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2016/17 NovOS Week 13 Run Thread - The Final Week to Stretch your FAST Training

This is your final heavy week of your FAST training regiment that is the OS.  It's hard to believe that we are headed into week 13 and can see the light at the end of the tunnel fast approaching.  This week is slightly "easier" than the past two weeks, though I wouldn't dare call it easy.  Run times are down a tick on both of your long runs.  

Next week is test week, so get psyched up and plan for how and where you will be testing.  The Coaches emphasis is for you to complete a half marathon at the completion of the OS. It isn't always possible to find an event that coincides with week 14, so find one as close to it as you can.  Completing a 5k or 10k TT is also an option if you aren't able to fine a 13.1 event.  Since I have a lot of 5k TT data, I like to finish the OS with a 5k test.  It allows me to track my progression through the OS and from season to season.  I will then find a 13.1 event or just run my own later in the month.  

Continue to stay focused and healthy this week.


Comments

  • @Phil - I like your idea of doing a 5K again.  No local 10Ks or halfs near me, so I might do the same.  Hip is really sore right now, so laying off running until tomorrow, which I am going to keep short.  Hitting the pool instead - my legs need a break!
  • Thanks Phil.  I plan to do a 5k time trial next week.  I will look for a race to do as well.  However, since I didn't realize that we were supposed to close out the OS with a race, I hadn't signed up for anything.  Will see what races I can find nearby my house as close to next week as possible.  

    Also, I missed my brick today.  So I will run a little extra tomorrow morning.  My training plan suggests 36 miles for me this week.  I will be lucky to get in the 25 mile area with 10+ tomorrow, 5 on Saturday's brick and ~10 on Sunday.
  • Finished my long Wednesday run this morning.  It was cold, dark and windy but at least the two days of rain was over.  Ran at a 9:09 pace, which was basically at TRP if hills and wind were factored in.  Did the same run last week at ~9:37, so I felt relieved to be back to my targeted pace.  My first two miles were extremely slow - ~9:45.  Not a surprise given that I essentially rolled out of bed to run.  Happy to report no aches or pains. 

    Hope everyone has had a good run today. 
  • @Patrick - great progress on the weekly long run .....  it looked solid on Strava!

    I traveled to NYC Monday and returning this evening (Wed).  Ran on TM in hotel both Tues/Weds....that's about all I could squeeze in with the work/travel schedule.

    Tues: https://www.strava.com/activities/842539457
    Wed: https://www.strava.com/activities/843676743

    Have a great week all!

    SS
  • I had a really good run tonight. After Tuesday's bike thrashing I thought Wednesday run would be a struggle but I recovered well by doing my brick run Tuesday night, getting 7.5 hrs of sleep, wearing compression tights, and doing Wednesday's run in the evening. I felt refreshed and decided to push the last 4 miles at Z3 pace. 

    https://www.strava.com/activities/844503957

  • @Patrick - Early, cold, dark and windy what a way to start the morning.  Getting it done.

    @SS - Sweet downward progression on both runs.

    @Derrek - WOW!! That run shows a great come back from injury.  
  • I had a good longish run last night.  I met some friends at a local high school and we decided to run on the outdoor track.  I have done very limited speed work since coming back, but I managed to get in a couple of 1600 Meter repeats. To my surprise, they were only 30 - 40 seconds slower than last year when I was in really good run shape.  I've averaged over 30 miles per week for the last six weeks (last week was 41.5).  Hopefully I can test next week on the same track.

    Strava 


    @Phil Mills - I like the apples to apples 5K approach.  

    @Shaughn Simmons - I think you stayed in the same hotel I was in last year.  Nice work getting it done on a hotel treadmill.

    @Derrek Sanks - You were flying
  • Just to be clear, the coaches strongly encourage us to race or get in an OS ending half marathon.  That distance is a truer indicator of fitness for the HIM and IM distances that most of us are racing this season.  

    The 5k provides a good metric for progress through the OS and to previously completed OS's.  
  • Knocked out a quick treadmill run yesterday.  Four miles at an 8:22 pace.  Progressively went faster.  Started at TRP and worked my way up to Z5 for the last half-mile.  Will get 4-5 miles done tomorrow and 10 on Sunday.  So will get to the 30-mile range again this week. (Knock-on-wood)

    Question to the group:
    - Should I do a 5K time trial run next Thursday (week 14) and then race a half-marathon on Sunday?  

    I would like to have the 5K to update my VDOT calculation.  But I know the OS plan is to do a half-marathon as we exit the OS.  

    There is a half-marathon race about 75 minutes from my house that I could do.  However, it has a rolling course so I will run a different pace than I would on a flat course, which is what I have been using to test myself since October.  

    Clearly, I have enough fitness to do both runs, however I am not knowledgeable enough about measuring stress scores to know how to interpret my half-marathon data if I did an all-out 5k test a few days beforehand.  Also, this would require me to do the 5k test about 48 hours after my FTP.  The OS plan is to put more days in between the FTP and run test.
  • @Patrick Marsh, Depends on which race is more important/if you're going for a PR. But I wouldn't try to PR both races.  I would skip the 5K and do the HM, if the HM is relatively flat. You can use the HM to calculate your VDOT.  Good luck!
  • @BH - thanks....fair hotel for Manhattan...

    @Patrick M. - I agree with DS comments, go for the HM!  An HM in a race setting is a more accurate reflection of your fitness compared to a 5K......as Phil calls out above.

    @Phil M. - thank you

    Playing catchup this week after travel and work continues....hit the TM at lunch today and finished strong but it cost me: https://www.strava.com/activities/846088296


  • Ok lest any of you wonder whether this agony is doing you any good. I do an HM today. My time was 11 minutes faster than the same course last year.. This includes a nature stop that I didn't have last year. Felt as strong at 10 as I did at 5. Miles 11 & 12 were on an unpaved trail and I started to feel fatigue in my Hams. Not sure that I ran all that much faster, but I didn't fall off at the end and walk a lot. Also I didn't run over 7 miles in the OS. I'm extremely pleased.  Thanks EN and all of my teammates for the support and guidance. Now Let's get this Ironman thing done! :p
  • @David - Congrats on your HM!  Well done!
  • @David - Nice job!  Good to hear all this hard work pays off.

    I've had to back off running these last couple of weeks because I've done something to my left hip.  I'm trying to be good and let it rest, but I feel like all the hard work I have put in up to now is going down the drain.  Somebody talk me off the edge!

  • @Ellen Sauter - It's more important to let your hip rest/heal to prevent a recurrence. You'll be surprised at how fast your run fitness will come back, especially if you're still biking and/or swimming.  I had the same concerns when I took off two weeks for my hamstring.

    I had a good long run today with the 5x3'.  Pace was faster than the level of effort I felt I was putting out (I run by feel...I don't monitor my pace or HR during my runs).  
    Looking forward to Monday's recovery day.  My HM is in mid-March while in the middle of the Get Faster Plan.  After the OS, I'm planning to roll right into the Tour of Sufferlandria, Feb 4 - 12 (while maintaining 4-5 short/easy runs/week), then Swim Camp, Get Fast Plan, and HIM.
  • @Ellen Sauter - I agree with Derek.  Running through injuries typically just pushes off full recovery.  

    @Derek - Saw your run on Strava.  Nice pace!

    I knocked out my 75-minute run late this morning. It felt great.  Maybe that's because my fitness is improving or that it was a beautiful day.   Conditions were good. Sun was out.  The course was flat.   

    Ran my intervals in the 6:50 area.  Overall, I ran nine miles at an 8:17 pace.   My 3k test when I joined EN in September was ~7:55, which was only 22 seconds faster than my 9-miler today.  

    I am going to rest my legs and get ready for the week 14 tests.  However, I still have not figured out if I can do a HM race this weekend due to parenting conflicts.  

    If I need to run near home, is it better to run a 13.1-mile route on our own giving it our best effort to close out week 14?  (As opposed to doing another 5K test.)

    Hope everyone had a good Sunday run.  
  • I had my best Sunday run all OS today! I didn't think I'd feel to well after 5 intervals, but maybe all this hard work is starting to pay off?  https://www.strava.com/activities/848649512

    I'm actually starting to look forward to next week's test. I'm planning on running the Go Hard or Go Home Half Marathon in Brooklyn next Sunday... anyone else?
  • @Ross, negative splitting a 10 mile run with intervals coming it a GAP 6 min/mile pace leaves no excuses on that table but one bloody Gorilla!  Fitness gains showing!  Nice work!

    Finished up the week with long run on TM incorporating intensity intervals.....
    https://www.strava.com/activities/848708066

    Finding that I am slowly improving on my focus during the hard run intervals but need to keep at it consistently.

    SS
  • @Shaughn - Putting beastly workouts as usual.

    @David - Huge gains on your HM PR.

    @Ellen - Derrek has provided you some sage advice for and I would concur.

    @Derrek - You continue to put out some impressive work, even more so considering the hamstring injury you had early on.

    @Patrick - Runs always feel better on a gorgeous day, though I would put money on you becoming stronger from all of your OS work. As far as the Wk 14 test, I've done it both ways.  I have 4 years of 5k TT history, however with the run durability that has been incorporated into the OS the roll your own 13.1 would yield a more applicable metric to your season. That assumes that you are racing long course events this year.

    After 90'on the bike, I completed by first brick run in over 6 weeks.  Time wise, I could only squeeze in 2 miles, but it felt like was back in training mode again.

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