9 replies to this topic

[Gandhionaharley]

Hi everyone,

I am following the intermediate training program for the GC HM (two pages attached) and tomorrow I am supposed to do a 3km time trial.

What does this mean and what pace should I aim for? (I am hoping to do the HM in anything under 2 hrs.)

My current running pace:

Longer Sunday runs ~6:00 / km
Mid week 40 min runs ~5:30 / km
6 x 500m Speed session ~2:25 / rep (I was cactus after 5 and only completed half of the last rep)
4 x 1km speed session ~5:00 / km

The first two can vary either side by 15s / km depending on how I feel on the day.

Thanks for any help!

Attached Files

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[JustinS007]

Gandhionaharley, on Mar 16 2009, 02:43 PM, said:

Hi everyone,

I am following the intermediate training program for the GC HM (two pages attached) and tomorrow I am supposed to do a 3km time trial.

What does this mean and what pace should I aim for? (I am hoping to do the HM in anything under 2 hrs.)

My current running pace:

Longer Sunday runs ~6:00 / km
Mid week 40 min runs ~5:30 / km
6 x 500m Speed session ~2:25 / rep (I was cactus after 5 and only completed half of the last rep)
4 x 1km speed session ~5:00 / km

The first two can vary either side by 15s / km depending on how I feel on the day.

Thanks for any help!

My understanding is that a time trial is the fastest pace you can sustain for the given distance. If you are doing 4 x 1k intervals (depending on the rest you are taking in between) then I think you should be able to aim somewhere about the 4:50 mark (ie 14:30 minutes).

[Gandhionaharley]

Thanks Justin, my rests were 90 sec on the 4 x 1km.

Do you think 4:50 is achievable - my 6 x 500m was at about that pace and I couldn't quite finish those reps.

Is it better to try to pick a pace and run it consistently or should i try starting at about 4:50 and slow a bit towards the end if needed?

[walker1st]

I would say go through the first km at around 5:05 and than try to pick it up a bit, if You can
and bring it home strong.

It does not really matter, this first ITT would be the starting point only and You would measure against it any future improvements and possibly calculate future training paces.

slightly negative split (few secs faster second half than the first half) usualy allows for best possible performance.

[JustinS007]

walker1st, on Mar 16 2009, 05:52 PM, said:

I would say go through the first km at around 5:05 and than try to pick it up a bit, if You can
and bring it home strong.

It does not really matter, this first ITT would be the starting point only and You would measure against it any future improvements and possibly calculate future training paces.

slightly negative split (few secs faster second half than the first half) usualy allows for best possible performance.

I agree with you walker1st. Strange, I thought you might suggest she try to do it at HR of 120 bpm (low HR training). Or failing that maybe try to sustain 3 minute kilometres

As for the 4:50 pace, it just depends how hard you are prepared to try. If you just keep pumping the legs, grit the teeth and refuse to slow down then it's possible. Remember that lactic acid accumulation from time to is a good thing as it builds LT and allows us to develop more speed for longer.

[Gandhionaharley]

Thanks guys,

I think I'll try about 5:00 and just keep pushing it up slightly as I go...

Let you know how I go...

BTW what is LT?

[Niko]

LT is lactate threshold. It's the point at which lactic acid builds up beyond your body's ability to remove it.

[walker1st]

JustinS007, on Mar 16 2009, 06:57 PM, said:

I agree with you walker1st. Strange, I thought you might suggest she try to do it at HR of 120 bpm (low HR training). Or failing that maybe try to sustain 3 minute kilometres

Justin, I might tell on You, that You using 6H race as an interval training session, pumping some sprint laps ...

[Gandhionaharley]

So in true amatuer style i stuffed up my pace....

My first km was about 4:55 and I felt good so i pushed a bit harder and did the second in 4:40 then... the wheels fell off! I could not move my legs in the 3rd and ended up doing it in about 6:00....

I think I have one of these every 4 weeks so I can only get better!

Thanks again for your thoughts

[Brick]

Gandhionaharley, on Mar 17 2009, 09:42 PM, said:

So in true amatuer style i stuffed up my pace....

My first km was about 4:55 and I felt good so i pushed a bit harder and did the second in 4:40 then... the wheels fell off! I could not move my legs in the 3rd and ended up doing it in about 6:00....

I think I have one of these every 4 weeks so I can only get better!

Thanks again for your thoughts

You will get better at pacing just keep at it and you will be able to say I will do a 5:00 pace and it will be spot on for 5-10kms.
Also add into your training a run that starts at 6:00 and speeds up so the last KM it at what ever the race pace you are after.
This will help a lot.

Edited by Brick, 18 March 2009 - 07:27 AM.