Today was one of my hardest workout in a really long time. Monday, Tuesday I kept the pace pretty easy (but the mileage was still pretty big) to recover from Sunday since after the race I threw in a broken 1500: 200,300, 400, 600 small but mighty little post-race Alberto Salazar style workout. So today was 3X1mile at 15 minute 5k pace, then a 200m+x amount at the same pace until I started feeling uncomfortable. The 200 was just to make it 5k of work, and wanted to just stay at the pace right until the second I felt the pace starting to dip. The key with this workout, and with any I guess, was the rest period. I kept the recovery jog in between the repeats at 1min. The first one went splendidly at 4:48 for the mile or 2:59/km pace. Then the second mile beat me back, and I got destroyed. I really wasn't anticipated how short the 1 min recovery in between would feel, as in the past doing 6-10 by a mile workouts my rest has been a lot longer in-between, in addition to the pace not being nearly as quick. When my watch starting counting down the seconds to the next repeat I was caught off guard, and my heart rate had only got back down to 162, so I was starting the next repeat already breathing pretty hard, and by about 500-600m I was feeling it. The pace slowed big time, and I ran in at 4:57 or about 3:05/km pace. The third one I tried hard to rally and was able to get back to 4:52, and then ended up adding on 310 meters at 2:58 pace. Overall, I was content with the workout. I was a little upset about the second mile but happy with how I tried to rally back on the third. Still, considering the roads weren't great, and that I was on my own, to get that close to a race effort made the workout a success. With elite 5k training the majority of the workouts are usually 400s or 600s or 800s mostly because to get pumped up enough to hold 5k race pace for mile repeats in a workout on your own is pretty tough. In fact an article I was just reading on elite 5k workouts talked about how though some elites need to get in 3x1mile on a minute rest to feel ready for the race, but that those athletes are very rare. Anyways, so I'm enjoying right now putting a lot of thought into my various workouts trying to make them as specific as possible. On Friday I'll be doing 8x600 in 1:45, and I'm eager to get after it. And I'll see maybe in a couple weeks I can give one more go at the 3X1mile. Below in just a short clip of the race on the weekend (it could be seen in 1080p just change the setting on the bottom right).
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Frosty 5k and Training Update
As you already know this past weekend I was competing in the Frosty 5km in Burlington. It is part of the VRpro race series, and the Chilly Half Marathon was also being run, which was won by Reid Coolsaet. Arrived to the race in good time for a good long warmup run, drills, and strides. Other than my back still really bugging me, it was great to breathe the fresh air of the outdoors, not the dry desert air of the indoor track. Before the race I had thought that the competition would be pretty good, but within the first 100m of the race, I knew I would be pushing the pace from the front. The first kilometre went exactly as planned - run a sub 3 to build a little buffer. I was gunning for 15:25 (3:05/km) to act as a tune up for Around the Bay. Second kilometre was perfect as well, running a 3:05. My stride felt pretty good, nice and quick, not crazy long, but a fast cadence. First kilometre averaged 1.75m strides with 192 steps/min, and second k was 1.64m strides with 198 steps/min. Third k was still feeling good, and saw at the turn around that the win was in the bag, but I wasn't here for the win, I was hear to put up a time. Third was 3:05, still 1.64m strides with 198 step/min, so clearly in a good rhythm. Fourth k was a little rough, my left hamstring started tightened up a bit, and a small hill took a little bite out of my legs, but still got through it in 3:08.8, stride length was 1.63m and cadence slowed to 195 steps/min. But refocused and came storming back to run a 3:02 to the finish peaking at 215 steps/min. Overall time was 15:21 beating my actual PB by 19 seconds from last year. Definitely was a good hard effort, and really took something away from the race. Basically, I strongly believe that running fast obviously takes a tonne of training and hard work, but I think the mental aspect perhaps has even more of an impact. For instance, during the fourth kilometre I could feel my hamstring starting to tighten a little bit, and literally for a tiny instant I could hear a little voice in the back of my head (I think of it like the little Devil on your shoulder) saying the win is in the bag, you don't have to keep pressing, you could slow down, lose this feeling of not being able to breathe, let the hamstring relax, and coast into the finish for the win. But I didn't listen and kept pressing, and really opened it up to the finish. Running fast is about how willing a person is to go down into that dark place and hurt, push through, and when you feel you pace slowing slightly, push harder, and not give in to the temptation. I really do believe in a saying that a great runner on my team mentioned in one of his blog posts that its about how willing someone is to tickle the reaper. If your going to run fast, it will hurt, but you need to understand that the feeling is temporary. You need to withstand that hurt and discomfort for 15 minutes. It is such a new experience, and a new challenge that I'm ready to take on, training for this short speedy stuff compared to the marathon. For example, in the 2013 Scotiabank Marathon, where I set my PB, it hurt absolutely, but a completely different type of hurt. During a marathon during those last 10k or so especially on the stretch on Queen Street on the concrete street car tracks, your body physically hurts. It hurts because, well quite simply you've been running for a awful long time. But during a marathon I never got to the point that my breathing rate became uncontrollably fast, heart rate was red lining, and legs hurting in a completely different way. I think of it like during a marathon the pain is mechanical, whereas during a 5k the pain in metabolic or physiological. The point is I love a challenge and I'm ready to try to red line for 15 minutes in a few weeks.
Today was one of my hardest workout in a really long time. Monday, Tuesday I kept the pace pretty easy (but the mileage was still pretty big) to recover from Sunday since after the race I threw in a broken 1500: 200,300, 400, 600 small but mighty little post-race Alberto Salazar style workout. So today was 3X1mile at 15 minute 5k pace, then a 200m+x amount at the same pace until I started feeling uncomfortable. The 200 was just to make it 5k of work, and wanted to just stay at the pace right until the second I felt the pace starting to dip. The key with this workout, and with any I guess, was the rest period. I kept the recovery jog in between the repeats at 1min. The first one went splendidly at 4:48 for the mile or 2:59/km pace. Then the second mile beat me back, and I got destroyed. I really wasn't anticipated how short the 1 min recovery in between would feel, as in the past doing 6-10 by a mile workouts my rest has been a lot longer in-between, in addition to the pace not being nearly as quick. When my watch starting counting down the seconds to the next repeat I was caught off guard, and my heart rate had only got back down to 162, so I was starting the next repeat already breathing pretty hard, and by about 500-600m I was feeling it. The pace slowed big time, and I ran in at 4:57 or about 3:05/km pace. The third one I tried hard to rally and was able to get back to 4:52, and then ended up adding on 310 meters at 2:58 pace. Overall, I was content with the workout. I was a little upset about the second mile but happy with how I tried to rally back on the third. Still, considering the roads weren't great, and that I was on my own, to get that close to a race effort made the workout a success. With elite 5k training the majority of the workouts are usually 400s or 600s or 800s mostly because to get pumped up enough to hold 5k race pace for mile repeats in a workout on your own is pretty tough. In fact an article I was just reading on elite 5k workouts talked about how though some elites need to get in 3x1mile on a minute rest to feel ready for the race, but that those athletes are very rare. Anyways, so I'm enjoying right now putting a lot of thought into my various workouts trying to make them as specific as possible. On Friday I'll be doing 8x600 in 1:45, and I'm eager to get after it. And I'll see maybe in a couple weeks I can give one more go at the 3X1mile. Below in just a short clip of the race on the weekend (it could be seen in 1080p just change the setting on the bottom right).
Today was one of my hardest workout in a really long time. Monday, Tuesday I kept the pace pretty easy (but the mileage was still pretty big) to recover from Sunday since after the race I threw in a broken 1500: 200,300, 400, 600 small but mighty little post-race Alberto Salazar style workout. So today was 3X1mile at 15 minute 5k pace, then a 200m+x amount at the same pace until I started feeling uncomfortable. The 200 was just to make it 5k of work, and wanted to just stay at the pace right until the second I felt the pace starting to dip. The key with this workout, and with any I guess, was the rest period. I kept the recovery jog in between the repeats at 1min. The first one went splendidly at 4:48 for the mile or 2:59/km pace. Then the second mile beat me back, and I got destroyed. I really wasn't anticipated how short the 1 min recovery in between would feel, as in the past doing 6-10 by a mile workouts my rest has been a lot longer in-between, in addition to the pace not being nearly as quick. When my watch starting counting down the seconds to the next repeat I was caught off guard, and my heart rate had only got back down to 162, so I was starting the next repeat already breathing pretty hard, and by about 500-600m I was feeling it. The pace slowed big time, and I ran in at 4:57 or about 3:05/km pace. The third one I tried hard to rally and was able to get back to 4:52, and then ended up adding on 310 meters at 2:58 pace. Overall, I was content with the workout. I was a little upset about the second mile but happy with how I tried to rally back on the third. Still, considering the roads weren't great, and that I was on my own, to get that close to a race effort made the workout a success. With elite 5k training the majority of the workouts are usually 400s or 600s or 800s mostly because to get pumped up enough to hold 5k race pace for mile repeats in a workout on your own is pretty tough. In fact an article I was just reading on elite 5k workouts talked about how though some elites need to get in 3x1mile on a minute rest to feel ready for the race, but that those athletes are very rare. Anyways, so I'm enjoying right now putting a lot of thought into my various workouts trying to make them as specific as possible. On Friday I'll be doing 8x600 in 1:45, and I'm eager to get after it. And I'll see maybe in a couple weeks I can give one more go at the 3X1mile. Below in just a short clip of the race on the weekend (it could be seen in 1080p just change the setting on the bottom right).
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"Running fast is about how willing a person is to go down into that dark place and hurt, push through, and when you feel you pace slowing slightly, push harder, and not give in to the temptation. [Running fast is] about how willing someone is to tickle the reaper. If your going to run fast, it will hurt, but you need to understand that the feeling is temporary. You need to withstand that hurt and discomfort for 15 minutes."
ReplyDeleteLove this section of your post; I'm "only" chasing a sub 18 5k at moment, but relate to this a lot. The 5k is one of my least favourite distances (next to marathon), but I'm running my third ever 5k race tomorrow and hoping to improve upon my 18:12 PR with a 17:xx.
For some odd reason I only saw the comment on this post today. I feel so bad for not responding earlier to this comment. Thankyou for the comment, and I hope you were able to achieve your goal this season. I have said it before but will say it again to reiterate the point: for sure training and getting to the start line in the best shape possible is a huge component to success in our sport, but once we are standing on the line the mental aspect of the race is the bigger driving force. Your attitude and performances out on the course give us a window into someone's character and who someone is as a person. Many people start feeling the pain during the race and give in either slowing down or stopping all together. But I guarantee those are the same people that in school or at work when something is getting difficult they give out or stop trying. Others who go into a situation and view every challenge as a test of character, instead of turning away forge ahead and push their so called limits, and they are the ones who become successful. One more thing I could have added into the post is that it's interesting that there is actually a component of our brain that judges our effort. It basically calculates and compares the pace that you are running at, the perceived level of exertion that you are feeling in comparison to the pace, and the amount of distance left in the training run or race. Basically it calculates and determines how a person can make it to the finish line still in one piece. Usually that means the brain errs on the side of caution and simply tells the body to slow down in order to ensure we can make it to the finish line. How can we overcome this driving neuro-physiological force begging us to slow down. Simple. We push ourselves harder each day, week, month, and year in training to push the boundary to where our brains start to question whether the pace is sustainable. Anyways sorry again not to respond months ago, I only saw the comment now and good luck in future races.
DeleteNo worries for the delay, and thanks for the insight and the motivation.
DeleteI actually missed my goal the day following my last post (but still ran a pretty strong race/placed in my age group), and continued training and focusing on my goal race (stwm half), which went pretty well. I'm currently being sidelined slightly with some nagging injuries since, but hoping to recover soon while cross training and then pick back up and hit 17:xx come spring.
Nice hope all goes well. What kinds of injuries have you been having?
DeleteSorry, was in a rush the other day when I posted, and after I realized I didn't really reply to much of your other comment.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with the ideas mentioned. More than just learning how to overwrite/recalibrate our internal governors, our workouts and race day experiences provide us with experiences to reflect back on later when we are experience discomfort, and remind us that we can push through.
And like you said, the fastest runners I know, as well as other "talented" athletes, are not only successful in running and their respective sports, but in their jobs, relationships with others, and other interests they might have. A good work ethic, discipline, commitment, etc. that we learn through sports is very transferable and applicable to every other aspect of our lives.
Before running, I was actually riding bmx professionally, and explored other activities as I was starting to get burned out. My first race, after seven months, was ATB 30k (which I was drastically undertrained for) in 2:28, then a 1:32 half marathon a month later, and then an 18:55 5k a month after that. My experience of pushing my body out of its comfort zone in the context of bmx allowed me to kind of fast track my running career.
When I first started running, as well as when I started ramping up mileage for my marathon training, and again now, my left knee is prone to IT band issues. Physio reckons its from a muscular imbalance in my legs which has my knee tracking irregularly which causes some inflammation and irritation and pain. Picked up strength training in lieu of running at moment to try to balance myself out this winter, and hopefully I don't have to cut my running career short at 2.5 years.
Let me know if you have any tips for ITB issues. I only run about 35-40km/week, which is significantly less than you, but I imagine you experience wear and tear and injuries so might have some insight.
Would need to assess you myself (finishing up my Masters in Physiotherapy) to determine the exact cause of ITB friction in your case to help determine a treatment plan as the cause is multi-factorial in nature. For example, what research is in absolute agreement on is that the injury is occurring from the strain placed on the ITB during the deceleration phase of your gait (when you foot hits the ground and quads eccentrically contract to control the impact). However, it is not clear according to the research what exactly is going on at the hip to cause the irritation of the band. In fact, some research has indicated that it is not even irritation of the illiotibial band itself, but instead the fat pad at the knee between the band and the lateral femoral epicondyle. One of the theories which I believe to be true is that a varus torque on the knee is created due to poor pelvic control seen when you shift your centre of mass away from the knee in stance phase to outside of the foot. Tough to picture I know but think of it basically as those runners you see who really rock there bodies back and fourth laterally as they run. When we compensate for this the body tries to lengthen the ITB causing strain/pain that you feel. So how do you treat it. Well one please does not listen to all this crap out there saying foam roll the ITB and stretch the ITB. That does absolutely nothing. Remember your ITB is not a muscle its a piece of fascia so stretching it does nothing. Second as I mentioned the problem is not stemming from the ITB itself, it is the muscles of your hip responsible for pelvic control. Third, trust me when I say this I've seen what the ITB looks like in the lab on cadaver specimens and let me tell you it's looks like a piece of tire tread, so thick and tough that foam rolling it is like trying to foam roll a tire, nothing happens. So for management again hard to say what will work exactly for you but avoid running downhill (more deceleration necessary causes more strain), and strengthen those hips. Some simple exercises you could include are:
ReplyDelete1. Single Leg Squats maintaining good pelvic control (keep your pelvis completely square): trust me when I say I've seen so many people doing single leg squats but doing them totally wrong. Do it in front of a mirror and make sure your pelvis stays level and your knee does not collapse inwards. A good strategy to make sure as least your knee is in the right spot is to tie a theraband around your knee and attach it to something to the opposite side so its trying to pull your knee inwards. This will provide some feedback to keep pushing your knee outwards.
2. Pelvic drops on a step. Standing on step one foot of the step to the side, let you drop to the floor in controlled manner, and lift back up using hips.
3. Side Lying Hip Abduction with therband or no weight.
4. Single leg dead-lifts really controlling that pelvis making sure it is not turning outwards as you bring the back leg up. This will help strengthen the posterior hip.
For all exercise I could say perform 3x12 repetitions but instead I'll say do three sets of whatever number of the repetitions you can perform with good form since that's the whole purpose of them. So if that is 3x6 so be it.
Hope this helps.
Frank