This stuff is kinda addictive ...

kennyb3

hmmm the 14th would fit in nicely after the raheny 5miler. looking to do a 10k asap too. i ll have to see so...

DustyBin

Saturday 19th Dec

5.7 miles hilly

great to get out into the cold crisp weather today. Lovely white countryside made for great scenery but treacherous underfoot on the downhills.
Following a week full of eating but no exercise this really felt great. Got to pick it up if I wanna make any sort of a showing at the race Stephen's Day

DustyBin

Monday 21st Dec

Swimming

550 meters front crawl
Finding the swimming really really tough
Walked out to the pool and saw this guy splashing up the outside lane
'At least I swim a little better than him' I thought, but the fecker just kept going!! Not sure how many laps he did, but never stopped until he was ready to get out

Anyway, I find swimming very hard, hopefully things will get a bit better in time

Haven't managed to string 2 lengths together yet, todays swim took about 35 mins - plenty of rest breaks!

DustyBin

Tuesday 22nd Dec

Swimming & Running

Swam 400m front crawl in 25 mins
Really tough going again, I'm still hoping that it'll get easier soon!
On a positive I did manage to string together one continuous 50 meter swim today - fairly gasping near the end though and all thoughts of form went out the window in a desperate bid to reach the wall!!

Then ran a measly 3k on the treadmill with a 2% incline - not sure what was going on but couldn't manage any further

Have a bit of a headcold tonight which hopefully won't stick around too long

DustyBin

Ok, so haven't updated this in a while. Headcold moving to chest meant that I didn't get out until the St Stephen's Day race in Castletown.

Saturday 26th Dec

Castletown Charity 10k race. My first outing with the new Garmin 305 that Santy delivered. Had been warned that the route was not 10k, recorded 5.7 miles, done in 41:49 = 7:19 pace. Happy enough considering I hadn't run in the past week, and the chest was really wheezing coming up the final hill. Good turnout, waited around for a while after but had to go before the results were put up. Strong turnout with a lot of the Sliabh Buidhe Rovers lads turning up. I think the winning time was somewhere around the 31 / 32 minute mark.

Monday 28th Dec

7 miles
1:02:24 = 8:56 pace

Went out with a group that I hope to do my long runs with going forward. Light rain shower on the way out quickly froze making it very slippy underfoot. Little traction going uphill, and risk of landing on my bottom going downhill. Nice run, and rewarding being out in the cold crisp weather.

Tuesday 29th Dec

8.4 miles
1:14:03 = 8:51 pace

Went out with the lads again. Weather was much worse with wind and rain all the way round. Must work off a bit of the Christmas pudding & chocolate biscuit cake!!

DustyBin

Thursday 31st Dec - part 1

3.1 miles
31:18 = 10:12 pace
Avg HR 124

Nice enjoyable run with Mrs DB

Got back home, barely in the door when a friend texts me 'D'ya fancy a run? - meet you in an hour' type thing, well still had my gear on me so why not?


Thursday 31st Dec - part 2

7.14 miles
57:50 = 8:05 pace
Avg HR 152

Nice run with the lads, aim was to run 8:00 or better
Got to 5 miles in 7:50 pace then eased off for the final 2 & a bit


Good to be back running regularly after the layoff recently - really enjoying it again


Been thinking about the IMRA winter league and reckon that I'll skip the Howth head run anyway, and might even wait until the summer league starts.

Dungarvan 10 mile and My Sport 10k are the next two races for me running wise. Will likely give a few of the duathlons a shot (either Naas or Phoenix Park series)

DustyBin

Friday 1st Jan 2010

Nice 3.4 miles @ 11:05 pace
Avg HR 126

Out in the snow with Mrs DB - what a great way to start the new year!


Sunday 3rd Jan

5.56 miles out on the ice
51:08 = 9:12 pace, avg hr 145

No world records were broken today!!
Unless that is they recognise ice running as a proper sport?
Nice run, lots of frozen snow and ice
Took a couple of small slips but managed to stay on feet and no injuries
Was under pressure time wise so was lucky to get out for a run

Got little running done the past month and it's been a busy few days, need to start increasing mileage again

DustyBin

Mon 4th Jan

Swimming
400m front crawl in 30mins

Big breakthrough this morning - managed to include 6 x 50m swims today!!
Whilst this may be peanuts to most swimmers it's a big step up for me.
I decided to keep the workout to 30 mins as I was getting quite tired and sure there was probably little point in sticking around to eek out ever slower lengths

Swimming is tough

DustyBin

Tues 5th Jan

3.76 miles easy pace
39:29 = 10:29 pace, avg hr = 132

Grand run out on the ice again, roads are lethal and need to be watching where the feet go!

DustyBin

Wed 6th Jan

Swim & run

Swimming 500m f/c in 30 mins
Swam 10 x 50m today, still tough going but good to see a bit of progress
Reckon at this stage that the next improvement required is a mental one raher than anything else, just need to calm down, slow down, trust myself and keep swimming - easy huh?


Left gym then to go for a nice run in the forest next door (so long treadmill)

Ran 6.7 miles easy across all types of terrain
58:11 = 8:41 pace
avg hr = 150

really really enjoyed this run
Left gym to run out into 1 - 2 inches of snow and headed for the forests around Courtown. Ended up doing bits of both the run and bike course from Eireman X as well as hitting the road a couple of times and also found myself on the beach before heading back to do a loop to the harbour.
Heading into the forest and the trails were great, not a footprint in sight and not a man made sound to be heard. Picked a route fairly at random going through the woods and found myself out the side and onto a road, so took the road north for a bit and then swung back down to one of the beaches. Running across a snow covered beach sounds like great craic but after nearly going over on my ankle for the 5th time on stones hidden in the snow I made a beeline back into the woods were I wandered back through and onto the road at the same spot as before. This time headed south and re-entered the forest further down the road, taking in most of the Eireman X run route before coming back out at the gym again. Wanted 10k but was a little short so headed on down to the pier to take a gawk at the monstrous waves coming in over both piers before returning with a magnificent 6.7miles done.

RubyK

Wow, that's fantastic work DustyBin! Fair play!

DustyBin

Saturday 9th Jan

Run
9.5 miles easy pace
1:26:01 = 9:03 pace
141 avg hr

Nice easy run with the lads, couple of hills thrown in on the route to keep us honest.
It started snowing just before we set out so fresh snow gave a bit of grip underfoot but not good with it blowing into our faces - why does the wind always blow into your face?


Monday 11th Jan

Run
5.63 hilly miles on very slippy slush
51:14 = 9:06 pace
142 HR

Oh the downside of a garmin!
Before Christmas this was a 5.7 miler, now I've lost a whole 0.07 of a mile!!
Early morning run with head torch, these mornings actually seem darker than before Christmas? - doesn't make sense
Looks like that's the end of the snow for now at any rate - need to start clocking up a few runs at faster pace now


Tuesday 12th Jan

Swim
650 meters f/c in about 45 mins

Set out with goal of 650 to haul myself off the bottom of the swim table on MCOS's challenge thread - was not going home without it!!
Tough work again, but did manage to nudge 50 meters past TFBudendorfer - for how long?

DustyBin

Thursday 14th Jan

Run
6.16 pace miles - very icy with poor grip (pitch black & lonely)
48:10 = 7:49 pace
154 avg hr

Have had lots of slow miles over the past few weeks due to the weather so wanted to do this at a fair clip.
Grip was really poor, road totally covered in ice. Difficult to spot the really bad patches on pitch black morning with head torch. Couple of hairy moments but managed to stay near upright throughout. Forced to step gingerly at times.
Got to 3 miles in 7:24 pace before the hills started and the ice got worse.
Happy with overall time all things considered - want to do this run again soon on a dry surface, want to bring pace below/near 7:30 if I can.
Temp in car on way to work an hour later was -2.5c.

BTW, this was 6.25 miles before I got my Garmin :rolleyes:

DustyBin

Thursday 14th Jan - pm

Swim
700 meters f/c

Swimming lessons tonight and hung around afterwards to do a bit of extra work topping off at 700 meters. First lesson back after an extended Christmas break, and another different instructor!! Really not liking this swapping instructors malarky but this lady seemed to be the best of what we've had so far.

Felt good tonight, and even felt at some stages that I was managing that whole slicing through the water thing that the people who can swim are able to make look so easy! - well only at some stages.

DustyBin

Saturday 16th Jan

Run
11.09 hilly miles
1:29:56 = 8:06 pace
157 avg hr

I obviously felt like punishing myself on this one :rolleyes:. Took a new route and really felt the pain hitting home on the climbs throughout. Roads are in sh*te after all the rain. I've never seen them this bad, I was actually putting imprints in the tarmac in some parts!! The soil beneath the road has washed away making the road all squishy, and on occasion the road itself was part washed away too - it's gonna take the council a while to clean this mess up.
I took no water or no gels with me, if this run was before Christmas I would have had both. I did feel fairly shattered around about mile 9 alright but will continue not to use them for this sort of distance.


Monday 18th January

Run
6.14 miles @ pace
45:05 = 7:21 pace
154 avg hr

Same route as Thursday 14th only in reverse direction. Came in under my target of 7:30 pace so happy with that. Covered first 3.5 miles in under 7:00 pace, then died on the hills coming home. Got to get used to running up hills.
Start and finish of run was in a really dense fog, couldn't see the ditches left and right at times, never mind keeping an eye out for potholes! Running in the dark, in a fog ain't good.


58 miles in 2010 so far

DustyBin

Tuesday 19th Jan

Run
8.01 miles - hills @ easy pace
1:05:25 = 8:10 pace
147 avg hr

New route this morning, took my normal hilly route and added a loop through a local village.
Unfamiliar road in the dark - it was a bit silly of me to go out with weak batteries in the torch :rolleyes:
Enjoyable though and will probably do again on Thurs / Fri
Almost went over on my ankle in one of our brand new potholes only 3 mins out from the house :mad:

kennyb3

Is our dual still on for the 14th?:D Your run on the 18th has me worried and tells me it will be very close!

seriously though, great consistency lately, hope to see you at the start

DustyBin

Is it on?? - course it's on!!

Reading a post of yours yesterday I thought that you might have been switching out to the Cupid's Dash instead - I presume that your gonna stick with My Sport so?

That's fair auld mileage you put up last week - fair play. Just remeber not to overdo it and set yourself back any. Also, I don't want you making excuses when I'm waiting for you at the finish line in the My Sport!

kennyb3

DustyBin wrote: »

Is it on?? - course it's on!!

Reading a post of yours yesterday I thought that you might have been switching out to the Cupid's Dash instead - I presume that your gonna stick with My Sport so?

That's fair auld mileage you put up last week - fair play. Just remeber not to overdo it and set yourself back any. Also, I don't want you making excuses when I'm waiting for you at the finish line in the My Sport!

id imagine i ll do the my sport alright. i'd better start thinking up excuses so!

hmm, wanting me to rest, i wonder why?....

ah no i ll prob take 2 days rest this week instead of one as there is a long year ahead and races in january and feb wouldnt be a major priority.

RubyK

You're doing great work there DustyBin, well done! Lots of miles being put in, in great times.

DustyBin

Wednesday 20th Jan

Swim
650 meters f/c
approx 35 mins

Still taking big rest breaks, but this morning I did feel as though I could have kept going at any rate.
Swam quite slowly, trying not to lose my breath.
My hips felt heavy and low in the water for a lot of it.
Not much leg kicking going on.

Worst / funniest part? - forgetting to bring my towel!! I had to use my jumper to dry off after shower - not the same really

catweazle

What brought a big improvement in my swimming was the kickboard and a pair of fins (I think you can get the fins for 10-12 euros on Wiggle), I am not doing MCOS's 1000m of agony drills but I have done a couple of 500m efforts that the legs were burning after.

It has now got me into the habit of kicking half decent which brings the lower half up much higher in the water which seems to make everything easier.

Have you limewire?? I have the Total Immersion DVD I might stick it up on that if you want it

DustyBin

Thursday 21st Jan

Run
4.36 miles – hilly
36:36 = 8:23 pace
144 avg hr

Uneventful run to clear the head after a few pints the night before

Friday 22nd Jan

Swim
900 meters f/c
Completed in approx 45 mins

Early Friday evening – pool full of kids, meant that I had to get into the only roped off lane and share it with a young lady (maybe 16?) who swam rings around me!! Every now and then she would stop to let me finish a length and then set off again, with me telling her to just “keep going, I’ll get out of you way”. Towards the end though she did stop to let me have the honour of overtaking her once, and then she passed me back out a couple of lengths later!!

Saturday 23rd Jan

Run
6.15 miles
44:55 = 7:18 pace
152 avg hr

Didn’t have time to go with the lads on the long slow run, so had to head out early and squeeze in a fast 10k instead (fast for me). Same route as Mon 18th.

Sunday 24th Jan

Run
13.17 miles total

6.32 miles
1:04:19 = 10:11 pace
123 avg hr

6.85 miles
1:01:09 = 8:56 pace
138 avg hr

Did first 6.32 miles with Mrs DB, then continued on my own to clock another 6.85 miles. Decided in my infinite wisdom that I had ate late enough the night before and was in a rush to be back so I’d manage the run with just an apple for breakfast – wrong.
First 11 miles or so were grand, then my leg muscles just seemed to run out of fuel. Pace slowed considerably over the final 2 miles and legs clashed off one another on occasion. Not nice, and I’ll be sure to have something a bit better than an apple in future. Had no water on run either.


Wednesday 27th Jan

Run
7.51 miles
59:06 = 7:52 pace
146 avg hr

Following Sundays run I had a very busy day and night resulting in 4 hours sleep Sunday night (no drinking I promise), this was followed with another poor nights sleep on Monday night, so figured I was better off waiting till Wednesday morning to go running again.
Grand enjoyable run not exerting any great energy on the way round and good to be able to complete it in what felt an easy-ish pace. Last time I did this run I was giving it socks and unable to get near the hour mark so happy days.

DustyBin

catweazle wrote: »

What brought a big improvement in my swimming was the kickboard and a pair of fins (I think you can get the fins for 10-12 euros on Wiggle), I am not doing MCOS's 1000m of agony drills but I have done a couple of 500m efforts that the legs were burning after.

It has now got me into the habit of kicking half decent which brings the lower half up much higher in the water which seems to make everything easier.

Have you limewire?? I have the Total Immersion DVD I might stick it up on that if you want it

Thanks for that catweazle - I really appreciate the advice. My swimming is cack and I need all the help I can get.
I don't have limewire, but I do have the TI book (not read in a while), and sure I can look up Youtube for a few videos to check out kickboard exercises also.
Reckon I'll give the kickboard a shot alright.
Do you think would I need to use fins though?
Or would I get a decent workout with just the kickboard?
Cheers

catweazle

You would get more than a decent workout without the fins...........I used to do it without them and it would take me an hour to do one length. The fins give you a bit more enthusiam more than anything else as a good few lengths are possible then whereas it is soul destroying getting about half way across after the push off from the wall and then running out of any forward momentum and struggling to breathe. That being said I see the kids without fins flying along with the kickboard during their lessons but these kids are exceptional swimmers. All in all though I think the few drills I do with the fins have improved me greatly and they are cheap enough to purchase. These are the ones I got

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/swim/9/Aqua_Sphere_Zip_Fin_AW09/5360011316/

Total Immersion is more about getting the technique right and learning to be more streamlined in the water. I know Tunny has mentioned it should only be used when you are starting out swimming and you should move on to better stuff then, but for our level it improved me hugely from what I was. I downloaded it from Pirate Bay a while back before eircom started to block it, I can see them on youtube alright but they are clips and its hard to know which is which, leave it with me I will find some way to get it to ya. In fairness to you, you see a lot of people in here moaning about how bad their swimming is and how they need to improve but at least you are trying to do something about it by swimming regularly

DustyBin

catweazle wrote: »

You would get more than a decent workout without the fins...........I used to do it without them and it would take me an hour to do one length.

em ..... guess I'll be getting some fins then!! That would be soul destroying.
I'll pop into town tomorrow and see if I can pick up some fins, if not it'll be Wiggle.
I was checking out the Mr Smooth programme there today. MCOS posted a link to it a few months ago, and it is great to look at it a fresh every now and again picking up one or two new things about technique.

DustyBin

Thursday 28th Jan

Swim
800 meters breaststroke
450 meters f/c

Covered the front crawl tonight and turns out that it's much easier than I thought. Much less demanding on the lungs and less fatiguing all round - could use this as backup mid swim in open water if needed.

Topped out at 1,250 meters total - my longest yet in one session by some distance, covered in about 65 - 70 mins.

Happy things are starting to move in right direction with the swim.



Friday 29th Jan

Run
4.57 miles
36:23 = 7:57 pace
146 avg hr

Uneventful run, just getting out to keep things ticking over till Dungarvan on Sunday.
Did pass the 100 miles since Jan mark going past a neighbours house alright.

misty floyd

Going great yourself DB and best of luck in Dungarvan. 10m is a great distance for a race....I love it anyway. Well done with the swimming by the way. You must be chuffed with Thursdays swim.

Whats up after Dungarvan? Just saw your first post....still doin Connemarathon and would it be your first marathon?

DustyBin

Thanks
Na, not able to do Connemara this year as friends are getting married that day
Going to do Cork instead and that will be my first marathon - 18 weeks from Monday
Only started running in August so still lots of firsts - never done a 10 miler before tomorrow either
Next up is My Sport 10k in 2 weeks, then will prob try do one or two of the duathlons coming up
Would like to get a tri in early, and I really owe the swim in Eireman X a kicking following Septembers effort :rolleyes:, that comes around again in May
After that it will hopefully be a few sprint tri's, duathlons, and maybe an olympic tri if I can get my swimming good enough
Hope to then give DCM a lash in October

DustyBin

Saturday 30th Jan

Run
3.7 miles
37:28 = 10:08 pace
126 avg hr

Just a short easy run to keep the legs and chest moving