The Loneliness of a Middle Distance Runner

Fast_Mover

A come down in time..gud stuff girlie!:)
How are the blisters/ankle?

eclectichoney

Thanks was glad to see it under the 30 mins for the first time. the blisters started hurting toward the end, but i've got some new running socks so maybe they'll help to keep them at bay. the ankle is fine now, touch wood!

Looking forward to saturday's run already!

eclectichoney

3 miles - 29:05 mins (was absolutely wrecked by the end of it, it's amazing how shaving a couple of minutes off your time takes so much extra out of you!)

bench press 18.5kg X8 X8 X8
standing mill press 5kg X8 X8 X6
split squats (body weight) x8 x8 x8 (each leg)
tricep dips (body weight)
lat pull down 30kg X6 x6 x6
leg press 185lbs x9 x8 x8

Just picked up a copy of daniel's running formula, which is obviously a lot more advanced than i'm at, but there is still loads of useful stuff in it

eclectichoney

8K this evening 53:20 mins

eclectichoney

2k run this morning in 10:40 mins. Added a bit of rowing in the gym into the mix for a change (a 15 minute-ish warm up), as well as some weights.

eclectichoney

3 mile run 27:56 mins

eclectichoney

5.5k run this morning - it was so bloody windy out, 31:54 mins

eclectichoney

3 mile run - 30 mins.

How Strange

Hi eclectichoney, I've recently started running too. I've just read through your posts and you seem to be really improving.

The most I've done so far is 10k in 1:08 which I'm delighted with. I'm not doing weights as well. I prefer to run outside 3 times a week so haven't joined a gym.

Keep up the good work!

eclectichoney

Thanks how strange, do you have a log?? I'm always interested to see how other people train! I'm following one of the hal higdon plans, so hopefully should reach 10k in my long run in three or four weeks more. i'm ridiculously slow though

Fast_Mover

eclectichoney wrote: »

I'm following one of the hal higdon plans,

May I ask is it one of his novice schedules from his homepage?

How Strange

eclectic honey, no I don't but I'll follow yours and post something every now and again to compare how we are getting on as we are kind of at the same stage.

eclectichoney

Yes fast mover it's the supreme novice or novice supreme (can't remember the order!) it's basically the spring novice programme followed by the marathon one i think.

today: 5k run 29:45 mins followed by some weights

Fast_Mover

Have you your sights on any 5k/10k races early next year?

eclectichoney

I'm definitely hoping to do the great ireland run in april, maybe something before that if it presents itself. there seems to be a lack of 5k races in early 2008, or am i missing something??

rainglow

I never seem to come across them either....closer to a 10k, but there'a a 5 mile run on in late Jan 2008 that was advertised at the end of the Aware run on Sunday.

Fast_Mover

To be honest I don't know.
Looking for 5k/10k races myself, however around the march/april months and in the munster area (cork/limerick/tipp) as im not really inclined to travel further. Esp to Dublin.
Don't ask for much eh?!!:D
Great Ireland run seems like a good one, was reading about it. At a nice time of the year aswell.

eclectichoney

Might see ye there in april so so fast mover

Thanks for that rainglow - i could get the dart there (i am carless sadly which limits races a bit). hopefully my training will be ok by then, at the moment i have yet to manage five miles yet - only four and a half!

Fast_Mover

eclectichoney wrote: »

Might see ye there in april so so fast mover

Afraid not..it's on teh Capital..somewhere im not willing to travel to:D
Our race-off will have to wait till another time!:p

Your running/times are coming along nicely so keep it up.

Do you do any speed work/sprints?

eclectichoney

Not yet given that i only took up running in september, and i read in several places to leave it at least six months or so. I do try and up the pace significantly on my shorter runs though.

Fast_Mover

I wouldn't believe all you read.
At this stage you have a base level of fitness so why not start? On a pitch/in the park do few short spints ie:fast bursts of speed (50m-100m). Get your legs used to moving fast..instead of the rhythmic continuous motion of long runs. Good for that last stretch of your long runs too. Ever watch athletes on the home straight?
Well that's my €0.02 anyway!:)

Racing Flat

Get the Irish Runner Annual - usually out around this time of year in bigger newsagents. Has calendar for races all over country for most of the year. If particularly interested in Munster area, check out the cork bhaa - corkbhaa.net or something like that, loads of races organised throughout the year. Off the top of my head I know there's a 4 mile race on stephen's day in Belgooly near Kinsale and a 5 mile race on New Years Day in Bandon - both great races with loads of standards. Also of course the Goal Christmas Day mile - a one mile race in lots of locations all over the country on Christmas day.

Very impressed with your training, log and dedication eclectichoney. Very similar to mine 3 or 4 years ago. I remeber the first few runs having to stop and walk home after a few miles. Did it just to lose weight but after a few months I was hooked. You'll definitely improve if you stick at it. I did and now my training log is as follows - hopefully this will inspire you
Mon 8 miles easy
Tues speed 6 x 800m, approx 8 miles total
Wed 8 miles easy
Thurs 8 miles easy
Fri rest
Sat 10miles with 5 miles tempo (comfortably hard) in middle
Sun 13 miles easy
Keep it up

Fast_Mover

Good post Racing_Flat.
P.S: its http://www.corkbhaa.com

Electrichoney..start building up your speed work now and you too will be able to run those 800m speed sessions!!:)

Racing_Flat..bet your legs feel the lactic acid on the 6th one:D!! Do you time each of them?

Racing Flat

Time them, note heart rate - as I said, hooked!
Vary them a lot, 5 x 1k - 3.30 on grass
6 x 800 2.35-2.40
8 x 600 1.55-2.00
10 x 400 75
pyramids, hill sessions, group of us do them together, vary them, keeps it interesting...

thirtyfoot

Fast_Mover wrote: »

I wouldn't believe all you read.
At this stage you have a base level of fitness so why not start? On a pitch/in the park do few short spints ie:fast bursts of speed (50m-100m). Get your legs used to moving fast..instead of the rhythmic continuous motion of long runs. Good for that last stretch of your long runs too. Ever watch athletes on the home straight?
Well that's my €0.02 anyway!:)

I'd say continue upping the miles and building your base. That type of speed work won't do you much benefit and will be a waste of a training session, bearing in mind every session should have a purpose and every training session should count. Speed sessions similar to Racing Flats or even fartlek sessions would be more useful when you get your base up.

eclectichoney

Thanks guys, so much useful advice from people on boards, it never ceases to amaze me I really appreciate you helping out a newbie like me Very impressive schedule Racing Flat - I think I have mile envy

Racing Flat

It's all relative eclectichoney - I have mile envy of the fellows doing 80 miles a week...The best feeling I've ever had after running wasn't after the first marathon, wasn't after the first sub-40 10k, sub 30 5 mile etc. but the day I ran 5 miles continuous for the first time. Took about 3 months to build up to it, and I just couldn't believe that I'd run for over 40 minutes. Went into work afterwards and told everyone - they were also amazed. The funny thing is a few months later I was doing 15mile runs occasionally before work (didn't start until 1.00pm!) but I wouldn't tell anyone - it wasn't a big thing, had become easy and routine, the point being it's all relative, but also that everyone progresses in response to training. As Tingle says for now just focus on building up a base - you'll know when it's time to do speed training as you'll start doing it naturally when your body is ready for it. I did nothing but jogging for a year, then after a marathon, wanted to improve and joined a running club and this introduced me to speed training. Been doing this since and never been injured and think this may because I had prepared the body over a long time. I've seen a lot of fellows start running, want to improve too quickly, dive into the speed work, have a great improvement and then stumble from one injury to the next and then fall out of running. So all in good time, but at the right time speed training may become a very important part of your training.

Always good aswell to set targets, doesn't matter if it's 3 or 6 hours for a marathon, 40mins or 75mins for a 10k, but something to aim for and once you've done it set a new goal. Great to break the round numbers 60,50,40 mins for 10k, 50,40,30 for 5 mile, 5,4,3, hours for marathon...

When I started at a club I was told of the big 8
1 mile 5 mins
3k 10 mins
5k 20mins
5mile 30mins
10k 40 mins
10mile 1 hour
1/2 marathon 90 mins
marathon 3 hours
these times are probably suitable for club runners, but you can adjust accordingly. For me half-mar was first to go (2nd attempt), then 5k (1st attempt), 10k(3rd attempt), then 5 mile (3rd attempt), then 1 mile (4th attempt). Should really have done 3k by now, bad timing of races, similarly if trained and ran one would hope to do marathon, did 2 when started running, got close, but not close enough...But finding 10mile the hardest. 6 or 7 attempts, 61 3 times but no closer, hopefully next few months. When I do this it may take over from the 'first ever 5 mile continuous running' moment...Good things come to those who wait and all that.

eclectichoney

Thanks (again!) Racing Flat, I hadn't heard of the big 8. I definitely think I'll set out my goals at the start of 2008 to give me more focus with my running. I have made a conscious effort the last couple of weeks to ask myself what is the purpose/point of the run I'm about to do before setting out (I got this from Daniel's running formula)

Today's run: 6K in 35 mins - the slope coming up from Monkstown to dun laoghaire really took it out of me and i went a touch too fast for me I think, so consequently had to walk the last few mins of my planned 6.5k run (thank you gmaps pedometer )

I do find it really hard to keep my pacing right when running outdoors, especially with lots of varying slopes and such.

BossArky

Racing Flat wrote: »

When I started at a club I was told of the big 8
1 mile 5 mins
3k 10 mins
5k 20mins
5mile 30mins
10k 40 mins
10mile 1 hour
1/2 marathon 90 mins
marathon 3 hours

Interesting. I will try some of these too...1mile, 3k, 5k and 10k anyway.

eclectichoney

Todays run - I ran for an hour 9k in total.

Also did some leg raises on the dipping station in the gym, they are getting easier now thankfully