Home November ‘09 Outseason

Week 8 VDOT Test

I'll kick this off.  Testing this week due to holiday travel.  Ran the test on a curvy 430m indoor track due to the weather still being lousy.  I'm totally stoked since my VDOT moved up from 49 to 52.  This program is really working!!!

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Comments

  • Great increase.  Way to go.  Over 50 is outstanding!

  • Wayne, have you ever had a Vdot that high before? I'm in the same area as you, 48.7, and would love to see that kind of gain .

  •  - Jonathon.  Yeah I've run 5k's in the 19 min range before but actually have been neglecting my running ever since I started this tri thing a few years ago.  It's seriously good to see myself rounding back into form.  I think it's all about pacing yourself in the first bit of the run and then putting the hammer down so to speak!!!

  • Congrats!  That's a fantastic bump!

  • I rearranged the schedule so I could do the test in a local 5k tomorrow morning, but the forecast is for 8-12" of snow starting overnight. I guess it'll have to wait until later in the week.
  • @ Wayne, well done. Welcome to the 50+ club. image

    @ Keith, yah, don't force it. Plenty of time to slay yourself on the trainer and run later if need be. I am sure dcorso or someone will happily map you a 5k to do!
  • Like Wayne, I had to re-arrange the schedule this week, so I knocked out my Vdot test this am.  Dropped 34 seconds, down to 18:16, for a Vdot of 55.2.  Almost there to my "heads we win" goal of 56.

    A few things learned from the test:

    1. Tie your shoes!  ~7minutes in, my right shoe came untied.
    2. Stay calm.  Somehow, I kept my wits about me, stepped on the side rails for about 3-4 seconds, got the shoe tied, and got back on.
    3. I could have gone faster.  Realized it with about .75 miles to go, took it up multiple times in that last stretch, and probably should have been pushing harder earlier.  Good to know for next time.
    4. FRS rocks!  I use the drink occasionally before morning workouts, and every time I seem to hit it out of the park. 

    I'm really pleased with this, as I'm feeling big strength gains from all the core work I've been doing, and it didn't quite translate as much as I was hoping in the bike test, so I'm thrilled to have a great run test.  Looking forward to seeing everybody's results tomorrow!

    Mike

  • Michael,  That is HUGE!!  When you are down to these paces every second feels like alot, so to bump it by that much is just stellar.

    Great motivation for me to lay it down Thursday morning for my test.

  • So impressed folks! I am hoping the roads clear a bit more for tomorrow's test...could be ugly!! IF I slip and slide my way to a faster vDOT, I am still counting it!
  • Good gracious. Im hoping to stay in the 40's this time! Will update this evening. 

    GV

  • A meager 1 point bump for me to 49....the increased numbers are tough to come by for this old man.

  • Just finished up the 5k on the indoor track as its icy around here. 21:50, vdot bump to 45 by 2 points, and a new PR. Not bad, especially after my haphazard training over the past few months. Time to break open a beer.

    GV
  • @Bill - Up is up brother...nice work!
    @Greg - make that two beers...one for each point! image
  •  Well that was kinda sorta fun.  Dark and 12 degrees.  Did not really wanna test this week but Kevin talked me into it.  The course is decent, mostly flat with only a couple of turns.  As usual have a really hard time holding together an all out run alone in the dark as opposed to having something to race for at the end.  Held it together pretty well, faded a little but not bad.  Confirmed estimated vdot of 55.  Somehow managed to lose Kevin and as his gps is tempermental he ended up with no data.  

     


    Run Test 12/23:

    Duration:   18:27

    rTSS:       37.7 (1.067)

    NGP: 6:02 (267.0 m/min)

    Distance:   3.098 mi

    Elevation Gain:     252 ft

    Elevation Loss:   315 ft

    Grade:     -0.4 %  (-62 ft)

                      Min Max Avg

    Speed:       8.2 11.6 10.1 mph

    Pace         5:10 7:19 5:56 min/mi

    Altitude:     310 414 345 ft

     

    I am sure I could have run a bit faster under better conditions, maybe I will try to find a 5k soon and go for broke  

     

  • Nice results so far. Way to go!

    @Chris, Nice VDot and mental toughness in the cold darkness.

    You're all making me feel soft. I had no such tenacity to deal with icy darkness. Late night on Tuesday and an early morning to work today. Did 3 x 1 on the treadmill instead. Will jump in a local 5k within the next couple of weeks.

     

  • Wow, what do they put in the water in Clifton Park ChrisG? 12 degrees and dark and you hit a 55? Just amazing. Actually amazing results all around. Gonna need to channel some of that mojo as I have awoken with two dead legs. Hoping they will come around in a few hours when I do my test.
    Good luck everyone!
  • Man you guys are making me jealous! I cant wait to be off the Injured reserve here ina afew days and get back into it!
  • Posted By Tucker McKeever on 23 Dec 2009 08:09 AM

    Wow, what do they put in the water in Clifton Park ChrisG? 12 degrees and dark and you hit a 55? Just amazing. Actually amazing results all around. Gonna need to channel some of that mojo as I have awoken with two dead legs. Hoping they will come around in a few hours when I do my test.

    Good luck everyone!

    At least when it is 12 degrees overheating is not much of a problem.  As I was trying to explain to Kevin this morning sometimes it is a good thing to go into a test/race not feeling great or with "dead" legs.  You can surprise yourself as often you will come around in the middle of it.  For whatever reason if I go into something feeling great at the start it seems to go to hell.  This morning as of about 1/4 before the hard part was to start I was trying to convince Kevin there was no real need to test and that we should make it a longer easy run.  Good to have someone around to keep me on it.

    Have a great run!

  • So impressed with all. I managed 18:23, like Chris in 12-degree weather but it was the AM and bright and sunny. Slower than the Fall, but I was marathon training then and doing a ton more running and was in season, so I think this is pretty close. Didn't help that my chest cold was acting up as I wheezed around my neighborhood. Just a few scared dog walkers...*sigh*. Good luck everyone else!

    P
  • Wasn't sure how this one would go with the crazy work schedule + FTP yesterday, but game on. Fired up for test week. Back on the treadmill for this one at 2% to maintain consistency. image

    Week 1 = 23:47 (7:39 pace) + vdot of 40

    Week 8 = 22:55 (7:23 pace) + vdot of 42.34

  • @ Chris - Holy Crap dude!

    @ Team - just a great job nailing the test this week!

    Last night I was balancing the SAUs and this mornings test. We had a certificate for basically anything you wanted at the Four Seasons including a bottle of wine.  Well, I drank 1/2 of that $80 bottle and covered the SAUs as the priority should have been wondering how that might impact this morning's Run test........

    I was able to hold it together and come out with a vDOT improvement that went from 46.4 to 49.9!  Goal was 48...ish.  I actually went into this worried about maintaining the 46.4.....

    Now, after looking at the zones, am a bit intimidated about what this means for the next 12 weeks....


    Duration: 19:55

    Work: n/a

    rTSS: 41.3 (1.075)

    NGP: 6:22 (253.1 m/min)

    VI: n/a

    Pw:HR: n/a

    Pa:HR: 6.92%

    Distance: 3.086 mi

    Elevation Gain: 414 ft

    Elevation Loss: 448 ft

    Grade: -0.2 % (-36 ft)

    Min Max Avg

    Heart Rate: 101 181 171 bpm

    Speed: 4:48 7:55 6:26 min/mi

     

  • I felt good during today's test.  During my last attempt I almost didn't make it to the end so I didn't push super hard in the beginning.  Compared to last year at this time I am 2 minutes faster. I will take everything I can get!

    Here is the data:  New Vdot of 44.2.

    Entire workout (167 bpm):

    Duration: 22:05

    7:07 (224.6 m/min)

     

    Mile 1: 7:20 (219.6 m/min);

    Mile 2: 7:15 (221.9 m/min)

    Mile 3: 6:59 (230.7 m/min)

    Mile 0.1: 0:40

     

  • Well, after an extremely disappointing and difficult FTP test on Monday, had a good result today for the vDot test, bumped it 2 points and actually had quite a bit left at the end. I blew up last time so I held back for the first mile today. New Pace: 6;56 vDot of 46.

    Mile 1- 7:07 HR 156

    Mile 2- 6:58 HR 162

    Mile 3- 6:47 HR 166

    0.1- 0:38.7 HR 170

    Enjoy the holidays everyone- run long and often

  • The team is crushing it

    I'm racing in a local 5K on New Years day so I'm on the sidelines this week or should I say on the treadmill. I'm hoping for a slight bump next week.

     

  • Posted By Shaughn Simmons on 23 Dec 2009 08:52 AM

     

    Last night I was balancing the SAUs and this mornings test. We had a certificate for basically anything you wanted at the Four Seasons including a bottle of wine.  Well, I drank 1/2 of that $80 bottle and covered the SAUs as the priority should have been wondering how that might impact this morning's Run test........

    I was able to hold it together and come out with a vDOT improvement that went from 46.4 to 49.9!  Goal was 48...ish.  I actually went into this worried about maintaining the 46.4.....

     

    The drinking likely helped.  At least that is how I rationalize it.  A three point jump is MASSIVE.  Nice work.

    And let me get this straight, you earn SAU's by having dinner at the 4 seasons and I barely keep mine even by putting shingles on a doll house?  I need a new agent 
  • Felt awful going in and feel awful going out but got it done. Thanks for the pep talk Chris. Really helped.
    Week 1 ran a 22:00. Old Vdot of 44.
    Today ran 21:20. New Vdot of 46.
    I really couldn't tell you the splits. Was just happy it was over. LTHR dropped as well. I think by a few bpm.
    Great job everyone. Now we all just have to work a lot harder. Those milesat threshold for the run challenge just became a little difficult too. What a sweet holiday present from RnP for us all!
  • felt great testing today! i am a horrible runner, so i will take anything i can get. i started with en this summer w/ 00:25:00. Today, 6 months later, 00:20:50. merry x-mas to me! sub-20 is my goal, like, one day -but if it's by next week i wouldn't mind ; )...

    btw, you guys' numbers are inspirational. i bow to your accomplishments. salve!

    have a great x-mas everyone.
  • Great to see such big jumps.  All your hard work is paying off. 

    Same course as Nov, but 13 seconds slower.  I'd like to blame it on the 25 degree difference, but that was only one factor.  Others include some lingering fatigue, not eating that well  of late (ho, ho, ho) and a horrible job pacing.  Live and learn.

    Nov 19:13

    Dec 19:26

    I'm ok with keeping the same paces to train with.  This big bod is still adjusting to repeats at TP of 6:38. 

    Dave

  • 24:13 on the treadmill 7:48 pace. That's a small 20" improvement over the last test, but like my FT, I'm at a pretty strong pace for me these days. Not the best I've been, but in recent memory this is strong running for me. I am hugely pleased with the test today.

    I chose indoors today since that's where I'll be running intervals this winter with my friend Rich. He was on one side of me today, Keith was on the other. Lots of motivation. I really wanted to see how close I could get to my husband's pace--and when he started out waaaaaay too fast, I was just smiling. He died, but I really can't catch him. It was fun though.

    I'm thinking of writing up my thoughts on why I HAVE NEVER IN MY FREAKIN' TRAINING LIFE FELT BETTER THAN THIS OS!!!! Week in and week out, I am handling the load, enjoying it immensely, and--for me--doing great! I have some ideas of how it all has come together, and how, over time, I have really learned how to adapt and handle this EN workload. I just shake my head in disbelief at how I am doing these days--but it's disbelief in a good way. Here's hoping the wheels stay on!

    Excellent, excellent work across the continuum here today. Congrats to all!

     

     

  • Not happy - three seconds slower over same course - shouldn't change zones but wondering if anyone in the same boat would retest? maybe just for psychological reasons (don't want to think I'm getting slower)
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