The Rocky Road to Dublin

pistol_75

Plan this evening was 8 miles with 4 @ half mara pace. Decided to try it and see how I felt without looking too hard at splits or times.

Ran 2 miles to warm up in 8:47 & 9:03 (first mile from my house is mostly downhill so was taking it easy).

Decided then to up it when I could for the next 4 miles. Started with a big hill and felt tired towards the end but did the 4 miles in 8:51, 8:22, 8:31, 8:29.

Not wonderful in terms of splits but happy enough after the race last night.

Warm down of 1.84 miles in 9:22, 9:18 pace.

Total 7.84 miles in 1:09:12
Avg Pace 8:50
Avg HR 139

pistol_75

Bad Weekend all round here :mad:

Was meant to do my long run on Sunday morning but got arm twisted to go out and watch golf on Sat night. No runs the weekend.

Back to it this evening. Trying to decide whether to do LSR from yesterday (14 miles) or just forget about it and start into this weeks plan (8 miles w/ 10x100m strides)

pistol_75

Back in the saddle this evening. Went with the 8 mile option with strides.

2.23 mile warm up @ 9:30 pace.

10x100m strides with 1 minute jog between. Splits of:

22
22
22
21
22
21
24
22
22
21

4.25 miles to warm down @ 9:02 pace.

Total 8.02 miles in 1:11:57
Avg Pace 8:58
Avg HR 136

pistol_75

5 mile recovery run

5 miles in 47:04

Avg Pace 9:24
Avg HR 133

Eventful enough run for a recovery run. Had to stop for a minute in the rain to sort out my garmin and then put in an unexpected bit of speedwork in the last mile to avoid a seagull that swooped down at me 3 times :eek:

Scared the bejaysus out of me.

pistol_75

10 mile general aerobic run

10.04 miles in 1:26:44

Avg Pace: 8:38
Avg HR: 142

Did a 5 mile out and back loop. Kept pace fairly consistent throughout and felt ok. Of course when I turned back into the wind after 5 miles the rain decided to play its part as well. Caught in a downpour which added to the excitement.

Rest day today. yippee.

jcsmum

pistol_75 wrote: »

10 mile general aerobic run

10.04 miles in 1:26:44

Avg Pace: 8:38
Avg HR: 142

Did a 5 mile out and back loop. Kept pace fairly consistent throughout and felt ok. Of course when I turned back into the wind after 5 miles the rain decided to play its part as well. Caught in a downpour which added to the excitement.

Rest day today. yippee.

Very nice pace there! Impressive!

pistol_75

jcsmum wrote: »

Very nice pace there! Impressive!

Thanks a million. It's not easy as you know. When are you kicking off Dublin training?

Good luck for Saturday as well.

jcsmum

pistol_75 wrote: »

Thanks a million. It's not easy as you know. When are you kicking off Dublin training?

Good luck for Saturday as well.

My training for Dublin will be sketchy, so I'm not sure I'll be able to follow a definite plan as such. It will be a case of run when I can. It won't be as intensive as what I did for Cork Newry, but then again maybe that's no bad thing.
I'm looking forward to Saturday, there's a little bit of pressure on me (put on by myself) for the sub 50, but it is an enjoyable race.

pistol_75

jcsmum wrote: »

My training for Dublin will be sketchy, so I'm not sure I'll be able to follow a definite plan as such. It will be a case of run when I can. It won't be as intensive as what I did for Cork Newry, but then again maybe that's no bad thing.
I'm looking forward to Saturday, there's a little bit of pressure on me (put on by myself) for the sub 50, but it is an enjoyable race.

You'll have a great base from all the training you have done before now. I put pressure on myself for GIR and didn't work out great. Did another 10K a few weeks later hoping to break 50. Set out at 5 min pace per K and tried to keep to that for first 5K. Body seemed to adjust to that pace after a couple of K and was able to pick up a little bit later on. Finished in 48:xx

Problem I find is when I go out too quick and slow down completly. You will know during the race if you start at your target pace how you feel and can decide to push on or just enjoy the race from there.

For what it's worth I think you can/will do it.

pistol_75

Why oh why do I do this to myself.

Knew I couldn't get my long run in on Saturday but missed it on Sunday as well. Decided to do it last night instead.

Plan was for 15 miles and wanted to try and re-aquaint myself with carrying a water belt. Headed to somewhere I knew I could do a few laps of around 2.5 miles each to see how it went.

Boy do I hate laps and wearing a water belt. All I could hear was sloshing around and this thing pulling me back. Did a couple of laps and then headed out of the park and up the coast. Although running at the right pace this run never felt easy which is crazy. It was warm but not that warm. I took a couple of gels but they didn't really help. I think I was just suffering after the weekend and was generally annoyed with myself that it didn't help.

Called it a day after 11.3 miles. Felt like throwing the water belt in the bin at that stage. Will not be wearing one again. Everytime I do I go through the horrors on the run.

11.3 miles in 1:47:41

Avg Pace 9:32
Avg HR 136

Will be a bit off plan this week due to end of quarter commitments in work meaning working till midnight tomorrow night and on call Thursday night. But will work around it best I can.

pistol_75

Tuesday 28th

Recovery Run 4.85 miles in 46:45:51

Avg Pace 9:39
Avg HR 136

Recovery run after LSR yesterday. Legs felt quite tired and although time was fine for a recovery run just felt it a bit of a struggle

Wednesday 29th

7.24 miles in 1:06:27

Avg Pace 9:10
Avg HR 139

In work until midnight tonight so got up this morning to get a run in. Not used to running in the morning and only 10 hours since previous run did not help but did not enjoy this one bit. Tried to push it a bit for the second half of the run but legs just felt dead and empty.

Rest day tomorrow and try and recuperate for LSR on Saturday morning.

pistol_75

Today is normally a rest day but plan was all over the place this week due to work etc. Did nothing yesterday so headed out this morning just for a run before work.

4.96 miles in 44:19

Avg Pace 8:56
Avg HR 139

After feeling wrecked earlier in the week I just went out and ran and took no notice of splits or pace I was going and at the same time was holding back as have 16 miles to do tomorrow.

Enjoyed the run and got rid of some of the demons from earlier in the week.

pistol_75

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/96278021

16 mile LSR this morning with Menoscemo, Average runner, Nules and Mr Slow.

Great to get a group run in. Definitly helps me on the mental side. Plan was to run last 6 miles @ PMP but would have been happy just to get the miles in.

Nules finished her 10 miles with a run up the kyber and the others decided to do the last 6 miles around 9 minute pace. I just nodded and hoped for the best.

Started to lose a bit of ground on the other 3 with about 2 miles to go. Not sure if they upped the pace or I slowed down. Mile 15 was 8:52 for me so maybe they upped the pace.

Mr Slow held back slightly with about a mile to go and hauled me back up to the lads. Finished last mile in 8:28 which pleased me when I checked it.

Thanks guys for the run today. Can't believe 2 of you are doing a 1/2 tomorrow. Good Luck.

pistol_75

Monday

Recovery run: 4.36 miles @9:36 avg pace.

Legs felt good after Saturdays long run but were then quite tired when I started to run. I guess thats what the recovery is all about though.

Plan for this week:

Tuesday: 8 miles general aerobic w/ 10x100m strides
Wednesday: 5 mile recovery
Thursday: 8 miles general aerobic
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 12 miles medium long run
Sunday: 4 mile recovery

For the run this evening should I be aiming to run at the same pace as Thursday with the exception of the strides portion?

average_runner

Yeah thats the idea, but let your body decide for you. If too tired dont push it and it feeling good go with it.


Wont make Sat as planning on going home and have to do PMP this time around for ten miles!!

Be there the weekend after the 5 miler

belcarra

I brought that session forward to last night and did exactly as you are planning. Just make sure you fully get your breath back before you go again on the strides. The first couple were tough but then I got into the zone and the rest weren't quite as bad.
I believe it's more about the form than the speed (But obviously don't jog it!).

pistol_75

Tuesday

General Aerobic 8 miles with 10x100m strides.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/97184630

7.95 miles in 1:12:53

Avg Pace 9:10
Avg HR 135

Found the going tough enough on this run. Legs felt quite heavy and was running into a stiff breeze for the first 4 miles. Rather than doing the strides all together with rest between I tried to do them just every few minutes along the route.

Probably started off too quickly for this type of run and found parts of it a bit of a struggle. Still it's all a learning experience I suppose.

pistol_75

Wednesday

Recovery Run

5.18 miles in 47:23

Avg Pace 9:06
Avg HR 135

Was waiting for the rain to stop last night so reviewed pointers from the chi running course I did last January. The times I had been running recently had been too much of an effort so I knew something wasn't right.

Picked up a couple of pointers to remind me of my technique and headed out for this recovery run concentrating on those.

Garmin was all over the place for the first mile or so showing me running through houses and HR reaching 170 which was no way correct. Mapped the route correctly when I uploaded it to get the correct distance which also adjusted my average pace down to 9:06.

I know this is quicker than the plan recommends but I was holding back a lot all of the time and just strolling along and never out of breath.

Doing my 8 mile GA with someone from work this evening who is training for gael force and wants to increase their distances.

Will be taking it fairly handy this evening as well.

pistol_75

Thursday

8 mile general aerobic

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/97607288

8 miles in 1:14:36

Average Pace 9:19
Average HR 132

Ran this with a friend from work. Nice run. Legs felt a bit tired at start as was 4th day in a row. Didn't put much pass on pace but happy enough.

pistol_75

Saturday

Met up in the park with Menoscemo, Jcsmum, Average Runner, Mr Slow & Vagga.

13.7 miles in 2:07:17

Avg Pace 9:17
Avg HR 141

First 5 miles with Meno, Jcsmum & Average runner around the 5 mile route. Picked up Mr Slow & Vagga then and Average runner headed off to do his PMP miles.

Did another 2 with Meno & Mr Slow and they headed off to do some lung busting miles.

We continued on our way for another 7 odd and went fine apart from a tackle from behind from Vagga. Managed to stay on my feet but I think if it was in the penalty box I would have went down and claimed the penalty.

Was nearly losing the will to live coming back up the north road for the 3rd time but we all finished off strong.

Vagga headed off home while the rest of us recovered with a 99.

menoscemo

pistol_75 wrote: »

Vagga headed off home while the rest of us recovered with a 99.

Ah Man, you were supposed to keep that bit a secret. Remember, we two are still supposed to be on the weight loss challenge. At least you didn't mention the Jelly beans :pac: (woops).

pistol_75

menoscemo wrote: »

Ah Man, you were supposed to keep that bit a secret. Remember, we two are still supposed to be on the weight loss challenge. At least you didn't mention the Jelly beans :pac: (woops).

I can blame you and the 99's and not all the pints I'm going to have tonight.

I thought they were a recovery food anyway? That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

pistol_75

Tuesday

8 mile General Aerobic

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/98756053

8 miles in 1:14:49

Avg Pace: 9:21*
Avg HR: 135

Which pace do most people refer to from Garmin? Average Pace or Average Moving Pace?

Normal enough run. Again seem to find more effort required for the runs earlier in the week but no major problems. Did a few strides after about 2 miles.

Light enough for the rest of the week with focus on 5 miler on Saturday and hoping to get in 18 miles LSR on Sunday.

belcarra

I go for the Average Pace - AMP doesn't make sense to me 'cos It's been different to AP on runs where I haven't stopped so I don't trust it!

Nules10

what time you aiming for on Saturday? l

pistol_75

Nules10 wrote: »

what time you aiming for on Saturday? l

Hoping for Sub 40.

pistol_75

Currently testing the theory that I run a race better when I have not run for a few days beforehand.

Will see how that bears out tomorrow

slowsteady

pistol_75 wrote: »

Currently testing the theory that I run a race better when I have not run for a few days beforehand.

Will see how that bears out tomorrow

Positive thinking, you have been going well in training so sub-40 should be well possible.

Good luck tomorrow

pistol_75

slowsteady wrote: »

Positive thinking, you have been going well in training so sub-40 should be well possible.

Good luck tomorrow

Will give it a go anyway. Not a goal race but will be good to see if I have any improvement in the legs.

pistol_75

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/100118892

Got to the park nice and early and waited for the showers to pass before doing a bit of a warm up. Saw Nules making her way to the start line as well.

Made my way to the start of wave 2 and had a chat with Meno and Ray while we waited to start. With all my recent runs being with marathon training in mind and bearing in mind the finish I was setting my aim at sub 40 for this race.

Got a grand run at it from the start probably only as far as the turn for north road. From there until the end the zig zagging started to get through and around people.

Legs felt ok after a couple of days rest and was finding it ok keeping around 7:30 pace. Went through the first mile in 7:30 and the second mile in 7:33. Mile 3 was the quickest for everyone and I covered it in 7:19.

For the first 3 miles I was aware of what was to come towards the end so was wary of not blowing up too early. Mile 4 which included the S bends was 7:35. Felt legs a bit on these rises but was comforting to know I didn't slow down too much. Got stuck behind a group 5 wide going down military hill so definitly lost a bit of time here. Then the famous Kyber. Tried to keep pace up as best I could and was still passing loads of people.

Was starting to flag when I spotted jcsmum & shazkea and they gave me a good boost. Seemed to get a second wind and got to the finish in chip time of 37:45 with last mile in 7:44.

Thrilled with the time a PB of approx 6 minutes on last year.

Hard to know if I would have gone much quicker with less congestion or starting further forward. There is a definite feel good factor from passing people constantly throughout the race.