Berlin 2016: Back to Basics

TheRoadRunner

The last time I started a log it ended in disaster but I'll tempt fate and start one again. I kinda enjoy writing down what I've done/plan to do and the feed back I get so I'll give it another bash and we'll see how we go. Short term goals are Frank Duffy 10 mile, national half marathon. Ideally I'd love to run PBs for both but the Frank Duffy 10 miler is a tough cookie and I heard the route around where the half is to be run are undulating.

Once I get through them I'll decide whether or not to run the Dublin marathon. This will depend on how I'm running and also my work/home schedule.

My PBs to date are
5K 15:40 (2007)
4 miles 21.01 (2008)
5 mile 26.45 (2007)
8 mile 45.02 (2005/6 ?)
10 mile 56.10 (2007)
Half Marathon 75.20 (2008)
Marathon 2hrs 47 mins (2009)

This year has been a good one so far. I haven't ran any PBs but in the last 2-3 months I have been in touching distance of most of those listed above. Training this year hasn't been as intense as before. A lot of my running was easy. I ran 2.48 for a marathon in April and apart from a couple of races and tempos all my training running was very slow. What's more my 5k and 4 mile times were really good (21.15 and 16 minutes) which I was amazed at considering I hadn't done any real pace running to talk about. I have an excel sheet with all my running this year. I'll try and post a modified version in the next few days to show what I've done to date. Going forward mileage will vary from 50-65 miles per week. Anymore than this I generally pick up injuries.

I'm going to continue on as before but will try to get some more tempo stuff in the legs. If I feel it isn't agreeing with me I'll drop it and keep plodding instead. I'd rather be a little slower but injury free.

Sosa

Best of luck with the training and log,i will be following with interest.

gerard65

Great to see you back with a log. I enjoyed reading your last one and got alot out of it. Good luck with your goals.

Krusty_Clown

Incredible PBs (Don't llike 10k's?!). Would be great to see what you could record in Dublin in October, on the back of some good training. Hope the injuries stay at bay.

TheRoadRunner

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

(Don't llike 10k's?!)

Absolutely hate 10ks. I have a PB but I've actually ran faster in training so I don't list it. I was planning on smashing the PB in Dunshaughlin but I've had a week off training on the beer (holidays ) so may have to find another 10k.

tisnotover

Best of luck with the log roadrunner, always good to see how ye faster boys do it ! 1.15 for the half is some going !

Krusty_Clown

Dublin 10km in ParkWest in July looks pretty flat, though it's a bit expensive at €25, though if you're willing to wear a Krusty Clown costume you can get a discount.

TheRoadRunner

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Dublin 10km in ParkWest in July looks pretty flat, though it's a bit expensive at €25, though if you're willing to wear a Krusty Clown costume you can get a discount.

Hmmmm. Was actually in communication recently with the organizer regarding the pricing of this race. I might actually run it to decide for myself if it's worth the entry fee or not.

Refuse to wear fancy dress though. I'm sure there is some Guinness world record for running a 10k dressed as a clown but I have zero interest in chasing it (should look this up actually it's probably 29 minutes or the like)

Slogger Jogger

Super PBs indeed. Best of luck with the log. I'll check your updates with interest.

village runner

Best of luck with the log. Great to see how the big boys do it.
Marathon time aint special for a lad that can run 75 min for a half. Is there a reason for this ??? The 5k is special.

TheRoadRunner

village runner wrote: »

Marathon time aint special for a lad that can run 75 min for a half. Is there a reason for this ???

I usually use marathon cycles to get fit. Am generally a stone over weight when I start these cycles. Sometimes I loose the run of myself and hit the beer and food too hard (I'm sure you can sympathise ) and need a major goal to get my ass back in shape.

I've said it before that I've never actually raced a marathon, if things go to plan this summer I may be able to rectify that in Dublin as I'm not too far from my normal race weight at the moment.

TheRoadRunner

Trying to get the excel sheet together is a pain in the hole so I've attached a chart of my weekly mileage for the last 26 weeks. The majority was run at 7-7.30 pace if that is informative.

I took the majority of last week off as on holidays with the family. I drank and ate my head off. Went for a run on Saturday when I got back. I was in ribbons but pushed pace a little as was running to my folks for dinner and was running late. My legs were still sore after running leg 1 of the Wicklow way relay last week. Still sore today actually

Saturday 6+ miles @ 6.50ish pace
Sunday 9.8 miles at 7.18 pace
Monday 6 miles @ 8 minute mile pace.

Hope to do an easy fartlek tomorrow and a short pace run (4-5 miles) on Friday. Long run will be 13-15 miles on Sunday (hopefully). Hope to hit close to 50 miles this week.

TheRoadRunner

Ran a bit of fartlek today. Was all on grass. Fartlek itself was 20 minutes with intervals between 1-2 minutes and 30 seconds recovery. Had the top off and the guns out, it was nice and warm. 6.5ish miles total including warm up cool down.

Felt a lot looser than yesterday. Have a sharp pain in my hip though. I have tight flexors so I need to stretch a little more than I have recently. This is a habit I had got into in December but have fallen off the wagon in the last month.

Ultimately I need to visit my physio though. Hopefully this weekend. An hour of torture on his table and the flexors will be free and will stay that way with my reintroduction of daily stretching. He does one manipulation where his basically probes into the front of my pubic bone with his finger (at no extra charge:D), the pain is usually so bad it brings tears to the eyes and I have sobbed on occasions. It's great though, the relief gained from it is amazing.

Plan on doing 7-8 easy miles tomorrow. Pace will be 7.30-8 minutes. Had planned doing a little pace run on Friday but this may push this to Thursday as I'm heading out with the club and things can sometimes heat up during a run so if it does I'll go with the pace (if I'm up for it) and take Friday handy instead.

heffsarmy

Good luck with the log RR, will be keeping tabs on this one. The two races you have mentioned are the only ones I might do on the run up too the Dublin marathon. Nice pbs by the way, hopefully you will race the Dublin marathon.

TheRoadRunner

heffsarmy wrote: »

The two races you have mentioned are the only ones I might do on the run up too the Dublin marathon.

Might see you on the start line so. Are you running injury free now? I remember you picked up an achilles problem at the Le Cheile 5k in Leixlip

In other news I'm booked into physio Saturday morning which is also my rest day.

heffsarmy

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Might see you on the start line so. Are you running injury free now? I remember you picked up an achilles problem at the Le Cheile 5k in Leixlip
QUOTE]

Back too full strength now, have been doin loads off cycling and small amount of running, just want too build up the mileage. Might do the 10km in Dunshaughlin this weekend to get a bench mark for training. Sounds like your in for some pain saturday!

shels4ever

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Had the top off and the guns out, it was nice and warm. 6.5ish miles total including warm up cool down.

Thats something I may have to do, I've the worst farmers tan ever now, thats what I get for running in singlets.

TheRoadRunner

Plan was to run very easy today. Had the option of running with an old friend but the downside is he likes to clip along quicker than the pace I hoped to run today.

I managed to slow him down and we averaged around 7.20 for just under 8 miles. I felt fine but would have got more benefit from running 20 seconds a mile slower.

I did a good bit of stretching last night and am just about to so again now. I still have a pinching sensation in my right hip. If I didn't know better I would actually say it is a bone/joint problem. However I've had this before and my physio is great at releasing out the tension in the flexor/muscle/tendon or whatever it is there that causes me grief.

Legs feel fine now but a slower pace today would have been better, I'm not a fan of running on my own so I'll take the slightly faster than planned miles.

Tomorrows session will depend on how the body feels and who turns up to the club.

I'm hanging for a beer so think I'm going to undo my good work of today with a couple of cans of special H.

TheRoadRunner

Ended up running the faster miles tonight rather than tomorrow as am up to my eyes in work and am not sure when I'll get to run. Felt good during 2 mile warm up and lashed into the tempo miles. Ran in the Phoenix park all on grass so was aiming for 24.30 for 4 miles. I reckon that's equivalent to 23.20-30 on the flat road loop I normally use.

Hit 24 minutes dead in the end but it wasn't easy. Found it a little tough in the heat and hit a nice hill out of the glen at 3.2 miles to knock the ****e out of me. Ran an easy cool down and felt fine afterwards. Have lost a little fitness the last month but I'll get motoring again in the coming month.

I entered the 5&10 mile races of the race series this year. I'm not really a fan of the series as I think the courses are tougher than other races and the big numbers are a bit of a turn off. It is a great series just not in my top 10 races. I've since found out the 10 miler isn't incorporating the Dublin champs which I'm a bit miffed about as it was the only reason I entered. The 5 miler was basically going to be a reccce for realistic target time. I think it's important to becrealistic when setting targets. A lot of people predict times but never hit them. Better going off at a sensible pace and running close to your current potential IMO.

I'm going to run a very handy recovery run tomorrow and take Saturday off. If I run any faster than 7.30 miles I deserve a kick in the nuts. I generally take a day off to help prevent injury. I'm not built to do double days or run seven days a week. Looking forward to physio releasing this tightness in my hip.

TheRoadRunner

6 miles @ 7.40 pace mostly on grass. Legs feel fine although pinch in hip was worse today. No amount/type of stretching seems to be able to relieve it. This is a recurring niggle. Got it back in 2008 and ignored it until it fecked up other joints and muscles so am being proactive. Will see what physio thinks before committing to long run Sunday. Current plan is 12-14 miles but if I don't get any relief tomorrow may keep it shorter so as not to aggravate it too much.

Was really warm today. When I run in the heat the veins in my temples protrude (I call them my Roy Keane veins). Well the extra blood flow and sweat must have been a beacon to midges as I got bites on both veins. I have two lumps on my temples, they look like the bolts Frankenstein has on the side of his noggin.

Krusty_Clown

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

6 miles @ 7.40 pace mostly on grass. Legs feel fine although pinch in hip was worse today. No amount/type of stretching seems to be able to relieve it. This is a recurring niggle. Got it back in 2008 and ignored it until it fecked up other joints and muscles so am being proactive. Will see what physio thinks before committing to long run Sunday. Current plan is 12-14 miles but if I don't get any relief tomorrow may keep it shorter so as not to aggravate it too much.

Was really warm today. When I run in the heat the veins in my temples protrude (I call them my Roy Keane veins). Well the extra blood flow and sweat must have been a beacon to midges as I got bites on both veins. I have two lumps on my temples, they look like the bolts Frankenstein has on the side of his noggin.

I went for a cycle up in the mountains last night. The climb up the steep hills was really slow. Every time I looked back, I could see a swarm of gnats and flies following me. Horrendous. Can't wait for winter.

TheRoadRunner

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Can't wait for winter.

I hope you're joking I love the bright evenings and the heat.

TheRoadRunner

Went to physio yesterday. Was over 90 minutes on his table. Great session and I can really feel the benefit of it today. My right flexer is quite tender as he went to town on it but the tightness/pinching is gone thankfully. I also got a decent stretch I can do to keep it from getting tight again so result.

Ended up having a few pints last night and didn't manage to get out for my run until 1pm today. The heat/humidity was savage. I really suffered and had not water left on my route. I was in trouble by 9 miles and had to ask a couple for a sip of their water. They kindly obliged but the damage was already done. I slogged home the last 3 miles and finished with an average of just under 7 minute pace (for the 12 miles).

Ran 46 miles this week which I'm happy with. Will get up to 50 next week with some additional miles here and there.

TheRoadRunner

Ran a handy 6.5 miles @ 8.21 pace on grass today. Hip still a little sore although I don't know if it's tightness or tenderness for physio session.

6*1K intervals planned for tomorrow. Doing them with a colleague of mine. We are about the same standard so hopefully we can make a goo session of it without racing one another. 3.20 - 3.30 is the goal. It will be on grass again.

Checked my weight the other day and I'm only a couple of pounds above what I would consider my acceptable race weight. Hope to lose those two ponds and 4-5 more before September.

TheRoadRunner

Plan was to hit 3.20 - 3.30 with 2 minutes recovery. Had a partner but he had to bail after 2 intervals. Intervals got harder when I was on my own but having just checked times that's because I upped the poxy pace. Hit intervals in
3.25, 3.21, 3.14, 3.19, 3.16, 3.19.

Recovery is a bit long but I won't reduce it until I can increase the number of intervals to 10, then hope to bring it down. Watch wasn't set up to view pace per interval and could only check it afterwards. Will ensure this doesn't happen next week as I would liked to have run a bit slower and kept something in the tank for this week.

I've decided Friday is going to be the day I do my uptempo runs. However this week I have a work night on Thursday so I may have to move it to Thursday or Saturday. I have been toying with working off a two week cycle (week 1 having 2 speed sessions, weeks 2 having one speed session and one long mid week run) I may try this out this week as a compromise. I'll see how the body feels

Sosa

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Recovery is a bit long but I won't reduce it until I can increase the number of intervals to 10, then hope to bring it down. Watch wasn't set up to view pace per interval and could only check it afterwards. Will ensure this doesn't happen next week as I would liked to have run a bit slower and kept something in the tank for this week.

Good going on the intervals RR,i got a 405 myself recently and have started doing intervals,but i dont have the pace set up while doing them,your kinda in no mans land until you check later.

I would not worry about the recovery being to long,2 mins is about right even when you get faster imo.

Krusty_Clown

Strange, mine always displays pace for intervals. Are you guys setting them up on the watch? I always set mine up on the computer (in Garmin training Centre) and transfer them over. That's probably the difference. Advanced workouts probably display average pace for each step in the workout. I posted how to do this previously in the main forum.

Garmin support now does deliveries.

TheRoadRunner

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Strange, mine always displays pace for intervals. Are you guys setting them up on the watch? I always set mine up on the computer (in Garmin training Centre) and transfer them over.

Yes I set it up on the watch this morning. I never use the training centre but should get around to it as I want to create some different interval sessions down the line.

You truly are Mr Garmin, do you have shares or soemthing?:D

tisnotover

Would usually do km intervals on the track, but not worried about av-pace, but what ya pass through each 200m (or 100m) in.

Can be awkward to do the km repeats off track as its usually 400m before av-pace reading is accurate off Garmin?

Krusty_Clown

tisnotover wrote: »

Would usually do km intervals on the track, but not worried about av-pace, but what ya pass through each 200m (or 100m) in.

Can be awkward to do the km repeats off track as its usually 400m before av-pace reading is accurate off Garmin?

How can you tell your time at each 100/200m? Are there clocks, or do you still look at a watch?

I find intervals on the Garmin are fine, as long as you don't enter a heavily wooded area. Nothing worse than starting an interval and realizing that the watch thinks you're standing still. Grrr...

You truly are Mr Garmin, do you have shares or soemthing?

Nah. After spending 240 notes on a watch, I made sure I read the manual so I could get the most out of it. Most people just don't bother.

tisnotover

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

How can you tell your time at each 100/200m? Are there clocks, or do you still look at a watch?

I find intervals on the Garmin are fine, as long as you don't enter a heavily wooded area. Nothing worse than starting an interval and realizing that the watch thinks you're standing still. Grrr...

Yeah, I have the garmin going, but I have the screen setup to show current lap-time (and last lap-time). Say your going for 80sec/400m, then I find it handy enough to check first 100m in 20sec for example ? I have a tendancy to go out too fast (for me!), so would always check first 100m/200m splits.

Not quiet the same doing 400m repeats though tonite incidentally, that was a case of just going hard and hanging on !