Hitting a running plateau?

KWKY

Hi all,

Bit of background on myself.

Am currently training for my second HM (first one was about 2 years ago, then got pregnant and all that went out the window hahaha). Was going to participate in an HM in May but even though I can run the distance (I think), my time was totally rubbish (8.5min km's)

Anyway... about two weeks ago, both my daughters got sick so the sleep has been patchy to say the least... I then found that my running really suffered ( I use to be able to increase by 1KM a week, but got to 15KM and I haven't been able to run that distance since). This morning I just came back from a 10KM run which should have been nice and easy, and I had to run/walk after 5KM which is disappointg to say the least.

I have now signed up for an HM in September, and am wondering whether I should try scale back my long run and try and run faster at a shorter distance? (I currently run a 4KM interval run at 6min km, then a longer one at about 10KM, then a longer one which I peaked, unfortunately at 15KM) , then presumably at some stage (may be June) I can pick up my HM training again?

Any thoughts most welcome!

Thanks in advance
KWKY

oonga

KWKY,

I am only halfway through HM training.
When i did 12wbt someone asked Michelle how they could improve their time on long distance runs?
Her response was that the best way was to do sprint intervals once a week.

So do a steady 10min jog to basically warm up, then do 3 rounds of
1min sprint
1min walk

then 3 round of
30 sec sprint,
30 sec walk
for the session those times above.

build yourself up to doing about
3rounds of
3min sprints
3 min walks

3 rounds of
1min sprint
1 min walk

3 rounds of
30 sec sprint
30 sec walk

Per session again.
Obviously you would tailor it to suit you and challenge you. I think about 3min sprints was the highest she suggested, well that's what i remember anyway LOL

Also do you do some Tempo runs?

She also suggested doing some Hill INterval sprints as above (set your own times) but i don't have any hills here really, so i haven't bothered, but i have read elsewhere Hills are fantastic in general.

I also don't train on a treadmill, but i guess if you did you could do some inclines on that for some sprint intervals?

No expert here, just repeating what she said at the time.

I just realised you may be overseas and not know who Michelle Bridges is, she is basically Australia's answer to Jillian Michaels LOL

KWKY

Thanks heaps!

Am Aussie, so totally know who she is hehe.

I'm gonna give this a shot and see how I go. I do do one session of intervals a week but not at such an intensity as below. Might back off from the long runs a bit.

Which event are you training for?

oonga

hmmm well just going to get the Mother's Day classic out of the way, then i have no clue LOL

I did think of the Run Melbourne(my workplace is organising a team, its a not for profit organisation) and doing the HM option in July? but not sure.

A friend downloaded the 12wbt HM and shared it with me, and i have just been plodding along with it, no real aim as such, other than to complete the program LOL

Thrilled to have completed week 6 yesterday! So halfway mark

The program is basically

Mon Tempo Run (fastish) started at 4km builds up every 2 weeks, will be doing 7.5km tomorrow

Tue resistance work push ups, squats, dips etc... Also foam roller self massage, yet to do the self massage

Wed sprint intervals (they normally are about a 30 to 40 min total work out including the recovery walks in between sprints and warm up jog)

Thur nice easy recovery run of about 30mins or 4km or so?

Fri is stretch and core exercises

Sat is long run

Sun rest day

I have only started doing the rest days once i hit the 12km long runs, i felt guilty having a day of rest and also i missed the adrenalin rush.
But i have to admit that my Tempo run on mondays improved heaps after a day of rest!! So who would guess it!
When the Pro's say have at least 1 day of rest a week, preferably 2 they actually know what they are talking about!! *gasp* lol