Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Running Through The Wall
Options
Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
Out for a couple of short runs over the weekend - 6 and 5 miles on Saturday and Sunday respectively, followed by 9 miles home from work on Monday and 5 miles back into work today.
There's a lunchtime 3k on in Trinners tomorrow lunchtime so I'm going to go down and do that for the craic.
Will endeavour to get in a lunchtime run on Thurs ahead of a work do on Thurs night and all going well will run in to work on Friday. RD at St Annes on Saturday and hopefully will get a couple of evening runs in again. Struggling to get longer distance in at the moment though
0 -
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
This is quite long-winded but hope it captures the essence of the year I’ve had….
Too often (or maybe not too often as I don’t log enough) I put stuff down into this log but never really look back and reflect on what’s gone before. I’ve been running since 2008… away from what or towards what, I’m not too sure :pac: . Each and every year I’ve been fortunate enough to see progress in some or most aspects of my running and have been lucky enough to participate in a number of great events across three different countries (Ireland, USA and Canada given I lived in the latter for 3 years from 2010-2012). Running has also been good for my head, helping me deal with difficult and challenging times over the years at work, at home and just generally keeping me in a good headspace over that time. I’ve had the opportunity to give something back too – through parkrun, pacing races and helping out friends, family and colleagues in trying to achieve some of their running goals along the way.
Following the birth of my baby twins in late 2014, I figured that any bit of running I could manage in 2015 would be enough to keep me ticking over. No particular goals, no long-time advance sign up for races, try to get out at lunchtimes for runs, and run in or out of work a few days. Saturday morning 20 milers followed by Sunday morning 10 milers in general wouldn’t really be a goer – not only would that be 3 hours out, but trying to deal with twins after that when all I generally want to do is lie down and watch tv and eat didn’t really appeal!
With that in mind, I began 2015 with a view that running was to be pushed down the priority chart. I knew that I would keep some element of it going as I needed it for headspace and to keep myself fit, but I would fit those runs in where I could and races would be picked and chosen depending on their convenience. I'd keep an open mind on the situation and adapt as needed once we all got into a routine that worked. Generally speaking over the course of the year, my running week was as follows:
Monday: Run home from work (this is a minimum 4.5 miles, but I usually make it 5-7 miles, and occasionally 8-10 miles depending on pressing needs at home, and what time I get out of work at);
Tuesday: Run into work; run lunchtime (6 miles lunch)
Weds: Run lunchtime
Thurs: Run home
Fri: Run into work
Sat & Sun: No particular running plans, unless I have a race or a parkrun
Runs might be dropped or rearranged depending on travel with work, days off etc.
First Half of Year:
It was a bit of a surprise then when I scooped a new PB by almost a minute in the Raheny 5 in late January, finishing in 28:12. This was followed by a half marathon PB of 1:21 and win at the EOI Lusk race in late February. While I did do some half marathon pace runs for this, my longest run was 10 miles. March brought some more success, recording a 5k PB of 17:09 and first place finish in parkrun, then a week later 16:58 at the St. Patrick’s 5k in Dublin. The streak continued into April, with a 4:51 mile in Raheny on 1st April (2nd place) and a first place finish in Clarisford parkrun a few days later.
I entered the Wings for Life in May, with the hope that I might get to marathon distance. That was hope more than expectation as the longest training run I got in for this was 14 miles, and that was in late March. The event went really well for me, and I finished in 7th place, recording c.39k on what I thought was a very challenging course. I was delighted with that, and figure I will give it a go again in 2016.
June brought the start of the BHAA season and a chance to get involved with the Bank of Ireland team for some shorter events over the summer. I only got to race three events this Summer – Trinity track, Phoenix Park Trail 5k and DCC Irishtown 5k but happy to say our team won each one outright – we have a couple of particularly strong team members so I was happy to be dragged along
. Late June brought the Le Cheile Midnight Track marathon – my second time doing this, and was delighted to win this in 3:05.
Second Half of Year:
I signed up late to do a double marathon in August, part of the EOI Marathons festival of running. One marathon at 6am in the morning, one at 2pm in the afternoon. While I did finish first in each one of these, what mattered more to me was the times recorded (3:37 and 3:41 on a very tough course), the recovery and ability to run again, doing 52 miles off very low volume training. Late August brought the Tullamore Half Marathon where I was targeting a sub 1:23 in order to get a New York Marathon qualifying time. On a warm day, I managed to get 1:22:18 and achieve that time, albeit I probably will not now travel to NY in 2016. A few days later, our team scooped 5th place in the Grant Thornton 5k. I recorded a time of 16:44 – there are questions about the accuracy of the course length… I don’t know the answer to those questions, but either way, I would consider the time to be satisfactory just 3 days after running the Tullamore HM.
I was due to do the Clonakilty Marathon in December to close off the year but unfortunately that got cancelled. Recorded a 9:41 in a 3k race in Trinity in early December which was my last race of 2016 save for a parkrun on Stephen's Day which of course is not a race (17:50; 4th place
).
Pacing wise, I did the Clontarf Half in July (1:30) and November (1:40); the Race Series Half in September (1:40) and DCM in October (3:30). Enjoyed all of these in different ways.
I also took the opportunity during the year to take the babies out for a few runs. Longest run was 16 miles; fastest run was an 18:55 with the double buggy at parkrun in October. They seem to enjoy the runs, and it is something I hope to develop in late Spring and Summer 2016.
Training:
So what worked? With 1,597 miles recorded in total over the year, it is a reasonably low mileage year compared with the two previous. I averaged 30 miles per week so probably benefited from that, keeping me fresh going into races. Long runs were kept to a minimum over the year, however one of the key sessions I did was an overnight triple. So I would run home from work, run into work the next morning and also run lunchtime that day. Typically that would amount to c.20 miles over c.18 hours. I’d do that once per week – not every week, really depended on my plans etc. I think it gave me the benefit of endurance training but also allowing some recovery.
Otherwise, I would generally be quite active after races and runs due to child responsibilities therefore not lying about and getting stiff.
I would also push myself to run a bit faster to get home quicker and make the most of the time on my feet… I noticed my average paces reducing in most training runs.
All in all, it was a year that brought a lot of unexpected gains, especially on shorter distances, with PBs in 1 mile, 3k, 5k, 5 mile and HM. First on the agenda for 2016 is the Donadea 50k in Feb. While I would love to better my time from 2014 (3:46), it might be a bit ambitious to think that I can.
However, I will seek to push on from 2015 and continue the methods employed over the course of the year and hope they serve me well into the New Year. That all said, running will continue to sit in behind other priorities... BUT I think it is possible to continue to do it even with busy family and work life, just sometimes some things need to be adjusted.0 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
Love your summary of 2015, J! De-prioritising running hasn't done you any harm at all!
Looking forward to the first ever St Anne's buggy first finishers!
Thanks Anna, and on your second comment - that's a very tall order given the depth of quality on a typical day at St Anne's! But who knows
0 -
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
Advertisement