The Road to Boston 2007

TomR · Post by **TomR** » December 30th, 2006, 1:03 pm

Like Will, did 3x10 AT (last night) and have a 2k test up next. Rest today, test tomorrow. Happy to have the rest day after a "hard" IP week.

Yankeerunner · Post by **Yankeerunner** » December 31st, 2006, 11:59 am

2km Time Trial (Not scheduled in the IP, but for my own mental state to check progress)

2210m w/u in 10' with accelerations
2289m additional w/u in 10' with faster accelerations.

2000m 7:07.8

(200m splits,
0200m 1:48.0 32spm 140hr
0400m 1:48.0 32spm 148hr
0600m 1:48.2 32spm 150hr
0800m 1:47.7 33spm 153hr
1000m 1:48.0 33spm 154hr
1200m 1:47.0 35spm 158hr
1400m 1:47.0 35spm 157hr
1600m 1:46.2 37spm 171hr
1800m 1:45.0 39spm 168hr
2000m 1:44.2 39spm 170hr)

1613m c/d in 8'

122df, 52degrees, 50rhr. The goal was to start out at a pace 1sec/500m faster than 9 days ago, holding 1:48.0 through 1000m, 1:47.0 from there to 1500m, then 1sec/500m faster each of the last 100m segments. Almost made it. Faded too much after hitting 1:45, although I rallied at the very end. Heart rate jumped big time in the 40 or so seconds between 1400m and 1600m, but that is a bit more normal for my 2km attempts than what I had been doing lately. Satisfied for now.

One more Sunday at work before going back to the six day work week. Fortunately the Patriots game will be on TV in the back room.

Rick

Anne · Post by **Anne** » December 31st, 2006, 7:29 pm

I'm ending the year with an abbreviated workout. Instead of doing 4x8' AT (2:10 goal) , I only had time for 2x8' and was secretly glad(woops...I guess it isn't a secret if I am posting it) that the torture could end. I was holding 2:09.1, but was tired and slowing down---Tomorrow, my plan is to do 3x2K to get data to compare to the same workout a year ago. It is one interval short of the 4x8' but I will be attempting it at 2:06ish. I guess that limits the amount of champagne I should ingest!

Happy new year to all.

Thanks for the support over the past few months.

Yankeerunner · Post by **Yankeerunner** » January 1st, 2007, 12:22 pm

Tabula rasa, a blank slate, a new year. Time to do an erg workout.

2 X 15' UT1 (3.45'r)

2177m w/u in 10'

15' 3734m 2:00.5 22spm 142hr (recovered to 66hr during rest)
15' 3771m 1:59.3 22spm 150hr (rec. to 78hr)

1031m c/d in 5'

121df, 55degrees, 45rhr. Resting heart rate back to normal. So even though I'm still a bit stuffed up and honking the nose regularly I must be nearly over the pesky headcold. A lovely day off from work. Pete (the son) and I will head off to the movie theatre to see Angelina Jolie and a bunch of nobodies in The Good Shepherd. I hope that the guys in the film don't distract us from Angelina too much.

Happy New Year to all. Time to get serious about our 2km races!

Rick

whaskell · Post by **whaskell** » January 1st, 2007, 1:56 pm

2k test this morning

2000m/avg pace 1:43.9/time 6:55.6
splits
250m/1:45.0
250m/1:44.0
250m/1:44.2
250m/1:43.8
250m/1:43.2
250m/1:43.8
250m/1:43.6
250m/1:43.8

Bah! Slower than my last two tests (6:54.0 and 6:55.1, respectively). Just could not seem to pick up the pace. I wonder if this IP will result in any significant improvements from my normal unstructured training? I am beginning to think I have a mental block to getting any faster at this distance...

seat5 · Post by **seat5** » January 1st, 2007, 5:28 pm

Hi all,
Trying to get back in training and not doing too well. Yesterday was my first row since the 5K race on 12/21 which I shouldn't have done. It was just a rather aimless LSD--about 16K and really slow with lots of stops. Some trouble with congestion and coughing. Today I planned to do a 45 min UT2 and only made it half way through. I'm still really tired.

I don't know how to try to pick up my IP again--clearly I can't jump into AN workouts which is what the schedule says I should be doing now (I've missed 12 workouts in between, and I am sure I also can't do them, either.) I don't know what to do! Help! You can't make the IP do up a plan for only 8 weeks--16 is the shortest, and it puts me doing exactly what my current plan says to do.

All I can think of to do is to take this week to work on UT2 and maybe 1 and play it by ear. I don't think it seems like it's going to be smart for me to race in January at Rick's if my main goal is to get back in form for the Crash B's.

Sorry for such a selfish post...you guys seem to be holding on OK. Will, I am sorry your recent 2K test didn't go as well as you wanted. Good job on yours, Rick, I don't see how you have the guts to do un-scheduled ones. Anne, keep sharing your "secrets", honest posts are the only useful ones!

Happy New Year! Hope everyone has their goals set. Anyone who is interested, I can email you a cool chart we use in our family for gaol setting in all areas on New Year's Day, send me a PM if interested.

TomR · Post by **TomR** » January 1st, 2007, 7:44 pm

Carla--

Why don't you Just pick up the IP w/ 8 weeks to go? Do the workouts at paces that you can manage. In a couple of weeks, you'll be right back where you were. Use Rick's race as a test--not an all-out race, just a trial. Get used to a race environment. Get a successful race under your belt--that's part of training.

Good luck.

Tom

TomR · Post by **TomR** » January 1st, 2007, 7:51 pm

2k trial. Took an extra day of rest before doing it.

Plan was to go out conservatively, and then pick it up in the 2d 1000 mtrs. 250 mtr splits:

1.51.2/29spm
1.50.8/29spm
1.50.0/29spm
1.50.0/29spm
1.49.6/31spm
1.50.0/29spm
1.50.0/31spm
1.49.6/31spm

7.20.5/1.50.1 avg.

As Will said, Bah!

Fell comfortable thru 1k, but wasn't able to pick up the pace as I had hoped and expected. This trial was faster than any 2k I've done in a couple of years, so I suppose the result is not entirely bleak.

Happy new year.

Tom

Anne · Post by **Anne** » January 1st, 2007, 10:56 pm

Hey Carla, I agree with Tom's advice totally. Just pick back up and get back to the place where you enjoy it....a managable pace. I'd love the goal setting worksheet if you want to e-mail it to me---with my race only a few weeks away, I may really need it!

Today I did the 3x2K with the goal of 2:05.4 which was my pace last year for this workout- Not to be. (See why I need the goal chart

) I did fine for a while but then almost quit. I figured it was better to do all three intervals, even if I couldn't hold the pace. So, here is the data for anyone who can make sense of it or what I should have done. ( I was rested, and ready for this...no excuses except I thought I might die during the 3rd interval)
3x2K- 5 minute rest 25:16.4 (2:06.3) 28spm
1st 8:16.7 (2:04.1) 29spm
2nd 8:24.5 (2:06.1) 28spm
3rd 8:35.3 (2:08.8) 28spm
In all seriousness, it is odd to be slower than I was a year ago, since I think I am in the same shape (or maybe better shape) and have a full year's worth of experience. Maybe it is age atrophy..... or that my expectations are unrealistic. Oh well, despite the stats, it was a major victory just to complete the workout!

Anne · Post by **Anne** » January 1st, 2007, 11:00 pm

Hey Rick...hope you liked Good Shepherd...actually my cousin has a small part in it, so we went to see it. My husband preferred Angelina's acting as well!
When is the race/ test at your store? Can anyone participate?

Yankeerunner · Post by **Yankeerunner** » January 2nd, 2007, 9:22 am

2 X 10' AT (5'r)

2412m w/u in 11'

10' 2606m 1:55.1 25spm 147hr (recovered to 69hr during rest)
10' 2620m 1:54.5 26spm 154hr (rec. to 73hr)

1241m c/d in 6'

119df, 56degrees, 47rhr. Felt reasonably OK. Did it strapless, covering a bit more than 10 meters per stroke, but still can't get as smooth as I used to be when going strapless at that spm. More technique work is needed.

Will & Tom, I know how you feel about the trials. But it's slogging through these disappointing ones that make the good ones so much more satisfying.

Carla, I agree with the others. Pick up the IP at the point that it says you should be this close to CRASH-B's and do slower paces until you are back on track. And do the Newburyport race, even if it is just as an AT workout if necessary, to get used to the race atmosphere and preparation.

Anne, tell your cousin that I thought he/she was great in whatever role he/she played.

I might have to see it again to understand it fully (espionage is so complicated).......er, and to enjoy you cousin's performance one more time. Yes, the race is at my store. Anyone who is not a bellyacher is welcome, first timer or world champion. We ask only that you appreciate people trying their best.

Rick

TomR · Post by **TomR** » January 2nd, 2007, 10:24 am

Anne--

Your 3x2k doesn't look bad. If you do a fast first interval, as you did, then your times for subsequent intervals are likely to suffer. I expect that if you'd paced the session differently (say, 2.06 on the first interval), you'd find yourself close to last year's average. As it is, you're w/in 1 sec/500.

Tom

Yankeerunner · Post by **Yankeerunner** » January 2nd, 2007, 10:37 am

Anne wrote:Hey Rick...hope you liked Good Shepherd...actually my cousin has a small part in it, so we went to see it. My husband preferred Angelina's acting as well!
When is the race/ test at your store? Can anyone participate?

I wasn't paying close enough attention to your post (Angelina on the mind?

). The race is on January 21st.

whaskell · Post by **whaskell** » January 2nd, 2007, 8:34 pm

Tuesday Morning
10min WU 2212m
UT1 2x12min/max pace 1:54.5/22-24spm
Target: UT1 2x12min/avg pace 1:57.0/23spm/2:30min rest
Actual: 12min/1:57.0/23spm/3078m
Actual: 12min/1:56.9/23spm/3080m
Total: 7260m
5min CD 1138m

Easy workout - looks like an easier week - I'm not complaining, although it won't add many meters to my Virtual Team.

TomR · Post by **TomR** » January 2nd, 2007, 8:51 pm

UT1/2x14'

2.05.4/137hr/21spm
2.04.4/145hr/21spm

Pace about 1.5 sec/500 faster than pace for longer UT1 sessions.

As Will reported, an easy workout to launch an easier week. Fine by me.