Run Focus - Track Revisited

With the new duathlon focus I’ve been thinking about how to structure training. The Duathlon focus is on sprint distance primarily. My thinking is that I need to build some strength whilst focusing on speed work. Speed work is a training aspect that I enjoy but haven’t really built up any consistent training load for any period of time. As normal, my schedule isn’t really a schedule! It’s just an aspiration to add structure somehow 🤣. But for the next few months the aim will to build back the strength and conditioning with some body weight and kettle bell work. And simultaneously build up the run speed work with consistent track sessions. So far, I’ve completed 3 track sessions; a couple with Bristol West athletic club and last night a session with NTC at Northwood Stadium. Really enjoyed all these sessions and they’ve given me an idea of what sort of shape I’m in now at the start of this new training focus. Last night’s session was a descending distance with corresponding descending RI. From this session I want to baseline my pace to build to a target that will increase my 5k speed. Pace: 2000. 7:18. 3:31 pace 1600. 5:43. 3:24 pace 1200. 4:11. 3:19 pace 0800. 2:50. 3:25 pace 0400. 1:16. 3:04 pace So where does that leave the pace to work on? Well 3:30 per kilo is a 17:30 5k. I’d be well chuffed to run that time for 5k nowadays. So I’m thinking anything longer than 1600m in a track session has to be at 3:30 pace - or as close possible. 800m is aimed to be at 3:25 pace. 400m aimed at sub 3:20. These are the target times and distances in between should have corresponding times in line with the baseline distances/times. Recovery is key after these track sessions. It seems to hit my legs hard and 2-3 days of soreness is common. So I need to push the track but aim to tease the pace increases rather than run absolutely flat out every track session. Biking for the next few months will be whatever I feel like with some turbo HIT sessions short and sharp to keep the legs awake. So there’s a plan I just made up whilst drafting this narrative 😎👍🚵🏼‍♀️🏃‍♂️