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
Berlin or bust...
Comments
-
Sunday 18th March
Mothers day - but no lie in here! The little miss was desperate to do the MSB St Patricks 5k festival race in town, so I reluctantly agreed and took the other young fella along to keep her company while I did a warm-up & cool down around it to clock up the required LSR miles.
Not an ideal LSR, but sure anything to keep the monsters happy
Got into town a bit late but they were still taking registrations, so we tootled over to the Family Registration table and signed up. Met a host of boardsies -hi gang, nice to catch up - and some other unexpected heads. I abandoned my kids and headed out to squeeze in a couple of miles before the start. Got back to the Mansion House with a few minutes to spare, dashed to the loo, and we all headed to the start. My young lad took the chip and he moved up towards the front end of the starting mass. I hung back with herself. My job was to pace her to get in under 29 minutes and not let her stop (her instructions!).
As we set off, the sun was shining, the wind was calm(ish) and the crowds were all in great form. Lovely day for a run! I tried to keep the pace even at around the 9mi/min and we had some slower bits and faster bits as the stitches /sore knees/ tired toes :rolleyes:/ wiggling eyebrows :eek:/ etc. had to be dealt with, but she performed really well and we came home in about 27:40, with her usual sprint finish, of course.:D
After we met up with her brother (who finished comfortably in 21:59:rolleyes:) ...my kids obvously get their speed from the Krusty side!
I left them again and did another 5 miles to take me to the requisite 10 for the day. Uneventful running but very enjoyable.Summay1.94 miles in 17:21 @ 8:55 mi/minTotal of 10.05 miles in 93:02
3.11 miles in 27:46 @ 8:55 mi/min
5.00 miles in 47:55 @ 9:34 mi/min0 -
-
-
Thursday
4 miles today, and for a nice change I got to run in the park, during daylight
Lovely jubley. Really nice run.
My hip was a bit 'clicky' (noticed this yesterday doing the intervals) so did some specific stretches for that after. Hopefully it's nothing but I'll have to keep any eye on that.Summary 4 miles in 38:16
Avg Pace: 9:34 min/mi0 -
Friday
Mad night out with the girls. Great craic but no running
Saturday
3 miles in the plan, so after a leisurely lazy morning I trooped over to the park for a quick trot around the grass. It was a lovely day for a run, so really happy that I got out - even if it was for just 3 miles.
No problem with the hip today either<phew>. Don't think it's totally gone away, but the stretching seems to have eased things out a bit.Summary 3 miles in 28:02
Avg Pace: 9:20 min/mi0 -
Advertisement
-
-
Monday
The usual Pilates torture
She said we'll have buns of steel soon... though they feel more like rocks today :eek:
Tuesday
Might not get to do my tempo run tomorrow (family stuff) so did a 5 mile tempo today instead. Ran out around Greystones so there was a nice little hill there! Still, I felt good and enjoyed the run. The weather was great too.
Middle miles were 8:36/8:28/8:26 which was a nice progression. All good.Summary 5.00 miles in 44:33
Avg Pace: 8:55 min/mi0 -
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
36 hours ago I was buzzing and elated after a great run in the glorious Connemara sunshine. This evening I'm sitting on the couch after a miserable night talking to Hewie and Ralf on the porceline telephone:(. Something I ate? Anyway, I'll try to put myself back into that good place and recount the day.
Right.
Got to Clifden on Saturday evening, stopped off at the registration and breezed through in no time. Checked into the hotel and went to grab some food before hooking up with some pals who were running the Marathon. Met a few boardsies along the way all gearing up for a good days running. My pals sister in law Bee was running her first Half Marathon, so over a cup of tea we reckoned we were probably running to similar schedules so agreed to start together and see how it went. I knew the first mile and THE HILL were going to be slow, but the aim was to keep the other miles somewhere around about the 9 min/mi and see how it went. No real solid goal, but hoping to get under 2:10, closer to 2:00 if possible.
Sunday morning, porridge and coffee consumed, we headed to the buses for the brief and very scenic trip out to Lenanne. It was sunnier than the forecast had led us to believe, but I had the sunscreen in the bag, the salt tablets in my shorts pocket and the hat and sunglasses to hand. As long as the temperatures didn't get too hot I should be ok.
So Mr Clown, Bee and I headed to a sunny spot (near the loo
) to chill and eat and take on some water and change and warm up and.... generally do whatever to keep ourselves occupied. When the marshals started bullying:rolleyes: calling us to the start, we went to drop our bags and go line up. The Clown melted off into the crowd (well, he was toeing the line, we were bringing up the rear), and Bee and I wandered up the hill to find an appropriate place to kick off from. Spotted Shazkey and DigiJem so jumped in beside them and we chatted away until the gun went.
The crowd moved forward, then stopped, then on again, and suddenly we were up to jogging pace and across the mats. Down the hill to the village, slow but steady, around the corner and up again out of Lenanne to the first hill of the day. But the pace was dictated by the masses so there was no way were going too fast. Bee was nervous about this one, but I'd told her that she wouldn't notice it, and we I chatted merrily along at an easy pace. Over the crest of the hill the crowd thinned a bit and we ducked and weaved for space to try to get into a rhythm.
I was really enjoying myself and nattering away. Didn't really look at the watch, but Bee looked at hers at about mile 3 and decided we were going a bit too fast. She was probably right, cause the splits for the first 3 miles were 10:11, 9:06 and 8:27:eek:. Oops:o. Pulled it back a bit then, but it did the damage for poor Bee and by mile 5 she had fallen behind so I kept plugging on and knew we'd meet up again at the finish anyway.
Took a salt tablet near the water station at mile 6, as the sun was beating down and I knew I was sweating out all my precious minerals.
Last time Connemara had me in agony with leg cramps at the end, and I REALLY didn't want that happening again! So I swallowed down the salt and hoped for the best. I was loving the run and actually remembered sections of the course from last time and how crap I had felt then compared to now. And THAT was a nice feeling . Miles 4-6 were 8:51, 9:05, 9:00.
Still feeling good but I sucked down a gel sometime between mile 7 and 8. The little water bottles were a blessing and I carried one from station to station, discarding the remnants of the first before picking up the next. In that heat, it was a godsend! I was passed by the lead woman (of the marathon I think?) around now, and she looked in good shape. Some of the Ultras and Marathoners were going by now too. Awe inspiring to us mere mortals! Looking back at the garmin I did 9:00, 8:48, 9:11 for miles 7-9.
I hadn't found the rolling hills that bad so far, but I knew what was coming and I decided to just put my head down and keep plugging. It was a bit funny really, cause I was passing people that had started walking just after mile 9 and all I could think was "This isn't the hill yet, keep going, the hill is around the corner!" ...but I wasn't telling them that out loud Breathing around me was getting laboured, feet were getting heavy (slap slap slap off the tarmac) and LOTS of runners were being beaten to a walk. Now I might have been going at walking pace but I wasn't stopping! Concentrated on my breathing (in for two, out for three) kept the arms pumping and the legs ticking over. It's definitely a long hill, but today I got the better of it! :cool: I was glad to see the road flatten out though. Miles 10 and 11 were slow, but that wasn't unexpected - 9:56 and 10:54.
And then the downhill. It was glorious after all that climbing, but it was painful too. I was surprised that some of the folks around me were still walking, but I guess we all have our good days and our bad ones. Felt like I was flying down the hill, but once it levelled out the legs were getting tired and I was starting to feel hungry - really hungry! Mile 12 in 8:37.
I could almost smell the finish, but knew there was still a way to go, so had to reign in the pace and conserve a bit of energy. As I rounded a bend I could just make out the finish gantry in the distance and I heard a fellow runner pant "Oh thank God" - which actually put a smile on my face. The supporters were getting more plentiful and we could hear the commentary from the loudspeaker at the finish line. I tried to up the pace again, but the legs were nearly shot. Krusty gave a wave as he ran past me (going in the other direction for his cool-down). Almost home... mile 13 in 8:44
The finish chute was mad. People everywhere screaming at friends and strangers to give it their all. Heard a "Go on Emer" on my left and spotted Nules, then another shout on my right, but couldn't make out who that was (but thanks for the shout out!) and just pegged it, going as fast as was left in my legs. Pace for the last bit was 7:51. Finish chip time 02:01:28. Not a PB, but 15 minutes off the last Conn HM. Extatic!
Collapsed across the line (not literally) and could feel the calves tightening, so headed straight for the barriers and used them for support to stretch the hell out of my legs. Ouch! But it did the trick. Bee came in a few minutes later and we hung about for the rest of the crew for a bit before heading in for some very welcome soup and sandwiches!
Amazing day. Lots of funny sights, like the barefoot marathon runner sticking doggedly to the white line (I guess that tarmac was getting hot?) and the guy in jeans?! What was going on there? I'm guessing he lost a bet...Summary 13.21 miles in 2:01:28
Avg Pace: 9:12 min/mi0 -
-
-
-
-
Congrats on a great run Emer! That is some chunk to take off a Connemara time… it's a nice feeling huh! I saw a photo of you somewhere with the shades and the cap (racepix perhaps?) - I could have done with those a couple of times! Great report too...
Hope you guys enjoyed the rest of the weekend
0 -
-
The next goal:
After having a look at some other logs I've decided to run the Dublin Night 10k at the end of April. That leaves me just 3 weeks training, one of which will be spent in Boston supporting the Clown in his endeavours and generally having a good time But I guess I'll have to make time to get some miles in too :rolleyes:
I found this plan for a 4 week 10K to improve the speed. It's a bit ambitious (mileage wise) for me at the moment, I think, but I think a modified version might be do-able. Advice anyone? I think 3 hard sessions per week seems a bit too much too, so might drop one for a more general steady run.
So is it do-able / advisable / lunacy ?
Week | Monday| Tuesday| Wednesday| Thursday| Friday| Saturday |Sunday
Week 1| Rest |2.5M warm-up, then 6 x 600m or 2 mins, with 400m or 2-3 min jog recoveries, then 2.5M cool-down |6M easy, inc 8 - 10 x 100m strides| 3-4M fast but controlled |Rest| 6-8M easy, inc hills |6-7M easy
Week 2 |Rest| 2-2.5M warm-up, then 5 x 800m or 3 mins, with 400m or 2.5-min recoveries, then 2-2.5M cool-down| 5-7M easy, inc 8-12 strides| 2M easy, 2M fast, 2M easy |Rest| 6-8M fartlek, emphasis on pyramid efforts |7-8M easy
Week 3| Rest |2-2.5M warm-up, then 5 x 1000m or 3.5-4 mins, with 400m or 4-min recoveries, then 2-2.5M cool-down |Rest| 6-8M steady, inc hills |Rest| 2M easy, 1M fast, 1M easy, 1.5M fast, 2M easy |8-9M easy
Week 4 |Rest| 2-2.5M warm-up, then 4 x 800m or 3 mins, with 400m or 4-min recoveries, then 2.5M cool-down| 5-7M easy |6M steady |Rest| 3-5M easy, inc a few strides |RACE0 -
-
Advertisement
-
-
Tuesday
Did some core strength work with the other fella. Lovely romantic evening
Wednesday
4*800mt intervals with 400mt recovery. Ouch!
Did these over on the Ballyogan road. It's nice and long and straight with a cycle path, but rather exposed and is a bit of an incline. First two were in the right direction, but the third and fourth were uphill and against the wind. I seriously thought I was going to barf during the third one, but I didn't :rolleyes: And I even finished the last one...but it felt REALLY hard
I think maybe the body isn't quite back to form just yet (either that or I'm just getting old?:eek:)
Interval | Duration(sec)| Pace /mi
1 | 229|7:40
2 | 228|7:37
3 | 251 | 8:22
4 | 251 | 8:22
Did a bit of a warm up and a cooldown to take me to just over 4 miles for the day. A miserable and dishartening run
Ah well...Summary 4.36 mi in 42:17
Avg Pace: 9:42 min/mi0 -
Intervals are not meant to be fun so don't be disheartened. Horrible wind and rain yesterday evening which was always going to make them harder.
Also remember that shopping in the States solves all running woes
Week | Monday| Tuesday| Wednesday| Thursday| Friday| Saturday |Sunday
Week 1| Rest |2.5M warm-up, then 6 x 600m or 2 mins, with 400m or 2-3 min jog recoveries, then 2.5M cool-down |6M easy, inc 8 - 10 x 100m strides| 3-4M fast but controlled |Rest| 6-8M easy, inc hills |6-7M easy
Week 2 |Rest| 2-2.5M warm-up, then 5 x 800m or 3 mins, with 400m or 2.5-min recoveries, then 2-2.5M cool-down| 5-7M easy, inc 8-12 strides| 2M easy, 2M fast, 2M easy |Rest| 6-8M fartlek, emphasis on pyramid efforts |7-8M easy
Week 3| Rest |2-2.5M warm-up, then 5 x 1000m or 3.5-4 mins, with 400m or 4-min recoveries, then 2-2.5M cool-down |Rest| 6-8M steady, inc hills |Rest| 2M easy, 1M fast, 1M easy, 1.5M fast, 2M easy |8-9M easy
Week 4 |Rest| 2-2.5M warm-up, then 4 x 800m or 3 mins, with 400m or 4-min recoveries, then 2.5M cool-down| 5-7M easy |6M steady |Rest| 3-5M easy, inc a few strides |RACE
I like. Going to borrow some of your interval sessions 
0 -
I'm with Shaz, intervals are the pits - with 800s being the devil's own exercise. At least you got it done and dusted - fair play. Speaking from experience, intervals after a tummy bug are not anybody's idea of a good time. Enjoy Boston, and as I said on Krusty's log, I'll keep an eye out for your girlie on Sunday at the Nationals 0
-
Right.
Back from a week in a very hot and sunny Boston. 2 hours sleep on the plane and 2 hours in my nice bed when we got in.
Just catching up on everything so here's my (abysmal) running from the last week:
Friday 13th - travelling, no running.
Saturday 14th - 5 (early morning) miles around a sunny suburb with the OH. He took it handy and we did a lovely circular route near our friends house in Andover. Headed into Boston city to the Marathon Expo for the afternoon. Weather was a bit worrying (heat wise) with the forecasts looking hot hot hot for Monday. You know it's going to be bad when the organisers are recommending that first timers not run and are offering no quibble deferrals!
Not a happy Krusty.
Sunday 15th - Another 5 miler with the clown. Found this one tough (hotter than yesterday - I'm a marshmallow in the heat, I just melt:D) And a kamikaze fly flew straight into my trachea when we were on the way back. I spent about 15 minutes coughing, spluttering and retching my way up the road, lagging seriously behind the OH as I gasped for breath. He said that he was sure I was going to puke, and was surprised when I didn't. Bloody thing felt like a bluebottle it was so big...
Spent the afternoon at a Red Sox baseball game with our pal. Great fun. Not as boring as I was led to believe Even got to get our picture taken with one of the team (Clay Buchholz) which was nice.:cool:
Monday 16th - Marathon Monday. Geez that was hot. I thought I was going to pass out in the heat, and I was just standing still!? :eek: I don't know how anyone ran 26.2 miles in that. They are all heros (or lunatics... maybe both?:rolleyes:) For the real account of the day head here. A brutal race! The number of people staggering and collapsing in the last mile (and after) was scary. All the Irish guys were in bits when we met them after for a post race beer. One of the lads spent 2 hours on a drip in the medical tent after finishing (at least he finished, right?) Scary stuff! All true heros! (I wouldn't have made it to mile 2!)
Tuesday 17th - a lie in, a big pancake breakfast, and a lovely lazy day.
Wednesday 18th - Intervals :eek:! 4*1000mt with 400mt. Hot one again, but cooler than it had been. Found these pretty brutal though. Tried to keep the interval pace at about 8min/mi, but struggled with that. Not pretty. With the warmup and cool down it ended up being 6 miles for the session.
Thursday & Friday were beer, food, shopping and travelling.
Now back to normality...0 -
Sunday 22nd
Holy Moly... Woke up this morning with the young fella tapping on the door to say he needed a lift to football in 10 minutes - it was after 11! :eek::D Jet lag is a bit*h! So I dragged myself out of the scratcher and drove him over.
Had it in my head to go for a medium long run, but felt pretty wrecked, so after breakfast and once I'd woken up I headed out towards the Bray head trail and back. 8 miles in total. Lovely run and the rain from mile 4 was actually really welcome and refreshing. Ahhh. It's good to be home Summary 8 miles in 1:14:00
Avg Pace: 9:15 min/mi0 -
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
Advertisement