Send in the Clowns - BAC 10K Challenge

Krusty_Clown

Thursday: 4.5 + 5.5 easy miles
Friday: 6 easy miles with core stuff

Saturday: Athlone Half Marathon.
I made a decision three days previously, that the marathon training session (4 x 2 miles @Threshold) was more important than the half marathon goal and it probably cost me some vital seconds, but you make your choices and you can't justifiably have any regrets. The race itself was really great. I'm not a very competitive person, so when I participate in a race full of friends and familiar faces it makes for a better race experience for me. I really don't have that killer race instinct.

I lined up about 150 people back from the start, so as the gun went, I found myself having a slow start, which suited the plan. I ran a bit with Dr Quirky, before pushing past a group or two and encountering cwgatlin, who I hadn't seen since Dublin last year. His goal was similar enough to mine, so I kind of hoped we could work together through he rougher parts of the race. Occasionally, Tunguska would join us and push on, and I'd jump in behind him and we'd push past another group or two, like a game of leap-frog. Eventually Tunguska seemed to wake up and went past us like he'd just shot the sheriff (but he didn't shoot no deputy). Tempted as I was to go pegging it after him, it wouldn't have been wise as the gap between our paces is just too great, even though he's on the path to recovery. So myself and cwgatlin wound our way around the country roads until there were no more runners to pass.

There was a group of around 6 runners up ahead, and I figured that a successful race outcome lay in catching that group. I'd shared my plan with cw, but he had fallen slightly behind, so I just dug-in and made it my goal to gradually close on that group. This meant trying to work into the slight head-wind up a gradual drag on my own and for the next mile or two, I just didn't seem to be making any progress; they just didn't seem to be getting any closer.

Finally after 7 miles, we were hitting the sharpest and most exposed part of the drag, and I started to make ground on the group. It was a risky strategy as I was working beyond threshold pace, but I figured if I just caught them, I could hang out of the back and let them drag me around for a few miles. Eventually I caught them, and with a sigh of relief I tucked into the back of the group. Only, as soon as I caught them, they parted like the Red Sea and a few seconds later, my pace pushed me through and past the group. Grumble, grumble.. As I arrived at the front, I recognized a runner that I had known some 12 years previously in a working capacity (at which time I wouldn't imagine either of us were runners). I hadn't spoken to him in 10-12 years, but strangely we had run about two miles together during Dublin marathon last year, and I only identified him from the photographs afterwards.

'Paddy' I said to him, as I drew level at the front of the group. 'Gary' he responded, as if meeting in these circumstances after 12 years was the most normal thing in the world. We chatted between gasps of air, as together we pushed past the rest of the group. One of the runners tried to cling to us, but gradually the gap widened until we had left the entire group behind. Paddy had a similar goal to my own, and was glad to move on from the group that had started to suffer and slow, so together we worked onwards. He was monitoring the splits more closely than I was, and at one point mentioned that we were slipping out of contention for a 75:xx time, but picking up the pace on the long drag into the slightest of headwinds was not easily done.

Finally we hit the main road and running was a little easier on the even surface. We were occasionally picking off runners, but they were largely marathoners or 'self-imploded' halfers. Occasionally we'd pass a half marathon who would try to tuck in behind, but inevitably fall of f the pace having earlier blown their load. :eek:

We hit the 10 mile mark in 57:50, which if I'd known it during the race would have been a cause for celebration, being just 30 seconds off my PB for the distance. We were back on the turf roads, and I was beginning to tire. Still, I was chasing Paddy, or he was chasing me, and we made good progress. After 11.5 miles we hit another turn, and we were back on the road towards the finish. While earlier, as we ran out this road in the opposite direction it had felt uphill, this time heading in the opposite direction, it still remained impossibly uphill. I had been building up some hope over the previous 10 miles that eventually we'd hit a stretch of road that felt distinctly downhill and easy, so when it didn't come, I started to feel quite uncomfortable. The pace wasn't dropping, and miles were flitting by in 5:48, 5:46, 5:46, but I was beginning to feel the strain.

With 800m to go, I looked at the watch which showed an average pace of 5:47. I flicked through the fields, to see if there was an elapsed time, but there was none. I thought I was safe for the target, so when Paddy started to kick for home, I was happy enough to leave him off and slightly pick up the pace. As I rounded the corner and saw the clock my heart fell. 1:16:00. I accelerated as much as I could, but the damage was done. Paddy got a chip-time of 1:15:59, and I crossed the finish line maybe 10 seconds later, with a chip time of 1:16:04. If I'd only had the mental strength and energy to stay with him, I'd have hit one of my big goals of recent years, and might never again have to face the prospect of running another half-marathon! But, you make your choices and I don't have any regrets. Did that tough training run just three days earlier have a negative impact? Yeah, most probably, but my running since that small training victory has been really solid, so ultimately, it was the right thing to do. Two PBs in 7 days is nothing to be sneezed at either, so finally things are pointing in the right direction for Dublin. Wrapped up another few miles afterwards with the lads, for 18.5 miles for the day.

Summary: 18 Miles, with 13.1 miles in 1:16:04

Krusty_Clown

Sunday: 20 mile recovery run
Yes, I know.... I really do... But as I've mentioned on these pages so many times, I'm stubborn as fnck.. Ya see.... This week is the working week from hell. I have one established customer visiting from the US, and I have one prospective customer visiting from somewhere a little closer, both on different days. I have to produce and deliver 100+ really convincing Powerpoint slides. I have to wine and dine the customers and spend all day with them. This has meant arriving into work at 9am every morning and arriving home after work at 10pm, 11pm, or midnight, every day of the week, culminating in a tiring/stressful 65 hour week. Also, I have a wedding to attend all day Saturday. All this coincides with a 100 mile week in my training program and a stubborn refusal to let anything 'give'. So I figured, I'd switch to an American week (starting on Sunday) having completed the previous week's mileage the day before, and get 20 miles out of the way. Sure it was hard, but it was manageable. I'd enjoyed a few pints the night before, so but for a little dehydration, it would have been a very enjoyable easy jaunt around Moate Park in Roscommon for a few hours. Anyway, job done.. Mileage in this American week kick-started, and apart from a little tiredness, no side-effects.

Summary: 20 miles in 2:34, @7:44/mile

RayCun

you are... you really are...

ecoli

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Sunday: 20 mile recovery run

Please rephrase. You're frightening the children

TRR

ecoli wrote: »

Please rephrase. Your frightening the children

Thank you. Mr pedantic (KC) pointed out to me before that a 10 mile run was too long for a recovery run On the topic of being pedantic, your punctuation is shocking ecoli, it's you're (as in, "you are") not your (as in "that belongs to you"). Fecking school kids of today

KC, your OCD is your strongest asset but it is also your weakest asset but if you can get away with it then feck it. By the way I won't make it down to Moone next weekend. I'm going to do Kilcock the following week.

ecoli

TRR wrote: »

Thank you. Mr pedantic (KC) pointed out to me before that a 10 mile run was too long for a recovery run On the topic of being pedantic, your punctuation is shocking ecoli, it's you're (as in, "you are") not your (as in "that belongs to you"). Fecking school kids of today

Better now? Couldn't lift my arms long enough for the extra characters. It's the meaning behind the words that counts though

Rolex_

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Thursday: 4.5 + 5.5 easy miles
Friday: 6 easy miles with core stuff

Saturday: Athlone Half Marathon.
Two PBs in 7 days is nothing to be sneezed at either, so finally things are pointing in the right direction for Dublin. Wrapped up another few miles afterwards with the lads, for 18.5 miles for the day.

Summary: 18 Miles, with 13.1 miles in 1:16:04

Sorry for jumping on your thread KC- haven't posted in ages here but have checked your thread from time to time. Back on the marathon bandwagon for the first time since my ugly finish in Berlin last year. Looks like I'm tracking your prep but a week behind. Big 10k PB (37:16) end of August (big 5M PB the previous week) and 17M incl 4 x 2Mtempo with tempo @avg 6:13 this week.

Turns out both 25 secs per mile slower than your own. Charleville HM tomorrow flat out and will set target for DCM then. My training's been geared towards the marathon rather than shorter stuff.
Your Athlone time suggests I should be shooting for 81.30 or so tomorrow and as low as 2:53- 2:54 for DCM. Both of these are a fair bit faster than my realistic goals - am I missing something?

Abhainn

KC fantastic in the half. Fair play mate,
Blast that's another best your taken off me. (-27 secs)

Krusty_Clown

TRR wrote: »

Thank you. Mr pedantic (KC) pointed out to me before that a 10 mile run was too long for a recovery run On the topic of being pedantic, your punctuation is shocking ecoli, it's you're (as in, "you are") not your (as in "that belongs to you"). Fecking school kids of today

KC, your OCD is your strongest asset but it is also your weakest asset but if you can get away with it then feck it. By the way I won't make it down to Moone next weekend. I'm going to do Kilcock the following week.

I think your missing a few full-stops yourself their, mister pedantic. Shame about Moone. Would've been a bit of craic, while chucking out the six minute miles.

I guess it would more appropriately have been described as a 20 mile recovery-paced run. What's kind of interesting is that not only did I get away with it, I think it did me a hell of as lot of good, as I've had a super week of training since. Perhaps there's some value to the P&D long run the day after a race (but I don't think they had a half marathon in mind).

Krusty_Clown

Rolex_ wrote: »

Turns out both 25 secs per mile slower than your own. Charleville HM tomorrow flat out and will set target for DCM then. My training's been geared towards the marathon rather than shorter stuff.
Your Athlone time suggests I should be shooting for 81.30 or so tomorrow and as low as 2:53- 2:54 for DCM. Both of these are a fair bit faster than my realistic goals - am I missing something?

Whatever about MacMillan, I don't think you can justifiably extrapolate your marathon or HM goal times based on someone else's performances. My recent vdot has been 61, which equates to a threshold pace of 5:50. The reality is that I'm just not as fast over shorter distances (which is typically the basis for calculating vdots) as I am over longer distances - a product of the fact that I spend most of my time training for marathons, so I should probably be training to a higher vdot (and as such a faster threshold pace) than JD suggests (and I typically do). The fact that my threshold and HM pace are close to the same is a convenient coincidence, as it meant that I did a lot of HM-paced miles as part of my marathon training. According to JD, based on your threshold pace, you should be aiming for an 83 minute half marathon, if you have trained suitably for your HM target (which isn't the case if the HM is a build-up race). But, vdot is just another predictor system designed to propose training paces and target times, until such time as you have more relevant and useful data (like your Charleville HM time). Good luck in the race!

Krusty_Clown

Monday: 11 miles easy + 6 miles recovery
It's always a positive sign when I head out to do a few miles and end up doing a few more, particularly in a tough week. Even the horrendous sheets of rain and blustery conditions didn't send me back to work early. The second outing in Shanganagh Park after too many hours in the office, complete with head-torch and multiple layers wasn't quite as welcome, but gotta get the miles done when I can.
Summary: 11 + 6 miles

Tuesday: 10 miles easy
Yuck. Legs feeling surprisingly spritely, but weather conditions doing nothing for the mood. Headed out to Nutgrove on an errand along the nice river paths from Dundrum. Easy pace naturally picking up a little (7:14/mile).

Wednesday: JDA: 2 x 20mins Threshold
Would've like to leave another day between the hectic weekend and the session, but not a luxury I could afford this week. Session went better than I could've hoped. Before I started, I was considering keeping it to 3 miles. As I started, I figured I could manage 5k. Threshold pace felt comfortable, so I figured I'd last the full 20 minutes. In the end, I went over to complete the 14th lap and felt pretty good. 20 minutes easy, and I hit the second threshold section. A little tougher than the first, but still pretty manageable. Again I stretched it out to complete the full 14 laps.
Threshold 1: 3.5 miles (5600m) in 20:08.6 @5:44/mile
Threshold 2: 3.5 miles (5600m) in 20:08.8 @5:44/mile
Total: 16 miles @6:40/mile

Thursday: Early morning 8 mile recovery run
Had to get out before work, so a stiff and uncomfortable 8 miles around the park in Shanganagh, @8 minute/mile

Friday: 11 miles easy
Wrecked.com after the craziness, but after a really good but long work week, I just wanted to get out there and run. As soon as the work day finally finished, I switched into the run gear and headed out the door in the direction of home. Plan was an easy 8 miles, but as I neared home, I was feeling so good and enjoying the run so much, I turned around and headed back towards work (where I'd left my bike and stuff). Legs were feeling magic, everything was great. As I ran past the pitches in Stepaside a car turned right in front of me, and as it passed, one of the passengers rolled down the window and shouted out 'w@nker'. Kind of spoiled the mood a little, so uncharacteristically, I turn around and ran after them, as they pulled into a car-park (gobsh1tes!). I stood behind their car as they tried to reverse into their parking spot so they had to pull up, I walked around to the passenger window and knocked. Two windows rolled down, but the adult and three teenagers were now surprisingly pretty silent. I calmly explained that there was no need for the abuse and that I didn't have to take it. After some brief denials, I got a whispered apology, before I headed on my way, silently and invisibly pumping my fists in the air. Could this run get any better?! A couple of fast miles later, I was back at work, with a big smile on my face.
Summary: 11 miles @6:58/mile

Saturday: 18 miles steady
Met up with one of the club lads and headed out for a steady long run, to hit the week's mileage target. Initial climb up to Kilternan was tough, but after that we were ticking off some fast miles, chatting away. A bit of unexpected heat and humidity and we stopped off for a much needed drink, before winding our way through the parks back to Shankill. Solid end to a bloody good week of training. Mileage is all downhill from here too. Now, if only the Dubs can keep the mood going...
Summary: 18 miles in 2:03, @6:53/mile

cianc

I think I have a new role -model

Rolex_

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Whatever about MacMillan, I don't think you can justifiably extrapolate your marathon or HM goal times based on someone else's performances. My recent vdot has been 61, which equates to a threshold pace of 5:50. The reality is that I'm just not as fast over shorter distances (which is typically the basis for calculating vdots) as I am over longer distances - a product of the fact that I spend most of my time training for marathons, so I should probably be training to a higher vdot (and as such a faster threshold pace) than JD suggests (and I typically do). The fact that my threshold and HM pace are close to the same is a convenient coincidence, as it meant that I did a lot of HM-paced miles as part of my marathon training. According to JD, based on your threshold pace, you should be aiming for an 83 minute half marathon, if you have trained suitably for your HM target (which isn't the case if the HM is a build-up race). But, vdot is just another predictor system designed to propose training paces and target times, until such time as you have more relevant and useful data (like your Charleville HM time). Good luck in the race!

Thanks for that Krusty. My VDot is betwen 56&57. I did Charleville in 1:23:50 this morning. A PB but not quite the 83 mins I was looking for. However it was about 20C with clear skies and most people's pace suffered accordingly. Also I didn't really reduce the mileage or intensity this week so legs not what you might call fresh. I'll take it in the circumstances.

Krusty_Clown

Rolex_ wrote: »

Thanks for that Krusty. My VDot is betwen 56&57. I did Charleville in 1:23:50 this morning. A PB but not quite the 83 mins I was looking for. However it was about 20C with clear skies and most people's pace suffered accordingly. Also I didn't really reduce the mileage or intensity this week so legs not what you might call fresh. I'll take it in the circumstances.

That's a great run. What time are you targeting for the full?

Rolex_

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

That's a great run. What time are you targeting for the full?

Thanks for that. Haven't broken 3 hrs yet - PB 3:02 but I'd be a lot faster over everything from 5K to HM now.

3 races in the last month predict about 2:54 on Daniels and 2:56 on McMillan. As we know they are only indicators. I'll probably make a conservative start (3 hr pace) and pick it up after 10k assuming I'm feeling ok. A-target 2:55; B-target 2:59:59

Krusty_Clown

Sunday: 10 miles steady + climbing
Having fulfilled my mileage commitments for the week, I had the option of taking a day off, but with a post-wedding hangover, a beautiful day and a car 10 miles away that needed to be picked up, the solution was clear... Take the DART. But I had my running shoes on already, so enjoyed a very nice run along the coast to Sandymount, where the previous night's festivities had drawn to a conclusion. Despite the previous day's steady run, I couldn't slow the pace, and the miles ticked off quicker than they should have. Not quite sure why legs and energy levels are suddenly fired up (think someone's been sprinkling magic dust on my Weetabix), but after 2 months of feeling almost constantly stiff and painfully arthritic, it feels good to feel almost normal. Followed up with a few hours of top-rope climbing and bouldering with the ladies, where I climbed like a gobsh1te.. You can't have it all your own way.
Summary: 10 miles in 68 mins, @6:49/mile

Monday: 9 miles easy
Mileage drops back to 80 miles this week, which on plan looks comparatively comfortable. Bloody hot out there, so after a visit to the bank (thanks for delivering the post Marthastew!), I whipped the top off. Soon regretted it as I ran past a girls school at closing time. This time I didn't have the courage to face up to my aggressors, so I picked up the pace as much as I could to get away from the abuse . Picked up the pace even further as I spied a runner up ahead and decided to catch them before the top of the hill and kept the pace going all the way back to work. Thanks to whoever gave me the shout-out (in the red car). Couldn't see who it was because of the sun-light, but for a moment, I felt like I was leading out a race, with a pace car in tow.
Summary: 9.1 miles in 64 mins

menoscemo

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Monday: 9 miles easy
Mileage drops back to 80 miles this week, which on plan looks comparatively comfortable. Bloody hot out there, so after a visit to the bank (thanks for delivering the post Marthastew!), I whipped the top off. Soon regretted it as I ran past a girls school at closing time. This time I didn't have the courage to face up to my aggressors, so I picked up the pace as much as I could to get away from the abuse . Picked up the pace even further as I spied a runner up ahead and decided to catch them before the top of the hill and kept the pace going all the way back to work. Thanks to whoever gave me the shout-out (in the red car). Couldn't see who it was because of the sun-light, but for a moment, I felt like I was leading out a race, with a pace car in tow.
Summary: 9.1 miles in 64 mins

That was me!! You were really thumping it up that hill, Nice tan BTW
Looks like you passed Clarlara's ranch there too. Maybe it was her sister giving you abuse outside the local school

BeepBeep67

How's the weight and diet after all those miles?

Krusty_Clown

menoscemo wrote: »

That was me!! You were really thumping it up that hill, Nice tan BTW
Looks like you passed Clarlara's ranch there too. Maybe it was her sister giving you abuse outside the local school

Haha... Thought I got a waft of North East from the accent! Which house is that? Is it the one with the pink flamingos wandering listlessly around the front lawn amongst the croquet hoops, while the tuxedo'ed waiters chase them around picking up their droppings? Very grand indeed...

beepbeep wrote:

How's the weight and diet after all those miles?

Meno can comment on my svelte form (:)), but I thought I'd be a little closer to race weight at this stage than I am. I've been off the gargle for a couple of weeks (albeit with a few planned hiatus' for weddings and such) and watching my diet for around the same amount of time. Currently 11 stone 5, and I'd hope to be closer to 11 stone come race day, but the heavy mileage has been and gone. I'm definitely not going to be starving myself for the remaining 5 weeks, in order to shed some weight. Two reasons I can think of: 1) changed scales after the last one broke, so either of the scales may have been recording heavy or light. 2) Lots of rock climbing has created lots of upper body strength/muscle. The additional weight won't help on race day, but the additional core strength may offset it to a certain degree. It is what it is...

Krusty_Clown

Tuesday: 6.2 + 5 recovery miles
Only planned to do a six mile run, but a strong feeling of unfinished business dragged me out after work for another 5 miles. Regretted it immediately, as strangely I felt a little wrecked and got drowned in a couple of showers. Winter is back.

Wednesday: JDA: 4 x 1 Miles @ Tempo + 10 Miles Easy + 4 x 1 Miles @Tempo
I could really learn to dislike this session; it really is a bit of a bruiser. Warm-up, followed by a moderately challenging tempo session, followed by 10 miles easy, another (this time quite challenging) tempo session, and a warm-down, all adding up to 22-24 miles. Add in a damp fog, sheets of rain, and you've got a couple of hours of unpleasantness.
2.7 mile warm-up @7:25/mile
4 x 1600m /1 minute rest: 5:38/5:40/5:36/5:35
10 miles easy @7:35/mile
4 x 1600m /1 minute rest: 5:42/5:41/5:41/5:40
2.4 mile warm-down @7:38

First tempo section went surprisingly grand. Good to see the times dropping, despite best efforts to slow down. The 10 miles easy was rough, as it was pretty damp and cold, but at least I was able to stop off at home and top-up my drink. Almost depressing arriving back at the cinder track, but didn't hang about and got going as quickly as possible. Legs a little stiffer, but just about manageable. Last one, as always, was tough, but I found that if I eased back the pace (below nausea levels!) I ran quicker (defying physics!). Got back home comfortably enough, but have been pretty wrecked since. Despite drinking a litre of water/sports drink, I shed half a stone of weight during the run. How does it compare to the last time I did the session? Tempo segments are a little faster, but the 10 miles easy is a little slower. I'd call it a minor improvement.

Summary: 24 miles in 2:47, @6:51/mile (moving)

menoscemo

That session is nuts Krusty.
I'd want a week off after that one.

blockic

That is some session! :eek: I'm scared just by reading it! Fantastic days work.

KielyUnusual

menoscemo wrote: »

That session is nuts Krusty.
I'd want a week off after that one.

My sentiments exactly but then I realised it's only part of a mere 80 mile week:p.

Krusty_Clown

Yeah, it's very tough. Still not a patch on the JD elite plan. Kind of gives you an idea just how bullet-proof you need to be to follow that one.

Gavlor

Do you get a finishers medal for that session?

ecoli

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Monday 2.7 mile warm-up @7:25/mile
Tuesday 4 x 1600m /1 minute rest: 5:38/5:40/5:36/5:35
Wednesday 10 miles easy @7:35/mile
Thursday 4 x 1600m /1 minute rest: 5:42/5:41/5:41/5:40
Friday 2.4 mile warm-down @7:38

There have been weeks this year where I would have been fairly happy with that as a weeks training

Absolutely mental session

antomagoo

Seriously, I think you need to lie down on a couch somewhere & talk about life :-D

TRR

That session would end my running career and turn me to heroin.

theboyblunder

wow, we need a new word beyond 'savage' for that session. I did a milder version of that once (total 18 miles) which I still remember vividly as the psychological low of any training session ive run.

Congrats, and rest up!

theboyblunder

TRR wrote: »

That session would end my running career and turn me back to heroin.

FYP