TRAINING UPDATE: Targeting a sub 21 minute 5K

Throughout my journey to completing my first ever triathlon, I have decided to set mini targets along the way. One of them being a shiny new 5K PB. I haven't dabbled in this distance for over a year now and I think I have ran 5K about three times this year, one of which was a parkrun. 

The distance itself is actually great for all sorts of abilities. Whether you are new to running and making it you first target, or using it as essential strength building time during marathon training, everyone really should be boshing out a few 5K every now and then.

In the last four years I have been a runner, I have rarely chosen to complete the distance. Mainly because I always saw it as 'too short' and not relevant to my training but really, it can make a nice change to pounding the pavements for miles and miles. I am also a stronger competitor over shorter distances so why I have never seeked regular 5K PB has left me a little clueless. Still though, with a 5K in my triathlon, there really is no excuse now to set up some training sessions to improve my speed over the 3.1 miles.

Why 5K?

What's brilliant about 5K I guess is parkrun. One of the greatest events to be funded by the UK government, it's is a free 5K race for anyone to take part in. Taking place around the country at 9am every Saturday, thousands and thousands of Brits descend on their local parkrun to take part. The timed run is something many people I know dedicate their Saturday morning too and I really must pluck up the courage to squidge one or two into my training regime.

My current 5K PB is 21.58, which I achieved almost a year ago (above is where I achieved this at Newbury parkrun). If I was to go out now and run 5K, I'd be lucky to go under 24 minutes. Not good. So what time do I target? I feel like I could play it safe and aim for sub 22 minutes again but then part of me is thinking it's time to push myself and so why not try and aim for sub 21. I guess I am being an eager beaver but it would train me to work at 110%, which in turn will be very beneficial to me come further triathlon training.

Looking deeper into my reasons for this target, in all honesty I also am in desperate need of speed, endurance and most definitely a decent core, so fitting in some 5K tailored sessions will help tick these boxes. You could even say I am starting my New Year's resolution early!

The strategy 

How will I achieve this? Well I guess I am already halfway there in terms of tailored training with Thursdays spent at the athletics track enduring numerous sessions to get the body working at VO2 max and so I will definitely continue with this part of my normal training as it already helps with my speed. I will then make sure I balance our these intensive workouts with consistent running, aiming to do 3-6 miles for each run I do. I will try and do this twice a week, along with the cycling and swimming I already do as part of my triathlon training. Phew! 

The idea overall is for my track and running sessions to gel together, meaning that interval training will generate speed and muscle whilst consistent running will build endurance and efficiency.

More importantly, I need to fit 5K events into my diary and for this, I will most definitely turn to parkrun. By fitting these in, I will (hopefully) notice increased speed as my times get faster and faster with the aim to end up with that sub 21 minutes (20.59 here I come!). I did back in August take part in a parkrun and crossed the line in 23.09 so I am hoping I can land back around this sort of time and work my way up from there. Still though, hope is no guarantee so whatever time I do, I must accept it, be patient and build on it.

Key 5K training tips

For anyone who, like me, are also hunting down a 5K PB, here are some key training tips to remember when working towards smashing this distance...

1. Integrate speed work into your training. Opt for sessions that involve short bursts of hard running with small rest breaks. Pyramid sessions are great for this:

2. Hit those hills! This is rich coming from me, the Queen of hill dodging. I will however put my hands up and surrender to undulating courses and steep climbs. Hill training will really help to strengthen your core, not to mention your endurance. Head to a local park where you know a decent hill lies and again aim to do intervals running up and down the hill, followed by short sprints across flat ground. 

3. Master your stride. 5K is fast and requires lots of speed training so perfecting your stride will help to avoid injures and niggles. Lengthening your stride will also assist you in securing that all important PB. Short hill reps will help you achieve this.

4. Plank it. Like I have said throughout this post, a solid core makes such a difference when racing. To speed up the process of toughening it up, mix up your training with static workouts, such as planks. I have recently discovered walking planks to where you lean down on your elbows and push up so your arms are straight. It burns so bad but is totally worth it in the long run!

All of the above I will most definitely be adopting into my training regime (even the hills!). After all, I have a long journey to take to reach that sub 21 minutes, with the aim to hit this milestone by my birthday in April 2015. 

What PBs does everyone else have on the agenda? Are you aiming for a 5K personal record too?

Lipstick Runner.

Blenheim Palace Triathlon: Venue Visit

As I am about to endure my first ever triathlon, I took it upon myself to organise a day trip to where it will be taking place - Blenheim Palace.

Now, I have never done a 'reccy' as some people call it (basically cast your beady eyeballs over something) but triathlon is unfamiliar territory to me, especially the outdoor swim so visiting its location and getting a good grasp of what surroundings, terrains and conditions I will be facing was essential to me.

Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire is the only place in Britain to be given the honour of being called a palace (the only other place is Buckingham Palace, which is a royal ground). Owned by the Duke of Marlborough, it's renowned ownership in the past has been the Churchill's (Winston Churchill who was Prime Minister of Great Britain during the Second World War was born here). But, along with the history of this magnificent building, it is also home to a large annual triathlon event! June 2015 will see around 7000 triathletes enter through the gates and take part in either Super Sprint or Sprint distances.  The latter I am doing and I was really keen to head off for a long, relaxed walk around the grounds of Blenheim to check out the course and what I was going to eventually face. 

The swim is my most uncertain area. Having never swam in open water, checking out the lake was really important and working out where I was going to swim. Looking at the course map on the event website, it looks like I will be swimming up this part of the lake:

I really can't imagine myself actually swimming up this. But on race day, the atmosphere will be buzzing, I'd have practised in open water so will (hopefully) be feeling confident to get round the 750m lap.

I also made sure I snooped around the actual palace as well as the grounds. It was great to see the space which will become the transition area where all our bikes will be lined up. It's crazy to think this will be brimming with rows and rows of bikes!

Looking at the grounds, the pathways are quite undulating, so I reckon I am going to have to get solid training in for my running and cycling. I will need to ensure I am well practised on courses both flat and hilly. Building strength will help me get round when my legs are probably going to feel like wanting to collapse! Deep down I know cycling is my weakest of the three sports so I will be looking at my training plan and seeing where I can fit in beneficial training sessions. It's a good job I've got a duathlon in the diary for April too!

Overall, it was great to walk around the grounds of Blenheim and envisage the triathlon and how it will work. Now I have seen the lake, I know what I am in for and even being aware of the course and it's flat and slightly hilly areas is powerful knowledge for my training. I know what I need to work on and more importantly I know what I am going to face.

Have you ever checked out a venue prior to race day before? Have you found it useful to know what you are facing?

For more information on Blenheim Palace Triathlon, visit the website HERE. 

Lipstick Runner. 

TRAINING UPDATE: Facing Cross Country

Cross Country. These two words either bring joy to someone or sheer dread. For me it is the latter. Don't ask me why but for some reason me and cross country have never really hit it off. I think its the extremely competitive nature of it, the field of performance and the fact that is involves mud and hills. My running club take big pride in being part of the Met League which consists of a set bunch of races taking place in the winter months. As members, we are encouraged to try it out as it is a great deal of fun. The social aspect certainly is for me (and the post race cake) but the idea of running in the actual race makes me so nervous.

Despite my dread and misery for the event, I do drag myself along to at least one meet in the league as really, cross country is one of the best forms of training. The short distance (women races normally vary between 5-8K) means speed is required and notching up a gear or two over hills and muddy terrain makes the challenge even more beneficial to your endurance, strength and speed.

I recently made my one off appearance at the second fixture of the league which was based in fields and woodlands in Stevenage. I strategically chose this one as a) I didn't have other plans that day and b) it's the flattest course of them all. I very much had my tail between my legs too as I didn't actually get round to taking part in the league at all in 2013 so I was very nervous at returning to give it another go.

I guess you could say my main fear of cross country is that I might come last, which I know sounds ridiculous but I find the field of ability is so much more elite to what I'm used to in my local 10Ks and parkruns that really, I feel quite daunted. I have learnt from the past races that I have taken part in (my last was the Southern Championships at Parliament Hill which was the hardest run I have ever done!) that positioning yourself near the back is a good starting point (unless your an absolutely whizz at XC of course). This allows me to pick people off as I go through the course, meaning I never get overtaken and the feeling of passing other runners is a great confidence boost!

So, positioned at the back of the pack at Stevenage the gun went off and I started off nice and easy running around the outer edge of field, which involved short steep hills. I managed to keep with a fellow club member and decided early on that my goal was to keep her in close sight. After the first 1K in the field we then entered some woodland which was really pretty to run through. The terrain wasn't that muddy but was soft enough to need spikes. By the time I popped out the other end of the woodland to complete lap two, I actually was feeling really good. With my trusty Garmin notifying me of the distance by the time I was back in the woodland I had reached 5K and I knew with my last kilometre to go that I had the energy to push it. Advancing forward, I passed my team mate and powered through the woodland as fast as I could. As I was reaching the end, I could feel my core begin to tighten - I knew my body was working so hard. The final straight involved popping out the woods, heading down a steep grassy hill to a 50m sprint finish. I came out in a group of five and managed to overtake three of them on the final stretch, crossing the finish line 132nd place in a time of 29.06.

(me in action (no: 763) coming into my second lap at Stevenage)

Now 132nd may not sound great but for me, well, I was bloody chuffed! Out of 180 runners, by starting at the back I had managed to overtake around 40-50 people throughout the 6K distance. Not bad considering I am no cross country lover. But that's what surprised me more - I actually really enjoyed the race! A first for me. By being a little strategic and planning how I was going to tackle the route, I was able to reserve energy, keep my pace steady and run it controlled. Much better than my tactic before which was to bolt off at the start to get a good position to then crash 2K in, with a painful stitch and tired legs.

Overall, cross country is in fact enjoyable, if you run it right and realistically. Plus the post race cake and biscuits makes it totally worth it! I aim to make my next appearance in February. When are you heading out for it?

Lipstick Runner.