I’ll try to find a picture of a man’s butt (no trotters) to point, but I’m in public now so they might think I’m a bit…well they might think I’m as weird as I am I suppose. So I’ll do it now.
And while I’m at it, here, here and here for the bowel cancer:
go to a sports masseur for the hamstring - it could be a multitude of possibilities…
Go to the doc for the rest…
Objectives are stated upthread I think. This year, to become a faster runner then a more durable runner. Then a faster 70.3. Longer term, a faster Ironman.
Basically I can’t run a marathon that squares with my half times, so running a reasonable Ironman run leg is out of reach. I’m targeting a faster half marathon then a steady 30km to break my apparent 24km wall.
Problem is that with 4-5h running 8-9h all sports I don’t seem to be getting fitter or lighter. But maybe I’m being unfair, the first 7 weeks were consistent and progressing weight wise, my weight regain seems to align to my return to inconsistency.
The two options I’m considering are;
holding at 4-5hrs running for consistency over the year, this would be a 50% uplift on my running last year, increase my paces if I can on the quality runs. See how much running and swimming I can add back in gradually 2 swims, 3-4 bikes, upping the distance/intensity gradually. 2 barbell 30min sessions per week.
focus on increasing run time as much as I can, hold the intensity as is. See what happens. No hard bikes, just easy/moderate stuff. 1 barbell session per week.
It’s been since October all I’ve thought about is running and I guess I’m a bit frustrated.
I think I’ve said this upthread, but it’s whatever the coach has planned. Billat intervals seem to make a regular appearance this year, but it varies 400s, 800s, 1000s, or time based.
Last week was 3 x 8min (1min hard/1min easy) 2min rec between the 3 sets.
Before was 3x8min of 30 secs hard 30 secs easy with 99 secs recovery
Then 8min 6min 4min 2min 1min 90 secs rest
Yep, but running for the sake of running may not necessarily get the outcomes you wish for…therefore, i would recommend you develop a focus so that you gain value from the time training…
these are three different things…half mara…stand alone ,mara…IM mara all require specific training, pacing, nutrition…
you’ve talked yourself out of CICO which would have helped you on that journey…it’s not a total solution, but it’s a step in the right direction…
That would be a good start…
to an appropriate pace
they are more forgiving and can help complement the running at least…
I am not sure that you have enough structure to do anymore that see what happens. If you train with more structure, and introduce/amend one component at a time, you will quickly establish what works and what doesn’t in your training. You could have learnt a lot since october…
yes, sorry…am too busy/lazy to scroll back up. It is unfair to just critique another coach and certainly the body can be shocked into fitness with lots of variety…but as per the point above, a structured progression of distances/durations, reps, intervals will allow you to actually track the progress you are making…
I believe I have structure and have changed one thing at a time over the months. Although it’s true that recent inconsistency has undermined that I’ve continued in that vein.
Mon easy
Tue hard
Wed easy
Thu hard
Fri easy
Sat or Sun long/easy
If stick with just running, I’ll increase the length of the long runs and easy runs over the next three months to total 7-8h of running and fitness allows drop to the 5:00/km tues group and beyond, increase my interval paces gradually. Also consider double run on easy days for volume.
If I go back to tri, it swim tue and thu before the hard runs, moderate or easy aerobic bike on easy days and a hard bike at the weekend (short/hard or long/endurance). I’d use TR tri plan bike sessions and just tune down the intensity if I thought it might affect my running but mostly that’s pretty easy stuff for me if I don’t try to progress the bike.
This seems to be an issue. Everyone seems to have a slightly different opinion…but how much does it matter, or matter at my level?
Actually this pushes me back towards running focus. I’ve tried tri, I’ve tried marathon training with cross training, but I’ve never run 7hrs per week in my life. I should see how much run volume I can take.
What have you changed, when and why?
to achieve what?
Do they? The science is very robust on LT1 and LT2 and certain points above and between…
lots…physiology is pretty consistent across the board…
Doctor’s asked me to reduce my running by half, ultrasound requested for two weeks time.
So I’ll look to do 2-3 easy runs a week for the next two weeks. He didn’t give guidance on which runs to skip, unsurprisingly, but as I don’t feel the strain on the easy runs it seems logical to keep the easy ones.
Sounds like you have some time for cycling and swimming again!
All the best for the ultrasound 
So I still have 3 weeks before I get a scan, I’ve reduced my running but kept the quality rather than the easy….whatever it is doesn’t feel like its getting worse.
I slowed down my club run to 5:40/km which felt really easy the first time, flattish 150bpm avg, but they put in hill work the last two weeks so they have been hard sessions not really the upper aerobic you might expect but at least I’m completing these without dying on my ass.
Conversely I found time to get to park run last weekend, so I did this as you suggested - 3km easy 6:10/km, 5km tempo (?) 4:57 - 4:41/km 3km recovery pace 6:40/km
So I used the MacMillan calculator based on my recent cross country result and my goal of a 1h45m half marathon to see what paces it generated. However I forgot about that today in a hurry and just used the paces a Zwift workout calculated for me and adjusted for what I could do and maintain for each of the reps; 6x1min and 3x2 min at 14kph or 4:17/km which turned out to correlate pretty well with Macmillan “sprint” paces…so I think I’m on the right track? Hoping for some sort of confirmation here 
I filmed the session on my phone and watched it back. Jogging along looked just awful, once up to 5:40/km I think it started to look okay but it’s not until I bumped up to the intervals that I look like I’m running properly to my untrained eye - heels up at the back, arms working…and this got me thinking: if ultimately I want to run well is there really any point in me running slower? Long runs at 6:00/km+ when I’m slopping around are surely working against this goal? Obviously I cant run long that fast (yet) but are there alternatives to bad form long runs?
I’ve taken your advice, but because I cant focus as much as I wanted on running right now I’ve registered for a sprint tri in June to give my bike and swim something to aim at. It will also give some measure of my run progress and my main aim will be to improve on my 26min sprint run leg last year.
I’m looking for a half marathon on the 17th of July as my training target, and there are variety of club races I can do in the lead up once/assuming I get the all clear.
learn the appropriate form to run uphill and it will save you a lot of effort…
define tempo
on the turbo?
Sprint as in all out effort? were both sets at the same pace?
post it please
not really, but the definitions and objectives are important
that depends on the goal
bike and swim
two completely different objectives…
“ The Tempo Run is a medium effort run that improves your lactate threshold – the point where lactic acid begins to build up. Tempo Runs usually last 10-40 minutes and breathing is fast but under control. Training partners can usually speak in short sentences during a Tempo Run. ”
The run was paced about my Olympic run split PB last summer, but 5k/24mins and change. I can go harder, but 23min was my Jan 21 5k PB. I can get to ParkRun tomorrow and give 23mins a go?
Treadmill, Zwift tri academy 2021 short workouts 30-40mins. Using these as an overall reduction from the club track night, but still getting some quality in.
Well it’s macmillan’s definition but I wouldn’t think a true sprint is repeatable after a minute or so break. The workout made it a bit easier on the 2mins but I found I could still hold 4:17 and recover enough for the next. Maybe I’m going too hard and should back off to his “speed” intervals
I’ll pm you a link, but I’m sure it’s not got the correct angles or whatever is expected it was just a first crack.
sorry, yep…am tired…
thanks for vid, will look tomoz
with feet would have been better…on the road better still
I read that, then i switch off.
Well what I’m really saying is that I don’t define it - I’ll go with whatever you guys want to call things
I suppose if I was running at a pace I can do for 49mins then it’s too slow for what a tempo run is generally perceived to achieve so I should be upping it to the fastest pace I can hold for 20-40mins.
I’ll give 4:40/km a crack at ParkRun this morning.
Too much traffic particularly in the first km, and too slippery off the path so only got two km in the 4:40s lots of spiking to 4:28.
What was your warm up?
A 3.2km jog, so about 20mins at 6:30/km.
