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Training Log
Phase I: Week 1 to Week 12, Base
Phase II: Week 13 to Week 24, Indoor -> 5000m
Phase III: Week 25 to Week 32, Indoor/Outdoor -> 10000m
Week 1 (Sept 6 - Sept 12)
For this base phase the plan is to get up to 100 miles/week. In the 5 weeks leading up to Week 1, I gradually increased my mileage from 65 to 80 miles followed by a down week. To put it in context, I averaged 85 miles/week when I was with BCMP, and 75 miles/week when I ran my best track season.
M: Day Off
T: 8k (am); 15k (pm)
W: 18k (am); 6k (pm)
T: Workout 4 x 3.75k w/ 2min rest => 26.5k (pm)
F: 15k (am)
S: Long Run 4 x 6.4k loop => 33k (am)
S: 19k (am)
Total: 87 miles (2 workouts, 1 day off, 2 doubles)
We had our first long run this week and it was less than two days after a fairly long 15k workout. The workout went well with an average pace of 3:17/km. The long run was tough - the 6.4k loops got progressively faster... 3:41/km, 3:38/km, 3:31/km, 3:28/km, and I got dropped on the last loop. I have to be careful with these workouts - 3:35 to 3:40/km is fast enough for now.
I came across this photo while browsing Paulina Maher's blog. Apparently she took a picture of us on the last lap during the long run - Campy is hiding in front, with Kitz and me in the back. They're about to drop me.
Week 2 (Sept 13 - Sept 19)
Last week we met to discuss our fall training plans. We came up with a good 2-week schedule. In each 2-week period, we have 2 quicker grass workouts (9-12k volume), 2 longer road workouts (~15k volume), 1 fast track workout (~4k volume), and 1 hard long run (25k+). So every 2 weeks we have 6 workouts, but the 2 longer road workouts and the long run are on alternating workout days to maximize the rest between them. I'm not sure I should be doing 6 workouts every 2 weeks while building mileage. But I consider the grass workouts expendable - I'll skip them if I need the extra rest.
M: Workout 2 x 10min w/ 4min rest, 4min rest, 8 x 2min w/ 1min rest => 21k (pm)
T: 15k (am); 15.5k (pm)
W: 20k (am)
T: Workout 9.6k, 9.6k faster, 4k => 31k (pm)
F: 15k (am); 12k (pm)
S: Workout 10 x 400m w/ 2min rest => 22k (am)
S: Day Off
Total: 94 miles (3 workouts, 1 day off, 2 doubles)
The workout on Thursday was a bit of a mistake - a long workout only 5 days after our first long run. I started at 3:40/km and tried to pick it up for the 2nd section but after a couple kms decided to back off (as if it was a choice). But the volume was there. Our first track workout felt good - with 2 minutes rest I was able to run 400's averaging around 65/66 for the workout (with one 63-high in there).
Week 3 (Sept 20 - Sept 26)
M: Workout 8 x 1.875k w/ 1min rest => 25k (pm)
T: 15k (am); 8k (pm)
W: 15k (am); 10.5k (pm)
T: 20k (am); 8k (pm)
F: 15k (am)
S: Long Run 4 x 6.4k loop => 34k (am)
S: 17.5k (am)
Total: 104 miles (2 workouts, 0 days off, 3 doubles)
The cumulative fatigue in the legs is starting to set in. I think this is expected. There's a heaviness in the legs, but I'm not feeling helpless or fighting my body with every step. I think this will pass, but I'm not sure how long it will take to adapt.
The tiredness started last week after Thursday's workout. On Monday I was only able to average 3:19/km for the workout. My rest was shortened since I started falling behind the group. I skipped the workout on Wednesday and made it to the long run on Saturday. The long run was much more controlled than the previous one. Our average pace per loop was 3:39/km, 3:37/km, 3:36/km, 3:36/km. The other guys picked it up on the last loop but I stayed back.
I totalled 104 miles the week - my first ever 100-mile week! The workouts are suffering, but that's okay for now. I'll see how I feel after the down week.
Week 4 (Sept 27 - Oct 3)
M: Workout 2 x 10min w/ 2min rest, 3min rest, 2 x 5min w/ 2min rest => 20k (pm)
T: 16k (am)
W: Workout 5.4k, 3.6k, 3.6k w/ 2min rest => 27.5k (pm)
T: Day Off
F: 16k (am)
S: Workout 4 x 200m, 6 x 600m w/ 2:30 rest => 20k (am)
S: Day Off
Total: 62 miles (3 workouts, 2 days off, 0 doubles)
Well, a down-week has come and gone, but physically I don't feel much better. I probably should have skipped a workout. I averaged 3:25/km on the Wednesday workout - at that pace it's hardly a workout. I had a solid workout on Saturday - I started the first couple in 1:39 (a bit ambitious for me right now), and I maintained a 1:40 average for the 600's.
I think the mental break was more significant than the reduced mileage this week. It was nice to only run once a day and have a couple days off. I feel prepared to go after the higher mileage for the next 3 weeks. But I've been feeling very sluggish at work - getting up to get a drink feels like a chore. I seem to have aged horribly in the last couple weeks.
Week 5 (Oct 4 - Oct 10)
M: Workout 3 x 5k w/ 2min rest => 27.5k (pm)
T: 16k (am); 8k (pm)
W: 7k (am); 21k (pm)
T: 19k (am)
F: 14k (pm)
S: Long Run 24k => 32.5k (am)
S: 16k (am)
Total: 100 miles (2 workouts, 0 days off, 2 doubles)
Monday was a decent workout with a very consistent 3:22/km average. These are the longest intervals we've done in the 15k breakdown workouts, so I was pleased (and it was better than last week's workout). By Wednesday I was exhausted. I tried to start the workout (an improvement from not even trying 2 weeks ago), but it didn't take. I ended up jogging while the guys worked out.
The long run on Saturday fell short of what was planned. I intended to go 4 loops plus a few extra kms, but my stomach was acting up and I had to bail about a mile short of 4 loops. It's disappointing to end a run that way, but it happens. On the plus side, during the first loop I actually felt lighter on my feet than I have in a long time. I might be starting to adapt to the mileage.
Week 6 (Oct 11 - Oct 17)
M: Workout 2 x 1.9k w/ 1min rest, 5.6k, 3min rest, 2 x 1.9k w/ 1min rest => 23k (am); 8k (pm)
T: 16k (am); 9k (pm)
W: 19k (am)
T: 19k (am)
F: 19k (am)
S: RACE 10k => 20k (am); 11k (pm)
S: 20k (am)
Total: 102 miles (1 race, 1 workout, 0 days off, 3 doubles)
Some optimism - I averaged 3:17/km for the workout on Monday, similar to my workout pace 5 weeks ago. My legs felt heavy from the long run on Saturday, but my body felt strong. Campy was a big help since we shared leads for the entire workout. We didn't have the whole group out so he didn't bother dropping me - I know he could have if he wanted to.
The race was solid despite keeping my mileage high this week. 32:11 for 10k isn't very fast, but the Zoo run course is slow and I'm fairly sure I'd have been under 31:40 on a flatter course. I ran the first half very conservatively and pushed from 6k to 10k, feeling strong through to the finish. The photo is from just after halfway.
Week 7 (Oct 18 - Oct 24)
M: 19.5k (pm)
T: 9k (am); 9k (pm)
W: Workout 7.5k, 3min rest, 5k, 3min rest, 2.5k => 29.5k (pm)
T: 19k (am); 8.5k (pm)
F: 19k (am); 8.5k (pm)
S: Workout 12 x 300m w/ 1:45 rest => 22k (am)
S: 22k (am)
Total: 103 miles (2 workouts, 0 days off, 3 doubles)
The Wednesday workout still felt tough after several days recovery from the race. I knew it would be a struggle after the first few kms, and coupled with a messed up stomach the 3:23/km average was slower than I wanted but good enough for a bad day. Saturday was interesting - running 46/47 for 300m is far more difficult than I remember, but once again it was good to get the legs moving. It feels great to keep in touch with the turnover every couple weeks.
This week caps off three 100-mile weeks of training. I only did 2 workouts a week, but this is my first season with higher mileage and overall I think my body is responding well. A few injuries have been bothering me - my left foot has a plantar facia problem and I tape it up for most workouts, and my right ankle tendon (peroneous longus) has been bothering me since Week 1. Most seasons I'd probably have taken a few days/weeks off by now, but part of my motivation is trying to see what my body can handle. So far it seems the injuries aren't getting any worse, and that's good enough for me to keep running. I know I might regret this decision in a few weeks, but 6 weeks ago I was faced with the same decision - I kept running and I don't regret it.
Week 8 (Oct 25 - Oct 31)
M: Workout 15k tempo => 28k (pm)
T: 9k (pm)
W: 16k (pm)
T: Day Off
F: 16k (am)
S: Long Run 30k => 38.5k (am)
S: Day Off
Total: 67 miles (2 workouts, 2 days off, 0 doubles)
Another down week, but this one felt much more restful. After my mistake 4 weeks ago I decided to skip the mid-week workout. That also gave me more time to recover from the 15k tempo. The intention of the 15k tempo was to run it as fast as previous 15k workouts on the same loop, but with no rest. Obviously that's much harder, but that's the point of this particular workout. My previous workouts averaged 3:22/km and 3:23/km on this loop, so I went out at 3:20/km pace. The first couple kms were very uneven (3:35, 3:10) and that set the stage for what would be a very difficult run. I split 24:55 through half (3:19/km), 33:29 for 10k (3:21/km), and finished in 50:52 (3:23/km). The last half was a disaster, but overall I was fairly close to my intended pace.
The long run was a success - I felt very comfortable for the first 20k. My muscles started getting sore/tight in the next 5k, and they were very achy in the final 5k. But I wasn't slowing down - the last 10k were my fastest (by about 5 seconds per km) and the average pace for the run was 3:38/km. These used to be routine weekend runs with Brooks - it feels good to start getting into that rhythm again.
Week 9 (Nov 1 - Nov 7)
The focus for the next several weeks is to start doing 3 workouts per week, and to start increasing the intensity. I'd like to keep my mileage high, but I will trade mileage for a 3rd workout, or for increased workout intensity (of course this is not track intensity, just increased intensity relative to what I've been doing). Workouts should start heading under 3:20/km.
M: Workout 6 x 1200m w/ 2min rest => 18.5k (pm)
T: 19.5k (am); 9k (pm)
W: 21k (am)
T: Workout 6 x 2.5k w/ 2min rest => 28k (pm)
F: 8.5k (am); 15.5k (pm)
S: Workout 12.8k progression => 25k (am)
S: 19k (am)
Total: 102 miles (3 workouts, 0 days off, 2 doubles)
The 1200m Monday workout was on gravel and it felt quick. It's not worth quoting times (the loop is almost 50m short, it was at night on a narrow path, and I wasn't even timing), but I haven't done this kind of workout in a long time and it felt good to run a little quicker. Thursday's workout went quite well. The first couple 15k breakdown workouts had a total of 4min and 6min rest for the entire workout. This one had 10min total rest, so it was supposed to be faster - I wanted to be under 3:20/km. The first interval was 3:16/km and I was worried it was too fast. But subsequent intervals continued to get quicker. I tried to keep up with Paul and Joe on the 4th to 6th intervals (and paid the price on the 6th), but by the end my workout average was 3:13/km.
My attempt at a progression run on Saturday failed miserably. Within a few kms it was clear I hadn't recovered from Thursday so I cut the run short after a 2-loop struggle at 3:41/km and 3:28/km. But it still capped off a 100-mile week with only 2 doubles and a reasonable attempt at 3 full workouts. This was the easiest 100-mile week I've done so far. It feels like I'm finally adapting to the mileage.
Week 10 (Nov 8 - Nov 14)
M: Workout 6 x 1600m w/ 2min rest => 22k (pm)
T: 19.5k (am); 8k (pm)
W: Workout 7.5k, 3min rest, 3 x 2.5k w/ 2min rest => 28k (pm)
T: 19k (am); 9k (pm)
F: 19k (am)
S: 15k (am)
S: RACE 10k XC => 18k (pm); 5k (pm)
Total: 101 miles (1 race, 2 workouts, 0 days off, 3 doubles)
The miles on Monday were at Queens Park and felt tough at first, but after doing the first 3 at 3:14/km pace, I started picking it up and the last 3 were at 3:08/km pace. The big workout of the week was Wednesday - the goal was to run 3:20/km for the 7.5k section, and then pick it up for the 2.5k intervals. I was able to go fairly comfortably at 3:19/km for the 7.5k, but after the first 2.5k interval at 3:14/km pace I started to fade. The next two were at 3:17/km and 3:20/km. It was disappointing since I should be able to hang on to the quicker pace by now.
The race on Sunday was terrible. After watching the chase pack distance itself on the first loop (the pack I wanted to run with for a good portion of the race), I thought about dropping out. I was hating every minute of the race for the third and fourth loop. I didn't feel comfortable at all on the grass. It was a flat course (which is typically my strength), but I can't handle uneven ground. This was more of a problem because of my right ankle tendon - this is the first time I noticed myself running differently in a race due to an injury. The one positive I can take from this is that I usually run far worse when I give up in a race. I think my strength kept me from running much slower.
I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be running XC this year. The main goal of the season is to get prepared for the track, and running on the grass is very uncomfortable with this injury. But I'll probably still run National XC and then stick to the roads and track.
Week 11 (Nov 15 - Nov 21)
M: 16k (am)
T: 19.5k (am); 8k (pm)
W: Workout 10 x 1000m w/ 1:45 rest => 21k (pm)
T: 16k (am)
F: 19k (am)
S: Workout 5k => 15.5k (am)
S: 17.5k (am)
Total: 82 miles (2 workouts, 0 days off, 1 double)
Wednesday was a great workout. We went to the track and did 1000m intervals in 2:59/3:00. It was my highest volume workout ever on the track, and it wasn't until the 9th one that it started hurting. We had a good group, switching leads every interval, and great consistency throughout. It reminded me how much I'm going to enjoy getting on the track in the next few months.
Saturday was more difficult than I expected. Wednesday might still have been in my legs, but we also went out really hard and I wasn't able to hold the sub-3:00/km pace for long. After splitting 3k in about 9:10, I finished the 5k in 15:30. In retrospect, that's within 5-10 seconds of the appropriate pace (5k at ~10k race pace), but it was a terrible way to run it. Now all that's left is a workout on Monday and National XC next Saturday.
Week 12 (Nov 22 - Nov 28)
M: Workout 14 x ~600m => 22k (pm)
T: 16k (am)
W: 16k (am)
T: 9k (am)
F: 8.5k (pm)
S: RACE 10k XC => 15.5k (pm)
S: Day Off
Total: 54 miles (1 race, 1 workout, 1 day off, 0 doubles)
National XC was a very disappointing race - it wasn't unexpected, but certainly a frustrating way to end a good season of training. At the end of the first lap I was as close as I've ever been to dropping out. My ankle got better (loosened up?) as the race progressed, but it felt awkward the whole way. And I'm not that good at XC anyway. On a positive note, our team was second and both Campy and Kitz ran really well.
I'm planning to take an easy week or two before starting workouts again. But as soon as workouts start, I hope to be on the track at least once a week.
Week 13 (Nov 29 - Dec 5)
M: 16.5k (pm)
T: 7k (pm)
W: 16k (am)
T: 17k (pm)
F: 19k (am)
S: Workout 12.8k pace run => 21.5k (am)
S: 15k (am)
Total: 69 miles (1 workout, 0 days off, 0 doubles)
I felt very unmovitvated this week so I just ran once a day without really doing any workouts. On Saturday I started what could have been a long run, but I wasn't sure how far I'd go. My stomach wasn't feeling great so I stopped after 2 loops at 3:37/km. Not much more to say.
Week 14 (Dec 6 - Dec 12)
M: 8.5k (am); 13k (pm)
T: 20k (am); 5k (pm)
W: 20k (am)
T: 16k (am); 8k (pm)
F: 10k (am); 10.5k (pm)
S: 20k (am)
S: 15.5k (am); 16.5k (pm)
Total: 101 miles (0 workouts, 0 days off, 5 doubles)
I spent most of the week on a boat (Monday to Friday) so I had no intention of doing any workouts. My only plan was to get close to 100 miles for the week, knowing that most of it would be on a treadmill while on the cruise. Strangely enough I found it very easy to run fast while doing mileage. On all of my runs from Tuesday to Friday I started running 3:44/km after about 15-20 minutes on the treadmill (10mph was the top speed of the treadmill). The first few runs were difficult since the boat kept rocking, but I got used to it and it wasn't too disruptive after a while.
On Saturday I tried to pick up the pace again, but this time on the roads. It felt a little harder, but I kept the second half of the run faster than 3:45/km pace. I think the difference is that on the roads you have to focus to maintain your pace (and it's easy to lose focus), but on the treadmill you're forced to stay focused and maintain the pace. Otherwise the two are pretty similar. Either way it was a nice to feel comfortable running some fast off-day mileage, although that will probably change when I start doing workouts again.
Week 15 (Dec 13 - Dec 19)
M: Workout 10 hills => 19.5k (pm)
T: 17.5k (am); 7k (pm)
W: 25k (am)
T: Workout 2k, 5min rest, 5 x 600m w/ 75s rest, 5min rest, 2k => 17.5k (pm)
F: 6k (am)
S: 19k (am)
S: 19k (am)
Total: 81 miles (2 workouts, 0 days off, 1 double)
Now the fun stuff starts! After months of long, base-building workouts, it's time to start getting on the track. For the next couple weeks the plan is to do hills on Mondays and track workouts on Thursdays. Saturdays will be some sort of long run or tempo with more focus on doing some shorter (8 mile) tempos at 3:20/km pace, but still getting in the occasional long run (12/16 miles) at a slower 3:40/km pace. My weekly mileage will be lower (mid-80s) since the workout intensity will be higher.
On Monday we did 10 repeats of a 300m hill. This was done as more of a continuous run where the uphill was hard, and the downhill was kept at a similar pace. Thursday's workout started and ended with a 2k interval (3:04/km average), and included a bunch of 600s in 1:44 (2:53/km). The second 2k interval felt a little uncomfortable since the last km was in 3:00, but aside from that it was a good introduction to the track.
Week 16 (Dec 20 - Dec 26)
M: Workout 10 hills => 19.5k (pm)
T: 17.5k (am)
W: 17.5k (am); 16k (pm)
T: Workout 4 x (800m, 75s rest, 500m, 75s rest, 300m) w/ 4min rest => 18.5k (pm)
F: 17.5k (am)
S: 15k (am)
S: RACE 10 Mile => 21.5k (am)
Total: 89 miles (1 race, 2 workouts, 0 days off, 1 double)
Monday was the same hill workout as last week. It was a little slippery, but otherwise a fine workout. Thursday was quite different from anything I had done in a while - the 500's and 300's felt quick, but more comfortble than expected since I haven't done any speed in a while. In the fall we ended up doing 3 faster track workouts and I think that helped. The averages were 2:19 (2:54/km) for the 800s, 1:23 (2:46/km) for the 500s, and 47s (2:37/km) for the 300s. The track workouts are now being designed by Mike Housley, a former Phoenix Athletics coach who is now with UTTC.
I made a last minute decision to run the Boxing Day 10-mile race in Hamilton. Campy was heading out there so I decided to join him. I wasn't sure what to expect since I'd heard the course was a tough one and I don't often race farther than 10k. I felt very comfortable at halfway in 26:18 and it wasn't until somewhere between 6 and 7 miles that I started putting some effort into it. The 8th mile had a tough hill but I was more distracted by stomach issues. I suppose that's inevitable in a longer race but still kind of frustrating. The last few miles were downhill but unfortunately I was a little too distracted to take advantage. The final time was 53:32 - I slowed by almost a minute in the 2nd half. I was pretty happy with the result since 3:20/km pace felt far easier than expected. That's probably a sign of the base work paying off.
Week 17 (Dec 27 - Jan 2)
M: 17.5k (pm)
T: 18k (am)
W: 19k (am); 5k (pm)
T: Workout 12 x 600m w/ 75s rest => 16k (pm)
F: 19k (am)
S: 19k (pm)
S: Long Run 19.2k => 29.5k (am)
Total: 89 miles (2 workouts, 0 days off, 1 double)
Thursday's workout had me believing that I may get back to my pre-BCMP self. The 600s were in 1:42 (2:50/km), but the rest was less than usual - 4 years ago I'd do this workout with 90s rest, but this time I only took 75s. My weeks aren't at full intensity yet (only 1 track workout this week), but it's still a good sign.
On Sunday we did a continuous run which included 3 loops of the cemetery in 3:42/km. This was simply an attempt to get in a longer run - it's been absent from my training for the last few weeks.
Week 18 (Jan 3 - Jan 9)
M: Workout 12 hills => 17.5k (pm)
T: 20k (am); 10k (pm)
W: 20k (am)
T: Workout 2k, 4min rest, 5 x 500m w/ 75s rest, 4min rest, 5 x 500m w/ 75s rest => 18k (pm)
F: 20k (am)
S: Workout 12.8k => 20.5k (am)
S: 11k (am)
Total: 85 miles (3 workouts, 0 days off, 1 double)
We added a couple hills to the Monday workout, but otherwise it was the same as previous weeks. Thursday was another solid workout: 6:19 (3:10/km) for the 2k, 1:23 (2:46/km) for the first set of 500s, and 1:22 (2:44/km) for the second set of 500s. I've noticed that while these workouts are going well, I'm not digging too deep to finish them on pace. I'm working hard the whole way, but I'm maintaining a jog between most of the intervals and I'm staying reasonably relaxed throughout the intervals.
The cemetery was a mess on Saturday since it snowed the night before. I still did an 8 mile tempo but with the poor footing I could only get down to 3:43/km, about 20s per km slower than intended. The effort was there - not much more you can do in that weather.
Week 19 (Jan 10 - Jan 16)
M: Workout 5 x 1600m w/ 2min rest => 17.5k (pm)
T: 19k (am); 5k (pm)
W: 19k (am)
T: Workout 2k, 4min rest, 5 x 600m w/ 75s rest, 4min rest, 5 x 600m w/ 75s rest => k (pm)
F: 19k (am)
S: Workout 4k, 8min rest, 4k => 21k (am)
S: 16.5k (am)
Total: 85 miles (3 workouts, 0 days off, 1 double)
I'm now doing 2 track workouts per week. It turned out I actually did 3 this week, but that's only because we wanted to run specific paces for the 4k intervals on Saturday. On Monday we started the 1600's fairly slowly but got progressively faster (4:57, 4:56, 4:46, 4:45, 4:42) for a 3:01/km average. Again this is on par with the average pace of a 5 x 1 mile workout I did 4 years ago. On Thursday it was the same cruising pace for the 2k - 6:22 (3:11/km) followed by an average of 1:41 (2:48/km) for the 600s. It's been nice having the 4min break between sets of 600's (or 500's) so that you can focus on hitting the proper pace for only 5 intervals before taking a break and trying again - a far easier task than going after that pace for 10 in a row. It tends to keep the pace aggressive from the start.
Saturday was an interesting workout. The first 4k interval was the hard part and included several intentional pace changes going from slow to fast to slow to fast: 3:05, 2:54, 3:10, 2:49 for an 11:58 (3:00/km). I felt quite strong in the last km, although the last 400m was difficult. The second 4k was supposed to be at the 'slow' pace so we ran 12:33 (3:08/km).
Week 20 (Jan 17 - Jan 23)
M: Workout 4 x 1500m w/ 4min rest => 16.5k (pm)
T: 19k (am); 10.5k (pm);
W: 19k (am)
T: Short Workout 2k, 4min rest, 2 x 500m w/ 75s rest => 10k (pm)
F: 9k (pm)
S: RACE 3000m => 14.5k (pm)
S: 17.5k (am)
Total: 72 miles (1 race, 2 workouts, 0 days off, 1 double)
Monday's workout was one of the hardest I've done on the track. After the first interval I wasn't sure I'd get through the workout - fortunately Kitz and I kept trading off leads halfway through the interval, helping each other get through it. It was one of the few times that I've done a track workout with a race-like feel to it - 1500m intervals (at close to 3000m race pace) are long enough to get that feeling, and it's something I rarely replicate in workouts. After 4 intervals in 4:17/18 (2:52/km), I was convinced that I could run 8:30 for the 3000m race on the weekend.
Thursday was a half-workout with the 2k in 6:22 (3:11/km) and the two 500s in 1:23 (2:46/km). I decided to go easy on Thursday - I don't race often, so I might as well give myself an opportunity to run well. With the lower volume from Thursday to Saturday, this week has effectively turned into a down week.
Saturday was my first 3000m race since 2007. Spencer came out to pace 1600m at just under 8:30 pace for me and Kitz. Kitz took the first lap just to keep Spencer from getting too excited, and we split 2:49 at the km. I felt very relaxed through 1200m, and at 1800m I heard Housley telling me that I looked good and should start picking it up - I decided to wait until the 2000m mark before doing this (right now I lack a bit of confidence on the track). After 5:39 through 2000m I started accelerating - I wanted to make sure I got under 8:30 and I felt really smooth for the final 5 laps. Surprisingly the last km was 2:41 and I finished in 8:20.47. My PB is 8:19.78 from an outdoor race 4 years ago, so running that time indoors was really exciting. I don't know how things will unfold in the next few weeks and months but it's clear that my pre-BCMP fitness is back.
I found this photo on the Queen's track and field website - I guess we happened to get one since both Rob and Spencer are Queen's alumni. This is probably somewhere around the 1km mark with Spencer leading Kitz and me.
Week 21 (Jan 24 - Jan 30)
M: Workout 12 hills => 19.5k (pm)
T: 20k (am); 6k (pm)
W: 18k (am)
T: Workout 4 x 2k w/ 3min rest => 19k (pm)
F: 20k (am)
S: Workout 12.8k tempo => 24.5k (am)
S: 15.5k (am)
Total: 89 miles (3 workouts, 0 days off, 1 double)
I did hills on Monday to recover from the race - they felt harder than usual since my legs were a little heavy. Thursday was a very difficult workout - the intention was to drop the pace by about 5s per interval, starting at 6:05. We averaged 2:58/km going 6:06, 5:59, 5:54, 5:47. It got progressively more difficult until the final interval where I worked harder than I have all season to hang on - Kitz pretty much maintained the 2:54/km opening pace and I had to dig deep to stick with him.
Saturday was supposed to be a more comfortable 8 mile tempo at 3:20/km pace, but Thursday was still in the legs and it was far more difficult than expected. We averaged 3:19/km, but after the run I knew I should probably skip a workout fairly soon to get a little rest.
Week 22 (Jan 31 - Feb 6)
M: Workout 10 x 800m w/ 1:30 rest => 18k (pm)
T: 15.5k (am); 10.5k (pm)
W: Day Off
T: Workout 5 x (800m, 75s rest, 500m, 75s rest, 300m) w/ 4min rest => 18k (pm)
F: 15.5k (am)
S: 21k (am)
S: 20k (am)
Total: 74 miles (2 workouts, 1 day off, 1 double)
After a tough week I went to the track Monday expecting to do only a couple intervals. Unfortunately Kitz had the same plan (and he was actually getting sick) so I did the whole workout and kept Spencer company. I ended up with a 2:18 average (2:52/km) - considering I was feeling sluggish from the start, it was a good workout.
My legs were fried after Tuesday's second run so I took Wednesday completely off - first time since the end of November... oops! Thursday's workout went well - I did the same workout 6 weeks ago, but this time it was 5 sets and everything was faster; 2:15 (2:49/km) for the 800s, 1:21 (2:43/km) for the 500s, and 47s (2:37/km) for the 300s. It was great to see such a huge improvement in 6 weeks. And despite feeling good after Thursday's workout, I still skipped the Saturday workout and ran easy - my body probably still needed the rest.
Week 23 (Feb 7 - Feb 13)
M: Workout 20 x 400m w/ 1:30 rest => 18.5k (pm)
T: 21k (am); 5k (pm)
W: 16k (am)
T: Workout 3 x 3000m w/ 5min rest => 20k (pm)
F: 20k (am)
S: 22.5k (am)
S: 18.5k (am)
Total: 88 miles (2 workouts, 0 days off, 1 double)
Monday's workout got progressively faster, starting from 66-67s and finishing with some 64s, averaging 65.2s (2:43/km). I'm pretty sure it's the fastest I've ever done this workout.
I think Thursday's workout was the hardest I've ever done. The goal was to run 9:00, 9:00, sub-9:00. It turned out the second 3k was the most difficult, probably because I spiked up on the third one which made it a little easier. I ended up running 9:00, 8:59, 8:54 (2:59/km average), so I should be pretty close to 10k PB shape right now. I skipped Saturday's workout since Thursday was still in the legs.
Week 24 (Feb 14 - Feb 20)
M: Workout 5 x 1k w/ 2:30 rest => 16.5k (pm)
T: 16k (am); 6k (pm)
W: 10.5k (pm)
T: 9k (pm)
F: RACE 5000m => 18k (pm)
S: 22k (am)
S: 9k (am)
Total: 66 miles (1 race, 1 workout, 0 days off, 1 double)
Monday's workout was supposed to simulate the intended pace for the upcoming 5000m race. We averaged 2:50 on the k's which weren't easy, but felt comfortable enough (and they were done in flats).
I took it easy on the 2 days leading into the race but unfortunately the race didn't go as planned. Spencer paced the first 1800m and we split 2k in 5:46 (only a couple seconds behind the intended 14:20 pace). Kitz and I planned to trade leads every 600m after Spencer dropped, but I knew by the time I took over at 2400m that the rest of the race was unlikely to go as planned. Kitz started falling off a few laps later and I split 3000m in 8:41. I'm not sure exactly when Kitz dropped out, but I remember one spectator giving me that information (as though there was any benefit in knowing that I would 'win' the race). At that point the race felt pointless but I carried on trying to salvage a decent time. I ran the last 2k on my own and the final time was 14:39.58... quite disappointing given what we had planned, but that's the risk of putting together a race on our own.
Week 25 (Feb 21 - Feb 27)
M: 23k (am)
T: 7.5k (am); 13.5k (pm)
W: 23k (am)
T: 15k (pm)
F: 7k (am)
S: 23.5k (am)
S: 19.5k (am)
Total: 82 miles (0 workouts, 0 days off, 1 double)
This was a down week - no workouts after the 5000m last Friday. I kept the mileage at a reasonable level, but I was tired most of the week so I didn't want to push it. I traveled to San Francisco from Sunday until Friday so that probably had something to do with it. Training will resume next week.
Week 26 (Feb 28 - Mar 6)
M: Workout 5 x 1600m w/ 2min rest => 19k (pm)
T: 19.5k (am)
W: 19.5k (am)
T: Workout 6 x 400m w/ 60s rest, 4min rest, 2k, 4min rest, 6 x 400m w/ 60s rest => 18k (pm)
F: Day Off
S: Workout 12.8k tempo => 21.5k (am)
S: 20.5k (am); 11k (pm)
Total: 80 miles (3 workouts, 1 day off, 1 double)
I wasn't sure how I'd feel jumping into a workout on Monday after 9 days of easy running but to my surprise, 3:00/km pace felt comfortable. The 1600's were in 4:49, 4:47, 4:46, 4:46, 4:45 (2:59/km average) and I felt good. This was also the first time in a while that we had Spencer, Kitz, Joe and me running together in a workout. We're all pretty much at the same fitness level and it's an awesome training group. We trust each other to share the lead and we work well together... no egos and complete respect for each other. I've waited a long time to train with such an amazing group.
Thursday was a little different - we ran the 400's at a comfortable pace, and ran the 2k fairly hard. The first set of 400's averaged 67s (2:48/km), the 2k was in 5:47 (2:54/km), and the last set of 400's averaged 65.5s (2:44/km). Saturday I tried to run 3:20/km for 8 miles but ran the last half alone and slowed a little, averaging 3:21/km. I'm a little worried that I'm not feeling more comfortable running 3:20/km on Saturdays, although the weather hasn't been great. On Sunday I added a bit of mileage by doubling - I took a day off on Friday because my achilles has been acting up a little, but I'd like to keep my volume above 80 miles for a couple more weeks.
Week 27 (Mar 7 - Mar 13)
M: Workout 5 x 2k w/ 3min rest => 21k (pm)
T: 20k (am)
W: 19k (am)
T: Workout 5k varying pace, 7min rest, 2k varying pace => 18.5k (pm)
F: 18.5k (am)
S: Workout 19.2k pace run => 27.5k (am)
S: Workout/Race 5k => 16.5k (am)
Total: 88 miles (4 workouts, 0 days off, 0 doubles)
Monday was a big workout - 10k of volume in 2k intervals. The plan was to keep it controlled from the start and pick it up towards the end, and we did just that - 6:03, 6:02, 5:59, 5:58, 5:49 (2:59/km average), spiking up on the last one. Another solid workout - I was planning to do this anyway, but I went home and finalized my Mt.SAC plans. My ticket is booked - I'm running the 10000m on April 14th. I'm aiming for 30:00, and I think I'm fit enough to give it a try.
Thursday was a pretty unique workout - I've never done anything like it (and I've been running for how long?). The 5k was broken down into 800m sections where we alternated between 2:38 and 2:20/21 (finishing with 1 km in 2:56 at the end) - the final time was 15:30 (3:06/km). We followed that up with a 2k broken up in 200m sections where we alternated between 39s and 31/32s, finishing in 5:54 (2:57/km). It's hard to judge the difficulty of the workout - it was challenging in a way that I'm not familiar with. But either way it was 7k of hard running.
There was a little stupidity in my training on the weekend. On Saturday we did a 12 mile pace run at 3:35/km pace which was remarkably consistent - all the 4 mile loops were within 3s of each other. But Kitz and I followed it up with a 5k road race on Sunday (a committment from months earlier). Since we were doing back to back hard efforts, our goal was to win the race as slowly as possible - preferrably in the 16:00-16:30 range. Unfortunately some sub-16 runners entered as well, but we were smart and let them go, cruising most of the race in 5th and 6th place. By 4k we caught 4th place, and at 4.5k I asked Kitz if he felt like going after the leaders. He said no, so I went on my own. It was a tough decision, but I didn't want to get beaten by guys that were so close to me. So I ended up passing the 3 of them and winning the race in 15:36 (the course was a little short). The photo is from Ian Reid who was sidelined for this race. It was taken at the 4.5k mark - I'm just passing 4th place (Jay Dolmage) and going after the other 3 guys.
Week 28 (Mar 14 - Mar 20)
M: 16k (pm)
T: Workout 3 x (800m, 75s rest, 500m, 75s rest, 300m) w/ 3min rest => 16k (pm)
W: 18.5k (pm)
T: Workout 3 x 3000m w/ 5min rest => 20k (pm)
F: 19k (am)
S: 23.5k (am)
S: 17.5k (am)
Total: 81 miles (2 workouts, 0 days off, 0 doubles)
After running that workout/race on Sunday, I only did 3 sets on Tuesday (5 would be typical): 2:17 (2:51/km) for the 800s, 1:23 (2:46/km) for the 500s, and 48s (2:40/km) for the 300s. I alsmost did a foruth set but I wasn't feeling strong enough. I'm very cautious when I'm afraid of overdoing it. And I also knew that Thursday was big one.
On Thursday we went after the monster 3 x 3k workout again. And just like last time, it was the second interval that was the hardest since spiking up on the third made it so much easier. Final times were 8:58, 8:58, 8:51 (2:58/km). Barely faster than the last one, but better than going a little slower. Of course I bailed on the Saturday tempo after this workout. I know I need the recovery. I might even have to take it easier on Monday. But once again, very happy with this workout.
Week 29 (Mar 21 - Mar 27)
M: Workout 8 x 1k w/ 1:30 rest => 20k (pm)
T: 18k (am)
W: 19k (am)
T: Workout 7k, 7min rest, 5 x 400m w/ 75s rest => 20k (pm)
F: 19.5k (am)
S: Workout 8k => 20.5k (am)
S: 18k (am)
Total: 84 miles (3 workouts, 0 days off, 0 doubles)
Monday was our first visit to the outdoor track. It was a windy day. After starting out in 2:56 we pulled back to around 3:00 pace and averaged 2:58 for the workout. It was nice to finally get outside after a long winter on the indoor track.
Thursday was another one of Mike Housley's very interesting pace change workouts. It was 7k on the indoor track alternating between quicker and slower sections: 6:13 (2k), 3:26 (1k), 6:01 (2k), 3:26 (1k), 2:52 (1k). The final time was 21:57 (3:08/km). We followed that up with some 400s in around 65s (2:43/km). When it came to the Saturday tempo run, we all did less than anticipated. These pace change workouts really fry the legs. I did 8k in 26:26 (3:18/km) at the cemetery. Aerobically it felt fine, but my legs were heavy the whole way.
Week 30 (Mar 28 - Apr 3)
M: Workout 6 x 1600m w/ 2:00 rest => 20.5k (pm)
T: 20.5k (am)
W: 19k (am)
T: 16.5k (am)
F: 16.5k (am)
S: Workout 7k + 1k => 19.5k (pm)
S: 17.5k (am)
Total: 81 miles (2 workouts, 0 days off, 0 doubles)
For some reason Monday was one of the toughest workouts I've done. I had to work pretty hard in the 5th interval and I'm not sure why. We kept the pace steady at 4:48 (3:00/km) for the entire workout. It was a long one at 9.6k, and I may have been tired from the previous week. But it bothered me that I didn't feel more comfortable.
I traveled to Boston this week. I decided to skip the Thursday workout - no point in trying to fit one in during a busy work week after a tough one on Monday, and an ever tougher one coming up. On Saturday we attempted 7k at race pace with a 'glide' 1k immediately after. It was a really windy day (40km/h+) with the dome still up. I finished in 21:25 (3:04/km) with a 3:38 extra km. I wore racing flats, not spikes. Early on it felt easy, but we fell behind a little through the first few laps. When I took the lead from 2400m to 3200m I tried to get us back on pace. That was a mistake - it broke up the group and the rest was a disaster. I should have settled for 3:02/3 pace and picked it up later if I could.
Week 31 (Apr 4 - Apr 10)
M: 17k (pm)
T: Day Off
W: Workout 8 x 800m w/ 60s rest => 17.5k (pm)
T: 16.5k (pm)
F: 17k (pm)
S: Workout 5 x 1000m w/ 2:30 rest => 15k (am)
S: 17k (am)
Total: 62 miles (2 workouts, 1 day off, 0 doubles)
We took a few days to recover from the Saturday workout. On Wednesday the 800s were at race pace - 2:23 average (2:59/km). It felt comfortable enough, like I could have done more. But my legs were sore for the next couple days. It felt like they had gone through a lot of pounding and I have no idea why.
Saturday was the final workout and we kept the volume low. The first 3 were in 2:55 and the last 2 were in 2:51 with spikes. My lower legs still felt beat up and it took several strides to loosen the achilles. I have no idea where this came from but they felt better on Sunday.
So that's it. The work is done. Easy running until race day.
Week 32 (Apr 11 - Apr 17)
M: 16k (pm)
T: 8.5k (pm)
W: 6.5k (pm)
T: RACE 10000m => 16.5k (pm)
F: Day Off
S: 13k (am)
S: 16k (am)
Total: 48 miles (1 race, 0 workouts, 1 day off, 0 doubles)
I took it really easy leading into the race on Thursday. This was the big goal race so I wanted to make sure I was tapered and ready to run. Also my calves were feeling unusually sore all week, so I didn't even bother going to the track to do strides. The race felt good. It was well-paced from the start, 5:58 for 2k, 14:53 for 5k, 20:50 for 7k, 26:52 for 9k, and 29:45.50 for 10k. There was a big pack the whole way which was very helpful, but it was also a bit crowded up until the last lap. I was working hard, but I was comfortable enough to know that if the pack had gone a little quicker (maybe 10s), I probably could have kept up. It was a very positive experience.
I won't workout for about 10 days now. I need a mental break. The last few months on the track have been very consistent, but also quite intense. I'm still surprised by the progress - in the fall I ran 32:10 on a tough road course and was 41st at National XC, and about 6 months later I broke 30. This was the plan since Week 1 but I can't believe it actually worked.
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