Send in the Clowns - BAC 10K Challenge

Krusty_Clown

Tonight: 5 mile crappy run
A Yoko Ono run today, in contrast with yesterday's John Lennon. A 13 hour work day, left me tired and grumpy, and in no mood for a run, but for some reason, I headed out anyway. It turned out like the rest of my day. Pretty crap. Can't win 'em all.

Summary: 5 miles in 37 mins, @7:28/mile, HR=143

Krusty_Clown

Tonight: Another cracking 10 mile run. Maybe 10 miles+ is just my distance. I don't feel like I'm running right until I'm at least 5 miles in to a run. I've figured out there's two ways to have an enjoyable run; run in a nice place, or just run well. Today I felt good and strong for the first time in a while and clocked up some quicker miles. But at the same time, it made me realize just how far I am off of last year's pace. I'm thinking 65 mins would be a good target for Ballycotton, and would set me up pretty well for some faster running over subsequent months. I'll get those 5 minutes back in August.

Summary: 10 miles in 71 mins, @7:10/mile, HR=146

aero2k

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I'm thinking 65 mins would be a good target for Ballycotton, and would set me up pretty well for some faster running over subsequent months. I'll get those 5 minutes back in August.

Summary: 10 miles in 71 mins, @7:10/mile, HR=146

Krusty,

My €0.02: You're selling yourself short on your 10 mile target. I know I'd struggle to do 10 miles in 71 min on a training run (like you I feel better after 5 miles, but that usually means the first few miles are 8:45, 8:30...) and yet the flatter miles in Dungarvan felt fine at 6:00 pace.

It might be the race effect - I was gasping yesterday doing 6 miles tempo at 6:15ish, though it was a bit breezy.

You have a few weeks to sharpen up, but I'd suggest starting off around 6:00-6:10 and if that feels ok then keep it up.

Krusty_Clown

aero2k wrote: »

Krusty,

My €0.02: You're selling yourself short on your 10 mile target. I know I'd struggle to do 10 miles in 71 min on a training run (like you I feel better after 5 miles, but that usually means the first few miles are 8:45, 8:30...) and yet the flatter miles in Dungarvan felt fine at 6:00 pace.

It might be the race effect - I was gasping yesterday doing 6 miles tempo at 6:15ish, though it was a bit breezy.

You have a few weeks to sharpen up, but I'd suggest starting off around 6:00-6:10 and if that feels ok then keep it up.

It's a fair point, but....
I haven't done speedwork (tempo, intervals etc) since September (6 months ago!), and I have done very little running at 6 min/mile. My original plan was to do weekly tempo sessions at race pace, adding a mile per week. Due to illness, that plan got shot out the window.

Ballycotton got demoted from an 'A goal' to a 'C goal', when the focussed shifted to running a number of ultras in the first half of the year. I have a mini-ultra the week before Ballycotton, a very tough ultra a couple of weeks after Ballycotton, and the Two Oceans ultra a few weeks after that. So I reckon I could never have given BallyC my best focus and attention in the first half of the year. Instead of killing myself to try and achieve every goal, I'm going to enjoy the first half of the year and explore the ultras, while keeping up a good running base (50+mpw), and the second half of the year is 100% focussed on PBs: a solid 10k, Frank Duffy 10 mile, and Chicago Marathon.

The strategy works from a life perspective too. It's rare enough that I'll do a run before 10pm these days due to work and I'm permanently shattered and don't get enough sleep. I reckon trying to fit in speed-work given work demands and health needs could be the straw that break's this clown's back.

aero2k

Well, when you put it that way, your approach definitely makes sense. Definitely best to err on the side of caution though at this stage when you have all those goals for later in the year.

On the other hand, don't underestimate what you can do even without speed sessions - and going to a race with the aim of enjoying it can be a good way of having a "no pressure" fast run.

Krusty_Clown

aero2k wrote: »

Well, when you put it that way, your approach definitely makes sense.

Of course that might all change on the day, if I see you and the other lads streaming by me in the early stages of the race.
I Think the score stands at a 1-1 draw, with you taking the honours in Dunshaughlin, while I managed to steal a point in the Frank Duffy. Not that I count such things.

aero2k

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Of course that might all change on the day, if I see you and the other lads streaming by me in the early stages of the race.
I Think the score stands at a 1-1 draw, with you taking the honours in Dunshaughlin, while I managed to steal a point in the Frank Duffy. Not that I count such things.

Sorry to disappoint you - I won't be doing Ballycotton. I entered Craughwell (20 March) a good while back, and I'll be doing the GIR 3 weeks later, and most likely the Dungarvan 10k 3 weeks before, so that's enough racing for me.

We could do the Coe/Ovett thing of avoiding each other - come to think of it, no Krusty in Edinburgh......

Krusty_Clown

aero2k wrote: »

Sorry to disappoint you - I won't be doing Ballycotton. I entered Craughwell (20 March) a good while back, and I'll be doing the GIR 3 weeks later, and most likely the Dungarvan 10k 3 weeks before, so that's enough racing for me.

We could do the Coe/Ovett thing of avoiding each other - come to think of it, no Krusty in Edinburgh......

Phew.. What a releif.... I mean.. Damnit.. Another winning opportunity missed.

aero2k

Sorry, I'd have replied sooner but the thought struck me that you might have got in your second session today at lunchtime, so I went out for a third one - just in case!:D

Krusty_Clown

aero2k wrote: »

Sorry, I'd have replied sooner but the thought struck me that you might have got in your second session today at lunchtime, so I went out for a third one - just in case!:D

If it helps, I'm off to the pub tonight, so we can both have an easy run tomorrow. But I'm planning a 30 miler on Sunday, so you'd better carb-up.

BeepBeep67

Your Next Challenge?
http://www.marathonmaniacs.com/criteria.html
Titanium Level - You know You Want To!

1. 52 Marathons or more within 365 days.
2. 30 Marathons in 30 US states, Countries, or Canadian Provinces (any combination) within 365 days.
3. 20 Countries within 365 days.

Races can be run on either Saturday or Sunday. We will take into consideration that Boston and others may be on a Monday.
All races need to be official events, no training runs will count!
To be a Marathon Maniac times are not an issue, just that you finish your races. Also that you are having fun! After all, isn't that why we do this?

Krusty_Clown

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Your Next Challenge?
http://www.marathonmaniacs.com/criteria.html
Titanium Level - You know You Want To!

1. 52 Marathons or more within 365 days.
2. 30 Marathons in 30 US states, Countries, or Canadian Provinces (any combination) within 365 days.
3. 20 Countries within 365 days.

Races can be run on either Saturday or Sunday. We will take into consideration that Boston and others may be on a Monday.
All races need to be official events, no training runs will count!
To be a Marathon Maniac times are not an issue, just that you finish your races. Also that you are having fun! After all, isn't that why we do this?

Damnit. they don't take into account training runs..:rolleyes: Where would you find marathons on consecutive weekends in this country of ours?!

BeepBeep67

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Damnit. they don't take into account training runs..:rolleyes: Where would you find marathons on consecutive weekends in this country of ours?!

The Boards AC 2012 Marathon Series

Krusty_Clown

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

The Boards AC 2012 Marathon Series

One to look forward to! I did Dublin and NY over a 13 day period, so I'm at least a bronze level. Might even be at silver level (8-11 marathons in a 365 day period). When do I get my T-Shirt?

Krusty_Clown

Yesterday: 8 Mile hike from Glencullen to Kilakee
Nice hike with a couple of buddies, from Glencullen up over Three Rock, as far as Kilakee. Everything didn't go exactly to plan, so we ended up cutting a few corners in order to get the hike done on time, as kids had to be picked up (the trials and tribulations of parenthood). A three hour hike, which didn't esactly lend itself too well to today's plans.

Summary: 8 mile hike over the hills

Krusty_Clown

Today: 30 mile run from Shankill to Clondalkin
Planned to run to my workplace to pick up my car, but given that it's a 20 mile journey, and I was planning on hitting 30 miles, I decided to take a bit of a detour. I headed down the coast as far as Ringsend, and then followed the Grand Canal through Ballsbridge (which was humming in the build-up to the match) up as far as Kilmainham, before heading into the Phoenix Park for most of a lap along the muddy trails around the perimeter.

At some point I hit rock-bottom, totally dehydrated, with nowhere to buy water for miles, so the run became a huge struggle. Not sure what caused it, but had to take a few breaks every few miles. Wiped. Eventually made it to the Fonthill Road and picked up a can of coke and a bottle of water. It helped, but the next few miles were still hellish. I stuck to it though, and finished the 30 miles beside my car, feeling like I'd been run over my a train. Complete contrast to last week's long run. I'll take it handy for a couple of days, just to get over whatever ailed me today, but that's as long as I'm planning to run outside of a race environment anyway, so though it didn't go as well as planned, it's completed.

Summary: 30 miles in 3:58 @7:56/mile, HR=144

theboyblunder

I live in lucan Krusty - if you are doing that again I could depot water somewhere for you when im on my own LSR if you like. I usually go out on sundays and would often head to the top of the fonthill and beyond. Just PM if needed.

Well done on the run (you lunatic ). Will stand you in good stead in the ultras

Krusty_Clown

theboyblunder wrote: »

I live in lucan Krusty - if you are doing that again I could depot water somewhere for you when im on my own LSR if you like. I usually go out on sundays and would often head to the top of the fonthill and beyond. Just PM if needed.

Well done on the run (you lunatic ). Will stand you in good stead in the ultras

Thanks for the offer theboyblunder. I hope I won't have to do that run too often (certainly not in that style anyway!). The dehydration was really down to my own foolishness, and not knowing the area very well. When I passed a really small petrol station in Chapelizod, I incorrectly assumed there would be a local shop soon afterwards. Then I passed alongside Liffey Valley, but at that stage, my brain wasn't functioning fully, so I passed that one too instead of running the extra half mile into the centre to grab a drink. The rest was down-hill (except for the elevation, which was mostly uphill. ).

The run from Shankill to Kilcarbery (where I work) is a much more manageable 20 miles, so I'll definitely try and do that run more frequently. Nice area to run in, if you don't mind the odd bit of horse-poo, and a bit of abuse.

Seres

30 miles ,that an animal run , my weekly mileage in one day :eek:

Abhainn

Your going mad, a 30 miler,a 26.2 the week before
How many marathons is that you have run now?

Krusty_Clown

Abhainn wrote: »

Your going mad, a 30 miler,a 26.2 the week before
How many marathons is that you have run now?

You mean this year so far? Three marathon distance runs. Yesterday should have been among the easiest (the first one being over the mountains) but I definitely found it the toughest. I guess I'm at the over-reaching stage, in Tunney's parlance.

shotgunmcos

Ovre reaching eh, join the club. Seriously though isn't your race 56km or something so you almost ran your race distance huh. Now in your eternal wisdom Mr KC how many Marathon aspirants would you have doing a 24miler at this stage?

Krusty_Clown

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Ovre reaching eh, join the club. Seriously though isn't your race 56km or something so you almost ran your race distance huh. Now in your eternal wisdom Mr KC how many Marathon aspirants would you have doing a 24miler at this stage?

I reckon it's a little different when you get through your umpteenth marathon. The distance becomes less relevant, and how you perform during the race becomes more important. So what I was trying to do was give myself that physiological endurance boost, so when I run the 50k in a couple of weeks time, the distance won't be a variable (and I've run this distance a few times before). The race in March will be significantly tougher, despite being of a similar length, so it's all building in the right direction.

Krusty_Clown

Tonight: 4 mile late night recovery run
Ugh. The late runs are only getting later, and it's really only stubbornness that keeps me heading out this late in the evening. Thankfully the legs were feeling good after Sunday's horror show, and I've have liked to run another couple of easy miles, but midnight was closing, and you have to draw the line somewhere.

Summary: 4 miles in 32 mins, @8:12/mile, HR=130

claralara

Hey Krusty! Long time me no harrass you to pick your running brain... And weirdly I've just realised that I started my first log a year ago on Saturday as a result of your advice.:)

I certainly didn't think I'd see myself here in 12 months...i.e. training for the marathon in Connemara. What have I done?!

As a veteran of Connemara and a runner in or around where I live, I was just wondering if you had any advice about these hills in Connemara and what I should be incoporating into my runs. Are Newtownpark Avenue, Cornelscourt Hill, N11 (from town to leopardstown) etc in any way comparable? Or should I keep on going out the Killiney Hill direction… Gosh when I'm asking questions like this, it drives home the terror of what I've done! :eek:

Abhainn

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Tonight: 4 mile late night recovery run
Ugh. The late runs are only getting later, and it's really only stubbornness that keeps me heading out this late in the evening. Thankfully the legs were feeling good after Sunday's horror show, and I've have liked to run another couple of easy miles, but midnight was closing, and you have to draw the line somewhere.

Summary: 4 miles in 32 mins, @8:12/mile, HR=130

see you were back just before midnight. How do you sleep after that?

Krusty_Clown

claralara wrote: »

Hey Krusty! Long time me no harrass you to pick your running brain... And weirdly I've just realised that I started my first log a year ago on Saturday as a result of your advice.:)

I certainly didn't think I'd see myself here in 12 months...i.e. training for the marathon in Connemara. What have I done?!

As a veteran of Connemara and a runner in or around where I live, I was just wondering if you had any advice about these hills in Connemara and what I should be incoporating into my runs. Are Newtownpark Avenue, Cornelscourt Hill, N11 (from town to leopardstown) etc in any way comparable? Or should I keep on going out the Killiney Hill direction… Gosh when I'm asking questions like this, it drives home the terror of what I've done! :eek:

Don't worry, you'll be great! You've followed a similar pattern to the one I did, starting with a couple of half marathons before moving onto the big Kahuna. You'll love the Connemara marathon (mostly!).

The first half of the Connemarathon is actually a pretty comfortable route, which actually has a little more downhill than uphill. So perhaps what you should aim to do on your long runs is to try and get a good hill covered about half way into your run, and then try to get another hill in to the run towards the end of your run. Cornelscourt is a good solid hill, shorter but steeper than the Connemara hill climbs, but still suitable. The run up Vico Road (from either direction) is absolutely perfect. Around the perfect height and length.

So assuming you live in the Blackrock area (I grew up there many, many moons ago!), you could head to Dun Laoghaire, run along the coast and up over Vico Road, as far as Shankill village (or your turn-about point depending on the distance you want to cover) and then head back the way you came, back over Vico Road and home. So you could easily work out a 15-20 mile route that way.

If you're the kind of person who likes to over-prepare (really not necessary for Connemara though) then Puck's Castle Lane (here) is a tough slog of a hill, tougher than the Hell of the West, with lots of fresh air and good views. Emer_911 can occasionally be found slogging her way up around these parts of a weekend, if you want someone to show you the way (and a more realistic perspective on the difficulty of the hill!).

Krusty_Clown

Abhainn wrote: »

see you were back just before midnight. How do you sleep after that?

Not great, but I think that's more down to the dinner eaten at 12:15am. I'm not a great sleeper at the best of times, but no better after a late meal. Not a very healthy lifestyle at the moment, but when your fancy includes foreign marathons, you gotta find ways to pay for them. Only 2.5 years left, and I'll have the majors covered, and then I can settle down to a sedentary lazy lifestyle. Obesity, here I come!

Krusty_Clown

Morning: 10k hilly run
After yesterday's work slog, I took a couple of hours to myself this morning, which was magic. Haven't had this much time to myself in a long while, and to run on a weekday morning felt just special. Sunshine, fresh air, hills, all good. The one good thing about having dinner after midnight is that I can run without breakfast (I wouldn't normally) so after a few scoops of water, I headed out into the sunshine. Legs are still a little tired from Sunday's long run, but as usual, they picked up after a couple of miles, so by the time I crested Puck's Castle they were eager to go, so I enjoyed a couple of quick miles on the downhill, before heading for home. Lovely cure for the work blues. I might try and do this more often, when faced with long evenings working with Merkins from the West Coast. Will try and get in a few more miles this evening, if the workload permits. Happy days.

Summary: 6.3 miles in 48 mins, @7:32/mile, HR=144

Krusty_Clown

Today: 5 mile recovery run.
Nice handy run, that cost me the first half of the Barcelona game, but it's okay, I caught the most important half. Seem to have recovered well from Sunday's run, so good result there. A little stiff, but otherwise, niggle free.
Summary: 5 miles in 38 mins, @7:44/mile