Project Good For Age Week 11 of 30
Goal : Automatic Entry Into the London Marathon
How? : Run a 3:15 Mara @ Manchester Mara in April (Current PB 4:45)
First Step : Run a 45 Minute 10k @ Windmill 10k race on 12th November (achieved) (10k time at start of project : 58 mins) www.fyldecoastrunners.com/uploads/5/2/4/9/52490083/w10k3_overallresults_classic.pdf
Next Stop : Blackpool half mara in Feb – Target 1:37 (Current PB 1:58)
A very productive week.
I have been a good little boy on the diet and alcohol front.
I have got my weight down to 13/6. (start point 14 stone) so am feeling good about that.
And I am all signed up for my next target race, the Blackpool half mara in Feb, which I am very excited about.
So all is well.
I thought I would give you an insight into my training, where my head is at with it and what I am looking to achieve, so here goes….
Monday 5k speed set on the mill www.strava.com/activities/1298255330
At the start of the journey, my ‘default’ setting was always speed 10 on the mill.
Always.
During the last 8 weeks, I have slowly worked my way up to a position where I can run at setting 14 non stop for the 5k midweek speed sets. (21:30 5k)
It was time to notch it up to the next level.
I was nervous about this, My Heart rate was high enough at last week’s speed session as it was, never mind ‘cranking it up’.
But I was interested to see what was going to happen.
My plan was sorted, I would run for 4k @ 14 and try to do 1k @ 15.
But which km to choose?
I opted for the final one on the basis that Once it was over, there would be nothing more left to do.
3km into the set and I began to question this.
The first couple of km were ok but by the third my HR was beginning to climb to the mid 160’s.
This unnerved me however I went ahead and cranked it up to setting 15 for the last kilometre as planned.
You know what, it was surprisingly ok.
My body felt strong enough to cope with it and my breathing certainly quickened, but it felt more comfortable than I was expecting.
What I was more worried about for this last bit was my HR, fairly quickly this jumped to 170 and peaked at 174 and I don’t really want it to be going much higher than that.
It was only when I was sitting in the sauna after the set that it dauned on me – this was my first attempt at a new speed – so if it’s only peaking at 174 first time out and at the back end of an already challenging session to boot, i’ll take that all day long.
Wednesday 5k speed session on the mill, exactly as above www.strava.com/activities/1298254440
Settled into this one nicely however was rudely interrupted by the cleaner at around 2,5km.
I appreciate that he has a job to do, but my gym is huge, there is loads for him to clean, yet he starts mopping directly in front of my mill…
Whatever chemicals were in his bucket absolutely reaked and it proper went to the back of my throat, I could literally feel them poisoning my lungs with every breath.
Mate can you piss off and do that somewhere else please?
Also, I swear he was staring at my ‘package’ on multiple occasions as he pretended to mop (I wear my tri-suit)
Mate what are you staring at?
These two things agitated me to the point where I almost abondened the session.
Not what the blood pressure needs when you are ‘pushing it’ close to the red line.
Now I know what the ladies in the gym must feel like when the blokes keep staring at them all the time.
Seriously guys you need to stop it, you have no idea how uncomfortable it makes them feel.
Back to the training and my HR was pretty much the same as Mondays session, steady at 164, rising to 170 once I cranked it up and peaking at 174.
What I don’t get is that the last km feels easier than what I thought – its a weird sensation and one I find difficult to describe. it’s very different to what I was expecting, certainly from a strength perspective where my legs feel perfectly fine.
That said, do I feel like I could have a lengthy debate as I run?
No…
But nor am I exactly gasping for breath.
I think im simply riding the adrenaline wave of being able to do a new speed for the first time but make no mistake, that HR needs watching like a hawk.
Roll on Friday!
Friday – Same again – 5k ‘speed session on the mill’
Exactly As before, 1-4 k @ speed 14 – 4-5k @ speed 15.
First thing to point out, there was an ambulance sat outside the gym when I got there today which brings me on to something that I have been meaning to say for a while.
Your health, in particular your heart, is your greatest gift.
You must treasure it.
The last thing I want you to do is copy me and end up giving yourself a heart attack.
Always remember that I am coming into this project with a very high level of base fitness.
The thing about fitness is that we are all at different levels, so if you have a goal that you are looking to achieve go see your GP and then consider hiring a qualified running coach. (If you need any help finding one drop me a line via social media and I will put you in touch with some of the best in the business).
Afterall, what do I know?
I’m just a lone wolf who is trying to do it all on his own, experimenting, pushing my boundaries both mentally and physically and i’m using this website to record my experiences, so this blog is for resource, reference and entertainment purposes only.
Is that clear?
Good.
Rant over.
Onto Fridays session and speed 14 is starting to feel very comfortable all of a sudden to the point where I found myself happily chatting away to someone who I hadn’t seen for a while for the entire first kilometre.
HR seems to rise and settle at mid 160 ish before jumping to early 170’s once I crank it up for the final kilometre.
I was feeling very strong today however felt like I was holding on a little towards the end.
The idea of these speed sessions is that they feed into the weekend drill where I am looking for something very particular to happen.
I am very excited to see what Sunday will bring.
Sunday – 12k Run on the Mill at Target Race Pace (Speed 13) www.strava.com/activities/1300266257
What I am trying to create with the speed training in the week is a situation where ‘race pace’ (speed setting 13) feels ‘easy’ like I could do this pace ‘all day long’ (or run a mara at this pace for example!)
Did this happen today?
For the first couple of kilometres it felt a piece of piss..
2-6km were a bit strange and difficult to describe, I want to use the word ‘boring’ and because I was getting bored I wanted to stop.
My heart, lungs and breathing feel fine, I think its the pscological aspect of still having so much left to do versus the midweek sets that I find challenging.
However once I got over 8km the adrenaline kicked in and I was high as a kite at how strong I was feeling for the first attempt at the new distance at target race pace.
I seem to feel stronger the longer it goes on, which I will take all day long and sailed home totally in control.
Looking back over my heart rate, this seemed to settle and stay steady at around the mid 160’s, which was higher than what I was expecting, if you think that is 90 percent of max but it certainly didn’t feel like 90% effort, it felt more like 75% – So I would be much happier to see it stay steady in the 150’s however it is still very early days and remember, I am running at target race pace.
But Let us not forget that I am doing all of my work on a treadmill, and being able to maintain target pace on the mill is a very different thing to maintaining it out on the open roads….
Many a coach will be very quick to tell you that one…..
Next update: 10/12/17 – It’s Xmas party season, behave Rookie..
To your amazing journey!
By the way, I have written a book, it’s all about how I went from zero fitness to completing an Ironman triathlon, it’s only just come out but it has got some fantastic reviews already!- you can check them out here: (also available on Amazon in the US but please read the UK reviews first!)
