okaly dokaly here goes.

ronanmac

Fair play, littlebug, recovered just in time for Connemara! Hopefully it's good news on the x ray front tomorrow...

littlebug

3 easy slow recovery miles. Easy on the legs (after the first few minutes) but the cold wind and rain weren't so easy on the face. Still the legs feel better for it now. I was wearing the orthotics for the first time too. Felt better than I thought they would so hopefully they will make a difference now. So far so good.

x ray update... they had seen "something" on my second toe and after wiggling and poking it for a minute and believing that I really have no pain in that toe it was left at that. It was probably a stubbed toe from when I was 6 or something :pac: I think we can safely say that UCHG is doing a thorough job of reviewing and following up on x rays at the minute

Bally8

Delighted to see you back running littlebug. Well done on the 10miler

littlebug

4 horrible treadmill miles. The orthotics will take a bit of getting used to I think.

Blueskye

Well done on the race. The orthotics can take a while to get used to. I have mine a few years now and find them great but it took me ages to get used to them.

littlebug

7 very slow miles on these blocks of wood that my legs have turned into.

I was out the door and 7am and seem to adopted an Eddie Izzard style of running with frequent stretch stops. In the first mile I wondered would it work out at all but slowly, very slowly the legs started to loosen up a bit. I took a gel with me as an experiment and decided to take some at the half way point. The biggest challenge was in getting the damned thing open:rolleyes: I didn't find it too bad.... whether it had any impact on my energy I don't know. it may well have... the return journey seemed a lot easier than the first half but it may also be that the legs had loosened up a lot by then.
I'm gradually getting used to the orthotics. I didn't wear them on the run but did wear the heel raise. Starting wearing them the week after a 10 mile race may not have been my brightest idea.

re early morning running I think I need more fuel than a banana and a cup of tea before setting out but I do like the fact that by 1pm I'd run 7 miles, had an hour at the pool with the kids, lunch eaten and done my shopping for the week.

littlebug

knockma..1 slow loop. I intended doing two loops but the calves are ridiculously tight to the point of being painful. I've made the executive decision to shelve the orthotics until after Connemara. There are too many things in the mix just now and I don't know what's causing what Slow re-introduction after Connemara with shorter distances might work better. In the meantime I think I need a sports massage... if anyone reading knows a good sports massage person in Galway/ Mayo me know

littlebug

Had a sports massage today and hurray my legs of wood have been replaced by legs of much softer wood but don't quite feel like my old legs yet. I nearly hit the ceiling a couple of time but it was all good pain. I think. As well as the tight calves I have the beginning of shin splints (there was so much going on down there I couldn't tell what was what anymore- it all just hurt!).
She agreed with me leaving off the orthotics til after I get all this sorted and start from scratch again. She also suggested going back to the mizunos.
I have to say she knows her stuff and makes more sense than the rest of them all put together.
So the plan of action is lots of icing, epsom salt baths, lots of stretching etc etc. I'm feeling more hopeful for Connemara again.

This evening... tempo run of sorts (ie slow run with slower runs either side ). Total 3 miles (1@11mm, 1.5@10mm, 1@11mm). Ave hr 162.
I'll miss track night again this week. I think I'll do an interval session on the dreadmill to try to build up a bit of speed again and it might also be a bit easier on the calves/ shins.

littlebug

This icing business is the bees knees. Well that combined with my new best friend Tiger Balm.
The lovely weather this evening made me avoid the dreadmill and hit the roads. 4 miles on the route that I did a lot of my runs on last summer. It's a lovely 2 miles country lane (I have to stand in the ditch to let cars past it's that narrow). I can either run the 2 miles and 1 mile out on a busier road home, or double back on the lane to make 4 miles. I guess it's what you would call undulating...very undulating. I pushed the pace a bit as I went on for the first 3 miles then the last mile home was a slow trot.
(9.59, 10.01, 9.25, 12.30). Mile 2 has a lot more uphill than down so to be 2 only 2 seconds slower than mile 1 is a good thing! . I checked up my times for this route last summer and was delighted to see that my times for miles 2 and 3 are the fastest I've done. The overall time for the first 3 miles is also slightly faster. It may be slow but it's progress! I'm really looking forward to pushing the shorter distances after Connemara and hopefully getting a pb in one or more of the 5k series (current pb 28.16 I think).

11 mile lsr planned for sunday with a big emphasis on the "s". Then it's taper time. I've yet to decide what that will involve in terms of distances.

rainbow kirby

Tiger Balm reminds me of martial arts competitions, there was always some tool who insisted on rubbing his legs down in public with it. It's good though, it just smells awful.

littlebug

it does stink but it really does work.

I'd just smathered my legs in it last night when my father in law arrived and sat beside me on the sofa..... he didn't stay long

littlebug

11 miles in 2.04.15

I kept the pace nice and slow starting out. I had a gel with me and took 1/3 of it at 6.5, 8 and 9.2 miles. I'm not sure if I felt any difference with the first 2 thirds but just before I hit the hills at 9 ish miles I'd started to feel quite low and despondent , took the gel, got up the hills in one piece and boom ! the energy came back and the last mile was actually my fastest. Maybe I need to have 2 of them and take more each time.

All in all a lovely run, past two lakes with amazing sounds of all sorts of birds, hundreds of very loud sheep and lambs who would run up to the gates when they heard me approach, a field full of horses and a hare which ran ahead of me (tortoise?) for a while and another unknown bird who flew with me and just ahead of me for ages.

Garmin is playing up a bit. It added a 4 min no distance lap before I even started. I assumed I had hit the button while I was waiting for the GPS to kick in or something but then I noticed when I uploaded the data that there were about 10 other "no distance" runs from this morning. I did have it charging for an hour or so before I started so maybe I had hit the timer button then...or something

11 miles..pretty evenly split (1.04.15/ 1.04) including some nice testing hills. Ave pace 11.17, Ave HR 172 (pushed up in the last faster mile).

rainbow kirby

Might be a good idea to take 2 gels for Conn then, just to be sure. Nice run, can't wait to get back to doing a few good LSR's myself.

littlebug

Yeah I think I'll take two. I had it pinned to my capris which worked well... I didn't even notice it when I was running. I think I'll have them opened (but folded over and pinned) before I start in Conn as I couldn't get the damned thing open on the move and had to stop.
RK you'll be back to the long runs (and flying them) in no time. The rest may even have done you good.

Bally8

Nice run littlebug. Finally got out for a nice 10 mile run myself today. I always have trouble opening the gels, trying to tear them open with my teeth, having it dribble out all over my hand! Need more practice...

littlebug

Rest day

2 week to go and I can't figure out what to do. HH novice says 10 miles next weekend but I've already gone beyond that. HH intermediate says 12.

These 2 weeks have added considerations because a) the kids are at home so no daytime runs. b) MrBug may not be home before dark this week so I could be limited to the TM or repeats of a half mile lit stretch of road. c) I'm away with the kids for the weekend so Sundays run will depend on grandparents goodwill and children's good behavior... so a long long run may not be possible.

I had also hoped to get to Conn for a short recce run but it's not looking likely.... maybe a recce drive will have to do

rainbow kirby

Maybe try and squeeze in a rolling/hilly 6-8 mile long run this weekend? Not as time-consuming as a 10-12 mile long run, acts as a slight taper (Conn is 11 April, right?) and would still be beneficial. Before my first half, I'd only ever gone 10 miles in training, so you've already gone further than that

littlebug

That's a good idea RK. I'll be back in Drumlin country so there are plenty of rolling hills to choose from. I'll aim to run for the duration of whatever bribery dvd I buy! It's strange... i've never run back at "home" (been gone 22 years so why do I still call it that ) and I suddenly feel self consious again!
I'll just work with what I get for the rest of the week (s) and hope that Mrbug can get home early some evenings.

ronanmac

littlebug wrote: »

Rest day

2 week to go and I can't figure out what to do. HH novice says 10 miles next weekend but I've already gone beyond that. HH intermediate says 12.


I had also hoped to get to Conn for a short recce run but it's not looking likely.... maybe a recce drive will have to do

Hi littlebug, good to read that the training is back on schedule and the legs are holding out! For me, twelve miles the week before the half seems a bit much, although my usual taper involves doing nothing the week beforehand! (I wouldn't like to chance doing too much :rolleyes:). My programme calls for an eight miler next weekend so I'm going with that.

As for a Conn recce, I did the half last year for the first time and if a brief description is worth anything to you, here goes: It starts off with a brief downhill before turning left at Leenane heading south. This turn is the start of a loonnnnng incline, over a mile, a mile and a half I think. As it's pretty much right at the start, I took it handy on the hill and used it to warm up. After that, it's what you'd call undulating, up and down but nothing too bad at any point, until... When you turn right at Joe Keane's pub in Maam, you have the Hell of the West in front of you. Initially, it's a flat section until you get to a water station by the Garda station, and then it's uphill. I think the worst part of it is, right at the bottom of the Hell is a short steep incline by a farmhouse. I drive this route regularly but never noticed the steep incline until last year's half. Basically, it winded me before I even got started on the rest of the hill. Looking at it since, I think it's less steep on the right hand side of the road rather than the left.

After that it's the Hell itself. It levels off after about a quarter of a mile until you go over a bridge, and then it's a long, slow drag. Despite trying, I couldn't run it all the way last year and had to stop for a short walking break. On the upside however, it's all downhill once you get over the crest! Here's to running it in its entirety this year!

Hope that's of some use. It's a very nice route, with plenty of water and plenty of people for company. Last year was a beautiful sunny day with the wind at our backs, here's hoping for another day like that this year!

littlebug

Thanks Rónan,
Your post made me want to go and see for myself so I packed up the kids and headed off. It turns out I'm only 20 miles from Maam. I feel much better about it now that I have a mental picture of it! The Hill of the West doesn't look nearly as bad as I thought it would but then that was from the comfort of the driving seat! I doubt I'll be able to run it all but hey if I can get there in one piece at all I'll be happy. I imagine it's a great relief to go over the crest of the hill! I'll just have to make sure I've a bit left in the tank to fly down the other side!

After that little tour I was restricted to the treadmill this evening (in other words I aint goin' out in that!)
1 warmup mile, 3 miles at 9.20 min, 1 cool down mile.

littlebug

6.2 miles in 1.05. Ave HR 170.

Mrbug was home early so as he was getting out of his car I was getting in to mine muttering something about dinner in the oven
Despite the gorgeous evening ... I struggled with this one today
My intention was to keep the first 4 under 10 min miles and maybe 5 if it was going well. But it wasn't.... 4 miles in 41ish and a very slow last 2 miles.
Two nights of bad sleep and dragging the 2 little people the length and breadth of Galway all day probably didn't help either. Sometimes I think I'm going backwards with this running business.
I think I need to revise the whole target time for connemara thing and just go with the flow on the day, enjoy it, see what happens and not be too disappointed if it doesn't go well.

Oh and Mrbug has a cold. Four words for him (STAY- AWAY- FROM- ME). Since day 1 of this log I've been building up to Connemara and I'm not having it spoilt by a poxy cold. Is this a mini taper madness?

Krusty_Clown

littlebug wrote: »

I doubt I'll be able to run it all but hey if I can get there in one piece at all I'll be happy.

You've ruined the surprise! Sure we can all stroll up the hill together.

It's no harm to carry three gels. Even if you don't use them, it's nice to have them. It takes about 15-20 minutes before you reap any benefits of the gels, so when I was doing the half's in Connemara, I'd take one about mile 8.5 before the water-station (to wash it down). Then by the time you hit the hill you had enough energy to sprint to the top! The organizers usually have food and fruit before you hit the hill, just to give you that extra lift. Not long now!

littlebug

Cheers Krusty. I bought some extra gels today so I've plenty of choice and spares to offer to any poor suffering ultra marathoners I happen upon (or whizz past me ) I can't believe how close it is now. I'm looking forward to it with a mixture of excitement and terror.

meathcountysec

littlebug wrote: »

I think I need to revise the whole target time for connemara thing and just go with the flow on the day

Believe in your training. You've done the work, now reap the rewards. Learn from today, sleep well as much as possible before the day, dump the kids on the OH.

YOU WILL ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS

rainbow kirby

littlebug wrote: »

Cheers Krusty. I bought some extra gels today so I've plenty of choice and spares to offer to any poor suffering ultra marathoners I happen upon (or whizz past me ) I can't believe how close it is now. I'm looking forward to it with a mixture of excitement and terror.

You're gonna be great, just remember to smile

littlebug

Saturday= 3 mile walk with the ould fella. 2 runners passed us..,
"Do you run as fast as that?"
"Eh no"
"So you're only jogging then"
"eh... yeah... I suppose" :(:mad:

Sunday- 7 leisurely miles in my last longish pre conn run. Time restrictions dictated the distance.

Monday- 4 hour drive throughout which I listened to the 5 year old attempt to count to googolplex :eek: After 3 nights of bugger all sleep, getting back with out nodding off at the wheel while number boy did his thing in the back was an endurance feat in itself. No running today... shattered.

littlebug

The eldest had a tummy bug* and I was a bit iffy myself so I decided not to go out to run...eh... just in case . The trusty treadmill it was then. 1 mile warmup (10.50), 3 miles in 27.17 and a cool down slow mile (11ish). Though I know it doesn't really compare to road running I actually clock up more miles on the treadmill as I tend to do warmup and cooldown miles on either side of my "run" .
It's real countdown time now. I think I'll just do 3 easy miles on Thursday and leave it at that til Sunday.

The Craziness within has begun and I'm already planning my post Connemara training. I'll work on shorter stuff and building up speed in the hope of getting a nice new pb or two in the 5k series. I've also registered for the Castlebar mini marathon (10k) which is in between two of the 5k races.... so something will have to give.

Bally8

Best of luck littlebug, you will do great:)

racheljev

Best of luck in Conn, littlebug, hope it goes really well for you.

meathcountysec

Best of luck in Conn, Littlebug. Looking forward to your race report. Remember, don't let the b*stards grind you down...