Sub 31:35

shels4ever

AM - Swim 500m , weights and some stretching. Took it easy enough as I had my work christmas party last night, Didn't go too mad at all , but suffered a dance floor related strain in my claf last night, think it was poor footwork. But not feeling it today at all.

Hope to get a PM run in today.

shels4ever

4 mile run today still not 100% but no pain at all, Happy enough with the run, found one of my runners in the park.. pity the other one didnt show up... will have to pick up a new pair over the weekend.

shels4ever

Think i might pop down for the Goal mile tomororw , not planning on running afast time but will jsut do it to get out for a short run.

TheRoadRunner

shels4ever wrote: »

found one of my runners in the park.. pity the other one didnt show up... will have to pick up a new pair over the weekend.

How did you loose your runners in the park ? Were they taken from your car ?

shels4ever

No, I was in a rush to get back to work after my run and drove away and left them in the car park, By the time i noticed and went back they were gone, one was in the bush about 400m from the car park, but couldnt find the other one..:(

shels4ever

5 nice miles on grass today calf seems to be 100% now. took some stick over christmas as i was wearing my skins under my jeans and it was noticed.

Tomorrow i will go in to the sales and pick up a pair of runners, + got a €100 voucher for runways to spend now too

shels4ever

6 miles today at an easy pace. Increased it a bit over the last mile to see how the leg is , zero problems so will get back to propper workouts from tomorrow.

shels4ever

Changed my training plan for the next few weeks now due to the missed week with this silly calf.

going to be doing something like this but will finish is later as i've a few races to take into account.

shels4ever

shels4ever wrote: »

Changed my training plan for the next few weeks now due to the missed week with this silly calf.

going to be doing something like this but will finish is later as i've a few races to take into account.

Did some weights this evening with a 3 mile run to warm up. Felt good today best running feeling in a week.

shels4ever

7.8 miles tonight. Planned 7.25 route but mad a wrong turn. Kept the pace to about 9 min mile but thats a little too fast was hoping to keep it at 9:30.

Felt very good for most of the run but come hte last mile I tried to push the pace a little but didn't have anything in the tank.

No sign of any problem from the calf but will move my 800's to the end of the week to make sure.

Will do 30 mins stretching now.

shels4ever

AM
Doing come core work this morning nothing too mad as i've let this slip out of my program for the last 6 week. Will include this session 3 times a week. Some of the exercise look mad...


Legs feel a little stiff today and my knee feels a little strange. I don't know how people do all the training on the road cant be good for you , back to the park for me today for an easy 5.


PM 5 miles easy, felt very sore and stiff today maybe ran a little too hard today. After 2-3 miles started to feel better. Not going to run on the roads at all from now on, only race etc.

shels4ever

Well this year has been a strange year with some slow progress made. I started 2008 in fairly bad shape and was unable to run at all.. 2 mile would have been as far as I could manage. In Jan 2008 I decided to Run the Raheny 5 , lots of Family doing it and I was should i'd be close to 40 mins (pb 31:20) . Little did I know that i had let my fittness slip to such a level that I came home just under the 50 mark more then 18 min outside my pb. This was a very low point for me and made me really think. Even when I wasnt running I did count myself as a runner. I decided that evening that I was going to get myself back in shape and set a new pb for 5 miles . (At this point I had not decided on a timeline).


Traning progresses slowly and started with 3 days a week for the first month. I decided to run a number of races over the year to help me on my way. The first of which was a 5 k run by a Triathlon club in malahide castle... came home in 29:45 and was in bit.. this was going to be hard work.I followed this up with a 5 mile run in April clocking 47 mins, and then a 10 k in 63 mins ( i was not in shape to complete these races and they were more LSR's then anything else.Around May my training picked up and I was getting 4 3/4 mile runs a week.


I was starting to feel stronger but had some pain in my shin that I ignored , it came and went. As I was starting to improve I wanted to track my progress so I decided to run the 2 mile series inj Rahney. This was 5, 2 mile races* over the course of the summer my times ranged from 15:48 in the first on to 15:08 in the last. The progress was not huge but at least there was some improvment.* I was happier with the quality of my training at this stage I had bene running 4-5 days a week for about a month and June prove t be a good month for me with the only problem been my shins again.


Come July I missed almost 2 week training with Shin splints and decided to change my shoes.From July I raced a few races but seemed to jsut be holding my own and not making ay progress time wise but my mileage had increased to 20+ miles a week and this was going very well. I played with my first speed work session around August/Sept. Once I started these session I found it very hard and for the first few week I felt tired and slow. But after 3 week I was getting used to them. My mileage around this time also increased to jsut below 30 miles and was really the start of my training log here.* In September I ran another 5 k for work an wasjsut a shade under 25 mins, this was a 4 min improvment from the start of the year but I didn't feel good about that. My most recient 5k was 22:30* which is 7 mins improvment* which I'm happy with but feel there is more to come.


For 2009 I need to set myself some goals and I've touched on these ove the last few week with my training plan. 2009 Goals

1. Rahney 5** Sub 37
2. Complete Belfast Marathon
3. Sub 20 mins for 5k .
4. Sub 42 for 10 k.
5. Sub 11:30* min* 3 k

If I* can get back into ok shape I may try to get back onto the track for a graded league meeting at some stage this summer but its a bit IF.These goals may change as my training progresses but the long term goal is still to break my PB for 5 miles in 2010 in either Rahney or Sportsworld.. There don't seem to be enough 5mile races around but this distance is one i've always loved.* If anyone has read all this you need to get a life....* :)Happy new year and Happy Running.

Woddle

Fair play Shels, you have some motivation, I would imagine 2009 is going to see you making big leaps and yes I am sad and need a life, I am reading your log while my wife forces me to watch season 2 of the OC, does she not know there's a match on. Happy new year to you

shels4ever

Woddle wrote: »

Fair play Shels, you have some motivation, I would imagine 2009 is going to see you making big leaps and yes I am sad and need a life, I am reading your log while my wife forces me to watch season 2 of the OC, does she not know there's a match on. Happy new year to you

Thanks , Fingers crossed b the summer i'll be able to give you a bit of a race... Been the last BAC member home in all races so far but don't going to let that happen much longer

jlang

With your rate of improvement, I can't see me beating you too much longer - could be a race in Raheny!

stmochtas

Fair play Shels. I enjoyed that year review. Cant wait to get back out to one of the races next year but just seem to be having difficulty recovering from this injury. I would say you are a step ahead of me at the moment but I will enjoy the competition once I get back.

Supercell

Great stuff shels4ever, thats an interesting read, fair play on the progress made, i'll be happy to do the same in 2009.
I read with interest the bit about your shins having recently experienced pain there myself.
Is that a thing of the past now for you as your fitness improves over time and presumably your legs get in better shape?
Do you have any tips for avoiding the dreaded shin splints?

shels4ever

Supercell wrote: »

Great stuff shels4ever, thats an interesting read, fair play on the progress made, i'll be happy to do the same in 2009.
I read with interest the bit about your shins having recently experienced pain there myself.
Is that a thing of the past now for you as your fitness improves over time and presumably your legs get in better shape?
Do you have any tips for avoiding the dreaded shin splints?

Hi there, Fingers crossed i've seen the back of them now, I found getting the correct footwear , Slow build up of miles don't increase too much too soon this was my mistake. Also did a lot of work on the muscles around the from of the shin and still do them once or twice a week.

shels4ever

5 miles yesterday and then a very late night. Resting today then a long slow run tomorrow.

shels4ever

Though today was Sat when i woke up and had planned a LSR. But turnes out today is Friday so decided on a tempo run on the beach, Was a strange session i wasnt very controled in my running and went a bit mad.

7.5 + miles with 2 X 15 mins of tempo running , but the other sections were run too fast, with 1.5 miles to go I thend decided to do 1k of hills(sand dunes). This is a session i used to do years ago.

Felt really strong today this was a good session and my longest tempo/fast run of the year.

Nice start to 2009.

Slogger Jogger

Your year end look back makes for interesting reading Shels. You're making good progress. Keep that going in 2009 and you'll tick off those goals you've set.

shels4ever

Cheers I think i've an ok base now to kick on in '09 . I now feel that i'm capable of running 7-10 mile and not just getting around now which is good. Once I start getting my reguar 13+ mile run in i'll expect to see big improvments.

shels4ever

Decided to run with my Bro today , havent run with him for prob 10 year and wouldnt have lasted 400m last year.

Turned out to become a bit of a race today with a crazy middle 2 miles.

Ended up doing a very fast 4+ miles felt good but raced the last 400 m and he just got me at the end.

Very good run and enjoyed it, will start to up the tempo in one of my 4-5 miles once a week.


Some weights later today and then a 10 mile tomorrow to finish off the weekend,

shels4ever

10 nice miles today all on grass with some nice hills. Felt very relaxed and felt good. First couple of miles I could feel the last few days runs in my legs but soon was runing well.

First 5 in 50 min second in 47 was easy maybe my lsr pace is a bit too slow.

About 38 miles this week so not bad for the start of the year.

shels4ever

AM.
Rest day today so no running.

Swim 800 m slow , Stopped ever 100m for about 5 sec . Starting to swim a little better now. Nice start to the day.

ManFromAtlantis

keep it up shels. your times / goals age similar to me so always interested in your progress. last year i did alot of training for dub marathon, most of my training consisted of timed runs over set distances and i pushed myself every run trying to beat or get close to previous times. this year i've for the first time left stopwatch at home and am just going medium pace (ie feel ok and strong during and at ends of runs) ( i am actually starting to enjoy the runs now and not just the finishing feeling which is nice) i could never understand how most training runs can be say 80% of race pace or whatever, and stiil be (most?) beneficial. how frequently do you train at race or near race pace generally? i'm hoping this will show improvment for my main goal ie dub mara09. I did 07 in 5hrs little training. 08 in 4 hrs after a long year of for me solid training (including did a great (for me) 35.5 mins for a 8K chip timed race in aug 08). was disappointed not to get closer to 3:45 for mara but my disappointment turned to determination the following week when back on the road and am still going .........

shels4ever

ManFromAtlantis wrote: »

how frequently do you train at race or near race pace generally? .....

For me I would usually have 2 session a week at race pace or faster. Race pace can chance depening on race distance this is the important factor. So I would have a 2 session one of 800's that would prob be at 2 mile race pace maybe slightly faster, and then my tempo runs usually 2 X (15-20) mins these would be at 5m-10k race pace.

shels4ever

Ok my marathon plan is updated now, Its going to be hard enough. My races are marked in yellow and will replace my tempo run for that week.

I know there are alot of races early in the year but I really want to get some sort of XC season.

I've put in some 2.5 mile session about 3 week before these are more for pacing as i'll decided my planned time the week before. This will be at marathon pace so wont be too hard.

All running is going to be on grass except for the 2.5 mile runs with are on park trail.

Each week Monday/Tuesday maybe swapped.
Wed/Thusday maybe swapped

Will change the last 2 week also as i think i will need more of a taper.

Changed now with a bit more rest.


119 days to go . That does not seem like a long time to me...

shels4ever

7 nice miles today all on grass. sun setting moon in the sky cold but nice Felt very good afer 2-3 mile but ran a little too fast from 4-7 miles. All in all a nice run.


118 days to go ....

shels4ever

Had friends over last night for food and wine ,Planning a hard session today so didn't drink and didnt get a take away either .I must have bored them a bit. Since i'm putting so much work into the training now I may as well put the same into Food,Sleep,Drink... Won't get running until sundown tonight so it maybe a cold session.

shels4ever

Session of 800's this evening. My usual spot was frozen and not safe to run fast(ish) so I had to chage around a little.

Did 4 X 3:30 with a jog recovery , this was harder then the normal rest and was very tired on the last rep.

Felt ok calf was grand so i'm happy with that.

5 miles covered in total.

On another note have an offer of a second hand garmin 305 not sure what to offer for it... €80 too much?

christeb

I'd say €80 is pretty much on the money, maybe subtract a recessionary tenner if you're feeling scabby!

Krusty_Clown

80 Euro seems decent, by current eBay prices.

shels4ever

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

80 Euro seems decent, by current eBay prices.

Think i'll go for this, but not sure if i'll use it on all runs, don't want to get wrapped up with pace and times all the time... But will be handy for paced runs and data post run.

ManFromAtlantis

what are the basic functions you are looking for? is its an accurate distance reader and does it do heart rate monitoring (if so do u need a strap around chest?) ta

shels4ever

ManFromAtlantis wrote: »

what are the basic functions you are looking for? is its an accurate distance reader and does it do heart rate monitoring (if so do u need a strap around chest?) ta

It's more for distance and pace but this one comes with the heart rate monior with the chest strap not sure how much i will use that feature as i've been ok in judging my pace/effort levels so far.

Krusty_Clown

Hi Shels, the handy thing about the Forerunners is you actually don't have to look at them at all. Quite often, I mightn't even glance at mine for 20 or 30 minutes. You could if you wanted, just display the distance covered, and nothing else on the screen. Then over-analyze your data to your hearts content when you get home! It's a worthwhile purchase, if nothing more than to manage your interval training.

Peckham

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Hi Shels, the handy thing about the Forerunners is you actually don't have to look at them at all. Quite often, I mightn't even glance at mine for 20 or 30 minutes. You could if you wanted, just display the distance covered, and nothing else on the screen. Then over-analyze your data to your hearts content when you get home! It's a worthwhile purchase, if nothing more than to manage your interval training.

+1 to all this. It's also great for giving you the freedom to run where you want and knowing exactly what you've done without having to plan it all out on mapmyrun or whatever beforehand.

shels4ever

Easy 5+ ish miles on the beach this evening.. guess i'll know how far this actually is one i get my 305 tomorrow.

Felt good but reallyneed to pick up my new runners tomorrow, dam 1062 not in stock anywhere .....

TheRoadRunner

Peckham wrote: »

It's also great for giving you the freedom to run where you want and knowing exactly what you've done without having to plan it all out on mapmyrun or whatever beforehand.

+1 to this. I did an interval session this week in a new location and didn't have to worry if I was covering 1k or not

shels4ever

Going to rest today. May jsut going for a 2 mile jog at lunch time. Have a race tomorrow and going to give this one a last to see where I am at the moment.

shels4ever

Well ended up getting a pair of Brooks Glycerin today, took an age for me to decide which to buy and took a few for a spin before I decided.

My garmin deal fell through today as someone told him that the 405's are crap so he's sticking with his 305.. Think i'll go and buy one now as I was planning it for the last few days.

Looks like tomorrow is going to be a bit warmer so I think the spikes will be used unless there is a big freeze tonight.

TheRoadRunner

shels4ever wrote: »

My garmin deal fell through today as someone told him that the 405's are crap so he's sticking with his 305.. Think i'll go and buy one now as I was planning it for the last few days.

That's a pity. I have never used the 305 but I find the 405 brilliant. In my experience shop online for a good deal

ManFromAtlantis

good luck in the race.

shels4ever

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

That's a pity. I have never used the 305 but I find the 405 brilliant. In my experience shop online for a good deal

Yep i'm going to get one myself now after spending the last day planning on this one. Not to worry I managed to get my new runners and some more gear today ..

Supercell

I found wiggle.co.uk to be the cheapest seller for the 405 with HRM, has free delivery to Ireland too.
Best of luck in the race !

shels4ever

Race day today but after an ok run i'm going to be out for a few week . Ran ok and finished very strong but a pop in the calf with 10m to go left me in a lost pain , initial feeling is that I maybe out for a while.

Picked up another couple of scalps today which i was happy with but looks like my target race "Raheny 5" is 100% out at this stage. A well onlt been planning this for a year.....

Crap day in the end.

Supercell

Sorry to hear that, rotton luck, maybe with some RICE it wont be as bad as you think and you'll be out again soon.
Get well soon.

shels4ever

Thanks will ice today and called physio already but not too hopefull at the moment. Looks like i'll be a swimmer for a few weeks..

Peckham

Sorry to hear that Shels. As someone pointed out to me - it's the times of injury that make you appreciate the good days!