Shane's April-May Run Group (Page 3)

Week 6 (Last one!)

For this week, you can again add up to 10% to any easy run (you don't need to if you are close to the max time you are looking at or if you found the addition of the intensity to be fairly challenging). For the intense sessions, we will be adding a little bit of volume and increasing the intensity a bit but the goal is not make these much longer than before as the increased time at a higher intensity will increase your training load.

Key run 1 - long run - for this run, you want to add 5% over last week's long run and run the first half steady at E pace and then pick things up to T pace for 10-15 minutes before finishing the rest of the run at E pace. This should have a negative split because of the switch to T pace but you want the two E sections to be fairly close in terms of pace and effort.

Key run 2 - T pace run - warmup for 15 minutes of easy running and run steady at T pace for 25 minutes - if T pace for 20 minutes is a challenge, you can slow down by 2-5% over T pace for this segment. Cooldown for at least 10 minutes of easy running.

Key run 3 - Hills - a nice easy 15-20 minute run to warmup, finishing at the base of a climb (would aim for a grade of 4-8% that takes 3-4 minutes to climb). Run up the hill at a hard effort and then nice and easy recovery on the descent. At the bottom, turn and repeat until you have a total of 15 minutes of climbing in the workout.. Run at least 10 minutes easy to cooldown.

All remaining runs should be at an easy effort and you may include 4x30s strides at about 5k pace with 2:00 easy running between on one of the runs.

Hope all goes well and after this you will be looking for a race to test your fitness - looking to hear how the training and next race go!

Shane

I think I had managed to get dehydrated Friday (sweaty trainer workout AM, lunch duty with heat index of 110 at noon, errands after work) and still not recovered by the time I ran. Unfortunately spent most of Saturday after the run coaching at an (outdoor) swim meet. I ended up taking Sunday off--just exhausted and the thought of doing anything and getting hot (no pool access) was too much. I NEVER do this unless really sick but had visions of dragging around all week and then a stressful trip Thursday-Friday to the race. So just caught up on some house and schoolwork.

It seemed to help as had a very good run today. It's a workout I sometimes do during taper--6 X 400m with 2 minute jog recovery. They were all 1:30-1:32 (course I measured, so faster than last time; felt a lot easier than the last time I did them.) But given that the race is going to be in nastier conditions (its an afternoon start!) and I'll be more than a little "warmed up" from 40 km of biking, will make sure to start the run a bit conservatively!

I'm still on track and haven't missed any workouts. I did the week 5 long run yesterday. The previous long run was 15km, so adding 10%, my target for yesterday's run was 16.5 km.

I caught a ride with my wife to her church near downtown and then ran home. The shortest route would likely have been about 6km. So I ran along Calgary's river pathways and criss crossed the river on the pedestrian bridges. On one of the straight stretches, at around the 8 km mark, I turned around and started towards home from a point that I guessed would make the total distance come out about right. I didn't add any detours or make any route changes to fudge the distance. When I finished the run and stopped my Garmin at 16.50 km I was on the sidewalk in front of my house about 2 metres from my front walkway! As running accomplishments go it doesn't compare with a 20 minute 5k race but I still enjoyed it.

Don

Hi Shane
I did the week 6 kr3 today. Just the long run on Sunday and then I'm done. Thanks a lot for doing this - I think my running has really benefited from this training.

I'm racing 10km in the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon on June 1. Do you have any advice for the next two weeks? Maybe keep going with something similar to your program next week and then back off on the distance and intensity for the final week before the race?
Thanks
Don

Checking out for the time being as I'm taking a few weeks break from hard training and then starting over with more of a run focus. Miserable run at my Oly on Saturday but really doubt it was related much to training/lack of training, at least for run. Had a great swim (which, oddly, I haven't focused on much lately after a lot of work over the winter) but then just didn't seem to have it on bike and run. Both courses were very hilly (as in the constant rolling variety rather than a few big climbs, which usually go better for me) and I could never really get into a rhythm. By the run, my legs felt pretty dead and really suffered from the heat. Felt like I pushed the last few km hard, but actually I slowed down a bit on the second lap of a two-lap course (by about six seconds/mile). Just felt like a lot of effort to go nowhere. Several runners collapsed, so I guess it could have been worse. But a 51 minute Oly run is just not good enough, even on hills in those conditions. I was 9th overall (for women) on the run, 5th on the swim, 12th on the bike, 8th for whole race (out of 69, fairly strong field) in 2:41, won AG. The only other time my swim has been better than my run was the same race, three years ago. The swim has an insidious little undertow that you have to work in against twice, so I think somehow I have an advantage on this course due to good swim endurance. But not a great bike leg for me and pretty sad run.

It's weird but I feel like my tolerance for running in the heat has actually been decreasing lately. Not sure why. You'd think I'd be used to it by now.

Re-checked results. My run was actually 7th (2 "faster times" were DNF's after one lap). The one pro lady in the race ran 46+, another run specialist did 44. So not a speedy course, but still.....not pleased. Did 49 three years ago when not as well trained. Grrrr....

I don't think you should beat yourself up too much. Every race can't go the way we'd like. And... 2:41, first in AG, hot day, hilly course, other runners collapsing - it sounds to me like you did pretty well under some tough conditions.

Don,

Sorry, I wasn't on the computer much over the weekend - here's what I would suggest for this week and then back off for the last week with a harder (threshold type) workout early in the week but shorter (maybe 10 minute continuous) and the rest of your week easy with some strides if you want.

For this week:

Long run - I would cap it at 1:15 and after 30 minutes, do 10 minutes at half mary pace (T pace) and then 5 minutes at goal 10k pace before easy for the rest.

T pace - 20 minutes continuous at T pace or 6x1km at T pace with 60s rest between km's

Optional - 6x800m at 10k pace with 400m easy jog between (slower than I pace but faster than T pace) - just to get used to the pace and hopefully allow you to settle in on race day.

Shane

Sorry to hear that you aren't pleased with the result but based on what the results were for the day, it looks like you had a solid outing. Congratulations on a strong leg and hopefully a race with better conditions will see you able to crank out a result you would be happier with!

Shane

Agreed!

Shane

Hi Shane. Today was the day to put my run training to good use. I finished 10 km in 44:54, vdot = 45. I was pretty committed to a goal of 45 minutes and the Scotiabank race is the biggest running event in Calgary so i was quite peased with 4th overall in my age group (m50-54).

Thanks a lot for organizing this challenge. The timing was great and it was just what I needed to meet my 10 km goal. Don

That's awesome! Congratulations on achieving your goal and getting under 45 for the 10k - nice work!

Shane