Running

My Tuesday tempo verges on being a chore after a Sunday on which I've exceeded my comfort zone. I did the usual Regents Park Outer Circle two-lapper, building from projected marathon pace to optimistic 10k pace.

Despite the fatigue from the HM, it went well. There was a day in late December with identical windspeed/direction where my lap split for the same avg HR was 4:15/km vs 4:04 today. I'm pleased, particularly having lost two-and-a-bit weeks in January to recover from surgery.

@Sainsburys_Ed – I'm also going for sub-3. Looks like you're more than on track. Fingers crossed! The bloke just ahead of me on Sunday normally does ~1h20 for HMs on tarmac, so I'm buoyed by that. Except I'm about five years older than him :(

running equivalent of your ftp

What does the ftp mean here? Ta.

Functional Threshold Power - it’s the level of power/pace you can sustain for an hour. It’s a cycling term, don’t know if there is a running equivalent yet.

I guess it's equivalent to lactate threshold (LT), a term often used interchangeably with "tempo" (LT/tempo run). A continuous tempo run of 20-30 mins @ LT (plus w/u, c/d) would make a good session, so 3/4 lots of "threshold intervals" of 7 mins with easy running in between would be doable. I agree with @Sainsburys_Ed, if it's a new session try 3 then progress to 4 next time.

Yesterday I had a crazy idea of being able to fit a morning gym session and an evening easy run, around giving blood in the afternoon, but gave up on the idea of the run whilst cycling back up the hill through Greenwich Park after the donation. Back on it today with a run double, feeling more like myself after a good kip and a couple more meals. Tenth donation, yay!

There's stuff about FTP on training peaks (OBVS).

Lfgss run club kit shop finally launched:

https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/technical-t-shirt/product/TET01XX?utm_source=TW&utm_medium=referral&utm_term=tech-t&utm_content=13032018_tech_t_global

Thank you, you have withdrawn from the 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon, please read below for details of what will happen next.

At least that's a guaranteed place for 2019. 13 months to get into proper shape not to waste it.

waits for sales eagerly

@amey Is this approved?

Running tops cost more than £10?

I thought they all came from the end of races and just accumulated forever

It's a technical top so obviously worth more than a tenner...

FUCK ME. Intervals are hard going!

I could only do three sessions, not four. It was meant to be 7/7 on/off but I could only manage five minutes for the fast part. I felt I really needed to focus on making my strides longer and pumping my arms a bit to get the speed going. But maintaining that for any length of time beyond 5km or so seems really daunting.

Sounds like an interval session.

Did you vomit?

It never gets any easier, you just get quicker!

I might have to return my Tracksmith order then

Tracksmith

Just Googled. Looks like a Marks & Spencer Blue fucking Harbour range.

Tracksmith

What the cock is this shit?

The creative director behind them is familiar to many on here - it looks nice and pricey, no?

If I got some of those I'd have to take on the responsibility for punching myself in the face.

Good work! I think there's a bit of trial-and-error when it comes to getting the intensity right, because one of the aims is to be able to complete a full session with each hard bit being the same pace. (This really helps get used to race pacing.) But you should also be able to do it whilst keeping good form. If you're consciously changing form in a forced effort to up the pace, try to ease off just a touch, and concentrate on keeping your cadence ticking over nicely. Over time, getting used to doing interval and tempo running not only gives you a marked improvement in cardiovascular fitness, it also helps to improve your running economy, as your running form naturally adapts to operating at a faster pace as comfortably as possible. Another popular way of thinking of "tempo" or "threshold" intensity is comfortably hard, but hardly comfortable.

"If someone asked me a question, would I be able to respond? Or would I look at them with a pained face as if to say "fuck off"?"

vs anythingoverthreshold:
"FUCK OFF! STOP TALKING!"

Anyone seen one of these in the flesh yet?

Interested for mountain marathon type stuff. Same price/size/weight as OMM Classic 32.

I could only do three sessions, not four. It was meant to be 7/7 on/off but I could only manage five minutes for the fast part.

Well done! It's still beneficial training. As others have said, it won't get easier but you'll get more accustomed to pacing and the pain :D