Executing the Plan

So I’ve been away from the blog for about a month but I have not, however, been away from running.

I call this time of year my “Rest Phase” because I use the winter to sort of take a break from the intensity of interval and hill training and just run for maintenance and fun.   The weekend runs I get to do with my friends in the Outer Banks are great fun and have prevented me from doing close to nothing at all for a week.  Since my vacation in October I’ve been able to average just over 23 miles every week, thanks in large part to a couple of 16 mile runs with the gang at the beach.

That consistency is what I wanted to see from myself for this winter, because it would be a first.  In the past I’ve pretty much bailed on running for maybe a month or two and find myself in February unable to run more than 5 miles at a sub-8 pace.  That’s how I measure almost everything; by my Half in 2010 which I ran in 1:39:16, or about 7:33 pace.  And I did that day after running the 8k as a warm up; holding myself to an 8:00 pace.  I was in great condition then for longer distances and would like to have that again, but that’s not my ultimate goal.

Sub 5.

First I want to hit that in the 1500.

Then I want to break 5 in the mile.

I’ve been saying that was my goal for a while because I wanted the goal out there to help me be accountable to it, but I honestly felt like the mile was pretty much a pipe dream.  However, with last year’s 5:16 in the 1500 with a couple of broken ribs and three weeks of no running leading up to that race, I’m beginning to believe it’s really possible.  I KNOW Sub 5 in the 1500 is doable, so what’s another 109 meters?  18 or 20 seconds?

Looking at my training log for last year I spent the winter really only being good about a couple of things:  Plyometrics and weight training.  The idea behind that focus was to build leg strength and develop “pop” which would increase my overall speed.  I ran some every week, but my longest runs were around 5 or 6 miles, and they were slow and easy.   I picked up my interval and hill training in February, but my long runs never got long.  Still, on March 31^st I surprised myself with a 44:04 10K which was the second longest run I’d done since November the prior year.

Of course I felt it In that last mile, but the plyo and weights seemed to have worked.

So this year I’m keeping that part “religious” as well.  I believe that really worked so I’m sticking with it.

I’ve altered the weight training a bit though, as I have followed the advice of my coaches from my track club here in Richmond and am going to build my sprinting speed.  That means different weight training.

Now last year I was doing heavy squats, lunges and step-ups but I was doing it “wrong” for building my top end speed.  I added strength and muscle to be sure, but the way I did my reps was still geared more to endurance.  I would do sets with very little rest and too many reps.  I told them I was only doing sets of 3 reps with the squats, but because I didn’t allow myself full recovery in between I wasn’t getting the full benefit of the heavy lifting.  That’s what they tell me.

Plus they want me doing dead lifts instead of squats.  Apparently that does more for the muscles I use for speed than squats do.  Both these guys are currently, and have been for years, nationally ranked in Masters Track.

I just started the dead lifts, but the plyo and sprint workouts I’ve done for over a month and I’m really pleased with the results.

Last year I maxed out my plyo routine, The Flamboyant Workout, at 4 sets.  Right now I’m doing 5 then go right out and hit the upper body work and deadlifts.

Also, my 50 meter sprints have gotten faster.  I realize my hand timing is inherently imperfect, but I am consistently hitting in the low 7 seconds where I used to be up at the top end of 7.  Another anecdotal piece is how I did against the guys this past week.  Kestner, one of the coaches and the fastest 55 year old you’ll ever see, was going full bore and could only edge me by a stride or less.  He kept beaming at me after each rep and my other coach, Spoon, was saying I looked like a sprinter in form all of a sudden.   The funniest part was how everyone else was panting after each rep and it took me about 5 seconds to get my wind back.

Next month we’re going to time me in a 200 and 400 just to see where I am, then start the interval training.  Meanwhile, I’m going to keep at the 5 to 10 mile runs three times a week and keep them around 8 minute pace or lower.

If I stay away from injuries and keep the commitment, I’ll come out of this winter in the best position I’ve ever been in to see what I can really do in the summer.