25th March - 7th April

The routine of alternate easy run / hard run days is working well. Monday, Wednesday and Friday have Strength and Conditioning work scheduled with an easy run at the other end of the day (if possible), whilst on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I run at a harder intensity. Sunday is for a longer run, although I haven't gone beyond 60 minutes so far this year.

The 4-day Easter holiday broke this routine and posed some training challenges. Being away from Luton does have its downside - no access to a gym or track - and the weather put paid to the Good Friday AAA Open meeting at Gosling Park. Instead, Good Friday was spent away from home with Coach Wife and so a little exploring was required on Saturday morning to find a natural incline suitable for a Kenyan Hills session. (The weekend was great by the way - thanks to Naomi's Grandma for looking after our daughter)! On Bank Holiday Monday I jogged over to the Flitch Way to use the forgiving surface for leaps, hops and jumps, much to the amusement of a couple of dog walkers sharing the path with me!

Not to be denied a race on the track before the season begins proper, I entered the 3000m at the Bedfordshire AAA Open Meeting at Stockwood Park, Luton. To make the most of the 70 mile round trip from Bishops Stortford, I dragged Coach Wife and daughter along with me, not to watch my 7 and a half laps of the track but to visit Woodside Farm & Leisure Park, a place every toddler should visit!

I finished the race in 9'40'', about 20'' quicker than I had anticipated, which means I am a lot closer to a sub 16 minute 5000m than I thought I would be at this stage. After a quick opening 200m, I settled down to lap consistently at 78-79 seconds with a 71 second last lap. Hopefully I can achieve my 5000m target at the 18th May Southern Area League fixture at Wodson Park, which will also mark the end my Paternity Leave. After that  date I will probably just be happy for 16 minutes sleep!

 

Naomi takes Dad for a spin in her tractor at Woodside Farm & Leisure Park

Refueling post race at Cheeky Monkey's Play Barn

25th - 31st March

Monday: AM - S&C; PM - 40' varied pace running

S&C:

Ankle Hops 3 x 8

Depth Drop (40cm) 3 x 8

Drop Jumps (40cm) 3 x 8

Front Squat 3 x 5 (65kg) interspersed with Box Jumps (80cm) 4 x 5

Low hurdle hops 3 x 8

Press Up (with resistance band) 3 x 6

Bent Over Row (50kg) 3 x 5

Tuesday: AM - 'Up the clock' (400m - 800m - 1200m - 1600m - 2000m; 2' recovery & 6' recovery before final rep) [75' - 2'40'' - 4'05 - 5'40'' - 7'05]; PM - 30' easy running

Wednesday: AM - S&C; PM - 53' easy

S&C:

Front Squat 3 x 5 (65kg)

Single SL Dead Lift 3 x 5 (65kg)

Bent Over Row 3 x 5 (50kg)

Press Up (with resistance band) 3 x 6

Candlestick 2 x 3

Thursday: AM - 3 x 4 x 200m (2' recovery between 200's & 5' recovery between sets of 4) [all circa 30'']

Good Friday: AM - 40' easy running

Saturday: AM - 10' easy run - 20' Tempo/Kenyan Hills - 10' easy run

Easter Sunday: 40' easy running

1st - 7th April

Bank Holiday Monday: PM - 20' easy run to the Flitch Way - 20' Plyometrics - 20' easy run back home

Plyometrics:

3 x 8 Power Skips

3 x 8 Bounding

4 x 8 Single Leg Bounding (mximal hops)

4 x 5 Broad Jumps

4 x 5 Hi 'Hurdle' hops (without the hurdle)

Tuesday: PM - 4 x 0.91 Mile Reps [circa 5'04'']

Wednesday: AM - S&C PM: 53' easy running

S&C:

Front Squat 3 x 4 (70kg)

Dead Lift 3 x 5 (80kg)*

Pull Up 3 x 4 (body weight)

Press Up (with resistance band) 3 x 6

2 x 3 Candlesticks
* replaces single straight leg dead lift to economise time and to add work to gluteal muscles.

Thursday: AM - 6 x 400m (4' recovery) [69'' +/- 2'']; PM - 35' easy running

Friday: AM - S&C: 
Ankle Hops 3 x 8

Front Squat 3 x 5 (70kg) interspersed with Depth Drop (40cm) 3 x 8

Dead lift 3 x 5 (80kg) interspersed with Drop Jumps 3 x 8 (40cm)

Box Jumps (80cm) 4 x 5

Low hurdle hops 3 x 8

Saturday: RACE: Bedfordshire AAA Open Meeting - 3000m (2nd) [9'40'']

Sunday: 60' easy running