I'm getting worried with the level of competency at my t&f club coaches.
Early January I received a 4 weeks training plan, out of blue. I had no asked for it, and I didn't know my racing schedule yet. Of course I had a vague idea of my schedule, but most dates were to be confirmed. As the plan came with no explanation I was left with my thoughts. Goes without saying that it's not using any modern device like a heart beat monitor, or stuff like that (I've been using it for 16 years, I guess I'm too modern...).
As I'm done with that first cycle since last week, I asked for the next one. So, I got answered yesterday that another coach would contact me and elaborate me a plan, and that he uses heartbeats to work his athletes. But he's still somewhere in the process of graduating for his diplomas (he's 57 apparently). It doesn't matter, but I couldn't put a face on his name.
Good...
After receiving a first email, I gave as many feedback as I could (not exactly, I didn't want him to faint). Min and max heart beat, M.A.S., stuff like that. I also gave my heart beat at different thresholds and the running speed that goes with them.
I thought it'd be a good idea to mention that I'm going to run a half-marathon in one month and a 10 k in between (unless the date moves back to later in March).
So, I got a plan. Makes more sense than the first one, and takes into account my poor active recuperation, and has marginally reduced speeds for different exercises, which matches my skills better. Good. Few problems though, 2 hours of training on Tuesdays is something I can hardly afford (it's dark outside, and I've got a job).
Fortunately the guy was there at the training session tonight. So, we got to chat a little bit.
He doesn't trust my minimal heart beat (below 35 is something he apparently can't conceive). I'm around 32 or 33 at rest, which is not good or bad, it's just like that. So, he's afraid of training me too much, because that'd slow my heart down, and it could stop. WTF.
He also told me that I MUST do the two hours session on Tuesdays. Fine but... when and where ?! Otherwise I won't be able to finish my half-marathon without walking. He doesn't mind that I ran 25 km in a row last week-end with some intervals and without being close to exhaustion. As if I'm a newbie ?!
He also complained that four weeks is too short to build a peak form, blablabla. Have I requested that ?
I told him I have notes of every training session I've done, and could share them with him. Not interested. Just follow the plan to the half-marathon. My time will be 1h27'20". I told him that's theoretical and could depend on the route, the weather, whatever else. Doesn't matter. 1h27'20", he rarely fails by more than 20 seconds.
He didn't ask me how my session went (it went fine).
Fine, I'll do the plan to the end, and will manage myself later on. 1h27'20" is realistic given my current and expected condition.
The races I care about are only starting late March, with a form peak planned for somewhere mid or late August.
*sigh*
Edited by Aquarius on 06-02-2013 22:00
Have to agree with Crommy here... If you dont agree with the coaches training method, do your own... For me it proved to be quite successful over the summer (got my 200 PB and my 400 pB down by more than 4/10th and a second respectively) before changing coaches...
Now im doing jumps, and I got a good coach wich actually has me working for the triple, and he is pretty good for both sprints and jummps (despite being an 400 & 800 sprinter...). Often you blossom under the right coach. With the wrong coach, everyone will go to shot... (oh and for the time of the sessions: My sessions start at 6.30 and my jump sessions dont finish till 9.30... So having 2 hur sessions sounds nice ...)
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Crommy wrote:
Perhaps you'd be better placed planning your own training?
Probably, yes, and I'll be doing my own plans once I'm done with this 4 weeks plan. I have no special interest in this race though, so I'll do the plan. If I can find time on Tuesdays that is (how ? I leave work at the same time every day).
There's something else that annoys me in the training plan : I gave my heart beat at different speeds : 11,5 km/h at 157 bpm, 14,5 bpm at 173 bpm and 17,3 at 190.
Let's see how this was integrated :
"Do 13 km/h during 10 minutes, at 151 bpm. (...) Do another 10 at 14,7 km/h, at 167 bpm."
Is he kidding me or can't he read ? Or perhaps I should find long descents in this pancake flat area ? I don't mind (actually I like it) working with the heart beats, but...
I'm not against the content of the plan, but it should just take reality (figures I give and my work schedule) into account. He's got the opportunity to work with somebody (me) who can provide a lot of relevant feedback. Don't use theoretical datas when you've got access to the real one, ffs.
I guess the worst might be getting patronized as if I had just started running two days ago. I know I can run a half-marathon without walking, as proven in the past or during training. I'm experienced enough to manage a 1h30 effort.
miggi133 wrote:
Have to agree with Crommy here... If you dont agree with the coaches training method, do your own... For me it proved to be quite successful over the summer (got my 200 PB and my 400 pB down by more than 4/10th and a second respectively) before changing coaches...
Now im doing jumps, and I got a good coach wich actually has me working for the triple, and he is pretty good for both sprints and jummps (despite being an 400 & 800 sprinter...). Often you blossom under the right coach. With the wrong coach, everyone will go to shot... (oh and for the time of the sessions: My sessions start at 6.30 and my jump sessions dont finish till 9.30... So having 2 hur sessions sounds nice ...)
I don't mind the two hours, but it's different, you can do jumps indoors or on a stadium with proper lighting.
Except on Wednesdays evenings, I don't have a track with lights to run on.
And I can't leave work to go running. Well, maybe once, but I'd risk unemployment.
jseadog1 wrote:
@Aquarius - How old are you? You may have already said, but I didn't catch it.
I'm (so) old. 29 for now, I'll be 30... next Saturday.
Sorry for double posting.
One of my mates at the club suggested that I'd do the track season in June/July.
I told him my Max Aerobic Speed sucks and that I can't hold much lactate any more (it was one of my forte as a competitive cyclist, I'm below average in that area nowadays).
So I answered I'd consider doing the 5000, but then again he told me it's rather for people doing trail running (or whatever you call that in English, running on rocks, various paths, rivers, on distance between 8 to 60+ km) or marathon, and who're around 40 years old.
So, the remaining options are 800, 1 500 and 3 000. I can't friggin' jump, so let's rule out the steeple-chase or hurdles events.
All imply a high M.A.S., which I must work out heavily. 800 m also implies working on resistance to lactates, which could come back but would be exhausting, and 3 000 requires working on speed at threshold.
I doubt I could be competitive in any of those events, but that doesn't really matter (except for the sake of my ego), I need to develop those qualities to improve my road running performances.
Any thought ?
Edited by Aquarius on 09-02-2013 13:02
Right... So I was at a runners seminar today, where they talked about technique, Injury prevention and Sportsnutrion...
The Physio that talked about technique & Injury prevention wasquite good (Head Physio for the Irish Olympic Team in London 2012). After the talk I went up to him and asked him about what I should do with my knee problem (I had a Knee Injury years back, which Is all healed up, except for one detail)... I can run etc, without a problem, but when I do Squats in the gym or just as a warm up excercise, it feels like a tendon slips in my knee (and only if I do a squat motion.) My coach said I should approach a good physio...
Well here is the exchange, after I explained him the problem:
-Where are you from?
-Luxembourg!
-Do they have a good health system?
-Pretty Much!
-Well, Get an MRI done, the next time you are down there... In the meantime, if you want, I can have a look at it...
So much for the trust everyone has in the Irish health system...
And it looks like I will be getting an MRI done in the summer... Effing hell, me and myy injuries...
Lets at least hope, that I can get a decent season done...
Edited by miggi133 on 13-02-2013 23:26
So... despite skipping many training sessions lately, or shortening them because of injuries (left leg periostitis is back, and my whole pelvis/right adductors ache), I equalled my best performance on an official half marathon last Saturday : 1h27'39" (or 37 or 40", depends on the source).
Quite satisfying given the circumstances. And I ranked 62 out of 701 finishers.
I just got a phone call tonight from one of the coaches, and I'm needed for a replacement in a night relay next Saturday evening. I've never done such things, but according to the guys at the club it's quite fun, running in the dark during 3 km and with street lights for the other two. I'll be doing my first 5 km (one lap then), apparently the first one. The relay is (10+5 km) x 3.
I'm expecting a time around 19'10", as I'm not so good on short distances (nor on longs, but I'm relatively better). The best guys will probably do around 16' or below.
Coming next : 9,9 km the following week, then 13,2 km two weeks later, and an official 10 km one more week later. Only the last two are races I actually care about.
I'm wondering if my body will hold on for so long.
Back from that night relay. Funny experience. I managed to run thanks to pain killers. I've been mocked all week because I'm walking like a guy with a wooden leg when I'm not on pain killers.
186 teams of 6 were registered. We had 5 teams, first one came 3rd, second 9th (that was mine), third were 11th. Girls were much further down the rankings but still 2nd in their category. Last team has probably finished by now.
I started fourth at around 10:10 pm for 5 km (4th relay). First and last parts were in the town centre with town lights, but the other 3 km were in the full darkness. Only bikes lights were lighting the way. You feel like you're running extremely fast in such conditions when in fact you'd rather be running slightly slower than during day time.
I got overtaken after 1 km and had not overtaken anyone at that moment. Then I overtook 12 people or more. Most likely I lapped most of them, as they must have been either starting their 10 k, either were in the second lap of their 10 k. I reckon I perfectly managed my effort, ran very steadily, was exhausted on the line and wouldn't have kept on running at that pace for 500 m more.
According to two people (one's myself) my time was somewhere between 18:30 and 19:10.
I was quite shocked to see the results sheet announcing a time of 19:51 (15th out of 186 for the 4th relay). I guess it must be reliable as we had a chip, but that's quite weird. It's barely better than my 5k time during last week-end's half-marathon and I ran much faster in terms of perceived effort. Weird, very weird.
Anyway, pain killers effect are starting to vanish, I guess tomorrow will be a hard day when I'll try to walk. And I'm off running for a week or so (doctor said three weeks starting last Thursday - there's been a delay for the first day of those three weeks ).
Now running sub 13 for the 100m and 28.2 for the 200m. Not great for athletics, but really useful for hockey. Any other sprinters with any tips on how to go faster?
Well in that case:
Use the Winter Season (September to February/March) primarily for Endurance Build-Up. You are gonna need it (especially you Casper)! It is also important to do some speed endurance (again very important for you Casper). That is something youll probably do continously...
The Summer season and the lead up to it (late Feb. onwards) you want to e doing a lot of speed work! (Oh And Speed Endurance).
During Competition Time, when comps. are nearl every week, you just want to be doing technique training, as in: focussing on your knee lift, bend running, starts (THEY ARE OUT OF BLOCKS Casper!!!) and all the lot
Meanwhile you should be doing some core work.
And since neither of you are close to be fully grown, stay out of the weight room!
Last bit of advice: Beware of Shinsplints... Sprinters are prwn to get them.
Oh and one last bit Casper: get a time on the 400s first, before you decide to switch down full time.
And lay off those stupid 1500+ races in the winter... Sprinters are not build for that, and there is no point wrecking your form in those races...
fcancellara wrote:
I am planning to switch from 800m to 400m, because I think I that distance suits me better. My personal bests:
100m (I'm not a sprinter at all): 13,9
400m (never ran it in a race): -
600m (I think it's better than my 800m pb): 1.43
800m: 2.25
1000m: 3.10
Any tips or advice?
Not so much, it's on your "performance line".
If you wonder what I mean, but that you know what a logarithm is (I didn't when I was your age), draw a chart in Excel with Ln(T) on the x axys and speed on the vertical axis. It's supposed to draw a line, which it more or less does for you (your 100 m is bit weak).
My motivation is returning (slowly...) so for the first time in months I'm really looking forward to each training session! I'm a bit sad though, because I didn't get much training done between October and February due to a combination of a minor injury coupled with lack of motivation since I had accomplished all my goals.
I've never been in better shape than I was last summer and now all that is gone... well, got to start over, I guess.
Tonight I'm going to "do a Schleck" and get absolutely pissed. Post-St. Patricks day-celebration!
There's a fine line between "psychotherapist" and "psycho the rapist"
...)
