Post Canberra Recovery Over
I spent three days in Canberra after the 50k race. On the Monday, I felt I had pulled up well after the race. I walked over to the National Museum and spent three hours there on my feet before walking back to the hotel. They had a special exhibition celebrating 100 years of Rugby League in Australia. It could have very easily been called 100 years of Rugby League in Sydney as there was precious little of the history of the game in Queensland.
On Tuesday, I walked to the War Memorial Museum and spent the whole day there. I remember going there as a 15 year old on a family holiday. It occurred to me that it must have been a strange experience at the time for my father, as I didn't learn that he had been in active service in PNG in WW2 until I was in my mid-twenties. It must have been hard to visit such a place and not make mention of such a fact. By the time I walked back to the hotel, I had been on my feet for 8 hours and I felt more weary than they did on Sunday after the race.
On Wednesday, I kept a little closer to the hotel and visited the National Archives and then The Art Gallery where I took in the Turner to Monet Exhibition. Still a healthy six hours on my feet before jetting back home.
The plan now was easy runs for a least a week to recover and then in the 10 weeks leading up to Gold Coast to gradually get the body used to running at faster paces.
Thu 17th 6.5k 34:17 (5:16 HR 134) Easy
Fri 18th 11.0k 56:34 (5:08 HR 142) Easy
Sat 19th 15.3k 1:19:21 (5:11 HR 135) Easy but a very good time at that HR.
Sun 20th Rest
Week Total: 32.8k
Mon 21st 11.0k 55:03 (5:00 HR145)
Tue 22nd 15.3k 1:19:55 (5:13 HR 139)
I felt like had recovered and so Wednesday became the start day for the new phase of the program. Pure base building was now over.
Wed 23rd 11.0k 51:22 (4:40 HR 154). Even though my Avg Heart Rate was 154, which is about where I would like my Lactate Threshold to be, sadly the run showed I am not close to that just yet. I took quite an effort to keep up that 4:40 pace. I know I have to be cautious in introducing too much pace too quickly and I will be more cautious next week.
Thu 24th Rest. Yesterday has left the legs a little sore.
Fri 25th 14.5k 1:13:58 (5:06 HR 138). In order to get some cross reference with previous year's performances to where I am at the moment, I ran one of my courses from work along the river which I haven't done since December. Saw Peterhorse and the PCRG doing their speedwork under the Story Bridge. Before hand I thought 72 minutes would be good and anything under 74 minutes would be OK at a HR around 137. So to just scrap in with a couple of seconds to spare it was a little disappointing. What was more encouraging was that I had a negative split which is very rare when maintaining a steady Heart Rate on that course.
Sat 26th 25k 2:08:26 (5:08 HR 138). If I was disappointed with yesterday's run, today's was very satisfying. This is the best time I have run on this course as a long run. I did this run two weeks before GC last year in very similar time but at HR 144. With 10 weeks to go that is encouraging.
Sun 27th Rest
Week Total 76.8k
On Tuesday, I walked to the War Memorial Museum and spent the whole day there. I remember going there as a 15 year old on a family holiday. It occurred to me that it must have been a strange experience at the time for my father, as I didn't learn that he had been in active service in PNG in WW2 until I was in my mid-twenties. It must have been hard to visit such a place and not make mention of such a fact. By the time I walked back to the hotel, I had been on my feet for 8 hours and I felt more weary than they did on Sunday after the race.
On Wednesday, I kept a little closer to the hotel and visited the National Archives and then The Art Gallery where I took in the Turner to Monet Exhibition. Still a healthy six hours on my feet before jetting back home.
The plan now was easy runs for a least a week to recover and then in the 10 weeks leading up to Gold Coast to gradually get the body used to running at faster paces.
Thu 17th 6.5k 34:17 (5:16 HR 134) Easy
Fri 18th 11.0k 56:34 (5:08 HR 142) Easy
Sat 19th 15.3k 1:19:21 (5:11 HR 135) Easy but a very good time at that HR.
Sun 20th Rest
Week Total: 32.8k
Mon 21st 11.0k 55:03 (5:00 HR145)
Tue 22nd 15.3k 1:19:55 (5:13 HR 139)
I felt like had recovered and so Wednesday became the start day for the new phase of the program. Pure base building was now over.
Wed 23rd 11.0k 51:22 (4:40 HR 154). Even though my Avg Heart Rate was 154, which is about where I would like my Lactate Threshold to be, sadly the run showed I am not close to that just yet. I took quite an effort to keep up that 4:40 pace. I know I have to be cautious in introducing too much pace too quickly and I will be more cautious next week.
Thu 24th Rest. Yesterday has left the legs a little sore.
Fri 25th 14.5k 1:13:58 (5:06 HR 138). In order to get some cross reference with previous year's performances to where I am at the moment, I ran one of my courses from work along the river which I haven't done since December. Saw Peterhorse and the PCRG doing their speedwork under the Story Bridge. Before hand I thought 72 minutes would be good and anything under 74 minutes would be OK at a HR around 137. So to just scrap in with a couple of seconds to spare it was a little disappointing. What was more encouraging was that I had a negative split which is very rare when maintaining a steady Heart Rate on that course.
Sat 26th 25k 2:08:26 (5:08 HR 138). If I was disappointed with yesterday's run, today's was very satisfying. This is the best time I have run on this course as a long run. I did this run two weeks before GC last year in very similar time but at HR 144. With 10 weeks to go that is encouraging.
Sun 27th Rest
Week Total 76.8k
posted by Robert Song @ 8:45 pm
6 Comments:
At Sun Apr 27, 10:05:00 pm AEST,
Samurai Running said…
I'll be following your GCM build up careful if you don't mind Robert song.
And well done doing something cerebral while down in the national capital. "100 hundred years of rugby league in Australia" sure sounds interesting to me being a Sydney-sider and all. My Old man worked at the Manly Leagues club during the 1970's and I got to meet a lot of his mates there who were the Manly rugby legends of the time :)
Or at least that exibition sounds better than the usual trip to see "Phar Laps' heart" in a jar ;)
At Mon Apr 28, 03:23:00 pm AEST,
Ewen said…
Hey Scott, I thought you were going to dream up something for yourself!
Qld rugby league has a history? ;)
My dad served in PNG too.
Looks like the 50k may have boosted your fitness by the results from the long run. A PB using your pace*ahr formula?
At Mon Apr 28, 03:59:00 pm AEST,
Tesso said…
I hope The King at least rated a mention in the rugby league exhibit.
My dad served in Brunei but very rarely spoke about it, even when prompted. Seems they are or were all like that.
At Mon Apr 28, 04:48:00 pm AEST,
Samurai Running said…
Like Tesso, my Dad rarely spoke about his exploits. But when prompted I found out he had none ;)
At Wed Apr 30, 07:45:00 pm AEST,
Rob said…
A very pleasant way to recover Robert Song.
My Dad served in PNG too. He would never talk about it either.
At Sat May 03, 03:43:00 pm AEST,
Sling Runner said…
G-day,
Just curious whether your HR data (e.g 5:08 HR 142) is the average HR during that particular run or the HR at the end?
The reason I ask is because I am not sure av HR is a good indicator since it tends to rise during the run. You might start at 120 bpm in the 1st k but then could shoot up to 150ish at the end, averaging 140. I've always been thinking about this issue.
cheers
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