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Send in the Clowns - BAC 10K Challenge
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Krusty_Clown wrote: »Interesting. What is your 'T' value of 5:40 based on? Is it your recent 1500m?
My 1500 was 4:26 so mile would be around 4:47. McMillian say my tempo is at highest 5:38 based on the 1500 time
If I don't hit session tomorrow or not able to walk away and train for the remaining week I will look at it again. I'm having fun and hit the 1 x 2 and 2 x 1 last week.0 -
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Isn't that faster than your current 5k pace? Seems to be a bit of a disconnect there. Either you're running your tempos too fast, or you are under-performing at the 5k distance. Probably time to start thinking of committing to the shorter distances, as it's where your strengths appear to lie.thewolf_ie wrote: »My 1500 was 4:26 so mile would be around 4:47. McMillian say my tempo is at highest 5:38 based on the 1500 time
If I don't hit session tomorrow or not able to walk away and train for the remaining week I will look at it again. I'm having fun and hit the 1 x 2 and 2 x 1 last week.0 -
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Nah, unfortunately it was an out and back trip to Sligeach, but now that I know it's only an hour up the road from Roscommon, I'll definitely visit more freqently, particularly for the surfing.Did you drop in to see the craic at the Fleadh while you were up west?
Monday: 7.3 miles + 9 miles easy
Tuesday: 9 miles + 5 miles easy
Wednesday: JDA: 2 x (3 Miles @T w/3 mins rest) + (2 Miles @T) + 6 Miles warm-up/down
Bit of a disappointing week so far, as I came to terms with the fact that I would have to choose between having a final stab at the 400m at the graded meets, or running a much-needed marathon session. I came tantalizingly close to my sub-60 400m target (60.19), but realistically, I have done absolutely nothing since then that would lead me to believe that I might improve on that time. In fact, as the focus has shifted towards the marathon, the emphasis has moved to tempo/threshold running, and further away from a sub-60 400m. At the same time, I'm feeling that I'm performing well below the goal/standard I have set for myself for the marathon, so the decision was a straightforward one, if a little heavy-hearted. The goal for the year has been the marathon, and everything else along the way has been either a building block or an enjoyable distraction.
I haven't slept properly for weeks at this point (part stress, part jet-lag, part noise, part holidays), and woke up feeling extremely tired and quite pessimistic. I carried this mood with me to the track, where the thought of 3@T + 3@T + 2@T filled me with a little dread. The goal (as usual) was to hit each 1600m split in around 5:30. I fell well-short of that goal, but was close enough that I'm not quite yet ready to start reconsidering my marathon target.
3 Miles warm-up @7:15/mile
3 Miles Tempo @5:37/mile in 16:46
mins rest>
3 Miles Tempo @5:36/mile in 16:42 mins rest>
2 Miles Tempo @5:44/mile in 11:25
3+ Miles cool-down @8 min/mile
I was completely shagged after the second tempo section and a little nauseous. I was considering all forms of escape to get me out of the final 2 mile tempo, but in the end just resigned myself to putting the head down, and counting down the laps. I ignored the splits and kept the pace on just the right side of nausea. While the splits are a good chunk quicker than when I ran this session exactly a year ago (approx 10 seconds per mile), it didn't fill me with the usual post-session warm fuzzy feeling. Over-riding feeling is of being behind target, with time running out. Well, I have a 13 mile marathon-paced session this weekend, which should serve as a really good indicator of where I am.
Summary: ~15 miles in ~1:39, @~6:30/mile0 -
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Thursday: 8.7 + 7.5 miles easy-> steady
First run was supposed to be a recovery run, after Wednesday's tough session, but felt ok, and the quicker than recovery numbers suggest I repaired well. Headed out for five miles in the evening, but ended up staying out for 7.5 miles over a hilly loop and finishing with some steady miles, which was a bit dumb the day after a session.
Friday: 6 miles recovery
Paid the price for the previous evenings fast miles, with stiff legs and tight muscles. Supposed to do some strides, but legs were just too sore.
Saturday: 5 miles with strides
Easing back a little for Sunday's session.
Sunday: Longford Half marathon @MP
Goals for the race were:
1. Run the entire thing at marathon pace (target 5:50/mile).
2. Try and get a sneaky minor PB
3. Get a podium spot if it was there for the taking
I find that running a half marathon at mp is probably a little too easy (when compared to doing it solo), to really count as a 13 mile marathon-paced session, but I've recently been feeling that I'm a little behind, so could do with the extra help. I ran this same race last year at MP, and finished fifth, so I figured that if I was targeting 1:16:00, it might move me up the ranks a little, but it all depends on who turns up on the day. 90 minute early morning drive to Longford and had plenty time to tick off 2.5 miles warm-up. Good to bump into Dublin Runner, Oisin, Aimman, yaboya, BitterLemon and the glamour couple. Always makes races that much more chillaxed when you know a few friendly faces about the place.
At 10am sharp, we were off, and though I started 50-100 people back, I soon weaved my way through the runners and moved close to the front. I learned from last year's mistake that it's better to count the runners ahead of you before they disappear into the distance, so I closed the distance on the front-runners, and found that I was in seventh, before the full and half marathon courses split into different directions. I saw Freddy and Gary O'H up ahead (both doing the marathon), so figured I was in at least 5th spot. Early pace was comfortable enough, and the first couple of miles ticked off in 5:46 and 5:43.
Got chatting to a couple of runners as we headed back through Longford town. First guy was targeting 2:36 for the marathon. Second guy had never run a marathon before, but usually headed out for a 20 mile run at the weekend, so figured he'd give it a pop. Given that we were averaging around 5:45/mile, I felt it might be prudent to ask him what pace he usually ran his 20 mile runs at, just in case he was over-doing it. When he answered 6:10/mile, I figured he'd be grand. More on this guy later.....
We hit the branch off point, and I bid good luck to the two marathon runners, who in turn wished me the best of good fortune. Time to count how many runners were ahead in my race. I could see Philip Harty disappearing into the distance (probably 500m ahead at this point) and a blue-singleted runner approximately 150m ahead. That was it. I was in third place. I was a little surprised, as the standard is typically better than this. Perhaps the Frank Duffy 10 mile sucked up all the good runners? This changed the dynamic a little, as a podium in Longford would be a great result. No point thinking about it though. Primary plan was to average 5:50, so if that found me in 3rd, I'd be well happy. Later in the race, if I lost a spot, I could make a decision at that point what I might do. Mile 3: 5:52.
We were now out in the countryside, with just myself and the blue-singleted runner ahead visible on the stretch of road. Every once in a while we'd get passed by a car, which turned out to be Michelle McGee's entourage. I had drawn close enough to the runner ahead that I could now make out the Longford AC writing on his singlet. True enough, at every junction he got a hearty cheer. Never nice to take on a local chap, as they know the road better than anyone else, and get the most encouragement, but bit by bit, the distance was closing (mile 4: 5:53), and as we emerged out on the major road once more, I drew level and soon overtook him. His breathing was pretty heavy, which is never a good sign at mile 5 (5:47), so I secretly hoped I wouldn't see him again until after the finish line. I was now in second place. :eek:
Out on the major road, we once again rejoined the full marathon distance runners, though this time we closed on the back of the field and had to make our way through the throngs, which demanded a bit of weaving and running on the main road (amid the Mayo fans headed for Croker). Thankfully one of the be-cycled officials picked me out, and cleaved a path ahead of me, urging the full marathoners to keep in, to give us a bit of space. I decided to take the opportunity to make as big a gap as I could from the Longford runner, selfishly hoping he didn't also have a bicycle to chase along the national road. Mile 6: 5:47. Eventually, the Half-marathon route once again split off from the marathon route, and I had to regretfully say goodbye to my two-wheeled friend. I continued to work on the gap, while keeping my average pace (now 5:48) within acceptable marathon pace bounds. Mile 7: 5:44.
Soon after, I hit a couple of short climbs that increased the effort levels and had an impact on pace (mile 8: 5:56). I took a glance backwards and was dismayed to see a runner about 200m behind in a red singlet. I'd have been happier if it was the Longford runner, but a red singlet meant that someone else was within tracking distance and may be closing on me. Who could it be? I thought I remembered seeing Michelle McGee in a red singlet, and suddenly there was a lump in my throat. She's in great shape, but is she in 1:16 shape? At least it wouldn't impact the final podium standings, but I could see TRR signing up for a new boards account, just to get the digs in. I started counting the gaps between clapping at the water-stations, and the distance didn't seem to be narrowing.
Miles 9 and 10 were rather lumpy, and took a toll on the average pace (5:53 and 5:56), which was back at 5:50. Worse was the growing side-stitch. Yes, that side-stitch. The same one that robbed me of a minute in Dublin marathon and has cost me a couple of places in a few races. As usual, I did everything I could, including massage, changing stride pattern, breathing pattern, and stretching my neck off to the left and right in an effort to stretch whatever was causing the growing pain. Something eventually worked as gradually the pain receded. Mile 11 was a lacklustre 5:55.
Soon after that I was back out on the national road, and with a dawning realization that I was in second place in the Longford half-marathon, the pace picked up a little as I headed for home. Mile 12: 5:44. Final mile back into town saw me clawing back some of the lost time on the lumpy hills, as I knocked out a 5:36. Saw the clock ahead ticking off 1:15:35, so picked up the pace to guarantee the minor PB, finishing in 1:15:56 (for a whopping 8 second PB!). Hung around and got a quick massage, and some lovely treatment from the nice First aid folks (nice cool facecloth), before meeting up with Dublin runner and Yaboya for a couple of cool-down miles. The MC had said that the awards ceremony for the half marathon was at 12:45, but as it turned out, his watch was wrong, so returning from my five mile leg loosener, I missed it completely.
That runner who was out for an elongated Sunday run? Finished in 3rd place in 2:32 in his first ever marathon. Puts my performance into perspective! Still, I was happy with the outcome. Ticked off all my goals. Effort was a little higher than it should be (particularly over the hillier miles), but the last few quick miles suggested that there was still something in the tank, so I'll plough ever onwards.
Summary: 13.1 miles in 1:15:56, @5:49/mile + warm up/down = ~20 miles.1 -
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Yeah, it definitely seems that way. Every week seems a little like a mini-soap opera. Too much drama, not enough running.Boring, boring, boring.
Not feeling the best during the week, starts off ok, fades a bit in the middle and comes back with a podium position and a PB. It's a bit like an X-Factor performance. :rolleyes:
BTW your 2:32 marathon runner might have been under-selling himself a bit. He is a regular 10K winner around these parts in c32mins. With the right preparation he should be up there with Gary H and Freddy, or ahead.
Funny you mention that about the 2:32 guy. During the conversation between the three of us, one of the lads asked me my name. 2:32 guy recognized my name from the Roscommon 10 mile and said something about 'putting the Sligo lads in their place', which was something you'd said previously in this thread. Do you run with him sometimes? Reckon he has some memorable times ahead, if he makes the commitment. Some runner.0 -
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