Sunday 25th May 2014
This will be my first week of full training in some months. I am also experimenting with my form as well. After training last year for my first attempt at half marathon distance, I have taken stock of where I went wrong and focused on how I can improve.
I’ve been reading The Art of Running Faster by Julian Goater and Don Melvin. I don’t think I am giving too much away here, but the book focuses on technique and form as well as the breakdown of different training sessions to essentially make you a faster runner. Imagine yourself as runner 1.0, this book aims to upgrade you to runner 2.5. It has helped me identify areas of improvement. In fact, it highlighted areas of improvement where I didn’t think I needed improving. After reading the book I am more aware of my slouching posture, my mid foot to heel strike landing and my tendency to look at the floor, rather than ahead.
Immediately I have seen changes. From a negative point of view, I have aches and strains in places I didn’t know I had muscles. Being more upright on my calves has meant that they feel tighter after a run now and need to be stretched out extensively to aid recovery. However, being on my toes more has allowed me to quicken my pace, bouncing from left toe to right has really livened up my style. I am finding that I can only run on my toes for short while at the moment before I switch back to runner 1.0, but i think this is just a stamina issue which will improve in time.
My first full week went well, it was good to complete three sessions with the Autumn half marathon season coming soon I am confident these changes will have a positive effect.
- Sunday hot humid, windy. Long run to see if I had the stamina
- 6.6km – 40.00min -Fastest Split 5.34 Average 6.04
- Monday, hot, windy overcast, recovery run, set out too fast.
- 5.0km – 28.45min – Fastest Split 5.23 Average 5.45
- Thursday, still adjusting to the new style
- 5.2km – 29.58 min – Fastest Split 5.25 Average 5.47