JOS 2019 Run Thread - Week 5 - Testing
Welcome to our 1st test week of the program. I always tend to look toward this both with anticipation and with trepidation, as you know this week is a is going to really push you, but then you also get to see the gains you have already made this OS and get a little time to recover.
Testing
- Testing can be trying and don't be surprised if mess it up/it doesn't go well it happens to all of us. To better prepare yourself remember to:
- Hydrate
- Find a flat area/track that you can do this workout on again.
- Warm-up and do strides at expected race pace.
- Pace yourself
Key Run Points to Consider for Week 5:
- Watch the workouts this week, things shift a bit (no hills) to allow for testing so Thursday and Friday will be a bit easier
- Once we hit the weekend things will feel familiar
- Note: next week we will start to see some bigger differences in workouts between run/bike focus programs
Good luck, and happy testing.
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So here's what I'm doing instead of testing, or even running...my TP intervals for the day. WKO gave me 91 TSS for 19,500' of vertical in 9" new snow:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lGhkx94ro8o" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
https://youtu.be/lGhkx94ro8o
@Al Truscott wins!
The rest of us get to test!
I went to the track at 5am with a couple of longtime friends. One was a pro runner who turned UCI pro (was the first winner of Zwift Academy) for two years after her knees had surgery and ended her marathon running career. The other is a surgeon and best friend. We were a trio at the track for years, but two of us haven't seen much of it for some years. So today was about reacquainting ourselves and not doing damage. Today was a lot of fun. I do miss the track.
I learned how to pace from the first friend above. And it was clear from today that I forgot all I knew about track pacing. Went out much to fast in the first lap of the 5K and the rest, as they say, is history. It gives me a baseline.
Run test in the books. Comparison to last year's JOS Test#1 run below. Both on the same course. Last year it was much cooler. The temperature was 46. Today's run was a muggy 66 degrees. This one definitely felt hard, and I didn't have a kick at the end.
2019 - 22:31, Avg pace: 7:16 (mile 1 7:14, mile 2 7:14, mile 3: 7:16) Avg HR: 173
2018 - 21:53, Avg pace: 7:03 (mile 1 7:09, mile 2 7:03, mile 3 6:58) Avg HR 174
So I did something dumb without totally realizing it... I did a test in late November because I was coming off of an injury where I could only do light cycling for 8 weeks and no running. Needless to say, that 5k test was abysmal and like any irritated and stubborn triathlete, I considered fudging my test numbers to put my training paces more in line with what I 'thought' they should be. Eye roll. But I didn't realize I had actually DONE that and saved the info in Final Surge. So my training paces that I have been hitting for the last 2 months were based on the pace I thought I could run, not what I actually ran that day. So when I tested this week, I took 3 minutes off my test time but was baffled when my training paces didn't change. Until I realized what I had done. So I guess I keep plugging along at my current zones since this recent test lined up more closely with those?
not sure you wrote what you did. But assuming you were training at the faster pace of what you think you could do and successfully tested to it, keep going!
now you learned to push and that you are capable of more than you thought. there IS an art to testing and "SWAGGING" or Some Wild Arse Guess" to where your numbers are, if you are coming off of runs tired and recovering well, you are doing great and improving.. that's what it IS about.
waiting for @Al Truscott to correct the "A" in swag as I always forget what it is.
@scott dinhofer Yes, in my ramblings, I didn't do a great job of concisely saying that I was training at the faster pace of what I 'thought' i could do and was MOSTLY successful in the testing. My test this week was more at threshold pace, increasing to Zone 5 over the duration as opposed to a full on Zone 5 effort. It was done indoors on the treadmill with Garmin footpod calibrated. I was a bit concerned about blowing up and having another botched test so I was prob a bit conservative.
The OS training has felt like a load at times, but I think I am recovering ok. As an EN member, I have changed a lot about what used to be my 'usual' training routine. In the past, riding indoors for more than an hour was very rare. And I never worked out more than 3 days in a row without a rest day. That is just what I had been 'taught' by others I was around and training with. I am getting up at 445am two days a week to get some of the workouts in but I feel like I compensate with an earlier bedtime. Looking ahead to the next few weeks of workouts might be a better indicator of how I'm doing since it seems like we get into some Zone 4 work. Curious how that will feel. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. 😎
Great job folks I see a number of people have tested, and yes there is an are to doing it correct. As we have also seen conditions play a big part in your testing. Keep it up.
@Nikki Pembrook - Yeah Scott covered, it just means you have officially adapted to the faster pace and now the Swag has been validated. Keep it up, the z4 work will push us a bit in the coming week so that will be a good additional validation.
As far as my testing goes, I have put a pin it at the moment since as I get up to 5k speed I can start to feel the dull ache in the hamstring and I just don't want to tempt fate. Still z3/4 work seems to be hitting the right HR/power for me in relations with expected work and VDOT. I'll shift zones as needed if the z3/4 work starts to feel too easy.
Here was my test this week:
This is the last 1'45" of a 7' run down Garrett Gulch, a drop of 2000' in 1.4 miles
TEST WEEK IS OVER!! Now we have to hit those numbers!
Coming off an injury when I started the Run Durability Program, I didn't know what to expect. I did a test in October to get some base numbers. With this test this week, I improved by over a minute! Happy with results and was able to hit the numbers in the long run today, even after racing a trail 5k yesterday! Took 2nd place in the 60-69 age group. I'll take it!!!
I thought I’d get in four runs for 12 mi during the Tour of Sufferlandria, but my work week was busy through Thursday, and I was pretty beaten down by Stage 9 this am. Honestly, my run durability has been good, and with no pace expectations, I believe that poor nutrition contributed to my downfall this afternoon. Still got in 3 mi, but it has been rare for my pace to drop during a run this JOS. Good news is that after 5 weeks with a consistent build and good health, @Coach Patrick has released a 6 mi limit to my runs, so I plan to build my long run per the plan. I’ve got a Half Marathon at the end of April. My CTL today is as high as it was all last season. Need to stay steady and consistent with my running. Onward.
@Al Truscott : Impressive that you get through all that without stopping, and your respirations sound controlled. My wife and I used caution and style to keep up with our adult children on similar terrain at altitude, but I was feelin’ the burn and sucking air. Conditions look great!
I pronounce thee ready @John Culberson ... Sometimes a stoopid easy run at the end of the week is sufficient!!! You did better than me, I got distracted by cooking dinner and then suddenly I had a beer in my hand and it was GAME OVER for my training week. #livetofightanotherday
No test for me this week just 4X35'.
Great job this week everyone!
I finished off this week with a 11 miler, a bit slower then normal as it was after some freezing rain came through so some of the bridges, etc. were pretty icy but starting to melt. Day 99 of my run streak done, and 41 miles for the week. On to the harder work of next week.