NOS Week 14 Run Test
I decided to flip my tests this week. I was sick over the weekend so I took Saturday off and then "caught up" by doing the last VO2 bike session on Sunday (using Sufferfest Revolver) and a brick run. Still a little congested today, but thought I might do better with the run, rather than backing two bike session together. I didn't want to push the tests later in the week becase I'm planning to race in a 3-day XC Ski festival this weekend assuming the weather cooperates.
My last VDOT test was 20:59 in December at a 5K Road Race. Today I ran solo at the University of Rochester indoor track. Based on my intervals over the last few weeks I was confident I should be faster today, but didn't know how the head cold would affect things. Planned to start out at 6:30 for the first mile and then see what happened. Really wanted to keep my cadence up as close to 90 as possible. The 5K start and finish are marked on the track so I know they are accurate. My footpod measured the course as 3.12 miles (pretty darn close if you ask me).
Mile 1: Felt, fast, smooth and almost effortless in 6:33 with a cadence of 88.
Mile 2: Starting to work, could feel cadence falling. 6:34 with a cadence of 83.
Mile 3: Tiring, really feeling things in my chest. Slowing to 6:44 with a cadence of 82.
Mustered a kick at 6:29 pace for the last 0.1 at a cadence of 84.
Final time was 20:38, LTHR of 162, Avg cadence of 84, VDOT=48.
Overall I was pretty satisfied. I have to go back to May of 2001 when I ran a 20:30 in a 5K road race to find a faster 5K time. Running it solo was a big confidence booster. Lot of negative thoughts in that last mile alone that I was mostly able to shut out and push through. I still think I can go faster though (sub-20), particularly if running without congestion. I also need to work to keep that cadence up all the way through.
Now I've got to see if I can crush the bike on Weds. Good luck everybody.
Comments
@Kevin - this fantastic and reflects a lot of work and a mental 6 pack! That is a great 5K TT time! Work works!!
i tried a couple days ago @ local 5k - weather was yuck - windy/snowy/2-4" snow ground cover = terrible time - will attempt again this coming weekend @ another 5k - last year i was doing tests on the TM and that really sucks
I am still bluffing my way through the running for about 3 more weeks - will do a bike test (to end my bike emphasis time) and a run test (to start a run block) to see where I am. With all this recent short fast stuff, it's funny...I am doing ok at like half-miles, but I am not sure I could run the 5K they correspond to! :-)
Terrific job Kevin, I'm betting you'll see that sub-20 at a road race, especially if you're not sick and haven't just done a killer bike workout that week!
@ Kevin - way to suck it up and get the test in.
I got out for 30' tonight after my Vo2 bike, still just running. Well most of that time anyway.
Gordon
great job Kevin
I hate to test. Starting last Thursday night I got a sore throat and head cold. Ended up bagging the ride Saturday and then even postponed the bike test until this Saturday. It appeared that was good, as by yesterday I was not congested and I was "ready" to test.
Ok here are the summary stats (not fast) -- 30:57, LTHR ave 175 (last test 30:52)
actually dry heaved at the end and my heart rate did hit 200.
deets are as follows:
mile 1 - 10:08, HR 165
mile 2 - 10:09, HR 167
mile 3 - 9:52, HR 175
last .1 - :48,, HR 177
I paced this one much better, feel smoother, but I hate testing alone. For my last test I am looking for a 10K race to do.
@kevin, great work on the test!
@ Paul, I call dry heaving at the end a success
Im not testing yet. I did a "trial" workout this morning of 3 mile repeats as my old 5k pace, 7:03. They were ugly but I could do them (on the treadmill with generous walk recoveries
). I'm gonna aim for a sub-7 minute 5k pace by the end of the os. Will try to find a race for my last test as well.
Look forward to seeing results come in later. I'm betting on some speedy times!
Time
@ Paul nice job getting out and doing the test seeing as you don't like them. Nice even splits.
@Shaughn - Your always bringing that mental six pack and toughing it out. Excellent job on the 50 vdot but you might not be so glad this is over at the end of your next run
. Also good thing you punched a few seconds under the 20 minute mark. If I recall, and 19:57 is a 50.
Gordon
Seems a bit cheesey with all the monster tests being laid down this week, but as I'm off the reservation, I unplugged and ran a 8 mile loop today at work. No watch, no music, no garmin, just me and the road. It was pretty nice just running to run. I captured a sunny gap in the weather today and enjoyed it a lot.
Keep crushing it everyone!
Wow, @Paul with a great negative split and
@Shaughn with a PR and s sub-20:00! Great work guys!!!!
I turned in a more modest effort today. I did drop :30 from the last test, so with a 7-point FTP bump on Monday, I'll count that as a decent split between biking and running progress. I felt that this one was *much* harder to pace, I'm not sure if that's because we're not doing a lot of FTP work so not as much time spent pacing longer efforts in this block, or just because I'm still under-recovered. Probably the latter.
I almost bagged this one as my HR hit over 150 just when I was warming up heading to the track, a bit of a sign that it wasn't going to be pleasant. Killer karate class last night on my "rest day" probably contributed.
My goal pace going in was 8:12 or under, I hit 8:10. Last 5k test was at an 8:20 pace.
Stats:
Avg HR: 165
8:08:24
8:14:60
8:12:28
:54 (7:36 pace)
Total: 25:29. Last 5k test 25:59.
I'm in a pickle with recovery right now. I test for my Black Belt confirmation in 5 weeks. In our dojo, your black belt test (which I did a year ago) is the physical test, while your confirmation one year later is mental fortitude and character. So I feel a bit under pressure to turn up at the black belt classes (more intense than the regular classes) and to give it 100% and not beg off due to whatever I'm doing in the EN NovOS. You cannot act like a wussie in front of a bunch of black belts who will be judging you in a month. I was supposed to be done with this by now (broken arm this last summer set me back) and did not plan on doing this so close to IMCdA.
So bottom line: I feel like neither the OS workouts nor Karate is getting enough of my effort and attention, and both are suffering.
Thanks for listening to me whine. I now return you to your regularly scheduled superstars!!!
Robin, for what its worth (and having exactly ZERO experience with structured martial arts training), I'd dial down the swim/bike/run stuff to a maintenance level and focus on achieving your goals for the black belt test. Will this be optimum for your IM training? No. Will this help you accomplish another life goal that you've probably dedicated years of life and commitment to? Yes. Life happens while you are making plans for life. Once your testing is over, then you can refocus on the swim/bike/run training and get your head straight for CDA. We are far enough out from June that I think you'll be ok. Will you dropping 15 minutes over a 10-12-14-17 hour day due to five weeks spent on your black belt matter to you in June? Only you can answer that one, but I know I won't be counting seconds in June. Will missing both your black belt test and 2 months of s/b/r training because your fried your self mentally / physically trying to do both hurt you? A good possibility. Obviously you feel like you are not able to achieve maximum results on both goals simulataneously. So I'd focus on one or the other. Five years from now, what will you look back on and consider important?
Or, if that's not your thing and you feel the need to hammer both at the same time, suck it up buttercup and get after it!!!!
For what its worth, I'm taking a minimum of 2 weeks off mid-February for an elective surgery that I've been putting off for 3 years... Perfect timing, nope, but it is what it is.
The run test today was tough, but with this mild weather, it was great to be outside testing in shorts and a tee shirt. I improved a little bit bumping the VDOT to 46.6, which I can't complain about after losing both Nov and Dec to a foot injury.
@Roy - best of luck with the surgery.
Wow. So many fast peeps reporting in. Good work, everyone! Someday soon, may my VDOT also venture to 50.
Robin -- I wouldn't worry about the test -- and definitely keep your last VDOT number. And, yeah, you can safely skew black belt for awhile. The OS is long and will wait for you.
Me - I am tapering back into the OS after Ragnar, so IP intervals for me. Today, I learned doing Tuesday bike in the morning and Wednesday run at lunch is not wise and couldn't hold the last interval. Points for doing the stupid thing so you all don't have to, and, not doing anything that stupid workout-wise, until now. Otherwise, 6:46s are feeling nice. Mental toughness, apparently, only likes one super-suffery workout per day.
@ Robin, you're gonna be a real EN ninja!!!
Hit the treadmill for my run test today. 5k in 18:35 for an improvement of 39 seconds over the last test. Vdot went from 52 to 54.2.
The numbers look good but it's only because I'm running on a treadmill. I'll be very happy if I can break 20 minutes once I start running outside.
Keep up the awesome work everyone!
Thanks everyone, I appreciate the helpful comments! I think if I keep my OS expectations in check for the next 4 weeks until my test is over, I will probably be fine. I just have to stamp that on the backs of my hands or something. Or maybe just write the kanji for Gambatte (Japanese for "do your best")
@Doug, that's a very nice bump, treadmill or no! Congrats on a good test. I don't know how you treadmill people do it, I would go crazy trying to do a 5k test on one of those things. Although I supposed it makes pacing easier.
@William, way to keep chipping away at it. That doesn't sound much easier than a 5k to be honest.
@Beth, I can't imagine trying to do two OS-style workouts back to back, ouch!
Keep after it everyone.
The stage of the bike hack I'm in has a run on Fridays.. I haven't run with just a long segment under MP for a long time... 30 min about 10 sec faster than MP was the result. It's fun learning to run paces like that again. Not easy, but good for the soul. :-)
P.S. I left my stinkiest running shoes in the trash can at the hotel. My wife says that action merits 1 SAU. Take note fellows!
@robin, chiming in late but just wanted to echo the sentiments of others. I agree, take the time to finish your black belt. That is just such a huge investment of physical and mental energy and letting it slide seems like it would only come back to haunt you. There's lots of time to get ready for your race season. And then you really will execute like a ninja
I still didn't retest my run. Did a steady pace 10k this afternoon after my bike workout to see where I'm at. 7:51 average pace including warmup, traffic stops, and helping a lady who was lost with directions (couldn't she tell I was running??
). Feel like things are coming back.
Posting yesterday evenings brick run:
0.25 miles 6:59 pace
0.50 miles 7:06 pace
0.75 miles 7:11 pace
0.25 miles 6:54 pace
0.50 miles 6:59 pace
0.75 miles 7:06 pace
1.2 mile run cool down
And this is after my poor 5K this week. I am convinced that the test needs to be repeated. I am not a VDOT of 42.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/147524366