Thursday Session @TheOrchards – Meet Wickam Bishops

23 August 2017 - By David Jobling

This will be our second visit this year to the popular Orchards location in Wickham Bishops which attracts many of our members – so good chance for a work out before the bank holiday weekend or the beer festival Friday, although any racing Mersea at the weekend might want to take the session a little easier.

With daylight working against us now, let’s meet for 1930 kick off please in car park opposite St Bartholomew’s Church, Church Road, Wickham Bishops CM8 3LA where we are expected.

After briefing, warm up and drills, we’ll head off to The Orchards where our session will be an interval session around the two slightly differing distance loops we use of around 480M and 350M with standing recoveries between each one – this main part of the session will last for approximately 30 minutes.

Intervals of this distance/speed/duration/recovery mean we’ll be working on the lactate energy system. So, to remind ourselves or if you’re new to this – here’s the why and how:

• hardworking muscles produce lactic acid
• when running comfortably our bodies have the ability to flush this away
• working harder at speed there’s a point where it can’t be done quickly enough
• lactic acid builds up leaving us with burning muscles and a desire to stop
• intervals push us above this point and we learn to process lactic acid faster
• recovery intervals help us keep repeating
• muscles become more efficient

Pacing guidance for this terrain is around/sub 5k even pacing and we’ll have a few technical “skill” ideas for athletes to consider as well.

A sports watch with a stopwatch function will assist you with the session.

We’ll be running on public footpath areas within The Orchards, please be mindful and considerate of other footpath users. Terrain in The Orchards is grassy and at the moment usual road running shoes should be adequate.

There will be a central area during the session where you can leave clothing layers and any drinks to remain well hydrated.

Kerry and I look forward to meeting up with everyone Thursday. DJ