February 8, 2010

Half Easy Week

Week of Feb 1 - 7
100km / 62 mi.
This was planned as an easy week (90km, easy runs), but Jedi Master Joachim told me I should do a long run EVERY week (speeding up at the end), and I also finished Once a Runner and read an interview with Masters legend Ed Whitlock (who does 3 hours EVERY day), AND one with a 67-year old who just ran a 3:01:56 and who runs further, at a faster pace, than I do. So feeling both guilty and motivated, I cranked it up a bit the last three days of the week.

Monday
Rest

Tuesday
10k @5:30.
AM - weights and abs.

Wednesday
10k @5:16

Thursday
10k @5:15
Legs felt fresh, but it was cold (3C/37F) 5:30pm

Friday
20k @4:45
24:57/24:31/23:16/22:20 @5:00/4:54/39/28
Felt good 2nd 10k after getting warmed up. Not trying to run this pace, but it felt comfortable.
AM - weights and abs.

Saturday
20k @5:07
@5:14/14/4:58/5:01
Strong wind! Against me going out. A "hat-tightening" wind. (After grabbing your hat 6 or 7 times, you have to come to a complete stop, take off your hat, tighten the strap, and jam it back onto your head.) Still, was running a decent pace - without paying any attention to it, just fighting the wind. Coming back was delightful.
Planned this as a recovery day, which used to be 5:25-30 pace, but the damn 3:01 guy does his recovery days at 5:00.

Sunday
30k @4:55 2:27:39
26:21/26:31/25:46/24:22/23:11/21:26
@5:15/18/06/4:52/39/17
Felt ok going out, but not great. Planned to come back at 4:50,40,30, but legs felt a bit tired at the turnaround, so thought 10 seconds slower each 5k would be ok. Drank a gel (Weider Protein) during that 5k and managed 4:52 pace. Then just kept getting faster. Surprising! Very focused over the last 5k (4:27/27/15/11/06) and ran faster than marathon pace. A very good run.
Time: 2:30
Temp: 9C/48F, windy, but not as bad as yesterday
Weight: 60.8kg
Shoes: 240g Nike Air Zoom (marathon shoes)

Total for week: 100k/62mi. 8:26

10 comments:

  1. How do you know the "damn 3.01 guy" of whom you speak does his recovery runs at 5.01?

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  2. That Joachim, he's a tough guy to please.

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  3. Hi Bob, thanks for stopping by. I read Once A Runner about 6 months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it and was also tempted to run the 20 x 400's but didn't think it would help my marathon build up at the time.

    We both appear to be heading for similar race time goals although you have achieved/exceeded them in the past. So I think i'll follow your lead to see if I can get that elusive sub 3 hour marathon.

    Regards,


    Grellan.

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  4. I'd be happy to do my tempo runs as fast as the "damn 3:01 guy" does his recovery runs! Hosaka just scraped a 61 WR, but I'd say he's on target to challenge Whitlock's records.

    You're doing well Bob. I thought the 30k was particularly good.

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  5. Thanks for the comments.
    Jon: That's what it said in the article. He does 8-minute miles on his recovery days.

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  6. oh and I should have said before...that last 5 km of the 30 was fantastic. Well done.

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  7. WOW...you put me to shame. Here I was thinking that my sub 6:00/mile pace for intervals was good. I am not worthy!!! Keep up the great running. I am cheering you on for your upcoming LA marathon!!!

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  8. Another question...
    "Shoes: 240g Nike Air Zoom (marathon shoes)"
    That is pretty light. No doubt you are happy with these but I was wondering if a (slightly) heavier shoe would be better for a race over 3 hours (or maybe slightly less than 3 hrs in your case!).
    I hit the ground quite hard whilst you may float....but i am scared of getting badly injured from using too light a shoe.
    So...what do you think...lighter shoes for the race or stick to the tried and true 365 grammers?
    Thanks.

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  9. Lighter shoes is the way to go, but you do have to get used to them. That is, get your feet tough enough so that you are not getting blisters or sore spots. The blogger who writes The Tree of Life (listed on my blog list) likes the Mizuno Universe shoe at 110g, I think it is. World's lightest shoe. And I ran yesterday with a guy who was wearing them and also likes them (both are committed barefoot/Vibram Five Fingers runners). If you are landing on your midfoot rather than your heel, you should be able to handle a lighter shoe. I have been wearing fairly light shoes for the past 7 months and have had no problems at all. And of course am running much faster. In any case, I would say that 365g is too heavy. 300 should be maximum for a race.

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  10. Very interesting. Thanks. I will have a try with some of my lighter shoes.

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