Berlin or bust...

RubyK

Congrats on the pb Emer! You'll definitely get that sub4 next month, no doubt about it.

jcsmum

Well done on the PB Emer!!

racheljev

Well done again Emer, we were a good team! Oh, and remember I told you I thought I was getting a blister around mile 12 (trying very hard to distract you from the dreaded stitch?) Well, it wasn't a blister, it was a durty big scrape which resulted in a very sore toe and a blood covered sock...Needless to say, those socks are now in the bin... So, are we going for sub4 (see how it's all about the "we" now - f40's together, if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me )

Marthastew

Congrats on a super, super run on Saturday, great to catch up very briefly in the pub, we'll have fun clebrating your PB after DCM:D

Emer911

RubyK wrote: »

Congrats on the pb Emer! You'll definitely get that sub4 next month, no doubt about it.

Oh the pressure!! :eek:

racheljev wrote: »

Well done again Emer, we were a good team! Oh, and remember I told you I thought I was getting a blister around mile 12 (trying very hard to distract you from the dreaded stitch?) Well, it wasn't a blister, it was a durty big scrape which resulted in a very sore toe and a blood covered sock...Needless to say, those socks are now in the bin... So, are we going for sub4 (see how it's all about the "we" now - f40's together, if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me )

Poor you. Hope it's not too bad and recovers quickly for you.
I'm starting to think the sub4 is a possibility, but it still seems a bit scary... I'm definitely in better shape than I was for Chicago, so assuming the rest of the training goes to plan, then who knows? I'm not committing just yet though :rolleyes:

Marthastew wrote: »

Congrats on a super, super run on Saturday, great to catch up very briefly in the pub, we'll have fun clebrating your PB after DCM:D

Definitely catch up properly after DCM, and best of luck to you in Berlin!

Emer911

Monday
No pilates today so headed out for a bit of a trot instead. 5 very slow miles trying to get the body moving... it wasn't really cooperating though. I was battling with the brain from mile 1, trying to coax myself around. Ah well, we all have those days.

Summary 5 miles in 49:01
Avg Pace: 9:48 min/mi

Emer911

Tuesday
The lunchtime pilates class was rescheduled from Monday to Tuesday. Tough class. There was a plank - push-up sequence there that very nearly broke me :rolleyes:

Wednesday
Had some errands to do so wasn't sure whether I'd have time for the 8-10 mile run or just enough for some intervals. Turned out the time was tight once I was done, so just did the intervals.
7*800mt at faster than 8:00min/mi pace.
BUT, the route was not the flattest, with a net uphill on the even intervals, downhill on the odd ones - a real mental challenge to finish them all! Didn't think I'd get within an asses roar of the 8min pace for the uphill reps

Intervals were :
#|Duration (seconds)|Pace /mi
1| 229 |7:39
2| 242 |8:06 (up)
3| 233 |7:48
4| 243 |8:07 (up)
5| 233 |7:47
6| 242 |8:05 (up)
7| 232 |7:46

Took 1:30 min recovery between each rep.

Given the terrain I was pretty happy to get through these and surprised that the pace wasn't too far off for the uphill reps. They felt a LOT slower and a lot tougher than what the watch recorded. And the pace didn't drop off as I went either, which is good.

Summary 6.01 mi in 56:52
Avg Pace: 9:28 min/mi

digger2d2

racheljev wrote: »

Well done again Emer, we were a good team!

Dunshaughlin sub 50 = DCM sub 4

sixpack's little hat

Emer911 wrote: »

I wore my RaceReady shorts with the built in gel pockets, to see how they'd feel racing. I've worn them in training, but usually use a gel belt in races, so this was a good trial for them too. They worked a treat.

Hi Emer,

Those shorts look great for carrying gels, mush easier than worrying about a belt and things falling off.

Where did you buy them from? The website is listing the shipping to Ireland as $134 with Fedex!

Cheers

Emer911

digger2d2 wrote: »

Dunshaughlin sub 50 = DCM sub 4

A jeas... don't go putting me under all that pressure!?:rolleyes:

Emer911

sixpack's little hat wrote: »

Hi Emer,

Those shorts look great for carrying gels, mush easier than worrying about a belt and things falling off.

Where did you buy them from? The website is listing the shipping to Ireland as $134 with Fedex!

Cheers

I got them at a marathon expo in the US. Best buy ever! If you know anyone heading over to NYC Marathon you could ask them to have a look for you?


$134 shipping :eek:

Emer911

Thursday
A very late (for me) 8 mile run. It was getting dark, so I managed to get 5 done in the park before the light got too bad and I had to head out onto the road. Felt comfortable enough the whole way around, though I always get a bit more cautious (i.e. slow) when it's dark and I have to concentrate on where I'm stepping.

Summary 8.01 mi in 1:14:48
Avg Pace: 9:20 min/mi

Dory Dory

Regarding the shorts....I can always mail things via the postal system from US to Ireland if needed!! Takes a week to get there, but the price isn't bad.

Emer911

Saturday
9 miles in the park this afternoon. Was supposed to go MUCH earlier but circumstances conspired against me and I ended up finally heading out after 16:00. It was only when I was finished, having run a slow pace and found it much tougher than I should have that I realised I'd eaten just a bowl of porridge and a scone all day!? :eek: Stupid or what? See, that's what happens when life gets distracting. Must try harder!

Summary 9.00 mi in 1:26:01
Avg Pace: 9:33 min/m

Emer911

Sunday
20 mi LSR in Pheonix park. Up bright and early to meet Younganne for this one. Glad to have the company and the miles flew by. We planned to keep the pace between 10 and 10:30/mi and had to reprimand ourselves a few times when it started to creep up towards the 9/mi pace. Felt good doing this, which is positive. Hip was a bit niggly half way through, but nothing worrying. Had a good stretch out after so hopefully it won't be an issue.

Summary 20.00 mi in 3:21:40
Avg Pace: 10:05 min/mi

banner_phoenix

Well done on the 20 miler Emer, no probs to yourself and Anne as I'm sure ye talked up a storm . Hope the hip issue was just a minor blimp!

Younganne

banner_phoenix wrote: »

Well done on the 20 miler Emer, no probs to yourself and Anne as I'm sure ye talked up a storm . Hope the hip issue was just a minor blimp!

Thanks Emer, the miles flew by unnoticed with such great company, and it was great to get it over early...mile 19 was my toughest but the rest were fine!!

Banner , i'm very quite and never talk much;);)

RubyK

Sounds like both your LSR's went really well! Not long to go now

Emer911

Monday
Pilates at lunchtime. Hip was a bit tight all day Rolling and stretching all evening.

Tuesday
6 mile early morning run jog in the torrents of rain. Had a work thing this evening so knew I had to get the miles in before work. Set the alarm and got out of my nice warm cosy bed at 6:45 :eek: Was out the door before my brain realised what I was up to.
Wet, wet, wet and splish, splash - boy was that a wet one. A pleasant and speedy run it was NOT. But at least I got the miles in.

On the plus side, the hip seems much better.

Summary 6 very slow and crochety miles

Emer911

Wednesday
Lovely 5 miles in surprising sunshine. Legs felt great, lungs were good, rain was gone and the park, though soggy, was the perfect setting for the early evening run.

What a difference a day makes... if only every run felt this good.

Summary 5.00 mi in 43:43
Avg Pace: 8:44 min/mi

Emer911

Thursday bumped the tempo out to Friday and went out for drinks with work instead (bold, I know:rolleyes:)

Friday
45 min tempo run was in the plan. I'm not a fan of these - prefer to do intervals - but I gave it a good go. Probably ramped up the pace a bit too quickly where a more gradual increase would have been preferable, but I don't think I did too bad. Started off nice and slow, ended nice and slow with a middle faster bit. That's right, isn't it?

1 mile at 9:37, 1 at 8:42, half mile at 7:49, then slowing down again, 1 mi at 8:58, 1 at 9:26 and the last half mile at 9:31.

So I covered 5 miles in total in almost exactly 45 minutes.
Job done.
...and I seem to have avoided the rain too, which was great!

Summary 5.00 mi in 45:21
Avg Pace: 9:04 min/mi

Emer911

Saturday
6 mile PMP.
Lovely sunny morning and hotter than I was expecting. Planned marathon pace is 9min/mi so this was a discipline thing - trying to keep each mile on pace - no faster, no slower. I actually found that quite tricky. First mile was ok, but each mile after that I had to keep checking the pace and slowing myself down as the pace kept creeping up. The actual pace per mile was 9:03 /8:50 /8:49 /8:54 /8:53 /8:49. Mentally that was pretty tiring but I'm happy that I found the pace pretty easy.

The challenge for DCM is to control the pace for at least the first 15 or 16 miles and not go out half cocked at 8:40/mi because it feels "comfortable" (and then die a death at mi 17)

Summary 6.00 mi in 53:19
Avg Pace: 8:53 min/mi

Only 4 weeks to go :eek:

Younganne

Emer911 wrote: »

Saturday
6 mile PMP.
Lovely sunny morning and hotter than I was expecting. Planned marathon pace is 9min/mi so this was a discipline thing - trying to keep each mile on pace - no faster, no slower. I actually found that quite tricky. First mile was ok, but each mile after that I had to keep checking the pace and slowing myself down as the pace kept creeping up. The actual pace per mile was 9:03 /8:50 /8:49 /8:54 /8:53 /8:49. Mentally that was pretty tiring but I'm happy that I found the pace pretty easy.

The challenge for DCM is to control the pace for at least the first 15 or 16 miles and not go out half cocked at 8:40/mi because it feels "comfortable" (and then die a death at mi 17)

Summary 6.00 mi in 53:19
Avg Pace: 8:53 min/mi

Only 4 weeks to go :eek:

Emer thats a great run and you've hit the nail on the head about sticking to the pace from the start. Thats something i really need to practice.
thats great pacing for you, you'll be fine for sub 4;);)

Emer911

Sunday
12 mile LSR over the local hills. Decided to forego the adventure of doing some of the DCM route (logistics weren't working out) so I headed for the hills instead.
It was a tough run but I'm glad I did it. Ran 'lean' (i.e. no water, no gels, no jellies) and was parched by the time I got back. Hills were pretty hard going, and though the pace was pretty slow, I did keep it going at a consistent effort, at least.

Summary 12.1 mi in 2:05:59
Avg pace: 10:25/mi

banner_phoenix

Emer911 wrote: »

Sunday
12 mile LSR over the local hills. Decided to forego the adventure of doing some of the DCM route (logistics weren't working out) so I headed for the hills instead.
It was a tough run but I'm glad I did it. Ran 'lean' (i.e. no water, no gels, no jellies) and was parched by the time I got back. Hills were pretty hard going, and though the pace was pretty slow, I did keep it going at a consistent effort, at least.

Summary 12.1 mi in 2:05:59
Avg pace: 10:25/mi

That sounded fun...:). Good woman on changing it up

Emer911

banner_phoenix wrote: »

That sounded fun...:). Good woman on changing it up

hmmm... fun.... that's a word, I guess. Don't know if applies to those hills though

Emer911

Monday
Pilates at lunchtime. The usual fun

5 mile recovery run in the evening while little miss was at one of her things. Legs felt a bit heavy today (after those hills, I guess) so this was a slow easy pace. Didn't bother looking at the watch at all, just took it handy.

Summary 5.06 mi in 49:49
Avg Pace: 9:51 min/mi

Emer911

Tuesday
6 miles in the dark and in the rain
This is when it gets tough. I don't like running in the dark, and I'm not that enthusiastic about the rain either (but I'll take it over wind thanks!)
Legs (thighs) were still feeling a bit tight after the hills on Sunday and the pilates yesterday, and it took about 2 miles until thy loosened out a bit. Not a fantastic run. Pace was pretty slow and the heart wasn't really in it.

Ho hum. At least it's the last big week and the taper starts from next week. I think it'll be none too early. Starting to feel the heavy training now.

Summary 6.11 mi 57:51
Avg Pace: 9:28 min/mi

Emer911

Wednesday
9 miles with 4 at MP.
Very wet out there when I was heading out and I was soaked through by the time I got to the end of the road. I had my trusty peaked cap on though, so the big, fat, heavy, wet drops were dribbling off the end of that, rather than smashing into my eyes and making me miserable. Small mercies

The legs were feeling heavy and tired (still?) and the warmup miles were taken very slow and handy. Got to the park for the MP miles so set off for 4 of these with the rain lashing down - lovely. Amazingly there were a few more hardy souls out braving the conditions, so I wasn't on my own. The MP miles were fine, once I got up to pace. Probably went a bit faster than I should have but the pace felt comfortable enough and I really just wanted to get it done and get home to have a shower. It's amazing what the right motivation will do for my pace
MP miles were 8:53 / 8:42 / 8:31 / 8:33

A couple of slower cool down miles to take me to the desired 9 for the day and 20 for the week so far (and it's still only Wednesday!)

Summary 9.00 mi in 1:21:56
Avg Pace: 9:06 min/mi

Emer911

Disaster!

Went to the park on Thursday with the young one cause she was joining the adults club for a training run. Easy running, no pressure and then POP :eek:
Don't know what I did but my left calf was not happy. A bit of a shuffle home, some ice and a calf compress, hoping I hadn't done anything serious.

Had an appointment for a sports massage today anyway (fortuitous?) and he gave it a good rub down, but I was advised to give it a day or two rest, so had to abandon my arrangement for a 20 miler tomorrow

Bummer! And over nothing! :mad:


Fingers crossed for a quick recovery