In the end, I ran 147 kilometres last week. Canute was perceptive — the temptation to try and surpass my previous high week from 1991 (140k) was overwhelming. Especially after Speedygeoff dragged me along on an unexpected 14k "warm-down" around Lake Ginninderra after our equally woeful 1500 metre races on Saturday.
I'm glad I did it. Elite distance runners do this type of mileage year-round, and I now have a little appreciation of what it actually feels like to run twice-daily. And Bill, there's no secret (unless durable genes are a secret) — I just completed most of the runs at an easy pace — except for two races, which were more like speedwork than races.
I'm glad I did it. Elite distance runners do this type of mileage year-round, and I now have a little appreciation of what it actually feels like to run twice-daily. And Bill, there's no secret (unless durable genes are a secret) — I just completed most of the runs at an easy pace — except for two races, which were more like speedwork than races.
A tale of two weeks:
1991 (140k)
Monday 25 Feb - 20k on bike-paths in 95:01 (4:45/km)
Tuesday 26 Feb - 2pm, 6k easy in 29:03. 6pm, 14k including 10k race in 41:30
Wednesday 27 Feb - 12.3k on trails in 56:06 (4:34/km)
Thursday 28 Feb - 17k at Aranda, including 8 x 600m in 2:03
Friday 1 March - 15k on trails in 71:24 (4:46/km)
Saturday 2 March - AM, 33k at The Cotter in 2:39:30 (4:50/km). PM, 7k including Interclub 4k Fun Run in 15:11
Sunday 3 March - 16k at Stromlo very slow in 84:00 (5:15/km)
2008 (147k)
Monday 27 Oct - AM, 13k trails in 1:28:27. PM, 6k moderate in 34:37
Tuesday 28 Oct - AM, 7.3k trails in 45:54. PM, 13k trails in 1:14:54
Wednesday 29 Oct - AM, 7k easy in 41:48. PM, 14.3k flat in 1:28:53
Thursday 30 Oct - AM, 7k easy in 44:54. PM, 10.5k including 5k track race in 21:53
Friday 31 Oct - AM, 10k trails in 60:42. PM, 13k trails in 1:18:38
Saturday 1 Nov - AM, 10k trails in 62:18. PM, 17k including 1500m race in 6:02
Sunday 2 Nov - AM, 7k easy in 45:47. PM, 12k trails in 1:11:24
31 comments:
Very impressive mileage!
You will run like the wind tomorrow and I'll never be able to keep up! Woo hoo, mine is the first comment!
Good running Ewen. How do you think the next week will go with your body accepting the big mileage?
Gosh, if only I could slip a quick 50k run somewhere in my schedule I would be up to your total.
I guess a little extra a day is the way to approach it.
Wow!
Big K's Ewen!
Now we willhave to see what effects it will have as your body rests and recuperates.
Look forward to your success,
R2B
Wow, awesome job with the mileage. I've never even approached that number for a single week. Great job!
Am I a bad influence. That would be saying something, considering we're on different continents.
thats a lot of K's...interesting longitudinal study there too between 1991 and 2008. The major difference of course being the pace/speed of the races, as you'd expect...but also some other more subtle points of interest in weeks 18 years! apart...
Thanks for sharing that, interesting.
One thing the elite athletes also do is a lot of Physio and massage too...I remember hearing Sarah Jamieson speak the other year and she said she hurts every day just about due to soreness and/or injury management...Those people are really riding the knife edge of what the body can take. Takes a lot of dedication and discipline to stick at that. Be interesting to see how long you could maintain it, and how much it helps your times...
I guess it inspires us all to get into some better daily routines...
Incredible two weeks, Ewen! I'm looking forward to seeing how that 10K goes - moving up for a race may be a nice break.
You could have done another piddly 3k to bring it up to a nice round 150k. Slacker ;)
PS Just keep running and ignoring the ab work.
i've been meaning to ask you this for ages.
where do you keep these log books? when you shuffle off this mortal coil (or hill sprint off it) at the ripe old age of 91, someone is going to go through your stuff and wonder.
i think you need to put some goss in to confuse the estate people. things like "ran with strewth, couldn't believe what she said about the sailors. will ask cj when she's released."
think about the future, man.
oh. and good running and all that.
You must have a good dose of the durability gene given your longevity with running and that incredible mileage boost of late. Bodes well for the upcoming races. Nice 5k you slipped in there too!
I have no doubt that Ewen's last words will be "I should have listened to wannabecoach"
I'm seriously impressed, although I don't know how to react to all this distance . . . it's been sprint, sprint, sprint and now my Ewen is running a billion miles. Stop it, your hurting my tracks feelings.
Both 1991 and 2008 are very impressive. In particular, I am impressed by the fact that in both years you included quite of lot of racing within a background of consistent slower running. I was particularly impressed by March 2, 1991: 33 km at 4:50 per K in the morning followed by a 4K race at 3:47 /K in the afternoon.
‘Slower’ is clearly a relative term. Most of your slower Km in 1991 were in the range 4:30-4:50 /K. I would guess that these paces almost exactly spanned your mid-aerobic range – what you might now days describe as a ‘grey run’. When I was a youngster I used to do quite a lot of these grey runs, partly because I didn’t know anything about training zones, but mainly because I enjoyed running at a moderate pace with occasional faster bursts – maybe I would have been a better runner if my training had been informed by an understanding of training zones, but on balance I am inclined to think that the warning to avoid the no man’s land between lower and upper aerobic should not be taken too seriously when you are young and resilient. However, once you merit that honourable title of veteran, other issues come into play. The fact that the wheels stayed on the bus for 28 sessions over the past 14 days indicates that your current training strategy suits you. So now take it easy this week, sharpen up a bit early next week and good luck for the 10K on Nov 13th
you're. I swear, I'm not a retard.
I can't even begin to comprehend this. I don't even drive this much.
WOW
Very impressed
Great job!!
I did two-a-days in college and was pulling in 110+ miles per week.. but we know how that ended. I'm proud of my weeks of 50 now. :D
I bet this all pays off well in your next 10,000! Can't wait to see how it plays out!
Hey Ewen
You can join us next year in Bright to do the Alpine Climb four days of running mountains great training for 6ft Track. Oh yeah not funny about your comment with the water thingy :(
Well done, that is a great base now to work any training off for the rest of this year. Secret, running long stuff slowly, keep fast stuff to a minimum and proper recovery.
OMG...stop it!!!!
how am i supposed to beat you if you do all those kms..im a goner in the 1500 and 3km, but i reckon im gonna take you in the 8 and 4 ;)
have you conceded yet-im conceding the 3km...and close on the 15!!!!
When I recover from present illnesses, I'll get out in one of my new running skirts & simply blow you away with my speed.
The apprectice will show the master how it's done!
Wow, that's incredible. Keep up the good work!
Is this the PB you've been lookin for?
Looks like fun.
I agree with you, there is no secret. Keep the pace manageable and it is doable.
I bet it helps set you up some top results further down the road.
Great stuff Ewen!
Of course I will not be pacing experienced runners in ANY race...!
Peer pressure forces me to comment along with everyone else.
Doe a deer a female deer, ray a drop of golden sun. Me a name I call myself,
Far a long long way to run!!!!
Geoff, you're peerless to me :)
Flake, I'm not confident I've absorbed (or recovered from) the big mileage weeks. It could be good on Thursday, or it could be bad. If it's bad, I'll blame Julie.
IHateToast, the log books are in my pantry. I must make a point of saying more incriminating things about Strewth and CJ.
Wannabe, I would listen to you if you knew as much about running as you do about winning Olympic ice-skating medals.
Susan, you're born to sprint - I'm born to plod.
Canute, you're right - the 'moderate paced' runs from '91 felt comfortable and natural. Slower than 4:30 ks felt easy, faster than 4:15 for long runs felt hard. Slower recovery is the main problem these days, as is the lack of spring in the legs (that's something to work on).
Grellan, well, it's good to have at least one PB for the year ;)
Looking forward to see the training effect from the big ks. Impressive!
wannabecoach said
Not true that I won an Olympic medal in speedskating, but I once beat someone who did...only because HE fell over.
Two Fruits...are you trying to usurp me as Ewen's coach? Please never tell him tell him to run wearing only speedos and shoes.
HI Ewen
I am still totally impressed. You can say it was pacing or whatever you use to try to explain it, but the fact of the matter is that you are an animal. No one does 147k without feeling a little something or just having the toughness to not feel.
Best of luck and I will be watching to see how the next few weeks treat you.
BTW, it is quite obvious that both you and I just love to run. I am planning a nice little 50k at an easy pace a week from Sunday just because it sounds fun. Can't wait.
Post a Comment