20-26th April

So a bit of a step up. But I think if you keep the easy runs slow (I’m doing mine at 6:00 per km at the moment and my 5k time right now is 21:30) you’ll find you should recover better and be fresher for the key sessions when trying to hit pace. You could do your 120 mins on the trails and walk the hills keeping the HR below threshold. You might only go 10 miles, but it’s more beneficial from a bigger perspective that fatiguing the muscles by over working up the hills. Happy to leave S&C in your capable hands for now. But those making the gains are the ones doing it twice per week. So something else to possible focus on long term for further improvements. any issues with the schedule just shout. Keep up the great work Victoria.

69 Points Achieved

MONDAY

TUESDAY

24pts | Ramp Up 4-3-2-1

24 POINTS

10 Mins WU @ Easy Pace (RPE: 3)

4 min @ 5k Pace (RPE: 8)
2 min recovery

3 mins @ 3K Pace (RPE: 8)
90 secs recoveries
x 2

2 mins @ <3k Pace (RPE: 9)
90 secs recoveries
x 3

4 x 1 min @ All In (RPE: 9)
60 sec recoveries
x 4

10 Mins CD @ Easy Pace (RPE: 3)

Always a favourite with the team! Keep that first rep at 5k pace and then start to ramp up that speed. Enjoy!

24 Points

Back on it! Did up Barley Lane, all incline for first interval and half up half down for rest. Slightly longer wu/cd Warm up felt terrible 😬😂 other than that not bad really, maybe bit sluggish after last week especially on the all outs.

It takes a few weeks to get that adjustment and pace back having focused so much on endurance of late, but a good reintroduction with this session. Great work Victoria. Nice and peaceful at that section of Barley Lane.

WEDNESDAY

12pts | 40 Mins Run

12 POINTS

The biggest mistake we can make with these recovery runs is running too fast. This will mean when our harder sessions come round we are still fatigued and not able to put enough effort in to make the necessary gains.

12 Points

Set garmin to zone 2 which is up to 130, but couldn’t stay in it unless really going slow on completely flat, I did walk a couple of times to bring it down. Think I was going at 7.20 ish km round park so pretty much flat?

Yeah I think the zone 2 debate is a bit misleading. To be honest from the research I did and clearly from this experience, 130-140 is probably your magic area where we are getting maximum aerobic gains from the easy runs. You’ll probably find if you add a hill in then you’ll creep over the 140 mark, that’s what I’m finding right now and we are probably not to dissimilar in terms of our aerobic fitness. I’m glad you learned this on a 40 min run rather than a 2 hour run 😂

thursday

15pts | Victoria’s S&C

15 POINTS

Single Leg Calf Raises	3×8
Tricep Dips Dumbbells	3 x 10 (6kg)
Single Leg Squats	3 x 10
Bicep Curls	3 x 10 (12kg)
Forward Lunge and Rotation	3 x 10 (6kg)
Shoulder Press	3 x 10 (10kg)
Single Leg Glute Bridge	3 x 10
Bent Over Row	3 x 10 (12kg)
Back Extensions	3 x 8
DeadLift	3 x 10 (20kg)
Squat Jumps	1 x 5,6,7 (12kg)
Plank	3 x 60s
Press Up	3 x 10

You’ve well educated in this area so more than happy if you want to mix it up.

FRIDAY

33pts | HM/Marathon 10km

33 POINTS

2km WU @ Easy Pace (RPE: 3)

5k @ Marathon Pace (RPE: 4)
5k @ Half Marathon Pace (RPE: 6)

2km CD @ Easy Pace (RPE: 3)

A good session to mix up paces. WU & CD very important to slowly build the pace. A flat route is ideal here if you can.

33 Points

Really struggled against wind for the hmp set, legs prob not back to normal yet so not a lot of umph in them…. Bit of hamstring pull so putting off s&c to sat, if still sore will just do upper for now

Yeah difficult to know how long it will take to fully recover from a marathon, hence why keeping a bit sensible with the paces targeting here. Sensible to give yourself extra recovery for the S&C. I’ve only just started using the seated leg curl at the gym (lying on my front) and realise now how weak my hamstrings are (so tight this morning for my long run). But well done Victoria, a good session that.