XC Runner

cfitz

bo-sco wrote: »

In fairness it was pretty obvious from the numbers registered that they would combine the two races. I was prepared for this before I even heard it announced. It makes sense anyway, no point in having two races of 4 or 5 people each. The graded meets are dependent on who turns up on the night so you have to be flexible and tailor your preparation to the circumstances on the night. I don't think that's too much to ask really. Well done on your PB. How do you know the official time? I'm waiting on the online results to see how I did.

Combining the races is fine, but surely moving the B race back rather than the A race forward is a safer option. Anyways, my brother hung around in the stadium to get my time while I did my 20 minute warm-down out in the park. I haven't seen the full results myself yet.

shels4ever

well done on the Pb sounds like a good race.

bo-sco

cfitz wrote: »

Combining the races is fine, but surely moving the B race back rather than the A race forward is a safer option. Anyways, my brother hung around in the stadium to get my time while I did my 20 minute warm-down out in the park. I haven't seen the full results myself yet.

Possibly but then you'd have had people standing around for 15 more minutes doing nothing. Just doesn't make sense. I'm new to the graded meets but already I can see that they tend to shift around so you need to have your wits about you. Can't say it bothers me unduly. I just try and keep myself up to date really. I'm more pissed off that the results still aren't up. Have gotten used to them being there the next morning and now today I still don't know what my time was at quarter past 5!

cfitz

Week 42, Day 4:

AM
25 min jog

PM
35 min run
Stretching

cfitz

Week 42, Day 5:

Rest day
Sports massage


Week 42, Day 6:

AM
25 min jog

PM
35 min run
Stretching


Week 42, Day 7:

AM
25 min jog

PM
35 min run
Stretching


Week 43, Day 1:

Rest day


Week 43, Day 2:

15 min warm-up jog
Strides
15 min warm-down jog
Stretching


Week 43, Day 3:

6 min warm-up jog
Strides
3000m RACE (9:19.6, 1st)
20 min warm-down jog
Stretching


My wife drove me to Irishtown again this week, this time for the BHAA non-members race. Maybe I should have been expecting this, but the organisation of this event was a bit of a joke. What's everyone's big rush to get home? - they should just stick to the schedule. They decided to move the non-members race forward by about 40 minutes. Then there was someone missing so everyone was waiting there for about fifteen minutes not knowing when it was going to start. There were also lots of silly things like putting it in with the lowest grade handicap race, having to finish in one of the outer lanes... I wonder where exactly the 15 Euro goes, doesn't seem to be on research or expertise anyway.

My race started with a 3, 2, 1 and then a whistle and away we went. It was a really calm night yet again. I only got six minutes jogging (instead of my normal 12-15) out in the park before my race because it was brought forward so much. I was feeling ok though, having done some strides out on the track while we were waiting for the last guy. Plan was to do 72 second laps. A guy in black led out the race fairly hard and I went after him but let him on a little. By about 300m I passed him but I was going a little harder than maybe I should have been. Hit 400m in 69, so cooled it off a bit and got 800m in 2:24. Knew that was a slow lap so I pushed on and got 3:37 for 1200m. Must have slowed a little again though coz I only got 4:52 for 1600m. Tried to push on lap 5 but when I got 6:08 I felt like a good time was slipping away. Got 7:26 I think for lap 6 and then 8:44 for lap 7. Finished in 9:19, was nice to win the race.

asimonov

Well done cfitz, great run from the front.

shels4ever

Well done you looked strong last night. Felt sorry for the lower grads been stuck in with that race or other way round.

BeepBeep67

Great run, the 2nd placed guy looked the furthest from a 3k runner, big quads and an unusual style, but he could move, on the other hand you looked very relaxed and in control.

Seres

well done on the win , not a bad compensation for a pb this time round ?!:)

cfitz

Thanks everyone. Yeah Seres, that was my last race of the season so I was hoping I could get something a bit faster but winning is pretty cool too. BeepBeep I think my running style sometimes gives off an illusion of being relaxed, but thanks!

Seres

cfitz wrote: »

winning is pretty cool too. BeepBeep I think my running style sometimes gives off an illusion of being relaxed, but thanks!

good for unnerving your compeditors , especially if they are already feeling under pressure .

shels4ever

Yep you looked very smooth. One thing I can say is that I didnt at all.

cfitz

Week 43, Day 4:

45 minute run
Stretching


Went out this morning for my last run before my break. Nearly got wiped out by an SUV, possibly the closest I've ever come to dying!

Running Bing

Congrats on the win Cfitz.


Ive only done one BHAA event and again it was a bit messy....wouldnt mind that too much accept they really take the piss with the price.:rolleyes:

cfitz

Seen as my track season is over now, I thought it might be a good idea to put up a little review.

My aim for the season was to bring down my 3000m PB. My PBs coming into the season were 9:19 for 3000m and 4:21.10 for 1500m. I finished this season with 9:10.07 for 3000m and 4:18.56 for 1500m.

Here is my race progression:
31 Mar 3000m 9:33.hh 1st Santry
19 Apr 3000m 9:33.hh 11th Mardyke Leevale Open Sports
22 Apr 1200m 3:52.hh 1st Club race as part of training
24 Apr 4.5mile NT Road Race as part of training
01 May 1000m 2:54.hh TT Tullamore
17 May 1500m 4:30.29 14th Athlone AAI Games
24 May 3000m 9:24.3h 2nd Santry Clonliffe Champs.
24 Jun 3000m 9:16.32 27th Irishtown IMC
01 Jul 3000m 9:26.89 12th Irishtown Development
09 Jul 1500m 4:26.4h 1st Tullamore Offaly Champs.
15 Jul 3000m 9:13.27 19th Santry Development
25 Jul 1500m 4:18.56 11th Irishtown IMC B
05 Aug 3000m 9:10.07 2nd Irishtown Grade A
12 Aug 3000m 9:19.6h 1st Irishtown BHAA


I was out with an injury from September to November 2008 and picked up a persistent cough in early 2009. So my training for this season started in mid-February. The first few weeks were spent just getting back to running on a regular basis. The next few weeks were spent getting ready for phase 1 of the track programme that was laid out for me, so I was doing easier versions of the sessions that were lined up.

Phase 1 of the track schedule included 1 hard run, 1 set of long reps at 3k pace, and 1 set of short reps at 3k pace each week. Phase 2 included 1 hard run, 1 set of reps at 3k pace (alternate long/short reps weekly), and 1 hill run. Phase 3 was similar to the previous phase except that the 3k pace session was replaced with a faster session.

Notes:
Due to injuries, the phase 2 consisted of some rest and easy running.
After these injuries my training was usually on a flat grass lap rather than the more hilly grass loop that I had been using. Also only small hills were used for hill runs from then on.
From phase 2 onwards, my friend was back from college for the summer so I had a good training partner a lot of the time.
Got a sports massage every 2 weeks.
Got osteopath treatment approximately every 2 months.
Only ate junk food about once every 3 weeks.
For the second half of the season I was having baths instead of showers after nearly all my runs (our shower was broken).
For the last 3 weeks of the season, my body felt quite tender especially around my hamstrings and glutes.


Thanks to everyone for the help and kind words.

Seres

great improvement in the 3000m times and the 1500m also especially considering all the obstacles you had to over come , from reading your log you showed great commitment which i definitely think paid off especially towards the end of the season when you had some good pbs and a nice win to finished off , always good to finish on a good note , you mentioned that you will be going traveling soon , do you think you will keep up the log ?

cfitz

Meant to add another note to the review above but it's too late to edit it now so I'll just put it here:

A normal week's mileage this year was probably around 45 whereas I would have been doing around 60 miles per week in 2008 and 50 or more in 2007. I think this allowed me to come into my runs a little bit fresher and so probably train faster and maybe with better form/economy.

cfitz

Seres wrote: »

you mentioned that you will be going traveling soon , do you think you will keep up the log ?

I'd like to keep it updated, but I'll be in places like Africa and India so it might not be as regular or as detailed as before.

cfitz

Tuesday:

Visit to osteopath
35 minute run
Stretching


First run back, took just over 2 weeks off. Plan is to come back really gradually: run two days this week, three days next week and so on until I'm back up to a six-day week. Run went better than expected but I've really been feeling it today.

cfitz

Friday:

40 minute run (watch beep every 5 minutes to concentrate on form)
Stretching


Set my watch to beep every 5 minutes so that I would forget to work on my form while I was running. Took the last two days off and not scheduled to run again until maybe as late as Tuesday. Felt it in the legs but was moving nicely.

cfitz

Monday

45 minute run (watch beep every 5 minutes to concentrate on form)
Stretching

shels4ever

In regards to your form, do you feel you need to make much of a change after 5 mins, or what is your main focus. From see you race you seem to have fairly good form as it stands is there any area that your working on?

cfitz

shels4ever wrote: »

In regards to your form, do you feel you need to make much of a change after 5 mins, or what is your main focus. From see you race you seem to have fairly good form as it stands is there any area that your working on?

Well if you watch someone like Bekele on tv, you'll see that his whole person is tilted forward slightly, and that his feet kick right back up to waist height, and his elbows flick well back. I, on the otherhand, am very straight up (possibly even leaning back a little), and I think this may be affecting my performance.

The watch beeping is just so that I'll check my form every few minutes rather than doing everything right at the start and then forgetting about it for the rest of the run.

cfitz

Wednesday:

50 minute run (watch beep every 5 minutes to concentrate on form)
Stretching


Running 3 days this week so next run is on Friday, but planning on doing a double day.

cfitz

Friday:

AM
20 minute jog (watch beep every 5 minutes to concentrate on form)

PM
35 minute run (watch beep every 5 minutes to concentrate on form)
Stretching


(Previous post should say Week 2)

cfitz

Sunday:

AM
25 minute jog (watch beep every 5 minutes to concentrate on form)

PM
40 minute run (watch beep every 5 minutes to concentrate on form)
4 x 100m (30m roll-in, 40m sprint, 30m roll-out)
Stretching
10 press-ups
Plank (10 breaths)
20 back extensions (2 variations 10+10)


Scorcher of a day, nice to get some summer! Plan is to run 4 days this week.

cfitz

Tuesday:

60 minute run (watch beep every 5 minutes to concentrate on form)
Stretching
2x8 Circuit (30 seconds on 30 seconds off. 1:30 between sets.)

cfitz

Thursday:

AM
25 min jog (watch beep every 5 minutes to concentrate on form)

PM
35 min run (watch beep every 5 minutes to concentrate on form)
4 x 100m (30m roll-in, 40m sprint, 30m roll-out)
Stretching
10 press-ups
Plank (10 breaths)
20 back extensions (2 variations 10+10)


Friday:

55 min run (watch beep every 5 minutes to concentrate on form)
Stretching
10 press-ups
Plank (10 breaths)
20 back extensions (2 variations 10+10)
Some core exercises

cfitz

I'm away travelling at the moment so I haven't got round to updating my log recently. I ran a race today so I decided but up something now and hopefully I'll update my log properly soon.

I did about 5 weeks of very gradual and was up to about 55-60 miles of easy running when I picked up a cough on my troubles. I've been doing next to nothing for the past few weeks in an effort to get rid of it and it seems to be nearly gone now.

I'd entered the 15km race that's run as part of the Istanbul Marathon before I left Ireland and when I got to Istanbul yesterday I couldn't resist the urge to go collect my number even though I wasn't really in racing shape.

There were meant to be free buses to the expo from Sultanahmet, but all I found was haphazard advice and a gangster trying to sell me carpets or something and the odd person trying to be helpful until eventually a fellow runner from Thailand went out of his way to show me how to get public transport out there - a tram followed by a bus. Got up at 7am this morning for the race and this time the buses were there. Didn't bother with a warm-up as I reckoned a gradual build-up would suit me given my shape.

Got a good position behind the elites for the gun and was happy with my early pace. Even in the morning with the roads closed I could taste the pollution. The course was quite hilly and I was happy to hit half way at 27:39 but I was starting to struggle when I was hoping to pick it up. Faded in the second half and finished in 57:57. Threw up a few times after I crossed the line, that's never happened to me before.

Wasn't a great performance but it was nice to experience a big city race. I thought the organisatisation could have been a bit better but it was better on race day.

Krusty_Clown

Superb time for someone running out of their distance, and being a stranger in a strange land and just doing it for kicks.