2012 4 Races for 4 PBs

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MLR 10M with 4M @ 10M Pace

Overall this was an encouraging run. A warm sunny Saturday morning. I headed over to Islandbridge Gate only to find it closed and with Gardai posted outside. They confirm, apologetically, that the entire park is out of bounds for the day. The Queen left some space for runners, the Pope no. I continue along Chapelizod Road planning where to run the 4 mile fast section. Lots of runners and cyclists skirting the park perimeter this morning. I head up Knockmaroon and up Tower Road. I press the lap button shortly after Castleknock College and get stuck into the race pace section.

Training hasn't been very consistent over the last while and I've been deciding what runs to to do on a week to week basis. I'm not confident of a sub 65 and I'm undecided about whether or not I should target it. I will be targeting a PB for sure (sub 65:57) and in a way the 10 miler will give me an indication of what I should aim for in the HM at the end of September.

For Saturday's run I set target 10M pace as 3:59 to 4:02 [6:25 to 6:30]. This equates to a 10M finishing time of 64:10 to 65:00.

Immediately I found the pace comfortable. Be careful, it's early don't get carried away. The opening part of the 4 mile section is generally uphill as far as the canal. Once I join the canal at Castleknock and head for Ashtown I think the profile is in my favour. I tip comfortably along here. The first time I find the effort demanding is when I leave the canal and run up to the Ashtown Gate. I turn left onto Blackhorse Avenue and enjoy some smooth tarmac with a gentle downhill. Sun's out. Feeling comfortably uncomfortable along here. And before I know it the 4 miles are done. Total time 25:20, that's 3:56 [6:20] pace. Faster than planned.

Not convinced I could hold 3:56 for 10 miles. But maybe I could hold 4:00 [6:26] pace. On the Garmin that would get me home in 64:22, run a good racing line and maybe sub 65 isn't out of the question.

4.00M @ 7:51
4.00M @ 6:20
2.50M @ 7:33

Total 10.51M @ 7:21

WTD 24.68M MTD 123.01M YTD 1154.08M

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Long Run 16 Miles

Sunday morning for the first time in a long time I wore a jacket on a run. A wet morning, but any chill that was in the air disappeared soon enough. The park was off limits again today so I headed into town. Reduced traffic made it pleasant enough to run to Christchurch and on to College Green. I cut through Trinity and out by Pearse. Cross the Liffey and run down to East Link before crossing back over the river again.

Ringsend, Irishtown, Sandymount. For a while I run alongside a group on their long-run then leave them at Booterstown. I follow the Stillorgan Road to Donnybrook and then follow the Dodder to Dartry Park. Around Rathgar I lose concentration and take a wrong turn, heading back south again to Terenure. Have to stop and check phone to figure out where I'm going.

Back on track I head back to the canal and home via Rialto. Didn't really pay attention to the Garmin during this run. Legs felt generally ok. The last few miles did feel like a bit of a chore though, bit too much pavement I reckon.

First back-to-back 40+ mile weeks in a while.

Weighed in at 68.10 after this one, so weight has stayed under 70 for quite some time now.

M01 9:10
M02 8:17
M03 8:19
M04 8:10
M05 8:12
M06 7:54
M07 8:14
M08 7:43
M09 7:56
M10 7:59
M11 8:05
M12 8:15
M13 7:48
M14 7:30
M15 7:35
M16 7:16

Total 16.13M @ 8:01

WTD 40.81M MTD 139.14M YTD 1170.21M

outforarun

6x600m @ 3K pace

A short but good quality session on the track in AIT on Wednesday evening. I wanted to stretch the legs and work the lungs ahead of the weekend's race. I wasn't going to try 800s or 1000s so opted for a more inviting set of 600s. I'd run these off 90 seconds recovery.

I had planned on running these at 5K pace but finished the session with an average interval pace of 3:35, well into my aspirational 3K pace range. The effort felt about right for the first interval, I dialled it back a bit for the second, but then just went with what felt more or less like 5K pace for the rest of the session.

First 400m of each session were comfortably uncomfortable, the last 200m were just uncomfortable. No significant headwinds at play this evening.

The fit-for-life group were on the track tonight. There were about 15 of them. Their coach gave me lanes 1 and 2 and told the group to stay out of them. Thank you Once he mentioned this to me I felt obliged to run an extra set of 600s so the planned 5x600 became 6x600. I told him when I was finished and he immediately announced to the group that they could now use all lanes. Big thumbs up to the fit-for-life coach.

Interval 1 in 2:09.43 @ 3:36 [5:47]
Interval 2 in 2:11.42 @ 3:39 [5:53]
Interval 3 in 2:09.62 @ 3:36 [5:48]
Interval 4 in 2:09.44 @ 3:36 [5:47]
Interval 5 in 2:06.25 @ 3:30 [5:39]
Interval 6 in 2:08.24 @ 3:34 [5:44]

Average 600 in 2:09.07 @ 3:35 [5:46]

WTD 5.91M MTD 145.06M YTD 1176.13M

Singer

Best of luck Sunday. Looks like you're in good shape!

outforarun

Singer wrote: »

Best of luck Sunday. Looks like you're in good shape!

Thanks. I was feeling quietly confident.

outforarun

Steady 8 Miles

Glad it's Friday. Work becoming hectic again. Set out Friday evening with just a lap of the park in mind and maybe work up a sweat. In at Islandbridge Gate (more like a gateway at the moment, when will they return the gate?) and turn right for an anti-clockwise lap. I take the first couple of miles fairly easy and then just ease into the run, upping the pace gradually.Park isn't too busy this evening. Warm and a nice light in the air. Legs don't feel particularly light, but my all the same my stride feels smooth and effort levels are low.

Complete the lap and exit again at Islandbridge. Once home I check splits and I see that I was running 6:40s near the end, they felt very comfortable. I'm encouraged ahead of the weekend's race.

That's August running complete. Need to post up month reviews for July and August.

M01 8:47
M02 8:01
M03 7:19
M04 7:11
M05 6:48
M06 6:55
M07 6:48
M08 6:43

Total 8.04M @ 7:19

WTD 13.95M MTD 153.10M YTD 1184.17M

outforarun

Easy 4 Miles

Up early (for a Saturday) and head out under grey skies and drizzle. Just 4 easy miles on the menu, last run before Frank Duffy. Head over to Inchicore then back along the canal. A meander inside IMMA where I get charged by a friendly dog.

Nothing else I can do now. Spend most of the rest of Saturday on my feet, including a walk around the cliffs on Howth Head. Gorgeous day, hope it's not too hot come Sunday.

M01 9:33
M02 8:45
M03 8:37
M04 8:36

Total 4.05M @ 8:52

WTD 18.00M MTD 4.05M YTD 1189.22M

outforarun

Frank Duffy 10 Mile 2018

Work has swamped me for the last few weeks and will continue to do so for some time I feel. Only now getting around to writing up the report of what was my best race in a long while.

I traveled to Swords two Sundays ago quietly confident of collecting a new 10M PB and, if all came together well on the day, I wasn't dismissing the possibility of a sub 65. I didn't feel under any huge pressure and was relaxed. I had a race plan in mind that involved targeting a negative split and enjoying the race. I was planning on sticking to 4:02 [6:29] or 4:03 [6:31] pace for the first 5 mile and then would try to up the average pace to 4:01 [6:27] or even 4:00 [6:26] to assure a PB.

Portaloo - change - bag-drop - short warm-up. I meet auldmanking and statss as warm-up ends. Join the warm throng on main street and wait for us to be released.

M01 to M05 in 32:14 (4:00 min/km, 6:27 min/mile)

Not much congestion at the start. Two early glances at the Garmin, the first tells me I'm running too slow, the second tells me I'm running too fast. Once we join the Swords Bypass I start to settle and it all feels very comfortable. I'm travelling faster than planned and I gently gently ease up. Early signs are very promising. People overtake and I don't care, I'm sticking to the plan and feeling good.

Once we turn onto the country roads I start to overtake. I'm closely monitoring the Garmin and I'm only ever at risk of running too fast not too slow. I keep reminding myself that this is still early days and not to get too carried away. Legs feel good and confidence is high.

The route is covering new ground now and I'm wary of what might lie around the next bend. I'm expecting hills and there are some but I never felt we encountered any serious climbs. This is going too well. The Garmin flicks between 4:01 [6:28] and 4:02 [6:30]. All good.

M06 to M10 in 31:39 (3:56 min/km, 6:20 min/mile)

Ok time to push a little, I want to try ensure I don't drop slower than 4:01 pace. Slightly anxious glances at the Garmin, waiting for it to give me bad news. I'm starting to feel the effort now and the run isn't comfortable any more. But clearly the legs and lungs are up to the task. I am genuinely surprised to see the Garmin move from an average of 4:01 [6:28] to 4:00 [6:26] to 3:59 [6:25]. I try to keep my optimism in check, convinced that a blow-up is waiting around the next corner.

Then we turn onto what becomes my favourite stretch of any race I've run, Belheary Avenue onto Belheary Road. There is a slight downhill along here. It's straight and tree lined my legs are feeling strong and I am overtaking all the way along here. I know that pace is holding and when I see it increase to an average of 3:58 [6:23] I'm not surprised. This is good. With only around 2 miles to go I start to believe that I will have the mental resolve to hold pace even if the legs start to complain.

The last 2 miles are the trickiest. I don't push as such, but I try to hold 3:58. This is demanding but as the end draws nearer my confidence grows and I start to believe I'll log a good time. The sub 65 could be on. If I had fully realised how solidly I was running I probably would have pushed harder (easy to say now sitting at home with a glass of vino). I can hear the announcer at the finishing line as I turn onto the long finishing straight. Check my total time and see low 63:XX showing. I know then that the sub 65 is in the bag. Focus on the finish line and push. The Garmin continues to show 63:XX, the finishing line drawing closer, I never really entertain thoughts of a sub 64. Honestly I think it was there over the 10 miles on the day, but it wasn't available to pull out of the hat over the last 100m.

I cross the line with a chip of 64:08. Thrilled. Yes I missed a 63:XX, but I can live with that. I know now I have to target a sub 1:25 come the Half Marathon later this month. But I have to adopt the same strategy. Evidence shows that I am at my best when I target a negative split, I'll do the same for the half.

It's been a while since I raced so I was unsure of how fit and race ready I was. I'm in better condition that I thought. I credit the 5500m climbed in August and I credit my reduced weight. I've weighed under 70 kilos ever since my extractions at the end of June.

I cannot remember the last time I knocked nearly 90 seconds of a PB. It's a good morning. Enthusiasm for the HM has grown enormously. Now the issue is work. Current project has me working long hours, travelling and generally feeling mentally drained. I'm struggling to even keep this log up to date. I'll try log a run a day over the next while to get back on track.

Compared notes with Auldmanking and Healy1835 afterward. Then got changed and enjoyed the commute back into town reliving the race over in my head. Surprised myself this morning.

M01 6:17
M02 6:35
M03 6:27
M04 6:26
M05 6:29
M06 6:24
M07 6:14
M08 6:16
M09 6:20
M10 6:25

Chip 64:08

P112 of 2775 finishers or 5th in a race of 100.
11th in category. And if I was a she I'd have pocketed silver.

WTD 29.33M MTD 15.38M YTD 1200.55M

outforarun

Catch-up

So much for logging a run a day. Work and work travel taking their toll. Writing this Thursday night, by a departure gate in Milan.

Week Beginning 3rd September

Tuesday Easy 4.3M @ 8:22
First post race run was Tuesday evening after work. The legs felt fine after the efforts in Swords. Just a simple trip up the Khyber, down Acres and home via Islandbridge.

Wednesday MLR 10M @ 8:27
A midweek Athlone run. Focus was on logging some miles and keeping things easy. Had to fight the usual after office evening apathy before getting on the road. Don't think I looked at the watch the whole way round. Found this one surprisingly relaxing.

Saturday MLR 10M with 8M Trail (10.18M @ 7:51)
This was the highlight run of the week. The Dynafit Vertical Pros arrived a few days earlier. Time to give them their debut. Snug fit. A mile of road before joining the hrass and trails by the fort and alongside the Khyber. I trace out a loop that measures a little over a mile. Some climbs including the bank up to the Fort, some trail, some grass. Get into a nice rhythm and enjoy the mix of terrain. The shoes feel good. I can feel them tossing dirt onto my calves. I run 7 laps. On the last 3 or 4 laps I can feel the beginnings of a blister on the right foot. I'm not using my insoles this morning, next time out I'll try them, hopefully they'll help.

If I manage one run in ten with the Dynafits then I think I'll be better prepared for my next trip to Roncobello.

Sunday LSR 16.40M @ 7:47
Busy in the park Sunday afternoon: clean-up after pope is still in progress, a honey expo in the visitor centre, food and craft fair in Farmleigh and a polo match at the polo grounds. I stay in the park for the opening miles but then decide to try somewhere new. Exit at Ashtown and run down along the Navan Road, not quite sure where I woukd exit. I rejoin familiar territory by Phibsboro. Head down to Smithfield and onto the Luas tracks. Back to the park to finish. Legs steadily grew stronger the longer the run went on. Spent too much of this run dreading a tough working week (fortnight) that lay ahead.

40.9 Miles for the week across 4 runs. That'll do.

WTD 40.9M MTD 56.28M YTD 1241.45M

squiredanaher

wow. great 10 mile time. ! brill.
keep it up.

outforarun

squiredanaher wrote: »

wow. great 10 mile time. ! brill.
keep it up.

Thanks. Surprised myself a little with this one. A 63:XX was there if I wanted it, I just realised it too late. Big confidence builder. I do think weight was a factor, but I also suspect that the reduced number of races and maybe the occasional week of complete rest helped me.

On this latter point I am thinking about trying out a three weeks on, one week off program for a while. The one week off wouldn't be a week of complete rest, it would be just easy runs and lower mileage and I would continue to respect a good diet. But I have a suspicion the body appreciated the recent down weeks following some hospital visits.

outforarun

More Catch-up

Week Beginning 10rd September

This was a low mileage week. Work is all consuming at the moment. Presentations, full day workshops. Few windows to run and little mental willingness to run. I mostly want to eat and sleep.

Tuesday 11 September: Easy 4.26 Miles @ 8:26

A therapeutic 4 miler to try relax after a long demanding day in the office. Tired legs, tired head. Happy to see that they have laid new tarmac along most of the Cartrontroy Road, enjoy tipping along on this new inviting surface.

Saturday 15 September: Tempo 8 Miles @ 7:01, with 4 Miles @ 6:20

This went better than expected. I hadn't run midweek and so expected the legs to be stiff and not co-operative. I headed over to Chapelizod along the tow-path and then into the Park at Chapelizod Gate and climbing up to the playing fields.

The plan was for a repeat of the 4 miles at race pace I ran one week out from Frank Duffy, today the 4 miles would be at Half Marathon pace. Clockwise laps of the playing fields. I get stuck in. Instantly I feel the pace is too comfortable. The effort is very manageable. Quickly half marathon pace becomes 10 Mile pace and soon that becomes tempo pace. With this latter the effort feels suitably demanding but still very manageable. Enjoy this one. Mick Clohisey is lapping in the opposite direction to me, effortless bounding strides.

Looks like I'm none the worse after a lazy midweek.

Sunday 16 September 13.65M @ 7:40

Traveled to Fellbach just outside Stuttgart for work on Sunday. Arrived at the hotel in the late afternoon and immediately laced up. Gorgeous weather outside, mid twenties, sunny and next to zero humidity. Wasn't entirely sure where I was going but I had seen a nature reserve on Google Maps lying a few miles North of the town. I headed out of town and onto a provincial road. Not ideal as there was no footpath. Soon I spot a sign indicating a hiking trail off to the right so I follow this and disappear into a forest. Lots of rustling in the undergrowth to the left and the right. I'd seen a sign showing that there were deer in here and I was expecting one to bound out onto the path at any moment.

I climb to the forest summit and then follow the forest trail back down the other side before exiting at a neighbouring town. From here I manage to find the nature reserve and continue the run following a river through orchards, corn fields and along more forest trail. Really enjoying this one. At 6.5 miles I opt to turn around and retrace my steps home. Sun is starting to set and I don't want to be caught in the dark in a forest somewhere. The smell of windfalls in the orchards is super strong, like the the dregs after a summer cider session.

I realise I haven't eaten since breakfast and I'm just a little concerned that I might run out of petrol on the return leg. Up the pace a little. Get back safely, shower, and join some colleagues for a pizza and beer nearby. I'm in good running country.


WTD 26.33M MTD 82.61M YTD 1267.78

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Even More Catch-up

Week Beginning 17th September

Race-week and terrible preparation. Low mileage, poor diet, travel, and a head cold from Monday to Thursday. I think all these factors together arguably cost me 24 seconds on race-day.

Monday 17 September, 6.23M @ 7:42 including 1M @ 5:45

Stroll back to the hotel from work and straight into runners, the weather is so inviting. Warm evening sunshine. I head straight out of town, join the pedestrian paths and run to the orchards. There are other runners and dog-walkers out this evening. Decide to just lap the orchards for a while and then decide to stretch the legs by running one fast mile. This covers a full lap of the orchards, plus around another 300m of slight incline. Pleasantly surprised to see the mile log at 5:45. This is faster than the 5:48 I ran back in January during a focused 1M TT. After the HM I'll be targeting Jingle Bells as my next A race and I plan on running two 1M TTs as part of training.

Tip back from the orchards through the warm sunny evening, back to town and back to hotel. Flying to Milan office tomorrow.

Friday 21 September, Very Easy 4.03M @ 9:02

My slowest run in a long long time. Flew to Milan on Wednesday night. Staying in a hotel that was not really well located for running, combined with early morning starts to get to the office and with a worsening head cold that I brought from Germany, I resigned myself to maybe not getting any runs in. I packed for 3 runs, 2 out of 3 isn't terrible I guess. Arrived back into Dublin at 2:00am on Friday morning and had more meetings to lead during the day. Wrecked come Friday evening but I had to get out to shake the cobwebs off. A very very relaxed lap of the block, passing Friday night busy pubs. Legs feel ok, and more importantly the head cold seems to have largely passed. Not sure what to expect from Saturday's race.


WTD 10.26M MTD 92.87M YTD 1278.04

outforarun

Dublin Half Marathon 2018

The finer details of this race are fading from the memory. I'll try capture the main moments as I remember them.

Pre-Race
The week leading up to the half had been far from ideal. Long hours of fairly intense work, travel from Dublin to Milan through Stuttgart, a heavy head cold midweek. All these items were out of my control, but my diet wasn't great either and that was down to poor discipline. I didn't eat badly I just ate too much and always ate out. And I could have drunk less for sure. I didn't manage to get a run in in Milan so it was 3 straight days without running. I got out late the evening before the race for a 4 mile easy run but couldn't shake the feeling that this was too little too late.

I left the house a little after 9:00 on race day and trotted over to Chesterfield. I felt anything could happen and feared I might pay for the previous 5 days. I still carried confidence though from my run in Swords at the start of the month. The goal was a 1:24:XX, failing that a 1:25:XX and failing that a sub 1:26:13 for a PB. Anything less and I would be very disappointed.

I start up near the front in the first 200 or so runners. No nerves, just maybe a little apprehension of some pain to come.

K1 to K5 in 19:54.16 @ 3:59 min/km [6:24 min/mile]
No congestion worth mentioning. I find the opening kilometres easy and the effort levels bode well. The first three K are run a little too fast, 3:5X pace is showing all the while on the Garmin. The descent down the Upper Glen Road doesn't encourage me to apply any brakes. Legs are good and lungs are good. On K4 I'm running alongside some guy who has Bon Jovi 'Run to You' playing on his phone speaker. I'm hoping we're not both targeting the same time. The first 5K ends at the bottom of Military Road. I'm tracking my splits against a base pace of 4:02 [6:29], this would bring me home in 1:25:05. I want to try gradually open a healthy split against this base line. After the first 5K I calculate I'm already 18 seconds up. So far so good.

K6 to K10 in 20:18.75 @ 4:04 min/km [6:32 min/mile]
This next 5K runs from the bottom of Military Road, up Wellington, up Chesterfield and up to near the end of the North Road, a lot of up. It's easier here to drop off the pace. The field is thinning out. Effort levels are rising but still feel manageable. I just put the head down and focus on getting through this steady incline. Conditions are good and I don't take any water. I reckon I'm 12 seconds up overall at the end of this stretch, that's fine, there are quicker sections ahead.

K11 to K15 in 20:00.64 @ 4:00 min/km [6:28 min/mile]
This section goes from the end of North Road, up to Castleknock Gate then down a little of Chesterfield, up Whites Road, down Tower Road, in Knockmaroon Gate and up to the start of OS Road. I overtake a few runners along the path up to Castleknock Gate, didn't want to get stuck behind them. As I arrive back toward Mountjoy Roundabout I see the 1:30 balloons heading up the other side. All good. I hadn't done my homework though and didn't realise we were going up Whites Road. I never run up Whites Road. The effort levels increase fairly dramatically here. Feels like a race now. I see a 4:13 split for K13, my slowest of the morning so far. I stay calm and look forward to recovering down Tower Road. And on cue I log my fastest K of the morning immediately after Whites Road, a 3:54. Back into the park. Effort levels just about comfortably uncomfortable. Around 21 seconds up.


K16 to K20 in 20:20.22 @ 4:04 min/km [6:33 min/mile]
I remember the last time feeling confident and in control was near the top of OS Road. Then turning onto Chesterfield it suddenly felt a bit lonely and exposed on the wider road. I'd been swapping places for the last 10K or so with a Kilcoole AC runner, here he passed me and for the first time I felt I wouldn't be able to close the gap to him. I expected to recover on the downhill Chesterfield but the legs didn't seem to notice the decline and continued to tire. Mentally I had, in the space of around a minute, switched into count-down-the-miles mode. Down Acres where mercifully there is no wind to deal with. Kilcoole is widening the gap, unless he blows up on the imminent hills I won't be getting closer to him today. I try make the most of the final few 100ms of descent and then turn onto the Upper Glen Road and then the final climb of the morning. It doesn't feel as bad as I feared, but I still end up logging my slowest kilometre of the day on K20, a 4:19. I've stopped calculating my delta. Just try stay strong for the last K and a bit.

K21 to the Finish Line
The hill is behind me and I get a shout out from one runner as I overtake him; this gives me a boost. I don't check the Garmin until we get onto Furze Road, I'm fairly confident that a PB is in the bag, but I suspect a 1:24:XX is not going to happen. Once on Furze I glance at the watch and see a 1:23:XX showing. The finishing line is way up ahead and I know it's just too far. I should though have a 1:25:XX. I hold pace. The finishing line remains a long way away and the Garmin has switched to 1:24:XX. I keep holding pace. Pass the final bollards and see the watch switch to 1:25:XX.

A Blayney Rockets runner is up ahead of me. I put in a final sprint hoping no one calls out to him, and I sneak over the line ahead of him.

Post Race
I finished with a chip time of 1:25:23. Given the poor preparation during the week I'm happy with this. It's a 50 second PB. I finished P201 of 6672 finishers, so in the top 4% of the field. I really feel that if I can keep training well and keep mileage consistent that I will go sub 1:25 next time out. I meet AuldManKing afterward in very good form after taking it 'easy' and cruising home in a comfortable 1:24.

That'll do. It could have gone much worse today but instead I pick up my second PB of September, and my confidence remains undented.

Focus changes now. Jingle Bells is the next target race. I fear a PB there will be harder won than my new 10M and HM PBs.

outforarun

Sunday 23 September to Sunday 30 September

Post HM recovery week. I had at one point planned on travelling to Cork 8 days after the half in Dublin to try and go sub 100 in the Cork to Cobh 15 Miler. But in the end decided it was wiser to rest up instead.

Sunday 23 September MLR 12.20M @ 8:19
Legs feel fine the morning after the HM. Sun is out and I just head to the park for a make it up as I go along meander. Some off-road excursions up along the outer wall of Farmleigh. Also run in a new stretch of the park, cutting from Old Town Wood across to Furze Road. I take another run up Whites Road to relive some of yesterday's race. Sun is out and enjoy this one. Brings to a close a good week's running.

Tuesday 25 September Easy 4.01M @ 8:30
Start the week with my usual lunchtime 4 miler. Windy in the park. Legs feel fine. I pass 1300 miles for the year. I doubt I'll be hitting 2000 for the year, especially as I've opted not to obsess about it. Quality over quantity for the next while.

Wednesday 26 September Easy 6.56M @ 8:15
Enjoy not having to run a session this evening. Opt for an easy easterly Athlone lap. Gorgeous pink and red skyscape as I head up the R916 makes me wish I'd carried my phone with me. Low stress run and early to bed for a change for some much needed sleep.

Friday 28 September 4.17M @ 7:11
Headed out after work and before heading back to Dublin. Forgot to hit start on the Garmin so lost the first 5 minutes of this one. I really hate that. I head into Athlone and join the old rail-line near the station. Tip along here back to Garrycastle. I probably covered close to if not more than 5 miles on this one. Ran a bit faster than planned as I was tight for time. Happy to find hot water in the shower afterwards. Legs are feeling good.

Saturday 29 September 6.39M @ 8:12
More easy running. I head across to the park early for a Saturday. Surprised to see how many runners were already out there. It's frosty and there's a chill in the air. Keep it simple, in at Park Gate and run up as far as Mountjoy Roundabout, then back down Chesterfield and the Khyber. Headed to Howth for the late morning on a second blackberry forage of the month. Season's over though, not enough to bother cooking up some jam.

Sunday 30 September 10.08M @ 8:01 with 8M Trail
I end September with a second outing for the Dynafits. I insert insoles into them this morning. Don't notice any significant weight increase, they still feel snug and importantly, there is no hint of any blisters forming. A mile on the road to get to the car park at the base of the Khyber. The Dynafits are certainly not at home on tarmac and footpath. Happy to start onto the grass and trails. I repeat my 1.08M loop from last time out. This time I take manual lap splits. Again I enjoy the varying running surfaces. My lap takes in the hill up to the fort and one other lesser climb alongside the Khyber. There's something that feels very natural about running on this terrain and I find I just slip into almost a trance as I tip around roots, over grassy banks, up and down gentle dips under the trees. Very relaxing. I push the pace a little near the end to ensure lap 7, the final lap, is also the fastest. Then back onto the road and footpaths home. I need to plot out a longer trail lap. Enjoyed this a lot.

Back to work next week as the focus switches to 5K training. I won't be following a strict plan, instead I'll play it by ear, using the windows that are available to me during this slightly manic period at work. But at a high level I will aim to ensure that each week contains: a track session at 3K or faster pace, a tempo run or a trail hill session, and a medium or long run. Everything else will be easy.

outforarun

Monday 01 October to Sunday 07 October

First week of October and I need to start introducing some speedwork. Two months to the Jingle Bells.

Tuesday 02 October Easy 4.02M @ 8:29
A day packed with meetings, I have just one free slot from 11:45 to 12:45 and I use it to get this run done. A standard lunch-break 4 miler. Windy conditions.

Wednesday 02 October 5x800 @ 3K pace
My first track session with Jingle Bells in mind. I was a bit apprehensive ahead of this. I hadn't done any track work in a while. I had planned on targeting 5K pace and would have been happy with that. However as the session progressed I realised 5K pace was maybe too easy, I was naturally settling into 3K pace and the effort levels felt good. I took 2 mins between 800s.

Splits were:

2:50.92
2:52.92
2:57.04
2:55.55
2:55.42

That's an average 800 in 2:54.37 @ 3:38 [5:51] pace. Very encouraging, good to be hitting 3K pace with 2 months of training still to complete.

Friday 5 October Easy 8.75M @ 7:59
I'd taken Friday as a day-in-lieu for recent Sunday work travel. Into gear, dropped junior outforarun to school and headed out immediately on an anticlockwise lap of the Park. Hardly anyone around on this Friday morning. Deer crossing on Upper Glen Road. Legs are feeling good.

Saturday 6 October 8.27M @ 7:30 with 4.00M @ 6:16
Out just after 8:00am in Cork for this one. Warm-up over to the Monahan-Stadium-Marina-Centre Park loop. Looking forward to this. The tempo section starts too fast. I ease off, but a little too much and so I need to push again. I push until the 'too slow' alert has become a 'too fast' alert. Effort levels feel ok. I stay strong and I stay slightly ahead of target pace. The 4 miles cover around one and two thirds of a lap. I could have continued for a while longer, but opted not to risk overdoing it. The 4 miles tempo was completed in 25:06.

Sunday 7 October 13.13M @ 7:44
Out early on Sunday morning for a HM distance run. It's only just starting to get a little bright when I start off. I head back toward the site of Saturday's tempo run. Some other early morning runners are getting out of their cars along Victoria Road. Instead of going down Monahan Road I continue along the Blackrock Road. New territory for me along here. I arrive at Blackrock Castle after 4 miles. Pause a while to snap the sunrise over the estuary. It's only runners, cyclists and rowers that I encounter this morning. I head back toward town along the Marina then head out of town again, but now on the North Side of the Lee. I take the steep climb from the Silver Springs Hotel up to Mayfield and then head back to town via Montenotte.

Pleased with this and pleased with the week as a whole. The track session and the tempo run have told me I'm starting from a good place.

outforarun

Monday 08 October to Sunday 14 October

Tuesday 09 October Easy 4.03M @ 8:27
Another lunch-time run to start the week. Wore a running jacket but after two miles I was starting to toast, it's October! Legs were fine.

Wednesday 10 October 10x400 in 84s
I was looking forward to this week's track session. I rarely do 400s and on paper they always look more inviting than 800s. I'd allow myself a generous 200m of jog recovery between laps. A moderate wind was blowing with me for 100m and against me for 100m of each lap. The fit-for-life group is out this evening so as always I have plenty to chase down.

I was lapping in 87s last week for my 5x800 session so I reckoned 85s would be a fair target for 400m splits. The first few laps are run too fast. I try ease up a little but I know that I'm already trying to improve on 85s. Fumble the button on lap 7. Lap 8 I misjudge badly and come home too slow. Overall the average 400m is completed in 1:24:15 @ 3:30 [5:39] pace. I'm pleased with this, even if for sure each 200m recovery was taking a little longer than the previous as the session progressed. It's not easy to properly assess where I am speed wise from these Wednesday track sessions as I've usually been up since 6:00am, and this Tuesday night I only grabbed 4 hours of sleep.

Friday 12 October Steady 4.06M @ 7:08
Start the weekend with a Friday afternoon run. I head out as soon as I log off in Athlone. I travel along the old Dublin Road into town, then back the usual route along Retreat Road and Cartrontroy Road. Keep the pace fairly high (but feels absolutely comfortable). Hot shower in office afterward.

Saturday 13 October 10.01M @ 7:45 with 8M of Trail
This was fun. I looked out the window Saturday morning and see a steady rain falling from dark skies. Perfect, gives me an opportunity to try the Dynafits in the wet. I head over to the base of the Khyber, step off the asphalt and onto the grass and I start lapping my usual loop. It is very muddy in places, with plenty of puddles to traverse. I can feel spray and debris hitting the back of my legs. The Dynafits should come with mud-guards. After 3 or 4 laps I'm fairly caked in mud from the back of the knees downwards. All the while, across 8 miles or so of trail I feel sure footed and in no danger of slipping. On 2 or 3 occasions I can feel the start of a slip but in each case the shoes stop the slip immediately. A close encounter with 2 deer in one of the wooden copses. Not many runners out this morning, conditions are fairly wretched. Tip back home to an extra long shower. Some lower back ache later in the day, maybe on the downhill bits the shoes don't provide as much support as I'm used to?

Sunday 14 October 8.34M @ 8:08
I took the opportunity to lie-in and grab some extra hours sleep on Sunday morning, sacrificing some miles from Sunday's run. I think it was the right decision, I haven't been getting enough sleep over the last while. I head out under gorgeous late late Indian summer sunshine. Towpath to Chapelizod, an ascent up Knockmaroon, into Park via White's Road and a descent down Chesterfield and around the playing fields. Keep the effort levels easy the whole way round, could have continued running but I was on kitchen-duty today.

outforarun

Monday 15 October to Sunday 21 October

Tuesday 16 October Easy 5.09M @ 8:10
Up at 6:00am this morning to travel across to Athlone, my base for a week of work meetings. Glad when the evening arrives and I get out of the office and into my runners. An easy trot into town, pop down by the Shannon for a short while. Just gone sunset on a fresh and still evening. Head back along Retreat and Cartrontroy Road, legs are fine but I'm feeling tired and looking forward to an early night.

Tuesday 16 October 10x400 in 82s
I like to repeat the same session from one week to the next and chart short-term progress. I enjoyed last week's 400s and was back for more. Conditions were better this evening no wind worth mentioning. Significantly I got over 6 hours of good sleep Tuesday night and I reckon this made a difference. No fit-for-life this evening, instead there were some club runners tipping around. I wouldn't be dashing past too many people this evening. The set of 400s went better than 6 days previous; the effort felt the same (maybe even a little easier) but the splits were logging faster. I knew early on that I would record a better average split tonight. The final average split was 1:22.41 that's 3:26 [5:31] pace. The recovery 200s, like last week, took longer to cover as the session progressed, average recovery time of 73 seconds.
I was working on the last 3 laps but always in control. I enjoy this session and will look to fit one more in before race day.

Thursday 18 October Easy 7.20M @ 8:13
Broke the back of the working week today and was happy to get out for a relaxed lap around Athlone. Legs were tired and heavy tonight. Wore a jacket but it really wasn't needed.

Saturday 20 October 9.69M @ 7:14 with 5.00M @ 6:19
Another unseasonable beautiful morning. I was in the mood for a run, not so much in the mood for a tempo session. On my warm-up I pause to chat with one of the Donore guys. Says he's never seen be looking so fit, I'm easily flattered so was happy to hear this. I run the tempo miles clockwise around the Furze/OS/Chesterfield loop. 5 Miles is just shy of 3 full laps. Most of the time I'm travelling at 3:55 [6:19] pace. It feels about right, demanding but lungs are under control. The third lap is definitely harder than the first two but I hold pace. A headwind down Furze makes the ascent up OS Road welcome. I finish with an average pace of 3:55 [6:19]. Pleased with this. I feel my tempo pace is correctly in the range 3:55 to 3:59. Not a dawdle but also not too stressful. Cool-down back home clocking up nearly 10 miles for the morning.

Sunday 21 October 11.03M @ 7:18
Some rain falling when I step out for this Sunday morning MLR. I was slightly stuck for time so I needed to keep the pace up, or run less miles. Headed to Inchicore then followed the Ballyfermot Road onto the Kylemore Road and down to Chapelizod. Head up Knockmaroon and turn right at Myo's for a long descent all the way to Park Gate. Legs are feeling good and despite the effort feeling easy, I suspect (correctly) that I was logging some 6:XX miles.

I bring up 41 miles for the week. That'll do. Good 400 session and a good tempo keeps me on track for Jingle Bells. Awkward midweek work travel will probably hit mileage next week.

outforarun

Monday 22 October to Sunday 28 October

Tuesday 23 October Easy 4.01M @ 8:27
Left for the airport Tuesday afternoon, flying to Italy for work. I pack for one midweek run even though I know it is unlikely I'll manage to find a window in which to run it. Tuesday at lunchtime in Dublin I manage to get out for 4 easy and breezy miles. Usual route, up the Khyber and round the playing fields. Legs are fine.

Friday 26 October Easy 9.03M @ 8:01
As suspected I didn't manage to lace up while away with work. Arrived home in the early hours of Friday morning. Was happy to get out after work later in the day. I wrapped up well as the temperature had dropped significantly. After the summer we've had I'm not used to the cold anymore. I wore a headlight as well and headed for the Park. In at Park Gate and I ascend the length of Chesterfield, pausing to take a photo of an illuminated Phoenix. Out the Castleknock Gate, left at Myo's and descend to Chapelizod. Big full moon out tonight. Back to Islandbridge and home. Legs felt ok, no cobwebs after the runless midweek.

Saturday 27 October 9.70M @ 7:13 with 5.00M @ 6:18
A repeat of last weekend's tempo run, 5 mile around the Furze, OS, Chesterfield loop. I wasn't in the mood and told myself that heroics were unnecessary, I would be happy with the slow end of target tempo range, 3:55 to 3:59. I get stuck in and despite trying to take it easier than last week I find the Garmin is mostly settling between 3:54 and 3:55 pace. There is a headwind to deal with going along Furze, feels like a crosswind on OS, the only time I feel the wind is with me is along Chesterfield. As was the case last week, the first 3 miles of tempo are very manageable, the last 2 miles less so.

After back-to-back 5 mile tempos, my next tempo will move up to 6 mile or 10K.

Sunday 28 October MLR 13.32M @ 7:40
Marathon day and conditions appear ideal for anyone running. Little wind, fresh, crisp and sunny. I know my routes are limited today so I run loops of the Khyber (downhill), Military Road, S-Bends, Acres. Allows me catch glimpses of the marathon traffic up ahead on Chesterfield and down near Chapelizod Gate. I settle into a comfortable steady pace as the run progresses, happy just to bring up HM distance today. No ill-effects from yesterday's tempo session.

outforarun

Last Week

Tuesday 30 October Easy 4.03M @ 7:54
Took a week of parental leave and spent a rake of time with junior outforarun on her mid-term break. All Dublin running this week. 4 easy miles around the block to open proceedings. Legs feeling good and stride feels smooth.

Thursday 02 November MLR 10.06M @ 7.30M
Wrapped up well I head out Thursday evening for two laps of my doorstep 5 mile loop. Not hugely in the mood at the outset but I grow into this one. Lap 1 takes 39:12, on lap 2 I can feel the pace increasing, the legs feel happier running a little faster. Nice bounce off the Glycerines. Lap 2 logs at 36:09, so three minutes faster. The last 4 miles were all sub 7:15 and felt totally comfortable. No midweek speed session this week: I'm saving for a mile TT on Saturday.

Friday 02 November 5.04M @ 8:05
Back out for another lap of my 5 mile doorstep loop, this time under steady rainfall. Hood up for first mile and a bit before deciding I'm happier getting my hair wet. Daydream my way round on this one.

Saturday 03 November 1M TT in 5:43.38
Feeling a little uncommited to this TT as I head up the Khyber enroute to the Furze, OS, Chesterfield loop. Legs feeling heavy. This is the same TT that I ran twice back in January (5:51 and 5:48). The format is the same, 3×200m fast down Furze then 400m to gather myself before starting the TT near the start of OS Road.

Far too fast over the opening climb along OS. I see low 3:2X pace (5:2X min/mile) when I check the watch. This will burn you later, ease off. I'm already feeling some sting as I pass the duck pond. Thoughts of abandoning ship come to mind but I bat them aside. Turn around the bollards and dig in for the Chesterfield stretch. Pace has dropped to low 3:3X. I don't feel any zip in the legs, I don't feel like I'm moving fast, stride is laboured and I feel heavy. Lungs are working. Happy to turn at the next bollards and back onto Furze. Headwind against me, I'm flagging, the fast start is biting back now over the last 400 or so. Push once the Garmin starts beeping. Happy that the mile is over. As per tradition I don't check my split until I get home. A new PB for this mile route of 5:43.38. That's 5 seconds faster than last time out. But I feel I should be going faster. I'll try again next Saturday, if the legs find some zip and if I pace better then a 5:3X could be possible.

Sunday 04 November 20.07M @ 7:26
During the week the thought of running 20 on Sunday took hold. I got out shortly after 8 to hook up with overpronator and some of the Donore runners. Opening miles sped by as they always do when chatting. Rarely checking the Garmin but legs feel comfortable and everything is conversational. I bid goodbye to my company after around 14 miles and continue alone. I don't feel like I upped the pace but maybe now that I wasn't talking I was moving a little faster for the same effort. I headed for the canal by Suir Road and ran townwards to Ranelagh, looped around to Rathmines, back onto the canal and back home via Rialto.

The last 5 miles I could feel fatigue creeping into the legs and I could tell energy was starting to flag (I had skipped breakfast). I wasn't entirely certain that I was still travelling at 7:XX, it felt like I could have drifted back to 8:XX miles. So I very surprised to see afterwards that mile 20 logged at 6:59. A solid run, only my second 20 miler of the year.

AuldManKing

The route is easier the other way - you've the downhill on the OS and a tailwind on the Furze. - I know it would make comparisons harder, but its a 'better' route for a solo TT IMO.

outforarun

AuldManKing wrote: »

The route is easier the other way - you've the downhill on the OS and a tailwind on the Furze. - I know it would make comparisons harder, but its a 'better' route for a solo TT IMO.

Finishing on a downhill OS would be welcome for sure. I'm too committed to this route now though. It's a metric to measure progress more than an ideal 1 Mile TT route. I've made my bed.

outforarun

This Week

I was on single-dad duty for most of this week and so logged low mileage.

Tuesday 06 November Easy 4.50M @ 8:16
Lunchtime run. Headed out on my usual lunchtime route. Noticed the deer were quite busy in the copses around the bottom of the Khyber. When I start down Acres I see signs in place, it's that time of year, 'Danger, Deer Cull in Progress'. I need to divert down to the Chapelizod Gate and head home from there. Need to pick up the pace a little or I'll be late for a meeting. Half a mile more than planned. Legs feel recovered after Sunday's long one.

Friday 09 November Easy 5.03M @ 8.11M
Home from a day-trip to Athlone and immediately throw on the runners before I get lazy. I need to get a few miles in just to wake up the legs ahead of Saturday's planned 1 Mile TT. I lap of my doorstep 5 mile loop. Some large puddles to navigate along the way, weather must have been nasty earlier.
Legs seem ok despite not having run since Tuesday.

Saturday 10 November 1M TT in 5:38.99
Just like last week I found it a little difficult to muster enthusiasm for this one. I think I'm just not up for any suffering first thing on a Saturday morning. Wet conditions. I follow my usual warm-up routine: up the Khyber, up Chesterfield and onto Furze, 3x200m strides, a 400m jog, Garmin sounds and I'm off.

The OS Road stretch. I glance at the Garmin after around 300m and it shows 3:22 min/km pace [5:25 min/mile]. I still feel this is too fast and ease up a fraction. I decide though not to check the Garmin anymore and will run the rest of the TT on feel. Like last week I start to feel uncomfortable from near the duckpond. Reach the bollards and swing right.

The Chesterfield stretch. Legs feel a little zippier than last week and I don't feel so sluggish. Not looking at the watch has me overthinking my pace, the effort feels about right but maybe I need to push more, or maybe the effort is right and I'm traveling faster than usual so just hold steady. I try stay honest. At the end of the stretch a van has parked just ahead of the bollards, it means I need to turn the right taking a smoother turn, I reckon this helps me.

The Furze stetch. No headwind this morning. I focus on the next set of bollards up in the distance, the mile will end around 50m before I reach them. Stride feels good. I push a little and wait wait wait for the Garmin to sound. It does, and I drop to a jog and spend the rest of Furze catching my breath. Not having checked the Garmin throughout I'm really at a loss as to what time I've logged. I think it could be 2 seconds faster or slower than last week. When I get home and check I'm surprised and happy to see 5:38.99. If it had been a 5:50 I would have been disappointed but would have accepted it. I clearly find it difficult to gauge my pace over a mile.

Clear progress this year on this route, a 5:51, a 5:48, a 5:43 and now a 5:38. Race environment I'd have to target a 5:2X. Today I travelled 1.6K at 3:30 pace, should make 5K PB pace feel easier in three weeks time, that's the plan anyway.

Sunday 11 November 10.02M @ 7:53
Finally after several weeks of playing catch-up, I'm back up to date here. I'll return to a post-per-run from here on. Had guests around Saturday evening, food and wine (not too much of the latter), and I stayed in bed until 8:30. Monster wash-up from the night before. Gorgeous out there but I'd need to be back in the kitchen again to cook lunch so had limited time to run. Opted for a relaxed 10 miler. A pleasure to head out in beautiful conditions. Ran over to California Hills Park and turned back toward Chapelizod. Up Knockmaroon and into the park. Through the Furry Glen. The 5K Remembrance Run will be shortly underway. I run up around the 1K marker in case I get to see the lead runners coming by. I'm too early, I need to navigate the pre-race crowds as I head down Chesterfield. Head down a slightly breezy Acres before turning for the S-Bends. Out at Islandbridge Gate and home. Relaxed easy run to bring this low mileage week to a close.

Oh and this week I remembered to register for Jingle Bells. I also registered for DCM19, didn't want a repeat of missing out due to leaving it too late.

outforarun

Easy 6+ Miles

Three weeks to Jingle Bells. On the menu for sure are another 10x400m session, a 10K Tempo and a warm-up Parkrun plus one another shorter and not overly demanding speed session.

My 5K PB is 18:35. It's stood for 2 years now and I'd be thrilled to log any PB against this. I think the trial Parkrun will give me an idea about what time I should be targeting.

Based in Athlone most of this week. Headed out Monday evening for an easy 6 miles. Wore two layers and gloves but it still felt cold and uninviting outside, a chill wet wind. Once I had 2 miles completed I started to warm up. The legs felt good tonight with an easy and fluid footfall. Each mile logged a little faster than the previous.

M01 8:52
M02 8:01
M03 7:38
M04 7:37
M05 7:27
M06 7:16

Total 6.76M @ 7:43

WTD 6.77M MTD 77.02M YTD 1570.97

outforarun

10x400m in 83s

My first track session in a while. Over to AIT. Once again the coach of the Fit-4-Life group sees I'm running a session and so instructs his runners to stay out of lane 1. Thank you.

The wind defined this session. A strong to very strong headwind was blowing down the home straight. This played havoc with my lungs. I had to lean in and effort levels are very high. I'm running 200m recovery but I never manage to properly catch my breath between 400s.

The laps starting on the home straight follow a pattern where; I run out of the wind on the first bend, I try to stay tall and hold good form as the tailwind assists me along the back straight, then I turn into the wind and back onto the home straight. Push and feel my form dis-improving with each stride.

The laps starting on the back straight allow me tackle the headwind when I'm still 'fresh'. Once I turn out of the wind my legs quickly grow tired and I don't feel I take full advantage of the tailwind over the closing 100m

I'm not sure which lap-type I prefer the least.

The headwind feels more and more difficult with each lap and this set of 10x400 is tricky to get through. Five of the first 6 intervals were run in a 1:22.XX. But then I tired noticeably on intervals 7, 8 and 9. I rallied with a 1:23 for the final 400. Glad to finish this. I had to work hard for these. At the end I get a 'You're flying tonight" from a runner practicing her sprints.

The effort levels were higher than last time out and the average split was in the 1:23s rather than the 1:22s. I did take fractionally less recovery time (average 71 seconds) than last time (average 73 seconds). For sure the wind was the culprit tonight.

Splits were:

1:22.46
1:22.94
1:22.06
1:22.73
1:23.01
1:22.39
1:23.85
1:24.49
1:25.70
1:23.80

Average 400m in 1:23.34, that's 3:28 min/km or 5:35 min/mile

Total 7.35M @ 7:32

WTD 14.12M MTD 84.37M YTD 1578.32

outforarun

Easy 4 Miles

Short run last night. Old Dublin Road towards town and then back along Retreat Road and Cartrontroy Road. Legs were definitely still feeling the effort from the track session of 24 hours earlier. Hope they feel better come Saturday where I’ve a 10K Tempo penciled in.

M01 9:00
M02 8:16
M03 8:14
M04 8:21

Total 4.16M @ 8:29

WTD 18.28M MTD 88.53M YTD 1582.48M

outforarun

10K Tempo in 39:31

Second test of the week. It's surprisingly mild outside, I wore two layers but one was plenty. Tip over to the playing fields. I'd run this as clockwise laps on the path around the pitches. Should come to just shy of 4 full laps.

Running a 10K tempo represents a step up from my most recent 5 mile tempos, so I'm happy just to focus on staying inside tempo pace range (3:55 [6:18] to 3:59 [6:25]), I don't need to be targeting the fast end of this range.

The wind is generally blowing from the fort towards Acres. I get underway. I realise after a short while that I'd forgotten to switch the Garmin to metric, and forgotten to switch off 1 mile auto-lap. I wasn't going to stop to adjust the settings so I had to live with it. Pace alerts were based on each mile not on the full distance, so the Garmin was beeping quite a bit.

First lap was fine. Second lap mostly fine, but I was a little worried about the prospect of another 2 laps still to go. On the drag up Acres it felt the wind was against me. The long straight stretch from the fort to Acres was were I could recover. Once I got the third lap over with I felt better mentally and just tried to enjoy the final lap.

Overall the 10K tempo played out very like the 5M tempos: the first 75% was comfortably uncomfortable, the final 25% was less comfortably uncomfortable. However I reckon if I had to, I could have continued for another 10 minutes, it wouldn't have been pleasant but I do think I could have done it. That would mean managing close to 50 minutes at tempo. Not too bad a place to be.

My next few tempos will be repeat sessions and I'd expect the pace to increase fractionally.

The 10K was completed in 39:31, that's 3:57 min/km [6:21 min/mile]

WTD 26.93M MTD 98.18M YTD 1591.13M

(there's a discrepancy between Garmin Connect and Strava regarding my miles YTD, need to figure out which is correct)

outforarun

MLR 14 Miles

Up at 7:40 on a crisp bright Sunday morning. Meet up with overpronator and co. for the Donore Sunday morning run. Numbers aren't very high. I think we were a group of 8 for a very short while, mostly it was just 6 runners, and the last few miles it was a group of 3.

Lots of running talk, and lots of it focused on the Jungle Bells. I'm looking forward to it, though I know I'll be nervous on the morning. Still unsure of my strategy, but without quoting paces I reckon I want to run Chesterfield conservatively, hope to feel strong down OS Road and see the pace increase naturally, and then kick for the last K.

Legs felt good Sunday. Some healthy enough splits were creeping in as the run progressed and all the time it was perfectly conversational.

M01 9:10
M02 7:55
M03 8:07
M04 7:44
M05 7:24
M06 7:29
M07 7:18
M08 7:06
M09 7:28
M10 7:05
M11 7:14
M12 7:06
M13 7:28
M14 7:33

Total 14.33M @ 7:34

WTD 41.26M MTD 112.51M YTD TBC

outforarun

Ok two weeks to go. I plan on a 'moderate' speed session on the track on Wednesday, maybe 5x600m, then a Parkrun on Saturday. Next week the same, a moderate mid-week track session and then race day Saturday.

I noticed last week that my weight has been creeping up. It's still under 70 kilo, but I'm as heavy now as I've been since the dental extractions during the summer. I want to try get down to 67.XX kilo ahead of race day, currently I'm 69:XX. With that in mind I'm going to track my food on here over the next two weeks, it should help keep me honest (unless stated otherwise, everything is homemade).

Monday 19 November

• Breakfast - 2 boiled eggs
• Lunch - veg soup (sweet potato, bell pepper, onion and ginger), wholemeal bagel.
• Dinner - veg risotto (mushroom, courgette, pea, ginger and some parmesan)
• Snacks - 4 oat crackers with non-homemade rhubarb relish, handful of mixed nuts.
• Alcohol - none

need to also watch sleep so less of these early morning entries!

outforarun

No running today just logging diet. Not super healthy, too much processed stuff.

Track session tomorrow, hope the weather will have improved.

Tuesday 20 November

• Breakfast - Meusli with cashew milk
• Lunch - creamy mushroom soup from Centra deli, no bread
• Dinner - frozen vegan pizza from Supervalu, added some cherry tomatos and mushrooms
• Snacks - cereal bar, 4 oat crackers with honey, cashew nuts.
• Alcohol - none