2012 4 Races for 4 PBs

outforarun

MLR 10 Miles

Had yesterday off work so I was able to run this at a respectable hour, around 10am. I decided on running the 10 mile route I used run on midweek mornings during the summer (which suddenly seems like a long long time ago). So over to Park Gate, up around behind the zoo out at Castleknock Gate and then down Tower Road then along the length of Chapelizod Road and back to Kilmainham via a little diversion onto Inchicore Road from Con Colbert Road.

The pace felt very comfortable the whole way round. I started a little too fast and so slowed things down as the run progressed. My main focus of attention wasn’t on my legs, instead it was on my right-shoulder. It was bugging me again, but maybe not as much as previous runs. So hopefully it doesn’t get any worse and will start to gradually improve. Passed 1700 miles for the year yesterday. My mileage record for a calendar year is 1763 from last year, so I expect to overtake that later this month (next week). Not sure any longer about hitting 2000 for the year, but I do expect to go over 1900.

M01 7:47
M02 8:18
M03 8:02
M04 8:09
M05 8:24
M06 8:13
M07 8:25
M08 8:26 (1700 miles for the year)
M09 8:43
M10 8:12

Total 10.03M @ 8:16

Week 2 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 5M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:47
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.03M @ 8:16
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides |
Intermediate Fast Twitch Endurance 5x90 second hill repeats @ 5K pace (3:40 to 3:45) off 4 mins recovery |
LSR 16M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
07 / 07 / 00 / 00 / 16 | 15.04 / 79.52 / 1702.06

outforarun

5x90 second Hill Climbs @ 5K pace off 4 mins recovery

Yesterday was my birthday so I decided to treat myself to a lie-in rather than an early run. I can afford to do this as I'll be in Westport for work early next week, free to slot in an 8K with strides.

Today instead it was new session type number 2, hill climbs at pace. I went for a long warm-up first. From home to Chapelizod along the river walkway. Into the park at Chapelizod Gate and then through the S-bends and down to the bottom of the Khyber. I don't often find myself on the Khyber at 10 o'clock or thereabouts on a Saturday morning maybe it's always like this, packed with runners. Looked like some sort of club meet. Lots of runners doing laps taking in all the hills and the Khyber. This worked out well because it gave me someone to chase on each climb.

These were really good fun. Each individual one was testing without being an eyes-out gut-wrencher. Then with the 4 minutes between climbs ensuring I was completely recovered before the next one, there wasn't a huge level of cumulative fatigue. In someways the first climb was the toughest as my legs upped the speed for the first time on the run. The subsequent climbs I was able to dial in the pace from the start. Ended up running most of these at faster than 5K pace, but the effort felt 'right' and I liked the feeling of work the legs were doing. I'm treating these as 'on target', especially as it's not explicit from the article that these have to be 5K pace.

As I type, the legs actually feel really good in that well-exercised way. Shoulder still not right but I think it's heading in the right direction. I notice it more when running slowly than when running quickly.

I finished the 5 climbs feeling I could have done some more. A cool-down back home. Enjoyed these and will aim do some more of these between now and year end.

Warm-up 6.34K @ 5:29 [3.94M @ 8:50]

Climb 1 @ 3:44 [6:01]
Climb 2 @ 3:35 [5:46]
Climb 3 @ 3:36 [5:47]
Climb 4 @ 3:37 [5:50]
Climb 5 @ 3:36 [5:48]

Average climb @ 3:37 [5:50]

Cool-down 1.41K @ 5:29 [0.87M @ 8:49]

Total 13.46K @ 5:12 [8.37M @ 8:22]

Week 2 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 5M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:47
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.03M @ 8:16
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides | postponed until 18 Nov
Intermediate Fast Twitch Endurance 5x90 second hill repeats @ 5K pace (3:40 to 3:45) off 4 mins recovery | 13.46K @ 5:12 [8.37M @ 8:22] average climb 3:37 [5:50]
LSR 16M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
08 / 08 / 00 / 00 / 15 | 23.40 / 87.88 / 1710.43

outforarun

LSR 16+ Miles

Avoided the Park (mostly) for this morning's run. Ran instead around most of my LSR route from DCM12. So along the canal from Kilmainham to Rathmines, Ranelagh, Clonskeagh Road, Donnybrook, down to the sea, Sandymount, Ballsbridge, Herbert Park, back to the canal, then along the SCR back to Kilmainham, down to Islandbridge up the Khyber and down Acres, S-bends and back home via Islandbridge. I tagged on nearly an extra mile to the planned 16, just to bring up 40 for the week.

I checked pace for the first time in Rathmines and was surprised and pleased to see 8:11 pace showing. It felt much slower. I resolved to reduce the effort, but the pace was floating ahead of target pace for the guts of this run and all the time it felt very easy and natural. I did make a successful effort to drop the pace over the last few miles. Shoulder felt much better today. Nice to run the guts of an LSR outside of the park for a change.

Pleased with the weekend's running. Mentally I'm already starting to brace myself for next Saturday's 5x5mins at 5K pace. I think this is the toughest session ahead of Jingle Bells.

M01 8:27
M02 7:58
M03 8:09
M04 8:14
M05 7:57
M06 8:11
M07 8:05
M08 8:04
M09 8:04
M10 8:22
M11 8:15
M12 8:10
M13 8:15
M14 8:44
M15 8:19
M16 8:39

Total 16.93M @ 8:16

Week 2 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 5M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:47
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.03M @ 8:16
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides | postponed until 18 Nov
Intermediate Fast Twitch Endurance 5x90 second hill repeats @ 5K pace (3:40 to 3:45) off 4 mins recovery | 13.46K @ 5:12 [8.37M @ 8:22] average climb 3:37 [5:50]
LSR 16M @ 8:15 to 8:30 | 16.93M @ 8:16


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
09 / 09 / 00 / 00 / 14 | 40.33 / 104.81 / 1727.35

paddybarry

outforarun wrote: »

LSR 16+ Miles

Avoided the Park (mostly) for this morning's run. Ran instead around most of my LSR route from DCM12. So along the canal from Kilmainham to Rathmines, Ranelagh, Clonskeagh Road, Donnybrook, down to the sea, Sandymount, Ballsbridge, Herbert Park, back to the canal, then along the SCR back to Kilmainham, down to Islandbridge up the Khyber and down Acres, S-bends and back home via Islandbridge. I tagged on nearly an extra mile to the planned 16, just to bring up 40 for the week.

I checked pace for the first time in Rathmines and was surprised and pleased to see 8:11 pace showing. It felt much slower. I resolved to reduce the effort, but the pace was floating ahead of target pace for the guts of this run and all the time it felt very easy and natural. I did make a successful effort to drop the pace over the last few miles. Shoulder felt much better today. Nice to run the guts of an LSR outside of the park for a change.

Pleased with the weekend's running. Mentally I'm already starting to brace myself for next Saturday's 5x5mins at 5K pace. I think this is the toughest session ahead of Jingle Bells.

M01 8:27
M02 7:58
M03 8:09
M04 8:14
M05 7:57
M06 8:11
M07 8:05
M08 8:04
M09 8:04
M10 8:22
M11 8:15
M12 8:10
M13 8:15
M14 8:44
M15 8:19
M16 8:39

Total 16.93M @ 8:16

Week 2 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 5M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:47
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.03M @ 8:16
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides | postponed until 18 Nov
Intermediate Fast Twitch Endurance 5x90 second hill repeats @ 5K pace (3:40 to 3:45) off 4 mins recovery | 13.46K @ 5:12 [8.37M @ 8:22] average climb 3:37 [5:50]
LSR 16M @ 8:15 to 8:30 | 16.93M @ 8:16


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
09 / 09 / 00 / 00 / 14 | 40.33 / 104.81 / 1727.35

What sort of recovery are you going to do between the 5mins @ 5k pace? Think I'll have a go off this on Wednesday.

outforarun

paddybarry wrote: »

What sort of recovery are you going to do between the 5mins @ 5k pace? Think I'll have a go off this on Wednesday.

hi pb, I'll be taking 3 mins jog recovery. was just over on your log, some impressive times there.

outforarun

Recovery 5 Miles

Was over in Westport last night for work. Managed to get out early evening for a very enjoyable 5 miles at recovery pace. Cool dry night with no wind worth talking about. Took in a hilly route from the Castlebar Road over to the Quays and back. Legs felt very good, no hint of the near 17 miles from Sunday. Shoulder has definitely improved, not 100% by any means but hugely improved.

M01 09:21
M02 09:03
M03 09:07
M04 09:23
M05 10:05

Total 5.01M @ 9:24

(still need to find a home for last week's 8K with strides, was meant to be this morning but bed won again)

Week 3 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 5M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:24
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 |
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides |
5K Speed Endurance 5x5mins @ 5K pace off 3 mins recovery |
LSR 18M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
10 / 10 / 00 / 00 / 13 | 5.01 / 109.82 / 1732.36

outforarun

MLR 10 Miles

First run in a long while where I got properly soaked.

Ran this one home from work. The first mile or two were grand and I was able to dial in target pace fairly quickly. Then the heavens opened and from there it was a splash fest all the way home. I tried a different route, I headed from Leeson Street to Donnybrook, to Milltown and across to Rathgar before heading back to the canal via Harold’s Cross. Once back on the canal I found myself running about 5 metres behind two other runners. After 3 or 4 mins like this it was starting to look like I was drafting so I decided to overtake and stay ahead, this resulted in a 7:3X mile.

While I finished with an on target average pace of 8:12, I managed to avoid running any single mile on target!

Best thing I’m taking from this run was that my shoulder caused me pretty much zero discomfort or distraction.

M01 8:02
M02 8:36
M03 8:27
M04 7:51
M05 8:39
M06 7:40
M07 7:36
M08 8:00
M09 8:27
M10 8:32

Total 10.14M @ 8:12

Week 3 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 5M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:24
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.14M @ 8:12
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides |
5K Speed Endurance 5x5mins @ 5K pace off 3 mins recovery |
LSR 18M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
11 / 11 / 00 / 00 / 12 | 15.15 / 119.96 / 1742.50

outforarun

Recovery 8K with 6x100m Strides

I was working from home yesterday, so got this one in at lunchtime. Spent the morning looking out the window hoping the deluge would ease off a little. It did, but I still got fairly wet. Shoes are just two wet sponges these last few runs.

Decided on a standard out and back along the Chapelizod Road. Realised that after 4K I was running too fast so I dropped off the pace and only when the average pace was back in recovery range did I hit lap and get in the strides. These went fine. All good, next stop the key 5 x 5 x 5 session.

5.14K @ 5:48 [3.19M @ 9:19]
6x100m @ average 3:36 [5:48]
1.08K @ 5:54 [0.67M @ 9:30]

Total 8.02K @ 5:37 [4.99M @ 9:02]

Week 3 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 5M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:24
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.14M @ 8:12
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides | 8.02K @ 5:37, average stride 3:36 [4.99 @ 9:02, average stride 5:48]
5K Speed Endurance 5x5mins @ 5K pace off 3 mins recovery |
LSR 18M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
12 / 12 / 00 / 00 / 11 | 20.13 / 124.95 / 1747.49

outforarun

5K Speed Endurance 5x5mins @ 5K pace off 3 mins recovery

For a while I thought I might not get started on this session. I was on single dad duty for 24 hours. Coming back from town today I was in a hurry and jogged a bit with a buggy. Felt a sharp pain on top of right foot, close to the ankle. I’m always concerned when I get pains in spots that I don’t normally get pains. This was fairly sore.

Around 3 o’clock I was good to head out. Motivation was very low though. I’d only got to sleep after 4 am last night as Junior Ofar was very restless. Mrs Ofar returned in the afternoon and to be honest all I wanted to do was pour a glass of vino and grab some sleep. Conscious that I only had around 90 minutes of daylight left I switched to htfu mode got the gear on and headed out.

I was concerned about the foot and I was prepared to knock the session on the head if need be. After about 1K of my warm-up it gave some sharp feedback. This passed. Ok I’ll tip away a bit further see if it was a one off. Another tweak going up the Khyber and mentally I’d decided no let’s not risk it, let’s just do a lap of the playing fields and head home. Play it wise. Then of course I travelled pain free as far as my starting point at the bottom of Acres Road. Sure I may as well give the first interval a shot – if I get feedback at speed I’ll definitely call it a day.

I was reluctant to abandon this session for three reasons: firstly because I see it as the key session in the build-up to the Jingle Bells, secondly because if I call this off then I’d find it hard to then justify running 18 miles tomorrow and that would blow a big hole in this weeks running. And finally, because I knew was low on motivation and because I’d been apprehensive about this session all week, I had to be absolutely 100% sure that if I was bailing that it wasn’t just me looking for excuses to avoid the session.

The first interval was completed pain-free. I was determined not to see 3:3X pace on the Garmin. I wanted to keep this strictly on target and keep the effort consistent across the 5 intervals. I wanted to avoid a really tough final interval like last time out. The first interval was ‘easy’. I finished at a very controlled 3:44 [6:01] pace. Things looked promising.

The second interval started in the same controlled fashion and I was feeling good. This is the second time I’ve run this 5mins at 5K session and I’m noticing that it comes with a honeymoon period. That honeymoon period tends to end somewhere along the second half of the second interval. Around here I have to push a little to stay on pace and I start to worry a little about the 3 remaining intervals. The second 5 mins is completed at 3:42 [5:58] pace.

I take it handy during the recovery trying to make the most of the 3 minutes. Then it’s onto the third interval. This one had the least favourable profile, mostly uphill and mostly into the wind. I need to work to keep this on target and it’s in the lungs that I feel it most. Glad to finish this one. Average pace 3:45 [6:02].

The fourth interval, while tough, definitely felt easier than the fourth interval 2 weeks ago; so I reckon I must be reaping some reward from my Saturday speedwork. Again the interval feels controlled and I’m not absolutely dying a death my the end. I finish the fourth interval at 3:43 [5:59] pace and while last time out I would have baulked at the prospect of a fifth interval, today I feel I’ve the back of the session broken and I’m confident of managing 5 more minutes at 5K pace.

Mentally I manage the last interval well, telling myself that this is the last few minutes of really hard work before Jingle Bells (I may disagree at some point next Saturday during my 16x200m at 3K pace session). I find it comfortably difficult to hold 3:43 [5:59] pace to the end.

Great sense of satisfaction on completing this session. Average interval pace 3:43. That’s 25 minutes of 5K pace work, covering 6.71K. I can see why it’s described as 5K speed endurance. I’d recommend this session, a good confidence builder.

The foot felt ok for the rest of the run. I’ll set out on an 18 miler tomorrow, try keep it closer to 8:30 pace than 8:15 pace, and I’ll be prepared to bail if it starts to act up again.

Warm-up 3.53K @ 5:24

Interval 1 (1.34K @ 3:44 [0.83M @ 6:01])
Interval 2 (1.35K @ 3:42 [0.84M @ 5:58])
Interval 3 (1.33K @ 3:45 [0.83M @ 6:02])
Interval 4 (1.35K @ 3:43 [0.84M @ 5:59])
Interval 5 (1.34K @ 3:43 [0.84M @ 5:59])

Average Interval 3:43 [5:59]

Cool-down 1.64K @ 5:50

Total 14.60K @ 4:42 [9.07M @ 7:34]

Week 3 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 5M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:24
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.14M @ 8:12
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides | 8.02K @ 5:37, average stride 3:36 [4.99 @ 9:02, average stride 5:48]
5K Speed Endurance 5x5mins @ 5K pace off 3 mins recovery | 14.60K @ 4:42, average interval 3:43 [9.07M @ 7:34, average stride 5:59]
LSR 18M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
13 / 13 / 00 / 00 / 10 | 29.20 / 134.02 / 1756.56

paddybarry

outforarun wrote: »

5K Speed Endurance 5x5mins @ 5K pace off 3 mins recovery

For a while I thought I might not get started on this session. I was on single dad duty for 24 hours. Coming back from town today I was in a hurry and jogged a bit with a buggy. Felt a sharp pain on top of right foot, close to the ankle. I’m always concerned when I get pains in spots that I don’t normally get pains. This was fairly sore.

Around 3 o’clock I was good to head out. Motivation was very low though. I’d only got to sleep after 4 am last night as Junior Ofar was very restless. Mrs Ofar returned in the afternoon and to be honest all I wanted to do was pour a glass of vino and grab some sleep. Conscious that I only had around 90 minutes of daylight left I switched to htfu mode got the gear on and headed out.

I was concerned about the foot and I was prepared to knock the session on the head if need be. After about 1K of my warm-up it gave some sharp feedback. This passed. Ok I’ll tip away a bit further see if it was a one off. Another tweak going up the Khyber and mentally I’d decided no let’s not risk it, let’s just do a lap of the playing fields and head home. Play it wise. Then of course I travelled pain free as far as my starting point at the bottom of Acres Road. Sure I may as well give the first interval a shot – if I get feedback at speed I’ll definitely call it a day.

I was reluctant to abandon this session for three reasons: firstly because I see it as the key session in the build-up to the Jingle Bells, secondly because if I call this off then I’d find it hard to then justify running 18 miles tomorrow and that would blow a big hole in this weeks running. And finally, because I knew was low on motivation and because I’d been apprehensive about this session all week, I had to be absolutely 100% sure that if I was bailing that it wasn’t just me looking for excuses to avoid the session.

The first interval was completed pain-free. I was determined not to see 3:3X pace on the Garmin. I wanted to keep this strictly on target and keep the effort consistent across the 5 intervals. I wanted to avoid a really tough final interval like last time out. The first interval was ‘easy’. I finished at a very controlled 3:44 [6:01] pace. Things looked promising.

The second interval started in the same controlled fashion and I was feeling good. This is the second time I’ve run this 5mins at 5K session and I’m noticing that it comes with a honeymoon period. That honeymoon period tends to end somewhere along the second half of the second interval. Around here I have to push a little to stay on pace and I start to worry a little about the 3 remaining intervals. The second 5 mins is completed at 3:42 [5:58] pace.

I take it handy during the recovery trying to make the most of the 3 minutes. Then it’s onto the third interval. This one had the least favourable profile, mostly uphill and mostly into the wind. I need to work to keep this on target and it’s in the lungs that I feel it most. Glad to finish this one. Average pace 3:45 [6:02].

The fourth interval, while tough, definitely felt easier than the fourth interval 2 weeks ago; so I reckon I must be reaping some reward from my Saturday speedwork. Again the interval feels controlled and I’m not absolutely dying a death my the end. I finish the fourth interval at 3:43 [5:59] pace and while last time out I would have baulked at the prospect of a fifth interval, today I feel I’ve the back of the session broken and I’m confident of managing 5 more minutes at 5K pace.

Mentally I manage the last interval well, telling myself that this is the last few minutes of really hard work before Jingle Bells (I may disagree at some point next Saturday during my 16x200m at 3K pace session). I find it comfortably difficult to hold 3:43 [5:59] pace to the end.

Great sense of satisfaction on completing this session. Average interval pace 3:43. That’s 25 minutes of 5K pace work, covering 6.71K. I can see why it’s described as 5K speed endurance. I’d recommend this session, a good confidence builder.

The foot felt ok for the rest of the run. I’ll set out on an 18 miler tomorrow, try keep it closer to 8:30 pace than 8:15 pace, and I’ll be prepared to bail if it starts to act up again.

Warm-up 3.53K @ 5:24

Interval 1 (1.34K @ 3:44 [0.83M @ 6:01])
Interval 2 (1.35K @ 3:42 [0.84M @ 5:58])
Interval 3 (1.33K @ 3:45 [0.83M @ 6:02])
Interval 4 (1.35K @ 3:43 [0.84M @ 5:59])
Interval 5 (1.34K @ 3:43 [0.84M @ 5:59])

Average Interval 3:43 [5:59]

Cool-down 1.64K @ 5:50

Total 14.60K @ 4:42 [9.07M @ 7:34]

Week 3 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 5M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:24
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.14M @ 8:12
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides | 8.02K @ 5:37, average stride 3:36 [4.99 @ 9:02, average stride 5:48]
5K Speed Endurance 5x5mins @ 5K pace off 3 mins recovery | 14.60K @ 4:42, average interval 3:43 [9.07M @ 7:34, average stride 5:59]
LSR 18M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
13 / 13 / 00 / 00 / 10 | 29.20 / 134.02 / 1756.56

Excellent session, you are in great shape. Did 4*5mins during the week and it was tough. Might give 5*5mins a go this week.

outforarun

paddybarry wrote: »

Excellent session, you are in great shape. Did 4*5mins during the week and it was tough. Might give 5*5mins a go this week.

Yeah saw that alright, but you were doing it off 2 mins recovery right, which is a whole different ball-game.

outforarun

LSR 18 Miles

Yesterday morning’s LSR wasn’t the long slog that I thought it might be. The miles passed fairly quickly, the sun was shining the whole way and I was nice and cosy with base layer, t-shirt, jacket and gloves. I had zero feedback from the right foot, so hopefully that was just one of those inexplicable come and go niggles. Instead my shoulder, which didn’t complain at all Saturday, was aching a bit again yesterday. I wondered if carrying a 500ml bottle of water in my right hand on my LSRs could have anything to do with it?

Today’s route involved two big anti-clockwise park laps: a lap starting at Islandbridge and heading anti-clockwise up behind the zoo, along North Road, then out the Castleknock Gate, down College Road and back into the Park at Whites Road, Ordnance, Upper Glen and back through the S-bends to Islandbridge.

The Garmin completely messed up the first mile. It beeped at least a full 2 mins after where it normally beeps. So I switched from average pace to lap pace from mile 2. This resulted in a far more disciplined than usual run, mile for mile. The average pace for miles 2 to 18 was 8:17. I’ll approximate 8:18 then for the full 18 miles.

This was the longest run I’ve completed since CCM. And it’s significant because during it I passed my old yearly mileage record of 1763 miles from 2013

M01 ??:??
M02 8:15
M03 8:23
M04 8:22
M05 8:17
M06 8:12
M07 8:12
M08 8:24
M09 8:24
M10 8:19
M11 8:26
M12 8:21
M13 8:18
M14 8:07
M15 7:58
M16 8:18
M17 8:15
M18 8:12

Total 18.09 @ 8:18

Week 3 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 5M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:24
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.14M @ 8:12
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides | 8.02K @ 5:37, average stride 3:36 [4.99 @ 9:02, average stride 5:48]
5K Speed Endurance 5x5mins @ 5K pace off 3 mins recovery | 14.60K @ 4:42, average interval 3:43 [9.07M @ 7:34, average stride 5:59]
LSR 18M @ 8:15 to 8:30 | 18.09 @ 8:18


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
14 / 14 / 00 / 00 / 09 | 47.29 / 152.11 / 1774.65

Duanington

Nice going OFAR - question, is the 18 miler specific to your 5k training or is it the case that you have one eye on something longer down the line?

outforarun

Duanington wrote: »

Nice going OFAR - question, is the 18 miler specific to your 5k training or is it the case that you have one eye on something longer down the line?

Hiya, honestly the only runs that are really specific to the 5K are my Saturday runs. I've cherry picked a few of the runs in the 'Solving the 5K Puzzle' posted by TJ here some weeks back. My generic midweek runs are unchanging week to week and are there to tick the recovery box, the strides box and the midweek MLR injects a little bit of extra pace while helping keep my weekly mileage up at 40+ miles. The 5k article does request Aerobic Endurance as well so my Sunday LSRs take care of that.

I probably took a risk running an 18 miler after the key session on Saturday, but I see the weekend just passed as the key weekend in this mini-training cycle. I see it the same way as the 8K to 15K tune-up race weekends in P&D's marathon schedules, that are followed by 17 milers the day after.

Something longer down the line? I always have an eye on next year's CCM. And I want to get as close to 2000 miles as I can for 2014 all as base building. My mileage jumped up 35% in 2013 compared to 2012 and I believe this had a positive impact on this year's CCM. If I hit 1950 miles this year that represents a further 10% mileage increase on last year.

outforarun

Recovery 4 Miles

Changed the distance on this one at the last moment, knocking it from 5 miles down to 4 miles. I was feeling very sleepy and I was running about 10 minutes late. I'll tag an extra mile onto this week's planned 12M LSR.

Was out at 6:19 for this one. Surprisingly mild outside. My legs are definitely feeling the weekend's work. They felt fairly heavy and I had absolutely no issues keeping this one on target.

I have to get to bed early tonight or I fear the worse for tomorrow morning's 10 miler.

M01 10:22
M02 09:50
M03 09:28
M04 09:53

Total 4.06M @ 9:53

Week 4 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 4M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:24
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 |
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides |
Versatile race pace efficiency 16x200ms @ 3K pace off 200m jog recovery |
LSR 13M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
15 / 15 / 00 / 00 / 08 | 4.06 / 156.17 / 1778.71

Netwerk Errer

You're looking really good for that gold target. Some top notch sessions and consistency over the last few weeks.

outforarun

Netwerk Errer wrote: »

and consistency over the last few weeks.

Thanks but I feel all guilty now though. I didn't get to bed early last night (no-one to blame but myself) the seed had been planted that I might miss this morning's run and I was shattered when the first alarm went off at 5:00 (needed to be on the road for 5:30). I went back to sleep. I don't feel tooooo bad about it because I feel full of energy now and I'm not working Friday so I'll get the 10 miler in then instead. It looks like another stride session will bite the dust.

On a positive note - I picked up a shiny new pair of Nimbus-16s in Champion Sports this lunchtime, for €100 (reduced from €163). Haven't tried the 16s before.

Netwerk Errer

Everyone misses a day here and there, no shame in that. Consistency is built up over a long period of time and definitely isn't broken by missing one day every so often.

outforarun

Netwerk Errer wrote: »

Everyone misses a day here and there, no shame in that. Consistency is built up over a long period of time and definitely isn't broken by missing one day every so often.

I know you're right but still cannot skip a run without feeling a tinge of guilt.

outforarun

MLR 10 Miles

I was travelling to Cork on Friday and had taken the day off work. I managed to get this run completed in the morning before leaving Dublin (despite another night on around 4 hours sleep). I ran my default 10 mile daylight route, into the Park at Park Gate, up behind the zoo, out Castleknock Gate and then down Tower Road to Chapelizod and back to Kilmainham with a little diversion along Con Colbert Road.

I did not enjoy this run. Legs felt really heavy stiff and uncooperative for most of the 10 miles. Better to feel like this this week rather than next week I guess. As always after 2 days without running it feels like the legs resent being asked to run again.

This was also the first run for the Nimbus 16. I retired my Nimbus 13 on 717 miles, a record and they didn't feel like they had to be changed. I need to get a new set of insoles so I ran these with the regular insoles inside. I think this allowed my left foot to move about more than normal and I could feel a friction that had me worried about a blister forming. Also at one point after the Castleknock Gate my left foot felt numb or as if it was going to get pins and needles.

I was glad to finish this one.
(I also messed up near the start when I hit stop on the Garmin at lights but forgot to hit restart until a few 100ms further down the road).

Total 10.02M @ 8:14

Week 4 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 4M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:24
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.02M @ 8:14
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides | DNS (stayed in bed)
Versatile race pace efficiency 16x200ms @ 3K pace off 200m jog recovery |
LSR 13M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
16 / 16 / 01 / 00 / 07 | 14.08 / 166.19 / 1788.73

outforarun

Versatile race pace efficiency 16x200ms @ 3K pace off 200m jog recovery

I enjoyed this one as much as I didn't enjoy yesterday's.

I was in Cork this morning, staying in the Lancaster Lodge on Western Road. Got out shortly after 8:00am. It was surprisingly mild out so no gloves or jacket, just t-shirt and shorts. Wore the ST5s for this one.

I decided I'd run this up and down along the Marina. So first a relaxed warm-up of nearly 4K running a good stretch of CCM in reverse. Arrived at the Marina. Not too many others about, mostly runners, dog walkers and rowers. The route along here is picturesque, flat and straight, ideal for a session like this apart from the road surface which is a little too hard underfoot. Tarmac and it would be perfect. Nice atmosphere along here this morning, all winter shades of grey, brown and dirty yellow under low hazy grey sky.

Wasn't sure what to expect from this session, I've never run anything like this before. I was imagining it as an 'extreme' strides session. Wasn't sure how difficult it would be; 16 intervals sounded like a lot. In the end it went fine. I could have knocked out several more 200s if needed. I found 3K pace relatively quickly. The lungs were never worked, it was all about the legs. I did notice that it was marginally easier running out of town rather than toward town. I ran 4 intervals out and 4 back and then repeated. The evening before I'd felt a twinge or two from my left glute when walking back to hotel, but this morning it was fine.

So that's all the speedwork done (thanks TJ for pointing me to that article), some good variety in there, these 200s and the hill repeats are good fun without being terribly difficult, the 5min repeats at 5K pace on the other hand are really testing sessions.

Warm-up 3.60K @ 5:33 [2.24M @ 8:56]

200m Splits

45.57
44.43
42.71
42.55
45.80
43.45
43.61
43.10
40.84
43.95
42.80
43.67
41.74
44.66
43.65
43.97

average 43.53 [3:38 [5:50]]

Cool-down 3.48K @ 5:30 [2.16M @ 8:51]

Total 13.49K @ 5:09 [8.38M @ 8:17]

Week 4 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 4M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:24
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.02M @ 8:14
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides | DNS (stayed in bed)
Versatile race pace efficiency 16x200ms @ 3K pace off 200m jog recovery | 13.49K @ 5:00, average 200m 3:38 [8.38M @ 8:17 average 200m @ 5:50]
LSR 13M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
17 / 17 / 01 / 00 / 06 | 22.47 / 174.57 / 1797.11

outforarun

LSR 13 Miles

In Rome at the moment and only managing to catch-up now. The first few strides into Sunday morning's run I could feel groin muscles were sore. It took around a mile for them to loosen up. I'm fairly sure this was caused by Saturday's 16 x 200ms. I headed over to Chapelizod via Ballyfermot Road, into Park at Chapelizod Gate, out at Knockmaroon Gate, up Tower and down Whites, Ordnance, Furze, up Chesterfield, North Road to Acres Road, a lap of the playing fields then S-bends, out Park Gate and home. I hit 13 miles at my doorstep so said I'd run another 0.1M to bring up HM distance.

Run was fine, started slowly and gradually, naturally upped the pace. Passed 1800 miles for the year. Shoulder is niggling again though. Pleased with the weekend's running but not happy about missing that run midweek.

M01 9:23
M02 7:55
M03 8:40 (1800M for the year)
M04 8:22
M05 8:36
M06 7:49
M07 8:03
M08 8:13
M09 8:06
M10 8:10
M11 8:15
M12 8:14
M13 8:00

Total 13.11M @ 8:17

Week 4 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 4M @ 9:20 to 10:00 | 5.01M @ 9:24
MLR 10M @ 8:10 to 8:25 | 10.02M @ 8:14
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides | DNS (stayed in bed)
Versatile race pace efficiency 16x200ms @ 3K pace off 200m jog recovery | 13.49K @ 5:00, average 200m 3:38 [8.38M @ 8:17 average 200m @ 5:50]
LSR 13M @ 8:15 to 8:30 | 13.1M @ 8:17


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
18 / 18 / 01 / 00 / 05 | 35.58 / 187.68 / 1810.22

outforarun

Recovery 8K

In Rome this evening and consigned to the treadmill. This felt like the longest 8K of the year. Sweated litres. Resisted the urge to increase the speed just to get the run over with.

I will hopefully fit another run in the morning, I fly home at midday. Not a happy runner at the moment as I left my phone in a cab last night. Hope fading that I'll manage to locate it

All easy running this week. I'm not going to do a 10 miler tomorrow, will play it by ear.

Week 5 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 | 8.03K @ 5:49
Steady TBC @ 8:10 to 8:25 |
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides |
Jingle Bells 5K sub 18:30 attempt |
LSR 12M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
19 / 19 / 02 / 00 / 02 | 4.99 / 4.99/ 1815.21

overpronator

Good luck tomorrow man, its been a great years training so just go stick a nice cherry on top!

outforarun

Recovery 8K with 6x100m Strides

Been a crazy week with travel and work. I never got out on Wednesday before my flight back from Rome. At least I got a really really good night's sleep ahead of the flight back. Then didn't get home from work until 8ish last night between putting junior ofar to bed, getting some food into me and general tidying up I didn't manage to run Wednesday's run on Thursday. mentally drained from work as well.

Got out this morning alright. On the road at 6:18. Fairly nippy out there. Gloves were needed. I put a new set of support insoles into the Nimbus-16 before last Sunday's LSR, and they feel really comfortable since. Might be my imagination but they feel quite light, don't feel clunky at all.

I headed out and back along the Chapelizod Road. Legs felt surprisingly good for an early morning run. The strides also felt smooth and controlled, they're never particularly fast at this hour.

And that's that.

Started well on this mini-plan but lost some momentum near the end. I completed 20 of the 23 planned sessions. I completed all the key speed sessions and got all my LSRs done.

Happy to have tried some different sessions over the last few weeks.

Honestly don't know what to expect tomorrow. Quietly confident. I do know I'll be gutted if I fail to go sub 19:00.


Week 5 of 5, Session Targets| Actuals
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 | 8.03K @ 5:49
Steady TBC @ 8:10 to 8:25 | work travel etc
Recovery 8K @ 5:48 to 6:13 with 6x100m strides | 8.01K @ 5:42 average stride 3:41 [4.98M @ 9:10 average stride 5:56]
Jingle Bells 5K sub 18:30 attempt |
LSR 12M @ 8:15 to 8:30 |


Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining | Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
20 / 20 / 03 / 00 / 00 | 9.97 / 9.97/ 1820.19

outforarun

overpronator wrote: »

Good luck tomorrow man, its been a great years training so just go stick a nice cherry on top!

Good luck you too. I think the mileage and the tempos you've been putting in should reap good reward tomorrow. Do you have Gold, Silver, Bronze targets in mind?

overpronator

outforarun wrote: »

Good luck you too. I think the mileage and the tempos you've been putting in should reap good reward tomorrow. Do you have Gold, Silver, Bronze targets in mind?

Gold would be 1.26.xx, silver 1.27 and bronze a pb (1.28.04). Will go out at 1.27 pace and assess from there. I had a few beers last night at my work Christmas party so the prep has been far from ideal but I'll give it a good go, gold would be a big stretch for me I reckon

Tom Joad

Good luck tomorrow - might see you there!

yaboya1

Good luck tomorrow OFAR

outforarun

Jingle Bells 5K 2014

New 5K PB 18:40

Despite

• running a 39 second race PB
• running my fastest ever kilometre in a race
• running a race for the first time ever at an average pace of sub 6:00 minute miles on the Garmin
• running 18:29 for 5K neat on the Garmin

I finished this final race of the year feeling disappointed. Not so much because I missed my gold target of sub 18:30, more because I feel I didn't make a race of it. I have a nagging suspicion that I didn't give this 100%. I think if I suspect I didn't give it 100% then chances are I probably didn't.

PreRace

I had plenty of time to get ready in the morning, too much time and so ended up running late in the end. Stepped outside the house and realized at the last moment (luckily) that I hadn't put on my number or timing chip. Back inside for some rushed safety pin action. I abandoned my planned 5K warm-up and ran a shorter warm-up via Islandbridge and the S-bends.

A little chilly outside but not glove-chilly. Bit of a wind blowing but overall conditions were good, certainly for December. I make my way up to the sub 20 pen. I turn around and spot TJ. We chat a bit, he's also aiming for sub 18:30. About 5 minutes later a horn sounds and we're off.

Plan is to be travelling at 3:43 [5:59] or 3:44 [6:00] pace when we turn onto OS Road, hold things steady through K4 then push on downhill K5.

KM1 3:44 [6:00]
Fairly congested at the start so I end up doing some weaving and running wide. Fair few people already breathing quite heavily as we pass the Papal Cross. Ground is a bit slippy underfoot in places and I try follow as dry a line as I can. I don't see TJ ahead of me so I guess he's somewhere behind with me in his sights.

KM2 3:44 [6:01]
I'm overtaking people most of the way up Chesterfield. I'm feeling mostly ok, probably better than I did on the TT I ran on this course 5 weeks ago. Must be the race adrenaline. Checking the Garmin the average pace was flicking between 3:43 [5:59] and 3:44 [6:00]. All good then.

KM3 3:38 [5:50]
We reach the end of Chesterfield and turn onto OS Road. I'm still overtaking people. Legs feel ok. Yes they're working as are the lungs, but I'm not in the red yet. I'm shocked to see average pace has dropped to 3:41 [5:56]. Now part of me says slow down and part of me says stay with it. Bit of a wind blowing against us now and I tuck in for a just little while behind some other runners before overtaking. The Garmin beeps 3K and shows a 3:37 [5:50] split (rounds up to 3:38). What's going on?

KM4 3:50 [6:11]
Shortly into K4 two runners arrive on my shoulder. I don't look to my side but from my periphery version I see the green and yellow of an Annalee singlet, TJ's arrived. For a 100ms or so we run side my side, then he and his companion inch ahead.

I went on 10 miler this morning and I was thinking about yesterday's race. I identify a key moment here as TJ passes, one I'd forgotten about yesterday. I remember thinking ok let's let TJ lead the way and I'll sit on his shoulder for a while. However somehow this decision was translated into, let's slow down and just keep TJ in sight. Before I knew it TJ had opened up a 20 metre lead and mentally I was conceding defeat.

Dave McMahon (I didn't recognize him at the time, I was just looking straight ahead) passes me on the right and says something I don't understand. I just blurt out something about it all being downhill from here. What Dave had said was not to let TJ get away.

I saw the 4K split read 3:50 [6:11]. I was surprised didn't feel that slow.

KM5 3:34 [5:44]
I was hurting now and couldn't take full advantage of the downhill. I tried to motivate myself with thoughts like, c'mon it's the last fast K of the year. But the legs weren't responding, or rather I wasn't confident I could maintain an increase in the pace for the remainder of the course. Nearly there c'mon. The road flattens and I turn onto the finishing straight. The finishing line annoyingly far away. Two runners hurtle past on my left, really full on sprinting. I raise my pace some more. I hear the announcer calling someone home in 18:30, but I've no idea what time I'm on for. I don't know if there was a race clock visible. I push over the line.

On the Garmin I see 18:39 showing. But this would round up to 18:40 both on the watch and on my official chip time. So no sub 18:30 gold and no sub 40 silver, just a good bronze.

Post Race
No dry retching is maybe the proof I need that I could have given it some more. I meet up with TJ who says I was a perfect pacemaker for the first 3K. Chat with yaboya and meet AMK and careermove for the first time, and meet Dave who I recognize instantly from Fingal but only realize then that it was Dave who was trying to motivate me (us) at the end of K4.

I can't stay around and so say ciao and run home, mug in hand.

Warm-up 3.81K @ 5:42 [2.37M @ 9:11]

K1 3:44 [6:00]
K2 3:44 [6:01]
K3 3:38 [5:50]
K4 3:50 [6:11]
K5 3:34 [5:44]

Total 5.05K @ 3:42 [3.14M @ 5:57]

Chip-time 18:40
Position 145 of 931 finishers (or 16th in a race of 100)

Cool-down 3.12K @ 5:33 [1.94M @ 8:55]

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/646323898