This stuff is kinda addictive ...

DustyBin

Thursday 26th Feb - pm

Swim
1,200 meters (750 f/c, 400 breast, 50 b/fly)
75 mins

Lessons again tonight and also hung around after to clock up a few extra lengths. Towards the end of the lessons we were practising pushing off the wall and into the dolphin kick, first attempt I gave it everything and suffered a massive knot of cramp in my calf, took a while to loosen out - not nice.
Did 2 lengths of the butterfly stroke this time - tiring stuff, hits muscles previously forgotten about.

Getting a bit more comfortable with my f/c lengths, and not needing the same recovery between them, still stuck with a part psycological, but mainly oxygen related, limit of 50m at a time;)

Getting there

Next week is last week of lessons, I asked the instructor if she would turn on the big childrens waterslide for us? 'No bother, I'll get that done' - result!!

nomadic

DustyBin wrote: »

Next week is last week of lessons, I asked the instructor if she would turn on the big childrens waterslide for us? 'No bother, I'll get that done' - result!!

I'm a member of the National Aquatic Centre and i'd love to go into the area with all the slides and stuff but i'd look like a right wierdo.

DustyBin

nomadic wrote: »

I'm a member of the National Aquatic Centre and i'd love to go into the area with all the slides and stuff but i'd look like a right wierdo.

Ha ha nomadic, 1 hour of adult lessons, there's only ever about 8-9 of us in the pool between the two classes - gonna be up and down that slide like it's something from Mosney!!

DustyBin

Friday 26th Feb - pm

Run
6.72k
39:22 = 5:52 /k pace
134 avg hr

recovery run with Fit4life, a little quicker than previous nights



Saturday 27th Feb - am

Run
25.87k
2:15:57 = 5:15 pace
142 avg hr

My longest long run done yet, felt a lot tougher than last weeks, not because of the terrain or hills really, just been tired this week. Route was fairly hilly though alright, Garmin giving me 485m of ascent. HR strap finished up down around my belly so not sure how accurate the HR data is then. Quite tired now but hopefully will have just enough energy to drag my heavy ass up the road to the pub for the rugby

Been doing a lot of running for me lately, 62.9k last week and 74.5k this week. This is the ballpark I want to stay in though for the next few months coming up to Cork - then lets see what happens on the day. A few months back I set myself a target of a sub 3:15 marathon in 2010, the thinking was 3:30 in Cork and then hopefully a 3:15 in Dublin - hope so.

kennyb3

3.30 should be a piece of cake to you with 3 months to go, once the training keeps going well and you build up that long run bit by bit each week. we are at a very similar level and id be disappointed if i couldnt run a 3.20(at least) marathon by then. keep up the good work

DustyBin

kennyb3 wrote: »

3.30 should be a piece of cake to you with 3 months to go, once the training keeps going well and you build up that long run bit by bit each week. we are at a very similar level and id be disappointed if i couldnt run a 3.20(at least) marathon by then. keep up the good work

yeah you're probably right?
I've never ran a marathon before but 3:30 is 8 min mile which I'd hope I could handle for that distance. Anyway's them were the times I'd set in my own head a few months back and sure if I beat them brilliant!
Already reckon that come the day I'll be setting out at quicker than 8:00/m pace in Cork, but will decide what pace closer to the day.

DustyBin

Monday 1st March

Swim
1,150 meters (250 breast, 100 f/c, 800 drills)
35 mins

Roped off lane on my own - happy out, started with 200 breast warm-up, then 250 kick with 2 hands on board, set off on 75m catchup with fins then. Half way through this someone got into the lane with me and threw me off kilter altogether, finished out doing 6*75m catchup with fins. Then swam on side with float but couldn't get into it so left it at 100m. 50 breast to get used to not using fins again and 2*50 f/c to finish it off.
Was a good session in that I covered 1,150 in 35 mins, need to learn a few more drills to use without kickboard.
Still not relaxing properly in water and feel like I am swimming way too fast for my ability - not getting the distance as a result?

kennyb3

DustyBin wrote: »

yeah you're probably right?
I've never ran a marathon before but 3:30 is 8 min mile which I'd hope I could handle for that distance. Anyway's them were the times I'd set in my own head a few months back and sure if I beat them brilliant!
Already reckon that come the day I'll be setting out at quicker than 8:00/m pace in Cork, i ll be setting off slowly in Cork at just over 8m/m, getting to half way with not a bother and picking it up from there and running a decent negative split but will decide what pace closer to the day.

fixed that for you:)

DustyBin

Tuesday 2nd Mar

Run - LT session

14.06k in 1:06:35 = 4:44/k avg pace
avg hr 145

Target was 3k wu / 8k @ 4:20 pace / 3k cd - and it was fair tough

Ran out the first 3k at 5:06/k
Then hit the 8k LT, managed 4:19/k for this with avg hr 151 bpm - happy
Finished out with 3.06k @ 5:29 shuffle home

Ran the same route as last Tuesday, but the increase from 6k @ LT to 8k @ LT left me with the majority of the final kilometer uphill - hard work to keep up the pace.

Won't say that I enjoyed it but felt great when it was done


Wednesday 3rd Mar

Swim
900 meters (600m drills, 200m breast, 100 f/c)
35 mins

100m breast to warm up
500m catchup with fins - did these as 10 * 50m as Iwanted to concentrate on bilateral breathing during it
100m swim on side - gave up after 100m as I wasn't really getting it right
100m breast to get used to not having fins again
100m f/c just to show myself that I could still swim f/c unaided



Thursday 4th Mar

Run
11.11 km
58:40 = 5:17/k pace
136 avg hr

Nice slow run across very hilly route. Had planned to go further but circumstances didn't allow any more time.

DustyBin

Thursday 4th Mar - pm

Run
8.01k
47:12 = 5:53/k pace

Nice easy 8k to break in the new runners. No hrm.


Swim
500 meters (250 breast, 250 f/c)
countless spins on the water slide

Last night of lessons, not a whole lot of swimming going on but there was lots of fun on the kids water slide





Been laid low since with some form of bug, nasty little yoke hit me hard Friday morning but thankfully seems mostly passed now, won't chance anything in the morning though.
Have missed out on a few runs including my LSR for the week and won't get my swim done tomorrow.
Weekends are fairly hectic for the next month or two so got to plan out my upcoming training a lot more rigidly than what I'm used to doing to date, juggling training runs around real life.

DustyBin

Monday 8th Mar

Run
9.74k
50:33 = 5:11/k pace

Nice steady run to get back into the swing of things
Wrapped up with lots of layers (incl 2 pairs of gloves) and then forgot my hat :rolleyes:



Plan was to get out this morning again for something similar but just wasn't up to it, not fully over the dose I guess, so back to bed I went

DustyBin

Wednesday 10th Mar

Run - hilly
18.49k
1:48:51 = 5:53/k pace
129 avg hr

Horrible, horrible run
Because the weekends for the next month and a half are basically gone, I've had to rearrange my plan to get my LSR's done midweek. Also this week was set down as a recovery week, but due to a bit of a dose at the weekend and the resulting lack of a run, I decided to take last week as rest instead. This week so the plan called for 26k, which I had intended to do last night.
Setting out in the darkness after work I admit I was a little unsure after the virus at the weekend, so set myself up on a loop where I could take an early road home if need be. About 12.5k in I started to struggle pretty bad, and 1k later the game was over, wheels well and truly had come off. Stomach was in a terrible knot, and I still had at least 5k to get home :eek: and no phone, had to do it under my own steam.
The cold set into my bones and with a mixture of walking, shuffling, and stopping I made it home in the end. Felt really crap for the rest of the evening, but fine today.
Took today off, and will take tomorrow off again, then get out on Sat hopefully.
Stuck with that dilemma now where I don't want to miss too much marathon training, but I need to get rid of the end of whatever's in my system asap.


Edit: I know, I know, reading back on the previous post it was really stupid to try a long run, but I thought I was grand??

DustyBin

Saturday 13th Mar

Run
17.39k
1:31:29 = 5:16/k pace
138 avg hr

Much better run today. Didn't go the full distance with the lads (29k), turned off with one other and took a different route back. Felt good and strong. Wrapped up really well again, but reckon that I'm over the bug now.
Off now to feed and water myself at a friends wedding
Will end up missing the start of the rugby though

Macanri

Good for you. Glad to hear you're over the bug. It's a bitch when sick/laid low and not knowing how frickin' long it's gonna last. That's high enough milage too for after a bug.

DustyBin

Monday 15th Mar

Run
7.16k
36:35 = 5:06/k pace
no hrm

Didn't want to get out of bed. Forced myself up. Got my gear on. Went for short trot.



Felt good, reckon it's time to push on again this week and see how things go. This marathon won't run itself.

DustyBin

Tuesday 16th Mar

Run
9.91k
48:42 = 4:55/k pace

Out for another easy run this morning. Didn't bother with a hrm or keeping any kind of an eye on pace running on feel instead, all the same, parts of this felt harder than it probably should have. No sign of recent niggles I've been having (right knee, left foot) so better.

sallysaucer101

Hey,

Are you still going to try for the celtic challenge? Were just about set now with support boats etc!

DustyBin

sallysaucer101 wrote: »

Hey,

Are you still going to try for the celtic challenge? Were just about set now with support boats etc!

Hi sallysaucer
Haven't heard from you in ages
Yeah, there's a crew from the club got their act together and got their entry in and all, looks like they're gonna pull it off!!
I'm delighted for them, but am not able to put in the training myself this spring because of both marathon training and also have been hectic the past few weeks, and will be the next month or more as well - smack bang when the others really need to be putting the hours in.
I'm really disappointed that I'm not going to be able to do it, but really pleased for the others that they're gonna get to go do it.

Best of luck with your own preparations and hope you have a really good race

DustyBin

Wednesday 17th Mar

Run
30k even
2:51:03 = 5:42/k pace
140 avg hr

Thank God for Paddy's Day, fell just perfect to allow me to ge this mid-week lsr thing going properly.
Took two gels on the run, felt good throughout if a little heavy over the last 1k. Quads felt a bit tight at one stage but a few heel kicks on the hoof sorted that out.
Longest run yet, no real aches or pains now, just very tired, and it appears as though my big toes like hitching a ride on top of my 2nd toes - never noticed that before, but defo a bit of abrasion or something there today.
Thankfully no repeat of the stomach cramps, lots of layers again today, 3 days continuous running - must be over that bug now.

Afterwards into the local parade to ride a vintage push bike in one of the floats - we won the overall prize :D

Off now to slurp tea, scoff another bun, and fall asleep watching some telly.

DustyBin

Thursday 17th Mar - pm

Run
9.71k
58:54 = 6:04/k pace
125 avg hr

Got out for a nice easy paced recovery run over a lumpy-ish route after work. Legs felt heavy towards the end. Couple of aches and niggles surfaced after yesterdays long run but nothing serious and nothing that lasted.

Ran in my shorts for what was probably the second time over the past 3 months outside of a race - not really that cold, looks like the tights might be getting a bit of a rest after all.

kennyb3

DustyBin wrote: »

Wednesday 17th Mar

Run
30k even
2:51:03 = 5:42/k pace
140 avg hr

Thank God for Paddy's Day, fell just perfect to allow me to ge this mid-week lsr thing going properly.
Took two gels on the run, felt good throughout if a little heavy over the last 1k. Quads felt a bit tight at one stage but a few heel kicks on the hoof sorted that out.
Longest run yet, no real aches or pains now, just very tired, and it appears as though my big toes like hitching a ride on top of my 2nd toes - never noticed that before, but defo a bit of abrasion or something there today.
Thankfully no repeat of the stomach cramps, lots of layers again today, 3 days continuous running - must be over that bug now.

Afterwards into the local parade to ride a vintage push bike in one of the floats - we won the overall prize :D

Off now to slurp tea, scoff another bun, and fall asleep watching some telly.

great run there must feel good to get up to that sort of ditastance. my toes do that too, just put some tape on them both.

DustyBin

Thanks kennyb, will defo look out for some of that tape - I feel more like an athlete already just thinking about using it

kennyb3

Hi Dusty,

Still training away or are you injured? Hope all is well.

DustyBin

All ok here kennyb, I appreciate the concern
Was in London at the weekend and brought home a lovely head cold
Thing has wiped me out all week - no energy at all
Busy week in work as well so could only take the evenings off meaning that the cold hung around a lot longer than it should have
Feel much better today though and plan to get out tonight if feeling up for it, or if not in the morning
I've been thinking about this dose and the gastric virus I had a few weeks back and defo think that more sleep would help
So that's my new plan - get more sleep
The past 6 months I could go a full week getting maybe 5 hours a night during the week, 6 hours would have been a luxury - time to change that

I see you've decided to concentrate on the shorter stuff, best of luck with that. No bother to you though getting below 19 for the 5k and 40 for the 10k, you'll probably achieve both on your first attempts judging on your form.

DustyBin

Friday 19th Mar

Run - LT session
15.55 k
1:14:42 = 4:48 /k pace

Plan called for 3 wu / 8 @ 4:20 / 5 cd
Actual was:
3 @ 4:56/k - 139 avg hr
8 @ 4:21/k - 158 avg hr
4.55 @ 5:31/k - 155 avg hr

Really tough session made harder by having to do it by torch light after a long long day with work and other stuff.
Happy out to nail the target for the LT / tempo / whatever, was tough to hang on but managed to keep it going. Those first couple of k in the cool down were the hardest I've ever ran - God it was awful.

DustyBin

Saturday 27th Mar

Run - hilly
13.06 k
1:10:55 = 5:26 /k pace
147 avg hr

Was away last weekend and came back with an awful head cold - it had me whacked out and no energy for most of the week.
First run in over a week, was not aiming for anything too drastic, so headed out for a hilly run and no pace targets at all. Decided to tackle a big big hill first up at the 1k mark, totally fecked after it and wasn't sure would I take the shorter route home or not, made the choice to tack on the extra 3k and another big hill - hung for a sheep as a lamb.

Legs started to feel better around the 8.5k mark, picked up the pace for a couple of k before stopping with a friend for a chat - forgot to stop the watch :rolleyes:.

Got home happy to have got out again.

DustyBin

Monday 29th Mar - pm

Run - hilly
13.03k
1:12:30 = 5:34 /k pace
143 avg hr

Same route as Saturday
Had a seriously heavy night out Sat night, finished up about 6am Sun morning :rolleyes: Sunday was obvious w/o, but had full intentions for this morning, even got up when the alarm went off and all but just no way could I face it - still wrecked (must be getting old??).
Had been suffering with an awful dose of the fear* Sun & Mon, so this run was never gonna be easy, but thankfully had ran it out of me by the finish.
This was more a Mental Tenacity work out than anything else. Legs had given out within the first K, found myself taking progressively shorter and shorter strides, almost sitting back on my heels at times. Anyway, managed to dig it out, clear the remnants of the weekend, and hopefully get this marathon training somewhat back on track.
Have really not been doing a whole lot of drinking since starting down the road of tri's and running back in August, and appear to have lost the knack of it?? Thnakfully / unfortunately I've two more heavy sessions over the next two weekends to get some practice back in!

* you know that awful feeling of paranoia, dread, self doubt that you get after a particularly heavy night out?

DustyBin

Tuesday 30th Mar - pm

Run
9.77k
52:19 = 5:21 /k pace
140 avg hr

Horrible sleaty showers to be heading out in but the run had to get done. Nothing fancy as I've a long run planned for tomorrow night so took it nice and easy. One big ol hill alright, but other than that it was just a plod around in cold, windy, sleaty weather.
There's a neighbours dog that always runs out behind me and comes snapping at my heels and I've made up my mind he's due a good kick square in the goolies, went looking for the fecker tonight but he's obviously smarter than I give him credit for as I was outside and he was in :rolleyes:

DustyBin

Wednesday 31st Mar - pm

Run - hills
22.61k
2:06:55 = 5:37/k pace
142 avg hr

I hate running in the evening!! I've been forced to do it all week and it just isn't for me, not in this cold weather at any rate. Give me a good cold winters morning running from dark into light any day over a cold evening running from light into dark - I hate it. This evening I set off decked out for the cold weather, but with a strong sun I soon worked up a sweat in the more sheltered parts of the run, then out onto a cold exposed hillside and the sweat froze on me, back on the other side of the hill the wind was gone and got warm again, then the sun started to disappear and I started to really freeze!!
Anyway, set out with the intention of doing 30-ish k, with a 20-ish loop, back to the house for more water and my head torch, and then off for a 10-ish loop, guess who gave up after the first loop?
In fairness though the route was a new one to me and was a lot hillier than I remembered the odd time I've drove some of those roads, add in an incident involving a bag of Jelly Tots and then the aforementioned freeze and I was soon thinking that I could do 30k on Monday instead (bank holiday).
Took my first of the SIS iso gels tonight - a lot less gloopy than the regular ones at any rate.

kennyb3

DustyBin wrote: »

I hate running in the evening!! I've been forced to do it all week and it just isn't for me, not in this cold weather at any rate. Give me a good cold winters morning running from dark into light any day over a cold evening running from light into dark - I hate it. .

My god i was just thinking the exact opposite this morning, did an early run for 1st time in ages and wont be repeating - way too much effort. really hated it.

oh and btw i think you were right to call it quits at that stage anyway. going from week off to 30k run within 3/4 runs back after a week off and you were sick bit before that is bonkers. dont force it. i did exact same after half marathon in sept last year - felt i hadnt enough long runs - did 17m 2 days after half and you can guess i got injured.

be careful about how much you up your runs and scheduling them.