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Sub 20, Sub 35, Sub 45

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Wednesday:
    Club Track session, intervals - 1200, 800, 400, 400, 800, 1200.

    Tough session with the heat, and given that their was a low turnout, I was trying to stay with someone about 10 secs faster than me.
    Aim was 5:00-5:10, 3:20, 1:36 & back up again.
    Did them in:
    4:48, 3:17, 1:28, 1:28, 3:24, 5:17.

    As can be seen, first 4 were too fast, so I suffered on the last 800 & 1200 runs. Hopefully this will all pay off though, but I seriously think I need to switch at least one of my runs to be an 8/9 miler so I have the miles in the legs for the 8/10k races.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Thursday:
    Rest day, decided not to run track 5k race after Wed night session, saving myself for 8k in hometown on Sat.

    Friday:
    Another rest day ahead of race on Sat.

    Saturday:
    Ballyhaunis 8k. Was scorching hot, route was a tough one on roads I knew as a kid. Raced off to a fast 3:52 opening km, then eased of to a couple of 4:30s as I knew the tough hills that lay ahead between 3 & 5k.
    Managed to survive through those hills and felt strong on the long downhill towards the finish from about 5.5 km on.
    Turned for the last 400 metres but back was aching, finished in 36:04 on my watch, though I heard the folks on the line say 36:01, whatever it was, if I knew I was that close to 36 mins, I'd have tried to find something more.

    Good thing is that on a cooler day, I definitely think there's a sub 35 in the legs. :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭ManFromAtlantis


    good time there . sub 35 for galway streets !!! ?? ?:)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    good time there . sub 35 for galway streets !!! ?? ?:)

    Thanks - yeah, a sub 35 in the Streets would be good.

    Off on vacation for a couple of weeks in mid to late July. Will have to bring the gear to Croatia and get a few runs in - don't want to waste the good training by missing some weeks in the run up to the big local race.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭shels4ever


    Thanks - yeah, a sub 35 in the Streets would be good.

    Off on vacation for a couple of weeks in mid to late July. Will have to bring the gear to Croatia and get a few runs in - don't want to waste the good training by missing some weeks in the run up to the big local race.

    Best of luck with the sub 35 its something I'm after myself in a while... actually so is the sub 20... :)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    shels4ever wrote: »
    Best of luck with the sub 35 its something I'm after myself in a while... actually so is the sub 20... :)

    Cheers.

    The goals on this training log were a more long term thing, this years goals were sub 21 5k, sub 36 8k & sub 47 10k.

    So far, I've reached the 10k goal, with a 46:24, getting closer to the 5k with a 21:24 pb, and almost hit the sub 36 for the 8k.
    If I can reach all three some time this year it would be fantastic, if I can get any of the long term goals on the tile of this log, I'd be over the moon.

    Just goes to show what a bit of serious training can do for you.
    Need to focus on when & where I can race each of those distances as I think they can all be done.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Update...

    Sunday was also a rest day, so decided to up my mileage and go on the club Monday run.
    This was 8.76 miles (according to the guys with Garmins) in 71 minutes, add in the warm up and I'm saying 9 miles.

    Was hot, and hard to stay with the serious pace makers, so I trailed in a couple of minutes down. Only problem was a blister under the nail on a toe.
    On inspection, I discovered that the old 2110s I've had for a couple of years, bought on a serious discount in lifestyle, are actually different sizes :eek:
    Ones a US 8, no problems on that foot, the other is a US 7, hence the blister on the toe on that foot. :mad:

    Doubt I'll get a refund at this point, :p seems like its time for new runners though, my increased mileage will make me pay in the old ones.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭pgibbo


    Good progress on the PBs. Given that the SoG is relatively flat, sub 35 is very realistic.

    If your budget can stretch to it, get 2 pairs of runners and alternate their usage. They will last longer.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    pgibbo wrote: »
    Good progress on the PBs. Given that the SoG is relatively flat, sub 35 is very realistic.

    If your budget can stretch to it, get 2 pairs of runners and alternate their usage. They will last longer.

    Had bought myself a second pair a couple of months ago, so the new ones will have to do for now, and the old ones will have to be binned or just used on shorter runs until I get a replacement pair.

    Having only run the SoG once, I'd like to get a training run in on the course, but seeing as I'm on hols from July 10-25, I'm guessing the club will train on it while I'm away.
    I'll still run it at least once after I return, just to familiarise myself with the route some more.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Tuesday - Rest Day

    Wednesday - Track Session
    4 lap warm-up, stretches, 2 laps of strides on the straights, then 5 x 1000m with a 60 sec recovery, aiming for 4:12 pace, 5 lap warm down & stretching.

    Usual stuff of far too fast first km, but got a nice even pace after that, here's the times...

    3:59
    4:08
    4:10
    4:10
    4:11

    If I could only string those times together without the recovery, I'd have my sub-21 goal. :D

    I'll be organising the track session next week. :eek:
    Usual others aren't around, so I volunteered - will have to be strict on the recovery times. :)


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    Tuesday - Rest Day

    Wednesday - Track Session
    4 lap warm-up, stretches, 2 laps of strides on the straights, then 5 x 1000m with a 60 sec recovery, aiming for 4:12 pace, 5 lap warm down & stretching.

    Usual stuff of far too fast first km, but got a nice even pace after that, here's the times...

    3:59
    4:08
    4:10
    4:10
    4:11

    If I could only string those times together without the recovery, I'd have my sub-21 goal. :D

    I'll be organising the track session next week. :eek:
    Usual others aren't around, so I volunteered - will have to be strict on the recovery times. :)

    Try to take 200/400 splits during your rep for the first one and try to pull back i use to have this problem and it was something i really wanted to tackle as not only does it hurt the session but you will end up doing it in races to an extreme also.
    Keep up the good work


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    ecoli wrote: »
    Try to take 200/400 splits during your rep for the first one and try to pull back i use to have this problem and it was something i really wanted to tackle as not only does it hurt the session but you will end up doing it in races to an extreme also.
    Keep up the good work

    Been trying that - even breaking it down to 100m times, seems to work well for the rest of the runs, I just need to be more consistent on the first one.
    If I go off too fast I have to really force myself to ease off dramatically.
    Next week I'll hopefully get on top of it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Thursday:
    Thought this would be a 4/5 mile club session, nope.
    Ended up jogging to the GAA pitches in Dangan, and doing laps, pushing reasonable hard for the length of a pitch & round to the goals, then jogging the same distance to start all over again. 2 pitches, end to end, 4 laps, 8 stride out runs, supposedly 2 miles, and another jog back to the car park (not Dangan).

    Total time of 43:30, including jogs to and from the pitches.

    Running on grass was welcome, and I didn't feel too bad afterwards - though speed sessions two nights in a row may have been pushing it a little.

    Rest day today, 5k race in Salthill tomorrow evening.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Update:

    Saturday - Unplanned Rest Day
    Worked a 12 hour shift, 5am-5pm, planned on doing the 5k in Salthill but between 5.30 & 6pm realised I was knackered, so gave it a miss. Had pre-entered, so they can have my €20 towards the charity.

    Sunday - Rest Day
    Another 12 hour shift, still knackered & had plenty of other stuff to do to keep my free time busy, diy around the house, etc. Was a planned rest day anyway.

    Monday - Rest Day
    Early shift, but finished at lunchtime, had to go shopping with the g/f after she finished work to get everything we need for hols on Friday so couldn't make the 9 mile run across the city @7pm.

    Tuesday - Club run.
    Totaled ~5 miles in total, back to the pitches in Dangan, a few big laps and back again.

    Wednesday - Club Track session.
    Due to the usual suspects swanning off to a 10k somewhere in Tipp, I was in charge of my first session, simple enough one really, 800m intervals, and a reasonable turnout, including a few first timers.
    1600m Warm-up, stretches, 800m Strides, 6 * 800m @ 3:10-3:15 pace with 90sec recovery, 1600m warm down.
    Did better with my pacing this time, just the 5th one dipped in pace, the rest were all even.
    3:13
    3:13
    3:14
    3:14
    3:19
    3:14
    Happy enough with that, even pace is the goal, so I'm getting there.

    Plan for next two weeks...
    Heading to Dublin tonight & flying to Croatia for a couple of weeks holidays. Bringing the gear, so hope to get a few early morning runs in so as not to lose the benefit of all the training ahead of the Streets of Galway.
    Unlikely to be posting here until I'm back, but if I find a race out there, I'll do it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Update:

    Saturday - Unplanned Rest Day
    Worked a 12 hour shift, 5am-5pm, planned on doing the 5k in Salthill but between 5.30 & 6pm realised I was knackered, so gave it a miss. Had pre-entered, so they can have my €20 towards the charity.

    Sunday - Rest Day
    Another 12 hour shift, still knackered & had plenty of other stuff to do to keep my free time busy, diy around the house, etc. Was a planned rest day anyway.

    Monday - Rest Day
    Early shift, but finished at lunchtime, had to go shopping with the g/f after she finished work to get everything we need for hols on Friday so couldn't make the 9 mile run across the city @7pm.

    Tuesday - Club run.
    Totaled ~5 miles in total, back to the pitches in Dangan, a few big laps and back again.

    Wednesday - Club Track session.
    Due to the usual suspects swanning off to a 10k somewhere in Tipp, I was in charge of my first session, simple enough one really, 800m intervals, and a reasonable turnout, including a few first timers.
    1600m Warm-up, stretches, 800m Strides, 6 * 800m @ 3:10-3:15 pace with 90sec recovery, 1600m warm down.
    Did better with my pacing this time, just the 5th one dipped in pace, the rest were all even.
    3:13
    3:13
    3:14
    3:14
    3:19
    3:14
    Happy enough with that, even pace is the goal, so I'm getting there.

    Plan for next two weeks...
    Heading to Dublin tonight & flying to Croatia for a couple of weeks holidays. Bringing the gear, so hope to get a few early morning runs in so as not to lose the benefit of all the training ahead of the Streets of Galway.
    Unlikely to be posting here until I'm back, but if I find a race out there, I'll do it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭pgibbo


    Sounds like a well earned holiday from work if nothing else. Enjoy it. Some early morning or evening runs will definitely keep you ticking over for the SoG.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Oh it was well earned - though being back in the office & having to sort through ~5000 emails brings me back down to earth. :(

    Anyway, holiday training update...

    Managed to get out a good few mornings - not on the traveling days, but I probably managed every second day in total.
    Oh boy was it hot, temp hit high 30s regularly and a couple of days were into the 40s - one morning it was 30 at 10am :eek:

    Anyway, I did anything from 30-40 min runs & got out between 7:30 & 8am. Even at that hour it was damn hot, upper 20s, and I don't think I have ever sweated as much while running. It was a struggle just to drink enough water during the rest of the day to rehydrate.

    Didn't push myself hard cos of the heat, but at least a I feel like I haven't gone backwards - though a couple of club training sessions could reveal the truth.

    Ain't run since last Thursday, won't make it tonight, as its Galway races, so will only get stuck in traffic getting there. Have sessions for Tue to Thur though, then a break, will see how it goes from there.

    Finally - to my disappointment, there was a mini-triathlon for guests run in the hotel one of the days I was there, but I didn't find out about it until after it had started. :(
    Judging by the 2 other competitors, I would have been able to take them both, which made it all the more annoying to miss out on a potential first victory. :p


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Update:

    Tuesday - Club run of Streets of Galway route.

    Started off fine, was a really slow pace through town and traffic, but a few of us pushed it a bit as we headed up Eyre Sq, out Eglinton St & past the Cathedral.
    Could really feel the cold after two weeks in Croatia, but other than that, felt great.
    That was until about 5k into the run. Somewhere between Pearse Stadium & Leisureland, my right knee started to complain. Straight away, I knew it was the ITB - exact same pain I had in the other knee a few months ago.:(

    I eased up & stopped to stretch it. Tried to run on it again, but had to give up and walk for a bit. After walking a while & more stretching, I tried to jog, wasn't quite as bad, so managed to make it back to the finish & the car.
    Did a few minutes more stretching & then a lap of the GAA pitch at South Park - didnt seem too bad at the time, so I'm hopeful.

    Woke this morning and had stiffness coming down the stairs. Going to have to do some persistent stretches between now and August 8th if I'm going to be able to race.

    Next up is track session tonight - gonna do a warm-up, stretches & a gentle workout to see how the knee is.
    If there's any pain I'm just gonna stop running completely between now & the SoG, and do some strengthening & stretching exercises to try and clear it up.

    Fingers crossed.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Wednesday:
    Didn't make it to the track session as I was caught late at work. Probably as well off having the day off, giving me 48 hours rest before testing the knee again.

    Thursday:
    Club run - small crowd, warm-up, ~1 mile jog to Dangan pitches, 6x GAA pitch laps, 3/4 lap at fast pace, 1/4 warm down, ~1 mile jog back & stretching.
    Probably as well off running on grass. At the start of the jog back, felt my knee a little, not sore - just being extra sensitive about any niggle. Stopped & stretched it, and joined back up to the group jogging back.

    Happy enough that there wasn't pain - gonna keep up the stretches & hope its ok for August 8th.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Friday:
    Rest day - friends arriving for weekend so didnt get out.

    Saturday
    Race Day - but not for me, off to Balybrit for the Galway Races. Lost loads of money, absolute disaster.
    Out drinking afterwards, left the car in town with the intention of running in to collect it.

    Sunday
    Hungover Day, but did manage to plot an 8k route from the house to the car on google maps, and ran in to pick up the car.
    Means I don't feel too bad for having a drinking session last night. :D


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Monday
    Cross Training - If you can include a round of golf. :D
    Was pretty crap for most holes, but managed 2 pars in a row. One was a 3rd shot chip to 3 inches, tap in for par. Followed up by a short drive on a par 3, lobbed shot over a bunker to 15 ft, and then a perfect put that looked to be wide of the mark, but turned in the last 4 inches & dropped in. :p

    Considering I was after two nights out in a row, and had a 5am start on Tuesday, that was enough exercise for the day.

    Tuesday
    Club run - felt my knee again after a while. Stopped & stretched it, joined back up to the group, but the pain was there again.
    Thats it for me this week - just gonna stretch it for 3 days, run on Saturday & see if it holds up during the race.
    If not, there's a months break from club training starting next week, so I will just use that to recover and hopefully be injury free in September.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭ManFromAtlantis


    hope it holds up on the night. of all races it woulld be nice to be fit for the streets.are ur hopes of a pb out the window?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    hope it holds up on the night. of all races it woulld be nice to be fit for the streets.are ur hopes of a pb out the window?

    I think so. Just found out I'm likely to have a busy day of work, followed by the race. All that added to the knee complaining looks like there's no hope for the pb.
    But, considering the fact that I have a month off afterwards, I'm going to push it, see how the knee holds up, and give it a go.
    If it holds up for the whole race, or even 7k, then I might just push through the pain and see if I can do it.
    If it goes any earlier, then I'll just ease off & hobble to the finish.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Update:

    Well the title of the thread says sub 35 for an 8k, and I've finally done it with a surprising pb in the Streets of Galway on Saturday night. :D:eek::)
    Delighted, but need some time off training to let my knee heal - might do some bike or swimming instead for a few weeks.

    Not sure how to cross reference a post, so here's my race report from the Streets of Galway on Saturday - already posted in the SoG Call Your Time thread.



    Saturday 4:45am - Alarm woke me for work at 5am.
    Took over from a colleague in the US, supporting data systems from home, 12 hour shift til 5pm.
    It was one of those days - just non-stop stuff to do, hardly a break and no rest.
    After finishing work, got my gear together, but had a last minute panic when I couldn't find my watch - how would I cope with no idea of the splits.
    Eventually found it, so was able to calm down.

    Saturday 18:10 - left home to go down to the Claddagh for the start. Traffic on the prom was crazy, the good weather had loads of people out and they seem to have priority at the pedestrian lights - as soon as someone requested to cross, the road lights would go red. :mad:

    Saturday 18:30 - eventually got parked at Grattan Park, locked the car and made my way towards the finish area for warm-ups on the pitch & roads.
    Considering the knee issues of late, I spent a good 6 or 7 minutes solid stretching the ITB in both legs, jogged a few minutes, then did a few strides. Met a few of the usual GCH heads around, everyone in a good mood. Weather was nice, no fierce wind, and there was a lot of talk of people looking for good times.
    The Streets has a rep for that, with good weather conditions, its a lovely flat course.
    Personally I wasn't sure what to expect, I hadn't felt my knee all day, but was wary about having done a tough 12 hour shift at work, and didnt know how tired I'd be when the race started.
    The goal if I feel good is sub 35, if not, just to finish.

    18:55 - With the stewards screaming for people to get to the start line, I made my way down, and squeezed in about 6 or 7 rows back from the front at a gap in the barriers. While I was unsure how I'd do, I didn't want any hopes of a good time to be ruined by the charity walkers/fun runners further back, who seem to like to stretch the width of the road.

    19:05ish - After getting everyone back to the start, removing the barriers and edging the field up to the start, eventually the race gets under way.

    Felt good to start, being up near the top meant it was a fast pace and I felt good initially. Looking for the 1k marker & get an estimate of my time, I can't see it anywhere. This throws me, I don't know how my pace is, too fast or too slow.
    Coming over the Salmon Weir bridge towards the Cathedral, I see what I think is the 2k marker, I hit lap on the stopwatch, but I don't trust it, as I thought the 2k mark was further up as you go past the Cathedral itself.
    It reads 8:18, which would be a 4:09 for each km (more likely 4:02,4:16), but I think I'm out, think the marker is probably a further 30 secs up the road & I that I'm outside my goal.
    I settle into just going steady, hoping the 3k will give me a more accurate reading and I'll be able to assess my time from here.
    Again I miss the 3k marker, so I'm completely thrown now, though the support of a training colleague who's marshalling at Cooke's Corner gives me a boost - thanks Jane.
    At this point I've all but given up on the sub-35, just hoping to finish with a decent time, maybe sub-36, and just hope the knee holds out.
    Approaching halfway, and I finally get definite sight of the 4km marker.
    There's also a guy here calling out the time, 17:03, 17:04, 17:05. :eek
    I can't believe it, having expected to be outside my time, I now have a chance of that sub-35 again, with about 25 seconds to spare.
    I push it as much as I can, but the 5th km is the most uphill section, and I reach the 5k with a 4:37 split in 21:41. Quick calculation says I'm still on track. I push on, thinking I need to gain some time, but not too hard, as this is the point where my knee went on the training run, and I want to have something left for the last km.
    Hit 6k in 26:08, taking 9 seconds off my previous km, but now I'm starting to feel my lower back - 12 hours sitting at a chair working on a laptop doesn't seem to have helped.
    The 7th km marker passes, and I've been passed by quite a few people who seem to have saved themselves for a strong finish. The watch reads 30:40, a 4:32 split.
    I had sensed my pace had dropped, but this is it now, a 4:19 km and I'll get sub-35. I try to push the pain out of my head, not just my lower back, but my feet are blistered, both of them, but if I want this time, I can't let the pain in.
    I try to lengthen my strides, begin to go past people - its a great feeling doing that, :) and I think I can do it. I'm now glancing at my watch every 30 seconds or so, my head tells me its still on, my body is really suffering now, everything aches.
    Coming past the 500m to go marker, I think I had 2 minutes to make it, there's no way I'm giving up now.
    I push & push, forgetting about the 12 hour work, the first half of missed markers, and stretch out down Grattan Road heading towards the final turn and a glimpse of the finish clock.
    I round the bend with about 25secs to get to the finish, and slowly realise that the goal will be achieved, but don't want to slow down now. Its not until about 5 metres from the finish that I ease off, with a mix of surprise & delight that I've finally nailed that 35min barrier. :D

    I get through the finish line & head for the railings - holding on for dear life for a few seconds while I try to get some air.
    A while later, I remember I hadn't stopped the watch - d'oh. Not to worry, chip & official time will come later.
    On meeting a few others from the club afterwards, everyone is in good form, it seems it was a great day for times, with lots of people reporting pbs. :p
    These times are confirmed by text message to my mobile within an hour of the race - now thats impressive. :)

    Gun Time: 34:53
    Chip Time: 34:48

    Huge thanks to the club for all the organisation involved, not only in the race itself, but in the training sessions all year. Its amazing how good regular sessions and encouragement from training partners helps you come on in leaps and bounds.

    For now though, my knee is killing me, so I'm going to take full advantage of the month's break in training and give it time to heal properly.
    Thats one long-term goal achieved, time to aim for the 5k & 10k goals when I return from a well earned break.

    Finally, congrats to Josphat Boit of Clonliffe Harriers on equalling the course record in a mind-boggling 22:49 to retain his title, and Rosemary Ryan of Bilboa for also retaining her women's title in 27:22, thats 5 times she's won it now.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭pgibbo


    Congrats on going sub 35. A great achievement. Always nice to achieve your goals! Congrats. I hope the leg heals well. Be patient with it. Who knows, you might get hooked on the bike & swimming and try some triathlons next season! :D


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