The best years of my life, well kinda

DigiJem

11th Dec: 14 miles at 9:50 min/mile pace

14 miles in the park with RK, claralara & menoscemo. A really nice run, I hadn’t planned on doing 14 but I felt good throughout. Nice to run with others too, no way I’d have gone so far today if I was on my own. Hope this milder weather hangs around for a few more days before the next cold snap.

DigiJem

Plan for this week, doubtful that the latter half of the week will go to plan with bad weather forecast & the work xmas party in the mix, but anyway...

Mon|Tue|Wed|Thu|Fri|Sat|Sun
3m easy|6m|3m easy|rest|8m lsr|Jingle Bells 5k|rest


13th Dec: 3 miles at 9:01 min/mile pace
Run done at lunchtime today, all a bit of a rush, hence the faster than planned pace. Nice & crisp out, and better than running in the evening, at least you can see any lingering spots of ice. Will try the same time tomorrow, weather & work permitting.

DigiJem

14th Dec: 6 miles at 9:32 min/mile pace

Didn’t get a lunchtime run in today, but the paths were perfect this evening so it didn’t matter. A nice uneventful run; went through several housing estates trying to find the most overdone xmas lights and decorations, no clear winner yet but several contenders.

DigiJem

15th Dec: 3 miles at 9:42 min/mile pace

Glad it was an easy run tonight, legs felt a bit heavy. Still a nice evening for it, lots of runners out; everyone trying to get a run in before the nasty white stuff reappears.

DigiJem

17th Dec: 5 miles at 9:04 min/mile pace

Decided early today that I wasn't going to risk travelling to do the Jingle Bells 5k tomorrow, roads already bad and the forecast is for freezing later. So I reverted to Hal’s plan which called for a 5 mile pace run. Yaxtraxs on and headed out along the canal path, found it tough trying to keep up the pace while trudging through the snow but at least I had good grip in the fresh snow. A lovely run, not a soul about, just me crunching through the snow. I'll hopefully head back along the same route for a LSR tomorrow or Sunday. Wrecked at the end, it felt like a really good workout.

DigiJem

18th Dec: 8 miles at 9:58 min/mile pace

Back along the canal, the snow seemed tougher to plough through than yesterday. It was much colder today too, I usually discard the hat & gloves after a few minutes running but today they were kept on for the full run. Had a nasty skid on the way home, no damage done but frightened the bejaysus out of myself, I need yaxtrax’s for my tyres. Very tired afterwards, I’m glad tomorrow’s a rest day.

DigiJem

Plan for this week:

Mon|Tue|Wed|Thu|Fri|Sat|Sun
3m easy|6m pace|rest|6m easy|3m easy|rest|10k race or 13 LSR

20th Dec: 3 miles @ 10:02 min/mile pace
Tough to get grip on the paths tonight, snow has compacted to glassy ice in spots. Back to the treadmill tomorrow unless there's fresh snow tonight.

DigiJem

21st Dec: 6 miles at 9:05 min/mile pace

Only a few flurries of snow today, so back on the treadmill, not nice at all but miles done. At least I managed to break the 30 minutes mental block I had with the treadmill.

DigiJem

23rd Dec: 3 miles at 9:24 min/mile pace

Only had time today for a quick lunchtime run. A clear blue sky, very sunny out which thawed the paths a little. Nice to get a break from frozen pipes and other weather related cr@p. Also got a text to say the Athenry 10k is postponed, which is disappointing, eagerly awaiting this forecasted thaw.

DigiJem

24th Dec: 12 miles at 9:43 min/mile pace

I decided to do the LSR today then take the next 2 days off. Feel I need a little break, I'm tired of fighting the elements with slippy roads, bitter cold, no water in the house and just a general sense of meh!

Todays run was great, ran to the Charleville Estate and spent almost a hour running through the trails up there. Place was like a winter wonderland, it really helped shake off my grumpy mood. Didn't manage the planned 13 miles, ran out of time. Off work for a bit so I hope to get a few nice runs in the park next week.

I'm heading to the Wicklow hills tomorrow to sit back and be served. Hopefully a good time with my family, some turkey, trifle, pudding with a little post-dinner Tullamore Dew (my only contribution )

Happy Christmas all!

DigiJem

This week’s plan:
Mon|Tue|Wed|Thu|Fri|Sat|Sun
3m|7m|3m|rest|7m|14m|rest

27th Dec: 3 miles at 9:08 min/mile pace
Woke up and the snow had vanished 3 miles tonight, a little too fast but a joy to run in the rain again.

dolliemix

Well done you for keeping all the running up over the last few weeks!

Reading your thread is helping to motivate me from my big break!

Thanks

DigiJem

dolliemix wrote: »

Well done you for keeping all the running up over the last few weeks!

Reading your thread is helping to motivate me from my big break!

Thanks

Thanks Dollie, despite all my moaning there was a few nice runs in the snow. I’m glad to see the back of it though. Hope the new year goes well for your training

28th Dec: 7 miles at 9:32 min/mile pace
Nice run, managed to keep the pace ok. The best news of the day is that the water is back working in the house, bliss! :pac:

DigiJem

29th Dec: 3 miles at 9:21 min/mile pace

Got some gift vouchers for Amphibian King for xmas, so went to their Oranmore shop for gait analysis. They were very thorough and I tried on several runners; it was useful to see my overpronation on-screen and see how well each runner worked. I couldn’t decide between the Kayano 17s or Brooks Adrenalines, both suited my gait. In the end I got both, they threw in a couple of free tech tops as well so a good days shopping.

Christened the brooks this evening with 3 miles, they felt pretty good. Came home to no water for a shower :mad:

DigiJem

31st Dec: 7 miles @ 9:28 min/mile

A nice run in the park, kept it easy as I have to do 14 miles there tomorrow. Still pretty mild out, back to shorts & a tee-shirt

DigiJem

1st Jan: 14 miles at 9:43 min/mile pace

14 miles done but it felt tougher than it should have, it was like I had lead attached to my legs from start to finish. Not an inspirational run to start 2011, but just one of those days I guess. Rest day tomorrow, then the 10k in Athenry on Monday. I’m looking forward to this; I haven’t run a 10k since last June.

Next week’s plan:

Mon|Tue|Wed|Thu|Fri|Sat|Sun
FOA 10k race|rest|7m easy|3m easy|rest|7m pace|16m LSR

DigiJem

A short hop down the M6 to Athenry, roads all ok, no ice in sight. Picked up my number, chip & wooly hat. All very well organised although I think they had some plumbing issues in the hall. 2 non-functioning toilets for all the ladies racing was not a fun sight :eek:

A really good buzz at the start, it seemed to be a real mixture of runners. The race started promptly and off we went.

The first 2k was a complete shock to the system, I haven't run that sort of pace for a long time and the body didn't like it, really struggled with my breathing. My target was to keep the pace at 5 min/km, but only managed that for 4 out of the 10k.

A flat route, it should have made for a good time but I finished in 50:31, over half a minute slower than my last 10k so disappointed with that.

Enjoyed the race despite the time, but I was freezing at the end, hopped straight into the car with the heater on max, wore that newly acquired orange wooly hat all the way home :cool:

DigiJem

5th Jan: 7 miles at 9:36 min/mile pace

Bloody cold out there, took me ages to warm up. A nice trot around town, nothing too fast. Last mile was the slowest as the paths were beginning to ice up and I didn't fancy hitting the concrete

jcsmum

That was a great time for the 10k. You have to take the weather into account, less training and all those Christmas chocolates!
You did great!

DigiJem

6th Jan: 3 miles at 9:04 min/mile pace

Faster than planned but had to squeeze in a run during lunch. Easier to see the icy spots on the path in the daylight, still slippy anywhere the sun didn’t hit. A nice run, very sunny out.

Miles MTD: 30.2

DigiJem

8th Jan: 6.3 miles at 9:42 min/mile pace

Paths were all a slippy mushy mess so I drove to Charelville and ran through the trails and in some of the snow-covered fields. Not much traffic up there so plenty of fresh snow for the yaktraxs to grip into.

A lot of gunshots going off up there today, a springer spaniel hopped out of the woods at one stage, assured himself that I wasn’t a pheasant and bounded off back into the trees. Cut it short as I was wrecked after an hour. Not as far or fast as planned but a tough session trudging through the snow.

Miles MTD: 36.5

shazkea

Thanks for today - great to have the company and thanks for pushing me along. Hope you enjoy your dinner

DigiJem

shazkea wrote: »

Hope you enjoy your dinner

I was drooling all the way home dreaming of dinner, I've just polished off a nice steak smothered with gaelic sauce...worth the wait. Dinner always seems nicer after a long run


9th Jan: 16.3 miles @ 10:26 min/mile pace

A nice run in the park today, cold at time but hopefully thats the worst of the cold snap over with. It finished a good week of running for me, happy to be getting back to the same fitness levels I had before DCM. Plan for next week:

Mon|Tue|Wed|Thu|Fri|Sat|Sun
4m recovery|8m easy|4m easy|rest|rest|Waterford HM|rest

DigiJem

10th Jan: 4 miles at 10:20 min/mile pace

Paths were back to perfect, the rain today washed away the last of the ice. Glad it was an easy run, I felt shattered all day and quads a bit sore after yesterday. Some stretching later then early sleeps tonight!

Miles MTD: 56.8

claralara

Nice run on Sunday there? Is Conn your next goal or is there something in between? You're miles ahead of me -great running. I have a lot of work to do over the next couple of months :eek:

shazkea

DigiJem wrote: »

I was drooling all the way home dreaming of dinner, I've just polished off a nice steak smothered with gaelic sauce...worth the wait. Dinner always seems nicer after a long run

Nice...eh what time did you say dinner was in your gaff after the next run

See you in Waterford!

DigiJem

claralara wrote: »

Nice run on Sunday there? Is Conn your next goal or is there something in between?

Yep, Conn is the main target, although I hope to run a few races before then, Waterford & Dungarvan anyway.


11th Jan: 8 miles at 9:43 min/mile pace

A struggle to convince myself to get off the couch this evening, I could hear the rain outside. It was ok after the first mile once I warmed up a bit. An enjoyable run in the end, didn't look at the watch and just ran at a comfortable pace. Legs felt a good bit better than yesterday.

Miles MTD: 64.8

DigiJem

12th Jan: 4 miles @ 9:26 min/mile

A lunchtime run which nicely broke up a utterly crap day at work. Legs still don't feel 100%, but I've 2 days with no running so hopefully that should sort the heaviness out. Waterford on Sat, looking forward to that.

Miles MTD: 68.8

jcsmum

DigiJem wrote: »

Waterford on Sat, looking forward to that.

Miles MTD: 68.8

See you there

dolliemix

Good luck today!