2015 Jan OS Week 8 Thread: Run Test Week
There's absolutely now way I'm doing this run test.
I know I'll get hurt.
It's way too cold/wet.
My legs are too tired to do this test.
I know my zones, I'll just keep them the same or shave a couple of seconds off the ranges.
RnP know full well we're not rested for this.
There's a saying....Testing is Training, Training is Testing.
Think I'll keep my feet up as much as possible whenever I can on the day before.
The weather isn't great, but most of the team has it worse.
I guess if my test comes in a bit slower, I can worry about an appropriate swag then.
I know what paces I held on Test 1, I can just chase that, maybe even shave a second or two off of each split.
Stretch and Roll, Stretch and Roll....
Cooler temps are better for an over heated engine.
It's one hard effort. Shorter than most of our workouts. Hard, but at least it's short. Harder I go, shorter it is.
Let's see what a solid warmup feels like...
Alright, let's do this.
As a team, let's lace 'em up and get it done.
Comments
So, Monday was today. Did the FTP test and then hopped over to the gym for a 30' zn1 brick run and finished 3x strides. Legs felt better than I would've bet on.
You guys be safe, train hard, & have fun.
Ran 4 yesterday at EP to shake off jet lag and another 4 @ EP with strides this afternoon.
Good luck with those that are testing this week. Trust your legs and get after it!
Small, ez digestable b'fast (rice & eggs bowl) 1.5 hrs early. 3x dates 30' before.
rainy & a little wind, colder than last test so I had on some tights, 2 layer shirts, and a wind breaker.
Never felt good. Warmup mile with legs that were heavy.
5K test: Steady strong first mile that was a couple of sec off the pace of the first test. Second mile was the smoothest, felt the best, but still no improvement from first test, did slow down a bit just to drop the windbreaker and gloves, 3rd mile had a better pace, maybe, by a couple of seconds, but it wiped me out. I was cooked. I didn't even finish. Hit STOP at 3.04. Drained. This is the thing that is bugging me the most. That I stopped early. No excuses. Just stopped cuz I was tired. As lame as that sounds, it's the truth.
All in all, if I were to extrapolate the pacing forward for the final .06, my time comes out to be about a single second slower than the first test.
So, it's a wash, because.....
<p> My whole goal this year, as set up with the coaches, is Run Durability. I am to concentrate on getting a full year of run training under my belt to build for the future. So, that being the case, the small victory here is that I made it to the 8 week mark with solid, consistent run training without injury. I have to remember, like Al pointed out somewhere earlier, I'm trying to improve my HIM and IM times. And, though I will never be confused with a fast runner, run durability has been my limiter and hardening this aspect up is more important than getting down to a sub 21 or sub 20 5K time. Keeping the same Vdot just means that I have a few more weeks to work on this at the paces that I've already become used to. There won't be ANY swag here, I guarantee that. </p>
So, that's enough about me. Your turn.
Go get it!
Good luck with your tests everyone!
Good luck everyone!
I have consistently been doing the wko's at 5-10s less than prescribed, and therefore felt I can increase Vdot from 36-37, so my plan was:
Mile 1, old z5- 8:30, mi 2- 8:15, mi 3- 8:00, last .1-all out. Skies were starry, clear, temp 49. Dressed in rights, long sleeve tech tee and gloves:
Warm up-2 mi, 20 min, z1-1.5 with several z5/20' strides at end:
Mi 1-8:34
Mi 2-8:20
Mi 3-8:03
.1 (and yes Chris, I almost quit too!!
:sick
So, Vdot now 37 as predicted. And if I could hold an IM pace at this predicted I would be thrilled!! Legs felt great, just limited by my 59yo capacity-gasping at the end, doubled over, but no puking!
I mentioned in my last post I had learned something about head position from Danny Dreyer-I tend to tip chin up-so I was regularly putting fist to chest and bringing chin down to touch (fist/ball between chest/chin)-think it helped keep torso over center!
Well that went better than expected!
Last 5K TT total time was 31:37...after 8 weeks of JOS 27:09 BOOM!
Shedding some lbs and proper technique definitely helped, but probably most important was the mojo from the forums!! thanks all.
vDOT went from 27 to 34...coaches had a target of 31 for me, the type A personality in me really likes to beat the targets
Betsy - very impressive focus on wringing every last bit of effort. Again, you will benefit greatly from knowing that you CAN go to that well, when you are doing that final stretch along the lake, west from the Mill Ave Bridge.
Chris ... Maybe finding a 5K this weekend or next to race, so peer pressure pulls you along and makes quitting not, an option?
Run test done. I wasn't looking forward to it.
Mile 1 6:58/mi
Mile 2 6:50/mi
Mile 3 6:32/mi
Total 20:57. Last 5k test was 22:09
I knew I was going to have a faster test than last time. I'm thinking I went out a little too slow. I was afraid I would blow up to early. Looking forward to the new training zones.
It's nice to get dialed back in to the forums. You guys are rockstars.
I attempted a test 5 weeks ago and sadly had to quit at 1.5 miles. My fitness hadn't come back yet after injury. I put in my first test I ever did with EN, 23:33, and got to work. Not only have I changed my form, I've begun to utilize a bit of strength training, and now I have a brand new shiny PR, *I think.*
I'm a bit skeptical seeing that this was my first test on the TM. I have the 920 w/ footpod, and it is supposed to calibrate automatically unlike its predecessor the 910 which you had to do manually. After a SOLID warm-up, it was game on. I guess I'll know if the TM was correct once I dial in my new zones. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/705777580
MILE 1: 6:50
MILE 2: 6:49
MILE 3: 6:40
.12 : 6:37
TOTAL: 21:06
New Vdot: 46 Avg HR: 159
I seem to have gotten brinked today...
23:14. First Mi was 7:15 but I couldn't hold it today. Still, I fought all the way through the line. God but I hate these tests!
New vdot is 41 and those zones look reasonable to me. We will give it another go in a month or so anyway.
I am very happy with the effort and also that I didn't get hurt.
Good efforts everyone!
I have been doing nearly all of my running on a treadmill this winter due to the cold/snow/ice/convenience. Garmin footpod pace reported on 910 has never exactly matched the treadmill pace. I had a steady and good run this morning, pacing was good, felt strong throughout.
Compared to my test 8 weeks ago on the treadmill, I improved by 13 seconds. keeps me at a treadmill VDOT of 47. Hopefully in a few weeks the snow and ice will be sticking less and I can get outside to see if any of these paces will actually correspond to real running paces. Regardless of the actual pace, the extra 13 seconds was well earned and is definitely an improvement.
Keep up the good work everyone. Looks like a bunch of other successful tests today as well.
While I was shooting for splits like Travis had, such was not the case. I ran the first mile by RPE and only looked at the pace when the mile beeped. Uh-oh. Too fast. The rest just plain hurt.
Wk 1 -- 22:52, VDOT 42.4
Wk 8 -- 21:40, VDOT 45.2 (6:51, 7:08, 7:05)
I am especially happy with the result given that I have only done roughly 45-50% of all the prescribed runs.
Best of all is that my heel DOES NOT hurt. And that is a huge win.
I just got in 2x1mi Z4 tonight. Exceeded the paces a bit and felt ok. Will prob test on Sunday, but if not I have multiple 5ks in march so I'm not worried.
Did my 'long' warm up - 2 min run / 1 min walk for 15 minutes working on cadence/form
Then did 3 x 1 mile repeats @ my TP - hit them all no issues. HR was in the lower range.
I dread the 5k TT even more than an FTP test. Was really tired all day today, but came home from work, immediately got changed and headed to the local high school track. Debated about pushing it to tomorrow, but tomorrow's weather looks not as good as today and I don't want to "get behind" all you type A monsters. I've been doing my tests on my usual road routes (neighborhoods) but Coach P suggested I try a track this time, and a more extensive/longer warmup. I think both helped.
Ran 10' at Z1-->2, then 12' at Z3, then 2-3' jogging, then started (as Coach P recommended I do). JOS wk 1 test was 23:00 with HR 157...today was 22:00 with HR 156. I'm satisfied with this, although was hoping to go <22:00. Splits were 7:08, 7:07, 6:58, + :41 for the final 0.11. I was absolutely spent, gasping, and dry heaved 3x after it was over, so I think this is an accurate test for me (I've screwed up too many to count and bailed after 1-2 miles before). Was trying to do 7:15, 7:00, then bury myself on the last one, but this is the best pacing I could muster. I did not even look at the Garmin on the last one at all....just tried to go a little faster each lap. Felt like my feet were in concrete the last 1/2 mile. HR went over 160 the last 1/2 mile to mile....which is where the wheels start to come off for me and upchucking will soon ensue! </p>
vdot went from 42 to 44. This will put my zones right where I have been training for the past 8 wks anyway.
http://home.trainingpeaks.com/athlete/workout/NUMZW6XKQ2IR2XE4QGTPRAMW6M
Great job all around for you guys/gals. I'm always amazed at how fast some of you are. Just getting to a vdot of 44 has been a long difficult process for me.
Got in 4 miles after work at a building pace today. Legs felt ok. Looking forward to a lighter day tomorrow.
@ Jeff - sounds like a successful test to me!
I must still be feeling the effects of the combination of lack of training for three weeks followed by a hard 15 K race on Saturday. Wed, I tried to do the TP interval workout in my GF plan, but after running the first 400 m of the first of 3 x 1 mi, and finding I was going at 20s/mi slower than TP, I pulled the plug, and slogged around the track for a total of 5 miles. During and after, my adductors started feeling really crampy and sore, which was a switch from the knee pain and quad thrashing I had been feeling previously. I guess I;m trying to ramp up too fast. As well as seeing the recovery issues associated with being 65 y/o.
So, I'll limit my next two runs to 5 miles @ Z1, and try a few strides after each, and see where that goes.
I overslept on Monday and had to bump my wko's a day, making today test day. Thank you Chris for your starting post. I woke up this morning with some serious "chump" thoughts. "I sure am tired...my ankle was still sore last night....maybe an extra day of rest would be better for testing...I sure am tired." I kept reviewing your post (in my head) as I got ready, drove to the track, got dressed, started my warm up, and even through completion of mile 2 of said warm up. It was a challenge to get to the start of this morning's test, but I got it done.
Actually, I crushed it.
In Week 1, I ran a 22:48 5k, much slower than my PR of 21:15, from last May. I had a difficult time breathing in Jan, resulting from a bike accident, and this was a full out effort at the time. Based on that result, I was planning on a conservative time of 21:50. Then I started reviewing last years PR stats, and my pacing during the preceding weeks. I found that my current performance is at or exceeding where I was last May. Back to the drawing/pacing board. I estimated that a 21:12 time was potentially achievable, if I pacing:
1 mi - 7:15
2 mi - 7:10
2.00-2.25 mi - 7:00
2.25-2.50 mi - 6:45
2.50-2.75 mi - 6:30
2:75-3.00 mi - 6:15+
While this penciled out well, psychologically, it seemed like a tall order, though one I committed too.
Results:
1 mi - 7:05
2 mi - 7:05
3 mi - 6:35
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/706415804
Week 8 - 20:45 vDOT 47Week 1 - 22:48 vDOT 42
May '14 - 21:15 vDOT 46
I am very pleased with this week's results, both on the run and bike. Okay, so pleased is an understatement. Significant, in that I have regained the fitness/performance I had before my October bike accident. I can't say fully rehabed, as I still have a limited neck ROM that I need to figure out before getting back out on the road(bike.)
@Jeff - I was so dragging my anchor in dread of this morning 5k TT. It sounded great last night though.
Well the run test did not go as well as the bike test. Pacing not quite right and left some on the table. Will make the appropriate notes and learn from it for next time. In the mean time got a modest increase (VDOT 27 to 29) and have been successfully managing the nagging leg injuries that ruined last year. Will see how WKO's go with the new paces and evaluate in a couple of weeks.
@ all - I'm standing down for a couple of days. If you listened to Patrick on the podcast, you may have heard him mention different strategies on how to handle the 'other' workouts this week that go along with the test days. After talking to P in the Micro, I'm in recovery mode. Legs up since my blah run test on Tuesday. I've been swimming every day but no biking or running. Felt like crap since Monday. But, today, I woke up feeling much better. I'll do an abbreviated weekend schedule and pick up Week 9 full steam ahead.