Odysseus's Journey

Odysseus

Saturday 17th Oct.

One hour of bag-work, followed by my heel-palm/push-up drill in 4.30.

Its been a while since I done that drill and my god did it hurt. The worst thing is it will more than likely hurt more tomorrow:eek:

Odysseus

Wednesday 21th Oct.

One hour swimmimg class.


I must be doing something right as the class is divided into two groups and I have to join the more advanced class next week.

Odysseus

Saturday 24th Nov.

One hour of bag-work followed by heel-palm/push-up drill in 5.00.

That's an extra 30 seconds on my time for the drill last week but when I think on it I just lashed into it, my form on the push-ups was much better this week. Also just noticed I have been typing in the wrong month for most of November, there is only one word for this type of thing idiocy:o

Forgot to add, I registered for the Sahara Marathon this week, so now that's is offical it should keep me focused.

Odysseus

Sunday 30th Dec.


Ran 10k 49.29. A nice easy run to start off with.


Ok that's my training break over, its now time to start focusing on the next event. The plan was that I would not run until after xmas. I was still planning on carrying on with the swimming and some bag-work. However, work has me updating some qualifications so that put a stop to that, sometimes things just don't go as you plan them. For now the plan is to get three runs a week in and to try to get some heating started asap.

Odysseus

Thursday 3rd Jan.


Ran 10k 48.56

You just got to love Irish weather I'm training for a desert event and what do I get ice-cold wind and hailstones. How the Gods of irony like to smile on Odysseus;)

Odysseus

Firday 4th Jan.


Ran 20k 1.52.15

I had the day off to day weather and god was it bad. Oh ye Gods what do you mock me?:rolleyes: I never wear gloves but the winds were that bad I use a pair of motor bike gloves! Anyway I found the last 4K of the difficult, it was like I was starting to hit the wall but the run was a tad short for that. Tried to heat up my gym room to do some heat training, but my heater is playing dead, hope to have it sorted for tomorrow.

Odysseus

Saturday 5th Jan


One hour of bag-work.

Started heat training today, the same procedure as last year one hour of bag-work whilst wearing thermals with the heating on. Room tepm ranged from 21.8 t0 25.3. when doing this I keep an eye on my core temp which at round 1 was 36.0, round five 36.3 and 36.7 at round ten; my advised cut off is 37.5. I left out the push-up drill but will be adding it back soon.

BossArky

Odysseus wrote: »

I never wear gloves but the winds were that bad I use a pair of motor bike gloves!

That reminds me of a fellow in my gym who wears welding gloves!

I thought you had left boards. What events are you training for this year then?

Odysseus

Hi mate,

Noooo I could never leave you all here;) I was just an a training break. I try to run for ten months per year max. As for this yerar staying with the same as last mostly, Sahara in feb, Connemara 60k in April and back to Lapland in July for the 100k. I will be taking an early break after that, well if I'm still alive to take one that is.

Cheers.

Odysseus

Monday 7th Jan.

Ran 12.5k 100.47 Lunch time run.

Odysseus

Monday 8th Jan.

One hour of bag-work. Heat training session.

Typical of my luck, I was a tad p!ssed off when I started so I was pounding my way through the rounds, alway finish on my performance cue of ride of the valkyries, lashing into it; wallop bag hits the deck, the bracket snapped. I only replaced it about 6 months ago.

Anyway room temp when from 23.1 degrees to 25.8, whilst my own core tep was 35.8 at round 1, 36.3 at round 5 and 36.7 at round 10. I found that my concentration was starting to be affect at the 25 degree mark, also if I am going to train up to 30 degrees I think I will need another blow heater its taking too long to get the room up to a good temp.

BossArky

Do you have 2 thermostats? One of the wall, and one on your body?

Odysseus

BossArky wrote: »

Do you have 2 thermostats? One of the wall, and one on your body?

I have one on a shelf for room temp, then I use a ear thermometer at rounds 1, 5, and 10 gives a quick reading. I'm not sure how much all the heat training helped last year, but I think it was better than nothing;)Cheers

Odysseus

Friday 11th Jan.

Ran 12.5 k 57.42. Lunch time run

Odysseus

Saturday 12th Jan.


Ran 20k 1.42:47

That's 10 mins off last weeks time and it was now where near as difficult as I had experienced last week; looks like I back to normal. I had bloodied sock syndrome where I got back. I noticed a grating on my achillies during the run where I got back I the was a hole in my sock and a nice grating on my achilles. I rarely sufer from blisters and the socks looked fine where I put the on this morning, so I don't know what happened there.

Odysseus

Monday 14th Jan.

Ran 12.5k 59.35. Lunch time run. Nasty *unting weather:mad:

Odysseus

Saturday 19th Jan.

Ran 30k 2.38:35

A very bad weak in term of training, but there is so much stuff going on in my life that I have to just be happy with having a bad week. My bag is fixed so I hope to get some bag work in next week, and resume normal training.

Odysseus

Sunday 20th Jan.

Ran 10k 49:27

I don't usually run on Sunday, however, just as I was leaving for Dublin last night my headlight went, so I had to stay at home. However, the positive side was getting out for a run this morning, it will help to make up for a crap week.

Odysseus

Monday 21th Jan.

Ran 12.5k 1.00:29. Lunch time run.

Odysseus

Thursday 24 th Jan.

One hour of bag-work followed by heel-palm/push-up drill in 5:15

I'm getting a tad anxious about the amount of heat training I'm getting in. I will be in the desert this time next month, so I need to crack on with it. Room temp went from 23.8 to 26.5, while my core temp was 35.6 at round one, 35.9 at round five, at round ten 36.3 and following the drill it was 36.4.

Odysseus

Friday 25th Jan.

Ran 12.5k Lunch time run. 59:13.

Odysseus

Friday 25th Jan. Evening Session.

One hour of bag-work. Heat session.

I don't get the chance to do two session much at the moment, but it was a mixture of having the spare time, trying to play catch up for next month, and just having a sh!te day and needing to hit something.

Room tem ranged from 22.3 to 26.1 whilst my core temp was 35.5 at round one, 36.4 at round 5 and 36.4 at round ten. I left out the push-up drill as I was still quite stiff after yesterday.

Odysseus

Saturday 26th Jan.

Ran 28k 2.36:26

Had to compromise a tad today my plan for my long runs was 40k today, next week 30, followded by another 40 and the a 30k. However, my partner is coming up to me tonight so the house needs sorting and my knee is a tad dodgy so I did'nt want to push it too much. I just make the next two long runs 40k and that should see me through.

Odysseus

Tuesday 29th Jan.


Ran 10k 47:25

Did'nt get to run yesterday due to work, however finished up early today put the heating up and went out for a run. The plan now is to get some food down my neck and then have a heat session.

As an aside for anyone interested in such sillyness I just got a copy of a book by a guy called Mark Hines who ran last years MdS, interesting reading and with comparing his training and mine so far I happy with the way mine is going. Well worth a look.

hunnymonster

Odysseus, I haven't looked at your log in a while. I've ordered the Mark Hines book too. It's sitting in a friends house in the UK for me to collect this weekend. Looking forward to reading it.

Hope everything well with you. Should I be scared to ask what a heat session is?

Odysseus

hunnymonster wrote: »

Odysseus, I haven't looked at your log in a while. I've ordered the Mark Hines book too. It's sitting in a friends house in the UK for me to collect this weekend. Looking forward to reading it.

Hope everything well with you. Should I be scared to ask what a heat session is?

Nothing to be scared of:D Basically I heat the my gym room up as high as I can get which depends on the amount of time I have to wait around, I waiting to start at about 25 degrees tonight ,put on some thermal kit and do ten five minute rounds on my bag. Far from ideal but its the only option I have up here at the moment. I just keep an eye on my core temp too just in case of overheating, I have a "suggested" cut off of 37.5.

When you get the book check out the fact sheet on the back about the camel spider, there is a picture in there somewhere. I don't know how much of it is true but it should make the runs a tad more interesting. Have you done your ultras in Spain yet or are they later on?

Odysseus

Tuesday 29th Jan. Evening Session.

One hour of bag-work, followed by heel-palm/push-up drill in 4:57.

Hard work tonight and even though I got 1lt of water down me I should'nt really be having a coffee as I write this, but I just love a cup before and after a work out. Its still progress as this time last year I having having a coffee and a gitane. I'm a tad dehydrated but I just get some dioralyte into after a shower.

Anyway the room temp ranged from 25.0 to 27.9 degrees,; whilst my own temp was 35.7 at round 1, 36.5 at round 5 and 36.8 at round ten. Following the drill it was 37.1.

hunnymonster

Not going to make it to Spain. I moved to Cork in August and moved in with my boyfriend. In the interests of two endurance athletes (he is a marathon swimmer) actually surviving, I agreed to only 3 major races in 2008 (Tring2Town, Ironman France and Ironman Florida) 2009 is going to be all ultras and Badewater has even been mentioned as a goal. I haven't really thought it through yet. Need a better job first to finance MdeS.

Odysseus

hunnymonster wrote: »

Not going to make it to Spain. I moved to Cork in August and moved in with my boyfriend. In the interests of two endurance athletes (he is a marathon swimmer) actually surviving, I agreed to only 3 major races in 2008 (Tring2Town, Ironman France and Ironman Florida) 2009 is going to be all ultras and Badewater has even been mentioned as a goal. I haven't really thought it through yet. Need a better job first to finance MdeS.

Yeah its about compromising, I have to remind myself about that regularly. Well they sound like three good ones best of luck with them. I should really start seeing private clients again to pay for the MdS, but then that would eat into my training time. You just can't win sometimes:rolleyes:

Odysseus

Thursday 31th Jan.

Ran 12k 53:23.

I don't know it it was the cold or having the chance to run in the Phoenix Park which I really miss but thats a fast 12k time for me, and I really enjoyed it.

Odysseus

Friday 1st Feb.

One hour of bag-work followed by heel-palm/push-up drill in 4:38.

Room temp was 18 to 21.2 degrees, I didn't have hours to heat it up! My temp was 35.6 at round 1, 36.3 at round 5, 36.5 at round 10 and 36.9 after the push-up drill.

Odysseus

Saturday 2nd Feb.

Ran 40k. 3.51:25


Not the best day for such a long run, but I'm running out of time so it had to be done. I got up at 7.30 look out the window checked the outside temp gauge and said fcuk that I wait for the temp to heat up, it was still -1.5. At least I got an extra two hours kip, which was needed.


It was still chilly at noon when I started, all the puddles by the side of the road were still frozen. My usual plan for distances of marathon and above is rest for 20 mins after 20k. However I was trying out a new belt to carry my bottles of instant carbo as well as my camera for the desert so I change it to a ten min walk and one bottle after 20k, followed by the same at 30k. I'm alright water wise as I always run with a 3lt camelbak, but mine has no storage space so I need other options if I'm carrying extra stuff.

Odysseus

Sunday 3rd Feb.


Ran 10k 51:33.

A slow time but I think it was due to very severe winds today. I won't get to do much training next week, my two shorts runs and a long one. Even then I will have to book a day off work for that, so I took advantage of having an hour to spare.

Odysseus

Monday 4th Feb.

Ran 12.5k 1.01:10 Lunch time run.

A tad stiff today after three days running on the trot, but I'll have a rest for a few days now.

Odysseus

Thursday 07th Feb.

Ran 18k 1.47:48


Not a good day out, the plan for today was 40k. I had to take a day off in order to get a long run this, so it was wasted in a way. My right quad start to act up after about 5k by the time I got home it was more of a hobble than a run. A big part of me want to carry on but its only a little two weeks to my first event of the year so better safe than sorry.

So it looks like a enforced rest for a week or so and a party pack of arnica and anti-inflammatories and all the usual stuff.

Odysseus

Wednesday 13th Feb.

Ran 10 53:41

Man that is slow, but I wanted to take it easy today and see how it went. On top of the muscle problem I got a particular nasty stomach bug over the weekend, so it was a pleasure to feel up to going for a run today.

Odysseus

Friday 15th Feb.

Ran 12.5k 59:00 Lunch time run.


My quad felt a tad tender after todays run, I was planning my last long run before the marathon for tomorrow, it looks like I have to just see how it feels in the morning.

Odysseus

Saturday 16th Feb.

Ran 30k 3.02:51

That is a bad time but I wanted to finish injury free and I seemed to have achieved that. The plan for today was to do 40k but I binned it at 30 for two reasons, firstly even though I felt like I could do 40k I have to think of the big picture. I'm not just doing the Sahara Marathon, I have a 60k in April and a 100k in June so I can't afford to risk time off due to injury.

Secondly I just realised whilst running that even though I don't fly out until Friday I after tonight I only will only be spending one night in my own home, so I have to locate all my desert kit and get my girlfriend to bring it down to Dublin in her car, its one of the drawbacks of owning a motorbike. Hopefully I will get a lunch time run in on Monday.

Odysseus

Monday 18th Feb.

Ran 12.5k 58:48

My Quad felt good today. This is more than likely my last run before the marathon, its a case now of chilling and waiting to get to the nice weather:)

BossArky

It is the Sahara run that you are doing isn't it?

Have you ever done the Thames Meander in the UK? Apparently many UK based runners do it before tackling the Sahara, as it is seen as a great prep race. Personally I don't see the connection between running along the Thames vs the Sahara though!

Of all the people who finish the 54 mile Thames Meander, only 11 of them have failed to finish the Sahara.

SUNGOD

best of luck in the sahara

Odysseus

Cheers thanks lads. BossArky yeah its the Sahara I fly out on Friday and the race is Monday, but its just a marathon, the prep one your talking about is usually used as a prep for the MdS which is my goal for next year.

xebec

Any word on how Odysseus got on last Monday?

Odysseus

Monday 25th Feb.

Sahara Marathon 4.16:34

Just arrived in Madrid and checked into the business centre for my first shower and proper bed in a week, bliss:) I´ll give a full report when I get back.

xebec

Congrats!

hunnymonster

congrats +1. Can't wait to hear the race report.

BossArky

Well done! Looking forward to the report and some photos of sand dunes!

Odysseus

Cheers thanks guys, it was different for me in good and bad ways this year. Still sufferng from lack of sleep, but wanted to let you know I wasn´t lost in the middle of the desert:)

Odysseus

And just for you BossArky I´ll post some pics;)

BossArky

haha, do!