Aikidoman's Group - FULL! (Page 12)

Here's what I have learned. During the days you do your "run" training....squeeze in some intervals instead of justing running the miles. That quick/slow pace every minute for at a minimal 20min at least 2x/wk will help increase your speed. Intervals are the key. No need to "add" it to your current plan, just incorporate it with your runs. But make sure your intervals are intense, you want to give it all you've got and then a slower pace and back at it. People vary their intervals to every 30 sec-fast/1min-slow or 2-3 fast/1min slow?? I guess it depends on your ability and continue to build. But don't do more than 2x/wk. You will see the results in your speed. So I have been told.

Awesome!!  Great job, glad to hear your season is starting out on a High Note!!!

Nice work!

I think you want to do a lot of your BASE training at that easy effort (Zone 2).  Think VOLUME, VOLUME, VOLUME...  The only way you can get that volume, is by going easier...

However, Z2 is not ALL you should be doing later on.  When you are about a month to 6 weeks out of an event you want to peak for, that's when you start to introduce intervals and some tempo work.  You would still want to do mostly Z2y stuff but if you run 3 times a week, one should be a shorter duration, but higher intensity workout such as tempo or intervals...

That should get you off your plateau.

Other tricks of the trade:  Try some downhill workouts.  That way, you can run faster (getting the body used to higher speed), but still keep the HR low. 

Let me add to the run intensity/volume thing...

You might want to look at the big picture.  You might be finding that your run time is not improving, or is stagnent, but a race is not just running.

What you might find by higher volumes in Z2, is that your run split in a triathlon will get faster because of the larger base you have developed, even if you open 10k or half mary time is not that much better.

From personal experience, I found that when I was training for longer distance events, and doing 90% slow/easy pace stuff, I was setting personal records on all my shorter events.  To the point that one of my Oly run splits was just a little bit FASTER than my all-time open 10k pace....  So basically, my top run speed didn't get much faster, but I was able to run at my top speed after a swim and bike.

Good to hear!

I know many of us were planning some weight loss at the beginning of the year.  Any progress?

I have really focused on my diet and changed nothing else.  So far, I have been averaging about 3-4 lbs a week for the first 4 weeks.  I started at 249 and I'm down to 235.  I have sort have relaxed my diet, so I need to get back on track, but I'm thinking 7-10 more weeks, and I should be at my ideal race weight.

I sort of realized that in the past, I never really 'tried' to lose weight.  I would work out more and try to eat better, but never had a plan.  Weight loss took a long time.  If you really keep track of it, it can come a lot faster.

that will go a long way...  Good work.

Is that also your weakest area?

If I could....

I wish I knew what to say to the group to get everyone out there.

Hopefully, daylight savings in a couple weeks will give everyone that extra boost.  Time enough to get a run or bike in during the daylight after work.