1 PhD and 2 Marathons in next 8 months pretty please!!

MarieC

Thur Feb 5th
Have been starving the entire day even though I've so far today eaten 2 scones [just jam], 2 bags of popcorn, 2 apples, 1 lunchbox of rice and veg, 3mugs of tea (black). Still hungry and getting a little lazy about run so what has spurred me on to go do it? The fact that the vending machine at the Arena sells granola bars! Im outta here! :pac:

MarieC

Thur 5th Feb

4.2miles in 34:36 which translates to 8.23min/mile. If I could maintain this new faster pace Id be delighted. Have it in my head now to really work on my 10k time..... Beautiful clear starry night for a run - just perfect.

P.S -Wolfed down granola bar before run. Having bed time treat now of porridge and peppermint tea

MarieC

Fri 6th Feb

7.2miles in 62:36 which is 8.69min/mile pace. Happy enough with that pace. Run was good, tough enough to keep going (think it was just cos it was friday evening). Beautiful evening for a run so it was strange for there to be no other runners out at all.

McConkey

Hi MarieC, just catching up on your log, all seems to be going well and in order for you You planning a good time for Adare 10k then....I'll be about 20 min behind you I'd say Running on a gammy leg at the moment, rest it up but it doesn't go away fully and I'm aggravating it again when I head out for my runs.....hopefully Ill make it to Adare. Good luck

MarieC

Mon Feb 9th

Was meant to do long run this evening but too tired. Ended up going for very easy 2.5miler with friend. Hardly felt I was running, more just a gossip whilst cantering along. Variety is good

ManFromAtlantis

MarieC wrote: »

Mon Feb 9th

Ended up going for very easy 2.5miler with friend. Hardly felt I was running,

good stuff. ur entitled to the odd easy run. they (who ever they are) say its even good for your training. anyways its always nice when you can say a run felt easy no matter how slow. how are u set for connemara? or are u going.

MarieC

ManFromAtlantis wrote: »

how are u set for connemara? or are u going.

90% sure that Im only going to do the half here. Wouldn't mind doing the full even though Paris is 2 weeks later, but college is so full on that I run (literally) the risk of fecking up too many things if I try to do the full. Cant afford to get burnt out. Would still love to try the full but Im trying to be sensible. I guess there will be plenty opportunities for dong muliple marathons in my my post-PhD life (if such a thing exists). Any opinions??

ManFromAtlantis

a phd on marathon training. sounds like the way. ya think half is sensible if doing paris. lucky you. ya reckon youl'' break the big 4.

MarieC

Aim is sub 2 for Connemara (I know I know, the hills are bad) and then sub 4 for Paris. Really would love to beat DM 08 time 3:53:17 but sub 4 for sure anyway.

Are you doing Connemara yourself?

ManFromAtlantis

no. in hindsight i shouldve put my name down. would break up the training and a half would do just fine . dub is the main aim but migt look at longford full nearer the time. or if there was any other halfs around teh country i might do one. g'luck in gay paris btw.

MarieC

Cork has a half marathon, as does Achill and Donegal, Im sure there are another few happening also.
Hope ur own training is going well for you!

MarieC

Tue Feb 10th

Didnt get my long run done for last week so headed off this evening for a 15miler. Weather was crap initially but beautiful then - big fat moon, starry sky... Man was it cold for a finish tho! Took it easy so clocked the 15miles in 2:19:50 which works out at 9.23min/mile pace. Happyish with that, considering a bit of slowing for traffic and ITB trying to pop out of my leg. Stiff now.........

MarieC

Wed Feb 18th

Due to being away at the weekend I hadn't ran in a week! Went out last night for 4.2miles. Took it handy enough, and averaged just under 9min/mile pace (8.96 to be exact). Think I may have to wean myself not off running, but off Boards for a lil while, thats if I want to every finish this PhD........

MarieC

Thur Feb 19th
4.2miles again today. Got the pace down a little to 8.88min/mile so thats good. Just need a few more runs to get the body feeling fresh again.

ManFromAtlantis

good going. stick into the phd . in fact why not log time spent studying instead of running. and just pretend its running.
seriously tho good luck and as those lads from tipperary/limerick would say " knuckle down"

MarieC

Tue Feb24th

4.2miles at 8.81min/mile pace. Happy enough with that and felt like I was able give extra kick for last leg of it.

MarieC

Wed Feb 25th

Beautiful run this evening. 6miles long. Really felt like I gave it socks and was anxious to see what time was at end...thats when I realised I hadnt pressed start on my watch! Thats what I get for bringing the i-pod again! Still though, I felt my time was good and thats what matters to me. Beautiful crisp evening for a run. The daylight lasting longer is amazing and makes running through the dark winter almost worthwhile!

kingQuez

Hey MarieC, the real world is kicking my ass after my great escape from college and getting a 'real' job... I'm managing to keep up to date on boards.ie in the evenings but hardly ever take the time to post these days other than into my log. Looking at your miles on the 1000miles thread it looks like you're gettingin the miles and being pretty consistent with training, hope the PhD is all going well for you too and its not stressing you out too much. I'd blocked everything to do with mine from my head until I got a mail last week to let me know examiners have been selected and I'll be having a viva imminently
Anyway, glad to see you're sticking at it all!

MarieC

kingQuez wrote: »

Hey MarieC, the real world is kicking my ass after my great escape from college and getting a 'real' job... I'm managing to keep up to date on boards.ie in the evenings but hardly ever take the time to post these days other than into my log. Looking at your miles on the 1000miles thread it looks like you're gettingin the miles and being pretty consistent with training, hope the PhD is all going well for you too and its not stressing you out too much. I'd blocked everything to do with mine from my head until I got a mail last week to let me know examiners have been selected and I'll be having a viva imminently
Anyway, glad to see you're sticking at it all!

Cheers thanks for the words of encouragement KingQuez. Its definitely taxing at times trying to juggle it all. Hopefully will manage to keep everything progressing, cant afford to let anything slide.....

Let me know how the viva goes for you - scary scary stuff. I think I'll be needing valium when that day comes for me. :eek:

MarieC

Thur 26th Feb
O dear God worst idea ever! Was hungry before running so ate a granola bar and drank a bottle of water and ran within a minute of finishing it. was in bits for most of run but as for after it....not good. Stomach was churning. Worst thing was Id to go to dinner with friends afterwards. I thought in some twisted way that food would settle it but no, au contraire. We'll leave it at that. Think I ran it at 8.9min pace. Didnt care about pace this evening...

MarieC

Mon March 2nd

100crunches to work on the core (Its something I took up for lent)

6miles then last night, ran in honour of Colin Dunne. Beautiful evening for a run and gave it as much as I could the whole way around. Managed it in 51:09, 8.525min/mile pace. Very happy with that. Felt so lucky to be fit and healthy and able to enjoy running........

spaceylou

Keep up the good work MarieC - a phd and 2 marathons is a big ask in one year makes my aim of masters and 1 marathon seem much easier!! :rolleyes:

MarieC

Tue 3rd March

Oh woe is me! Just really wasn't in form for running in the dark and cold and rain last night so I hit the gym. Ran 3miles on treadmill at 7mph pace and the monotony of it nearly killed me. Pace was v.manageable which I was happy about considerring it was 8.5min/miles. But the enjoyment was non-existant. Boo hoo :mad: / /

MarieC

Tue March 10th
Well I took the advice of some Amadeus and MCOS and gave myself some breathing space from the running. Hadn't ran in a week. Thank God it was still bright and amazingly not raining when I ran this evening. I've realised that if running isn't fun for me there really is no point in doing it. As well as that, I have to make the PhD my # 1 focus so there will be runs missed. It aint the end of the world and I have to remember that.

Goal for between now and Connemara Half and Paris full is keep up the running. I know Im fit so just to keep it that way, as much mentally as physically. 3miles this evening after a week off in 26:27, which is 8.81min/mile pace so Im happy with that.

Run for fun, I have to keep reminding myself of that.

actwithoutwords

Hi. I'm also a PhDer running the half in Connemara. Thinking of doing a full one in Berlin maybe later in the year, though goodness knows when I'll finish this doctorate. On the one hand, the flexibility of PhD work is ideal for running. In another way, can make it difficult. If I do a long run early on a weekend morning/afternoon, there is virtually no chance I'll feel like doing any work afterwards. That said, the overall level of fitness I have now has given me a lot more energy to get stuff done than before.
Best of luck anyway, with both.

MCOS

How are you feeling now?! Best of luck in Conn btw

MarieC

Haven't even logged on here in weeks because have had to committ to studies big time. Did the Half yesterday. was a little nervous as haven't had a chance to train as much recently as Id like. I stupidly walked to the shop in shoes I hadnt worn in 7months on Friday. After a half hour I had 3 blisters on my feet - far from ideal!

So my goal was sub2hrs, even 1:59:59. I was going to focus on having a good positive frame of mind and hope for the best. ITB flared up within 4miles. Haven't had it flare up that early in a very very long time. Worked through it anyway. Was fine really until mile 10ish. That hill is tough tough tough. Then just after the 11mile mark, I found it v.tough from then on. Feet felt like they wanted to burst out throgh my shoes, toes were all v.sore. IT still little tight.

Crossed the line in 2:02:05 on my watch. All things considered I should be happy with that, just slightly disappointed as I wanted the sub 2. I know Im faster than a 9.3min/mile pace definitely.

So some advice people - Im running Paris full Sunday week. Should I be ok for a sub4? Im going to maybe get a session of physio between now and then, wear my DM08 runners for Paris, and never wear those God foresaken shoes again that gave me blisters! (cant believe I made such an amateur mistake).

Otherwise, Connemara was fantastic. Ron hill passed me out. What an unbelieavable legend. A runner wearing one "blade" prosthetic leg also passed me out. To be able compete yesterday in such amazing surrounding, and be alive and fit and healthy has to be appreciated also.

P.S - Buitoni pasta - savage!!!!

MarieC

MCOS wrote: »

How are you feeling now?! Best of luck in Conn btw

Hi MCOS, thanks for the thoughts. Feeling ok but haven't logged on here cos feel guilty that Im not training as much as I have in the past and it kills me seeing how much everyone is doing. I think PhD pressures have just over-ruled any running in the past week or two and if I want to finish it any time soon it has to stay like that. Practically speaking, I know running is great for energy levels etc but its so easy to get obsessed with it, and I need to be obsessed with PhD right now.

I must say I find the support and encouragement from people here unbelievably helpful. For me it really makes all the difference.
Hope your training is still progressing and you're on target for all your goals. Actually must check now to see how Plassey went for you..

ManFromAtlantis

well done. sounds like a tough few last hills/miles. was that part of teh main 26 mile course? was ron hill on his ownm or was there a gang along with him? good luck in paris hope u can go sub 4. if u havent check out compeed for blisters i found them good.

Bally8

Well done MarieC, fair play to you. It must be so tough with all the pressure from the PhD.