here goes nothing...

asimonov

Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest (played a round of golf, scored 30 points :eek:). But my brother had an albatross, holing a five wood from 195m on a par 5. Outrageous.

Today: 9 miles at 7:16 pace (did 1 MP pace mile). Lovely morning for a run, so ran the three miles down to the river, did 3 miles along the river bank on grass and 3 miles back. I can still the weakness in my calf, but i'm not gimping - so i'll keep going.

wizwill

Good to hear you are back at it, 9 @ 7:16 is nice going. You will be flying again in no time. Illness over the last week has put my training plan back, missed the half yesterday. Keep us updated on your progress, your trip to florance will keep things interesting long after the DCM!

asimonov

wizwill wrote: »

Good to hear you are back at it, 9 @ 7:16 is nice going. You will be flying again in no time. Illness over the last week has put my training plan back, missed the half yesterday. Keep us updated on your progress, your trip to florance will keep things interesting long after the DCM!

cheers wizwill, i hope you're better and back at it soon. If you get chance - let me know how your final weeks prep go.

Monday, 6 miles @ 7:55 pace on grass along river barrow. Beautiful evening for a run, i find grass much harder to run on.

osnola ibax

asimonov wrote: »

as if ye're job wasn't hard enough

Call me immature, but I was still laughing at this on my 10 miler today, people were passing me probably wondering what the hell I was laughing at

asimonov

osnola ivax wrote: »

Call me immature, but I was still laughing at this on my 10 miler today, people were passing me probably wondering what the hell I was laughing at

Hey, i win on the relative immaturity front - i posted it. Anything that can make you laugh on a ten-miler must be good for you

Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: At last a proper workout. I met up with a training partner and his brother from the club who were doing a "light" tempo session of 3 X 10' at 165HR with 2 min jog recovery. We met up down at the river path to run on grass, and did a 8 min warm up. Because i was just tracking him and we were working off time not miles i have no splits of value, but the average mile pace for the 30 min tempo session seemed to be varying from 6:12 - 6:28. With a longer warm down included the total run was 7.5 miles in 54mins and it was hard work. I've really lost a good bit of sharpness and confidence in the two weeks off. Hopefully this will come back as i get back into the grove. 10 minutes in the river afterwards cooled the calfs a little.

rigal

Nice session there Asimonov - glad to see you're getting back into the thick of it. Loads of time left for you to sharpen things up.

P.s. 30 points? Were you complaining about that score? For me 30 pts would feel like 40 these days.. I've barely broken 25 since last year although that is only about 4 rounds ago! :eek:

village runner

a 2 on a par 5. Sick. Hoped he featured. With you marking his card he probaly did. Good to see you are back. not long now.

asimonov

First afterdark run of the autumn, ran a loop around the lit roads in the village, so 5.5 miles at 8:25min recovery pace in lovely new runners.

asimonov

My first successful weekend of running in four weeks; we spent a weekend away with friends in a country house that is on a massive farm / estate, so I got to do all my hangover clearing runs on trails through woodland and on farmland.

Saturday: 15 miles in 2 hours, just over 8min miles.
Sunday: 5.5 miles at 8:18 min miles on trails and over farmland.

Not running particularly freely at the moment, and it doesn't make for the most enjoyable of runs but at least i am getting through some mileage and not going backwards any more - a total of 39 miles for the last week.

wizwill

Asiminov, great to hear you are back on the trail. 39 miles is a good week on the comeback trail. Back from illness now after two disaster weeks 27mile and 41miles. Bad chest infection I am now paranoid about germs! How is the calf holding up. I got a decent 20 miler in yesterday the first real session, pushed myself, got through it in 2.20, fitness wasnt the issue but the body was aching especially towards the end. Tough week this week and i will try and taper from next monday. So its miles for the next while for you and a couple of tougher session in a cpl of weeks?

asimonov

wizwill wrote: »

Back from illness now after two disaster weeks 27mile and 41miles. Bad chest infection I am now paranoid about germs! How is the calf holding up. I got a decent 20 miler in yesterday the first real session, pushed myself, got through it in 2.20, fitness wasnt the issue but the body was aching especially towards the end. Tough week this week and i will try and taper from next monday. So its miles for the next while for you and a couple of tougher session in a cpl of weeks?

good to hear you're back, that's a quick pace for that 20 miler after sickness. no wonder you were sore. one more week will do you the world of good. the fact you've been training hard for a long time will stand to you.

i'm going to do a similar taper.

My calf is OKish - its definitely on the mend. i can feel it throughout my run and i am being conscious not to let it affect my stride. I went training last week with a friend and he thought i was "stepping" a little bit with it, i just want to be careful not to cause any other damage. Yeah the plan now is hopefully get the mileage to 50+ this week with a 18 mile run on sunday without any speed work and then bring in PMP & Tempo next week.

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 11.5 miles @ 7:28 pace.

wizwill

asimonov wrote: »

good to hear you're back, that's a quick pace for that 20 miler after sickness. no wonder you were sore. one more week will do you the world of good. the fact you've been training hard for a long time will stand to you.

i'm going to do a similar taper.

My calf is OKish - its definitely on the mend. i can feel it throughout my run and i am being conscious not to let it affect my stride. I went training last week with a friend and he thought i was "stepping" a little bit with it, i just want to be careful not to cause any other damage. Yeah the plan now is hopefully get the mileage to 50+ this week with a 18 mile run on sunday without any speed work and then bring in PMP & Tempo next week.

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 11.5 miles @ 7:28 pace.

I think there is mending and when that happens you need to streghten it back too. I imagine what you are feeling is it strenghtening again so prob best not to go off the deep end into sessions this week. You can always tell when someone stride is not right, its very obvious, usually its only friends that will tell you! You have lots of time left, just short of two months, take out a two week taper thats the bones of five / six weeks.

My outlook at the moment is that if i can get to raceday with no more illness and no more injury I will be happy! if a decent time comes all the better.

asimonov

Wednesday: 5.1 miles at recovery pace during lunchtime.

I bought a pair of 2xu calf guards from AK and was brave enough to wear them (well one of them) outside today.

village runner

asimonov wrote: »

Wednesday: 5.1 miles at recovery pace during lunchtime.

I bought a pair of 2xu calf guards from AK and was brave enough to wear them (well one of them) outside today.

If you want to do any fast work re tempo or intervals nxt week give us a txt. I dont mind been the donkey.

asimonov

village runner wrote: »

If you want to do any fast work re tempo or intervals nxt week give us a txt. I dont mind been the donkey.

thanks VR, i'll txt you over the weekend not sure if i'll be in good enough shape for intervals or tempo though, might be able to do a short PMP run. I did 8.1 miles today at 8:02 min miles and it was a struggle..not sure how much is physical and how much is just being freaked out...but my HR was high for the pace i was doing.

i'm going to take a rest day tomorrow and a short run saturday before a longer run on sunday.

asimonov

Friday: rest
Saturday: took the bike out. 1h35m @ 129 HR...its some struggle to keep the HR up on the bike, i must have pretty poor leg strength. Also did 3 mile recovery run
Sunday: went out to do 10 mile run on the river bank, got through 3 miles before my calf got in the way, nothing too serious, i just knew i wasn't doing myself any good. so packed it in and walked back.

Total for the week was 30 miles in 5 runs. I've decided to take the pressure off completely and not run this week at all. The leg is getting better but training on it isn't doing much for it. The new goal is to be fit to run the marathon end of november. i'll pick a time target closer to the day if i'm ok to run it.

Today: 70min @ 128HR on the bike, went out on country roads and came back along what will be the new m9 motorway next march. Really enjoyable cycle on clean tarmac.

wizwill

asimonov wrote: »

The new goal is to be fit to run the marathon end of november. i'll pick a time target closer to the day if i'm ok to run it.

this approach will keep you sane. Just remember you were well (and still cud be) for a sub three, if its nots november its only a matter of time.

Izoard

This is all immaterial...once you see "took the bike out", it will be a swift transition to triathlon, with marathon never to be mentioned again...:)

kennyb3

asimonov wrote: »

Saturday: took the bike out. 1h35m @ 129 HR...its some struggle to keep the HR up on the bike, i must have pretty poor leg strength.

Big hills if you want to raise your heart rate. i never knew i could sweat from my eyelids till i started cycling hills!!

Krusty_Clown

kennyb3 wrote: »

Big hills if you want to raise your heart rate. i never knew i could sweat from my eyelids till i started cycling hills!!

Lol. I do find it a lot more difficult to cycle up steep hills than to run up them. Must compare heart rates over the same hills at some stage.

kennyb3

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Lol. I do find it a lot more difficult to cycle up steep hills than to run up them. Must compare heart rates over the same hills at some stage.

I also find that i feel running in the wind is now much easier, having cycled in the wind. im sure its all phsycological but the cycling really has helped in this respect

showry

asimonov wrote: »

Today: 70min @ 128HR on the bike, went out on country roads and came back along what will be the new m9 motorway next march. Really enjoyable cycle on clean tarmac.

That's the start of it now, next thing we'll be swapping brack recipes

asimonov

Izoard wrote: »

This is all immaterial...once you see "took the bike out", it will be a swift transition to triathlon, with marathon never to be mentioned again...:)

i'm so over marathons because now

kennyb3 wrote: »

Big hills if you want to raise your heart rate. i never knew i could sweat from my eyelids till i started cycling hills!!

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Lol. I do find it a lot more difficult to cycle up steep hills than to run up them

sweating from my eyelids is my new life goal.

showry wrote: »

That's the start of it now, next thing we'll be swapping brack recipes

Ah, so that's what the peloton is for, recipe swapping. that figures.

I'm still placing a lot of emphasis on shopping my way back from injury, and to that end IL CORRIDORE, the documentary about Marco Olmo arrived in the post today. review to follow.

asimonov

Despite sitting on my ar$e for a week, there is little in the way of progress..so i have an 8am with star geoghegan in carlow tomorrow. hope springs eternal.

wizwill

asimonov wrote: »

Despite sitting on my ar$e for a week, there is little in the way of progress..so i have an 8am with star geoghegan in carlow tomorrow. hope springs eternal.

is the calf playing up again? I have heard of that guy, hope he works it out for you. Why is his name star? similar to Ciaran Donaghy the Kerry player.

asimonov

It appears my calf problem is being agravated by my itb. He released my itb while I wriggled around on the treatment table while chewing my arm. Back for more on Wednesday.

asimonov

wizwill wrote: »

is the calf playing up again? I have heard of that guy, hope he works it out for you. Why is his name star? similar to Ciaran Donaghy the Kerry player.

yeah still there, i don't know where he got his name, i didn't ask as he didn't seem to be the small talk type . how's your last week been?

wizwill

asimonov wrote: »

yeah still there, i don't know where he got his name, i didn't ask as he didn't seem to be the small talk type . how's your last week been?

ha, i didnt mean you to ask, was just wondering

last weeks been ok, 57 miles last week and about 45 this week including one speed session (10k in 40mins) and an easy 15 miles tomorrow. Calf is a little tight from speed session, its seems anytime i run fast my calf is tight for a cpl of days. Its a very strange strain, its like the skin is sore but the pain intensifies a little and then its definitely in the muscle. The one redeeming factor is that it is healing, its a lot better than it was yesterday. At this point i just want to get to race day and run my best.

Are you still on for florence? I am going to try and streghten my calf once the race is over.

asimonov

wizwill wrote: »

ha, i didnt mean you to ask, was just wondering

last weeks been ok, 57 miles last week and about 45 this week including one speed session (10k in 40mins) and an easy 15 miles tomorrow. Calf is a little tight from speed session, its seems anytime i run fast my calf is tight for a cpl of days. Its a very strange strain, its like the skin is sore but the pain intensifies a little and then its definitely in the muscle. The one redeeming factor is that it is healing, its a lot better than it was yesterday. At this point i just want to get to race day and run my best.

Are you still on for florence? I am going to try and streghten my calf once the race is over.

yeah, i can understand your description of the calf. The actual tear in mine repaired ok i think, but the muscle became inflamed near the skin. It feels a little better since yesterday, but that could be placebo.

Those are two good weeks of training to finish with, just take it easy this week and run a good race and you'll be grand.

In terms of florence, i'm loath to say, as everytime i plan on something the opposite happens. my flights are booked, i have an entry and if i can run it, i will.

asimonov

Today, lunchtime easy 5 miles in lashing rain. I had my follow up appointment this morning - he's happy that he's resolved the cause of the problem. I've been given three new stretches to do.

Sosa

asimonov wrote: »

Today, lunchtime easy 5 miles in lashing rain. I had my follow up appointment this morning - he's happy that he's resolved the cause of the problem. I've been given three new stretches to do.

Hope thats the end of it now !

rigal

Not another ITB victim :rolleyes:

You have had a tough time of it recently asimonov - hope things go well for you between now and Florence. You deserve a break!

wizwill

asimonov wrote: »

Today, lunchtime easy 5 miles in lashing rain. I had my follow up appointment this morning - he's happy that he's resolved the cause of the problem. I've been given three new stretches to do.

good news, hope it picks up for you and Florence goes well.

asimonov

wizwill wrote: »

good news, hope it picks up for you and Florence goes well.

Thanks lads, hopefully not another false dawn. :rolleyes:

82:22 10.9miles 7:30pace HR152

Anyway, today was a beautiful early morning run (well kinda early 7:30am). The run went well, i was a bit tentative for the first few miles, didn't want to stress the leg, but by the time i had gone through 3 miles it felt good - a little bit of muscle soreness but not the pain of previous runs, and my stride felt balanced. A good start to the day.

Slogger Jogger

Good to hear.

asimonov

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Good to hear.

thanks SJ, good luck tomorrow...

Saturday 24th: Recovery 20km cycle - no watch

Sunday 25th: Steady 2h20min 18 miles 7:47pace 144HR
Up and out relatively early this morning. Wasn't sure whether i was going to add some marathon pace miles into this, but decided against it as i haven't had a long run in a while. The first 12 miles were an out and back on the unopened M9, stupidly i went out with a tailwind and in the direction that is slightly downhill - which made the 6 miles back very hard work. For anyone doing the crookstown (sp?) run in november on the M9 near castledermot the wind is going to be a considerable factor as it really whips down the motorway and there is nowhere to hide. He who drafts wins, i'd say.

With the initial 12 miles done, i dropped back to the house and joined up with my brother in law for a final 6 mile loop, to bring it to 18 altogether.

asimonov

Monday 26th Recovery 5miles

42:30 5 miles 8:30pace No HR

Was going to take the day off, but motivated by the marathon posts coming in, i went out for a quick 5 mile recovery run. My quads were sore after the LSR on sunday but nothing terminal, just made it a little of a struggle.

Really enjoyed reading the race reports last night, loads of true grit and determination being shown in the face of adversity. inspiring stuff, and already i'm looking forward to seeing izoard compete in IMCH as the caped crusader.

Izoard

Good man...maybe a cheeky monkey on asimonov being the first Paddy home in Firenze?

IM CH in the bat suit is sooo last year (or so Eireman, come to think of it).

However, an IM backwards? I'm in!

asimonov

Izoard wrote: »

Good man...maybe a cheeky monkey on asimonov being the first Paddy home in Firenze?

IM CH in the bat suit is sooo last year (or so Eireman, come to think of it).

However, an IM backwards? I'm in!

The biking section should be challenging, but other than that i have full confidence in your ability.

Wednesday 28th 60' Steady
1:00:09 8 miles, 7:31 pace No HR

Went to the watershed gym last night with a club mate, where a friend who is a 31min 10k'er showed us some weights and core routines for runners. The upper body which has never done anything of this sort before didn't know what hit it. Anyway, I now have a routine thing to do at home using the swiss / gym / beach ball and will do one gym session a week to see how we go.

Up and out early this morning again to take advantage of the brief return to bright mornings. The run was a bit of a struggle over the last few miles, maybe i hadn't fully recovered from sunday's LSR - but more likely it just reflects a drop in fitness over the last month. I have 4 weeks to the marathon - i hope to do LSR's of 18 or 20 this weekend, followed by 20, 18 & 15 and then race.

asimonov

Thursday 29th
1:16, about 10 miles, (no garmin)

Met up with a club mate who was doing his weekly long run. We went up to the race track to do laps of the tarmac track that runs around the inside of the course. The laps are about 1.25 miles with one half uphill and into the wind it wasn't the easiest easy run of all time. All the same that's two good back to back runs done. Also finished Charlie Speddings book "from last to first", it's a really good read, it's well written and includes samples of his training schedules as well.

rigal

Fancy lending me that book for a while asimonov?

I can lend you this if you like:

http://www.amazon.com/Brain-Training-Runners-Revolutionary-andResults/dp/0451222326

It's a bit technical (for me) but I think I got some benefit from it.

No worries if you don't want to..;)

asimonov

rigal wrote: »

Fancy lending me that book for a while asimonov?
I can lend you this if you like:
http://www.amazon.com/Brain-Training-Runners-Revolutionary-andResults/dp/0451222326
It's a bit technical (for me) but I think I got some benefit from it.
No worries if you don't want to..;)

hey rigal, i am normally a good lender...but i had that book on loan from someone and gave it back last night at training. will take brain training though - i can swap you born to run as soon as it is returned to me or Richard Nerurker - marathon running from beginner to elite

did 4 miles today in 32 minutes around a sodden football pitch...mind numbing.

rigal

asimonov wrote: »

hey rigal, i am normally a good lender...but i had that book on loan from someone and gave it back last night at training. will take brain training though - i can swap you born to run as soon as it is returned to me or Richard Nerurker - marathon running from beginner to elite

did 4 miles today in 32 minutes around a sodden football pitch...mind numbing.

No worries. I actually read the Neruker book a while back so I'll pass. PM me your address and I'll send brain training to you next week. You can send me Born to run once you get it back.

asimonov

Thanks rigal, I'll pm you as soon as I get it back.

Saturday 31st : rest
Sunday 1st November: 2:13 Long run

I went to the castle park today to do my long run on grass and trail instead of the road. Turned out to be a good call, as even though the ground was a bit heavy it felt good to run on it and on the few bits of the 1.25 mile lap that were on tarmac path I could feel the lack of absorption. The idea was to do an 18 mile progression run, 6 at 7:40, 6 at 7:20 and 6 at 7:00. I took a 1 min break after each set to take water. Felt good during the run, there were lots of hills and twists and turns to keep it interesting. Total miles this week 45.

Sosa

good workout Asiminov,i plan to introduce the progression to my next marathon program.

village runner

asimonov wrote: »

Thanks rigal, I'll pm you as soon as I get it back.

Saturday 31st : rest
Sunday 1st November: 2:13 Long run

I went to the castle park today to do my long run on grass and trail instead of the road. Turned out to be a good call, as even though the ground was a bit heavy it felt good to run on it and on the few bits of the 1.25 mile lap that were on tarmac path I could feel the lack of absorption. The idea was to do an 18 mile progression run, 6 at 7:40, 6 at 7:20 and 6 at 7:00. I took a 1 min break after each set to take water. Felt good during the run, there were lots of hills and twists and turns to keep it interesting. Total miles this week 45.

Thats good times in the park. Its tough down there. 18 miles in the park is a serious workout. I cant seem to run fast down there. Hence why i struggle over the cross country.

asimonov

Sosa wrote: »

good workout Asiminov,i plan to introduce the progression to my next marathon program.

Thanks sosa, I like them because they increase the intensity of the workout without having to go longer, and it helps mentally to break the run into sections. They'll do you good I'm sure.

asimonov

village runner wrote: »

Thats good times in the park. Its tough down there. 18 miles in the park is a serious workout. I cant seem to run fast down there. Hence why i struggle over the cross country.

Cheers VR, it was my first time in the park but I enjoyed it, makes a change from the road. It's nice to run where other people are running.

Monday: I found a new definition of insanity, it involves compression socks, a head torch, lashing rain and sloshing around a million laps of a sodden football pitch to do 3.23 miles in 30 minutes. It was so boring and slow my HR didn't break 120.

Tuesday: 7.86 miles in 57:11
my first proper tempo run in 8 weeks. I was hoping to run around 6:30's while keeping my HR under 170. Splits were 6:33 / 6:34 / 6:26 / 6:41 / 6:36. Average HR 172. Delighted to be back doing these again and the leg held up perfectly. I'll get a chance to do a couple more of these before the marathon. Next up is a recovery run tomorrow and then a MP workout on Thursday.

wizwill

asimonov wrote: »

Tuesday: 7.86 miles in 57:11
my first proper tempo run in 8 weeks. I was hoping to run around 6:30's while keeping my HR under 170. Splits were 6:33 / 6:34 / 6:26 / 6:41 / 6:36. Average HR 172. Delighted to be back doing these again and the leg held up perfectly. I'll get a chance to do a couple more of these before the marathon. Next up is a recovery run tomorrow and then a MP workout on Thursday.

thats great news the leg held up under that session. I would push the MP workout one more day, just to be sure to be sure? what is your MP, are you going for sub-3? In your shoes i would definetely give it a crack. keep up the good work, love the idea of running around a pitch with a headlamp in compression socks in the pissings of rain.

asimonov

wizwill wrote: »

thats great news the leg held up under that session. I would push the MP workout one more day, just to be sure to be sure? what is your MP, are you going for sub-3? In your shoes i would definetely give it a crack. keep up the good work, love the idea of running around a pitch with a headlamp in compression socks in the pissings of rain.

Thanks wizwill, good call on leaving it a day. I had a sports massage this morning so I didn't want to push the legs.. In terms of sub3, I'm in two minds...my rational side knows I'm nowhere near the form I was at the end of august and I've missed so much training at a critical time.
I don't think any amount of "want" or "teeth gritting" can compensate for that lack of fitness. A
small part of me thinks fcuk it, just go for it. So i may end up going out at 7min miles and giving myself the faintest possibility of getting on sub3 pace later in the race. I think I'll just be glad to be running it TBH, it's there to be enjoyed, not to mention 3 days in Italy without the kids...24 days to go now!

6 miles today at 8min mile pace.