Seven Important Factors
It has been seven years since I began athletics again as a Masters runner. As I look back 30 years to when I was last running this fast I wonder what are the factors that have enabled me to be consistently at this level for the past seven years? Looking beyond 1993 what could I be doing better now to enable me to run even faster today?
Factor #1: Weight
Between 1993 and 2007 I rarely looked at the scales...you will see why. My race weight pre:1990 was around 49-51kg. Between 1990 and 1992 it fluctuated between 55-59kg. During the late 1990s it was between 60-65kg. When I began running again in 2007 it was 71kg. For the last seven years I have maintained a weight of between 55-58kg and have only ever been slightly under 55kg for a matter of 1-2 weeks each year to coincide with the Australian Masters Athletics Championships. So even at my lightest during the last seven years I am still carrying an extra 5kg to what I was when I achieved my best performances on time.
On the flip side of that is that I have remained extremely healthy during the last seven years. I set 56kg as a weight that would help me stay healthy. At below 55kg I start to look way too much like an athlete and more likely to get ill.
By my rough and crude calculations for longer distances a weight penalty of carrying an extra 5kg is about 2:30 on 21.1km and 1:10 on 10km. Thus even if I was 49kg again I would still be well shy of my PBs set in 1985-86.
My 10km PB 30:10 (where I set PBs 3000m 8:27 and 5000m 14:27, not listed in table), my post-2007 PB 32:55 is 1:35 worse weight adjusted.
My 21.1km PB 65:45, my post-2007 BB 73:04 is almost 5 minutes worse weight adjusted.
Having said all that I have remained consistent during the last seven years. My year on year season bests have only ranged between 32:55-33:55 and 73:04-74:35.
Factors #2-3: Running Mileage and Sessions
There are many examples of people who run ample kilometres each week and are relatively slow. Since started running aged 16 I have always done sessions. The type of sessions and structure has changed. The mileage has changed. In the last seven years I have been session driven. Prior to 1993 I was mileage driven. I have comprehensive training diaries going back to 1986 and a good knowledge of what I did prior to that.
1984-1986 were my best years by performance. They were characterised by moderately high mileage, many consistent sessions and erratic performance due to motivation, illness and injury. I would describe 2007-2013 as moderate mileage, more consistent sessions and a structure that enabled me to stay much more healthy and well motivated.
In 1986 I averaged 125km per week for the entire year. 1994-95 I averaged 140km per week for the entire year(s).
Between 2007-2012 I have averaged between 97-110km per week for each year.
In 1989 I averaged only 100km per week for the year. I think this shows mileage does matter as my season bests were 31:02 for 10km and 67:30 for 21.1km. Basically the same weight, same age, same sessions but 50 seconds slower over 10km and 1:45 slower over 21.1km. So YES mileage matters but the specific sessions have to go with it or we just end up slow fit people....AND yes I have sometimes raced well during high mileage but I ALWAYS race better after a taper so there has to be a structure where there are periods of good consistent training and then periods of racing.
Next post: Factors #4 More on sessions and structure
PS: I ran an 18km run with 20 minute tempo interval and a late 5km ploddle to total 23km the day and 120km the week.
Factor #1: Weight
Between 1993 and 2007 I rarely looked at the scales...you will see why. My race weight pre:1990 was around 49-51kg. Between 1990 and 1992 it fluctuated between 55-59kg. During the late 1990s it was between 60-65kg. When I began running again in 2007 it was 71kg. For the last seven years I have maintained a weight of between 55-58kg and have only ever been slightly under 55kg for a matter of 1-2 weeks each year to coincide with the Australian Masters Athletics Championships. So even at my lightest during the last seven years I am still carrying an extra 5kg to what I was when I achieved my best performances on time.
On the flip side of that is that I have remained extremely healthy during the last seven years. I set 56kg as a weight that would help me stay healthy. At below 55kg I start to look way too much like an athlete and more likely to get ill.
By my rough and crude calculations for longer distances a weight penalty of carrying an extra 5kg is about 2:30 on 21.1km and 1:10 on 10km. Thus even if I was 49kg again I would still be well shy of my PBs set in 1985-86.
My 10km PB 30:10 (where I set PBs 3000m 8:27 and 5000m 14:27, not listed in table), my post-2007 PB 32:55 is 1:35 worse weight adjusted.
My 21.1km PB 65:45, my post-2007 BB 73:04 is almost 5 minutes worse weight adjusted.
Having said all that I have remained consistent during the last seven years. My year on year season bests have only ranged between 32:55-33:55 and 73:04-74:35.
Factors #2-3: Running Mileage and Sessions
There are many examples of people who run ample kilometres each week and are relatively slow. Since started running aged 16 I have always done sessions. The type of sessions and structure has changed. The mileage has changed. In the last seven years I have been session driven. Prior to 1993 I was mileage driven. I have comprehensive training diaries going back to 1986 and a good knowledge of what I did prior to that.
1984-1986 were my best years by performance. They were characterised by moderately high mileage, many consistent sessions and erratic performance due to motivation, illness and injury. I would describe 2007-2013 as moderate mileage, more consistent sessions and a structure that enabled me to stay much more healthy and well motivated.
In 1986 I averaged 125km per week for the entire year. 1994-95 I averaged 140km per week for the entire year(s).
Between 2007-2012 I have averaged between 97-110km per week for each year.
In 1989 I averaged only 100km per week for the year. I think this shows mileage does matter as my season bests were 31:02 for 10km and 67:30 for 21.1km. Basically the same weight, same age, same sessions but 50 seconds slower over 10km and 1:45 slower over 21.1km. So YES mileage matters but the specific sessions have to go with it or we just end up slow fit people....AND yes I have sometimes raced well during high mileage but I ALWAYS race better after a taper so there has to be a structure where there are periods of good consistent training and then periods of racing.
Next post: Factors #4 More on sessions and structure
PS: I ran an 18km run with 20 minute tempo interval and a late 5km ploddle to total 23km the day and 120km the week.
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