20 Minutes Threshold sans breakfast(9 Miles total approx.)
Today I went over to Dinton Pastures Country Park with Rob to run my assigned 20 minute threshold run, with warmup & cooldown. The session went as below:1 lap (2.5 Miles approx.) Warmup in Nike Skylon Mk2's
20 Minutes Threshold run [13:57, plus extra 6 min] in new NB 832's
1 lap Cooldown in new NB 832's
9 Miles Total [edit after discussion with Rob]
20 Minutes Threshold run [13:57, plus extra 6 min] in new NB 832's
1 lap Cooldown in new NB 832's
9 Miles Total [edit after discussion with Rob]
I changed shoes after the warmup as I wasn't very comfortable in the Skylons, the heel felt quite solid compared to the other shoes I've been wearing, and the transition between forefoot and rearfoot wasn't great.
Rob had a medium-long run scheduled today, so he only stuck with me for 11 minutes of the threshold section before easing off. The pace (13:57 lapping, no idea what that means as we don't know the exact distance of the loop, it is just a benchmark) felt attainable whilst he was there, but harder when I was running by myself. I don't think it tailed off too significantly though. I think in future my threshold running may have to be slightly slower, as in theory I should be capable of holding it for 40 minutes to an hour, but as this was the first one I've done in a while I can only improve my pacing for them. Felt quite happy with the run overall. Knee still niggling though, going to hit it with everything I've got now - stretching, Ibuprofen, ice, self massage, the works really. It's just going to take a bit of mental focus to keep on doing it!
I concentrated on keeping my arm action as Barry described during the threshold run and I think I can definitely say its a positive modification, everything feels much more compact. Combine that with my analysis of old race photo's (and my studying of the elite runners photographs in this weeks Athletics Weekly), I tend to run better times with a loosely closed hand, and I haven't seen any elites running 'judo-chop' style...
After feeling so flat during yesterday's evening sojourn, I reckon my steady running might be a little bit too hard. It is more steady to hard, rather than easy to steady. I have managed to conceive a solution though. I'm going to bin the watch for loops that I know, so that I'm not subconsciously time-trialing them. Furthermore I'm going to try and make some more 'unknown' loops/out & backs.
Also, on the topic of preparation, I've found a means of making quality work before breakfast more feasible. I now drink a pint of half orange-juice, half water (plus a pinch of salt), before I run if I don't have time to digest solids. Seems to get the blood sugar levels up nice & quickly, thus making fast work more worthwhile at this sort of time in the morning. Show/Hide this post [+/-]
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