Wednesday 28 November 2012

27 Nov - Run (SLH Tempo)

Run with SLH out to Webb estate for 5 mile tempo run.

3km w/u
2km w/d

Feeling tired but good.

26 Nov - Run, X trainer and gym

20 minute run to and from gym
45 mins at max effort on X-trainer (13 - 10 mins, 14 - 10 mins and 15 - 10 mins, then 13-16 build for final 10 mins).
45 minute leg session including squats etc.

25 Nov - Run & Gym

Upperbody gym session with Kirsty - 1 hour.

4-5km run with Kirsty up at Riddlesdown.

24 Nov - South of Thames 5 mile (4th)

South of Thames Champs - 5 miles - Reigate Priory

Easy warm up with a few strides, not really a long enough warm up as not enough time, better spending time on my own before hand though.

2 laps of reigate priory relays. Took the ball of my foot spike out before hand which made traction so difficult on the field. First lap took it fairly easy remained in about 6th place, ran easy up the hill and hard off the top which allowed me to catch up to 4th.

Back in the field I lost a place as my spikes were just not gripping, maintained a strong pace and again easy up the hill and hard off the top. Pushed hard from the ridge right the way back and was very close to catching 3rd. Managed to maintain form right through to finish.

Overall 4th, Chris Greenwood won by about 30 seconds. Pleased but still more to give.

Friday 23 November 2012

22 Nov - Run (Serpie threshold)

Went for first session with Serpentine at Battersea park.

3km warm up

4 * 2.8km laps - 9.15, 9.20, 9.30,9.40

3 km warm down.

Horrendously tough session, I was way off the leader, brilliant training though, ITB tired but not too sore afterwards.

Thursday 22 November 2012

21 Nov - Run and Gym

10 minute run

1 hour of various upper body and core

10 minute run

20 Nov - Run (SLH Tempo)

3km w/u
9km at 75% effort
2km w/d

All feeling good

Tuesday 20 November 2012

19 Nov - Gym (X-Trainer)

5 min warm up on X-trainer

40 minutes of resistance 13 with HR at 176-184bpm (87% of max)
Final 5 minutes upped resistance to 14 and then 15 (HR around 185-190 bpm)

Straight onto squats:

10 reps of:

10kg, 40kg, 50kg, 60kg

Followed by 3 * 10 jumps after each weights.

3 * 10 of deep squats, calf raises and single leg squats.

Hip and hip flexor exercises.

Really really tough session, all feeling good though.

17 Nov - Run

2km w/u
Riddlesdown park run - 17.49, hungover and muddy.
Carried on with a strong 3km tempo run
1km w/d

Monday 19 November 2012

15 Nov - Run and Gym

10 min warm up run
20 min threshold run
45 minutes upperbody and core session (heavy weights 3 * 10 reps on each)

14 Nov - Run

Easy run

13 Nov - Run

Tempo run with Matt and Gary.

3km w/u
9km tempo run (at about 80%)
2km warm down.

Felt very strong and relaxed.

Tuesday 13 November 2012

12 Nov - Gym

X trainer - 2.30 mins of each of the following:

Resistance: 8,10,12,14,16,18,16,14,12,10,8.

Kept cadence at 150-160 (dropped off on the 18)

Then 3 * 20 of the following

  • Squat (35kg)
  • Deep squat (35kg)
  • Single leg squat (35kg)
  • Lunges (both sides - 25kg)
  • body twist
  • back on lat pull down
Legs feeling good.

11 Nov - Run

40 minute recovery run up to Riddlesdown, nice and easy, calves very sore.

Monday 12 November 2012

10 Nov - Run (Surrey League - Richmond - 10th)

Surrey League at Richmond Park (Petersham).

Did a lap of the course at a very easy pace for a warm up, then ran out on my own for slowly increasing strides. Warm up felt good but think I could have been a bit more focused on the strides.

The start is down hill for 3/4 of a mile and so very fast. Settled into a nice but firm pace around 15-20th and ran my own run, throttled back slightly on the uphill and then relaxed into a  nice rythm.

The final hill of the lap I inadvertantly upped the pace and felt really strong and fluid. Easily moved myself to 11th at the halfway point. Maintained a really strong pace but slowly lost ground on the group of 5 in front of me. The gap extended to about 100m and I carried on at my own pace. At the bottom of the downhill (halfway round 2nd lap) I tried to increase the pace but couldnt seem to get any distance back. I settled back into the old pace and let the hill pass by, with less than 500m to go I felt it worth having a dig, as soon as I did I made up at least 50m on 10th place. I fought hard and took 10th with 100m to go.

Overall very very pleased with the performance. Tactically I dont think I could have done much more, my decision not to go with the 5 in front either cost me a top 5 finish or prevented another 20th, I will experiment with this in the South of Thames 5 miler.

Aerobic capacity held me back and also a loss of endurance strength I think, slightly lost form towards the end but not too badly.

9 Nov - Run

Easy run up to Sanderstead roundabout with a couple of 1 minute efforts, feeling really strong but calves still tight from a couple of weekends ago.

8 Nov - Run

Easy recovery run around 4 miles, no major problems.

Thursday 8 November 2012

7 Nov - Gym

10 min warm up on X-trainer

3 * 20 of the following:

  • Body cross pull
  • side twist
  • side pull
  • jerk and lift (dumbells)
  • bicep curls
  • stomach twists

Body feeling very tired from a week of abuse, taper down for the weekend begins. Recovery run Thursday, short sharp run Friday.

Wednesday 7 November 2012

6 Nov - Run (hill reps)

Run to Riddlesdown (Kenley side)

Usual hill reps with flat 400m start. 3 reps at strong effort with final effort over the top to the car park.

Legs a little heavy but feeling brilliant overall.

Jog home.

ITB slightly tight on efforts but loosened up considerably on warm down. Very low level pain afterwards (1 out of 10).

5 Nov - Run and Gym

am: Run

Easy recovery run up to Sanderstead Roundabout. Around 3.5 miles.

pm: Gym

1 hour X-trainer session (40 mins hard with a final 5 min very hard)

3* 20 weighted squats (30-40kg)
3 * 20 deep weighted squats (10kg)

Brilliant session.

Monday 5 November 2012

3 Nov - Reigate Priory Relays

Annual event, 2.8 miles.

I was on first leg, took it fairly easy for first mile and settled into my pace. Spikes were too short and so I couldnt get traction at the start, tried to keep within 20 meters of the leaders following the mistake last week at the Gibb.

Felt pretty relaxed and strong out at the back, stayed with the leaders up the first part of the hill, as it turned right and steepened I backed off the pace, got taken by a couple of people up the hill but just stayed at my pace. Coming off the top of the hill I opened up my stride and settled into a good pace, found myself overtaking everyone and catching the 30m up to the leaders.

We dropped down into the steep gulley and without trying I took the lead, wasn't intentional and so I just ort of went with it. In retrospect I didnt attack hard enough on that downhill, my plan was to just hang on until the sprint finish and so I hadnt planned for taking the lead, once I took the lead I should have gone at max effort and opened a gap.

Once I was in the lead I felt pretty good so kept pushing very hard, came out of the woods into the field and tried to get my head down for 2 minutes, I was at absolute max effort and as we hit the rise I had nothing.

Ben Tyler beat me with:

BT - 13.40 mins
 RE - 13.42 mins

Joint second place, 2009 I was 39th so very pleased, I know I have more, ITB was pretty well behaved.


2 Nov - Run & X-trainer

1.5 mile run to the gym.

45 mins on X-trainer at 165-175bpm HR.

1.5 mile run home.

Felt really good and relaxed.

1 Nov - Run & Gym

30 minute run on the treadmill, 17.30 min 5km pace, felt pretty easy and relaxed, not too bad ont he ITB.

1 hour Gym work, upper body and core, feeling good.

30th Oct - Conditioning

Conditioning with Gary at the club house.

various squats, hopping, core work, etc.

1 hour, felt reasonably easy.