'For whom the bell tolls-

gerard65

Mon 8th Aug - Sun 14th Aug

Mon - Off
Tues - 5.4mls
Wed - 10mls
Thur - 8.6mls
Fri - 5mls
Sat - 12mls
Sun - 6.1mls
Tot - 47mls

A good week. Yesterdays run was with the group in the park and I wanted to get in 2hrs at a slow pace. Distance wasn't important but I wanted 'time on feet' so I was very happy to get it done. The most consistant training over the last six weeks for a long time and this weeks milage is my biggest in over two years. Hopefully this training period will help my endurance.

gerard65

Sat 20th Aug
Frank Duffy 10 mile. Chip 72:19. Avg Pace 7:12. Pos 627. M45 cat. 54.
The plan was to use this as a benchmark for the half next month. I had planned to look at a sub 1:35 for it so today was to pace 7:12 and see how it went. I had nothing to go on as my training for the last seven weeks has been base building - long slow runs rarely running faster than 8:30 pace but putting in more miles in the bank. Its really only this week I could feel I was getting stronger so I was nervous but optimistic for this morning.
Lined up about halfway in waze 1 with RayCun but still had to dodge the mypod users for the first mile. Check on my pace - 7:36, sh1t way too slow, but I knew the next couple of miles were downhill - 6:58, 6:54. Caught up with Woddle just before the S-Bends and at this stage the FR was showing 7:07 pace - good, banking some time as I knew that was the easy bit done and the next few miles were up hill. 5 mile split in 35:52-going well. Chesterfield Ave was difficult. Trying to pass people and after pressing lap at 5 mile the FR showed 7:17 at one stage - sh1t. Got this mile done in 7:15 but it took alot out off me. Still climbing to the highest point on the course - 7:09,7:11 was just about digging in knowing the down hill bit was on the way. I think my avg pace was hovering about 7:13 or 7:14, I can get it back on the downhill mile. Got this in 7:05 but starting to suffer. The last mile was very tough, crawled you the hill beside St. Mary's, tried to get going again but it was bloody hard. Then I spotted a guy who I easily beat in the BHAA XC races about 100m ahead. I can beat him over 4 or 5 miles but he's going to beat me today - to hell with that, dug in deep on the acres road, caught him and got to the finish. Last mile 7:29.
Although its a big Over 35,Over 40 and Over 45 PB - by over 4 mins and my second fastest 10 mile ever I'm not feeling the luv. Sub 1:35 half is a no no, McMillan has 1:36 - 7:20 pace so thats the new goal for next month.
I'm going too continue the base training and just putting in the miles for a few more weeks and hope my endurance improves - a major weakness.

chinguetti

Great going Gerard and i should have started with you, the crowd problems were dire.

Did the Achilles behaved itself?

RayCun

Thanks for pacing me

gerard65

chinguetti wrote: »

Great going Gerard and i should have started with you, the crowd problems were dire.

Did the Achilles behaved itself?

Thanks. It seems fine - touch wood;) Even doing the pinch test is coming up fine. If it OK for the next few days I'll start some small hilly runs, been on the flat for a few weeks.

gerard65

RayCun wrote: »

Thanks for pacing me

I was waiting for you to come past me in the last 100m:(:pac:

gerard65

Mon 15th Aug - Sun 21st Aug

Mon - 10.5mls
Tue - 10.1mls
Wed - 7.9mls
Thur - 5.1mls
Fri - 3.5mls
Sat - 10mls race
Sun - 3mls
Total - 50mls

A good week, one of my biggest in a long time. Achilles seems OK now. More of the same next week.

gerard65

Mon 22nd Aug - Sun 28th Aug

Mon - 10mls steady
Tues - 6.3mls easy
Wed - 11.26mls steady
Thur - 8.46mls steady
Fri - 6mls easy
Sat - 14mls easy
Sun - Rest.
Total - 56 mls

I'm taking tomorrow off as I've hit 56mls this week so want to keep to the 10% rule, also it'll be my first day off in 19. Hit the 1000mls this morning with the group run, had a count down and a group cheer as I passed it:D.
This is also 8 weeks and 2/3's of my way through a base building phase. So far all has gone very well and some of the steady runs this week have felt good.
Going to do the 2 mile this week, not too sure about the firhouse 10k, but will do the half on the 17th and the Rathfarnham 5k the week later. The first XC race is on the 8th Oct. Will be interested to see how the season goes, I've put in more milage than ever before so how will it play?

belcarra

Congrats on the 1,000 mile mark Ger...It was good to meet you guys this morning!

ultraman1

well dne on the 1000miles ...there may be a badly measured mara in yet;)

RacoonQueen

Congrats on the 1000 gerard, good to see you on the mend.

gerard65

Wed 31st Aug.
BHAA Zurich 2mile. Tallaght AC track.
2nd in 11:52.
Over 20 miles in the last two days, one too many last night and no anaerobic was not ideal prep for this, but after an awful 12:22 last year I wanted to record a better time. Got there early and went for a jog, not feeling too bad. Talked to woddle who asked was I going for sub 12, I wasn't commiting to saying it out loud but it was on my mind. But 90sec 400m for 8 laps - not too sure.
I slotted into 3rd from the start and after 2 or 3 laps second place began to lose touch with the leader. I move into second and tried to close the gap, but it was clear he was moving well. I realised unless he blew-up I wasn't going to catch him as he was opening the gap. I was in clear air and moving well and trying to keep a steady pace. I kept an eye on what was going on behind and just tried to keep the pace up although it was beginning to hurt. At 100m to go I glanced behind to see the gap behind me closing - kicked with all I had and got home with a massive PB.
Next up is the half marathon and then the Rathfarnham 5k.
In full flight:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25938822@N07/6101256248/
Thanks to woddle.

menoscemo

I see the 'lots of easy miles' tactic is really paying off. Another convert?

Well done on the PB tonight.

I would have loved to race but my race was not going to get going until 8.30 and with sundays marathon still in the legs I am not sure I would have done myself justice anyway.

gerard65

menoscemo wrote: »

I see the 'lots of easy miles' tactic is really paying off. Another convert?

Well done on the PB tonight.

I would have loved to race but my race was not going to get going until 8.30 and with sundays marathon still in the legs I am not sure I would have done myself justice anyway.

I'm following the Lydiard ideas. Endurance phase first. Shows alot can be achieved with an aerobic base.

TheRoadRunner

Well done on pb. Yep easy miles are the way to go. Can run really well with them alone also lower chance of injury.

"You gotta run slow before youncan run fast" TheRoadRunner 31/08/2011

gerard65

Mon 29th Aug - Sun 4th Sept

Mon - 11.4 mls incl. 5x1mile tempo.
Tues - 10.1 mls steady.
Wed - 2 mile race.
Thur - 10.5 mls.
Fri - 6.2 mls easy
Sat - 17.4 mls.
Sun - 3.3 mls easy.

Total - 61 mls.
Wednesdays race was a bit much for this stage of training, legs a bit beaten up over the last few days. A couple of days easy running coming up.

gerard65

Mon 5th Sept - Sun 11th Sept.

Mon - 8 mls
Tues - 11.3 mls
Wed - 9.9 mls incl 2x2mls + 1x1mls tempo
Thur - 10 mls
Fri - 5 mls
Sat - 15 mls
Sun - Rest.
Tot - 59 mls.

Planned for this week to be the last week of my endurance phase. Wanted to hit 70 miles at peak. Yesterday was down as a 20 mile but after 14 miles my foot seized up. No point of pain, more of an ache up to my ankle. Still feels odd this morning so I taking a day off. Next couple of weeks will be lighter leading up to the half next Saturday and the 5k the following weekend. I'll then go into specific XC training.
I've put in more milage over the last few weeks than ever before so I'll be interested to see what benefit this will have or not for the XC season.

Nules10

Hope the foot mends soon ger.

chinguetti

Gerard, hope the foot is ok and all is ok for next week.

The guy beeping at you yesterday morning in the blue car in Kilmainham was me by the way

gerard65

Mon 12th Sept - Sun 18th Sept.

Mon - 10x1k tempo pace. 11mls.
Sun - 3.3mls easy.
Total - 14mls.

After putting in a great session on Monday I was really looking forward to yesterdays half, but all that disappeared on Monday evening while walking to the shop. I felt like I'd been stabbed in the Achilles, could hardly walk. Tuesday was no better. By Wednesday there was a small improvement but I realised the half was going to be a DNS:(. The rest of the week showed a little improvement each day. All I could do was ice it as much as possible. Decided to go for a jog this afternoon, not bad but still not 100%. Will see over the next few hours what the reaction will be.
Need a new pair of runners, my supernova's are finished, I wonder if this was the cause of the achilles problem.
Still hoping for a run in the Rathfarnham 5k next Sunday.

gerard65

Mon 19th Sept.

5.1mls in 40mins.
No problem from the achilles, I think I'm better. Hope I'm not tempting faith but no reaction after yesterdays run and felt nothing from it on todays run. Looking good for next Sundays 5k:pac:
Half day today so went up to Lifestyle to get another pair of supernova's. They did'nt have any in, so tried on a few other models but nothing felt right so got a pair of GT2160, bouncy bouncy:eek:. 20% off so they do for now.
I have a new pair of Lunerglides but just don't like the feel of them, collar is too high for me. Will use them for walking around shoes for now and see if they'll break in.
Hope I hav'nt lost too much from 6 days off, the rest of the week will be medium paced/distance runs.

tunguska

Have you had dry needling on your achilles/calve Ger? Well worth trying, pretty amazing results.

gerard65

tunguska wrote: »

Have you had dry needling on your achilles/calve Ger? Well worth trying, pretty amazing results.

That sounds way too painful. I think the achilles problem was due to my shoes being completely worn out - nearly 600 miles. It was only last night I realised they felt so flat, had'nt worn the all week. I'll be more careful in future to change them or start rotating shoes.

gerard65

Tues 20th Sept.
6.8mls in 51:40. Avg 7:36.
Finished fast over the last 3 miles. Feeling good, don't think I lost too much due to the few days off last week. No problem with the achilles but iced it again after the run. Might have a time trial tomorrow evening to see where I am.

gerard65

Wed 21st Sept.

2 mile time trial - 6:25 pace,
Total 5.8ml in 48min.
Very pleased with this. I'd say it was about 90% effort. The first mile was 6:30, slightly downhill and with the breeze. Could'nt get the legs turning over as I hav'nt run that fast in months apart from a 2 mile track race. The second mile was 6:19, generally uphill and against the breeze. The good thing was I recovered quickly.
Feeling really good for Sunday.

gerard65

Thurs 22nd Sept

6.35mls in 49:05. Avg 7:44
Good run. Feeling strong at this pace.

gerard65

Fri 23rd Sept.

4.25mls very easy, incl 10x100 sprints.
Effort to kick the fast twitch fibres into action. Pick up my number for Sunday. All systems are go;)

gerard65

Sat 24th Sept

3.15mls jog around tomorrows race course. A good nights sleep will put the final piece in the jigsaw.

gerard65

Sun 25th Sept.

Rathfarnham 5k - 19:08:89 (Watch Time)
Thats a 6 sec PB, very happy:p. Throughout the week I was very confident of a PB. Why? no real reason, until yesterday when I started doubting if I could do it. Unusually I was nervous this morning. Did a 2k warmup and got to the start about 10mins before start. With a big crowd expected I wanted to get close to the front, but still had to dodge around the usual mypod wearers. First mile 5:55, that was OK as I know this is a race to 'bank' time on the slight downhill Springfield road. The second mile was 6:19, sh1t, I went asleep. I found myself looking at the trees and wondering what it meant by the leaves turning early this year:rolleyes:. Mile 3 was a little better at 6:13 on the slight downhill finish.
Done on alot of slow milage, I used to think you had to train fast to race fast but a PB on mainly LSR's has change my mind.
Two weeks to the first XC race and then the Racepix 5k two weeks after. Looking forward too it;)
Offical Time - Gun 19:10. Chip 19:05. A 10sec PB

rainbow kirby

Well done