Training Thursday 30th April

Another variation on the threshold theme with similar total volume to last week. This week do 8 to 10 miles and fit in 2 x 8 minute threshold with 2:30 jog recovery between.

Alan

SCOTTISH ATHLETICS 1 MILE VIRTUAL CHALLANGE

In case anyone fancies taking part 

We will enter as a club next Thusday so if you want your name added please leave it as a comment here or let Allison know through the facebook post by Wednesday night. In order to take part you must be on Garmin or Strava and have the run posted as SA Virtual Challenge. Garmin and Strava should have the activity set to public. This virtual event covers results for fastest in age and gender categories and mixed and gender teams of 4. We do not need to submit teams as they will take the fastest 4 from the same club to make the A team and next 4 to make B team etc. Apart from the obvious social distance rules there are a few important others. The run should start and finish at approx. same place either loops or out and back. there should not be an overall elevation loss and any loops should be no less than 1km. Only 1 attempt per person. See link for full details

Scottish Athletics

Yesterday at 12:09 ·

ONE-MILE TIME TRIAL VIRTUAL CHALLENGE
It's coming up over the weekend of May 8-11 and entries are now open for all athletes from U13 through to Masters.
It is FREE for scottishathletics members and £5 for non-members.
On the Event Section page (see link here) are some of the rules around these solo runs, where social distancing must be observed.
We're looking for names by midnight on Thursday 7 May.
https://scottishathletics.sportserve.net/…/athleticsbooking…
*Thanks to Bobby Gavin for this image

Training Wednesday 29th April

A bit late posting this today (distracted by early morning work call with Australian office that transitioned into the normal working day).

Wednesday is primarily a conditioning day. As usual, try to precede the circuits session with a 5 to 10k easy run. Warm up again before circuits and then stick with the same number of sets as last week. We are stepping up next week. After circuits, stretch thoroughly.

Alan

Training Monday 27th April

We are ramping up the stress a little bit this week in terms of more 800's in the set and hence reduced overall recovery (and more stress setting up your Garmin too).

The session is (800m/30 sec recovery/400m/30 sec recovery) x 2 + 4 x 400m with 30 secs recovery to finish.

If you already have known markers at 400m and 800m on your usual routes, then probably best to set this up as open intervals (i.e. not time or distance based) and press your lap button to start/stop each interval (the lower right button on Garmins with multiple buttons)  when you cross your 400m/800m mark, with 30 second recoveries. Alternatively, the session can be programmed in on the Garmin Connect app and transferred to the more recent Garmin watches that way.

This one is a bit more difficult due to the initial fatigue introduced by the 2 800's but as always, we are looking for consistent pace irrespective of the rep distance.
Alan

Auldhouse 5k 2020

As we approach the month of May, we approach what is usually the first Auldhouse 5k Time Trial of the season. To ensure at least some continuity of the Auldhouse TT record book this year, I propose that the May TT will be a truly individual (solo run) TT over the usual course for those who live within running distance of the course. Sorry to exclude those living outside of EK in Rutherglen, Cambuslang, etc (or even Portugal), but maybe we will return to a normal situation in later months where more can participate. Subsequent Auldhouse TT's may also be run like this but we will announce as each one comes around. Sorry also to exclude those who are not on Garmin Connect but that is the only way to remotely verify the times.

The Start and Finish
Gordon very kindly went out and painted the start and finish lines for me last week. The start line is part way down the steep hill beside Langlands Golf Course and is marked with a red triangle around the existing survey "stud" and a short line on the left side (as you face down the hill) and also a short line on the right side, both sides also have a letter "S" painted.

The Start

Following the usual clockwise direction around the course, the finish line is at the change in tarmac from rough to smooth across the full width of the road just before the T-junction shortly after Langlands Club House (although it always seems a long way from the club house to the finish line). The finish line is marked in red with a short line and an "F" on both sides of the road.

The Finish

How to Record a Time
To record a time, start a new Garmin session on your watch when you are ready to start your time trial (so save your warm-up session and start a new session). Foot behind the start line and then press your start button (usually the top right button on Garmins that have buttons) and run like the wind for 5k. As you cross the finish line, press the start/stop button again (the top right button) to stop the session. Save your session. Then start another new session for your cool down. When you upload to Garmin Connect, you should have three separate runs recorded; the warm-up run, the TT run and the cool down run.

The Official Time
I will work out the official time from the raw GPS data recorded behind your Garmin session on Garmin Connect. That means that the timestamp (i.e. date and time dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm:ss) of the first point on the GPS track will be subtracted from the time stamp (i.e. date and time dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm:ss) of the last point on the GPS track when the session is stopped. This will avoid the errors and uncertainties caused by the "Auto Pause" function if enabled on your watch (where if you stop moving or go slow enough that the Garmin thinks you have stopped moving, it pauses the timer) or where people habitually press the stop button to manually pause the timer for a wee breather during a session. These pauses won't make any difference to the total elapsed time as I will be working from the raw GPS timing data. It will be as if I was setting you off from the start line and stopping the timer when I next see you crossing the finishing line during our normal TT's.

Submitting a Time
To submit a time, name your session May Auldhouse 5k TT on Garmin Connect and I will review and extract the time. Maybe also drop me a wee e-mail or text when you have uploaded the session just in case I miss it within the dozens of daily sessions coming through on Garmin Connect.

When can I run the TT
The eligible window for recording a time for the May TT is anytime from Monday 4th of May to Sunday 10th May inclusive. I will update the TT database during the following week.

All the previous times are here which you can also access using the menu down the left side of the blog. Looking at the way the Harriers are training and the fact that you are all getting used to running solo, I expect great times all round now and as the season progresses.
Alan

West Highland Way Relay

Sadly our annual WHW Relay has been cancelled this year. I thought it might be fun to see if we could organise a virtual relay instead. Plan would be to pick a date and allocate legs to folk.Running"virtually" from Milngavie to Fort William.  You would run from your house for the distance allocated and then document your time. I have several names already interested. It will hopefully be a bit of fun. If you want to join in, and haven't told me already, please leave a message on the blog or contact me directly on 07866984759.
To be clear we will not going anywhere near the WHW.
Everyone is welcome to join in.If you are running from your garden or coming back from injury we can offer you a short leg.

Jim

Eddie Reid Charity Sessions

Can you help Eddie  Reid raise £126 to help vulnerable families through this difficult time.. Please donate to his JustGiving Crowdfunding Page where you will find more details: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/eddie-reid?utm_term=KqaGV3aXd

Garmin Connect Crashing

This problem was fixed by Google on Friday. Didn't get round to posting the instructions to fix until now (note that although the post talks about Samsung phones, this will work on any Android phone). Android Fix

I believe iPhone users may already have a fix. 

If Garmin Connect is crashing when you try to open an activity in detail view, don't worry, you are not alone. Garmin advise that it is a problem introduced by Google Maps integration and Google are working on solving it. So no need to reinstall or do anything. Just try every so often and make sure you check for app updates from Google and Garmin and install any if they arise. (Strava have put a warning message in their app which relates to the same problem). 

Alan

Training Friday 24th April

As Thursday was a long and challenging run/threshold session, Friday is a bit of a recovery day. If you can manage a 5 to 10k easy run then do so. Sometime later in the day, try to fit in the short but intense Friday circuit session as illustrated here.  Stick with the same number of sets as in previous weeks for now. Hopefully any muscle soreness in the days afterwards is now not so obvious as the muscles adapt to these exercises. Doing circuits only once per week will result in very slow progress to developing a overall strength and condition. So if you can, do circuits at least a couple of times per week.
Alan

Training Thursday 23rd April

A slight progression on the threshold session from two weeks ago. Again, the basic run is an easy run of up to around 10 miles. Somewhere in the middle, fit in 3 x 5 minutes at threshold (which is 1 hour race pace, 3 spoken word pace, beyond the point of comfort) with one and a half minutes jog recovery. Hopefully the weather remains good.

Alan

Training Wednesday 22nd April

Wednesday is conditioning day. So after you have washed your hair, get out for an easy 5 to 10k. For the many who did the Monday session (particularly if you did it on Tuesday), this needs to be an easy run day to allow the legs to recover.

Then, later in the day, try to fit in the home circuits session (15 exercises per set). Stick with the same number of sets as last week (2 or 3) and try to match the same number of reps per exercise per set. 

Alan

Training Monday 20th April

This week the test is to handle the same total volume as last week (4000m) but broken up into the following:

8 x 400m + 1 x 800m with 30 seconds static recovery between each, all at 10k pace.

The idea is to stress the speed endurance aspect by hanging onto the same pace in that last 800m as you managed in the 400's. This one will seem noticeably tougher.

If you are late in starting this sequence, then refer back in the blog to previous Monday's training and pick up the sessions at an appropriate point. Have a good one!
Alan

The Friday Circuit Training set - a video

A few weeks late but the Harriers Friday Intense Circuit Training session has now been captured on video. As this is only a 5 exercise x 30 second set with 10 seconds between each exercise to change position (rather than to recover), the entire set is recorded in this one video. Furthermore, if you play the video in repeat/loop mode on YouTube, as many sets as you want can be strung together (I recommend no more than 4 sets though for now). All the exercises are described in this post. The objective of this session is fast, powerful movements, so have a good warm up and go for it!

A Maxwell-Ferguson Production filmed on location on the Algarve.
Director - F Ferguson
Videographer  F Ferguson
Location Manager - F Ferguson
Stunt Coordinator - F Ferguson
Stuntman - A Derrick
Social Distancing Coordinator - F Ferguson

Alan

Training Friday 17th April

Taking this extended lock down as an opportunity to really build our fitness without race distractions (and I am glad to see via Garmin/Strava that all the Harriers are doing so), Friday is another double training day.

At some point today, get an easy 5k to 8k in (much easier pace than yesterday's "steady" run). Then follow up with the Friday intense home circuits session. Stick with the same number of sets of the 5 exercises as last week and focus on doing them well and consistently. As a reminder, the Friday Circuits session is described here. As always, follow up with stretching. 

Alan

Training Thursday 16th April

The Thursday runs have been building up in effort level over the past 3 sessions, so time to step down this Thursday before building again next week. This week is a steady 8 miles. Controlled and consistent pace once you get through the warm up phase. Not hanging on for all you are worth. Finish feeling fresh.

Alan

Training Wednesday 15th April

If you can, make Wednesday a two session day: an outdoor run (or cycle) and a home circuits session. For the run do an easy 5k to 10k.

For the circuits, follow the usual home circuits session. Stick with the same number of sets as last week but introduce progression by trying to squeeze in a few more reps within 30 seconds in the dynamic exercises such as press ups, squat thrusts and sit ups. Don't try to speed up those exercises where form and control is more important such as reverse lunges, medicine ball rotations, back extensions and the plank.

Alan

Nature Reserve Trail

Believe it or not, a request has been received to film a run around the Falésia Nature Reserve Trail Loop. So here it is. This is the Saturday morning run from yesterday run at something like 10k pace. 

The filming quality is not to the usual standard due to:

a) it was hot and the phone was slipping out my sweaty hand and

b) the film director couldn't keep up to direct the camera angles. 

Better films may follow! 

Alan

Training Monday 13th April

The session for Monday is 10 x 400m at 10k pace with 30 seconds recoveries. Although the total rep volume has increased substantially to 4000m (was 3200m last week), the total recoveries have also increased substantially which should make this session seem a little easier if you keep to the correct pace. Use your usual 400m route.

Alan

Training Friday 10th April

A Good Friday for a recovery run, particularly all those who put themselves through a high quality set of threshold reps in the midst of a long solo run yesterday.

An 8 to 10k easy (conversational) recovery run would be ideal. Then at least a few hours later, go through the high intensity Friday Circuits at home as described here, not forgetting to stretch afterwards. 

Alan

Training Thursday 9th April

Another basic endurance session of up to 10 miles at an easy, conversational pace but with 2 x 6 minutes at threshold (3 spoken word pace/1 hour race pace, etc) with a 2 minute jog recovery. Do these efforts in the middle of your run. For those with programmable Garmins, set it up as a 2 x 6 minute interval with 2 mins recovery and switch on the warm up and cool down settings to be the start and end of the run.

Alan

Training Wednesday 8th April

For those able to do the Home Circuits on a Wednesday evening, today is the day to try to move things along in terms of effort by fitting in an easy 5 to 10k run during your allowed outdoor exercise earlier in the day (at least a couple of hours before circuits). This run will make the circuits feel more difficult from the start but what we are looking to develop is all round strength in the face of fatigue. This will help later on in races where form can fall apart. 

Do the same number of circuits as you did last week.

The circuits blog post is here. 

Alan

Training Monday 6th April

Although the total distance of this week's session remains the same as the previous two weeks (3200m), the effective total recovery time has been reduced by merging another couple of 400's into another 800m rep. The reason for this is to further test that we have selected the correct, sustainable 10k pace for the session (i.e. the pace that could be maintained were we to string this together over 10k without any recoveries). As we are still well short of 10k race distance, the pace should be sustainable if it is realistic.

So the session is:

1 x 800m + 4 x 400m + 1 x 800m at 10k pace/effort with 30 seconds static recovery between each rep. Start with a gentle warm-up run and then do 6 x 100m accelerating strides so that you are hitting the first 800m well warmed up.

As always, the intention is for the pace to be near identical for each rep and equal to your target 10k race pace when we start racing again. As mentioned last week, either set up the interval session on your Garmin or at least make sure you start and end each rep and recovery by pressing the lap button (the bottom right button on most Garmins) so that the split data are recorded on Garmin Connect.
Alan

Stretching - The Harriers' Stretch Set

At this disrupted time, don't neglect your post-run stretches. In fact the 3 month hamstring injury I am presently working around started after missing my stretches for the 5 weeks before Christmas when I was out of action with a chest infection. So I have certainly learned the lesson the hard way by letting my muscles shorten and de-condition during a period of inactivity. If you don't usually stretch after the club runs due to lack of time, take this home training regime as an opportunity to start before getting showered and changed.

Below are videos of the stretches we have been doing for a good few years at the club under the leadership of Eddie. I have missed out the activation exercises (clam shells and leg raises) as we will do a separate series of videos on those. The  videos below are in real time, so do the stretches for the full duration of each video. Each video contains both right and left stretches where appropriate.

Most runners do not hold stretches for long enough. Ideally we are looking for 40 to 45 seconds per stretch. This is to allow the muscles time to relax into the stretch. If you imagine lining up for the start of a race, when we hear "on your marks" we stretch our leg muscles ready to fire into action. This is what your muscles do when you first enter a stretch position, the muscles get tensed and ready to fire. Therefore, you need to hold onto the stretch for a long time for the muscles to realise that they are not  going to be required to fire into action and to relax and lengthen. After about 30 seconds, try to extend the stretch a little bit more for the final 10 or 15 seconds, taking advantage of that relaxation in the muscles. NEVER STRETCH TO THE POINT OF PAIN. ALWAYS STOP SHORT OF ANY PAIN. The notes below give some further detail on each stretch. There are of course alternative stretches to those shown which you can use if you prefer. There are also of course better exponents of the stretches than me, so use the videos only as a rough guide!

All the stretch videos can be run through automatically in this Harriers Stretch Set playlist or you can choose each video individually using the links below.

Stretch 01 - Trunk Side & Glute Stretch
Keep the forward leg bent at 90 degrees at the knee. Stretch through the buttock and hamstring of the rear leg and lean over to the side of the forward leg, stretching from the hip all the way along the side. A side view of the stretch position is here.

Stretch 02 - Deep Glute Stretch
Sit with your backside right under a vertical spine. Don't hunch, keep your back straight.

Stretch 03 - Twisting Glute Stretch
Lying on your back with arms outstretched in a  crucifix, place both feet flat on ground with knees bent. Flop both knees over to one side; take the lower leg and place the foot on top of the other knee. Press the knee down to the ground using the foot. Keep both shoulders and arms flat on the ground.

Stretch 04 - Straight Glute Stretch
Lying flat on back, pull one knee to the chest whilst pushing the heel of the straight leg as far away as possible.

Stretch 05 - Hamstring Stretch
Raise one leg, bent at the knee slightly; grab the leg wherever you can (e.g. behind knee or on calf if you can reach) and gently pull the leg back until a gentle stretch is felt in the middle of the hamstring (you don't want to feel any stretch on the ends of the hamstring at the backside or behind the knee). Push the heel of the leg that is on the ground as far away as possible.

Stretch 06 - Figure of Four Piriformis Stretch
Watch the video! Too difficult to describe in words.

Stretch 07 - Shin & Plantar Facia Stretch
A particularly important one for reducing the risk of shin splints and plantar facia injuries. With the tops of the feet and toes flat on the ground, sit back onto your feet. It may take some weeks of gradual progression before you can sit back on your feet. To put a stretch into the plantar facia, tuck the toes under.

Stretch 08 - Spine Rotations
Kneeling on all fours with as flat a back as possible, take one hand off the ground and place it on the ear of the same side with the elbow out. Rotate the back, neck and head as one complete unit through 90 degrees. 6 reps per side.

Stretch 09 - Quad Stretch
Preferably do this standing free on one leg without holding on to anything for support as there are secondary benefits in proprioception (perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body) and ankle strength. Keep both legs parallel and together.

Stretch 10 - Lower Calf Stretch
Straight back leg. Both feet flat on the ground and pointing straight forward. Press the back foot heel into the ground.

Stretch 11 - Upper Calf Stretch
Both feet flat on the ground and pointing forward, bend the back knee and "sit" back with all the weight on the back foot (the front foot can almost be lifted off the ground there is so little weight on it). The stretch should be felt higher up the calf than in the previous stretch (also quite a high load on the quads in this stretch, but that is not the stretch).

Stretch 12 - Wide Chest Stretch
Feet shoulder width apart, raise arms to shoulder height, palms together and swing back, keeping the rest of the body as still as possible, trying to bring the shoulder blades together and stretching across the chest. Do 10 reps.

Stretch 13 - Upper Back Stretch
Feet shoulder width apart, arms at shoulder height, elbows bent, drive elbows back and down to form a "W" shape, drawing the shoulder blades together. Do 10 reps.

Director of Photography - F Ferguson
Location Manager - F Ferguson
Wardrope - F Ferguson
Background Music - Birds of the Algarve
Filmed on Location at Jardins da Falésia

A Maxwell Ferguson Production for Calderglen Harriers

Alan

Training Friday 3rd April

Ideally fit an easy 5k run into your day. Later in the day do the shorter, high intensity circuits session described in last week's Friday post here.

Stretch to finish. 

Alan

Training Thursday 2nd April

Continuing on the theme of using the time we now have to consolidate the basics of our running fitness, I suggest that today's session is a medium long run of up to 10 miles/16km. Start off easy for the first half (ie very conversational) and then gradually ramp the pace/effort up until the second last mile is at about 10k pace/effort then wind it down to conversational for the last mile. Obviously as we are running solo, conversational means talking to yourself but the streets will be quiet enough that nobody will think you are crazy!

Finally, finish off with 6 x 100m fast strides and don't forget to stretch when you get home. A stretching video is on the filming schedule. 

Alan