Threshold Improvement Plan - Anyone Fancy (Virtually) Joining Me
20 watchers
14 Jul
11:28pm, 14 Jul 2024
5,870 posts
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paulcook
Mark J 🇳🇿 wrote: I'm pleased to see that I am not the only one who plans sessions so far ahead, too I'm the complete opposite. Most of my real plans are for ultras. The structure is always similar anyway (though I may think about mixing things up for future). However, I have an idea what the 24-week plan looks like but I only plan the specific sessions week-by-week and often juggle them about how life allows each day. At the moment, I'm running with almost no structure and chucking in sessions entirely randomly. |
14 Jul
11:41pm, 14 Jul 2024
2,354 posts
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Mark J 🇳🇿
I will definitely adjust for life nearer the time, but I have already prepared my marathon plan for next April's race, whichever that may be. All my training for the rest of this year is uploaded into my Coros calendar, through to November's HM PB attempt. I have found that planning ahead and then logging absolutely everything I do keeps me motivated, honest and on track. Too easily distracted otherwise..squirril...
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15 Jul
10:03am, 15 Jul 2024
45,225 posts
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SPR
I'm not someone that follows a plan or creates a detailed plan TBH although I may look at some key sessions leading into some races. Winter is build mileage sensibly with some key ingredients (eg threshold and pure speed) included. The weeks used to follow a set template for that but I've changed that a bit recently with more use of easy intervals. From track season Tuesday and Saturday become my session days. There's usually a couple of sessions on offer and depending on what I think I need, I make a choice or in some cases do my own session. As the HM is quite different from a focus on 1500 with a couple of 5000s, it's easier to be missing stuff though hence it's on my radar early in terms of key sessions and getting long runs in. Last year because it was a last minute I think I'm in decent shape and fresh enough to do this decision, I basically did one key session and one 16 mile long run above the standard track season 11.5 (it's the fact I did a few of these and used easy intervals in them that made me feel the HM wasn't a big stretch coming out of track season). I did 15.5 a couple of weeks ago so I'm already ahead of what I did last year but September should have a few more 13-16 mile runs if I go ahead with the HM. |
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15 Jul
10:57am, 15 Jul 2024
2,356 posts
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Mark J 🇳🇿
Just been given the course for Wednesday evening. It's a bit twisty turney but she'll be right. It's flat as and I have run those roads and paths plenty of time sin training. connect.garmin.com
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15 Jul
3:01pm, 15 Jul 2024
45,228 posts
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SPR
Assuming you can deal with turns, wind might be the one issue that you'd have to cross fingers on. I see your prediction and expect that to happen based on your performance in the HM. |
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16 Jul
3:56am, 16 Jul 2024
2,358 posts
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Mark J 🇳🇿
SPR wrote: Assuming you can deal with turns, wind might be the one issue that you'd have to cross fingers on. I see your prediction and expect that to happen based on your performance in the HM. Looking at the weather, it looks like it'll be no windier than usual, so that's easily manageable. I popped down to have a look at the route in the flesh at lunchtime today. I cycled it just to make sure I had it under control. Glad I did as I had one section of it in my head completely wrong and it was also useful to see a few potential trip hazards in the daylight when the course goes off the sealed paths and on to track like sections. Not huge sections but still there, none the less. A useful exercise, that. I think given the twists and turns and the slight variances in underfoot conditions; I still expect to get the PB but I suspect it won't be by the margin I'd be capable of in ideal race conditions. Best find a more suitable backup option asap. |
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17 Jul
10:25am, 17 Jul 2024
2,363 posts
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Mark J 🇳🇿
OK, I'm done and the results are in. My starting point by numbers: HR Zone Lower and Upper - Resting HR: 45. Max HR:172 Threshold HR Zone: 147-157 Threshold Pace: 4:07 VO2 Max: 45 5k PB: 20:09 My finishing point by numbers: HR Zone Lower and Upper - Resting HR: 41. Max HR:172 Threshold HR Zone: 147-157 Threshold Pace: 4:02 VO2 Max: 50 5k PB: 19:35 That was a tough plan, probably made more so by chucking in a HM PB attempt but overall, I'm really happy with the results. I'm already eyeing up another shorter block of this plan and another 5k PB attempt for the end of the year in mid December. But for now, it's a few weeks of less intense running and then on to the next HM plan for November's Nelson HM race. |
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17 Jul
12:03pm, 17 Jul 2024
45,250 posts
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SPR
Congrats @Mark J 🇳🇿, I thought your target might be soft based on the HM but didn't want to say that pre race. You kept your focus through the plan very well. I think with the HM, you could have probably dropped the last super tough run which would have made that last week easier (you'd already done 13 miles at the pace you did the session and it was too close to the race to be of benefit physically and the HM sorted the confidence). TBH I was surprised that was the final session in the plan with the 5k a few days later. Funnily enough it seemed like a decent HM prep session and threshold improvement would generally help HM (of course there's different ways to do that and this plan added VO2 Max on top for 5k). |
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17 Jul
12:10pm, 17 Jul 2024
2,365 posts
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Mark J 🇳🇿
Cheers @SPR I've appreciated your straight talking throughout. I also think that last session was a big ask.
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17 Jul
12:27pm, 17 Jul 2024
45,252 posts
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SPR
Thanks @Mark J 🇳🇿. Enjoy the down weeks before the next plan.
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