Long run pace going down

Douglas Sutherland

I have been on the HIM plan now for 1 month and have logged 4 long runs. Intended Z2 pace is 7:48/mile.

Week 1: 13.1 miles in 1:41 (7:47/mile) elevation gain 650ft, cool am run. Weight 183. Just came off last week of bike focus.

Week 2: 12.4 miles in 1:40 (8:08/mile) elevation gain 600ft, warm afternoon run.

Week 3: 12.6 in 1:44 (8:18/mile) elevation gain 564ft warn afternoon run.

Week 4: 12.4 miles in 1:49 (8:47/mile) elevation gain 850ft. Weight 179.5. Very early (430am) cold/wet am run.

From an execution of the progressive run plan, week 1 was basically perfect. Each subsequent week have felt increasingly sluggish and so when it is time to bump the pace, there is nothing in there. I am taking in about 300cal/hour between gels and gatorade, no hunger.

So, my question is is this progressive slow down normal as one builds volume inside of a HIM plan? If not, what should my response be to all this? 

For the TP gurus, my numbers today: 78.9CTL, 109.8ATL, -36.9TSB vs the day of the first long run: 66CTL, 61ATL, 6.8TSB.

Al Truscott

Posted By Doug Sutherland on 18 Sep 2015 08:26 AM
...

So, my question is is this progressive slow down normal as one builds volume inside of a HIM plan? If not, what should my response be to all this? 

For the TP gurus, my numbers today: 78.9CTL, 109.8ATL, -36.9TSB vs the day of the first long run: 66CTL, 61ATL, 6.8TSB.

No, that's not the way it should go. The reason is in your PMC numbers... A TSB of minus 40 coupled with your description of your last long run indicates you need a rest day. I find I do best if my TSB is in the minus ten to minus twenty range. If need be, I back off on occasion to stay in that zone, so I can get best training effect. Being tired going into hard workouts prevents getting the best outcome from them. You might consider dropping the lowest priority run each week ... Indicated by the red. Yellow, green priority markers in the training plan.

IMO, the weekly long run is one of the two most critical workouts. It's best to be fairly well rested for it, which is why it comes before, not after the long bike in some of our plans.

morpheus

Doug,

Been learning about Training With PMC this year, too. And, I have gone through some similar stuff with what you're referring to.

Al just gave me a similar lesson in my Beat Down Every 5th/6th Week Threadhttp://members.endurancenation.us/Forums/tabid/57/aft/19471/Default.aspx

You probably have plenty of kick in your legs and the pace is just itching to be faster. But, comparing runs with TSB's that are +7 and -40 is comparing apples to oranges.

So, don't let it get you down mentally. Look at the science and connect that with how you may be feeling. It bounces back pretty quick based on my experience.

Hang in there.

Al Truscott

This Joe Friel blog post would probably be very helpful with this issue:

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2015/05/the-ctl-ramp-rate.html

Al Truscott

Continuation of this series...

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2015/06/index.html

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2015/07/index.html