2011: Father, husband, employee, runner; making it all work

W.B. Yeats

So life's most important events took over for the past few days.
My little family of 3 is now a family of 4. A beautiful baby girl was born to us on Friday night 8lbs and 15oz. A great girl. I'm so happy and amazingly not anywhere as stressed as first time round.
Naturally running took to the back seats for a few days while mum and baby were in hospital and I was on duty with the incumbent.
They came home yesterday so after having the first night of many of interrupted sleep I was really gunning to get out running today. Did a nice leisurely 4 miles in 35 min or so just to get the legs moving again and not to be away from home for long.
My sense is that goals will probably go on hold for the next few months and I'm hoping to enter a holding pattern where I maintain fitness close to current levels.
You never know though and no 2 may be the best baby in the world and I could be back out running interval sessions next week!

rainbow kirby

Congratulations on the new arrival!

RubyK

Congrats on your new little girl

jcsmum

Congratulations, great news!

Aimman

Congrats.

W.B. Yeats

Thanks for the good wishes folks!
Model baba wasn't so model last night so am now in the thick of sleep deprivation which combined with the current weather makes me think that getting out today for 1km even will be a triumph!

W.B. Yeats

No run yesterday but 4 point something today, kept it nice and relaxed at first somewhere around 5 or 5.20/km. Got completely bored of that after 3 k and rattled out 3 quick ones in succession at around 4 to 4.20 /km
Was great to feel the lungs gasping for air and having to keep pushing on, felt great after it.

Am hoping that family arrangements will work on Saturday and I can squeeze in the UCD Rás, but you never know.

The run is great for combating tiredness so I'll be keeping going for sure next week when I'm back to work. Lunchtime running will be my secret weapon.

I never met Sarsfields Rock but have read a good few of his posts. It's very sad when misfortune hits our community albeit a virtual one. Here's wishing him a speedy recovery, keep running through the line, when you feel like giving up, you're only getting going!

W.B. Yeats

So first day back at work....
Wrecked as I slept poorly last night- I'm still uneasy with baba in the room beside our bed and haven't slept well for a few nights as a result.
Anyway hauled myself out of the bed this morning and back to work.

Did 4 miles at lunch- no idea of time, just wanted to get back on my feet- it knocked some of the cobwebs out of my brain and I feel much better for it. There is no guilt associated with running during lunch so its a win on all considerations

Didn't make UCD Rás on Saturday- there was so much sleep on Friday night that the whole house wasn't up in time for me to leave the incumbent and newborn in the hands of my wife and head out the door in time to register. C'est la vie, it wasn't on my target list so I'm not too pushed.

W.B. Yeats

4 miles again at lunchtime today- lovely sunny weather for it
This is quite a hilly run with a long climb up from about 1/2 mile to 2 miles but then a short downhill on the other side
Have booked a session with a physical therapist for an NCT on my legs, hammers (+gluts I think) are really tight both from running and exacerbated by my commute and sitting all day at a desk so they need to be loosened out a decent bit
Again have no idea of time as didn't have Garmin with me, am just running for fitness and fun!

W.B. Yeats

No run today but a session with one of the boards recommended physical therapists for an NCT on my legs and a look at my hamstrings

Overall, not certain am I totally happy. I had a number of those give me a stick to put between my teeth moments- I always feel that you are getting to root of your problems when you have those. He worked on me for about an hour. I suppose there were two things that left me a bit dissatisfied- he wasn't great at gioing through the stretches that I need to do to work on my problem areas. Also I thought it was fairly pricey at €70 for the session- not certain how much I thought it would cost to be honest. My last physio session which was €45 for 45 min so slightly cheaper on an hourly basis.

Hopefully my legs will be nice and loose tomorrow and I'll get a decent long run in.

thirstywork2

70 quid abit steep and you won't get the benefits till Sunday/Monday as you will have muscle trauma to the area.
reminds me i badly need a massage

W.B. Yeats

thirstywork2 wrote: »

70 quid abit steep and you won't get the benefits till Sunday/Monday as you will have muscle trauma to the area.
reminds me i badly need a massage

Its one of those things that you know you have to get done but you're never looking forward to it...
Re the price: I don't believe that I was shortchanged- its just that I consider it an expensive session but then again I don't know what the going rate is and we'll see whether or not some of my issues clear up.

W.B. Yeats

10km at a decent clip this afternoon. 47.28 which I was very happy with, as its not a distance that I run a lot and when I do it tends to be a slow run.
In a race situation I could possibly have brought it home in 46 ish with the crowd and a quick first mile which is the opposite to today's run,

Legs felt pretty crap to be honest, muscles are aching now- thought the massage was supposed to help with these things:( I'm sitting on the couch now and feel like I've run a half marathon with pains in both hamstrings, calves and gluts/hip area.

W.B. Yeats

7.04km yesterday evening, think it was around 37 min- 5.2 or something per km
Was quite humid and it was only supposed to be a run around to get over Saturday's exertions but I found it tough for some reason.

I made a mistake on Saturday of wearing a technical shirt that has a flash of a different material across the chest with seams- let's just say that there was chafing so yesterday exacerbated it a bit. It's not too bad, there was no blood but I'm happy that I'm taking a rest day today.

Enjoy the bank holiday boardsies

RacoonQueen

W.B. Yeats wrote: »

10km at a decent clip this afternoon. 47.28 which I was very happy with, as its not a distance that I run a lot and when I do it tends to be a slow run.
In a race situation I could possibly have brought it home in 46 ish with the crowd and a quick first mile which is the opposite to today's run,

Legs felt pretty crap to be honest, muscles are aching now- thought the massage was supposed to help with these things:( I'm sitting on the couch now and feel like I've run a half marathon with pains in both hamstrings, calves and gluts/hip area.

Sometimes the massage can leave you quite sore. Depending on how much work they put in you could be a bit achy for the next couple of days, it's perfectly normal. You generally feel the benefits once you've had a few of them.

W.B. Yeats

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Sometimes the massage can leave you quite sore. Depending on how much work they put in you could be a bit achy for the next couple of days, it's perfectly normal. You generally feel the benefits once you've had a few of them.

Still fairly stiff today- enough to make me not run as I don't want to exacerbate anything.
Anyway as you said maybe I need to get a few of them- it's a bit like telling a young fella to keep drinking Guinness that he'll eventually like it though! True but I'd prefer to get benefit now

RacoonQueen

Unless you feel as if there's an injury I wouldn't worry about running with it. A sports massage is essentially a work out - you can run within 24 hours of getting a tough one or within a couple of hours of getting one if your legs are in good nick. I'd do an easy run even if they still feel a little stiff, usually I wouldn't feel like it and would use the pain as an excuse. :pac:

W.B. Yeats

Lunchtime run: 6.3km in 32 min 30 or so secs
Its my country hilly run and I felt like I was going backwards for the first few km's finished a lot stronger than I started
Hamstring on right leg is very tight- not certain do I need to get it looked at again, certainly it hasn't improved since my massage session last week- if anything its worse.

All my ladies are gone to the inlaws for a few nights so its soccer tonight, and hopefully a club session tomorrow evening. Oh and a lot of sleep!

W.B. Yeats

Club session: Somewhere around 8km. We were doing a hill loop- a short enough hill but its included in a loop so you go up and down a few times- think the loop is 1350m. We did it a fast clip for me- First time first km was 3.56 so I was surprised I was able for it to be honest. We were a few seconds slower second time and a few more slower third time. 3 rep was very hard- you push on because you know the pain is making the training worth it.

Met Ray Cun so gradually putting a few faces to boardsies

Ignoring the event across the water today
Viva la republica

W.B. Yeats

6.8km today in 33 min or so
Lovely day for a run, was spitting rain but that didnt bother me

Headed off on the bus and into town for the game
Was never in the Aviva before so deligthed to get there today and witness the momentous victory by Leinster over Stade Toulousain. We really dogged it out- yet again BOD is in the right place at the right time and scores the game winning try,

Now a big decision to make
Flight and ticket will cost guts of €350 plus a nights accommodation so €500 for one night and the final
Not certain can I afford that much for one game.
Anyway will decide over the next 24 hours
Allez les bleus

W.B. Yeats

12km in 59.07
And another km or so between warm-up and cool down
Was supposed to be slow but got it into my head to run 12km in 62 min which would have been slow. Being the poor pacer that I am I was significantly ahead of schedule at half way so went for sub 1hr and that turned into under 59 by the time I was at the last 2km..... I'm always guilty of not running slowly enough on the slow runs. I have to have somehting to run towards when I'm going long.
It was very breezy in Tymon Pk- met a good few runners out and about, nice to see.
The littlest addition to the house slept through last night so we all got a full sleep- another great thing about this bank holiday!

W.B. Yeats

6.4km in 30.09min actually probably a slower pace than Monday's slow run......I really need to learn how to pace myself
I started off really slow 5min/km pace or so and then just pushed on the pace, last km was 4.16:D
Would be happy to run 4.16*5 on Saturday, that would bring me home in a PB
I'm hoping to get down to club tomorrow evening for a session followed by the race on Saturday morning in Leixlip. That's all things going really well and all babas cooperating
Booked a physio session for next Tuesday to have a look at my hips/hamstrings. Am tired of having sore legs

W.B. Yeats

Club session this evening
Was a hybrid core/circuit training type thing- lots of medicine ball exercises, squats, sit ups, plank followed by running followed by more of the same and more running and sprinting and throwing of the medicine ball and running with the medicine ball. You get the picture
Another tough club session- see Ray Cun's log for some good whining!
I'm in a jock again after it, hopefully I'll be ok tomorrow and the day after for the race
I am looking forward to a good run and some good cakes in Leixlip and then a beer on Saturday evening, a bottle of Miller was calling to me from the fridge there a few minutes ago......

W.B. Yeats

Headed off early with the BiL to Leixlip
Weather was muggy enough and thought it was going to rain before the start Did a quick recce out to the start line and around a mile or so of the course onto the grass track Good stretching done and headed out onto the road for the start

Main field came out a chute that meant they walked the opposite direction to the race to the starting line. Meant it was pretty crowded- funny to watch all the posing that goes on at the start with some runnners. Lots of strutting around and looking around to see who has anyone noticed who they are. Its all wasted on me.

Starter let us off without much delay and went off at a very decent clip- was hoping to run 4.10kms to try and bring home sub 21 min. First km was 4.03, I couldn't slow down enough even though I wanted to... knew that I'd pay for the indiscretion later. Had a strange experience between km 1 and 2. 2 people - an old fellow and a woman that I passed burst themselves to go by me again. The old guy was also barking at a few people that were running on the footpath to get out onto the road. It was strange because I had to pass them again as they were slowing again after a 100m or so.
Km2 was comfortable enough in around 4.10 (need to load the garmin to get the splits) Km 3 time went to around 4.12 or 4.15 even though I was actually trying to keep to 4.10. Up that hill during km4 killed me- pace probably dropped to 4.25 or 4.30 so. Payment for the first fast km Everyone around me was finding it tough- I even passed a few out- except for one guy in a Boards top who passed me just as we crested. Despite being shagged I think my last km was 4.12. Not sure but reckon some lad caught me 20m from the line. To be honest I couldn't care less as I'm at the stage where I'm only running for time. I had nothing really left in the tank.
Finished in 21.15 which is 17sec faster than MSB. (must check my log because I didn't think my PB was 21.32 until I saw the MSB results updated during the week) So PB for me. Happy enough with my day's work although I'd have been happier to go under 21. (I've knocked more than 7 min off my time from last year so goes to show what a bit of training and consistency can do for you- wonder will I improve as much in the next 12 months.....;)) BiL was finished in 20.15 or so, I have neither his speed nor his talent... yet!

Was in a jock at the finish line and was a bit surprised at the gauntlet of people promoting races that I had to get through, I'm not at my most receptive when I finish a race. All I wanted to do was lie on the ground.
Excellent cakes and coffee at the end. Rhubarb cake especially devine.

I'm probably due an assessment of early season work sometime soon. Early thoughts are that I need to up my speed work if I want to bring home a sub 20. Probably need to be capable of doing a few 3.50kms consistently. first one at a time in intervals, then stringing a few together, then in a race to get my sub 20. Easier said than done I know. Overall though I'm happy with where I am- on another day on a slightly flatter course with better first km pacing I could probably have gone sub 21. Lots of if's and but's I know but leave me to my delusions The only certainty is that there is no substitute for hard work and training.

EDIT: so checked my log and my MSB time on my Garmin was 21.57 so despite the fact that I know I'd love to have taken 21.32 as PB I know that's incorrect. I could have perhaps run 21.54 or so with the chip timing but there is no way that I am out by as much as the MSB results have me at. Makes today all the sweeter to know that I actually knocked 42 sec off my PB. Now I'm delighted!

W.B. Yeats

Recovery 5.2km in 27 min something.... Tymon Park had that 4 seasons in 10 minutes look about it. Auld walking around in winter coats and hats, kids in shorts and t-shirts and everyone else in between.

Legs aren't too bad- body is still sore from Thursday's medicine ball work-


Was reading my last post there and my assessment of early season and I can't believe I left out one massive factor in my training- the new baby!
Taking into account that she's a month old today I'm very happy with how things have gone- actually can't believe that I've run as much since her arrival and that I've managed a PB- many thanks to my good lady wife who's not half bad at rearing childer-she makes up for my inability!

W.B. Yeats

No run for past 2 days
Had a physio session today re my troublesome hamstrings and hips. Apparently hammers are really tight before we ever get near the glutes and hips. Deep tissue massage to release some of the tension, knots- whatever in the hammers- it was excruciating. I was advised off running for a few weeks- we didn't agree on that one but did agree on lots of stretching followed by another stick in mouth session next week to be followed by more stretching, massage, stick in mouth etc.
Hammers and hips have been sore all day, evening and night. Had thought during the weekend that I'd get out for a club run this evening but forgot that my good wife was taking me out to dinner. Excellent evening- great company, food and wine.
Tomorrow will be tough.

shazkea

W.B. Yeats wrote: »

No run for past 2 days
Had a physio session today re my troublesome hamstrings and hips. Apparently hammers are really tight before we ever get near the glutes and hips. Deep tissue massage to release some of the tension, knots- whatever in the hammers- it was excruciating. I was advised off running for a few weeks- we didn't agree on that one but did agree on lots of stretching followed by another stick in mouth session next week to be followed by more stretching, massage, stick in mouth etc.
Hammers and hips have been sore all day, evening and night. Had thought during the weekend that I'd get out for a club run this evening but forgot that my good wife was taking me out to dinner. Excellent evening- great company, food and wine.
Tomorrow will be tough.

- hope the legs loosen out soon for you. Well done on PB at weekend

W.B. Yeats

shazkea wrote: »

- hope the legs loosen out soon for you. Well done on PB at weekend

Cheers for that!

W.B. Yeats

Went down to the club last night
8.4km in 43.24
Was largely an easy session and to be fair we didn't take it out quickly at all, it's interesting though that no matter how slowly you start your body nearly always wants to go slower at the end.
Hamstrings, glutes and hips were tight despite my stretching over the past few days.
Will probably take it easy enough again over the weekend and see how physio goes on Tuesday

RacoonQueen

Have you got a foam roller or anything you can do self massage with? Would probably help to give yourself a good going over a couple if times a day.