Ronnie Runs Riot

ronnie085

Mon: 8.1 miles incl 6 x 800m intervals

Another miserable day and i struggled a bit to get out the door. 1 mile jog to the track as a w/u then straight into the intervals before I changed my mind. At 400m during the first one I knew I was going to be a tough day, the legs didn't want to know, day after rest day syndrome maybe. Done these a little different to how I used to, used to use the Garmin interval funtion for distance and everything, used the track to measure them now so times slightly longer, measured the intervals .01 longer. Every interval seemed to be the same, first 400 comfortable, then grit the teeth for the second 400 and last 100 eyeballs out :eek:. Maybe done a little fast, seem to be struggling with the high intensity work at the moment. 2 mile jog home to cool down.
Splits: 2:53,2:54,2:55,2:57,2:59,2:59.

Tue: am 3.89 miles recovery
pm 6.14 miles recovery.

Hamstrings very tight today on both runs. Eased out after a mile or 2 but could feel the tightness most of the way around. Plenty of stretches done so hopefully that solves the problem.

Today: 15.1 miles long @ 7:36 m/m

Still a little stiff starting off today, first mile very slow compared to the rest, 8:14 with the rest of the run within 10 sec either side of 7:30 every mile. The further into this the better I felt and the sun even came out to greet me. Finished up strong but not much left in the tank, 2 long runs and a speed session a little to much for 5 days. Now back to stretching those hammys to free them up.

ronnie085

Today: am 3.89 miles recovery

Lunch time run around citywest, legs feeling better today, a slight tightness in my left hamstring but nothing to worry about. Must have being a couple of months neglecting stretching that caused the trouble.

PM: 8.79 miles easy @ 8:10m/m

Windy run around the Curragh. Kept the pace at the lower end of 'easy pace' and just enjoyed the run. Hopefully I'll be back to 100% tomorrow for a tempo run, will play it by ear. Its being a good week so far

ronnie085

Ok, few confessions to make, weekend was a bit of a disaster. Tempo run on Friday not done, talked myself out of it for a number of reasons, rain, going away, tired after work, hungry, most of all lazy. Then I didn't get my planned run in over the weekend, lazy again . Back on the horse on monday.

Mon: 8.6 miles easy @ 8:19m/m

Horrible horrible run. Calfs seemed to seize up and had no power in my legs, after about 4 miles my right foot went numb, so much for being fresher after a few days off. At the end of this was swearing to myself I was never going to run again or else not take as many days off in a row ( more realistic )

Tue: 7.8 miles incl 10 x 400m intervals

How do you follow a relly bad day, a tough speed session obviously......
Jogged to the track, still a few cobwebs in the legs but nowhere near as bad as yesterday. Once I got there I did a plenty of stretches to try loosen up the legs, couple more laps and then the tester, first interval, felt ok, not flying but felt worse. Got stronger with each one, with a slight drop off for the 8th then finished strong with the 9th and 10th. Feeling alot better about myself after that.
Splits: 81,80,81,82,82,83,82,84,82,82.
Got out for a slow hour spin on my new bike later on , god bless bike to work.

Today: 6.2 miles recovery

Nice slow recovery run. Left hamstring seems to have tightened up again although felt better as I went. Loads of stretching after. Looks liked its time to bite the bullet and pay the physio a visit.

Remainder of week:

Tonight: 4 miles recovery
Thurs: 9 miles incl 5 @ tempo (~6:30, slowing down)
Fri: 8 miles easy
Sat: 15 miles long
Sun: Rest or cycle or swim depending on level of hangover :pac:

ronnie085

Tonight: 4.59 miles recovery

Dinner time run around citywest, running freely again, looks like this mornings run and streches freed everything up. Will find out in the morning

ronnie085

Today: 8.57 miles incl 5 @ tempo

Decided to slow my tempo pace down from the last one I did from 6:20 to 6:30 pace as 6:20 was a little to much of a struggle. 2 mile warm up, with my legs feeling ok, still a slight niggle in my hamstring but all but gone after the w/u. First mile of the tempo was a little bit tougher than I expected but when I got into the rhythm I felt good. My pace picked up naturally as I went along without pushing, then finished with a flurry in the last mile. Good session, will increase to 6:25 tempo pace the next time out.
Splits: 6:29,6:29,6:26,6:25,6:18 :cool:

ronnie085

Fri: 8.6 miles easy @ 7:56m/m

Little tired after the tempo yesterday so didn't push to hard.

PM: 4.56 miles @ recovery pace

Dinner time loosener, great evening for it and feeling good.

Sat: 15.6 miles long @ 7:17m/m

Flying today, the warmer weather seems to be suiting me. Pace felt comfortable and pushed on with a couple of faster miles towards the end. Going well the last few days.

Sun Easy 25 mile spin on the bike.

Mon: am- 4.57 miles easyish @ 7:16 m/m

A little tight for time on the lunch time run so pushed the pace a little but still inside easy run HR limits, just...

Pm - 6.17 miles @ recovery pace

Nothing to see here

Plan for week:
Tue: 5/6 miles recovery run
Wed: 5k race
Thurs: am 4 miles recovery
pm 6/8 miles easy depending on legs
Fri: Speed session (prob hill repeats, again depending on legs)
Sat: 13 miles long
Sun: Swim/cycle/rest we'll see

ronnie085

Hit or miss week, lot of things going on hence the lack of updates and worst week of running in ages. Back on track now hopefully.

Tue 5/7: Missed day

Wed:5k South O'Hanlon race (+3 miles w/u, c/d. 6 miles day total)
Cracking race, one of the best I've done, despite the weather and first non PB race. Uphill drag for nearly a mile slowed me down, sub 18 there sometime. 18:11 finishing time.

Thurs: am:4.6 miles @ recovery pace.
Legs good after the race, no ill effects.

pm: 8.6 miles easy @ 7:55 pace
Didn't push to hard, tired for the last mile or 2.

Fri: 12.0 miles incl hill repeats x 10

Good session.4 mile warm up jog to hill( used at the half way point in kildare marathon, toughie) reps of .17 mile done in 58,58,57,57,58,59,58,58,59,59. Not as bad as expected, last 2 tough. 4 mile wobble home

Weekend: Nothing :mad:

Mon: Same as:mad::mad::mad:

Tue: 6.1 miles v easy @ 8:15 m/m

Just getting the legs going again, little sluggish but not bad.

Wed: 7.5 miles incl 20 x 200m intervals

Decided to do these to try sharpen the legs back up for the race at the weekend. Ran at about 3k pace and they felt comfortable, hopefully they didn't take much out of me. Average spit was 40 sec, worst thing about these was counting to 20.

Ok should be back to normal, couple of easy runs before sat with few strides thrown in on friday. Oh and to update more regular, alot easier that way

ronnie085

Today: 6.15 miles @ recovery pace

Lovely day for a slow jog, just switched the head off and the miles just ticked away. Legs were fine after yesterdays session.

ronnie085

Fri: 3.4 miles recovery pace.

Just a nice easy run to keep the legs ticking over before the race tomorrow.

ronnie085

Slept it out this morning so was later than I would have liked arriving at the start line, so no real time for a warm up. Edged my way up to about 10 rows from the front of the first wave which worked out about right. The 'gun' gone and off I went,planning 6 min miles. After the first roundabout passed the people who had an 'optimistic' starting position and had a clear run for the rest of the race. I was finding it hard to get the rhythm of the race for the first couple of miles, blame the lack of warm up. Happy enough with the first mile split of 6:04. Second mile a faster 5:55, back on track and feeling comfortable. Third mile (5:46) mostly downhill and was holding myself back a little, looking back on it I could have pushed harder but had a fear of blowing up in the tougher last 2 miles.Settled down into a group of 4/5 at this stage and lost concentration for a few hundred metres till I checked my watch to see I slowed to 6:25:mad:. Pushed on and the group followed. 6:06 for the mile:mad::mad:. Final mile up the hill, while nobody passed me and I wasn't struggling but didn't push hard enough. Crossed the line with a 6:38 mile to give 30:12 for the race (105 place).
Happy with the time but seem to have a mental block since Edinburgh about going into the red, was holding myself back to much at times today and in last weeks in a 5k as well. Cost me a sub 30, may sort the head out

ronnie085

Sun: 6.01 miles easy @ 7:58 m/m

Really low milage week so got out for an easy run to try to put some respectability on the total, didn't work. 6 miles at a nice steady pace, no real ill effects from the race yesterday apart from a little stiffness, glad to get out. 34 miles for the week :rolleyes:.

Mon: Am: 3.94 miles @ recovery pace

Slow recovery run at lunch time in work, legs feeling good.

Pm: 8.75 miles easy @ 7:43 m/m

Worked late so decided to get out straight after instead of going home and getting lazy after the drive which was on the cards. Took a trip in around Corkagh Park where there was plenty of groups out, even got a glimpse of a real baseball match for the first time then back up around city west sussing out routes for the lunchtime runs. Legs felt good, enjoyable run.

Today: 8.5 miles incl 6 x 800 intervals

Ok, excuses first, grass was long and wet on the track, In reality felt tired today. Usual mile jog w/u to the track and then a few laps. First few intervals were ok, while I wasn't pushing to hard felt like there wasn't much more to give either. Then on the 4th or 5th one seemed to tweek my hip, groin area, probably stupidly carried on. Hopefully its nothing to bad, just felt a niggle while running but it got sore and stiffened up when I stopped. Anyway completed the 6 intervals I planned. I feel I shoud be going faster but the race on Saturday probably still in the legs. Another couple of miles cool down/ hop home to get 8.5 miles for the day.

Splits: 2:56, 2:57, 2:56, 2:57, 2:58, 2:58

Recovery run planned for tomorrow if the ice works :eek:

ronnie085

Today: am 3.88 miles @ recovery pace

Lunchtime run around Citywest. Took it nice and handy, just testing out the groin/ hip. Not to bad, a little stiff but eased out as I went.

Pm: 6.4 miles @ recovery pace

Another slow run, no problem at all with the hip, feel alot fresher after these two runs today. Going to chance 15 miles tomorrow to keep building the distance. Hopefully this week and next will be high milage, then going on a weeks holidays where running will probably be hit and miss, followed by starting my Dublin training plan :eek:

ronnie085

Today: 15.6 miles long @ 7:30 m/m

Day off work today so decided to make the most of it and get a long run in. Weather was near perfect for running, misty rain and a light wind. Still a bit worried about the hip/ groin before I started but after an initial amount of stiffness didn't feel anything there at all. The first three mile a little slower than normal but once I got into the run I felt good and strong. Was traveling at 7:2x m/ms and with heart rate nice and low, Think thats a good sign. Hit a little bad patch around 12/13 but kept the pace steady, lack of food this morning was to blame, stuffed my face when I got home. Finished with two 7:19 m/miles without pushing i,t so the legs were still good. Easy run tomorrow, then in two minds between a med/long run or tempo on sat. Will see how the hip holds up as the quicker stuff seems to cause the problem at the moment.

ronnie085

Fri: AM: 3.85 miles @ recovery pace

Felt good on this one and the pace seems to be picking up on my recovery runs again, wich I'll take as a good sign.

PM: 7.1 miles easy @ 7:58 m/m

Schoolboy stuff here. Had a big dinner just an hour before I went out, big mistake, took it fairly easy, was more worried about keeping the dinner down than paces, heart rates or anything else. Felt fairly tired in the last mile or so.Lession learned.

Sat: Decided to take a rest day, hip was niggling again. First in 12 days, not bad .

Today: 15.1 miles long @ 7:28m/m

Work up feeling fresh after a good nights sleep so decided on a longish one. I think the rest day did its job as I felt brand new from the off. Took a fairly hilly testing route so happy with the pace. The last mile was a little tough. Did This with no water or gels without any problems.

Very happy how this week went, a record for me 73 miles, including a speed session, something simular next week hopefully.

ronnie085

Mon: AM: 8.73 miles easy @ 7:58 m/m

Felt tired today, it took a while to get into a rhythm and the last mile or so seemed to struggle more than usual. The increase in milage over the last week must be catching up, or else its just a sluggish Monday morning.

PM: 3.89 miles recovery

An improvement since this morning, this run did its job, felt alot better after it.

Today: 11.35 miles easy @ 7:43m/m

Started off a little slow, around 7:5x for the first three miles with the legs feeling a little heavy, after warmiing up my pace picked up and felt stronger the further I went. Every mile was 7:3x from 3 to 11 and felt very comfortable. Enjoyed this one.

ronnie085

Wed: 6.2 miles recovery

Hot, uneventful, slightly sunburned.

Today: 17.0 miles long @ 7:43 m/m

Last big run before a weeks holidays and judging by today I need the break. Struggled to get out the door. When I did get going there was no pace in my legs at all, first 4 miles were a big struggle then I improved and felt more comfortable without the pace picking up. HR was low for the effort I was putting in, looks like I overcooked it over the last few weeks. Bit of a boost when I got back into the town when some kid shouted " daddy, daddy look how fast that man is running" needed that little boost for the last mile or 2 :P. Couple of easy runs then off on my hols . Will try to get few easy runs in and then start a program for Dublin the week I get back. Think I'm fairly were prepared for it, we'll see :eek:

ronnie085

Holidays over, real training for Dublin starts tomorrow. Just for housekeeping 3 runs int the last week, 6.2 miles, 5.7 miles and 6.2 miles, all easy. Run today cut short at only 3.5 miles, bad bout of cramp put paid to a planned 6 miler. Going to blame to much good living over the last week.
Ok so I'm going to give the P&D 70 to 85 mile 12 week plan a shot and see if the body holds up, if its to much I'll drop back to the 55 to 70 plan, sub 3 attempt number 2 is about to take off.....

ronnie085

Mon: 8.44 miles easy incl strides x 10 @ 7:42 m/m

After yesterdays misfiring restart it felt good to get a proper run in today. Legs felt good although there still is a niggle in my groin :mad:. The first few strides felt very awkward but stretched out the more I did, hopefully they cleared the cobwebs. 12 miles tomorrow.

ronnie085

Tue: 12.2 miles medium/long @ 7:40 m/m approx

Baterry died on the watch within a few minutes so I was running 'blind' on this one. Stuck to my normal 12 mile route and ran by feel. Pace ended up a little faster than I was aiming for bbut not by much so judged it fairly well surprisingly. Getting really lazy with the watch for following paces and HR so was a bit lost without it which is a bad thing I think. Felt better today and fresh enough when I finished so thats a good sign. Quick fiddle with the watch to get the last ounce of power and got the elapsed time and some maths then for the pace , then to google;).
6 mile recovery tomorrow.

ronnie085

Wed: 6.14 miles recovery

Its windy out there. Switched the brain off and just floated around, felt a little sluggish but improved as I went, finished before I knew it.

ronnie085

Thurs: 11.36 miles easy @ 7:49 m/m

Best day I had in a while. Legs felt fresh and the little niggles I've had for the last few weeks seem to be clearing, foam roller and stretches doing the job. Didn't push to hard as want to be fresh for an MP run on Sat, just enjoyed being out. Was lacking a bit of entusiasm for a few days but I can feel it starting to build again, looking forward to getting out again, things a good run can do

ronnie085

Real mixed bag for the last few days,hopefully not ending in disaster.

Fri: 6.2 miles @ recovery pace

Nothing special, a standard recovery run

Sat: 17 miles incl 8 @ MP

First tester of the program, decided to aim for 6:45/6:50 pace. 4 mile warm up at ~ 7:50 pace the hit the tempo. First mile a little tough but then got into the rhythm and the next 7 miles felt fairly comfortable. 5 miles cool down home, while I was tired was not completely wasted like the last time I did this session with the pace 15 seconds a mile faster, looking good...
Splits - 6:49,6:47,6:46,6:46,6:45,6:45,6:45,6:39.

Sun: A 10 mile double was planned, worst hangover EVER happened, no run, stupid premiership

Mon: 7.95 miles incl 4 @ HMP

2 mile warm up, felt good so into the tempo. Done a few tempo runs over the summer and really felt the benifit today, felt very comfortable and strong. Could have done another few miles at tempo pace if asked but no point in flogging myself. Was suppose to do 10 miles in total but got caught in some heavy rain and with the real work done already said I'll make up the milage easy enough during the week.
Splits - 6:25,6:28,6:23,6:19
Thats 2 good sessions and confidence was fairly high.

Tue: 1.2 miles @ 7:50, 1.2 miles @ 25:00 limp home

Planned 11 miles ( 1 extra to make up a little for yesterday). Started off feeling ok, a little tired but nothing unusual the ran down a short downhill, pain started from my hip, then down my quad, side of knee, then lower back got in on the act. For once I made a wise decision and stopped, not that I had much choice. Feeling sorry for myself at the moment, will take a couple of days off anyway and a visit to the physio and just hope it nothing serious.Normally recovery fairly quicky but never had anything that stopped me running. Things were going so well....sigh

ronnie085

Not looking good at the moment. Missed a weeks training, dose of dry needle treatment on 'piriformis muscle' seem to do the trick. Got out on Tuesday, yesterday feeling pretty good then broke down again today. Frustration isn't the word at the moment. Thinking of pulling out of Dublin attempt and allowing it to heal properly, with a week missed already and another few days at least looking likley time is getting away from me and rushing back is probably not the best idea. Concentrate on flexability and strenght for a while and then maybe give the waterford half in december a good lash..... just thinking out loud:mad:

RubyK

ronnie085 wrote: »

Not looking good at the moment. Missed a weeks training, dose of dry needle treatment on 'piriformis muscle'

For a small muscle, that piriformis is a b*tch of a yoke! Very frustrating for it to act up in the middle of training, but hopefully you'll get sorted and make it to the startline 100%.

Can I ask you if the dry needling on it was very sore? Does it take long? I'm having bother with both of mine at the moment, and fear think dry needling is the next step for me, so I am curious to know how you found it. Hope you don't mind me asking

ronnie085

RubyK wrote: »

For a small muscle, that piriformis is a b*tch of a yoke! Very frustrating for it to act up in the middle of training, but hopefully you'll get sorted and make it to the startline 100%.

Can I ask you if the dry needling on it was very sore? Does it take long? I'm having bother with both of mine at the moment, and fear think dry needling is the next step for me, so I am curious to know how you found it. Hope you don't mind me asking

Its not actually as painful as you'd think, scale of 1 to 10 would give it 6, mostly just a dull pain then rising to an 8 when a good spot is hit, only lasting few seconds. Felt tender the next day but the pain from the injury was almost gone and even now it nowhere as bad as it was, one more session should do me, plus no jumping straight into 14 mile runs, stupid me I know, should see me right. Takes about 30 mins or so. What I'm saying in a round about way is I would definitely recommend it, very quick results. Hope that helps, nothing to fear really

RubyK

Thanks for all the info ronnie! Hope you're well on the mend

ronnie085

Mon: 4 miles easy @ 7:53 m/m

Ok learned my lesson from last week and going to ease back into it this time. 4 miles done at a comfortable pace. I can stiill feel stiffness where the injury is so plenty of stretching done and just a swim and some strength work in the gym tomorrow, trying to keep patient....

ronnie085

Mon: 4 miles easy @ 7:58 m/m

Ok nothing done since last Monday. A very painful physio session last Tuesday knocked the stuffing out of me, was sore until Friday. Motavation very low over the weekend so decided not to do anything and try to focus on making a fresh start today. Most enjoyable run for a while, a little stiff but no reaction from the injury, first pain free run in nearly a month. Not going to do anything mad for a couple of weeks, just slowly ramp up the milage and take it from there. Fingers crossed thats the end of my ass problems

ronnie085

Tue: 6.2 miles easy @ 7:58 m/m

Done some strength work in the gym yesterday evening, as a result the legs felt a little stiff for the first mile. Loosened up as I went and ran at a comfortable pace. HR a little high for the pace I was running and feel like I've lost a fair bit of fitness. No reaction to the injury at all so fingers crossed its sorted. Good to be getting out again.

cwgatling

Glad you're on the mend Ronnie. 1 or 2 easy weeks and you'll be flying again.