2024-01-28 Weekly Blog
Personal Bests 1k: 3:52, Aug 07 2023 1mi: 6:44.2, Nov 19 2022 5k: 21:04, Sep 30 2023 Parkrun: 21:04, Sep 30 2023 (Coventry) 10k: ...
2023-09-24 Weekly Blog
This weeks training was:
8.41km with speedwork, 10x 500m @ avg ~4:12 min/km (1 min rest with 2 min rest after 5)
5.5km Easy avg hr 162bpm and avg pace 4:58
15.15km @ 5:55 min/km (Lizzies sub 2hr half test)
Bodypump
Cycle to and from work
Parkrun, 3km warmup with stride repeats, 5k run 22:39, testing pacing a 23 min
15k trail run practice, 2kg + water pack weight
This has been the week of the potato, UoW have launched a partnership with Move+ that grants points for activities. The points at time of writing are:
100 Steps: 1 1 mile run: 45 1 mile bike: 15 100m swim: 5
All the rewards are useless apart from free hot drinks for 800 points or a jacket potato for 2000 points. I calcuated that given my average running (~45km weekly) and steps (~100000 weekly) I should gain a potato once every 11 days for running and once every 14 days for walking. Once we find out the average conversion rate for other activities like weightlifting and bodypump then we will know the exact patoto earning times but its looking to be roughtly 1-1.5 per week.
The speedwork this week was great, 500m is going to be what I go forthe time being, it seems to work better with the way I like to push my self. The 5.5 easy run got me very excited about progress this run at this pace would have destroyed me a year or so ago, my goal of becoming a 5min/km machiene is certinaly closer. The run was done targeting the zone between low and high areobic this kind of HR based easy runnning is really good for me as as soon as pace is on screen I become an idiot.
Long run with Lizzie was again great, we targeted 5:50min/km over 15km at 14k Lizzie blew up which informs the pacing of the half. However I remember how hard it was trying to run a sub 2hr HM and now that seems trivial, the transition from pain to trivial gives me hope for some of my more lofty goals.
Parkrun was parkrun, practiced pacing but it looks like I can pace a 23 but getting the slpits correct is a bit trickier. I did enjoy doing the longer warmup with stride repeats.
Trail run today was great and helped knock some sense into me about how accheivable paces for November and beyond. It’s so much slower 15km today at 6:41min/km my HR was low but the leg drain was more severe than one would assume for the equilivent road race. I think making use of trails as and when I am near them will be more and more important to getting good at technical terrain at speed.
Downsides of this week are my knees which have started to show signs of runners knee. I have ordered a massage gun to try and relese tension in some muscles, I am also going to try and get into a better pre-bed stretch routine.
Next sunday is the half marathon so between that and my knees I am not going to go full heavy week. I think a reasonable plan is proably to keep the distance going with a few of tarmac runs (up to 20k total) and then mix in a bodypump and a core workout. I’ve been averaging high 40km each week for the past 3 weeks so bringing that down to 40km should help. If my knees still ache then I will drop the distance again, and re-evealuate my new everyday shoes (the Carbon X SPE) which I am not a fan of. I think my ignoring the dont always wear carbon shoes, and not having a cushoned daily mile shoe is coming around to bite me. I miss the X2 which were perfect in every way.
I’m updating the goals section this week and the booked events. I’ve been reading ‘Random Forest Runner’ John Kelly’s blog and inparticular his goals section stood out. So I’m going to run the Barkley Marathons in 2027, well not really I would never be invited to apply but I am going to train and more importantly set goals as if I am.
To do this I will need to become good at ultrarunning. My (Trail Ultra) goals are now in reflection of this task, to be able to tackle Barkley I will need to work on building to greater distances, more elevation, and doing well. I’m dont like who I am when I get too competatitive so winning isn’t on the cards I don’t have the drive or want to indulge that part of me. I want to go head to head with the task, my position will allways be secondary to that. The goals should build the distances, climbs, and time out on the trail. Structuring these should always give me somthing in reach to push for.
Next year ‘24 I am building in more elevation and will try to get some of the position goals. I havent decided on what the end of 24 will look like I was hoping to do Ben Nevis but the Skyline race has been postponed. I think it could be good to shoot for my first 50 mile. I may also look into my first backyard.
Personal Bests
- 1k: 3:52, Aug 07 2023
- 1mi: 6:44.2, Nov 19 2022
- 5k: 21:04, Sep 30 2023
- Parkrun: 21:04, Sep 30 2023 (Coventry)
- 10k: 46:54, Oct 16 2023
- Half: 1:49:31, Jan 28 2024
- Marathon: 3:57:12, Jan 28 2024
- Longest: 61.11km, Jul 09 2023
My Current goals
- Road Distance/Time goals:
- 5k: 21:00
- 10k: 45:00
- Half: 1:45:00
- Marathon:
4:00:003:45:00- Ultras:
- 50 mile: 10 hours
- 100 km: 14 hours
- Trail Ultras:
- Distance goals:
- Complete a 50 mile
- Complete a 100 km
- Complete a 100 mile
- Ascent Goals
- Do 5000m climb in one race
- Do 10,000m climb in one race
- Position Goals
Come top 50% in my age category on a fell run- Come top 25% overall on a fell run
- Get to 25% consistently on runs
- Other:
- 24 hour race (maybe Snowdon 24)
- Backyard Ultra
- 12 Laps (50 mile)
- 18 Laps (75 mile)
- 24 Laps (100 Mile)
- Peaks
- Summit all three highest UK peaks in one year on 3 separate ultras.
- Coventry Way
Upcoming Events
Booked
- 03/03/2024 GP Oulton Park Marathon, road basically flat - Goal 3:45:00
- 20/04/2024 Lake District 62k ~3800m ascent/decent - goal 9:00:00
- 06/07/2024 Eryi the Crossing 56.57k ~3000m ascent/decent (trail/fell) - Goal 8:00:00
- 04/10/2024 North Caost 110k - Goal finish
Planned
2024
2025
2024
2023
2023-11-26 Weekly Blog and Post Race
This weeks run-covery was: 10km 49:26 4:54 min/km avg Full body gym 8.5km 46:00 5:26 min/km avg 15.1km 1:23:12 5:31 min/km avg
Race Prediction
I think i will miss the 7 hour goal by up to an hour, keeping it down to 7:30 would be ideal. I havent had time, i.e. forgot to make time, to practice nutrit...
2023-11-12 Weekly Blog
Two weeks of training because I forgot last week.
2023-10-29 Weekly Blog
This weeks training was: 5.7km, 4:57 min/km 10x 500m intervals, 1 min rest, avg interval pace 4:13 min/km (8.5km total distance) 4x (Squats x6 60...
2023-10-22 Covid!
This weeks training was: 10km Run (PB 46:54) 5 hill reps 200m avg pace 3:20 Then I got covid and did nothing for 2 days Dog walk 8.5km Dog ...
2023-10-15 Weekly Blog
This weeks training was: Intervals 10x 500m (race pace) 1min rests, 8.5km total with warmup/cooldown Beginners Yoga 1h Easy pace 10km (51:37) ...
2023-10-09 Weekly Blog
This weeks training was: 8.5km 39.02 min 4:37 min/k 1.5km Swim Body Pump 10km 56.01 min 5:36 min/k Dartmoor Hiking 3 Days 72k, and a small ...
2023-10-01 Weekly Blog
This weeks training was: 2k Swim Stretch, slow run, stretch Cycling to and from work 2.5k stride repart warmup for parkrun Parkrun, PB 21:0...
2023-09-24 Weekly Blog
This weeks training was: 8.41km with speedwork, 10x 500m @ avg ~4:12 min/km (1 min rest with 2 min rest after 5) 5.5km Easy avg hr 162bpm and avg pa...
2023-09-17 Weekly Blog
This week my training was: 8.4km poor dicipline and went too fast Core workout with reps increasing from 5 to 15 hold/rest time is 2xreps (twists, s...
2023-09-11 Weekly Blog
This weeks training was: Hill Sprints 10x 200m Flat out 15k trail run 400m ascent decent (~1:50) 200m Intervels flat out Outdoor gym workout ...
2023-09-04 Weekly Blog
This week (medium week): 6.5k run at 80-90% effort Upper body Strength workout Trail run with 5 hill repeats Parkrun (Pacing a 24min) with a 7...
2023-08-27 Weekly Blog
This week: Light (nearly) 5k Ab repeats N from 5 - 15, with Nx2 rest between each exorcise N Russian Twists Nx2 seconds side pl...
2023-08-21 Weekly Blog
Since the last post my training was: Strength training, hitting the big muscles and then doing core. Warmup run to Parkrun, 5:08 pace Zone 3 for 50\...
2023-08-18 Weekly Blog
This week (and a bit) training was: Intervals 5x 1k on 1 min rest with warmup/cooldown for a 6.5k run. Average running pace was 4:14 min/km. 1k pb set ...
2023-08-06 Weekly Blog
This weeks training was: 10 sets of 1 miniute sprints 3 minuite cooldown, for a 8.5k run A lactate threshold test (the last 3 mins of which was tour...
Running some numbers
Ran a lactate threshold test, ~10min warmup, 4 heart rate zone (HRZ) tests, ~11min cooldown.
2023-07-30 Weekly Blog
This week I: Did my short running workout Ran 5x 5min race pace intervals with 2 min walking rest Swam 1.1k Ran 6.5k at an easy pace ...
2023-07-23 Weekly Blog
My Current goals Road Distance/Time goals: 5k: 21:00 10k: 45:00 Half: 1:45:00 Marathon: 4:00:00 3:45:00 ...
2023-07-16 Weekly Blog
My Current goals Road Distance/Time goals: 5k: 21:00 10k: 45:00 Half: 1:45:00 Marathon: 4:00:00 3:45:00 ...
Post Ultra Rundown
I finished the ultramarathon in 09:58:23, 60k 2000m climb. It was the best run I have ever been on. It is one of the best things I have ever done.
Beggining with insanity
This is the first blog post as it is when I signed up to my first ultra-marathon. Written as a retrospective.