Can I run 21K ?

huskerdu

If everyone else has a log, then so can I.

Short history - Restarted running in Dec 2008, ran 10K in 61 min June 2009.
Sept 2009 - got ITB syndrome and 9 months of frustration and physio.
June 2010 - Started running again
Sept 2010 - 10K - 58 minutes
Jan 2011 - 10K - 52 minutes

What next ?

My goals for the year
5K - 25 minutes
Half marathon - 2 hours

Currently running 2/3 times a week. My running is dictated by the time constraints of work, kids, life etc, etc.
Training plan is to alternate LSRs, tempo/endurance runs and some speed work. I hate speed work but need to get over that. It really works.
3/4 times a week I do 20 minutes of strength work - crunches, squats, upper body exercises using dumbells etc.

It would be nice to be able to plan in advance what runs I will do and when, but mostly, its dictated by circumstances.

Sun 6th Feb - 15K run - 90 minutes
Tues 8th Feb - 18K cycle
Thursday 10th Feb - 10K run - 53 minutes. Broken tempo - did 4 fast kms (approx 5min/km) during the run.

My aim for the next 6 weeks, is to lengthen the long run to 18/19K ( current longest run is 16K )

RayCun

Have you entered any races? Any targets for when you'll hit those times?

RubyK

Best of luck with the log! Nice going on your recent 10K pb

You'll easily get those 5K and 1/2 goals.

huskerdu

RayCun wrote: »

Have you entered any races? Any targets for when you'll hit those times?

The St Patricks Weekend 5K in Dublin City Centre is my target for the 5K.
I am hoping to enter a half marathon in May, possibly the one in Dundalk,
if i can make it.

huskerdu

RubyK wrote: »

Best of luck with the log! Nice going on your recent 10K pb

You'll easily get those 5K and 1/2 goals.

Thanks very much. Sometimes I think the goals are in my grasp, and then there are days when they seem impossible.

Did 14K today in 78m 40s , average 5.32/km. very pleased with that time. Could have kept going if I didnt have to pick the kids up.

Still have the goal of a 17/18km run soon.

huskerdu

3 runs this week.

Mon - 14K, 78m 40s , average 5.32/km
Thurs - 8.4K 44min, average 5.11/km. did about 5 * 400m intervals which went quite well
Sun - 18K, 1hr 45min, average 5.49/km.

I have a bit of a social life in the next few weekends, so no promises.
Planning some shorter faster runs and some more interval sessions.

huskerdu

Only managed two runs this week, nothing special.

Wed - 8.3km, 45m average 5.26 m/km -Bad day at the office. Got a stitch and couldn't speed up at all

Sun - 14km, 1h 17m, average 5.30 m/km - Better. Felt grand. Nice day to be out.

W.B. Yeats

huskerdu wrote: »

Only managed two runs this week, nothing special.

Wed - 8.3km, 45m average 5.26 m/km -Bad day at the office. Got a stitch and couldn't speed up at all

Sun - 14km, 1h 17m, average 5.30 m/km - Better. Felt grand. Nice day to be out.

Key to the half i found was slow consistent upping of the weekly mileage both LSR and adding a few extra to midweek runs
I went from 5km last June to Half in Sept doing 4 and 5 times a week. Consistency was the key though, its very doable if you can manage consistency

huskerdu

W.B. Yeats wrote: »

Key to the half i found was slow consistent upping of the weekly mileage both LSR and adding a few extra to midweek runs
I went from 5km last June to Half in Sept doing 4 and 5 times a week. Consistency was the key though, its very doable if you can manage consistency

Thanks. Good advice.

I am targetting the Dundalk half-marathon on May 4th, which is 8 weeks away.
The only reason I am going for this one, is that it's the next half that is easily accessible from Dublin. I have also heard it is a good atmosphere and a nice flat course.

I feel in a bit of a rut at the moment, doing 13/14k quite easily, and I have done a few 16/18K runs.

I really should make out a proper plan for the next 8 weeks to ensure that I dont peak too early, or get bored !

Runs since I last checked in

Wed 2nd - 9K, 50min, 5.32 min/km
Fri 4th - 13K, 1h 12min, 5.31 min/km
Tues 8th - 8K, 45 min, 5.37 min/km

huskerdu

Its been a few weeks, but here's the progress.

Fri 11th - 16.5km, 1hr 34m, 5.43min/km
Wed 16th - 11.1km, 1hr, 5.23min/km

Sun 20th 5k - 23min38sec

I made the first goal of the year. Ran the MSB 5K <24 minutes.
Very pleased. It was hard work, but I kept up the pace for the whole race.
Felt great afterwards.

Next goal - Half marathon in 2 hours.

6 weeks to the Dundalk half marathon. Plan to keep up running 3 times a week and do a few more 18k and maybe 20k runs.

rainbow kirby

huskerdu wrote: »

Next goal - Half marathon in 2 hours.

No bother to ya - well done yesterday

huskerdu

rainbow kirby wrote: »

No bother to ya - well done yesterday

Thanks very much., Just read a bit of your log. Congrats on the Barcelona run and get well soon.

Only two runs this week, taking the weekend off. So, decided that they should really count.

Tues 22nd - 9km, 49 min, 5.27min/km
Fri 25th - 21km, 1.59.48, 5.42min/km#

I am stiff, which is very rare after a run, but its easily the best run I have ever done, so no surprise.

No excuse now, I have run the half marathon distance in 2 hrs in training, I better do it in an actual race.

huskerdu

Spent a few days basking in the glory of my 21k run and then back to business.

Tues 29th - 8km, 43min, average 5.21min/km
Fri Apr 1st - 17km 1.34, 5.32min/km
Sun Apr 3rd - 7km, 37min, 5.17min/km - Did a bit of speed work. I suppose you would have to call it fartlek, which in my case is a fancy word for badly structured intervals.

Half marathon is in 4 weeks. My plan is to keep up 3 runs a week, do 3 more long runs, one of which will be 20K or close to it.

My last long run will be 10 days before the race, and ease up then.

If I run the half at 5.45 min/km, I will do it in 2 hrs.
But, after running 17km at close to 5.30min/km pace, I am wondering if I should go a little faster. I am tempted, but not sure if it is a mistake to be agressive in my first half marathon.

rainbow kirby

huskerdu wrote: »

But, after running 17km at close to 5.30min/km pace, I am wondering if I should go a little faster. I am tempted, but not sure if it is a mistake to be agressive in my first half marathon.

If you can do that in training, then if race day is in similar conditions there is no reason why you couldn't do 21.1km at 5.30/km pace. You know you can go the distance already in 2 hours, and you've clearly got some speed...

useurename

i'm in the same boat. All i want to do is beat the 2 hour mark. Not sure what pace to go out at.I'm doing a half Easter saturday and i'm running with lads who knock off 7.30 miles at their ease. I might try and stick with them for a few miles and then keep every mile under 9.09. Fingers crossed.......

huskerdu

useurename wrote: »

i'm in the same boat. All i want to do is beat the 2 hour mark. Not sure what pace to go out at.I'm doing a half Easter saturday and i'm running with lads who knock off 7.30 miles at their ease. I might try and stick with them for a few miles and then keep every mile under 9.09. Fingers crossed.......

Personally, I think that is a pretty bad strategy.

If you want to run a half marathon in 2 hours, you need to run each km in 5.44 min or each mile in 9.10 min.

If you run the first half in 7.30 per mile, are you sure you will be able to finish. That is the pace for 10K in 50 minutes. Can you do that and have enough left in the tank to run another 11K ?

If you can, you can aim for a faster half than 2 hours, if you paced it evenly.

How long are your long runs and what pace are you running them at ?

useurename

I think your right. I'm just not that confident on pacing 9 min miles consistently. I will aim to do every mile in 8.3 and max 8.45 per mile. Training is going ok. I managed 11.5 miles on saturday morning. average pace was around the 9 min mile. But it is a hilly course. So i'm going to aim for 1.53 - 1.55 and hopefully this allows a bit of leeway for the under 2 hours. Best of luck with the rest of your training

huskerdu

huskerdu wrote: »

Spent a few days basking in the glory of my 21k run and then back to business.

Tues 29th - 8km, 43min, average 5.21min/km
Fri Apr 1st - 17km 1.34, 5.32min/km
Sun Apr 3rd - 7km, 37min, 5.17min/km - Did a bit of speed work. I suppose you would have to call it fartlek, which in my case is a fancy word for badly structured intervals.

Update on the last two weeks

Wed Apr 6th - 10k, 54min, 5.24min/km
Fri Apr 8th - 14k, 82 min, 5.51min/km -Warm day, not enough hydration, slow and hard run
Mon Apr 11th - 9k, 50.25 min, 5.35min/km
Sun Apr 17th - 21k, 2hr 3min, 5.53min/km

2 1/2 weeks to the half marathon.

Plan to keep up the training for the next two weeks, but ease up in the last week.

I'm not sure how long a run to do next weekend. I suppose it depends how muuch chocolate I consume !!!

huskerdu

Another odd week of training. not exactly ideal for the last two weeks before the half marathon,

Thurs Apr 21st Run I : 6.23km, 34.30min, 5.33min/km
Run II : 4.5km, 23min 5.07min/km - 6 * 400m intervals

Sun April 24th 12km, 1.06h, 5.29min/km average - Did a few <5min kms in the middle

Finally got my head around doing an interval run and quite enjoyed it. It felt good. Must do some more.

Plan for the next 10 days

Tues - 18k run, slow
Fri - 10k
Sun - Short run
Wed - Half marathon


I'm off to stuff my face. According to my garmin I burnt off 722 cal this morning, how many Easter eggs is that ?

huskerdu

Delayed update for the last two weeks.

My knee has been giving me a bit of gip, so I decided to ease up a bit
no more long runs.

Wed 27th 12k, 1hr5min, 5.29 min/km
Fri 29th 12k, 1hr9min, 5.43min/km
Sun 1st May 8km, 45min

Wed 4th May Dundalk Half Marathon 1 hr 57 min

It was hard, but good.

Race report to follow

rainbow kirby

Well done on the half

huskerdu

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Well done on the half

Thanks very much. It feels like a real milestone

huskerdu

How I ran my first half marathon

La breithe samhraidh a bhi an...

After all the build up, it felt a bit odd standing there waiting for the race to start. It felt like an achievement to have made it, but you still have to do the hard work.

I was aiming for 2 hours, which means approx 5.40/km, but I was feeling good to decided to go for 5.30/km which would be 1.55 if i could keep it up.


Got all hyped up, and made the classic rookie error of starting too fast. My first three kms were 4.47, 5.01, 5.10.
The route was organised as a 1 mile loop and 2 loops of 6 miles.
THe first mile was a loop of the town centre so we were surrounded by cheering fans. Oh ! the glory.
Then you remember you have to keep it up for another 112 minutes.


Got into my groove and the first lap went really well. My split was 57 minutes and I was feeling great.

As we headed out of town for the second lap, I suddenly thought " Oh no. I have to do that AGAIN" and it seemed so hard. I now know why some people say that they hate 2 lap races.

I got back on pace and plodded on. It did feel like I was grinding out the kms, but I kept it up.

At 15km, I was still on course for 1.55 but then it got harder.
The wind picked up and some of the route was into the wind. I slowed up a bit.

I think the last 500m were the toughest I have ever run. I have never felt more like stopping, at the same time as being determined to keep going.
Crossing the line felt great.


Finishing time 1.56.57 which was inside my target of 2 hours, but slightly dissapointed that I didn't make 1.55.

Theres always next time.

Next aim - sub 50 for 10K.

huskerdu

After a gapof 3 months, I thought I should update.

My aims for the year

5k - < 25 minutes
Half marathon - < 2 hours
10k - < 50 minutes

So far, I have done

5k - 23.38
Half - 1.57
10k - 50.10

I did 50 minutes, 10 seconds in DLR this morning. That 10 seconds is going to bug me now.

Next aim is run another half and take a few minutes off the PB.

RacoonQueen

Well done and good to meet you today.

That course is worth more than 10 seconds IMO. The sub 50 will be a breeze if you do one a 10k next month.