Approx 7.5 -8.5 Depending on how far round the Downs

I hope to be back running with "yous" lot next week. Unfortunately I know I'll have to take it easy on my foot so I'd like to offer a fartlek session for anyone who runs 9-10 minute mile pace. It'll be based around Queens Square and will last about 25/30 mins, so the whole session should last about 50 minutes max inc. run out and back. If you don't know what Fartlek is about, check out the Tuesday 5th of October on the Tuesday run section of the forum where it's all explained. It's a chance to experience some of the training regimes the uber fast group use to improve there speeds. Obviously we're not going to run quite as fast...... but hopefully we'll have some fun.

Regards

Chris

Regards

Chris

Distance 7-7.5 miles all road running and returning via Greville Smyth Park and North Street.

still not fixed enough to lead out the fast group...may try a run with a slower group, will have to see.

Regards

Chris

def won't be with you runners on Tuesday night and probably not for the next few weeks judging by how my foot is, so I suggest the following strength & endurance session - a combination of hills and intervals.

2 x any big Hill, 3 x 4mins /1 min rest, 2 x big hill to finish

Anyway, enjoy.

Chris

Route: Brackmills Loop

All road running with a hard climb to Clifton

not sure if I'll be able to take a group on Tuesday night, so if anyone can be ready to step in that would be great. I will post a plan on Monday come what may.

Regards

Chris

Regards

Chris

All road and approx 7 miles

3 lots of 5 minutes on at a pace I set or set by some one I nominate, a rest of 2 minutes gentle jogging between. This is followed by 4 lots of 1.5 minutes on with a 1 minute rest of gentle jogging between.

Writing it as 3 x 5/2 (paced), 4 x 1.5/1 is so much easier....lol!

Chris

>If anyone would like to know what all this means who intends to run with me please ask.

Is it 45? I expect it's something to do with sprint and recovery pace on and off, but would you mind answering here please Chris?

Have decided what we're doing and so here it is:

3 x 5/2 (paced), 4 x 1.5/1

If anyone would like to know what all this means who intends to run with me please ask. There again you may just want to have the excitement of my translation on the night. Suffice to say it's speed work. Not sure where exactly we'll go yet but it will be kept reasonably flat with 15 minute run out and 15 minutes back.

Regards

Chris

Regards

Chris

Sorry, but I'll be away on Tues evening. Uber fast 6.45 min/m group - next week?

Approx mileage is 7.5 miles

This is mainly road running

Hope that's of interest.

Chris

Just a quick note to say as a new recruit to 'your lot', thanks for planning and running such great sessions. The change in intensity is taking a bit of getting used to but the encouragement and spirit is fantastic and very much appreciated. As a novice who wants to improve, it's fantastic having someone in the know putting such great sessions together. It means I can just turn up, totally do myself in and go home (or to the pub)! Thanks, Tom Woodhams

Regards

Chris

Why Should I do Fartlek Training?

Run at Speed for Longer

This will sound technical, but is relatively simple, so read on! Fartlek training allows you to increase you speed over sustained periods of running, by increasing your lactic threshold level (the point at which your body starts producing significant levels of lactic acid due to anaerobic respiration).

This is because of the combined factors of your body learning to run more efficiently at a certain heart rate (hence it is lower at the same speed), and also, to a smaller extent, increasing the heart rate at which lactic acid is produced. There is also a element of your body coping better with lactic acid in its system and processing it better.

To run at your best in long distance races you are constantly trying to run at around your lactic acid threshold level - any faster and you won't last the race, any slower and you won't perform to your best.

Double Benefits

Scientifically fartlek training also has the benefit that, as a bi-product, lactic acid produces lactate. This is an energy source and is used by the body in the slower periods of running, thus allowing the body to re-use the energy is has stored. This is called the lactate shuttle. ( Momentumsports.co.uk 2009)

Hope that explains why we use it.

Regards

Chris

This means that there is a dual benefit to fartlek training, the athlete gets to use the energy which is a by-product (lactate) and therefore can run for longer than might have been expected as they are not using the normal energy source all the time. And, there is the development of the athletes ability to run with high levels of lactic acid in their system.

Good to see new faces in the group last Tuesday, hope some more people would like to join us from other groups.

Regards

Chris

We will be running to Abbots Pool via the very steep Rownham Hill and return via Ashton Court. See Routes for details of the route.This is a mixture of road and off road. This group is aimed at those runners who run a 10K between 43 -48 mins.

Rob

the fast group, that's for those who run at 6.30 - 7.00 minute mile (sub 45 min 10km) pace, had a good long run last Tuseday. This Tuesday I'll be doing a hill session. We'll be working in and between Victoria Park/Perret Park. The session will be 15 minute run out to warm up, 30 minutes of hill work, 15 minutes run back. Hope that's of interest.

As it's getting dark as we run back it's worth getting out your hi viz gear - I'm told it's loads of form filling if someone gets squashed, something I'm allergic to!

Chris

Distance approx 7.5-8 miles with a fair amount of off road running

Return via Bower Ashton

It would be good to meet other groups at approx 7pm if possible as the nights are closing in. Good meet up place just up from the cottage in the Estate.

Rob

as the nights are drawing in I think it would be nice to get up to Ashton Court so that's where we're going to be heading. Will include a small hill session too to make it more interesting! About 8 miles but no more than an hour an 10 minutes duration.

Chris

Route is 8.5 miles and is mainly off road.

Rob

4/1,4/1/,4/4, 4/1,4/1,4/finish.

This is a stamina session and will be at your best 5km race pace. If you haven't done a 5 km race you'll have to improvise!

Regards

Chris

as I'm suffering a bit from the half on Sunday (having followed the mankini man too my tummy's not too good ) I don't want to run a really structured session but a steady run instead. I hope I'll be up for about 8 miles, where I don't know yet. If there are keen people I will have a session lined up someone can take on my behalf.

I will be stopping for a beer afterwards too at the Southville Centre

In the near future I think the fast group is going to be getting a bit too big to be really beneficial for all participants so I have a temporary cunning plan should the need arise. The group will run out together for the warm up and then will split for the structured part of the session, working the same programme but in opposite directions round a circuit for example. All sessions will last the same length so we'll all be able to meet up to run back together. Any thoughts on this cunning plan will be gratefuly received .

Regards

Chris

Route is mainly off road with some hard uphill and downhill sections.Return to North Street via Bower Ashton

It will be an Ashton Court route via Dovecote Arms. Head up from new car park at the bottom and up the road via oottage in park. Return via Deer park.Approx 6.5 miles of mostly on road road running and a short downhill off road.

One steep up hill in the park.

Plenty of possbilities for longer runs.

Rob

If you're all up for it, the last stamina session before Bristol Half:

6/4, 4/4, 4/4, 2/1, 1/ finish

sort of like a pyramid session e.g. 6 minutes on/ 4 minutes off etc.

Where, I'm not too sure yet, shall I leave that as a surprise?

Regards

Chris

5.5 - 6miles in length, roughly following the last bit of the Half marathon route with a harbourside loop added on the end, pace was about 7 min/mile - a bit faster than intended!

Pool>Queen sq>Victoria st>Castle Park>Welsh back>Baldwin st>City centre>Harbourside>Pump house>return to pool

Bristol Half route (PDF link)

I am planning to run the last part of the Bristol Half. End of Cumberland Road to Queens Square and to Castle Park via Victoria Street

For those who have not run this race there are 2 slopes to be aware of.

I will then do a Harbourside loop via Brandon Park .

Distance 7 miles. All on road.

Rob

Joff

Nine attempted this new route. Mixture of road running plus mainly off road trails. One very boggy section on route which most off us managed to avoid.

Returned to Southville approx 8.30 after a long slog back through Long Ashton.

Rob

The next part is new and we head to Failand and into Ashton Hill Plantation (great off road downhill). Route becomes road again in Long Ashton and return via Bower Ashton.

Distance is uncertain. May be 9.5-10 ???

Route is a mixture of road and off road. We could be out for a fair time

Never done Nightingale Valley (up that is)... gotta be ticked off before the summer is out...

It was 8 miles according to the GPS. It also claims our top speed was 112km/h, which would explain why we lost some people!