The plan was to have done a tempo session yesterday (3*2000m at LT), and a long run today. But that plan was based on running a 5K race on Sunday, not a 10K. Therefore, I decided to take my still somewhat tired legs seriously and do another long(ish) run today.
The workout
A 13K easy kong run in heart rate zone 2.
Afterwards
I felt a bit tired still, but all was okay. Shitty weather, though.
Workout data
If you want to see the workout, check it out on Garmin or on Strava.
Okay, so, after the race, I’m treating this week as another training week, although I’m not sure whether or not I’m pushing for a next race.
The workout
An easy post-race run of 12K. Nothing fancy.
Afterwards
My calves and upper legs were a bit stiff, but that’s all. No aches or anything, which is great. I ran on my Altra Torin 4‘s, which wasn’t the best choice, I guess, because of the zero-drop which I always feel in, you guessed it, my calf muscles.
Workout data
Workout data If you want to see the workout, check it out on Garmin or on Strava.
Well, yesterday I ran my fourth tune-up race, which, I had decided, I would treat as the final race if it went well. That way, a bad race could still lead to a good next race. The question then is, of course, how did it go?
The race
I ran a 10K race at my own track club Fortuna. The Vulcaan race featured a 5K, 10K and half marathon. Pacing went well and all my km-splits I ran 3:29 with a margin of 3 seconds. I was very pleased with that, not in the last place because running felt hard but good, and I thought I had been wise to let the first to guys go, who went ahead with a pace around 3:22. All good… until I reached the 10K point on my watch, which clocked in at 34:54 (which would be awesome for me), but the race still lasted for 500m. 500 meters, guys! What happened? Finally reaching the finish line, my watch showed 10.52K and 36:39 — which, not coincidentally, was my official time too.
I had seen on forehand that the course, which was uploaded as a GPX file on the race’s site, was 10.2K. That’s too much for a PR too, but okay. Then all my team mates ran between 10.1 and 10.2K. Why did my watch show 10.5K? Some of the guys said they cut some corners, which I didn’t do, but that wouldn’t make up for 300-400 meters, right? What I think the cause of this mess is, is a combination of a course that’s just to long (10.2K) and my watch getting the distance not from GPS, but from the Stryd footpod. I have no way to determine what piece of technology is more accurate, although Stryd is the unofficial number 1 in that area (see this page on Fellrnr), but I feel 10.5K can’t be right.
So, I based my pacing on something — wrong or right — that does not agree with the official course and the GPS course. That sucks in any case. So, did I run a PB? Officially: no. My PB on the 10K was 36:26 and now I finished in 36:39. Unofficially: I think so, but I’m not sure. I’m pretty sure the course was longer than 10K and shorter than 10.5K. If I go with the 10.2K reported by everyone else, my time on ’the real 10K’ would be 35:56, which would be a PB, but still slower than I would have wanted, because I was pacing at 3:30, while actually running around 3:33 on average.
So, the outcome, unfortunately, is that I felt like I ran a good race, and finished third in around 200 runners, but I didn’t feel excited or joyful afterwards because it was and still is unclear what the final verdict should be.
What did go well?
Well, I felt great before and during the race. After the race, too — my calf muscles are a bit tight, but that’s all. Although my cadence was a bit lower than expected (188spm), there was not much vertical movement, and I felt like having a strong posture the whole race. Fast legs, upright body. Having less miles the week prior and doing only some strides the day before the race felt like the right move. Although you can read I’m not really satisfied, I do feel like having ran a good race and having learnt a lot. Now I should learn to just appreciate that…
Oh, and maybe I should just appreciate finishing third.
And now…
As I wrote above, I could treat this as a tune-up race and run another race in two or three weeks. My training plan includes that option, but I’m just not sure what I should do. I don’t want to end up injured because I pushed it too long. Today, I’ll just do a recovery run and think about it. To be continued…
Race data and results
If you want to see the race, check it out on Garmin or on Strava. The official results can be found on Splittime.nl.
This is the last workout before the race tomorrow, thus a short one.
The workout
5 strides, or, in other terms, 5 times 100m at maximum speed, a good, dynamic warming-up, 2K easy, then the strides with 100m recovery in between, and finally 1K easy to cool off.
Afterwards
It’s kind of weird to do such a short workout. 4K in total, 18 minutes – but it’s good to get the legs working for a short amount of time. I enjoyed the workout and the strides were nice and fast (for me, that is), pace around 2:50/4:34 per km/m.
Workout data
If you want to see the workout, check it out on Garmin or on Strava.
My legs are a lot less tired today. Still, I’m doing only a 12K long run.
The Workout
Today, I’m doing a 12K long run in heart rate zone 2 and I’m finishing with 4 strides to get some feeling of speed in.
Afterwards
Running felt good. Cadence high (ehm, as was the pace, but nothing crazy), but the run felt natural and smooth, without much effort. Funny how you sometimes do not seem to get into the run, and sometimes it just happens, seemingly without effort.
Workout data
If you want to see the workout, check it out on Garmin or on Strava.
Because I have a race on Sunday, and I sometimes feel a strength/core workout for days after, I did the weekly hour of strength training today. Plenty of time to recover. Not much else to say about, apart from the usual: it was hard and fun.
I still feel my legs are tired from the track workout yesterday, so it’s a good thing I’m doing an easy run today.
The Workout
Today I’m doing a 10K easy run in heart rate zone 1/2. Nothing fancy, except maybe for wearing new shoes.
I bought new shoes for long runs and opted for Hoka Bondi’s, because of the low drop (4mm) and amount of cushioning (insane). I must say that I liked the feeling of the shoes — I was a bit afraid of having that ‘wobbly’ feeling due to the stack height, but the shoes felt very soft yet firm. What I didn’t like, though, was the sizing. I have two other pairs of Hoka’s (Cavu, ATR) and I ordered these shoes in the same size. Turns out they’re much (!) too narrow in front, so a very tight toebox — a problem I have with the other Hoka’s as well — but they also feel just a bit too small. I’m going to try to return them and switch over to either the wide version of the shoe, or a size bigger, or both. Why can’t companies sort out the consistency of their sizing?
Afterwards
Back to the run. I could feel I was tired, but I managed to keep pace, cadence and heart rate constant. I had a long day at work, and sometimes that just gives me a kind of worn-out feeling.
Workout data
If you want to see the workout, check it out on Garmin or on Strava.
Track day!
The Workout
Today I’m doing a speed workout, consisting of 5 times 800 meters at 3:20/5:22. Last time I did this workout, I ran to and from the track, which is an additional 8K. That’s too much for today, as the workout itself is tough enough. I cycled a part, so the total running workout was 12K.
Afterwards
The intervals were hard, but running felt good — much better than last time, when I did this workout after a strength workout the same day. I did all intervals in a pace a bit faster than needed, more around 3:10-3:15/5:06-5:14 than 3:20/5:22 (actually, I see now paces were 3:14, 3:14, 3:15, 3:17, and 3:14), but that’s because the pace displayed on my watch seemed lower than what is calculated afterwards. That’s probably because I use Stryd for cadence (200spm today), speed and distance. This works better on the track, because GPS tends to cut corners. Anyway, it felt like a hard, but good workout.
Workout data
If you want to see the workout, check it out on Garmin or on Strava.
Today, I’m doing a long run to build endurance.
The workout
A long run of 26K in heart rate zone 2.
Afterwards
Running went well, but the weather sucked. Like last week, a lot of wind and even more rain. Oh well, it’s a good mental workout this way too.
Workout data
If you want to see the workout, check it out on Garmin or on Strava.
Today is hill sprint day.
The workout
I’m doing 10 times 400 meter hill ‘sprints’ (sprints are typically shorter) in a bicycle tunnel near my house today. Slowly running down to the start is recovery.
Afterwards
I was used to doing this workout, but with ‘only’ 8 times 400m. 10 was okay, but muscle fatigue, especially in the upper legs, does strike after 6 or 7 intervals. Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound. The intervals felt good, but the tunnel floor was wet, so it was kind of slippery, and my shoes squeaked like mad.
Workout data
If you want to see the workout, check it out on Garmin or on Strava.