Parkrun 5k Full Gas

 Job done at Parkrun The Wammy this morning. This is my local course and I can jog there a couple of kilometres to warm up. So 10 seconds off my 2019 time. Happy with that, though finding that 16 Seconds over 5k is a big ask to go sub-18.  I mustn’t get too hung up on this as this is the first time I’ve averaged 3:30 something per k pace.  Maybe some more track sessions will help. Who knows. Onwards with the plan and some panic bike training for a 25 mile TT on 20 August.

Mark SAGGERS 12 parkruns | Male 4/116 VM55-59 | 86.39% Newcastle (Staffs) Triathlon Club

18:15 New PB!

Parkrun 5k Full Gas. . .

Tomorrow is Parkrun 5k full bore attempt. It’s been a while since I’ve had a full effort blast on The Wammy. My best is 18:25 from 2019. Strangely, although 4 years ago, I feel in better shape now than back then. But that perception may be wrong! Conditions look ok. I’ve had an easy week and no reason to be slow 🤔.  The only blocker is my terminal velocity limiter. I need a sub-3:40 pace and I’m not sure I can sustain that. 

Let’s get this done 👊

Key Sessions - Bike Catch Up

 

Sundays have become the day to complete a longer endurance brick session. Last week I was out on the roads on the Canyon Speedmax. Middle of July and the weather was pants today. So it was turbo time. I feel like I’m playing catch up with the bike to gain some form for the 2 planned duathlons. My running is coming along nicely again but today’s session reminded me that there is some work to be done on the bike. I chose the Matt Hayman Paris Roubaux workout, which I’ve done before. It’s a tough one and I had to reduce the FTP bias. Note to self: do this session again with the bias set at 90% all the way through. I dug in and pushed the thoughts of cutting the session short away - weak🤨. 

The run part of these sessions has developed into a high tempo/low threshold longer efforts too. This should mix well with the track sessions above race pace and regular strides. 

I completed the 3 longer reps of 8 mins with 2 min RI. Last week was 7 mins reps and I felt pretty ropey after the session. Today felt much more controlled and the pace was virtually the same as last week. The feelings are good that I’m progressing nicely with conditioning the legs. 

I’m travelling with work this week; so it’s a decent time to have an easier week and maybe be fresher for a full on parkrun 5k run effort on Saturday. I’ll see what the conditions are like but I’m confident of getting closer to 18 min. It will be good to compare with my 18:39 clocking at the Port Vale 5k a couple of weeks ago. 

I do like my regular goals! 

A Wammy PB would be awesome at my age! Think I need to run under 18:20

Gadget Time - Shokz Openpro Headphones

 I’ve not had a kit review on this blog for years. Mind you, I have reviewed the new super shoes, bikes and bike computers. . . Ok. I have reviewed kit 😎

So I’ve grabbed some of these Shokz bone conduction headphones in the Amazon Prime sale. I’ve never used these before but I do use wireless Bluetooth headphones for running and turbo bike sessions. These Shokz headphones don’t cover the ears at all. They’re legal to use in run races and cycling outdoors. I’ve now tried both options and I can highly recommend. I’ve been a staunch hater of riding with headphones as I think they are dangerous. But you can actually wear these and be totally aware of the surroundings. It’s the same for running. I wore them at the track session yesterday and it was great to have some tunes in my head whilst cruising round the track. 

Talking of the track, yesterday was my second session of my return to gain some speed for the second part of the season. The session was 6 x 800m with 4 min recovery. I liked this session as the recoveries were longer, which is spot on to get maximum quality out of the session. I felt like my legs were coping better than last week - no spasms!  The pace was decent for me too, gradually getting faster as the session progresses. The last 3 reps clocking a pace per kilometre of 3:24, 3:23, 3:22. I know it’s only a couple of sessions but I want to have a bash at a 5k TT. I can’t find a race so it’ll have to be a parkrun effort. Hoping to do this on 29 Jul 23 if the conditions look decent. Until then, I need to bag some increased intensity on the bike. The weather looks pants this weekend; so I’m going to have to hit a Zwift session and run off this. I did this last couple of Sundays and it’s worked well. It was 7 min threshold efforts run off the bike last week. I may do a pyramid this week. Stand by for the report. . . . 

Key Sessions for Second Part of 2024 Season

 After last week’s 5k baseline race, the 2 Duathlons I have in my radar are not that far away. I certainly feel strong and a short regroup at the end of May was wise, I feel. In theory it shouldn’t take long to get some decent race form back. The track session last Thursday showed some good signs that my legs need some faster pace work to condition them more - hopefully won’t take long and I must admit that I have high expectations. 

Along with the speed I want to bring the bike strength back and maintain some longer brick sessions too. So today I rode the TT bike outdoors (most training still on Zwift) for a planned 50k of tempo/SS work just going by feel; no defined timed efforts. It went well, even with some fatigue still in the legs from the week’s training. 

The run off the bike was interesting. I was going to complete a similar session as I did a couple of weeks ago: alternating 1k hard/easy. But my watch suggested a threshold session of 3 x 7 min at threshold with 2 min RI. What the heck, I tried it. The first 10 min was classed as a warm up. The pace suggested in the headphones was 5:20-5:57. I stayed relaxed and ended up with 4:26 pace. This is a good sign. The threshold efforts were consistent 3:56, 3:57, 3:55 pace. Interesting that the threshold pace was not that much faster than the easy RI pace. It certainly felt hard as the 3rd rep approached. I focused on relaxing and sucking up the fatigue. Overall, happy with that run and an average pace of 4:09, but pretty tired now. To finish off I completed a few strides - keep the fast stuff ticking over 🏃‍♂️

Return to the Track

I’m running risk of having a constructive plan that is being followed. After the 5k race last Sunday it was my intent to get back to track sessions to hone the speed for a bash at some late season duathlon races and maybe a fast 5k. 

So on Thursday I tried out a taster track session at Newcastle AC. The venue is in Newcastle and easy to jog to and a Thursday is a better day to hit the track, as opposed to a Wednesday, which is the NTC track day. The Newcastle track is, however, an old style cinder/gravel construct. 

Hence, my expectation was that it would be a slower surface to run on. This didn’t seem to be the case as the pace I eased into was actually faster than I planned. The session was 8 x 2 min 30 sec with the same recovery interval. All based on pace, I started off with a 3:30 pace. This surprised me as my aim was 3:36. I maintained or dipped into 3:26 ish for all reps - apart from the last rep where I eased back to a 3:38. 

All in all I am happy with this. My heart and lungs were good but my legs were a bit spasm-filled. I clearly need to get the mega conditioned better for this pace. But the signs are good. Maybe a sub-18 min 5k is possible. Let’s wait and see 😎

Vale Park 5k Baseline Race

Today was the Gold Events Vale Park 5k race. As mentioned on my last post, this race is to get a baseline time for a 5k race effort. My expectation was a time around 18:45. This actually translates to the same pace that I ran for 10k this year in April and May. But I was peaking for a main goal back then. Today, I was finishing a reset period of gym conditioning work and no real threshold work on bike or run. 

Firstly it was an age group win. Surprised actually as the age cat was 50 - 59 and I’m at the top of this 10 year grouping. But there was another race taking place at the Cheadle 4. I did t fancy this race as it was basically up a big hill and down the other side. With two slightly aching Achilles tendons, I thought I’d give that a miss!  

My time was 18:40, which was in line with expectations. I may have gone off a taste fast but I felt ok. The course was undulating and a few twisty gravel stretches. So not that fast I suppose. I felt strong but couldn’t up the pace in the last kilometre. It was another case of terminal velocity. Not sure if I can find any more speed but I’ll try to gain more pace when I get back to the track. 

Today I wore the Vaporfly 2 bargain fast pumps I got yesterday. 

Great shoes and I really enjoys running in them today. Tired now but may try a recovery spin later. 

What’s next? Manchester Duathlon 20 August. But I want to ease into track work and touching speed every day possible - as described in my last post. 

Touching Speed

It’s July now and I’ve completed a mini return to strength training period, with more emphasis on the gym work. This means no real speed work on the bike or run. So as I mentioned on my last post, it’s a kind of reset to see what I can get out of the back end of 2023. I considered entering the National Duathlon Champs at Grafham Water. It’s familiar for me as I used to live in that area, but it’s at the end of October and expensive! I’m at the top end of my age group and unlikely to podium. So what’s the point? I’m all in for 2024👊

I’ll race the Manchester Airport Duathlon in August and the Darley Moor Duathlon in September. But I’d also like to try and shave some seconds off my April 10k time of 37:31. Maybe sub-37? That’s a big ask but still a target. And I’d like a decent 5k race to bag a time. I can do this at the local parkrun so no dramas. But tomorrow I am racing a different 5k at the Port Vale Gold Event. No idea what the course is like but I want to get a marker time before I start speed work. I’m expecting maybe around 18:45. But it depends on the course. 

This brings me onto the topic of this post: touching on speed. I’ve been reading more and more articles that state that speed work is absolutely key to running fast. But not just a beasting at the track and then take (for me) 4 days to recover. Touching on speed means completing strides, fast feet drills, short uphill and downhill pick ups. . . All done during, before or after a run session. In fact, sometimes as the only run session. Essentially, I already do this type of touching on speed but not every session. I am returning to the track this week (if recovered from this 5k) and aim to stick rigidly to target pacing based on 5k and 10k pace. Add to this I’m planning on running at least 5 days a week, which is huge for me. Injury risk? No, as at least 2 of these sessions will be recovery but touching on speed. 

I’m always excited to do something different - look at the benefits of strength training over the winter for me. 

Onwards and upwards then. Maybe a new old man 10k/5k best around October?