Trying a bit of pace

I needed a change of approach today and didn't have any aids with me to hope the session pass. I decided to alternate single length fast intervals with two lengths of bilateral breathing. The speedier lengths were pretty good, and I managed 1 in just under 40seconds which I think qualifies as a personal best equating to 2:00min/100m. Just as a note, in previous blog entires I've mentioned achieving this pace but that was WITH a pullbuoy.

For the 'rest' sets I focussed on bilateral breathing with a roll and trying to keep a relaxed style and not rush. Admittedly that distance seemed enough to feel comfortable but I was happy with a pace of around 2:20min/100m.

Using a web swim watch viewer  that displays SPM it was clear that I increased SPM to do the fast intervals beyond the warmup. However I also needed a faster arm turnover for the bilateral breathing sets related naturally to higher SPL. This shows inefficient strokes and probably a panicky approach to breathing with a falling leading arm.

Anyway, progress is occurring. Let's hope elbow is OK tomorrow.

Woods Intervals

I didn't have very long for a run so long and slow wasn't an option. I often state that I need to work on speed so an interval session seemed to be a good idea. I completed my usual circuit around the local woods but with a 45 second 'sprint' every few minutes. It's quite an undulating circuit so I tried to do the intense part on ascents and have gentle descent. Fast downhill seems associated with injuries!

The post run data shows the interval pattern clearly when shown as Grade Adjusted Pace for each interval but the heart rate data had little relationship with my effort. Early in the session it was very high, later it was low. Optical heart rate recording isn't reputed to be good and in this circumstance it didn't work well.

February 2017 Week 6 Session 1

It's a been over a week since my last swim. I've had a cold which has really drained me and combined with hard days at work I've just not felt I wanted to swim.

Today's warm-up was slow although I managed 19/20 fast lengths at 2:00min/100m or better. I don't know why I didn't manage the 20th, it was mid-session and surrounded by lengths at a good lace. Perhaps I lost concentration?

My attempt at a final fast 100m didn't work out, I was slow, and would have been even if not blocked on the third length.

September 2016 Week 11 Session 1

Data lost again! A different fault. After studiously recording every interval (49 by my reckoning) and presumably saving the session as I've done for the last year I had a week total visible of 1933m. That sounded about right. However when I tried to view the session it wasn't visible and of course couldn't be downloaded. At that point I'd adjusted my weight on Garmin Connect and that couldn't upload to the watch. I tried another ANT+ stick and that was just the same.

So I went through the remove watch from system/reboot/reinstall ritual everyone will be familiar with and things seem OK. I even managed to transfer a swimming mime so it worked on dry land. I'll have to see how it goes next session, I've just checked and the watch is around 18 months old so out of guarantee.

It is a pity that the data was lost as I thought I'd done some pretty fast lengths and sustained the pace through the session. But as I said last time, it's the effort that counts, not the numbers. For this session that's what's written on my training plan by the coach too.

September 2016 Week 2 Session 1

So, catching up with myself. My left knee is uncomfortable and the muscles stiff after yesterday's run. I don't know where that has come from as everything was fine on Monday when I saw the physio!

Anyway, today's swim included 16 fast lengths and I'm pleased that 14 of these were at or better than 2:00min/100m pace. I managed 1 length at 1:45min/100m, that's 35seconds. My timings are bound to be a spot out as I can't push off and press the watch button simultaneously from the deep end. As the routine called for 4 sets of 4 I alternated the blocks so that I worked in both directions along the pool as I know it's got a distinct current. This approach worked well.

I tried to finish off with a pair of lengths and whilst the first was fine the second had slowed considerably. With this data and that from Week 1 Session 3 it's clear that I can't stay on a substantially sub-40second pace as Julian wants. I think I'll set the TempoPro to 39s and see if that is achievable.

September 2016 Week 1 Session 1

So today we're off with a new focus on effort. Julian has asked that I focus on working hard, ignore technique and don't think of holding back. So here is the pace for the early part of the set, I messed up and lost the latter part...

Quite clearly I was working harder and going faster although only one length is 'fast'. I have to bear in mind that there's a second or so between pressing start on the watch and setting off and there's a delay at the end of the length as it determines whether I've turned or not.

It was obvious to me early on that I was able to catch people up readily when trying, more so than usual I'd say. I tried a final 100m sprint and that only came it at 2:04min/100m.

Intervals

So it's Tuesday again so I made the effort to do some faster running even though the weather was hot and sunny. I based my run in the woods but left it to take a steady tarmac incline rather than a more uneven woodland path. Today's pace data is far more in keeping with my goals and is made easier to interpret by setting the lap on my watch.

Five high-effort laps are clear, separated by recovery periods and book-ended by a warm up and a steady run home. The Zone 4 and Zone 5 intervals are just over 10 minutes in total.

I wonder if my heart rate zones are set incorrectly as I didn't record anything over 156bpm despite pushing up a slope as hard as I felt able.

Intervals

During the Bay Challenge I came to the realisation that I lacked power for when the going gets tough. One of the books I've been reading comments that ultrarunners tend to work close to their VO₂max. This sounds like a good thing although the problem is that their VO₂max is low due to too much low intensity training. Or rather too little high intensity training.

Even though I can barely call myself an 'ultrarunner' I don't do hardly any intense training.

"Train slowly, run slowly"

It's great to do long runs into the Peak District and they do have a training benefit; perhaps much of it being psychological, mostly a confidence to keep on going. That knowledge enabled me to settle into a routine to complete the Bay safely but my lack of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal power was glaringly obvious whilst running into a strong coastal wind.

With this in mind I started with an interval session today and considered that I'd worked hard. Looking at my pace and heart rate data I was shocked/disappointed to find both were low! I knew that my average pace was mediocre but hoped that there were peaks of speed. Maybe next time?