25 April 2010

Peckham · 02-01-2010 5:09pm

Friday 1st
Started 2010 with a nice 3 mile jog as soon as the hangover cleared around lunchtime. Was staying in Meath for new year, so that's runs in four different counties over Christmas. Could have gone on for another few miles, but decided to retreat to the warmth of the hot tub in the hotel we were staying at.

Peckham · 02-01-2010 5:16pm

Saturday 2nd
After driving home from Meath this morning, I figured there was no way I was running on those slippery roads today. So, off to the gym for an 8 miler on the dreadmill. The longest I've ever been on a treadmill, and doubt I could go much longer (credit to the lads who've done their long runs on these - hopefully the weather conditions over the next few weeks/months don't force me into a 20 miler in the gym). Frustratingly the treadmill forced me into cooldown mode after 57mins, meaning I needed to reset it for the final km.

If I can get out for 3.5 miles tomorrow, that'll make it a 50 mile week which will be a good result.

Weighed myself earlier - have put on about 4lbs over the Christmas period, no doubt the next few weeks of training will see them fall off quickly.

Peckham · 03-01-2010 3:47pm

Sunday 3rd
Could easily have taken today off, however the temptation of completing a 50 mile week, and continuing a 12 day running streak were too much. So, off to the football pitches nearby for a few laps followed by a half-hearted effort at some strides. 4 miles in total.

MTD: 14 miles
YTD: 14 miles
12 days consecutive running

Here is my updated training spreadsheet. Am happy to have gotten out every day of the Christmas holidays, even moreso considering the conditions we have faced at times. 2 weeks down, 16 to go.

Peckham · 04-01-2010 8:58pm

Monday 4th
Back on the treadmill this evening as I wasn't risking running outside, either on well-lit icy pavements, dark back-roads or laps of an unlit football pitch. Watched a relatively interesting episode of Nationwide whilst plodding along for 4 miles at 7:20 pace.

MTD: 18 miles / 4 days
YTD: 18 miles / 4 days
13 days consecutive running

TheRoadRunner · 04-01-2010 9:38pm

Peckham wrote: »

Monday 4th
Watched a relatively interesting episode of Nationwide whilst plodding along for 4 miles at 7:20 pace.

Come on Peckham, the treadmill can't be that boring. We need details on this episode of nationwide !

Peckham · 04-01-2010 11:29pm

Okay, was a bit geekish but have a passing interest in air travel. Here's the programme details from RTE website. Am sure it's on RTE Player!

Young Eagles
Kieran McConville reports children, trainee pilots and air traffic controllers get a chance to access the 737 flight simulator

Irish Helicopters
Rowan Hand reports the company, Irish Helicopters, has carried out a wide range of work in the past 41 years

shels4ever · 04-01-2010 11:43pm

Peckham wrote: »

Okay, was a bit geekish but have a passing interest in air travel. Here's the programme details from RTE website. Am sure it's on RTE Player!

Might be a bit out of your way but the brother said malahide castle was ok to run in today, wasnt there myself so not sure how good it was.

Peckham · 05-01-2010 2:28pm

shels4ever wrote: »

Might be a bit out of your way but the brother said malahide castle was ok to run in today, wasnt there myself so not sure how good it was.

Thanks, but I'm in work during daylight hours and think Malahide Castle closes at dusk.

christeb · 05-01-2010 2:35pm

Peckham wrote: »

Thanks, but I'm in work during daylight hours and think Malahide Castle closes at dusk.

Ran the last proper run pre-DCM in the Castle when it was dark - there's a few non-gated entrances. Personal lighting essential though

Slogger Jogger · 05-01-2010 8:24pm

Peckham wrote: »

Monday 4th
Back on the treadmill this evening as I wasn't risking running outside, either on well-lit icy pavements, dark back-roads or laps of an unlit football pitch. Watched a relatively interesting episode of Nationwide whilst plodding along for 4 miles at 7:20 pace.

MTD: 18 miles / 4 days
YTD: 18 miles / 4 days
13 days consecutive running

Jaysus. Would have thought that an episode of Nationwide would be good background for a very easy recovery run, or walk even

Peckham · 05-01-2010 8:55pm

Tuesday 5th
Treadmill again, but sadly no Nationwide tonight. Was there a little early so did 2 easy miles watching the RTE news, then headphones off for 4 tempo miles (6:20 pace), and then 2 miles cooldown watching the start of some antique show that is RTE's poor Wednesday substitute for Nationwide.

Apparently it's another week of snow/ice. Isn't that what they said last week? The thoughts of an 18 mile long run on the treadmill on Saturday are beginning to enter my mind. May have to drive in to Phoenix Park.

MTD: 26 miles / 5 days
YTD: 26 miles / 5 days
14 days consecutive running

BeepBeep67 · 05-01-2010 10:01pm

Think I'll be on the treadie myself tomorrow judging by the snow fall outside at the moment - need to watch the last episode of the Love of Money anyway only available until tomorrow - http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1063373

Peckham · 06-01-2010 10:41pm

Wednesday 6th
Tough journey home from work and then greeted by my totally frozen over estate. It meant a treacherous drive to the gym and was one of those "unnecessary journeys" that the girl on AA Roadwatch was warning us against. But hey, I'm on a running streak and want to make sure I get this week's mileage. So off to the gym for 6 reasonably leisurely miles. Was glad to see Nationwide was back on, and they had a feature on fitness.

MTD: 32 miles / 6 days
YTD: 32 miles / 6 days
15 days consecutive running

village runner · 06-01-2010 11:07pm

Peckham wrote: »

Wednesday 6th
Tough journey home from work and then greeted by my totally frozen over estate. It meant a treacherous drive to the gym and was one of those "unnecessary journeys" that the girl on AA Roadwatch was warning us against. But hey, I'm on a running streak and want to make sure I get this week's mileage. So off to the gym for 6 reasonably leisurely miles. Was glad to see Nationwide was back on, and they had a feature on fitness.

MTD: 32 miles / 6 days
YTD: 32 miles / 6 days
15 days consecutive running

Is running 15 days consecutive important ? A simple day off might give you some freshness if you need it...........Are you happy with londons training ?

Peckham · 06-01-2010 11:15pm

It's important in that it's my longest running streak ever, but from the perspective of marathon training it's irrelevant. Am conscious that the goal is not to develop a long running streak, and if I feel the need for freshness from a day off then that's what I'll do.

Happy with training to date. Am hitting everything I've set myself in the schedule and guess with the weather and Christmas that these are the toughest training conditions I'm going to face (I hope!). Bit of concern about speed (in that PMP looks quite intimidating), but that element of training has really yet to kick in.

messed_up · 07-01-2010 2:59pm

Peckham wrote: »

Wednesday 6th
Tough journey home from work and then greeted by my totally frozen over estate. It meant a treacherous drive to the gym and was one of those "unnecessary journeys" that the girl on AA Roadwatch was warning us against. But hey, I'm on a running streak and want to make sure I get this week's mileage. So off to the gym for 6 reasonably leisurely miles. Was glad to see Nationwide was back on, and they had a feature on fitness.

MTD: 32 miles / 6 days
YTD: 32 miles / 6 days
15 days consecutive running

Along with Country Tracks and Countryfile on the Beeb, Nationwide is a complete guilty pleasure for me. Geeky and a bit naff but there is usually at least one good article and Michael ryan is a legend!

Peckham · 07-01-2010 11:16pm

Thursday 7th
Another treadmill session, another riveting 7pm RTE programme. Tonight it was The Enforcers which follows litter wardens around the place - on the trail of discarded shopping trolleys. Good to see our licence fee going to beneficial use.

Schedule called for 10 miles today, managed 5. Dreadmill really getting tedious now, and apparently another 10 days of freeze at least. Spring marathon - this isn't what I signed up for.

MTD: 38 miles / 7 days
YTD: 38 miles / 7 days
16 days consecutive running

Peckham · 08-01-2010 10:41pm

Friday 8th
Treadmill again. 7 miles at 7:42 pace. Not much more to say about it than that!

To break the treadmill monotony, christeb is bringing me on a guided tour of St Anne's Park and Bull Island tomorrow. Looking forward to it - the company, the daylight, the change of scenery....the lack of treadmill!

MTD: 45 miles / 8 days
YTD: 45 miles / 8 days
17 days consecutive running

Peckham · 09-01-2010 4:49pm

Saturday 9th
18 miles - 7:28/mi
Awoke this morning to a couple of centimetres of snow, and a quick check of the weather forum showed that the conditions closer to the city were worse. Didn't fancy driving in to Raheny, or worse getting stranded there if the snow got worse (and having to move in with christeb! :rolleyes:)

Didn't fancy hitting the roads as they're still too icy around here, so gym was really my only option. 2hrs 15mins on a treadmill :eek:, don't know how Village Runner has done so many long runs on that thing. Killed the boredom watching the second half of the Wales-England 6 nations game from 1999, then a bit of Sky News, then finishing off with some quality tunes courtesy of Muse.

Broke the run into 3 segments of 6 miles each (as the treadmill cuts off after an hour), having to stop and restart every 45 minutes. First segment done at 1.5 incline, and other two segments at 2 incline.

Gym supervisor and others were a bit perplexed as to what the hell I was up to.

Happy to have gotten out all 6 days so far this week. Recovery 3 tomorrow brings me to 50 or 51 miles for the week.

MTD: 63 miles / 9 days
YTD: 63 miles / 9 days
18 days consecutive running

Peckham · 10-01-2010 4:34pm

Sunday 10th
3.2 miles - 8:13/mi

Another planned rest day skipped to keep my running streak going. I would have broken the streak (maybe!) if I felt I needed the rest day, but felt like I'd benefit from a casual few miles and it was a good opportunity to get in some outdoor daylight running.

Thaw has started a bit here, and am glad to see it. However, whilst most of my running today was done on football pitches, I ran along the roads a little. Still very slippy and glad I didn't opt for road running yesterday.

I noticed at the end of my run that my HR was quite elevated (avg 81% max, with the first mile in the high 80s). Not sure if this is due to the conditions (cold and windy) or if it's a sign of overtraining (however I don't have any other signs of this). Haven't been wearing the HR monitor in the gym, so haven't any other readings from this week.

One to watch during next week. Even in the gym will wear the HR monitor.

50 miles this week, very happy with that considering conditions. Updated log attached.

MTD: 66 miles / 10 days
YTD: 66 miles / 10 days
19 days consecutive running

Peckham · 12-01-2010 2:31pm

Monday 11th
8.15 miles @ 7:37/mi (incl 10 x strides)
I hate strides. I understand their purpose in the training cycle, and I understand that they're not supposed to feel that uncomfortable, but I just find them so boring and think I look ridiculous doing them on the footpath by the bypass near where I live. I overtook two runners whilst doing my set last night, and I reckon they must think "What a to$$er. Who does he think he is? Usain Bolt?"

Yet again HR is really high for the first few miles of my run. During mile 2 I was at 88% max, and despite feeling comfortable and no changes in pace, it fell right back to normal levels later in the run. I noticed this in the early stages of Sunday's recover run. Any ideas if this is my body, or something wrong with my HR monitor?

Tuesday 12th
3.11 miles @ 8:30/mi
First early morning pre-work recovery run in a number of weeks (what with the Crimbo holidays and the lack of outdoor running last week). It was windy enough when I went out, and glad I got out as the wind seems to be getting stronger as the day goes on.

Schedule called for 12 mile run today and planned to run home from work, but logistics meant I had to switch that tomorrow. Glad I did, as looking out the office window now I really wouldn't fancy running into that gale.

MTD: 77 miles / 12 days
YTD: 77 miles / 12 days
21 days consecutive running

Krusty_Clown · 12-01-2010 3:32pm

Peckham wrote: »

Yet again HR is really high for the first few miles of my run. During mile 2 I was at 88% max, and despite feeling comfortable and no changes in pace, it fell right back to normal levels later in the run. I noticed this in the early stages of Sunday's recover run. Any ideas if this is my body, or something wrong with my HR monitor?

I find strides are more convenient than intervals. With strides, you can do them whenever, and wherever you want. If you've setup a GPS watch for intervals, you have to start them wheverver you happen to be when the timer has ticked off your resting period, which I find is typically when you're passing a handful of poodles on long leashes, massive puddles, fields of excrement (hopefully of the canine variety), and other runners who do indeed think you're a Bolt-wannabe-twat. That's why this weather is perfect for interval training. Balaclavas and big dopey hats.

Defo a problem with the HR monitor, but more of a common fault. Look at any of my Garmin Connect links, and you'll see it up around 115-120% for the first mile or so. I often find the first mile a little more difficult until I've warmed to the task, but for me that would be more musculature (is that a word?) rather than cardiac.

aero2k · 13-01-2010 7:04pm

Peckham wrote: »

Monday 11th
Yet again HR is really high for the first few miles of my run. During mile 2 I was at 88% max, and despite feeling comfortable and no changes in pace, it fell right back to normal levels later in the run. I noticed this in the early stages of Sunday's recover run. Any ideas if this is my body, or something wrong with my HR monitor?

I think it might be a quirk of the Garmin HRM. Back in 2001, I used a Polar HRM (on the bike rather than on foot, so not an exact comparison) and it always showed me with a low HR for the first 15 min or so of a training spin. Now, with the Garmin, I'm often at 170 or so for the first three miles of an easy run, before it settles down to 140-150. For comparison I ran DCM with an average of approx 170; intervals bring me over 180 if they're long enough. I don't think it's a problem as it's a consistent occurence and I feel fine.

Peckham · 13-01-2010 11:14pm

...and 21 days is the end of this running streak.

Quads on right leg feeling tight during the day, but went out this evening to see how it felt. After about 30 metres I reckoned I was just going to do more damage, so turned around and back in the front door. A bit of myofascial release from my resident physio, and hopefully will be right as rain tomorrow.

theboyblunder · 14-01-2010 9:28am

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I find strides are more convenient than intervals. With strides, you can do them whenever, and wherever you want. If you've setup a GPS watch for intervals, you have to start them wheverver you happen to be when the timer has ticked off your resting period, which I find is typically when you're passing a handful of poodles on long leashes, massive puddles, fields of excrement (hopefully of the canine variety), and other runners who do indeed think you're a Bolt-wannabe-twat. That's why this weather is perfect for interval training. Balaclavas and big dopey hats.

Defo a problem with the HR monitor, but more of a common fault. Look at any of my Garmin Connect links, and you'll see it up around 115-120% for the first mile or so. I often find the first mile a little more difficult until I've warmed to the task, but for me that would be more musculature (is that a word?) rather than cardiac.

Best of luck peckham. Will be following this log with keen interest- if there is any justice in the world you will find the 00:00:01 !

Peckham · 14-01-2010 10:54pm

Thursday 14th
12 miles @ 7:10/mile

This run was supposed to happen on Tuesday evening, but eventually got round to it this evening. Got home from work later than usual, and the thought of going out for 12 miles wasn't really appealing, but knew that when I got out there I'd get into the rhythm fairly quickly and would stick with it.

4 non-eventful laps of my standard 3 mile loop.

Pace a little faster than would have liked - felt comfortable throughout, and only looked at my watch to check my HR every now and then. Was surprised with half a mile to go to see what pace I had been doing. Hope it doesn't have a negative impact on my planned 20 on Saturday.

MTD: 89 miles / 13 days
YTD: 89 miles / 13 days

village runner · 15-01-2010 12:41am

Peckham wrote: »

Thursday 14th
12 miles @ 7:10/mile

This run was supposed to happen on Tuesday evening, but eventually got round to it this evening. Got home from work later than usual, and the thought of going out for 12 miles wasn't really appealing, but knew that when I got out there I'd get into the rhythm fairly quickly and would stick with it.

4 non-eventful laps of my standard 3 mile loop.

Pace a little faster than would have liked - felt comfortable throughout, and only looked at my watch to check my HR every now and then. Was surprised with half a mile to go to see what pace I had been doing. Hope it doesn't have a negative impact on my planned 20 on Saturday.

MTD: 89 miles / 13 days
YTD: 89 miles / 13 days

Glad you took a day off. No harm for the body.
How many 20s have you completed ??

Peckham · 15-01-2010 9:26am

village runner wrote: »

How many 20s have you completed ??

This will be my first 20 miler since DCM 08! Did 18 last weekend and 17.5 the weekend before. Looking forward to getting it done - feel a great psychological boost seeing the Garmin display 20.xx miles!

Long run plan from this weekend for the next few weeks is: 20-20-15-18-20-20.

Peckham · 15-01-2010 7:46pm

Friday 15th
4 miles @ 7:49/mile

Not much to say about this one! 20 miles tomorrow.

MTD: 93 miles / 14 days
YTD: 93 miles / 14 days

Peckham · 16-01-2010 4:54pm

Saturday 16th
21 miles @ 7:09/mile

A bit faster than planned pace (and also a bit longer due to miscalculation of the extra bits I was adding on to my standard long run loop). Very happy with it though, and great to reach/break the 20 mile barrier for the first time in 15 months.

Held pace reasonably consistent throughout, and average pace/HR for the 5 mile splits are as follows:

First five miles: 7:07/mi - HR: 154
Second five miles: 7:08/mi - HR: 154
Third five miles: 7:11/mi - HR: 158
Fourth five miles: 7:11/mi - HR: 159
Final mile: 6:52/mi - HR: 164

MTD: 114 miles / 15 days
YTD: 114 miles / 15 days

25 April 2010

Comments