2014 Week #8 RUN THREAD - TEST WEEK!
ALL ABOARD......the pain train! Just kidding. 
This week you get real, actual, factual proof that all of this busting-your-butt over the past 8 weeks has indeed made a difference. That's right! It's TEST WEEK!!! In this week's podcast, the coaches have some sage advice on the testing protocol, how to approach it, and how to interpret all of those results.
Post up your feedback on how you've improved over the past 8 weeks. In addition, do not be shy or afraid to admit that you DIDN'T have the improvement you wanted (or went backwards!). Let our wise crew of members help you understand why you may have not hit the numbers you expected. We're all here to help you get better!
Turn your brain off and turn your legs on. 5k isn't as long as you think! 
Comments
Did 5K SUN 23:04 VDOT from 39 now 42
Today Off ...then BIKE Test Tues...... expecting bad weather this week so took advantage of nice sunny weekend.
Like a ninja...or a ball gagged prisoner, I train in the frozen silence.
Progress:
Test on 1/7/14: Treadmill @ 2% - 23:28 - vdot 41
Test on 2/24/14: Treadmill @ 2% - 22:00 - vdot 44.
Forward I charge.
- all walking recoveries @13:57/mi
- running intervals: 7:30, 7:03, 7:03, 7:03, 7:03, 6:40
No ankle pain. I am tempted to accelerate the progression in the program but I am committed to following it to the letter for now...
@ Matt A. good to see you back at it... after looking back at your injury it is one of those tricky ones that unfortunately takes time and "tenderness" Something most Triathletes lack patience for -when it comes to our bodies! Ligament tears, meniscal crunch (that's the big Dr word), stress fractures, what your imaging suggests and the like are all frustrating slow and "it only hurts when I "do this..." kinda injuries.
Like I use to have to tell some of the hard charging SF guys... your better off for you team if you take the time off and come back 100% than to tough it out at 80% leading to Never quite coming back to 100%. (actually had a Spec Ops guy who broke his fibula on a night jump -poked the end of the broken bone back under the skin to approximate the pieces... then after the mission block was over came to me for some antibiotics and CLEARENCE to return to full duty "its not a weight baring bone doc- I can handle a little pain...I got to get back to my team".) Don't be "that guy". Come back 100%
(BTW this is purely a do as I say-not as I do recommendation LOL!)
I admit I am not testing either. So shoot me if you want me to run fast for three miles....
Unfortunately, I had to cut short the mileage on today's run (to get to a school board meeting) that I would normally add on the end. I'll probably add another short run in the morning because I've got to build durability, not just speed.
Today's workout was 6 x 1 mi at/near threshold with 400 m rest intervals. Looking at the clock, I only did one mile warmup, which isn't quite enough, so the first one was kind of rocky, but it settled down after that: 6:23, 6:12, 6:08, 6:12, 6:05, 6:08. In reality, these are probably faster than threshold, which I estimate to be somewhere in the 620s, but I definitely took a step down in effort from the VO2s that I had been doing on Mondays. they went well.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/451104092
@Matt, welcome back to running!
I didn't do the run yesterday so I ran 4.5 EZ miles on the TM this morning to shake out the stiffness. I had a hard time coming down after the bike test yesterday and didn't sleep very well. I was going to hit the pool for the first time in over 2 months this evening but am just pooped out. I'll hit the sack early to be all rested up for tomorrow's test.
Good luck everyone, enjoy the pain!
Haven't had a good test in a year. One thing then another. The Little Rock marathon is this weekend with any event from a 5K, 10k, half and a full. I've thought about a last minute entry (not a full).
So what do you think? Track (I like the track, it's fun)? Or go for a race?
No rest today as I am holding my 5K run test for Saturday when I am running the World of Beer 5K. Today I lifted weights for 45 mins, swam a brief 1200 yards, and ran 5K easy.
@ Doug - I felt the same way. I was on a high last night after popping my FTP up 23 watts. Of course, now we have to pay the piper when we start doing the intervals in the new zones!
Taking care of a couple of sick kids derailed my morning run test. I was all psyched up for it too! arrg. Looks like I'll have to get my mojo going tomorrow morning instead.
testing tomorrow, will post, everyone keep the strong results coming!
Trying to figure out what happened, a few things jump to mind: My last regularly executed OS run was last Mondah, 9 days ago. Since then, due to work/travel, I only managed two 30min easy treadmill runs. I thought that would keep my legs fresh, but clearly I was wrong. Not enough rest? I don't think so, but could be wrong. Definitely a lot of juggling of external stuff going on … Work is getting busy and crazy/work travel/general life stress/weather … I think there's a cumulative effect there…
However, looking back at the 5k results over the last year, I noticed that I peaked halfway through last year's NOS, and then actually declined some during HIM/IM training. This year, I started the JOS about where I was halfway through last year's OS. I have to admit that some doubt is creeping in as to whether EN style training is working for my running. It's definitely something I'll be keeping my eye on throughout the year…
I've been hitting my paces spot on during training, so I am debating whether to keep my vdot where it is, or to bump it up 1 point. Not sure yet.
Good luck everybody, keep going after it!
Good morning all-
Wow! Awesome runs so far for everyone. I am pretty pumped this morning...and scared of the paces i'll have to work at. I've never trained this hard/fast so I'm excited to give it my all.
Week 1 Treadmill 23:58 Week 8 Treadmill 22:18
I'm not sure how this will translate to outside, but, I competed at an indoor tri Superbowl Sunday and got in just short of 2 miles on the track in 15 min (I think it was 1.92 so around 7:35/7:40 pace) after the swim and bike.
I'm excited to see everyone else test! Keep up the great work.
01/08/14 - 29:08 5k - Vdot - 31.9
02/26/14 - 26:06 5k - Vdot - 36.4
Body Comp
01/08/14 - 270 lbs
02/26/14 - 252 lbs
My goal is to break 30 by end of the OS!
Hi All,
Lots of impressive stuff going on here. I've been pretty quiet on the run front but I've been doing what I can. Those two weeks of shoveling all day (for various folks who couldn't) cut me back quite a bit but I haven't given it up. I just don't like anything about the treadmill so there's nothing to report. Anyway, March 2nd was going to be my run test at the E. Murray Todd Half Marathon. Alas, the weather is calling for a 24 hour period of ice pellets and/or snow. Just driving down to the race could be dangerous, much less trying to run in that crap so now I have to hack my plans a bit. The high school track is still submerged under the snow pack. Bummer. The only other options are local roads but they're all a bit lumpy. I'm going to go out and do a 5K test later this week but it isn't going to result in a good test so I'm going to make a SWAG based on my result.
Keep hanging in there, everybody!
01/08/14 - 21:04 vdot 46
02/26/14 - 20:33 vdot 48
When I got my new zones in the calculator, it struck me that my MP now is what my TP was one year ago!
Nice work and some huge results.
I am committed to getting on the treadmill after work but may or may not have a result to post. After Monday's bike test I've been nursing a very sore back. Not all from the bike but definitely a reminder of, more core work needed.
In any event a vdot test is not necessary for me as I can hack a vdot number if needed.
@Matt-welcome back. And x2 (or 3 or wherever I'm in line) on sticking with the plan. In the long view coming back 100% will be so much more satisfying!
I was supposed to do my run test yesterday in my hacked schedule but for some reason I have had severe insomnia the last 2 nights (after 2 nights of full 8hr+ which is almost unheard of for me). I slept through my alarm yesterday and awoke with the sun with barely enough time to shower and be at work on time. This AM got up but felt like maybe 3 hr sleep. I don't feel I did my best effort and HR started out high but got a 1 pt bump so will take it!
Vdot now 39. 24:35
Mi 1 8:05. HR 170
Mi 2 7:59. HR 172
Mi 3 7:44. HR 175
Last .1mi pace 7:35
-I haven't ever tested on a treadmill
-When I cranked the speed any higher than 9.0mph the treadmill started seeming a little "shaky", which surprised me, because I was at the gym so it wasn't a cheap machine. I felt good the whole time and probably (may have?) gone a tad quicker, but I was seriously worried. Ha!
My goal has (always) been to break 20 min in a 5k. I couldn't get there last season. I swear on all that is holy that it will happen someday. I hope????
Me, it went meh. Not the result I expected, super high heart rate during wu and test (much higher than normal) and well...PU!
I have been training at a higher vdot without struggle, and think I will continue to do that. I have a 5k for St. Paddy's day coming up, and I darn well better be in a better place by then. I'm Irish for goodness sakes!
Based on recent training, I really felt like I was going to have a VDot bump with this test. But, sadly it was not to be.
Had plans to do my run test at a local 5K on Sunday with several of my buddies. Had been sick Friday and Saturday with a fever, sore throat and body aches -- the usual winter bug joy -- but thought I felt well enough when I woke up on Sunday to run. Warmed up, and didn't feel the best, but thought it was just the cold, so decided to go ahead with the 5K. First mile I was right on pace, and didn't feel so bad, by about 1.5 miles in I knew I needed to slow it down considerably or else I'd get full-blown sick, and might be out of training for several days. Ran the slowest 5K I have run in some time, and ended up with a VDot of 32.
I was going to let my VDot from the beginning of JOS (38) stand until the next test, but today I started worrying that maybe my results from Sunday were my new VDot. So...I hopped on the treadmill at work, and ran a 25 minute 5K. So while it isn't a bump in VDot, it isn't a backward slide. I'll take it.