Last week, I had a 3-day rest (Monday to Wednesday) from running and resumed my running on the morning of Thursday at the ULTRA Oval Track. I did a 10K run at the oval within my 97% Lactate Threshold with an average pace of 5:03 minutes/kilometer. On the following day, Friday morning, my son and I ran the route of the Happy Run 15K with 79%-80% Lactate Threshold with an average pace of 6:10 minutes/kilometer. However, during our scheduled “speed” session on Friday night, Maj Espejo gave us the usual instruction to run 75% of the distance we are going to run for the Sunday’s race at our 100%-110& Lactate Threshold. So, for the members who were scheduled to run the Happy Run 15K, they ran 11 Kilometers at their race pace and I ran 7.5 kilometers at my race pace for the Resolution Challenge 10K Run and finished it with an average pace of 4:48 minutes/kilometer. On the early morning of Saturday, I was back at the ULTRA Oval Track for my 30-minute “active recovery” run with a 70% Lactate Threshold or with a slow pace of 6:30 minutes/kilometer. Well, last Sunday, I finished the Resolution Challenge 10K Run with an average pace of 4:32 minutes per kilometer, barely missing eight (8) seconds from my 110% Lactate Threshold.
This week, I had another 2-day (Monday & Tuesday) complete rest from running. I went to the gym after lunch yesterday for a 0ne-hour workout for my upper body and “core” muscles. After a short shower and changing my attire for running, I was already on my way to the ULTRA Oval Track for the Wednesday scheduled training. During our training session, the coaches gave us more new “jumping & bouncing” drills and “new” speed drills we had never experienced before. Our coaches keep on surprising us with their “gimmicks and techniques” wherein they explain the importance of each drill for us to improve our finish time and running technique & form. The best part of such explations is that our coaches deliver their point in English! I can say that almost 100% of the members keep on improving their finish time because of the “message/voice” of Coach Salazar which keeps on repeating to our ears & brains during weekend road races! Here comes now the best part—our “main course” for the day! We were directed to do 5 X 400 meters with 1:30-minute rest in-between interval at our 110% Lactate Threshold. That is just the starter. After 3-minute rest after finishing the 5 X 400, we have to do 2 sets of 15-minute runs with 3-minute rest in-between the sets within our 110% Lactate Threshold, too! There was no need to complain as we knew our coaches were leading us to a new and higher level of running performance. As my GF 305 was not working because of spent battery power, I really did not know how fast or slow we were running on those laps and sets. However, what I knew was that I became stronger and faster after those two days rests and did not have any leg pains or soreness even if I had my gym workout before this speed training session yesterday.
On these two or three days rests, I went to the province, away from the polluted air of Metro Manila. I just enjoyed the fresh air and the nice cold weather in Laoag City last week and in Cagayan Valley last Monday & Tuesday. No running but just a short walk to have a glimpse of those vast fields newly-planted with rice. Just breathing the fresh air around; enjoying the fresh foods which were home-cooked and sometimes, served “raw”; and resting and relaxing for the rest of the day during these days made me recover my tired muscles and I know my body is ready again for more running “adventures” in the coming days.
To all the runners, I suggest you take also a 2 or 3-day rest and drive/fly away from the noise, crowd, traffic and polluted air of Metro Manila and re-charge yourself. Just relax, eat, and breath the fresh air around you.
Also, to most of the runners who want to improve on their speed and finish times in their future road races, you should know your Lactate Threshold and be able to use it in your training. You should know the answers of the “WHY” you are doing those repetitive interval runs of 100, 200, 400, or 800-meter or other speed runs on the track and your “fartleks” in your road runs. Not knowing the reason/s why you are doing something to improve your running is not good for your training.
(Note: For those runners who do not understand or don’t have any knowledge about Lactate Threshold, join or visit our “speed training” sessions at the ULTRA Oval Track, our coaches will be glad to explain it to you. If interested, our coaches will be glad also to test and find out your Lactate Threshold. For our schedules of training, please visit www.teambaldrunner.wordpress.com)
Bald Runner 
Hey,
I would like to run with you guys on Sunday at the UP. Can you just let me know where to meet you guys at and what time? You can email me at brakeformoose@yahoo.com. Thanks. See you Sunday!
Jonie
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Yup, great to have a break from the metro scene. The drive down south wasnt a stroll though as slex is under repair. The star tollway wasnt fast as well. You can only run up to a certain speed then you start feeling your car drift to the right. I was told that the contractor for the said highway might have forgotten (cost cutting) to put the necessary support for the cement. Oh well, only in the PI.
Well, the beach was great and so was service. Just hearing the waves and the sound of silence made everything worth it. Being able to spend quality time with family was priceless. So go ahead and go out of town every now and then. Our inbox never gets empty, life is too short to waste. : )
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mark, thanks for that comment. it seems all the road races are becoming the same in route and the people you see around..in order to break the monotony, we need to rest our tired muscles and let our lungs be filled with fresh air. see you soon!
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with your indulgence sir jovie, may i give johnny3reb our sunday,01feb details. and for that matter all other interested runners.
take off is at 5:30am 01 feb at the oblation ,up diliman.let us take it from there all the way to masinag via marcos highway and back. do not forget to bring your hydration belts and cash for our pitstops along the way.see you.
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thanks, jonel. as always, you are the “front man” on this run adventure.
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Sir Jovie, how do you determine your lactate threshold? Do you guys get sample of your athlete’s blood?
For now, I’m still developing my base endurance for the marathon until March, and would then do some speedwork. I would like to join your training then.
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i2runner, we are nor doctors and we don’t get samples of blood from our runners. we just need you to undergo our “diagnostic test” run on the oval track. even if you are still developing your endurance, you can now train with speed and endurance at the same time! this is now the new technique in training for long distance runs. the earlier you try our training program, the better for you. we will guarantee that you will not be injured. running with us will be fun.
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BR, very interesting read – wanted to add something i read that most elite athletes reach peaks in lactate threshold at about 85 to 90 percent of V02 max (“the highest rate of oxygen consumption attainable during maximal or exhaustive exercise”).
The heart rate or power you can maintain at this pace is indicative of your lactate threshold. Once again, it is important to consider environmental conditions because oxygen use, the level of lactic acid in the blood, and heart rate responses are markedly affected by wind and temperature.
Lance Armstrong describes his feelings this way: “You are usually at your lactate threshold heart rate when you are breathing hard and it is difficult to carry on a conversation with the other cyclists” (or runners).
A higher lactate threshold increases the pace you can sustain over short to midrange distances, powers you over hills, and adds kick to your sprint.
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mari, thanks for the additional information about LT.. that is the reason why we really mean business whenever we have our speed sessions to the point that we don’t talk to each other while maintaining our 100-105% LT! we only talk only after the cool-down/post-stretching..hehehe!
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