It's a balance and all down to priorities, my 10 /5k time would only improve when doing 30+miles a week for months, easier to priorities of you don't have martial arts, weights it any other activities. 33min is still a good time. Shin splints really suck also! I know a few people who can't run much at all without suffering. I used to have issues and changed my run form and also wear different shoes (as I'm overpronator). Still get shin splints of I walk much in dress shoes or train barefoot on hard floor.
No set fartlek structure. Just did "speed up to the next lamppost", "sprint up this small incline", "open up on this downhill bit", etc. I tend to just get in to a set plodding pace. I mean...I'm more than happy with just being a regular runner and noticing the fitness improvements hitting the heavy bag. But I did kind of think my 5k time would improve a bit by just doing it regularly. If anything swapping one of the weekly 5k's for a sprint session has made the friday 5k worse as I can still feel it even after a rest day.
The only time I ever had problems with shin splints was when I had problems with my sciatic nerve being shortened (due to bad posture from chronic gut pain). It only happened when walking quickly, probably because when I run I keep to ball/mid foot strike, and the hard heel strike from brisk walking was stretching and impacting the sciatic nerve. Might be worth trying some sciatic stretches to see if it improves your shin pain?
Another really good cardio exercise is just rolling to exhaustion. My favourite and least favourite training for fights.
Program Goal pace: 8:00 minutes per mile for 1.5 miles. Before every session: Run 5:00, dynamic stretch, do pose method drill. Monday: 6x[400m at goal pace/2:00mins +50 nose breathes] + 1 set every week once consistently keeping race pace for all sets Then 2 mile easy jog Tuesday: 30 minute run, 1 to 2 minutes off goal mile pace (9 to 10 minute mile for 3 miles) Wednesday: 6x400m as fast as possible (timed keep it under 1:00 to 1:15) + 1 set every week Thursday: 4 mile run, slow/variable speed + 0.5 miles per week Friday: 10x200m at goal pace/1:00min with 1min rest Optional weekend (depend if i meet up with my pal): - Test 1.5 mile - Bleep test - 6 miles record - Sprint 10x10, 20 &40 metres with walk back - Chill the heck out Test every 4 weeks on a monday Today: 6x[400m at goal pace/2:00mins +50 nose breathes] 1: 1:50 2: 1:59 3: 2:02 4: 2:06 5: 2:12 6: 2:16 Then 2 mile easy jog in 24 minutes Need to bring them all under 2 minutes
im hoping to add a mile to 2 miles each week (around 10%) but if i dont, i wont stress, even if i skip a day, im putting in more miles than a month ago when i put in 0! Just volume alone should improve my running economy and efficiency and lead to improvements (i read a lot about running recently hahaha)
Take your time and get miles on your legs. Trying to run too far, too fast, is going to mess you up, ask me how I know
Could cause all sorts of issues. Injuries, stress fractures, etc. Especially running on concrete iirc. Much like you don't go straight into teying 1 rep maxes when lifting.
or training every day... After todays running session, i think ill maybe chill and only do wednesday sessions if i feel super up to it. right knee feels a little sore in the inside joint and more important the run felt like crap basically ended up doing 6x300 to 200 meters (in a minute instead of running 400 in just over a minute) totally out of breathe and unable to run, walk the last 100-200 meters, then rest an additional minute. I was definitely waaay faster last week on a track when running with somone over running tarmac today.
Also fatigue and illness which unfortunately go hand in hand with injuries (the more fatigued, the more chance of injury).
Should probably update more regularly. Assisted Push-Up: 3 x 10 Assisted Tempo Push-Up: 2 x 6 reps Decline Push-Up: 3 x 6 reps Abwheel rollouts 4x10 I took Friday to saturday off. Sunday i went to a private closed weightroom, everything was super heavy. thats detraining for you!: Bench Press: 3x6 40kg db ohp: 4x10 10kg DB rows and pullups: 4x10 10kg (mix of rows and pull-ups but only really 2 or 3 pull ups at a time.) Front squat: 3x6 50kg 1x3 60kg Hexbar deadlift: 3x10 60kg Topd of knee rack pull: 3x10 50kg Monday: 2 miles in around 20 to 24 mins. And today it's storming so...
If you don't mind me asking, I remember when you were going hard on weights. What's the comparison between then and now?
I was starting to lose muscle mass and strength before lock down from training jiu jitsu daily and not weight lifting so a strict comparison is difficult but in general. i honestly regret focusing on jiu jitsu as i feel more strength and cardio training made me feel more physically prepared for jiu jitsu than jiu jitsu itself. overhead press is less than half as strong. Bench press is a 2/3rds as strong squats are 2/3rds as strong. deadlifts are less than half as good as they used to be. my cardio is pretty bad now too but difficult to tell without rolling or a rowing machine. Pull ups and bodyweight exercises are screwy (i mentally cant work out at home so running recently has been a great escape). The feeling of holding weights is the worst part now though. All the weight feels crushing. My mobility sucks, getting a decent deep squat was hard. deadlifting was crushing, my hands were cramping. and i have little confidence holding weight in my hands or on my back. I think most of it is neural deconditioning so its likely itll come back in a couple weeks. (defo some physical though). And the gripping negative moods (anxiety and depression) has meant that im not eating properly. Lockdown is pretty terrible.
Yesterday: Assisted Star Push-Ups: 4 x 8 reps Half Range of Motion Push-Ups: 2 x 5 reps Bodyweight Skull Crushers: 3 x 8 reps Today: Got aq running app (got a fancy new second hand phone!). It gives me splits and accurate timing. I ran 4.85km (3 miles) in 31.54 minutes. Average of split is 6.34minuts per km so 1.5 miles in 16 minutes. Just need to keep running and pull that down.
I gave up on it after UA bought it, mapometer is a good alternative. Most HRMs will have their own website too, so for example the Garmin site does all sorts of cool stuff