Rollin' down to Dublin town.......

Nightowl84

Right I'm jumping on the DCM '09 bandwagon:)

This is my second log. After I gave up the ciggies just before the New Year I took up running to keep myself motivated. It worked a treat, and since then I've run a few 10k's, the Connemara half and then the Cork marathon on June 1st.

I now realise that it was a bit naive of me to pick Cork as my first marathon, it had a tendency to be pretty warm and I definitely favoured running in colder weather. However it was all part of the learning curve and despite being one tough assed run, I finished it. My time was 4 hours and 33 minutes and though I'm very proud to have finished I know I can do alot better.

Looking back through the account I kept while training its blatantly obvious that my training was all over the shop. I didn't follow an etablished plan and pretty much made up my own (despite having no running experience!). I did do the mileage but most runs were at the same-ish pace. Also I think the key was consistency and I just didn't have that.

So I've picked my plan and i'm determined to follow it through. I'll have to juggle a few days for a few weeks until the end of our soccer season but that shouldn't be a problem. I think the key to improving my time will be the pace runs, intervals and hill repeats.


Bring on Dublin:eek:

eliwallach

Welcome to the jungle. :cool:

Best of luck with training and log.

Nightowl84

Week 1 (jumping in on week 3 of HH training plan)

Monday 6th July:
I've done about 10 runs since Cork. I came back from a sun holiday on Saturday (brought my running gear which didn't see the light of day:o).
So today was the official start of by DCM program. I went a bit mad and ran 8.5 miles. My heart rate has gone up since I was training last but the run itself was grand.
8.5 easy miles 10.01m/m Avg HR- 165bpm

Tuesday 7th July:
Did my 3.5 mile block in the morning. The plan only required a 3 miler but my sister wanted to go for a run so I went and did the block again in the evening.
7 easy miles Pace 1: 9.59m/m Pace 2: 10.38m/m Avg HR 1: 160bpm Avg HR 2: 148bpm

Wednesday 8th July:
3 miles 9.29m/m Avg HR-163bpm
Played a soccer match in the evening, we lost:mad:.....again.

Thursday 9th July:
Went to the local track to do 800m intervals today. Did a 2 mile warm up, stretches and then 4 reps followed by a 1 mile cool down. Each interval was followed by a lap walk which is too easy so i'll change that to 90seconds in future.
Lap 1: 3.58.55
Lap 2: 4.01.19
Lap 3: 4.00.23
Lap 4: 4.03.85
Actually enjoyed doing this type of training.

Friday 10th July:
Today called for a pace run. Now I know why I was a one paced wonder prior to Cork, it was within my comfort zone. Today I pushed myself, 6 tough miles on a course with a few decent hills. I really felt like stopping a few times but stayed going. Got pursued by 3 dogs at one point, cue crazy sprint and sharp increase in HR.
6 miles 8.47m/m Avg HR-168bpm

Saturday 11th July:
LSR today, 8 miles. Was going great until around 2.5 miles when I felt a pain in my right calf. I stupidly continued and finished the run. My legs pretty sore now and the stairs is a major obstacle but at least i've a rest day tomorrow (which involves the Bruce concert and hopefully Tipp beating Waterford......)

Delighted to have finished week 1 on schedule, hopefully I can be consistent.

Nightowl84

Sunday 12th July:
Rest day:), it couldn't get any better, Tipp cruising to victory followed by Bruce rockin the RDS.

Monday 13th July:
Down in Cork for a few days, did an easy 3 miles. Pace was 9.32 m/m.

Tuesday 14th July:
Today was my nemesis session, the pace run. Eased into the first mile and then tried to up the pace. 6 miles at 8.33m/m which I was very happy with.

Wednesday 15th:
3 easy miles @ 9.43 m/m

Thursday 16th:
3.5 miles @ 10m/m

Friday 17th:
3 mile warm up
4 x 170m hill reps with 170m walk down rest
1. 58.63
2. 57.17
3. 56.62
4. 56.07

.75 mile cool down

Saturday 18th:
11.75 miles LSR @ 9.57 m/m. Not a bad run, I was really worried that my right leg would seize up (it felt dodgy after mile 2) but it was grand. I asked my sis to leave a bottle of water outside her house (on the route about mile 9). So as I approached her place I spotted a pink babies bottle(allegedly all she had) filled with water perched upon the pier (needless to say I downed it).

Nightowl84

Week 3

Monday 20th July:
3 easy miles in Cork @ 9.19m/m pace.

Tuesday 21st:
7 miles over a very undulating route. Pace was 10.07m/m and Avg HR was 138 bpm. Lovely run despite the hills.

Wednesday 22nd:
Ran 3 miles today beside the Blackwater and decided to push the pace. Managed 8.18m/m without too much discomfort and even with someones cute little lab pup weaving in and out under me a number of times.

Thursday 23rd:
The plan today called for a 35 min tempo run. I had a vague-ish idea of what this entailed. Set off at the ungodly hour of 7am (anyone who knows me would be well impressed). Started with 10 mins warmup jog, 20 minutes slowly increasing the pace and a 5 minute warm down. Went fairly well and covered 3.6 miles.
Soccer match in the evening.

Friday 24th:
Rest

Saturday 25th:
Ran 7 miles today. Felt great until around mile 6 disaster struck, my right leg semi packed it in. I finished the run and hobbled home. Its an old recurring groin strain which can be blamed on soccer. That screws up the possibility of the 14 mile LSR tomorrow:mad:

Sunday 26th:
I've taken the sensible option and decided to take some rest (woke a few times in the night with pain shooting down my leg). I'll hit the pool tomorrow and hopefully I can get back on track within a few days.....

Nightowl84

Monday 27th:
Went to the pool in the evening, its something I don't often do but I really enjoyed it.

Tuesday 28th:
Felt really good after the pool last night, couldn't chance a run due to a soccer game in the evening.

Wednesday 29th:
This is shaping up to be a rest week:(. Anyway another pool session in the evening.

Thursday 30th:
I was really looking forward to running the 5k down in S.Tipp tonight as I'd like to support the local races but another soccer game was on the cards. Turned out to be a fairly decent game (we lost, albeit admirably:)). Im 50/50 on a 5 mile in Waterford tomorrow.