Life after eireman.....going for sub 2:50 at DCM

jaymack75

I originally planned on doing a training log as part of the preparation for the eireman full distance, but as is the way with trying to fit everything into your life during ironman training, I never quite got round to it. So, here I am, still not really sure how I feel about the race on Sunday after the swim was cancelled, so after all the preparation and having done almost all the race, I'm still not an ironman - well that's just something I'll have to address at a later date.

In the meantime, I think it’s best if I focus on the next milestone. In theory this would be a sub 3 marathon as my official pb from Dub ’07 is 3:17, but since I think I’m already in sub 3 shape, I suppose 2:50 is a better target:) In theory, based on mcmillan's calc using my rte 5miler time, it puts me on for a 2:45, but that's all well and good in theory

I’m in recovery mode this week and so far I’ve been very happy with how the body has felt post-eireman. I've just been cycling this week so far, but hoping to maybe go for a run tonight or tomorrow and see how everything feels

My plan is to do the half marathon in derry on 12th sep to gauge where I am fitness-wise. I also plan to keep up the cycling and swimming, so it won't be exclusively running....seems to work ok for me :cool:

asimonov

Well done on eireman last week, and best of luck with the log and with the DCM.

Can i ask what a typical week of your ironman training looked like and how will you adapt this for DCM?

jaymack75

thx asimonov

It's hard to define a typical week, as I have adapted my focus areas over the last 9-ish months of training



My key things have been :

• consistency (something every day for the last 6mths)
• fitting the training in around worklife / homelife
• average about 10-12hrs per week, but with some bigger weeks to get the longer volume done.
• I did a lot of running (for me) in the lead up to connemara in march, so i just kept the run fitness ticking over since then
• commuting cycling most days....i see this as 'free' training
• run frequency...not necessarily long miles, but running often - good for my durability
• yoga at least once a week
• good sleeping / good eating (as much as poss :rolleyes:)

jaymack75

asimonov wrote: »

and how will you adapt this for DCM?

Basically get back into the focussed running again, once the recovery is ok. I want to build up the lactate threshold runs and get the frequency up.

To get the run consistency, I might give myself a challenge or two - like 14 runs in 14days or something

I'll still be cycling and maybe the odd swim too

jaymack75

It's been a gentle few days since the race on Sunday.........

Mon - rest day

Tues - cycle to and from work (30mins / 12k) each way

Weds - cycle to and from work

Thurs - cycle to and from work
followed in the eve by a 6k run by the dodder in 27:40 (av hr 137)

Today - cycle to and from work
lunchtime 6k run 26:40 (av hr 139) this run was 2k to the track, then 2k test @ aerobic threshold (8:28) and 2k back to work

As a comparison, I did this same test in 8:08 as I was freshening up a few days before eireman, so while I'm a bit slower, I'm pretty happy the recovery is going well. I'm planning on aerobic runs (for me - max hr 144) sat and sun.

jaymack75

Saturday - 14k run 1:02:35 (av hr 142)

jaymack75

Sunday - 8k run 35:45 (av hr 142)


Monday - cycle to and from work 24k 60mins
- evening 1.5hrs yoga class

jaymack75

Tues - cycle to and from work 60mins / 24k
lunchtime run 6k in 25:20 - this was 2k each way to/from the track
then 2k (in 7:23.1) at around threshold hr (lap details below)
1 - 88.7s av154
2 - 89.9s av159
3 - 87.4s av163
4 - 89.6s av164
5 - 87.5s av165

Abhainn

Nice to see you have joined us jaymack75 even if it is just for a short while.

Well done in Eireman Long distance. Very impressive result.

Best of luck - 2:50 is certainly a fast target

jaymack75

Abhainn wrote: »

Best of luck - 2:50 is certainly a fast target

thanx Abhainn......I must remember to remind you how fast it is when u cruise past me at about 24miles

jaymack75

Weds
Ran to work in the morning – 12k in 57:30 (av 138)
Ran home after work. Stopped in Tesco’s after about 5k and added a few kg’s of groceries to the backpack . 12k in 56:45 (av 140)

Thurs
Cycled to and from work 24k – 60mins
Was planning on a run after the cycle home, but made the mistake of getting comfy on the sofa instead…..:(

jaymack75

Fri
Cycled to and from work 24k – 60mins

Lunchtime run (8k in 34:01) - 2k warm-up 8:40 + 2k warm down in 9:50

4k on the track @ around LT in 15:29.7. I struggled on this run with the really strong wind on the back straight. Don’t know if it was fatigue or maybe I’m getting a cold or something. I would have typically been doing this 4k session in about 14:40 – today’s laps below

1. 94.8 av 154
2. 94.0 av 156
3. 92.3 av 161
4. 91.9 av 162
5. 90.9 av 165
6. 91.2 av 164
7. 94.4 av 164
8. 94.5 av 162
9. 93.9 av 163
10. 91.8 av 165

Sat
Was planning on a long run today, but after yesterday’s performance, I decided on an aerobic 5miler. Did this in 33:59 (av hr143) so, while it’s not my quickest time on this route, I don’t think I’m too fatigued.

Sun
Again - long run planned, but this time, I never quite myself organised to get out and do it, so had to settle for another 5miler. Done in 35:29 (av hr 140). Still not feeling too sharp, but glad I got out.

jaymack75

Mon
Good day’s training today………:)

am: Cycled to work 12k 30mins

Lunchtime run 8k in 33:00
After the two easier days at the weekend, I decided to do the same session as last Friday and see if things had improved.
2k warm-up 8:54 + 2k warm down in 9:20

4k @ around LT in 14:45.9. Phew….looks like I’m back in business – these times were about 4secs a lap quicker than Friday for the same effort– today’s laps below

1. 89.5 av 152
2. 88.5 av 158
3. 88.4 av 161
4. 89.5 av 162
5. 88.5 av 161
6. 88.4 av 162
7. 88.7 av 164
8. 89.4 av 165
9. 89.2 av 164
10. 85.8 av 166

The rain held off, so after work I cycled home the scenic route via Glencullen. 1hr 3mins

Followed this with 1.5hrs of yoga….tough class and feeling it in the legs today.

Krusty_Clown

Is that your round-up for the week, or Monday?!?

jaymack75

LOL! - just Monday Krusty!......i think it'll be a quieter day's training today though

jaymack75

Tues
Cycled to and from work 24k – 60mins
Evening run 6k in 26:30 - av hr 138

jaymack75

Weds

Felt fresher today after yesterday's easy day.

Cycled to and from work 24k – 60mins

Lunchtime run (8k in 33:59) - 2k warm-up 8:35 + 4k on the track + 2k warm down in 9:50

track session - 7x400 with each one increasing speed w/200 recovery jog in about 60secs
1. 87.3 av 151 / max 158
2. 83.9 155/163
3. 82.7 155/164
4. 82.2 158/164
5. 81.2 162/167
6. 80.6 160/167
7. 78.6 163/170

jaymack75

Thurs

Cycled to and from work 24k – 60mins

Evening run, 8k in 33:24 - av hr 140. Really lovely evening for a run - dry, bright, cool and not much of a breeze....legs felt good too. That's 7 runs in 7days

With the half marathon on saturday, it will be an easy day friday. Haven't decided whether to do a short lunchtime run or not.....I'll see how I feel later!

jaymack75

Friday

Cycled to and from work 24k – 60mins

Lunchtime run - nice n easy 6k in 28:23 with some strides just to stretch the legs


Saturday - Derry half marathon race report

Drove up on Friday night, so didn't get there till nearly midnight.

Sat morning - after a light breakfast and a couple of large coffees, I went down to the race registration. This only took a few minutes and cost me £20 for the late entry.

Temperature at the start was cool and there was a fair bit of fog, but it looked like the sun was going break through in a while - ideal conditions. There was a good turnout in numbers as there was a walkers and relay option, plus a kids fun run, so something for all the family. Did a short warm up and got called to the start line. After a few mins the wheelchairs started and we were off 30seconds later.

The race was going to be a bit of an experiment for me to see how long I could run reasonably hard for. My plan was to stay just below lactate threshold hr (164) and see how things went. The front lads made space on the rest of us pretty much straight away, but I settled into a group going at a nice pace for me. I was hoping to be getting in just below 6min mile splits, based on the pace I'd been doing shorter threshold sessions at, but from the start, it was clear to me I wasn't going as fast as I'd hoped. Still, I just stuck at the same pace and kept plugging away. The legs started feeling heavy after about 8miles, but the pace was ok and others were suffering, so that usually gives me a boost!!

I'd been sitting nicely on this other lad's shoulder for a good while and with a mile to go, I lifted the pace a bit. He stayed with me for a while, but then dropped off a bit as we entered the grounds towards the end. I thought for a few moments I had cracked him, he put on a decent surge and I didn't have any more gears left so he got past me and a couple of others just before the finish line. Sprint finishes are not my forte!

Overall it was a great race - cheap entry, t-shirt, medal, plenty of drinks/bananas/chocolate afterwards. Quite a lot of turns on the course, but no major hills, no real wind, fantastic weather. Only downside was trying to get out of the grounds after - traffic was completely stuck and it took me about 40mins just to go a few hundred yards to get out of the place - a bit surprising considering how well organised everything else was.

I got through 5miles in 30:28, halfway in 40:15 and 10miles in 1:01:27.
Very happy with finish time of 1:20:31 - a solid pb for me

Ave hr was 162.

Mile splits below

1. 5:58
2. 6:02
3. 6:02
4. 6:02
5. 6:23
6. 6:06
7. 5:57
8. 6:14
9. 6:15
10. 6:25
11. 6:06
12. 6:15
13. 6:42

Abhainn

Nice one there jaymack75. Sub 80 is close

jaymack75

Sunday

Fantastic weather for a run. Was thinking about going for a spin on the bike instead as there was plenty of post-race soreness in the legs, but I wanted to keep on track for my little 14runs in 14days mini challenge, so just went out for a gentle 6k in 30:17, av 135 hr

10 runs in 10days

asimonov

jaymack75 wrote: »

Overall it was a great race - cheap entry, t-shirt, medal, plenty of drinks/bananas/chocolate afterwards. Quite a lot of turns on the course, but no major hills, no real wind, fantastic weather. Only downside was trying to get out of the grounds after - traffic was completely stuck and it took me about 40mins just to go a few hundred yards to get out of the place - a bit surprising considering how well organised everything else was.

great run jaymack... the traffic must be a northern thing..we had the same issue at the Lisburn half marathon this year..stuck in traffic trying to leave the grounds for ages...

jaymack75

asimonov wrote: »

great run jaymack... the traffic must be a northern thing..we had the same issue at the Lisburn half marathon this year..stuck in traffic trying to leave the grounds for ages...

thx asimonov.....yeah I made the mistake of parking right in near the start....should have taken a spot near the entrance closer to the main road for a quick getaway....next time!!

btw, at lisburn, if you get there early enough, there's a little carparking place in the middle of govener's road roundabout just up the road from the leisureplex......nice jog to and from as warmup/down.......no traffic probs afterwards

jaymack75

Monday

Cycled to and from work 24k – 60mins

Lunchtime run - legs still sore from Saturday, so aerobic 8k in 35:46

Evening yoga class 1.5hrs



Tuesday

Cycled to and from work 24k – 60mins

Lunchtime run - legs feeling better but not perfect yet, so did the same run as Monday aerobic 8k in 35:05

jaymack75

Weds

Cycled to and from work + in and out of town 44k – 1h50mins

evening run (8k in 33:12) - av hr 141

Thurs

Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k

lunch run (8k in 34:37) - av hr 139 (14runs-in-14-days)

Friday

Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k. Off to westport for a stag wkend. Optimistically brought the runners with me :cool:

Saturday

Not feeling the may west after some major dancing on the friday night, but dragged myself out before breakfast for a 25min jog down to the harbour and back thru westport house. Felt way better for it - 5k

Sunday

Rest day.....and I thought I was bad Saturday! - definitiely no training today. A combination of paintballing, dancing and too many scoops has left me in poor shape.


Unfortunately, I got no long run in this week......I've got some catching up to do......once I recover

jaymack75

Monday

Cycled to / from work 24k 60mins

+ evening yoga class 1.5hrs

No running today - quads still sore from the wkend

jaymack75

Tues

Cycled to and from work 24k – 60mins

lunch run (8k in 35:31) - av hr 142


Weds

No running today - just cycled to and from work + in and out of town 44k – 1h50mins


Thurs

am: Ran to work (run/walk) in 58:05 12k (av hr 140)

pm: Ran home from work (run/walk) in 55:45 12k (av hr 139)

jaymack75

Friday

Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k.


Saturday

Struggling with a cold so postponed the LSR and just got out the door for 8k in 34:48 (av hr 138)

Sunday

Still not shook the cold, but had to get out and do the long run. Did 2 x 14k laps with a walk/run of 30secs every 10mins. First lap in 1:04:14 and struggled on the 2nd lap in 1:06:56.

28k in 2:11:10 (av hr 137)

Very glad to have that out of the way! I'm hoping to do the rathfarnham 5k next sun, so need to see if I can get my next long run (~20miler) done, maybe on thurs/fri.

jaymack75

Monday

While the legs aren't too bad from the LSR on Sunday, I'm still coughing up green in the morning :rolleyes:......obviously not shaken off that cold yet. So planning on a couple of easy days, with no running to make sure I recover ok.

Cycled to and from work 24k – 60mins


Tuesday

Same as Monday.......Cycled to and from work 24k – 60mins

jaymack75

Well, the cold I'd been trying to avoid got the better of me and turned into a chest infection. This has left me with my worst week's training in a long time. I was hoping the easy days would help me shift it, but by thurs I was feeling like crap, so no choice but hit the sickbed. Looking back over my training diary, this has been brewing for a while - I just didn't take action soon enough........lesson learned for next time

I've missed my 20miler this wkend, so I'm gonna have to see how I recover and see if I can get it done later this week......

Weds

Cycled to and from work + in and out of town 44k – 1h50mins

evening run (6k in 27:27) - av hr 136

Thurs
Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k. Home to bed!!

Friday
Off work sick. No training

Saturday
Spent the day in bed, but got out for a short run in the evening to see how things were. Not good. 6k in 30mins av hr 136. Back to bed.

Sunday
Bed again. No training, but looks like I'm making some recovery - not coughing up green anymore

jaymack75

Mon
Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k. No running as still recovering from the chest infection.

Tues
Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k.

Weds
Cycled to and from work + in and out of town 44k – 1h50mins

Decided to get back running to see how things were - evening run (6k in 27:45) - av hr 142. The legs felt fine, but struggled to keep the heartrate down.

Thurs
Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k.

Evening run (6k in 27:35) - av hr 140.

So I've managed two short runs in a row, so that's an improvement on the last couple of weeks. I want to get a long run done this wkend as I've only managed one 18miler 2 weeks ago. I'm conscious that I need to be tapering as well, but I need to see how I get on in the long run first.

I have to say, I'm not feeling all that confident about sub 2:50 right now.....but we'll see how this wkend goes!

jaymack75

Friday

Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k.

Evening 6k run in 27:00 - av hr 141


Saturday

I was planning on getting up early for the long run, but this never happened and I kinda ran out of time later on in the day. Got out for an 8k in 34:40 - av hr 142

Sunday

Ok, finally managed to get out and do the long run. Absolutely lovely conditions for a run. Did negative split on 2 x 14k laps. I'm not back in the shape I was a few months ago (my pb on this run was 2:00:41 in May), but I am feeling a bit more confident about 2:50.....having said that I will have to race very well on the day to get it.

1st lap in 1:04:10 av hr 138
2nd lap in 1:02:45 av hr 144

28k in 2:06:55 (av hr 141)

jaymack75

Mon
Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k.

Evening yoga class 1.5hrs. Major hamstring work - it was Friday before the pain was gone

Tues
Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k.

Weds
Cycled to work and home via dalkey (1h15mins)


Thurs
am: ran to work - 12k in 57:54 - av hr 136

pm: ran from work into town as I was heading out for dinner and music....quick change out of the running gear in the restaurant toilet
11.5k in 51:42 - av hr 139.


Fri
Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k.

evening run - 8k in 34:34 - av hr 141

Sat
Rest day - family visiting and as I didn't get out early, I missed the window of opportunity, so just had a rest day for a change

Sun
Last LSF before the race. I did 22k in 1:38:23 (av hr 142)which was made up of a 14k loop, then an 8k loop

14k in 1:02:39 - av hr 141
8k in 35:42 - av hr 143

jaymack75

With a DNF, my Dublin marathon dreams are shattered…….well, maybe that’s a bit too dramatic…..

But still, I’m disappointed the season hasn’t ended as planned. Looking back, the disappointment started with the eireman in august and although I put in a good effort, there was the anticlimax of not having the swim, therefore not having done a full ironman.

So, I wanted to get something out of the season and finish with a decent time at Dublin. In the summer, I was in good shape and in my training, I could knock out 6min miles below threshold hr easily enough. Since eireman, my training times have not got back to where they were and although I did a decent enough half mar last month in 1:20, it took more effort than it should to run that pace.

I had tapered fairly well for dcm (by not doing much running!), but as I described further back in the log, my peak training weeks in the lead up suffered due to chest infections etc.

Things got worse last week when I managed to get myself savage toothache followed by a nicely swollen face. A strong dose of antibiotics on Friday, feverish sweating and puking up my pasta on Friday night suggested I wasn’t the may west. I had 90% convinced myself not to start (my family and friends thought I’d be mad to even think about it) , but I decided to leave the final say until mon morning. Woke up trying to be positive, even though I knew I wasn’t fully better, I had improved over the wkend, so after light brekkie, I cycled into town, dropped of the bag, went down to the start and got lined up near the front.

Quickly after the start I glanced at the watch to see the heart rate was already over 150. After trying not to go off too hard, I was averaging about 6:40s. This would be normal training pace for me at around 140 hr but my hr was around 160. Sub 2:50 pace was going to require about 6:25s and even plan-b of sub 3 was going to need 6:50’s. I got passed by the sub3 ballons as I picked up some water on the north circular, but by the start of the phoenix park I was sweating buckets and was absolutely roasting, so I decided on plan-c – I was only going as far as terenure. The course goes almost past my door, so it was a case of just hanging on and running home. Passed halfway in 1:28 on the nose and found my wife with a bag of clothes for me at the terenure crossroads – 1:50 for 16 and a bit miles.

Av hr for the day was 161 – almost exactly the same as when I did the half mar in 1:20.

Should I have even started? Maybe not, but then I would have been left wondering what if etc……Should I have finished, but at a slower pace? Maybe, but my decision was made after the first couple of miles and I think it was the right one – ok I don’t have the medal etc……and it’s a DNF, but god knows what that last 10miles would have done to me.

The plan now is no plan – well not races anyway. I just want to get into serious recovery mode. More sleep, better nutrition, less training, less stress…for a few weeks anyway..…then I’m gonna get back in the zone

Signing off……Jaymack75

wizwill

congrats and well done on starting the race and then having the sense to pull yourself out when your heart rate was going west. Its great to pick up bits and pieces from logs, I note your focus on heart rate and am going to incorporate that in my 2010 training. Good luck in the future.