A Day at the Races

christeb

27 Jun 2013 Thu 10.50m total 1:23:00 0:07:54
PM runmute to make it another double. Legs felt good.

28 Jun 2013 Fri 6.00 0:47:00 0:07:50
Up and on the road by 0530. 5.5m into the bikram studio, 90 minutes of pain and a wobbly 0.5m into work. Phew!

The above time are estimates as my Garmin strap is broke, but they're all at easy enough pace anyway.

theboyblunder

christeb wrote: »

27 Jun 2013 Thu 10.50m total 1:23:00 0:07:54
PM runmute to make it another double. Legs felt good.

28 Jun 2013 Fri 6.00 0:47:00 0:07:50
Up and on the road by 0530. 5.5m into the bikram studio, 90 minutes of pain and a wobbly 0.5m into work. Phew!

The above time are estimates as my Garmin strap is broke, but they're all at easy enough pace anyway.

I superglued my strap back on (not to my arm ). Worked a treat, 2 years and counting.....

christeb

29 Jun 2013 Sat 3.00m 0:21:00 0:07:00
Helped out at Parkrun Malahide. Belly was still full of eggs, oj and porridge when I started this, so I abandoned the half-planned intervals early on.

30 Jun 2013 Sun 6.50m 0:47:00 7:13 pace
Strange one this. Felt as good as you do through 6 miles of an LSR, but suddenyl got a pain like someone punched me in the back. Really strange and unusual. I pulled up straight away, tried a couple of yoga stretches but I knew my run was done. The lads tried to urge me on but to no avail.

Spent the evening in the company of one Dr Brian May later in the evening. He inspired the log title. Gig of the year - unbelievable stuff.

Weekly mileage 31.2 - a strange week with a cold and that injury ^^
Monthly mileage 191.25 - happy enough with this, although it needs to be north of 200 (or 250) from now til October

1 Jul 2013 Mon 8.00m 1:00:00 7:30 pace
Back felt much better, I knew it was muscular and not serious, so out for a brillliant run around St Anne's Park and Dollymount with the club lads. You could run forever on a night like that, it was perfect. Pace is an estimate

2 Jul 2013 Tue 5.50m 0:43:00 7:49 pace
AM runmute w/ 6 strides and dynamic wd (heel flicks x 30, knee raises x 20 and lunges x 16).

christeb

2 Jul 2013 TuePM 5.2m
PM runmute too, another double.

3 Jul 2013 Wed 8.00m 0:56:00 7:00 pace
intervals - 1.5wu, 5 x 1100 (4 min hard) w/ 3min jog (500). 1.5m wd
Killer session, did these solo. I was in pain on the last 2. Ca. 5:48 pace for the first 3, I'd guess the last 2 were closer to 6:00. Garmin is still out of action.

So far so good on the week - 10 / 11m w/ hills club run planned tomorrow.

tunguska

christeb wrote: »

Spent the evening in the company of one Dr Brian May later in the evening. He inspired the log title. Gig of the year - unbelievable stuff.

I heard it was pretty amazing alright. The gig I'd love to see would be Robert plant & Alison Krauss, that would be something special.

By the way if you need a hand with any runs gimme a shout.

christeb

tunguska wrote: »

I heard it was pretty amazing alright. The gig I'd love to see would be Robert plant & Alison Krauss, that would be something special.

By the way if you need a hand with any runs gimme a shout.

Thanks E. We were front row of the lower balcony for the BM gig. It was billed as "Acoustic by Candlelight", but he remembered to pack the Red Special. Thankfully.

I've never seen Robert Plant - the closest is Emmylou Harris and Mark Knopfler. Not quite the same!

Anyway, back to some running

4 Jul 2013 Thu 9.00m 1:10:00 7:46 pace
Tough one after intervals the night before. Went out with 3 clubmates, the route was halfway up Howth hill (cemetery side) and straight back. I was dropped halfway up this hill, and again shortly after. Didn't have much strength in the legs. Still, I got through it, even with a steady headwind for 3 miles along the coast on the home leg.

christeb

5 Jul 2013 Fri 5.50 0:43:00 7:49 pace

PM runmute. Picked up a clubmate in town coincidentally, was nice to have the company.

6 Jul 2013 Sat 15.00m 1:51:00 7:24 pace

Had a few things planned, as well as some drinking, so decided to get the LSR done today. Up and at 'em for 0620, as I knew it'd be hot later and the chance I'd fit it in would diminish. I was moving pretty well for most of this, shoulder problems kicked in at 11 miles though. I stopped for 30 secs to stretch, and after that the sun was directly behind me so I could monitor my form closely. Tried to bring my arms in front more, as I tend to push them back a bit and the pain's in the tricep area. The change seemed to help a little, so I'll try this for future long runs. Tried to progress the pace a little for the last 2 miles, my Garmin is broke but I'm confident there were sub 7s in there.

Either way it's Sunday morning, I've ran 57 on the week and I'm hungover. Biggest weekly mileage ever, and I'm feeliin' good! Might try to grab an easy 4 later to stretch out the legs.

christeb

8 Jul 2013 Mon 5.30m 0:43:00 0:08:06
AM runmute
Still felt crap after drinking on Saturday. Fun night, but not worth feeling this bad for. I even tried to combat the hangover by drinking the doctor's haqngover cure - pint of water with 4 tbsp sugar + 0.5 tbsp salt dissolved. Tastes rank, but def helps a little. Still, my drinking days are numbered, at the tender age of 30!

9 Jul 2013 Tue 10.60m 1:25:00 0:08:01
AM + PM runmutes. Love the heat, love running with just shorts and runners. Irish people don't get semi-naked enough, imo!

Again all paces are estimates, in reality they're faster than above.

Club tempo tomorrow, and LSR Sunday with easy miles around the sessions is the plan for the rest of the week. Should hit 60 for the first time ever.

Oh yeah and picked up a good nugget of advice from my physio at the party - foam roll as soon as you get in the door. He was happy to hear I'm doing the mileage I am, as he was the one who fixed me earlier in the year. I still do the exercises he recommended a couple of times a week for maintenance.

tunguska

christeb wrote: »

Should hit 60 for the first time ever.

Really? What sort of mileage where you doing for your previous sub 3 hr attempts?

christeb

tunguska wrote: »

Really? What sort of mileage where you doing for your previous sub 3 hr attempts?

Never got going for a serious < 3 attempt previously.

christeb

10 Jul 2013 Wed 8.50m 1:00:00 0:07:03 pace

Tempo, enter the pain cave etc etc. As theboyblunder rightly says, these are my least favoured runs. Prolonged pain, why would anyone enjoy that?!

4 of us went out on this, 5 tempo miles planned around the Raheny 5 course. 2.5m wu, then we were off. We threw around numbers in-between 6:20 and 6:30 as the plan. Went off pretty strongly, I set the pace for most of the first 2 miles. Then the pain set in. Just short of 3 I was passed by 2 lads, and my foot was burning. Tied 1 hoe on too tight. Stopped to relieve it, and the final member of our group picked me up. Otherwise I probably would've headed for home.

The last member was local hero Richie Corcoran, coming back from a 2 year lay-off. He carried me all the way back to the lads, as he'd made the decision to catch them by the end from early on. Heading up Watermill Rd at mile 4 we were back with them, and I was moving nicely now. I turned onto All Saint's Rd and went for home. Turning the final few corners they were well out of sight, and I crossed the line about 20 secs in front. My last mile must've been around 6:10ish, which, as anyone who has racd this will know, is by far the slowest mile on the course. Delighted with the effort - average pace was around the 6:26 mark (including stoppage).
1m wd to finish off a great night's work.

tunguska

Good stuff Briano. When are you racing next? Be interesting to see how you'd get on in a 10mile or half marathon.

christeb

tunguska wrote: »

Good stuff Briano. When are you racing next? Be interesting to see how you'd get on in a 10mile or half marathon.

I'll be in Clare next weekend and there's a 10k on, so might try that.

The RnR half will likely be my (early) key indicator race.

christeb

11 Jul 2013 Thu 10.00m 1:13:45 0:07:22 pace

Good club run. Started by sitting down on top of a pile of nettles right outside the clubhouse. Thighs and hands - ouch!
Route was same as last Thurs - Watermill, Sutton X turn rightm and halfway up, then turn right and home via the corksrew. Pace was good and even got a little faster on the return leg. A magnificent evening for running, I just love this heat.

1/2 easy runs then LSR Sunday and that'll be a good week 60+ mile for me.

christeb

12 Jul 2013 Fri 5.50m 0:44:00 0:08:00
Easy solo run. Down onto the wooden bridge and beach. Whole beach was barefoot by the water's edge, even took a refreshing dip at the end. A perfect run.

13 Jul 2013 Sat 4.50m 0:36:00 0:08:00
Easy morning spin around St Anne's Park

Caught Bell x1 in the Iveagh Gardens later, super gig despite a 15 minute sound failure.

14 Jul 2013 Sun 16.50m 2:03:00 0:07:27
A big group but the pace was hot from the start, too hot for a still sleepy me. I quickly found myself in no man's land and was looking for an excuse to go back to bed. After 6, however, a clubmate caught me and we quickly devised a plan to get the mileage in. Turned at Sutton X and kept going straight up the road, turning right and down the corkscrew. Neither of us had a GPS but MMR gives it at 16.5 and the pace was 7:30ish. Felt pretty strong finishing and we upped the pace in the last 2 miles.

As it turns out my training buddies did 7:08pace for 17. They should smash 3:00 in DCM.

61 miles on the week, my biggest ever.

christeb

15 Jul 2013 Mon 5.20m 0:43:00 8:16 pace
PM runmute. Felt really tired / dizzy going up Howth Rd on this one, don't know what it was.

16 Jul 2013 Tue 7.40m 0:58:04 7:50 pace
Extended AM runmute. Felt a lot more comfortable.

christeb

Tue 12.60m 1:40:00 0:07:56
PM runmute bringing Tuesday's total to 12.6miles. Pretty wiped after this

Wed 8.50m 1:08:00 0:08:00
On the road at 0615. 7.5miles to my buddies place in Ranelagh, then a circuits session with him in Palmerstown Park. Over-the-threshold carries, keg pushup + cleans, medicine ball slams, farmers walk and planks + variations to finish. 3 sets.

Super sesh, this additional training should really stand to me come Marathon Day. Speaking of which, I supposed I shoudl nail my flag to the mast and sign up for DCM.

1 mile into work, all done by 0830.

Morton Games later, should be a good night's racing.

christeb

Thurs 18th July
Club session. Interesting chat the whole way around. Basically everyone is on the juice, especially Haile. First 5 up to Howth hill in 7:25ish, by then I knew I was smoked. Lonely road back home, I stopped at 8 with shoulder pains. I should stop doing those circuits session. As great as they are, they're too taxing for a marathon schedule.

Overall 9.5m @7:45ish

Fri 19th July
AM - 0630 Bikram. Excellent session, hoping this would loosen out my muscles.

christeb

Not much to report over the last 10 days, holidays and such and such.

22 Jul 2013 Mon 3.00 0:30:00 0:10:00
Easy trot with the OH

23 Jul 2013 Tue 5.00 0:40:00 0:08:00
First day of the hols, felt good.

24 Jul 2013 Wed 14.00 1:50:00 0:07:51
Good run on the Danish coast, felt pretty good for most of it. The weather and general poor diet and resulting lethargy meant I don't have more to report.

29 Jul 2013 Mon 6.50 0:45:30 7:00:00
Inc 6 x strides.
Only off the plane and almost straight down to the club. Felt great for all of this, ran with a clubmate who is normally a little faster than me, but is coming back from an injury.

I might *ahem* have a number for the Rock n' Roll on Monday, otherwise I think an LSR would be more beneficial to me at this stage of the training, considering I've missed the last few.

tunguska

christeb wrote: »

I might *ahem* have a number for the Rock n' Roll on Monday, otherwise I think an LSR would be more beneficial to me at this stage of the training, considering I've missed the last few.

Why not compromise and run it at Marathon pace?

christeb

^^^ might just do that, and give it a little welly in the final few miles if I have any welly left to give.

30 Jul 2013 Tue 5.00m 0:35:00 0:07:00
Tempo was planned, but I felt crap from the off. 2.5m wu, I only last 2.5 of the tempo before I dropped out. Tired and just didn't have any zip in the legs.

31 Jul 2013 Wed 10.50m 1:25:00 0:08:05
Runmutes in and home. Easy does it.

197 total for July. Good but not great. Didn't sign up for DCM as planned, as I'm not in the shape I hoped to be at this stage. But that could change!

tunguska

christeb wrote: »

197 total for July. Good but not great. Didn't sign up for DCM as planned, as I'm not in the shape I hoped to be at this stage. But that could change!

For July I clocked 100miles total so you're doing way better than me Brian. 12 weeks to DCM which is plenty of time considering you've got a good base to build from. All you gotta do between now and then is keep trying and putting in the work. Some days are gonna be crap but you cant let things like that get to you, just pick yourself up and go again.

christeb

2 Aug 2013 Fri 5.30 0:43:00 0:08:06
AM runmute

4 Aug 2013 Sun 5.00 0:40:00 0:08:00
Easy spin around St Anne's Park with the club lads.

5 Aug 2013 Mon 13.10 1:35:07 0:07:15 RnR Half Marathon

1:35:07.
Eew.
No GPS for this, so I probably started off too fast, even though I felt fine. 27:30 coming through 4, then toilet break. Still no sign of 1:30 pacer coming through 5. Stomach was paining me throughout, and my regular shoulder / tricep problems kicked in coming out of the park. I wanted to throw in the towel then. Probably would have, if I wasn't so far away from town! That 9th mile is horrible. I eventually found a toilet by mile 11, and skipped into the finish line from there. Legs were pretty fine finishing, it's the other parts of my body which held me back. Frustrating. No marathon this year for sure.

theboyblunder

hard luck brian. this shoulder thing is weird. Physio?

christeb

I feel it's a form thing, like I'm kicking my arm back too much on the back of my arm swing. Not sure a physio is the answer.

christeb

Starting to log a little again, more as a reason to keep track of my recent training as much as anything else.
I'm spending as much time running as I am doing more strength-based workouts with a buddy - we go outdoors to lift kegs, sandbags and stuff like that. Useful for shorter distances, not as useful for longer stuff. I'm up close to 14st now too - even though I've never been skinnier!!! In the middle of planning a wedding and getting a house we bought up to scratch, so things getting a decent streak of training together is proving a little tricky.

Shoulder hasn't given me any pain in a while, but knee has been a little niggly lately. Trying not to let it hamper me too much.

Sat 3 May Parkrun 5k 19:36.

Sun 4 May ~4m down to Dollymount follow by a strength session there.

Mon 5 May ~7.5m around the 'hood. My legs didn't feel good starting off and never really got better, but I was delighted to get this one done.

Tue 6 May - 7am strength session

Weds 7 May - speed session!!!
Morton Stadium with the club. I've never run here before. Love it! Ended up getting there late and forgot my keys to lock my bike, but apart from that it was fun. I was in the group with some decent ~3 hour marathoners, so had my work cut out. 8 x 400s planned. Led out the group for the first 3 laps - 76, 77, 78 secs. That was me done! Eeked out the last 5 in the middle of the pack, with 78 being the average for all laps. 2.5m wu, cycle wd. Must make this a habit. Some sensational athletes up there, btw. Those hurdlers are magnificent the way they just float over the barriers.

Thurs 8 May 7am strength session

Fri 9 May 7am strength session

BeepBeep67

Welcome back

RacoonQueen

Do you notice any difference in your running being heavier? I assume it's less fat(from where god knows) more muscle that has the weight up?

Killerz

Good to see you back, christeb!