W9R3 graduation & 1st park run

[MadDave]

Nearly made it under 30mins but not quite. Now I’ve graduated any tips on what do do next?

[Fabulous450 Graduate]

Massive congratulations Dave!! You’ve done an amazing job!! Consolidation runs are recommended! Lots are doing Bridge to 10k! You sound like you’re raring to go, so the worlds your oyster now! Brilliantly well done! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🎓🏆❤️

[MadDave in reply to Fabulous450]

Thanks fab450 - 10k here I come! Just need to rest those legs a little bit✊

[AnnieHan Graduate]

Congratulations on graduating and well done on on the park run. I've just done my first park run today. Really enjoyed it 😊👍👏👏👏

[MadDave in reply to AnnieHan]

Thanks Annie - I really enjoyed it too - at least I didn’t come last!

[Kar43]

Congratulations 🎉🥇🏃

[Crittermad Graduate]

Congratulations!! 👨🏻‍🎓🏃🏻‍♂️🥂🏆😀

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Congratulations!

Next is your call... 10k, work on nailing 30 minutes, maintain for while, there’s lots of choices. Just be proud that you are now absolutely a runner.

[MadDave in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Yep I was thinking better to stick to 30mins for a few weeks until I can get a little faster, and let those legs get a bit stronger. 💪

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to MadDave]

Slow down to speed up! Recovery run longer than 5k at easy pace, then do some interval work for speed. That’s what the vast majority of race plans do... google or running apps be your fiend there.

[MadDave in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks unfitnomore! I’m just worried this cramp I’m getting in my left calf will get worse if I try more distance- it was worse than ever today and doesn’t feel right - so will rest it for a couple of days and try a longer recovery run like you suggest and see how it feels. What do you think? 🤔

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to MadDave]

Cramping and lactic acid build up are what you’re fighting... that’s the endurance bit. Basically, sprinters have fast twitch fibres that give lots of speed, but burn fuel fast and lactic acid production is fast... distance runners have slow twitch fibres that go long, burn fuel slower and produce lactic acid very slowly. Pitch a sprinter against a distance guy over 800m and it would be a close race, but much more than that and the sprinter would be overwhelmed with lactic acid, run out of fuel and also suffer cramps. When you started you’d have an even mix of both fibre types. So it’s about letting your body develop for the distance you run. 5k race plans include recovery slow runs and long, 10k ish runs to build endurance and slow twitch fibres... combined with a little speed work, but usually over 400m intervals to build speed... on 5k day you put the two together. Back when I was a 3k runner I was running almost 5, but slowly, and doing 4-800m speed sessions. Imagine you are a car, going long is like putting a bigger fuel tank in, going fast is upgrading the engine. Getting the balance right for your distance is tricky, so we follow tried and tested plans. I ran 3k daily in total, once a week longer, but most days I didn’t do 3k in one go.

[MadDave in reply to UnfitNoMore]

That’s really helpful advice, especially the explanation about the cramp. Thinking back to many,many years ago when I used to run at school, they trained me for the 400m because I could do it in about 50 seconds - pretty fast but the cramps afterwards on race day were crippling. They never taught me about endurance. I’ll look at some longer, slower runs over the next few weeks. Thanks for the advice!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to MadDave]

My pleasure... recovery runs at about 5k will also help... deliberately giving it 60% to keep your body ready for when you go to PB level, which should be between 80 and 90%. 100 percent full pace is for speed sessions.

Perfect training for 400m is mainly sprint and start intervals, but some longer jogs... nothing too long or the muscle loses its ability to deliver fast... it’s the hardest of the sprints to get right and sadly gets the least glory.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Very many congratulations on your graduation fellow runner.

This guide to post C25K running may be helpful healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Keep running, keep smiling.

[MadDave in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Iannodatruffe- that is an 😎 awesome link, with so many incredibly useful links - thank you! I’ll stick to the 10% plan, and being a bit of a spreadsheet nerd will see if I can’t improve it for you 🤔💪🏃‍♂️

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

Congratulations MadDave 🎉🎉🎉

Don't forget to request your well deserved Graduate badge now too!

Here is the link....

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Well done on your Parkrun Graduation 😊x

[MadDave]

Thank you bluebird 👍✊🏃‍♂️⛰