The Martha Jefferson Hospital 8K road
race has a well-deserved reputation for having one of the toughest,
hilliest courses in Charlottesville running. And given our varied
topography, that's saying something. The route winds through downtown
Charlottesville neighborhoods, and each mile presents some sort of
vertical challenge.
While I'd been happy with my first two races of the year -- 20:50
and 20:20 at two local 5Ks, I'd gone out too fast in each of those races
and faded at the end. A similar performance here would doom me.
Race day was cold -- lower 30s -- but dry. I got a good warmup in
and seeded myself about 3 rows back, determined to keep the lid on it
during the first two miles.
At the start the field strung out
nicely and I got some open space to run in. There were several short
downhills, and I busted down them full-bore, tempering my self a bit on
the following ups. Mile 1 came in at 6:40. That was good.
Miles 2 and 3 present a series of climbs with a couple of
short respites. I held back a bit on the ups and tried to crest each
hill with a good head of steam to take advantage of the flats and
downhills. This set up some back and forth racing action with some of my
competitors, as they'd pull ahead and I'd close the gap. Mile 2 came in
at 6:59, and 3 at 6:52.
Now it was time to dig in. Ahead was the famed "Belmont Hill,"
a stupid steep climb that closed off the 4th mile with an exclamation
point. I rounded the corner to the climb, lifted my arms, tighten my
core and started counting -- I just needed to put in 100 strong right
feet and I'd be at the top.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5...not too bad...20, 21, 22...breath getting
short...55, 56, 57...concentrate...98, 99, 100...crap, not at the top
yet...121, 122, 123...leveling out and over the top, with just a bit
less than a mile to go. Mile 4 in 7:00 flat.
Now, push hard for the end -- I vaguely remember trying to
close the gap with a group right in front of me, but could only hold on
to the back of the back. Finally the final turn and the finish was in
sight. I saw 33:30 something on the clock -- sub 34 would be a good time
for me -- final push to the line and I was in at 33:52. 6:19 for the
last .94 mile, 6:42 pace. The overall pace for the run was 6:50 -- a good effort on that course.
I was gassed, but satisfied. It was my best run at MJH
since 2009, when I did a 33:27, and my second-fastest ever. I stuck
around for awards, only to find out I'd missed 3rd AG by two seconds.
But I was happy -- I think I'm making some strides in the right
direction.
Ken
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Monday, March 11, 2013
Friday, February 01, 2013
Keeping it low
My coach, Debi Bernardes, is very committed to the principle of low heart-rate zone training. To summarize, you do the majority of your training at low heart rates, saving higher-intensity work until you've built a solid base. It can feel counter intuitive -- I've got to run fast all the time to get faster right?? But the advantages are that you build a more efficient machine and can train at higher volumes without injury. And truthfully, most people get in trouble with "too fast, too far, too soon."
She asked some of her clients to share some of their successes with training this way. Here's what I wrote:
"It is hard sometimes to be disciplined about staying in your zones. Not so much when you're training alone, but groups can be challenging -- seems like any time you get two or more cyclists together they want to contest every hill on the road like it's worth KOM points!
But long-term attention to HR training has been extremely effective for me. First of all it's the best way to build endurance -- they key underlying element of speed. Anybody can start fast, but it's the ability to maintain pace that's hard. Through a summer of rigorous attention to my HR zones, I was able to pull off a solid first IM at Wisconsin, negative splitting the bike course and turning in a pretty decent marathon at the end.
After that, and with another few months of low-end training, I'm finally being let off the leash a little bit, and the results are very encouraging. Just yesterday I was running multiple 1000 yard repeats at sub-7 pace, while keeping my average HR below 155 per interval. It was surprisingly easy, and a workout that once would have left me trashed was an enjoyable afternoon at the track.
There's no doubt in my mind that I'm a stronger, more efficient athlete now than I've ever been -- a nice thing to say when you turn 54 in a couple of weeks. So stick to it and build the base that comes from consistent, steady training at the correct rate -- it'll pay off. "
Ken
She asked some of her clients to share some of their successes with training this way. Here's what I wrote:
"It is hard sometimes to be disciplined about staying in your zones. Not so much when you're training alone, but groups can be challenging -- seems like any time you get two or more cyclists together they want to contest every hill on the road like it's worth KOM points!
But long-term attention to HR training has been extremely effective for me. First of all it's the best way to build endurance -- they key underlying element of speed. Anybody can start fast, but it's the ability to maintain pace that's hard. Through a summer of rigorous attention to my HR zones, I was able to pull off a solid first IM at Wisconsin, negative splitting the bike course and turning in a pretty decent marathon at the end.
After that, and with another few months of low-end training, I'm finally being let off the leash a little bit, and the results are very encouraging. Just yesterday I was running multiple 1000 yard repeats at sub-7 pace, while keeping my average HR below 155 per interval. It was surprisingly easy, and a workout that once would have left me trashed was an enjoyable afternoon at the track.
There's no doubt in my mind that I'm a stronger, more efficient athlete now than I've ever been -- a nice thing to say when you turn 54 in a couple of weeks. So stick to it and build the base that comes from consistent, steady training at the correct rate -- it'll pay off. "
Ken
Monday, June 25, 2012
The 6 Ps
A friend of mine posted to the local tri club's forum today with a slew of motivational tips and sayings, stressing the importance of setting goals, and training the mind as well as the body for athletic events.
There was some good advice and a lot of truth in what he was saying. You DO need confidence that you can accomplish what you're setting out to do, and in the heat of battle a mantra can help you through the rough spots.
But it brought to mind one of the best sayings I've ever heard about triathlon training (or for just about any other sport, I'd say):
"Proper Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance"
Otherwise known as the Six Ps.
I've had good races in my day, and some pretty bad ones, too. And as much as I'd like to blame the bad ones on factors beyond my control, in almost every case my success, or lack thereof, could be traced back to my preparation.
The important thing to remember is that "preparation" covers a lot of territory. It's not only the long-term buildup to the race, but also the details that need to be covered in the hours immediately before the race. So take a hard look at your performance after your next race. If it wasn't all it could be, it all goes back to your preparation.Work your weaknesses, develop a sound training plan, and make sure things like gear, nutrition and race-day strategy don't throw you off your game.
There's simply no substitute for doing the work that you need to do. Your proper preparation will give you the confidence you need to race to the best of your ability. So remember the 6 Ps next time you're having trouble getting out of bed for that early morning swim/bike/run. When it comes right down to it, the guy/gal who's going to beat you is the one who was better prepared.
Ken
There was some good advice and a lot of truth in what he was saying. You DO need confidence that you can accomplish what you're setting out to do, and in the heat of battle a mantra can help you through the rough spots.
But it brought to mind one of the best sayings I've ever heard about triathlon training (or for just about any other sport, I'd say):
"Proper Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance"
Otherwise known as the Six Ps.
I've had good races in my day, and some pretty bad ones, too. And as much as I'd like to blame the bad ones on factors beyond my control, in almost every case my success, or lack thereof, could be traced back to my preparation.
The important thing to remember is that "preparation" covers a lot of territory. It's not only the long-term buildup to the race, but also the details that need to be covered in the hours immediately before the race. So take a hard look at your performance after your next race. If it wasn't all it could be, it all goes back to your preparation.Work your weaknesses, develop a sound training plan, and make sure things like gear, nutrition and race-day strategy don't throw you off your game.
There's simply no substitute for doing the work that you need to do. Your proper preparation will give you the confidence you need to race to the best of your ability. So remember the 6 Ps next time you're having trouble getting out of bed for that early morning swim/bike/run. When it comes right down to it, the guy/gal who's going to beat you is the one who was better prepared.
Ken
Sunday, January 15, 2012
On (to) Wisconsin -- 33 weeks to go.
Last week was a good one. Nothing huge in terms of miles or time, but every session felt good. Wrapped it up on Sunday morning with an 8-mile run. The plan was to pick up the pace over the last 20 minutes, finishing at around 10K pace.
I ran an out-and-back course, and as usual on a 32-degree winter morning, it seemed the wind was in my face no matter which direction I went. But with a long-sleeved shirt, vest, tights, hat and gloves, it was pretty tolerable.
Out to the turnaround in 35 minutes and change. Flip around and head back (wind in my face, of course). Pace picking up nicely. I felt smooth and pretty quick -- concentrate on a good forward lean and keep my core tucked in. With 20 minutes to go I kicked it in. Down a hill, across a busy highway and then a steady climb. Big breaths of cold air, and I can feel the sweat building up, even with the chilly air.
The turn for home and a mile to go. 10K pace should be about 7 minutes, so it was time to dig in and go. I was running harder than I had in quite a while -- time to put those base miles to work.
Done. Hit the watch. Back in 31 minutes and change. Last mile in 7:30 -- not too bad, considering a steep hill near the end -- and the wind WAS in my face.
Totals for the week:
Swim -- 7000 yards
Bike -- 49 miles
Run -- 18 miles
Core -- 60 minutes
Total time -- 8 hours, 40 minutes
I ran an out-and-back course, and as usual on a 32-degree winter morning, it seemed the wind was in my face no matter which direction I went. But with a long-sleeved shirt, vest, tights, hat and gloves, it was pretty tolerable.
Out to the turnaround in 35 minutes and change. Flip around and head back (wind in my face, of course). Pace picking up nicely. I felt smooth and pretty quick -- concentrate on a good forward lean and keep my core tucked in. With 20 minutes to go I kicked it in. Down a hill, across a busy highway and then a steady climb. Big breaths of cold air, and I can feel the sweat building up, even with the chilly air.
The turn for home and a mile to go. 10K pace should be about 7 minutes, so it was time to dig in and go. I was running harder than I had in quite a while -- time to put those base miles to work.
Done. Hit the watch. Back in 31 minutes and change. Last mile in 7:30 -- not too bad, considering a steep hill near the end -- and the wind WAS in my face.
Totals for the week:
Swim -- 7000 yards
Bike -- 49 miles
Run -- 18 miles
Core -- 60 minutes
Total time -- 8 hours, 40 minutes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)