I expect my twice-daily dalliances with running will finish on Sunday. I'm on target this week for 135 kilometres (84 miles) — that's after covering 130 clicks last week. If I make it to Sunday without the wheels falling off, this will be my second biggest week ever. In late February '91 I ran a 140 kilometre week. A fortnight later I raced my lifetime PB for 5000 metres — 17:33.5.
I'd like to continue with 'doubles', but my work isn't conducive to play. Swinging a sledge hammer on a railroad gang, knocking down them cross ties, working in the rain, tends to develop a lingering tiredness, and a propensity for Walken-like instant sleep.
"How's the running been?" I hear you ask. Well, my friends... in three words — fun, tiring and illuminating. There's a chink of light shining on some physiological improvements. In my two races, I've felt strong, but understandably not that speedy or fresh. I raced a 3000 metres in 12:32, and last night recorded 21:54 in the 5000 to finish last. Yes, last! I was lapped twice by the female winner, a very svelte looking Jackie Fairweather. My time shaved negative 24 seconds from my M50 PB. I was hairier than a San Franciscan hippie! The illuminating part of the two races has been the feeling of having a strong heart and lungs. The Polar showed an average heart-rate of 89% for both races, which is encouragingly low. The legs however, were cantankerously tired and uncooperative.
I hold some hope though, that my 'holiday of running' will bolster my chances for an M50 PB in the 10,000 metres on November 13. If not, I'll still take with me a greater insight into how it feels to run fourteen times per week.
I'd like to continue with 'doubles', but my work isn't conducive to play. Swinging a sledge hammer on a railroad gang, knocking down them cross ties, working in the rain, tends to develop a lingering tiredness, and a propensity for Walken-like instant sleep.
"How's the running been?" I hear you ask. Well, my friends... in three words — fun, tiring and illuminating. There's a chink of light shining on some physiological improvements. In my two races, I've felt strong, but understandably not that speedy or fresh. I raced a 3000 metres in 12:32, and last night recorded 21:54 in the 5000 to finish last. Yes, last! I was lapped twice by the female winner, a very svelte looking Jackie Fairweather. My time shaved negative 24 seconds from my M50 PB. I was hairier than a San Franciscan hippie! The illuminating part of the two races has been the feeling of having a strong heart and lungs. The Polar showed an average heart-rate of 89% for both races, which is encouragingly low. The legs however, were cantankerously tired and uncooperative.
I hold some hope though, that my 'holiday of running' will bolster my chances for an M50 PB in the 10,000 metres on November 13. If not, I'll still take with me a greater insight into how it feels to run fourteen times per week.
27 comments:
I think once you get rest, the big week of mileage is going to payoff bigtime in the 10k. I think you are right, your 5k performance was on tired legs from the mileage - but that's now mileage in the bank.
Great job!
Man-O-Man Ewen. I am tired after running once a day for a miserely total of 50km a week.
wannabecoach said
Too many big words and airy fairy concepts.
How do you expect me to comprehend? I was just a simple postman remember.
Fairwell or farewell??
Either way that's some serious miles!
wt
All that work on the chain gang and not an upper body muscle to show for it. You must be the foreman.
A nice couple of weeks training.
Good luck with the 10k.
Don't lose faith in the 11:07. If you start thinking that you can't do it, you'll never do it.
I remember wannabe, but you were a Rhodes Scholar who chose to be a postman.
Thanks WT, I was just checking on you ;)
I value your encouragement Robert Song - I still have my eyes on the prize.
Good k's and with a few less k's in the coming 10 days 'should' see a good 10000m race!
im supposed to be scared am i ;)
(well i am for the 1500 and the 3km!!!) i know you havent given up on the 8...but im quietly confident for that one(my pet race)...my good times are gonna happen about feb...dont spose youre coming to melb anytime around then...we could do a 'real' one on one race :) followed by beers of course
So you will be firing on all cylinder for the 10k. Ever lapped me in a race before? Which lap do you think it will happen?
My crystal clear crystal ball says that Nov 13 is a very auspicious day... :-)
Wowee - 14 runs a week - what a holiday! 135km is one impressive distance! And no injuries - things are really looking good for the 10km In a couple of weeks. You'll suffer withdrawal symptoms next week!!
I wish I could get near 100k a week at the moment. Good luck with the 10k in a couple of weeks.
As a great believer in high mileage (and even more so after my recent lower-mileage training cycle), I'd say you're on the right track.
legsWhen I read the heading to your post, I thought you were talking to me!
I'm amazed that anyone would spend their holidays doing 'doubles'! Goof work!
Now, back to the real world & 'lift them bales'.
How did 'legs' get there at the start of my post??
Lulu reporting in! Sounds like a great way to spend your holiday and I'm sure once you get a bit of rest in the legs you'll really see the benefit!
wannabecoach said
Yes Ewen, I was indeed a Rhodes Scholar. I knew every rhode in every suburb.
Thats a pretty good 5000! and on tired legs. Well done on the M50 PB. could be a stack of M50 PB's just around the corner if you stick at it. way to go. be cool to be in the same race as Jackie Fairweather too! all those K's could payoff bigtime on Nov 13...
135k ... I don't even drive that far in a week. Good on ya.
Come up to Qld and there'd be a PB here for you for sure ... a punched belly that is :)
I had a look at your training log and note that the wheels were still on the bus on Saturday. So unless you decide to have a rest day on Sunday (which most of us would regard as a justifiable decision) I guess you might be tempted to go for 141 K in the week. However even more impressive than the total distance covered is the balance of your training – on quick perusal it appears to be 19 lower aerobic runs, 4 races and one interval session in 13 days, with only one grey run in the no-man’s land between lower and upper aerobic pace (and even that was due to external circumstances).
It seems to me that including a few quality runs along with a lot of lower aerobic running is a great way to enhance your aerobic base while maintaining something close to racing fitness. After a bit of sharpening up with some faster work you should be in great shape for some M50 PBs. Good luck.
At last I understand what this curious custom, Punched Bellies, is all about.
Thats some impressive mileage Ewen. 14 runs a week - you must be dreaming pavement. I'd be interested to see if churning out high mileage does the trick on November 13.
84 miles? Ewen, that's insane. I'd fall over and die. Did you run those all around the track?
That's mighty impressive Ewen. Should bode well for the 10 distance and up.
Well done.
what is robert song talking about? you are chesty mcchesterton!
i say run with a sledgehammer in both hands, so two sledgies. get used to that and then race without.
no no no, no need to thank me.
Susan, if I ran that many miles around the track in a week I would go insane!
Ihatetoast, Robert Song has never been the same since he got laid off down at the lumber yard.
That is absolutely incredible mileage! I have hit 70 mile a weeks only a few times in my training and it nearly killed me.
I have to ask... what is the secret?? Could it be that you have found some fountain of youth?
I always knew it must be in Australia!
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