decreased fitness round 2

bc4ua

Ok, so I've read the other decreased fitness thread and the links/info inside of it. But I feel a need to also ask, since I had a pretty terrible race this morning. This morning I ran a local (flat) 5k instead of re-testing on a track. I started the Advanced JOS and I tested 18:35 for a 5k. Seemed like a pretty good start, considering in November of last year I ran a couple 18:30s and set a PR of 18:15 (terribly paced).

Through the JOS I've hit all my workouts with +/- 5 seconds of prescribed pace, indoors or out. I've been mostly using the treadmill for my quality runs.  I missed a couple workouts while gone on my honeymoon, but still got some short quality treadmill sessions in. January I ran 85 miles with all the workouts, sitting on 95 so far this month.

I took Friday off, and swapped the 4x1 workout with today's. I felt pretty good all week. I felt stronger now than when I ran the 18:15. I set my watch to a 18:10 (5:51/mile) goal pace and took off.

Mile 1 - First half mile I held a 5:55 pace. Felt really restrained for a 5k start. After that I started to pick it up. Only the pace kept slipping. Ran 6:05

Mile 1-2 Thought "okay, well just pick it up now" Started to get uncomfortable, but not too bad. Tried picking it up, but didn't go anywhere. Split 5:59

Mile 2-3 Okay this is really hard, and I'm not going any faster. Split 5:59 again

Hair on fire, and rolled through with 18:50

Other semi-pertinent info: Nutrition (modified paleo). weight has been constant, energy good. Running for 4 years now. Been hitting my bike numbers, rest days are nothing or short run with the wife (10:00+ miles). I feel fresh going into each workout. Run workouts have been tough, but good and I hit the numbers. Running is my strong suit, my PRs last year were 18:15 5k, 38:20 10k, and a 1:27 open half.

Please forgive any pissy/venting tones. I've worked really hard, and it just wasn't there. I know it's a good time, but not where it should be. There's a 10k in a couple weeks I could try this out again, but my confidence took a shot to the head. What needs to change?

nigelfranklyn

Cumulative Fatigue??? Did you get boxed in at any point, and had to make up time, I guess was it a steady effort, or did you do anything that would have thrown you off track. Did you use your heart rate monitor? How were those numbers. No answers, just a few more questions.

That said you are only a few seconds off your mark, and it is pretty awesome that you are sub 19 with only 4 years of running. So many are dreaming to be where you are at.

William Jenks

I think a lot of this depends on how fit you start, too. I don't know how old you are, or what your running background is. If you're a guy who ran 16:00 within the last 5 years, then I would worry. On the other hand, if you're 40ish and were in shape for those November races (which it sounds like you were...) then I'm not nearly so concerned.

If you hit 18:15 as a PR and were in good shape, that means you started the OS in good shape. You've been working hard, and probably with more intensity then you were before the early winter races. So, you're undoubtedly (a) nearing your potential and (b) tired. If you're starting the OS already well trained, then what you are doing is working very hard now to get a little bit better. And the one or two days mellow-ness/rest isn't enough to shake the fatigue. But if you're someone new to structured intense training, you've got a lot more room to improve and will move up.

For what it's worth, I no longer expect anything more than marginal speed/power increases season over season. I'm pretty well trained having done this for a few years....and I'm not getting any younger. But I still think I can race faster (especially at IM distance) from doing it that much smarter.

I'm a 19:xx 5K runner, and would just LOVE to become a 18:59 runner... and I may. But I'm also realistic....I'm NOT going to become a 17:xx runner no matter what I do. I will run my 5K test this week, and I hope it will be better than my opening one...but I know that these mid-OS tests are really tough to get better numbers on if you started out near your best already..which I did. :-) So I know it's not going to be 30 seconds better no matter what.

I hope that puts some things in context.

tim cronk

One race, one test, one subpar performance, does not make a trend! At your pace it probably doesn't take too much of anything to throw you off. You can't PR every race. Don't beat yourself up over it! Hang in there and get back to work!

Catherine Jadot

agree with Tim. You can't PR every race, it'd be to easy.

You have awesome numbers, so believe in the method, and don't let one test demotivates you, it's only one test 

bc4ua

Yeah. After sleeping on it you guys are right, I believe I am discounting the fatigure. Pre-EN I went the running mileage junkie route. But to be fair I'm still running a pretty good amount of miles with a lot more intensity than I ever have. Plus my bike has been making huge improvements, so there's a fatigue cost there too.

You make a lot of good points William. I'm 30 so hopefully I got some years left. Those November races were coming off basically a year long base building effort. My first 5k after a 70.3 in late October was a bit soft. A month after that first one, I was almost 40 seconds faster by recovering and re-learning how to race 5ks.



Carry on Thanks folks. I will "keep on keeping on"

rkling

@Brandon: I would echo what the others have said. I would also add in a couple of other factors.

1. The OS is just that... The out season. From the perspective of someone who has been racing a very long time, we are not doing anything in the OS that targets improving 5K time directly. If you have a history of running, your OS running is not going to improve your run speed significantly. If the goal was to increase run speed, you'd be doing more intense intervals. But that would be counterproductive to your longer range goals. Which leads to:

2. Remember: The goal of the OS isn't to be a February star. It's to give you a base (for want of a better word) to develop your training to peak 3 months from the end of it. And this leads to:

3. Consistency in training is what is going to get you the biggest sustained gains. You can certainly bust out a heroic workout with great numbers, but if it takes you 3-4 days to recover from it, it's more destructive than productive.

Stay motivated and don't be discouraged if you plateau. In due time, your body will respond to all of the hard work you are putting in.