A Day at the Races

christeb

The title of my second log is again Queen inspired, this time taken from their 1976 album.

This log will document my A/W/Spring 09/2010 races (and training), most of which will be up to 10k. Hopefully some progress will be seen

Current PBs for the distances I'll be covering (what I hope to achieve, especially the sub 30 at the Raheny 5):
2m - 11:41 (11:10)
5k - 18.32 (18:05)
5m - 33.18 (29:59)
10k - 39.33 (37:30)

Dublin Series Duathlon - 42.28

The races I plan on doing in the near future include:
Wed 11/11 Raheny Fit4Life Rnd 4 - 2m
Sat 14/11 BHAA Beach Race - 6k
Wed 18/11 Raheny Fit4Life Rnd 5 - 2m
Sun 31/01 Raheny 5m

There's also the Raheny Shamrocks Winter League, which are a bunch of races of 1/2 (and possible 3 mile) distances.

I'll post on a weekly basis, as training won't be as regular. I'm studying one night / wk which will take study time also. I cycle 20k every weekday to/from work, and intend to vary my training much more - with 5-a-side and some squash on the agenda, just to keep things initeresting.

Teo Torriate from A Day at the Races (live).

christeb

OK I've been a bit lazy recently, so I need to start recording more stuff in the hope it'll scare me back into regular running.

2 races since DCM, both milers. 2 days after DCM (crazy I know) I ran 12.10, 16 days after DCM I ran 12.21 (windier + rain).

Struggled to reach double figures every week since then, although I have been keeping active doing some other stuff: some squash and 5 a side football.

It's time to start getting more structure on things though.

Just back from 6m tonight with one of the lads (ca. 7.45 pace), nice out, and the legs felt strong throughout. I have college for the next 3 Saturdays also, which means staying sober for the weekends, which also means getting a long run in on Sunday, something I have not been doing.
Plan is for 4 easy in the morning, I have been struggling to get up early recently but that stops NOW!

I have been thinking about next season also. This college course is pretty intensive and runs up until May, so I think that rules out a spring marathon (otherwise I would have done Rotterdam Woddle!). So something similar to this year, plenty of shorter racing and concentrate on the autumn marathon, hope using the P&D 70mpw plan which will get me to the magical sub 3 mark

BeepBeep67

Just reading your goals, looks like I'll have to get my finger out!
I'll be following this with interest and looking over my shoulder with caution - best of luck with it!

christeb

4m @ 8:33 pace at 0620 this morning. Felt pretty fresh, happy to get this in on college night, always a bonus

Sosa

best of luck with the log and your training Christeb...nothing like setting the bar high...

christeb

8m @ 7.43 HR 152

Nice run tonight, finshed with a kick and a beautiful rain shower. Legs felt pretty good - this week is shaping up nicely, I need to keep Woddle's 40 mpw base in my sights as a target. Nothing personal buddy, it's just a good figure for me right now!

Unfortunately I got injured later in the night, I spontaneously broke my heart watching a certain match. At least it saves me the inevitable hangover tomorrow

christeb

4.5m @ ?

Untimed 2.25 to and from squash this evening, played squash for 1 hr. 4 days on the trot, glad to be getting back into the swing of things.

No drinking this weekend so I'll get an LSR in on Sunday, any ideas as to length? I wouldn't mind doing the Howth Loop from my house by at 15m it might be a bit of a stretch.

village runner

Did i see you without a top on hte 10 miler ? Finish in around 69-70 min ? Putting a face to the name.

christeb

Yep that was me, I overheated quite badly around 5-6m and it was a panic reaction :rolleyes:

Finished 70:47, there will be at least 5 mins coming off that time this yr!

village runner wrote: »

Did i see you without a top on hte 10 miler ? Finish in around 69-70 min ? Putting a face to the name.

village runner

christeb wrote: »

Yep that was me, I overheated quite badly around 5-6m and it was a panic reaction :rolleyes:

Finished 70:47, there will be at least 5 mins coming off that time this yr!

We passed you at 21 in dublin i think. What were you hoping to run ? What did you run in hte half ? At a guess 1.32 ??

5 min of a jump. Thats 30 seconds a mile. Def with your athletic build you could do that no bother. I like the way you said AT LEAST.

christeb

village runner wrote: »

We passed you at 21 in dublin i think. What were you hoping to run ? What did you run in hte half ? At a guess 1.32 ??

5 min of a jump. Thats 30 seconds a mile. Def with your athletic build you could do that no bother. I like the way you said AT LEAST.

Was hoping for BQ in Dublin - did 3:35 (with a 25 min +ve split) :eek: My most enjoyable day running ever though, it was a superb occasion and wouldn't change a thing (well, maybe one little thing!).

My half was 1:33 something, again faded horribly in the last 3-4m.

Plenty of work to do!

christeb

13.3m @ 8.39 HR 145

Howth loop today. After one unsuccessful take-off (those clouds looks very grey) I eventually got out of the house. Easy going out, motherf&&&er coming back! Took a slightly alternate route home to avoid the seafront, helped slightly. Felt quite lethargic the whole way around, I suppose it's been a few weeks since I've ran this far in training.

Weekly miles: 36. Again happy with this, hopefully it'll be my base level for the next few weeks.

christeb

9.55m @ 7.41 HR 152

Enjoyable spin with a few Raheny Shamrocks, legs are feeling it now after yesterday though. Good start to the week, plan wasn't to go that far / fast but they don't really give you the choice!

Might venture out for 4 easy in the morning, it's college night so can't get anything done in the evening...

tunguska

Good to see you back man. Are you going to run the Dublin marathon again next year? If you ever wanna go for a run in the hills out Howth way again give me a shout.

christeb

tunguska wrote: »

Good to see you back man. Are you going to run the Dublin marathon again next year? If you ever wanna go for a run in the hills out Howth way again give me a shout.

Cheers - I'll drop you a line when I'm in slightly better form. I won't be doing a Mara until Autumn next year, not decided on which one though. Thinking of something like the Steamtown Marathon in Pennsylvania, I've a buddy in Boston who I think would be up for it. Something local (in the States), fast and different.

I'd hate to be one of those people who just do DCM every year, I think part of the mara is the discovery aspect of it.

christeb

3m - 18.44 HR 168. Happy enough as the target was sub 19. Slow enough 2nd lap (6.30), other 2 were 5.54 / 6.15.
Good running by Robin - 18:20.

1m warm up, 2m cd - 6m total.

rigal

christeb wrote: »

3m - 18.44 HR 168. Happy enough as the target was sub 19. Slow enough 2nd lap (6.30), other 2 were 5.54 / 6.15.
Good running by Robin - 18:20.

1m warm up, 2m cd - 6m total.

Nice running christeb. What's your max HR? 168 seems low to me for a 3 mile race

christeb

rigal wrote: »

Nice running christeb. What's your max HR? 168 seems low to me for a 3 mile race

I've got the HR up to 191, its a question I've asked myself too. I'll make a conscious effort to push things as much as possible in the 2miler next week, see if I can "improve" on that!

christeb

4m @ 8.20 pace

Easy 4m at 0620 this morning, was just happy that I didn't stay in bed like I oh so wanted to!

christeb

Fairly crap weekend, played a squash comp Friday (won 1 game, lost 5:eek:), took it easy Sat and played 5 a side on Sunday.

This evening, 5.5m home form college. A late one, but nice to get it in, I think I'll incorporate this more and more. Raheny 2miler tomorrow night, I guarantee another sub 12! Have an exam on sat which I have to do some study for, so there won't be a huge amount of running for the rest of the week.

christeb

2m - 11.39 - PB

Perfect evening, even if I did struggle getting enough air in through my nose on the 2nd lap.
First lap 5:38, felt pretty good. At the end I decided to overtake robinph, that lasted for about 200 yards until I faded on the last lap. A good night's work, the final straight was tough tough tough but sure what would a Weds night be without some good ol' self inflicted race pain?!

Just checking the mx HR now - 181 . Maybe I'm just a naturally relaxed guy, RHR is ca. 38.....

Woddle

Good stuff christeb but are you teasing me and getting my hopes up of catching you or what, first you tell us your going to have a crap week (I clap my hands with joy ) and then you go and run a PB.

christeb

This is true, actually myself and Robin were dreaming up ways to get your hopes up, only to demolish them in Raheny and Rotterdam respectively

christeb

8.08m @ 7.54 HR 149.

Easy enough spin with Greg tonight, first time we've run since the Mara. He's going to NYC with work next week, as LSR in Central Park was suggested but I don't think I can make the trip - would have been nice.

I'll try to get something easy done tomorrow and then 1 good run in over the weekend, as well as the astro on Sunday. Legs feel quite good, although my knee was dodgy on the cycle home, just a slight niggle. Touch wood, I've been lucky with injuries so far

christeb

11.3m @ 8:04 pace, HR 148

First run in the new kicks (more on these later) - 3.5m to my buddies place in Portmarnock, and 8m around Porto / Malahide. The new runners were fine, took a bit of getting used to, although the pace was good throughout. Very windy, I think this helped more than hindered overall, quite chilly in spots too.

That's ca. 30m for the week, I'm playing astro tonight to top things off nicely. Feeling pretty good, glad I'm keeping the mileage at a reasonable level. Hopefully get a couple of runs in with the Shamrocks next week, before Christmas alcoholic madness kicks off towards the end of the week....

christeb

~5.5m home from college untimed. Too late to wait for the sats to hook up, I just trundle off with a big bag on my back. I think it's ca. 8 min pace.

Also had a superb game of astro footbal on Sunday night, I swear for about 15 mins I actually inhabited Fernando Torres' body.

**cue woddle-esque rant**

motivation hasn't been great recently. I think its due to not having anything very clear to aim for. I am going for a good time in the Raheny 5, but I know a lot of alcohol stands between me and that goal, can't see myself doing much better than 31:30 or so realistically. Still though, I'm feeling the benefits of all the training, need less sleep (after rest days!) and generally have lots of energy throughout the day which I love. No real complaints I suppose. Plan tomorrow is to do a solo intervals session, maybe 1600s or 800s....

Also, can someone start a "bring back tunguska's log" FB group??!!

christeb

Intervals tonight with macanri. Linkage

5 x 1m ints w/ 2.30 rest, avg 6.18 HR 174

Super session, glad to have the company as I certainly don't think I'd have the motivation to do this one solo. Plan was to do 5 x 1m ints w/ 2:30 rest. Went fairly well, the chat stopped by the third as the focus shifted more towards rhythm and breathing. He had a bit of energy left after the 4th, so in my infinite wisdom I suggested the only logical outcome - a 1m race to finish off. As I had ~25 secs on him in the last 2m race I thought I'd be in with a good shout even though I was suffering - how wrong I was. He took off on the All Saints Rd turn, and I never recovered. Last 1m for me was 5:59, for him ~5.49.

Great nights running overall, now let the Christmas drinking begin!

Macanri

Cheers Christeb, Yea it was a great session. Good to meet you and do a run/session with some company for a change. And now I have a face to the name I'll be able to see where I should be at, at the next Raheny Winter Race.

christeb

4m @ 8.34 pace

Legs weren't too bad after last night, I was lying in bed at 6.20am trying to come up with excuses not to go out. None sprung to mind so I hit the Coast Rd for an easy enough spin.

misty floyd

Nice interval session yesterday. Just keeping an eye. I think you should treat yourself with a heavy drinking session. Don't be afraid to pig out on take away afterwards. You deserve it.

christeb

Sunday 13th Feb
No running but I'm putting it in as it was a pretty savage day. AM: 65mins of 11 a side Raheny Rovers action. We lost 7-1, we need players. If anyone knows anyone who is looking for a friendly club in NE Dublin, drop me a PM!

Afternoon: In / out of town on the bike. Tough after taking some knocks this morning.

Evening: 1 hr of astro. My weekly game, I think the reason Torres played so badly against Arsenal was that I possessed his spirit for this game, I couldn't miss from anywhere...

Tues 15th Feb
Easy enough 6m home form college, ca 8.10 pace with a rucksack. Missed the rain too, result.