12th - 18th Dec 2011

So for this week my aim at the start was to get some big millage in but also decide in the week if a 10mile race was worth it at the end or just go with the training. Having made a decision on the Monday to go and join in the session at the athletics track my BIG millage week was nearly there. After Wednesday session at the track as well, I would not usually do 2 track sessions in a week this time of year I don’t think it has much benefit for cross country, the few days after were just easy running and two runs on the Friday and Saturday went down to one.

Here is the week;

Mon AM – 40 Min easy (6)
PM – 3 lots of 6 x 1 with 60secs recovery + 40min WU/CD (9)

Tue AM – 1hr 33Mins finishing strong (13)

Wed AM – 57Min Easy (8)
PM - 12 X 2min off 60 secs recovery + 1 mile pacing Vince to 5.20 (10)

Thurs AM - 47min easy (7)
PM - 46min slightly faster (7)

Fri AM 1hr 30Mins (13)

Sat – PM 65mins Progressive Run (9)

Sunday – 2Hrs – 90mins with Andy Taylor around Ikcworth Park. (16)

Total for the week – 98miles

As you can see decided against the 10mile race, so the plan for the next two weeks, keep the millage high then ease off slightly for the Waterside 5mile race on New Years eve, then a good taper into the County Champs.

5th - 11th Dec 2011

Another week, not allot happened this week very similar to last week. Next week undecided weather to go and do a 10mile race or just train for a few weeks.

So here it is;

Mon - AM 1hr (9) Steady pace

Tue - AM 1hr 30min over a hilly route, I have to repeat the same 2 hills about 8 times (13)

Wed - AM 45min easy (6)
PM 65min with 40min @ tempo pace (10)

Thurs - AM 47min (7)
PM 1hr Including 12 X 1min off 30 secs recovery (8)

Fri - AM 55min easy (8)
PM 60min Steady pace (9)

Sat - AM 70min total Including 5 x-country efforts over some of the trails in Thetford forest (10)

Sun - AM 2hrs 6 min Stead, mixture of road and country (18)

98Miles for the week.

As mentioned I don't tend to count millage, just give a rough guess when writing it down. Getting back up to good millage now, Christmas will see a small increase and also need to start adding some harder runs in there.

Whats your key training session?

We all have a training session we love or hate, a session that lets us know that we are in good shape or just a session that makes you feel like you have trained well.

We want to hear from you, tell us you key session and we will post one every week for people to have a go at. It can be running based indoor or outside or maybe a different session possible swimming or cycling.

For this week then, here is a session that is important for anyone doing a half or full marathon. The aim is to teach you about judging your pace.
The session is 2 x 4 min / 2 x 3 min / 2 x 2 min / 1 x 1 min

The aim is to run for 4 minutes then stop recovery is 1 minute and then run back the way you have just come from. The aim is to get back to you original start position, this will let you
know if you went too hard or too easy. It is best done outside possible around a park.

Have a go and let us know how you get on.

Weekend Results 4/12/11

Sutton village hall was the venue for this weeks Suffolk cross country fixture hosted by Woodbridge Shufflers.

A chilly start awaited both myself and Steve at the Sutton course. After a 20 minute warm up around a short section of the course both of us opted to wear Inov 8 shoes. The ground there is sandy with some deep areas but is mainly farm tracks and some small sections of concrete road.

A strip down to the racing essentials and the cold began to really be felt before the race off. Both myself and Steve lined up at the front of the field. Steve looking for a first place finish to increase his lead in the Suffolk senior men's league. The early pace was lead by Steve at the front of the field as the first half mile had a gradual rise before heading back down into the sandiest part of the course, after a couple of undulations the course then  became a relatively level firm running surface for the next mile and a half before rejoining the initial entry point to the course for a second lap. As the race progressed Steve was able to pull away from the field to finish comfortably in first. I eventually found myself running on my own holding onto 7th place about 3 minutes behind Steve's trailblazing at the front of the field, finishing 10 seconds ahead of my time from the previous years effort on the 5.4 mile course.

Overall finishing positions Steve 1st ,Vincent 7th

Next Race Steve Turkey Trot, Vincent Suffolk Cross Country Champs.

Week 28th - 4th Dec

So for this week, it has gone back to normal winter millage, still building a base level of fitness, the next 4 weeks are going to be very similar, 2 main sessions a week and alot of base miles getting ready now for the Suffolk County champs early January.

Mon - AM 57 min (9)

PM 41 (6)

Tue - AM 1hr 30 Min (13)

Wed - AM 55 Min (8)

PM 1hr this included 40mins of Fartlek work over varied times/distances (9)

Thurs - AM 70min (11)

Fri - AM 1 Hr 57 Min (18)

Sat - AM 50 Min including 4 X 3 min effort over mixed terrain fixed route ( 8)

Sun - AM Suffolk Cross country League 1st Place (6)

PM 32 Min very easy running (4)

Total weekly millage 92 Miles