7:30 a.m.14 miles. 5 miles at a moderate pace followed by 4 miles of ‘egg shells – technical climbing’ and 4 miles downhill at an honest pace, all rounded off with a 1 mile cool down. The idea here, is to perfect the technical element and then increase the run before the technical aspect of the session.
And so it begins and what a way to begin. That was a terrific session. Difficult (in terms of the technical aspect) but enjoyable.
The idea of the egg shells is to ever so slightly exaggerate knee lift – not like the normal high knees that most runners do. As well as focusing on lifting the knees, the 4 mile climb should be carried out – as much as possible – on the toes with minimal back kick and fast and light feet. The shoulders should be pulled back (imagine a rope pulling you back down the incline) and the torso should remain over the hips. It’s imperative not to lean into the hill and scuttle up. Technique is everything. The effort feels like mp and develops into threshold, although the pace is slow.
For the first two miles, I found it difficult to blend the different aspects. Between the second and third miles, I felt comfortable with the technique. But in the final mile, I struggled to hold form and found myself leaning into the incline.
Tonight, I have an easy 6 scheduled. Tomorrow is interesting: I’m doing Power of Threes by three.
Tomorrow, I’ll outline the 'Qwer Old Eegit's Marathon Method'. During the week, I'll explain how the egg shells fit in with 'The Method'. I'll also explain the mechanics and reasons for the Power of Threes, amongst other things, and how they fit in to the ‘Cardinal Pillars’. Now there's a cheeky little phrase 'the 'Cardinal Pillars'. What's that all about? 6:00 p.m. 6 miles relaxed. | 