touched by madness

Tipsygypsy

In a haze of post 10k euphoria last Tuesday I signed up to do the Adidas Series, finishing with the half marathon. I started running in January by doing c25k, I followed that with Hal Higdons 10k plan, and on Monday I did the Womens Mini Marathon in Dublin - it took me 1:09:39 - which was just under my target and Im still chuffed with it. Ive never had a log before but I have been reading all yours for the last 6 months so i thought Id give it a go.
The plan now is to follow Hal Higdons novice half marathon program and hope sanity doesnt prevail between now and mid September.
Im going to take it easyish for the next two weeks and do the Galway Womens Mini Marathon at the end of this month then get started properly of HH program, so for the moment Im basically repeating week 1 a couple of times:

This Week so far:
Monday - 6.2 miles - yay me, farthest ever so far
Tuesday - ouch, nothing cos wrecked and sore
Wednesday - 2 slow and restful miles
Thursday - 2 slightly faster miles
Friday - 1 hr Yoga


On Tuesday I my legs were fine but my hips and back were really sore, I wonder if this was from all the hopping up and down off the curb playing dodgems for the first couple of miles the previous day? Anyway all better now. Tomorrow is a Cross training day so I will probably go for a decent walk or cycle, and Im planning 4 miles on Sunday.

Wish me luck!!

rainbow kirby

Welcome to the logs, you've come to the dark side

the title of this log describes a lot of people around here very well :pac:

pgmcpq

Great title - best summary I have seen ! Good luck. I don't know enough to give advice but for post race aches I am a great believer in an Epsom salts bath.

OI

Great username and log title, best of luck with it

dolliemix

Yay! Great to see you have a log Tipsy

I'd love to do that Adidas Series but I'm going away on holidays for most of July. And maybe going away in August too. I'll be hoping to pick up from where I left off when I get back though, at the latest end of August so I guess I'll be using your log as a guide.

My left hip was sore after mm but I reckon we were definitely testing our limbs to the limit with all the curb hopping and walker dodging!

I'm heading out this evening for my first run since last Monday. A nice easy 5k I hope!

The yoga is great to counteract the tightness of the running isn't it?


Good luck with the log and the next phase of your marathon journey!

Blueskye

Welcome to the logs and best of luck with the training. There's a good few of us doing the Adidas series so we might see you there!

SUNGOD

as OI said great username good luck with your training and log
can we call you TG?

Tipsygypsy

Thanks everyone!

SUNGOD wrote: »

as OI said great username good luck with your training and log
can we call you TG?

Im best known as Tipsy, but have been called far worse than TG so thats fine too!

Dollie, yoga is my lifesaver, I started it nearly two years ago to help sort out back issues (slipped disc) - Im fully convinced that if I hadnt started yoga I would still be struggling to stand upright, never mind training for a half marathon!

dolliemix

You might be interested in this thread!

Very good timing!

Tipsygypsy

Yesterday - supposed to be cross training day - went for 3ish mile walk in park with dog.

Today - 5 mile run - mother of god that was tough, I was running into the wind on my outward journey and it was really hard, homeward bound was much much easier but I was wrecked after my efforts - took 59 minutes (yes, I know I wont be winning any races at that pace, but merely finishing that distance is still an acheivement to me!)

Plan for next week is:
Monday: Gym - cross trainer followed by weights or possibley just a swim
Tuesday - 3mile run
Wednesday - Gym - 2 mile on treadmill followed by weights
Thursday- 3 mile run
Friday - yoga
Saturday - rest/short walk
Sunday - 5 mile

This will be my first time upping to 4 runs in one week (3 was my norm before) so it will be interesting to see how that goes for me.

Tipsygypsy

As per plan, went to the gym this morning. I've been using machines as per instructions given by gym staff a few weeks ago (before that I never used the actual gym, just the pool and yoga classes) - ye experienced folks feel free to comment/criticise/make suggestion on this -
The plan is as follows:
5- 10 minute warm up on bike,
10-15 minutes on cross trainer,
then to weights machines - Chest press, Peck deck, shoulder press, ab machine, vertical row, lat pull down, triceps press, (all using highest weight I can manage 3 sets of 10 with) then onto mat for abdominal crunches (20 x 3) and russian twists (12x3) and strectching.
I only do this on a Monday and Wednesday.
When I met with instructor I told him I wanted to focus on core and upper body strength and not do much cardio or leg stuff since Im running most other days of the week and my poor legs are knackered as it is!
So another day done and dusted. Looking forward to tomorrows run, I feel like a blob after indulging at a kiddies party this afternoon. (no icon for pukey face).

Dotcomdolly

Well done on your work so far Tipsy, like yourself I am used to running 3 times a week so am a bit wary of running 2 days in a row...
Re the weights, from what I've read on the fitness boards, free weights are much more effective than the machines, esp for your core strength.

dolliemix

THats great that you have a program going. You should be sore tomorrow though. Sounds like he really worked you. Its all good though

Tipsygypsy

Dotcomdolly wrote: »

Re the weights, from what I've read on the fitness boards, free weights are much more effective than the machines, esp for your core strength.

I had read that before too, I would like to give free weights a go but kind of wouldnt know where to start, Id be very nervous of getting it wrong and doing damage to my back (suffered badly with slipped disc before). I think to start them I would need someone with me all the time for the first few sessions to make sure I was getting everything right! I would have loved to go to the thing G'em is doing on the 19th but its the wrong side of the country for me. (Any volunteers to do something similar in Galway feel free to step forward!!!). Or maybe if she is doing it again and I knew in enough time to get kids minded etc I would definately go.

dolliemix

Tipsygypsy wrote: »

I had read that before too, I would like to give free weights a go but kind of wouldnt know where to start, Id be very nervous of getting it wrong and doing damage to my back (suffered badly with slipped disc before). I think to start them I would need someone with me all the time for the first few sessions to make sure I was getting everything right! I would have loved to go to the thing G'em is doing on the 19th but its the wrong side of the country for me. (Any volunteers to do something similar in Galway feel free to step forward!!!). Or maybe if she is doing it again and I knew in enough time to get kids minded etc I would definately go.

I'm hoping I'll be around for the next one too. Apparently she is really good!

Tipsygypsy

So Tuesday: 3 mile run done, went a different route to usual today now that I have imapmyrun to tell me how far Ive gone (up to now its been a case of doing the same one over and over because I know its milestones!). Was grand, a hilly bit at the end but other then that it lovely, a bit warm and I still look beetroot red (1 hour later) - when is that going to improve I wonder? Tomorrow is 2 miles on the treadmill and weights.

dolliemix

lol I have that beetroot thing going on at the moment too! I got on the lift after my run in the apartment and was omg if I met anyone they'd probably think I'd been running 10 miles! It is so hot out there.

Dotcomdolly

There are great treadmill workout podcasts available here if you want to liven up your treadmill run.

or I use this one by Jay Blahnik/Nike

that's about 4-5k depending on what speed you do. It's on itunes (and there are torrents out there if you are so inclined )

Will be interested to hear how you find the weights after the run - I've only ever done weights followed by a short cardio interval session on the tm...so a bit nervous about how I'll lift anything after running 3 miles!

Tipsygypsy

Todays gym session went well. 2 miles on the treadmill no problem (except that time I had to stop to retrieve my water bottle that was too big for the holder and went flying behind me spraying all in the area! )
Then weights session was fine too, although I was a sweaty mess - ye gods, I hate all those damn mirrors. A good morning all round. I thought it would be harder doing two days running in a row, Im sure it will hit me on tomorrrows 3 miler.

Thanks for those Dotcomdolly - will have to check them out... todays in-run entertainment was brought to me by Robbie Williams and Guns'n'Roses - probably not a combination heard together very often!

I thought I was great with a pace under 10mins per mile (normally inthe region of 11 (or more) on the road until I read that the damn thing should be at an incline - curses!:rolleyes:

Now feet up for the rest of the evening.

Tipsygypsy

Thursday 17th - 3 mile run - this was great for the first two miles, my fastest pace so far, but on the third mile I was feeling sick and got a stitch and was generally feeling crap and so slowed down alot. Hadnt eaten well all day (yucky tuna salad incident at lunch that made me feel ill all day) and didnt get to go running till 930pm (very late for me) on an empty stomach. lesson learnt!

Friday 18th - missed yoga class, went clothes shopping instead. the planets all aligned to give me a very rare opportunity to go clothes shopping so I grabbed it with both hands! Anyway, deserved a rest day after 3 days running in a row.

Saturday - will do an hour of yoga this afternoon to make up for yesterday and may go for a cycle if time permits.

Tipsygypsy

Sunday 20th June: 4 miles - mother of gods, that was tough. Went out at 5, thinking it would have cooled down, man was I wrong. I had actually planned to do 5 miles, but I got a really horrible stitch after a mile and a half, so I slowed down completely but it still didnt go so I ended up have to walk for nearly half a mile to get rid of it. Rest of the run went fine but it really was a tough one. will be making a point of getting out either super-early or late evening on hot days from now on.

As for yesterday, didnt do yoga or cycle or anything even remotely classable as excercise. Mostly sat in the sun all day!.

Week ahead (June 21st to 27th):
Mondayn: gym (weights and cross trainer, same as last week)
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 2 miles and weights @ gym
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: day off, family occasion so wont be excercising and probably will be over-indulging in yummy food and probably alcohol too!
Saturday: very gentle yoga
Sunday: 6.2 miles - Galway Womens Mini Marathon - really looking forward to this, hope its not as warm as today, I think it starts at 11 and includes running up threadneedle Road, which seems very steep in my memory (my training so far has been on nearly all flat roads, theres no hills near me so this might hurt a little).

Dotcomdolly

Oh you poor thing out in that heat. I went out at 9.30am & it was warm enough even then!
Can I ask what weights you do on your cross day?

Tipsygypsy

Dotcomdolly wrote: »

Oh you poor thing out in that heat. I went out at 9.30am & it was warm enough even then!
Can I ask what weights you do on your cross day?

Hi Dotcomdolly, the weights are as suggested by the fitness instructor in the gym and are all on machines, the cross day plan is as follows:

5- 10 minute warm up on bike,
10-15 minutes on cross trainer,
then to weights machines - Chest press, Peck deck, shoulder press, ab machine, vertical row, lat pull down, triceps press, (all using highest weight I can manage 3 sets of 10 with) then onto mat for abdominal crunches (20 x 3) and russian twists (12x3) and stretching.

I never did weights before, until about 3 or 4 weeks ago, so its a learning curve for me. I'll have to come up with a new plan of action soon enough because once the kids are off school I wont be able to get to the gym. I also do a good bit of yoga and am very comfortable with that. Im planning to raid the fitness forums soon to see what weights I can do from home without risk of doing further damage to a dodgy back.

What do you do for you cross days?

Dotcomdolly

This past week I attended G'ems weights workshop on my cross day.
On the run + strength day I did 3 sets of 8 reps of free weights - squats, bench press, deadlift, all using 15k bar and 3x12 tricep press downs with a 6kg weight. Problem is the weighted squats leave my thighs *aching* the next day!

shazkea

Best of luck with the Galway mini-marathon next week and hopefully a PB on the way for you. I know the road you're talking about but I think you may surprise yourself

Tipsygypsy

Dotcomdolly wrote: »

This past week I attended G'ems weights workshop on my cross day.
!

I would really have loved to have gotten to that.

Found it REALLY tough to haul my ass out of bed this morning, my youngest had a disturbed nights sleep (which of course means I had a disturbed night). Had to force myself into the gym but had a really good session once I was there. Had some twinging in my lower back (WARNING, WARNING, WARNING) - I suspect the russian twists might not be the best excercise for me considering my history, so Ill spend some quality time on back stretches in the morning.

I came home after the gym like some sort of hunger-monster and savaged the kitchen - all healthy enough stuff, but waaaaaaay more than I normally eat after workout. Managed to not stuff my face at school graduation night, a major acheivement considering the amount of yummy home baked treats.

Looking forward to running tomorrow.

Tipsygypsy

Had a hectic week this week so got no chance to log in -

Tuesday: skipped my scheduled 3 mile run on Tuesday - still wasnt happy with my back so decided to just chill out and do some stretches.
Wednesday: did 2 miles on treadmill and weights @ gym
Thursday: 3 miles
Friday: day of for aforementioned family occasion - as predicted ate and drank way more than I should have, stayed out til stupid o'clock and am now struggling to even see the screen
Today (Saturday): the celebrations continue today and am off out to family lunch, wont be drinking or eating ridiculous amounts of food. Will try to have a walk this evening but will be conserving the energy for the Galway Womens Mini Marathon tomorrow, and drinking gallons of water to undo the damage done by the freeflowing red wine that was continually being topped up last night.

dolliemix

Good luck tomorrow!

Tipsygypsy

Really enjoyed this morning, Galway Womens Mini Marathon - 6.2 miles. Took me 1hr 07 mins which was 2 minutes quicker than I did the Dublin Mini, so an improvement and a PB (yay me). Wind on Salthill Prom was quite brutal on the outbound journey and I did find the top of Threadneedle tough - thankfully the heavens opened briefly just as a got to the top of the hill and cooled me down. Was a pretty good day, they didnt have the roads closed although they did stop traffic briefly at the start, and there was a match on locally (galway v sligo I think) so we had to contend with people trying to park as we ran along. Also the water stations only had cups of water which is crazy hard to get into you as you run. But other than that it was a good day and Im happy with my time.

12 weeks now to the Adidas Series Half, so enough of this faffing around!

Plan for the week is:
Monday 28th - rest/gentle yoga
Tuesday 29th - 3 Mile
Wednesday 30th - 2 Mile and Strength
Thursday 1st July - 3 Mile
Friday 2nd - Yoga
Saturday 3rd - rest/gentle walk or cycle
Sunday 4th - 6 mile LSR

How Im going to manage to do any of that now that the kids are off school is a total mystery. It also means that I cant use my gym for the moment so its time to learn some weights stuff I can do at home - my Davina DVD maybe getting the dust cleaned off it yet!

dolliemix

Well done Tipsy.

Knocking 2 mins off your time already is fantastic.

Hope you manage to keep it all up because I'm really enjoying reading your log.

shazkea

That's brilliant, well done on the PB. It's a great improvement in just a few weeks since Dublin. Have fun with Davina - I sure my Cindy DVD is just as dusty