Berlin 2016: Back to Basics

TheRoadRunner

Monday: 6 mile recovery run no watch. Was a late one but very enjoyable.

Wednesday: 9+ miles. Missed run Tuesday due to family party. Beer and chinese food meant planned session was not a good idea. Ran with a couple of friends instead and went well.

Thursday: Forgot to charge watch so no splits. 8 miles total with 5 at tempo pace. I would love to have a watch on this one, started off with lads and dropped them after a mile or so but based on how **** I felt at 5 miles and the distance I had on them it must have been a good one

Friday: 10 miles at 7.12 pace. Nice run mostly on trails.

Saturday: Plan was for another tempo but spent the day doing stuff around the house and felt like crap, tweaked my back as well, poxy flatpack. Got out in the evening and decided not to run tempo. Was running handily and realised I had done 2 miles in 13 minutes so no excuses. Did 4 miles hard in 22.30. I was quite happy with that as it is faster than I use to race 4 miles 2-3 years ago. In fact including the 2 mile warm up that was 6 miles under 36 minutes which would have been a PB a few years ago.

Sunday: 16+ miles at ~ 7 min pace. Got to 10 miles just over 70 minutes watch died so don't know exact pace. We did pick pace up the last 4-6 miles though. Felt good but a little tight now. This is due to lack of midweek stretching, yesterdays DIY and the fact this is the furthest I've ran in a while.

Diet this week has been absolutely shocking. I won't go into it but even VillageRunner seems like mr weight-watcher compared to me. 8 weeks to Waterford half marathon. I'm a few pounds off my usual racing weight. 7lbs weight loss in 8 weeks is my goal. Improved diet and increased mileage will sort this. Really looking forward to Waterford, my PB is hopefully going to take an awful kicking.

TheRoadRunner

Monday: enforced rest due to the $hits

Tuesday: 8 miles at 6.45 pace. Too fast but it was fecking freezing so had to run faster to stay warm.

Wednesday: 2-1-1-1 mile with 1 min recovery between each rep. Original plan of 6 * 1 mile went out the window. Decided to change to 3*2 mile but normal course was busier than normal with pedestrians so had to adjust. Wasn't happy at the time but considering I wasn't feeling great today not a bad little session. Splits were
11.15
5.35
5.35
5.22

Abhainn

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Tuesday: 8 miles at 6.45 pace. Too fast but it was fecking freezing so had to run faster to stay warm.

I know the feeling tonight too. Why is it always colder in the fecking engaland??
4 or 5C tonight and the billicks was freezing off me and only a sleevless top on me.
Its a good sort of sick cold pleasure though

Nice 2 1 1 1 there too, you speedy fecker you

TheRoadRunner

Thursday: 8.5 miles @ 7.28 pace. Ran with a few friends nice and relaxed.

Friday: 14-15 miles. Pace unknown, effort very high due to bad wind. Had to get long run done Friday as was unsure how weekend was going to pan out.

Saturday: 8 miles @ 6.45 pace. Felt a little tired so decided against planned tempo and just ran to feel instead. This pace felt very comfortable and glad I listened to my body. Have a few twinges that could turn nasty if I push to hard.

Sunday: 10 miles with a group of lads I first raced against over 20 years ago in BLOE. Was great to meet up with them as we haven't ran in a while and this was great craic on a beautiful morning.

Hid mid 50 miles again this week. Need to get up into the 60s and if I can get 6 weeks of this I'll run a stormer in Waterford. Planned pace down there is 5.40-43. Pace won't be a problem 13 of them back to back might be so I've penciled in a couple of key sessions that I need to hit in the coming weeks.

TheRoadRunner

Monday: 6.5 miles at 6.55 pace. Late one due to marathon watching and babysitting. Fecking freezing, not feeling great.

Tuesday: 8.5 miles at 7.30 ish nice trail run with some hills.

Wednesday: 8 miles at 7.20 pace. Nice handy run but was late again. Really late in fact, was nice once I was out.

Thursday: Planned to hammer an interval session but heading away for weekend so needed to get longish run in the bag. Will try do something fast over the weekend. 15 miles at 7 minute mile pace.

Its hard getting out at the moment with home/work but I'm so glad I've committed to Waterford half as I'd be doing feck all otherwise. Training not going according to what I planned but I won't complain if I keep hitting 50 miles a week until Christmas. I'm usually putting on my annual stone in weight this time of the year so long may the miles continue.

TheRoadRunner

Friday: 5.5 miles very easy

Saturday: couldn't physically find the time to run. Thought I had found a slot but heading out would have led to divorce or a kick in the nuts at the very minimum.

Sunday: 8 miles at 6.45 pace. Had to jog to my aunts to pick up the car. Shortest route is through some well dodgy areas. I would normally avoid these areas (have had some ordeals in the past while running and even driving!) but time was tight yet again. I had my new black Kayanos on (a.k.a black beauties), subconsciously I've been dressing in black the last week when wearing these Only kopped it Friday. Anyway I was heading out the door and with the clock going back it was nearly already dark. The OH asked was I not going to wear a reflective vest or a light. When I realised I was wearing all black again I said it was probably for the best, didn't want to be a moving target for the scum bags out on halloween night, and boy were they out on force last night. Managed to avoid the majority of them in my Ninja black though.

Monday: 8.5 miles supposedly easy run. It felt piss easy but 6.20 per mile average pace says something else. I'll probably the stiff as anything tomorrow.

theboyblunder

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Friday: 5.5 miles very easy

Thought I had found a slot but heading out would have led to divorce or a kick in the nuts at the very minimum.

TheRoadRunner

Tuesday: 8 miles at 7 min pace. Poxy day for a run and just about found time for this one but legs felt great after a mile or so and really enjoyed this one.

Wednesday: Did a pyramid type work out of 2-3-2-2-3-2-2-3-2 minutes with 1 minute recovery between each rep. Was done on very wet soggy ground so meant an extra few % effort to keep the pace up. Had company and was an enjoyable session.

Have a race this Saturday. A local 10k in aid of tidy towns or something. Will be very low key and is probably more of a fun run if I'm honest. Not expecting accurate course etc. However I do have a few quid riding on this one with a couple of the locals in my boozer (starts and finishes outside it:D) so I'll be ready to give it absolute welly. Running form over recent days has been super. Had a bit of a lull for a couple of weeks but I'm back and ready to rock the next 5-6 weeks in the build up to Waterford.

Viva La RoadRunner

nosnagaoithe

RR - How are you fixed on the "drive for five" ? If you PB Waterford, does that bring up the five this year?

TheRoadRunner

nosnagaoithe wrote: »

RR - How are you fixed on the "drive for five" ? If you PB Waterford, does that bring up the five this year?

Eh $hite, I'm trying to do the maths. The drive for five referred to 5 consecutive pbs and that dream has died. This year I've ran a road 10k pb (twice), a ten mile pb and a dubious 2 mile track pb. That's 4ish but I think I'll alter the rules slightly. YES THE DRIVE FOR 5 IS ALIVE

Hitting a pb in Waterford will probably tougher than I originally though just checked my logs in the weeks leading up to my two fastest half marathon times and I'm not getting the miles or sessions in that I did for those runs. But sure feck it I'll keep plugging away. As I've said before normally at this time of the year I go off the rails training wise so maybe I will be able to count it as a December half marathon PB

shels4ever

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Eh $hite, I'm trying to do the maths. The drive for five referred to 5 consecutive pbs and that dream has died. This year I've ran a road 10k pb (twice), a ten mile pb and a dubious 2 mile track pb. That's 4ish but I think I'll alter the rules slightly. YES THE DRIVE FOR 5 IS ALIVE

Hitting a pb in Waterford will probably tougher than I originally though just checked my logs in the weeks leading up to my two fastest half marathon times and I'm not getting the miles or sessions in that I did for those runs. But sure feck it I'll keep plugging away. As I've said before normally at this time of the year I go off the rails training wise so maybe I will be able to count it as a December half marathon PB

Still 400 mile to go until waterford so lots of time to get that sorted

TheRoadRunner

shels4ever wrote: »

Still 400 mile to go until waterford so lots of time to get that sorted

Might be a bit much for me 300 would do nicely

Thursday: 8 miles at 6.50 pace. I cannot run slow this week. I've actively tried to take it handy even meeting with a couple of lads today in the hope their sensible pace would slow me down. Legs feel great though so rock on.

Found out some more info about local 10k and it is really really really low key, so low key I might look like a dick head turning up in running gear, a pair of O'Neills shorts and socks might be called for Still, it's a family type day out thing so I'll go along and run it as a good tempo and have a creamy pint in my local post run, deadly. Hope to get a nice long run in this Sunday, fingers crossed so not too many pints mind you.

I'm thinking of jumping into that marathon 8 mile cool down thingy next week. Will all depend on the course. The thinking at the moment is to run it at planned half marathon pace and tag on a few miles very handy to bring up the distance, it's a bit off road so that might be a mad idea.

clubcard

your log is making a good read.going to go back to page one;)
seems like you are flying on all of your runs,have you any easy days:eek:
what sort of time you aiming for in the half?

TheRoadRunner

clubcard wrote: »

your log is making a good read.going to go back to page one;)
seems like you are flying on all of your runs,have you any easy days:eek:
what sort of time you aiming for in the half?

Yes normally I do. I've lost the run of myself (literally) recently and need to slow it down some days or I'll get injured.

Time is up in the air ATM. Need a few hard races/tempos to let me know what's a realistic target. Would love sub 75 but may be asking too much.

TheRoadRunner

Friday: 6.6 miles at 7.30ish pace. Nice run on trails.

Saturday: Did the local race today. It was really a fun run but had a few beers on me a couple of weeks ago and mouthed off to a couple of the lads that I would give them a good beating. Had a couple of bets I had to win the 5k and 10k which I did (2 lap race, 1 lap for 5k 2 for 10k runners). I also gave two other lads an 8 minute handicap and managed to beat them as well (easily). No prize money for race but I'm 80 quid better off from my bets . Course was a little short was just over 6 miles. In fact it was under 6 miles, somebody removed the road markings and I ran an additional 1/2 mile compared to the others. Race finished outside the local pub so had a few nice sambos, a burger and a couple of pints with my winnings.

As well as winning my bets aim of the day was to run close to proposed half marathon pace for Waterford, managed 6 miles at 5.40 pace and felt very strong so I'm happy with this.

TheRoadRunner

Sunday: 17 miles @ 6.25. Met with SP and we floated around the Phoenix park. Took in the S-bends 3 time, the Glen twice and the Khyber pass once. Couldn't believe the pace when I seen it as the finish, felt quickish but nowhere near 6.25 pace. We were talking the entire way and never got out of third gear (except for one tiny section). Last 10 miles was done in 62 minutes. Great way to end a great week, first time getting over the 60 mile/week barrier in a while. 4-5 more weeks of this please

TheRoadRunner

Monday: 6 miles recovery at 7.09. A little faster than planned but wasn't keeping an eye on the pace and it felt handy.

Tuesday: 8 miles at 6.53 pace. This run is what I consider an absolute bonus run. The way things fell today it looked like I wasn't going to get out or if I was it would have been a post 9pm one. Got a free hour and just pegged it out the door.

Was just looking at Bazman's training diary in the main forum and while the physical side of his training is obviously very impressive I'm even more impressed with his apparent time management skills and motivation. It must be so hard to fit in all that running while working etc. Thinking of his 100+ mile weeks definitely helped me out the door today and instilled a bit of HTFU

TheRoadRunner

Wednesday: interval session 2-3-2-2-3-2-2-3-2 minutes with 1 minute recovery. Breathing through my arse wasn't feeling great but glad to have got it in. Was lucky to have company, mad all the difference. Wouldn't have been completed if I was solo. 7.5 miles total including warm up / cool down.

TheRoadRunner

Thursday: plan was for 10 miles but holy crap the wind was savage at lunch time. Managed 7 miles at 7.20ish pace but it was very tough. Was feeling way too hard so headed in with my running buddies. I've entered the 8 mile cooldown in the park this Saturday so need to hold a little back for this. Ideally I'd love to run close to half marathon pace but course and wind might feck this aim up. Handy run planned for tomorrow.

Krusty_Clown

Congrats on the win. So...Go on... Tell us how you did it!

TheRoadRunner

Friday: 4.5 miles easy

Saturday: 8 miles @ 5.52. Ran the "marathon cool down" in the phoenix park. Decided to do it as I wanted to do 8 miles at half marathon pace and I'm finding it hard to do these sessions solo so the set up of a race helps. Course was well laid out and took in parts of the park I've never ran over. It was tough however (as are most races in the park) and the wind in places was savage.

Took off at a decent pace as a few lads rocketed off. By the end of the first mile we were down to 3 and by the end of the second mile (savage hill) I was out on my own feeling grand. Half a mile later I was absolutely fecked. The majority of the run was on trail and the slippy ground, a poor warm up and a pace that was too quick led to an all mighty cramp in my achilles/calf. A few Boards lads gave me a shout and just before that point I was wondering if I might have to drop out. By mile 4 I was nearly caught and by mile 5 I was caught. Hit the roads then for 1.5 miles and pushed up the hills. Calf was a little better but not great. Had a Garda car in front of me and used this as a nice wind breaker (felt like a bit of a legend running behind the Garda car and bike). Two more savage hills 6 and 7 mile mark knocked the crap out of me but I rallied a bit at the end to win by 30 seconds.

However this "race" needs to be put in context. It was billed as a "cooldown" and while I was pushed the standard and dept of the field wasn't up to the same standard of races I normally run in. Enjoyable all the same and I think the 5.52 average pace is close to 5.45 pace (don't tell me any different please) on the road so was a worthwhile exercise.

Sunday: Legs not great so handy 35 minutes recovery.

Mileage for the week was poor. Must do better. Will try to get a week of longish runs in and maybe a tempo on Friday.

Abhainn

Good win dude. Congrats
Been a good year for you. Just one left to go

TheRoadRunner

Monday: 7 miles @6.50 pace. Late run didn't get out until after 10pm. Hate late night running.

Tuesday: 8 miles @ 7.05 pace. Another late night run, after 9pm before I got out. Really really hate late night running.

Wednesday: 7 miles @ 6.45 pace. Was determined not to have to run late again this evening so reorganised a few meetings and went for an early morning run. I think I suffer from SAD and really need to see daylight. Another run in the dark would have me reaching for the valium.

While I haven't been getting the distances I'd like in recent days I'm happy with myself for just getting out the door. The last 2 nights I was ready to head to bed by 8pm so this late night running while not ideal physically for me (I can't sleep after it) is great for building a bit of mental toughness. At the moment my running is like lovin'. I'll take what I can get

kennyb3

Know exactly how you feel. Working long hours lately - in work early and out late. The late running is killing my sleep tho and i end up stairing at the ceiling in bed while she snores her head off. Prob need to break the cycle and get out for an early one before work although im never awake enough to push myself.

Any run feels like a good run at the moment, just trying to hold this half marathon schedule together by the seams

TheRoadRunner

kennyb3 wrote: »

Any run feels like a good run at the moment, just trying to hold this half marathon schedule together by the seams

Exactly, just as well there is something to aim for !

dare2be

I also know the feeling of late night running. Week night runs all after 9pm. Sickening when you see others out about 6.30/7.00pm. However, i have no problem with sleep. Out like a lamp every night..

TheRoadRunner

dare2be wrote: »

I also know the feeling of late night running. Week night runs all after 9pm. Sickening when you see others out about 6.30/7.00pm. However, i have no problem with sleep. Out like a lamp every night..

The rush of blood and endorphins has me wide awake. Find it very hard to sleep. On the plus side I still have a warm fuzzy glow the following morning

kennyb3

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

The rush of blood and endorphins has me wide awake. Find it very hard to sleep. On the plus side I still have a warm fuzzy glow the following morning

It prob goes against the whole time constraint thing and im an f'er for not doing it myself, but i know tergat suggested a while ago doing an extended warm down as it slows down the body and mind.

TheRoadRunner

kennyb3 wrote: »

It prob goes against the whole time constraint thing and im an f'er for not doing it myself, but i know tergat suggested a while ago doing an extended warm down as it slows down the body and mind.

Makes sense but you're right, time constraints mess things up for me.

TheRoadRunner

Thursday: 9 miles @ 7 min pace in daylight. Booyah