On top of the world as 5km Ladder II goes 11 seconds quicker

Saturday 28th April 2007; Ran 5km Ladder @ Noranda in
19 minutes 52secs.99. Average speed per 1km; 3min 58.60 Heart rates; 162,174,180,195,192,186,186,195,180.
Times; 32.10/1.25/2.27/3.18/ 4.12 (1km rep) /3.22/2.27/1.28/37. Rests 5-6minutes RPE (rating of percieved exertion);9 out of 10.

Didnt feel like reps that much this morning, but my resting heart rates this week have been mostly in the 47-52 range (except for tuesday-54.), which means I am in pretty reasonable nick, and I have been meaning to do this 5K ladder for a couple of weeks now, so I knew it was important I did it today. So pushed myself out of the house, cranked up some of my favourite DemonHunter songs like Annihilate the Corrupt, Coffin Builder, Heartstrings, Not Ready to Die, & The Latest and the Last and headed down to Noranda again, to start my second 5k ladder for the year at about 1045am. Pretty late start I know, but better late than never.

Met a couple of young kids there at the track and one of 'em agreed to race me in the first 200m, which was great cos it pushed me to hammer it through in 32.1 seconds which is my quickest 200m this year I think. So thanks to the "pacemaker"... Heart rate was only 162 so an excellent start to the session. By the time I got to my first 600m I was struggling a bit. I knew I would have to work hard on the 800's and the 1km rep if I was going to improve on my last attempt at this session the 20.04 on 24th March 2007 See;
http://runmara2005blog.blogspot.com/2007/03/sarah-jamieson-brekkie-inspires-5km.html

Really pushed hard towards the end of all my reps from here on except for the 600m which I cruised a bit. Really felt like throwing up and struggling to recover at the end of the rest of the reps. Heart rates of 195,192, and 195 for my 800m,1km, and 400m reps tell the story. Gave it my all for those for sure. Just before the second 400m! rep (my second last rep of the session after doing the previous 7 reps), I was struggling to compose myself, and had this song pop into my head which I haven't listend to for years, it was from the 1988 Hammer and Nail album; "Whitecross: Top of the world",(which by the way is NOT an instrumental, was singing the words in my head and feeling the awesome riffs of Rex Carroll-metal guitar supremo- all the way)So had that song motivating me to attack the 400m, when I felt like falling in a heap on the ground instead I got out there and did a 1.28 which is 1 second faster than the corresponding 400m I did in March. Thought that was a good effort after pushing so hard in the 800's and 1km. The danger is that you blow out your time a lot in the last few reps when the lactic acid levels are high and one is hurting. How hard I pushed in this 400m is confirmed by the heart rate of 195!!

The last 200m I had little left, and 37.03 was a pretty slow time, but I was running on empty by that time. Overall a pretty good session. Nice to dip under 20minutes and beat what I did in March 2007. Also began to feel the warm sun a little towards the end. Still a long way off the 18.43 I did in March 2006, so I think I probably won't bother running the Lake Joondalup 5km or 10km tomorrow, as I have not improved enough as yet. Need to try and do this session at least weekly, and to do some other reps work as well if I am to improve the speed and conditioning department enough to attack PB's in short races like 5km,10km and half marathon.
However its great to get out on the track again, felt great for having done it.
Another small step in the right direction, hopefully can build on this, with the aim of beating that 18.43 I did last year in future weeks...

A 40minute walk to shops and back with my wife Kathryn in the afternoon probably helped to get rid of lactic acid a bit from the legs.
Had a relatively easy week at work this week, especially with the Anzac Day holiday on Wednesday, only did 22 hrs, although I worked hard to get very wet in the rain for 5 hours solid on Tuesday, and did 6 hours solid on a hilly route on Friday.

Was planning a long run on the MundaBiddi for Sunday, but got too busy with various stuff, and wisely took the soft option on this occasion. Still managed to get out to Jarrahdale and see Dave and Nathan towards the end of their 100km, plus was able to have a good chat with one of the runners, she did 55km,reminded me of an awesome cyclist/triathlete I knew at student village back in 1996...Watched last 5minutes of an exciting Dockers win on Big screen...

WEEK 6 (23/04/07-29/04/07);

Volume; 100min + 22hrs MR. Sessions; 2 +MR Best RHR;47 bpm Sleep; 48.5hrs 57*

OD/LSD; NIL

Races/Time trials/LFD; NIL

Reps sessions;5km Ladder 19.52 ((3.58 per km average)

Comments;
Some good resting heart rates this week in the 47-50 range, caught up on some much needed sleep almost averaged 7 hours per night this week, after not much last week, and great to nail a solid 5km Ladder, but failed to do long run which was disappointing, but not catastrophic, given the sessions I have done in recent weeks, but pretty important I train better next week, or I will lose the good momentum I have started to get lately a bit...So hanging in there, but still waiting for that breakthrough week, that will see me charging towards my 4th Perth Marathon. Need to do that soon (hopefully in the next 1-3 weeks) if I am to stay on track...