Changing paces in between tests?
I'm in week 6 of JanOS, and have for the last several weeks accomplished runs that were targeted @ TP at paces 10 -15 secs faster without HR blowing up. I realize this is "progress" from 6 weeks of training -- but wonder if I should continue at the faster pace, or slow it down until my next run test.
my paces were set from an estimated vdot, i blew up on the run test at the start of OS so i guesstimated based on fitness level at the time.
my LTHR is approx 180, current TP is 8:55, and one workout this week was 4 x 800 and 1 x 1 mile, with these results:
1st 800 - pace 8:44, avg hr 168
2nd 800 - pace 8:40, avg hr 167
3rd 800 - pace 8:50, avg hr 169
4th 800 - pace 8:37, avg hr 170
1 mile - pace 8:42, avg hr 175
0
Comments
I could, sure.
I guess my real question is ... should i keep using my old paces until the next scheduled test? Or make a change NOW- either by 5K test or running the TP intervals at the faster pace that i have been seeing.
Put another way -- is there a downside to bumping up pace "too quickly" / is it an EN principle "not" to 'skip ahead' and stay the course until the plan says to make a change?
John,
We encourage you to manage your training in real time but not follow a plan into a brick wall. My own personal guiding mantra is "how is what I'm doing NOW going to affect my downstream workouts?" So while my T-pace might be 7:00-:05, I would frequently do mile repeats at 6:40-45 because I know myself and know how to manage my training week very well. Basically, I prefer to adjust paces frequently according to how I feel that day vs doing formal tests. I also tend to run courses vs intervals: I have a couple hilly routes with historical benchmarks and I run/race against those benchmarks vs a prescribed pace.
In short, fine to adjust things up in real time but don't follow your new plan into a brick wall. Always think about downstream sessions.
You're running 8:45's off of an estimated TP of 8:55. Well within the range of error. No need to re-test, unless those intervals are just feeling way too easy. The training effect of running 2 x 1mi at 8:45 and 8:55 is just not that different, and certainly not something worth worrying about.
If you were running 8:20's and feeling good, then I'd say it's time to re-test.
@Rich - agree on the brick wall. Thing is, is that I've been running these quicker paces for 2-3 weeks w/o impacting subsequent workouts, so that led me to asking the initial question.
@Mike - that makes sense. I'm not running 8:20s so at 8:45 I'm within the range I should be in.
appreciate the feedback.