up with Papa at Sandringham Athletics Track, he was bikeless. Instead he came armoured with his Matumbo Spikes, footwear that hadn’t seen the light of day since 2012! I was tired post work so Papa encouraged me just to do 10 by 400m repetitions with a static 1 minute recovery rather than quarters- 8 by 400m reps with a continuous 200m float recovery in 45seconds. It was another wise call, so I hit the session well, re-instilled some confidence and got some nice leg turn over from the session. I really do find this session helps me run at speed easier and more efficiently going into a race. There is a clear positive ‘neuromuscular’ effect.
Papa amazingly didn’t tear a muscle and got through the session pacing me for the first 200 of each of the 10 repetitions. He ‘got it done’ and still showed an inherent knack for pace judgement on foot. Although, it must be said he didn’t look quite as elegant or smooth as he does when he is perched abreast Jess’ bicycle. I rolled 69, 67, 68, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66, 64 and 63. As you can see I got unnecessarily carried away with those last two repetitions. You don’t need to hit 63 second 400s going into a half as a 68 minute half marathoner. In reflection, I think I was trying to dispel my result at Bundoora. It did the trick, I felt good about things again. I went straight from this session to the gym and got my second strength session done for the week.
Friday, was just another easy recovery jog day. I rolled around very slowly with stiff and sore calves as I always get after track workouts. I enjoyed listening to several episodes from Mario Frioli’s ‘the morning shakeout’ podcast on this run. He is a must, for all you fellow running podcast buffs out there! I also listened to mike dillard’s ‘self made man’ another podcast I am really divulging at the moment.
Saturday included a slow shuffle before work and then an hour progressive run after work. This was another change from my original plan which included a 20minute 1min on/off fartlek here. Papa and I agreed that the fartlek would be too similar to Thursday’s session and an hour progressive run was a more suitable option going into the half even just confidence wise as it was more specific. I did this session straight out of the car post work around Braeside Park solo. I have been far too spoilt for company in recent times, so this was good for my mental training going into next weeks race.
I hit;
10mins at 3:59/k avg -149bpm- straight out of the car no warm up
10mins at 3:42/k avg -159bpm
10mins at 3:36/k avg -165bpm
10mins at 3:33/k avg -171bpm
10mins at 3:29/k avg -177bpm
10mins at 3:19/k avg -184bpm
For a Total: 1hr in 3:36/k avg for 16.7km
For those staticians out there, my average cadence for the run was 201spm, this is a stat that I am hoping I can improve and get down by even 2%. The literature tends to suggest an idealised cadence of 180 spm. Although, my shuffling gait allows me to be light on my feet and does dampen my ground reaction force, I do believe it is bordering on ‘inefficient’ at times. My 5 yrs of Achilles tendinopathy have contributed in part to this high cadence and short stridelength. I am hoping my strength program gives a small amount of ‘pop’ back to my stride! The 4% certainly have!
Then it was off to Moorabin DFO for some Wedding suit research and onto Jess’ dad, Lino’s 61st birthday at nonna’s place in Boronia! So much Lasagne, so much Tiramisu!
I recovered really well from the progressive run. Maybe it was the Italian cuisine?! I can see why my mate Zacca Newman (from Run2Pbs) does them all the time. You get such a nice aerobic workout as you are always hovering around just short of) aerobic threshold for the vast majority of the run. It really was only the last 20 minutes that I started working at aerobic threshold and under. Hence, this is why you recover so well from what otherwise looks like a really solid hour effort. I really couldn’t feel it in my legs at all Sunday.
I deliberately wore a heart rate strap to get some data from this session. I have always had a high heart rate during exercise, I have finished half marathons with average heart rates of 188bpm. As of this fact I have shied away from their data. I have never really used them for workouts in the past but would love to keep doing this session down the track to see if my work rate lowers at given intensities.
On Sunday I just ticked over 20kms in 1hr 40mins at 5min/km around the rugged trails of Langwarren Flora and Fauna reserve. After this it was straight out to Edithvale Golf course for a round of golf with my dad and 2 brothers.
So, that was my training week, another brick in the wall, week 4 of 16 done! Sleep was slightly compromised one night, after getting sucked into the World Cup soccer. Otherwise, my focus on getting enough sleep to aid my recovery is certainly working with a few family members ensuring I stick to this haha! I’ve eaten really well this week, some great dinners and have brought in a prepared wholesome lunches (leftovers) every day this week. Still haven’t been drinking enough water each day, so that’s the next aim. ‘To bring a drink bottle to work each day and finish it!’
On another interesting sidenote, I caught up with my Physio clinic’s dietician this week on his recommendation to see if I can practice 4 weeks of doing my long run fasted in this prep to see if I can enhance my fat metabolism. He went over the specifics. I have scheduled this in on the Saturdays that I work in the morning. On these days I’ll do a quality workout in the afternoon, I’d eat a protein and vegetable dinner and do a long slow run Sunday morning before feasting on as much carb enriched goodness as I can find post run. The idea is that I get my body used to running in this depleted state. The other long runs of my preparation will be done practicing my race day nutrition strategy.
Also, for those interested this is what I have roughly planned for my 3 weeks after the Gold Coast half. I have found I take 2-3 weeks to really recover from an all out half marathon, so I have allowed for that in my schedule.
(11 weeks till berlin, Gold Coast 1/2 Mara recovery week )
M-40mins easy jog
T-50 mins
W-80 mins
T-35, 60 mins
F-60 mins
S- 35, 60 mins
S-2hrs slow at Ferny
(10 weeks till Berlin- medium week )
M-70 mins
T-35, easy mona (don’t look at watch just go by feel, don’t push, just turn legs over)
W-90 mins
T-35, 10 by 1min on, 1min off on trail (so it’s slow)
F-70 mins
S- 35, 5k tempo easy Mara pace (17:00)
S-2:20 Ferny
(9 weeks till Berlin-hard)
M-70 mins easy
T-60,35 mins easy
W- Ferny 60 into 6-8 1km hill repeats up 2 mile with Papa
T- 35,60 mins easy
F- 60 mins easy
S- 2:45 at Cape Shank- finish up Arthur’s seat last 3.7k hill
S-2 by 10k Albert park (in 34/34mins, 1km jog in between)
Anyway guys, that’s me over and out for another week, I hope you are all enjoying chasing your own goals! Please, don’t feel afraid to come forward and let me know how I could make these blogs of more interest to you all each week. Even if it is just to say ‘hi’ and introduce yourself as a fellow running enthusiast, please don’t hesitate to contact me at runlivegrow@gmail.com and subscribe to this weekly blog down below.at the link down below.
I’ll see you on the other side of my Gold Coast Half marathon race this coming Sunday. To all those who are racing as well, I hope you get everything out of the weekend you set to achieve! Looking forward to some good weather!
Like always guys may you all continue to
Run. Live and Grow!