Perseverance - Derek Redmond (video)

The Yasso 800

Recent running, like my recent posting, has been spotty. That's what trying to schedule runs around holidays will do...

Last week I only found time for one run, and the week before that for two runs. So week and2 of 18 and week 3 of 18 were not great success stories.

Week 4 has begun. I missed the first run of the week, but it is the least important run anyway. I ran last night, and hope to run on Wednesday and Friday, so hopefully the schedule is getting better.

Last night was a group speed workout, as is the usual fare on Monday nights. Last night ran a routine called the Yasso 800s.

I don't have it entirely clear how it works, why it works, or if it works, but basically the idea of the Yasso 800s is that you run ten (we did 8 because it is early in the season) repetitions of 800 meters at your goal marathon pace, and then for the same amount of time run easy in before the next rep.

Someone helped me set my watch to monitor the distance, and easy run time properly. The problem was that it did not display the pace to me, so I had no idea how fast I was running. The first four reps I ran very fast (for me, obviously), and then the last four reps were slower. It is supposed to work by running all the reps at the same pace.

Anyways, despite the inconsistent pace, it was a good run, and I was wiped by the end of it.

Drop Water on your long runs!

With the shortened running week due to the holidays I had to figure out how to squeeze a long run in. I ran a recovery run Saturday night, Monday night would be the group workout night, usually some sort of a speed workout, but Wednesday was taking the slot for the long run which would usually be on Friday.

Yet I could not see how I would manage to make the time for a long run, that would take me at least 2.5 hours (25km was the schedule so maybe even a bit more than 2.5hrs) plus cool-down time, with holiday preparations as well.

I decided I would skip the Monday night workout, and run the long run on Tuesday morning instead.

The run on Wednesday was scheduled for Highway 383. We would park cars at Park Brittanica,, run out 12.5km and then run back. I didn't have to stick to that route, as I was running alone, but I decided that it is nice to try new routes every now and then rather than running the same routes all the time.

So I planned to run from my house out to the 383 (6.3km), then I ran 6.5km out on the 383, then back, totaling 25.

It would be a difficult run, with 3 serious hills. 383 is more or less flat, with just some minor hilly spots, but going out I would have the long, but not steep, incline up westward towards Zachariya. Then on the way back I would have the steep eastward Zachariya climb, and the long, and steep in sections, climb up Nahal Tzeelim from the 38 back to RBS. The real problem anticipated was the last 2, because I would hit those when already tired from the run..

Oh, and did I say I didnt take water with me? When running with the group, there are water stops - people take turns putting water out along the route before a run. But running yourself means you have to remember to do work it out yourself. I can run about 18km or so just fine with no water, but 25 is way too much.

I was fine going out - The first hill was tough but I was ok, then I ran all the way out. When I hit 12.6km I turned around and ran back. I took a break for a moment, at about the 18.5km point when I hit the end of the 383 (the intersection with the 38) right before attacking the Zachariya hill. It was already starting to get hot and I was starting to feel the lack of water affecting me. After 2 minutes, I got up and continued towards the Zachariya hill.

It was really tough. At about 2/3 of the way up I just could not continue like that and finished the hil alternating between running and walking. I was feeling parched and worn out. Almost like hitting the wall, but I still had a tiny bit in me.

When I got to the top I started running again - from there it is 1.8km or so mostly downhill towards the RBS junction. Then I ran up Tzeelim. But that was also tough. I made it up a couple kilometers, but then felt again like I was going to drop. This time I really hit the wall. For the last 700 meters of the hill I alternated again walking and running, mostly walking. When I got to the top I finished with the final 500 meters running.

So I got my 25km run in before the holiday, though I probably ran only 24.2km of it or so, and walked part of the hills at the end. Next time I have to figure out a solution for bringing water along.

Recovery Run

Tonight I had some very sore spots that made running difficult.

After a few kilometers warmup it wasn't so bad anymore, but I still cut the run short at 8km. run from Dolev out to the end of Road 10, and back. Coming back I ran down Yarkon instead of back to Dolev and continued a bit to bump it up to 8. It's ok because Saturday night runs are the least important of all the scheduled runs, and they are called "Recovery Runs".. so I will have to recover in 8 this week instead of the scheduled 14..

This week will be an abbreviated running week. It will be tight fitting in running around selichos schedule, then the holiday starts. Right off the bat there are only 3 scheduled running days instead of 4...

Summary of Marathon Training Week #1 of 18

Sat night: 10km

Monday: 12km

Wednesday: 14km

Friday: 22km

Grand Total: 58km

Overall a great running week!

22km!

Today's run was scheduled to be 22km. The route was the Lamed Hey route, out the 10, up the 375 to Tzmet a'Elah, across the 38 back to Bet Shemesh. That is 22km when starting from "the Aviv boxes" in Bet Shemesh.

I was starting, and finishing, in RBS, so the route was only 19km.

I figured it was ok - after Wednesday's "Medium Run" that I cut short from 16km to 14km because my legs felt too tired and heavy to run, I figured that on Friday I would be lucky if I hit 18km.

So out I go, ready to conquer the world, or more likely collapse on a highway somewhere and get run over by a car.

I was expecting that the group would eventually catch up and overtake me, as I had given myself a head start, starting the same time as the group, but starting from RBS. They, however, run much faster than me - even if I am running fast and they are running slow they are much faster than me. But I never saw the group.

So out I go. I actually felt good and felt like I was running strong. At about 3km into the run my GPS watch died (it had said 'low battery" right when I turned it on, so I expected it), so I had no idea of what time it was or my pace.. I could just settle in and enjoy the run without worrying about running at any specific speeds. I knew the distance more or less because I have run this route a hundred times before.

I hit Tzomet Ha'Elah, about 9.5km, and took a brief water break. Then I continued up the 38, conquering the Zachariya mountain. I turned up Tzeelim towards RBS and decided I would extend the run. I ran up through Ramat Shilo and then turned left on Kishon and went out about 1.2km and then back home.

That gave me about 22km, maybe just slightly less.

As I said, this training program gets intense very quickly!