Send in the Clowns - BAC 10K Challenge

Krusty_Clown

No Bobbitt story here Amadeus!!

I was too busy in work for the last two days to update the log, so here it is:
Tueday: 50 minute tempo run. First time I've every done a time based tempo run, so I misjudged, and only did 44 minutes, but that's close enough in my book. I took a spin up to BeepBeep's Cabinteely cinder track, to see if it was suitable for some intervals. Sadly, there's no nearby lighting, so after sun-down, you're in the dark. This is further compunded by the fact that the track seems to have been dug-up in places (around the inside lane of the track), so while running, occasionally you'll hit a large mound, or some scattered rocks. Not much fun in the dark. Still, the surface is soft enough underfoot, so if you don't mind not running on the inside lane (and don't even ask about lane markings) it wouldn't be the worst place in the world to do intervals. Obviously without any markings or inside lane, a lap will be more than 400m, so best to stick with the Garmin to track interval distances. Might give it a go this evening, if the wind lets up a little. Otherwise I'll go for an ambling run.

Summary: 6.5 miles, in 44 mins, @6:46 min/mile, HR=156
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/19053558

Krusty_Clown

Tonight: Too windy for intervals, so I set off to do an easy 6 miles. However, the chat about last night's match on Newstalk was too entertaining, so I ended up staying out for 10 miles, on a horrendous night. NewsTalk - a great training aid.

Summary: 10 miles in 1:17 @7:35/miles. HR=143

Krusty_Clown

Tonight: Intervals 10x400m @Mile pace
One of those workouts where nothing works out and you just want to call it a day. Decided I'd drive to Kilbogget Park and try the cinder track. I drove to try and save some time. Stuck in traffic jam, so instead of a 15 minute run to the park, I have a 30 minute drive. 1 Mile warm-up and headed to the remains of the track, only to find that the bonfires had gotten there first. Grrr.. So instead I headed out to the N11 and ran up and down the cycle lane. Not the nicest place to do your repeats. But, I got them done, and that's all that counts. Weather's supposed to turn crap for the weekend, so glad the box is ticked.

Average Pace: 5:21/mile. Average time was somewhere around: 1:19
Had to take a 20 second breather after #20.

Summary: 5.20 miles in some time at some pace.

Krusty_Clown

Today: After an hour or two of lazing about the house, staring out the window, I finally got the nerve up and headed for the park at 12 o'clock. Weather was so appalling, but thankfully I made the right move and brought my Inov8 mudclaws which were ideal for the conditions. So I stuck to the lake grass, and at times was wading through a foot of water, which was immense fun. Now I understand why dogs have the desire to go for a splash every time they see a deep puddle. When you drop your inhibitions, it's a happy time. Strangely, the dog owners were glaring at me like I was a mad-man. Sure, it's good enough for their four legged friends, but when I give it a go, suddenly it's odd? So I made the best of a bad day, and got some 'XC-like' practice in at the same time, albeit without the rolling hills.

Summary: 6 miles in 45 minutes, @7:36/mile, HR=145.

Krusty_Clown

Today: A couple of runs today:

Run 1: A fantastic 10.5 mile run this morning, with the first 5 miles uphill to the top of Carrickgollogan. On these routes, I would normally stick to the roads, but felt like hitting the trail and running to the peak, which was...interesting. I only lasted 20 seconds at the top, as the wind threatened to take the legs from me. I did have to walk the last 30 metres of the climb, but that just gives me a challenge for another day. Really enjoyed stretching the legs on the return back down the hill, with some speedy (wind and downhill assisted) miles. I had to call a halt to this run, as the young fella needed a lift to his footie match. Really enjoyed this one, despite the crappy wind.
Summary: 10.5 miles in 1:18, with a lovely 240m climb. Pace: 7:26, HR=152

Run 2: I still had my smelly gear on after dropping off the young fella, so stopped off in Kilbogget for a 3 mile recovery run. Had a look at the cinder track by daylight, which actually looks ok (in the middle lanes). Shame a facility like this is allowed to go to waste. Wind was really picking up towards the end, so I was glad to arrive back at the car.
Summary: 3 miles in 24 mins, @8:10/mile. HR=136.

Total for week: 41 miles, which I'm happy with, with a number of quality sessions, during a tough work week, and schite weather.

Peckham

Fair play getting out twice in that weather. Once was more than enough for me!

Also, you Shankill guys seem obsessed with this cinder track! What's the deal?

Krusty_Clown

Any track will do! I've never run on a track in my life, so would love to give one a go, but the nearest are Charlesland and UCD. On Friday I did my intervals up and down the cycle track on the side of the N11. Last week, I did them on a flooded dark road between a recycle centre and a graveyard. Now d'ya get it?!

Peckham

Fair enough. I do my intervals on a footpath, but am lucky to have a long, lit, straight, unused footpath near my house.

Krusty_Clown

Tonight: 6 Mile Tempo run. No running or swimming yesterday, as I got my flu shot and my arm felt uncomfortably heavy. The rest did me good, as I was running fast, and the pace felt normal. A good route that brings me from my house to Bray, and leaves me with a 1 mile run up and down the promenade, so handy enough for a tempo run as I can see where the mile ends. The quick miles were 6:24 and 5:54. If work and the weather permit, I will try and do my intervals tomorrow.

Summary: 6 miles in 42 mins, @6:59 min/mile, HR=153

asimonov

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Tonight: 6 Mile Tempo run. No running or swimming yesterday, as I got my flu shot and my arm felt uncomfortably heavy. The rest did me good, as I was running fast, and the pace felt normal. A good route that brings me from my house to Bray, and leaves me with a 1 mile run up and down the promenade, so handy enough for a tempo run as I can see where the mile ends. The quick miles were 6:24 and 5:54. If work and the weather permit, I will try and do my intervals tomorrow.

Summary: 6 miles in 42 mins, @6:59 min/mile, HR=153

*Unsolicited advice warning*
I am not sure if this is how you normally do your tempo runs, and I was just doing a geek check on your garmin stats. :-)

I notice that your heart rate didn't really stabilise during the tempo sections of the run. Once it breaks 160bpm, it keeps going and hits say 173 or so at one point. It might be an idea to try and keep your heart rate around a point (maybe 165) for longer and if it means backing off the pace to keep it there - considering doing that. I only know this from guys i run with who have coaches and they would do 2 or 3 X 10' at 160 / 165 / 170 heart rate depending on how tough the session was mean to be. But they would control their pace to keep their heart rate in or around that point. There would be some drift through the run - but normally not more than 5 beat per minute.

Ignore at will!

Krusty_Clown

Thanks for the advice, and I know you're right, but to be honest, I'm not really taking this 10k training plan very seriously. Sure I stopped and took a break half-way through the run to enjoy the view across Dublin bay from Bray Head. Less than ideal as a tempo run! More like a couple of 1 mile intervals. December 13th, everything changes though. No more nice views. Just heart-busting calf-shredding tempo hell.

Abhainn

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Any track will do! I've never run on a track in my life, so would love to give one a go, but the nearest are Charlesland and UCD. !

Great going there KC. You certainly mixing up the training nicely which is a wise thing.
When I do track intervals its always Charlesland, though I detest runnning around and around and around.
I prefer doing mile intervals on an 8 mile loop. It breaks up the boredom.

Krusty_Clown

Abhainn wrote: »

Great going there KC. You certainly mixing up the training nicely which is a wise thing.
When I do track intervals its always Charlesland, though I detest runnning around and around and around.
I prefer doing mile intervals on an 8 mile loop. It breaks up the boredom.

Thanks. I'll definitely have to get off my lazy ass and drive out to Charlesland one of these days. I'm more used to running out there from Shankill on a 20 mile loop, but it's probably not a good idea to mix that up with an interval session.

I think I may have asked this before, but is it lit-up at night? I see they're open until 10pm. I might try and visit the track after I have picked up the kids from their various sporting endeavours (around 8:30pm). I see Kilcoole AC train there on a Wednesday, but I think they're done from 8pm.

Abhainn

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I think I may have asked this before, but is it lit-up at night? I see they're open until 10pm. I might try and visit the track after I have picked up the kids from their various sporting endeavours (around 8:30pm). I see Kilcoole AC train there on a Wednesday, but I think they're done from 8pm.

Yes I think so. I used to get there for 5 and be finished for 6 and usually there were only a few around.
It's usually booked up then for club training then till close. I'm not sure how busy or if you are allowed to use while it it booked up for private sessions though.

BeepBeep67

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I think I may have asked this before, but is it lit-up at night? I see they're open until 10pm. I might try and visit the track after I have picked up the kids from their various sporting endeavours (around 8:30pm). I see Kilcoole AC train there on a Wednesday, but I think they're done from 8pm.

€30 if you want the floodlights on, but honestly once your eyes adjust the lights from the car park are sufficient, also most clubs won't mind you being on track, though you will using the outside lanes. Exception would be Greystones (Juvs) train there on a Tuesday and from 7 normally use most of the lanes.

Krusty_Clown

Cool, thanks. I'm well used to running in the dark anyway. Apart from a few mis-haps of straying from the path in Shanganagh late at night, it's been mostly ok. Must be all the carrots.

Krusty_Clown

Tonight: 11x400m @ mile pace
Late one this evening, with the run kicking off at 9pm. Not a good time to try and motivate yourself to go out and do intervals. From a previous thread, I decided to increase the rest between reps to 1+mins, and I definitely benefited in terms of pace, and finishing each interval in better shape, but they were still tough.

Average for the intervals was:
Pace: 5:16min/mile
Average time: ~1:18
HR=155

Summary: 5.51 miles in 40 mins.

Krusty_Clown

Tonight: 10 mile run of a Thursday, with a couple of nice short steep hill climbs that anybody would be happy with, moonlight and the stars to light the path before me, and good tunes on the ipod to help the miles tick by. Happy Days. Will take it easier for the next couple of days before the intermediate XC race on Sunday.

Summary: 10 miles in 1:14, @7:27 min/mile. HR=150.

BeepBeep67

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I think I may have asked this before, but is it lit-up at night? I see they're open until 10pm. I might try and visit the track after I have picked up the kids from their various sporting endeavours (around 8:30pm). I see Kilcoole AC train there on a Wednesday, but I think they're done from 8pm.

You can check here when Greysones use the track: http://www.greystonesac.com/club-nights-join-us/

Krusty_Clown

Tonight: 5 Mile recovery run. @8:04 min/mile, HR=139. Beginning to feel a little like a vampire-runner. Can't remember the last daylight run. Oh wait, it was Sunday. :rolleyes:

donothoponpop

You're flying Krusty.

Here's a loaded question- six months back you had to cry off the WW Relay and a heap of races owing to your injury, and now you've almost got a sub3 marathon, and getting better judging by your training. You don't seem to have suffered any ill effects from your layoff- quite the contrary in fact- so how did you come back from the injury so fast and so successfully? I'm looking for tips!

Krusty_Clown

Two parts turtle blood to one part shark placenta.

Unfortunately, the answer is a boring one. At the time I was happily unemployed, so had the time to do weights, core strength exercises, and cycling (and later some swimming) - none of which I have the time to do any longer. By the time I could run again, I was so happy to be out there again, I didn't want to mess it up, so took it easy (apart from some ill-advised IMRA races). Then I found God. My injury wasn't very bad. It just prevented me from running. Like having a mild cramp in the calf muscle up to the back of the knee for two months.

I'm still pretty new to this running lark, so the gains are still good, but I reckon I'll be hitting my natural plateau soon, where the returns will be diminishing (wow, that's pretty impressive for just shy of 1am. ).

Krusty_Clown

Today: 5 Mile steady state run in Cabinteely Park, while the young fella was football training. Pace: 7:17 which felt nice and comfortable, so the switch to 10k training between marathons seems to be paying off. I think a lot of this running lark is psychological, so when you can get used to running around 7 min/mile comfortably, then the 6:45 marathon pace doesn't sound like such a huge leap. Rest up now for tomorrow's first and potentially last foray into cross-country.

Summary: 5 miles in 36 minutes, @7:17, HR=150.

Krusty_Clown

I have never run XC before. If it's always like it is today, I'll have to think long and hard before I do it again! Tough, tough, tough.. The conditions were awful. Like the 10k motorway run, only with a little more cold, a little less wind, and a lot more mud. I had no ambitions for this race, other than to finish, and also, see if I could prove that I deserved to be in this race, given the standard. Well, I finished, and I think anyone who finishes a race like the one today deserves to be running at this standard.

As I warmed up with Robin, Shels and Chinguetti I did as one always does before a race, and looked at the caliber of our competitors and it looked like it was going to be a hard one. No top 3% finish today. the Inov8 Mudclaws felt pretty grippy as we made our way down to the start of the race. Unfortunately, the trek down to the start of the race was a jolly jaunt in comparison to everything that came afterwards.

As the starting pistol sent us off, the mud started flying in all directions, and it was only going to get worse and worse, as the spikes tore up the springy grass and left in their wake a trail of muddy destruction. At the end of the first lap, I realized just how tough this race was going to be, as I was feeling pretty wrecked at this early stage of the race, but I soon got into my standard rhythm, of taking the race one group at a time, ducking in for a while before pushing on to find the next group. About half way through I found myself in no mans land as I pushed on through a group, and had nobody else to target. I ran lap three mostly on my own, with the next group just too far ahead to catch. I caught a couple of stragglers, before hitting the bell for the final lap.

At about 4.5 miles, I decided to pick up the pace a little for the last half mile. Beginner's mistake! I don't think these races are measured with quite the same fervour as road races, so the finish that I thought would come after 5 miles didn't come for close to another half mile after that. The field at this stage seemed to be paired up, as runners matched themselves against other runners in personal battles. With one bend to go, I dug in with the mudclaws and managed to catch one runner on the final sprint. I think the other evaded my final challenge, but can't remember too clearly, as I was giving it toast over the finish line. Maybe Woddle will have an enlightening photo!

High praise to Mithral and Woddle who both braved the awful weather to enjoy the mudfest and cheer us on. There was enough mud left in the bath to grow some spuds, so if I do this race next year, the baked potatoes are on me. As I sit here basking in the warmth and listening to the wind and rain hitting the front window of my house, I'm still not sure whether or not I enjoyed the race, but one things for certain, I sure am glad that it's over.

Summary: 5.4 Miles in 35 minutes and change, @6:41/mile, HR=167

Woddle

Well done Krusty some fantastic running and to finish where you did in the pack just goes to show how much you've improved this year as these were all decent club runners.

gerard65

Well done krusty, XC is a whole different game:eek:

BeepBeep67

Good running KC, even by XC standards the condidtions looked rough today - I think secretly you enjoyed it.

Krusty_Clown

Some great shots there Woddle. Nice down-hill. Reminds me of IMRA:


and this one, the final sprint to the finish line. I remember passing the guy who's right behind me early in lap 3, so he must have hung on to me for a good lap and a half, or else really picked up the pace.

donothoponpop

Well done on your run, you're making some strides these days Great report too Krusty, almost makes me want to try XC again.

Almost.

Slogger Jogger

Well done indeed. You are making great strides. The photos were great. Really made me glad I wasn't there. Nice report and shows that you have it in you to pick up the pace when you need to.