Sub 2:50 DCM '11

seanynova

im really setting myself up for a fall with the title but...

its 18weeks to DCM '11, and i have started my official marathon training with a rest day today...i started my unofficial marathon training around 9-10 weeks ago when i first started running again after a 4month injury lay off. the 9-10weeks consisted of base building from 4x 30sec jog, 6x 1min jog up to a week of around 43miles incl 16m easy. the last few weeks have had a few interval sessions thrown in for good measure but i can safely say im way off my target pace at the moment.

im going to follow a hybrid Daniels plan, using Plan A Q1 sessions and improvised Q2 sessions from the Elite plan.

i also have planned 2 races within the training schedule, a 10m at the end of july, 5weeks time and a 10k in mid september. i might give the 10m a miss as its in july, and temps will be high! i dont think ill be in a position to get a good time there either but ill see how it goes over the next few weeks.
as for the 10k, i wouldnt be a huge fan of 10k racing for a marathon but its the most competitive race in the area around that time, there will likely be a few 30ish min finishers or under? its the provincial 10k championships so i figure ill have a lot running support in my time bracket so that will help.

temps will begin to cool down here hopefully at the end of august so ill hopefully get 8weeks of qood quality runs in then..until then im hoping i can work around the weather on the Q1 sessions and do what i can on the mid week Q2 sessions...its hot here!

kicking it off tomorrow with an improvised Q2 session, a tempo interval session....3 or 4x 10mins, or 7x 5min each interval.

if i dont make sub 2:50, i wont be too disappointed, ill know after my training what the real goal is and what im capable of running...either way ill be running for the fastest time i can achieve based on my ability/training.

Sosa

Best of lucky with the goals and training Seany...good to see your back
sub 2:50 is doable for you...just about staying healthy and positive

Speedy44

Great to see you back Seany with the bit between your teeth. I've no doubt you can do it.
Will be following with interest as I would like to do the same next April in Boston, as long as I have the wind at my back!!

seanynova

got the training off to a good start i think, nowhere near a sub2:50 tempo pace but still better than i expected and will hopefully get better as time goes on.

10m, 1:12:23mins @7:14m/m HR(av/max)167/182, 16deg sunny!

4x 10min Tempo Splits (avHR) off 2mins rec:
6:18(175)
6:20(175)
6:14(176)
6:14(175)

total weekly mileage 10m

misty floyd

Nice one Sean. Best of luck with training. I'll be following with interest. Injury? what injury....good start!

RacoonQueen

Best of luck with the training. Still mulling over whether to do an 18 week or a 12 week plan myself.

seanynova

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Best of luck with the training. Still mulling over whether to do an 18 week or a 12 week plan myself.

cheers, have you made up your mind? you could always do a 17week plan?

a lot of debate these days regarding the lenght of training though, hard to know

seanynova

wed 5m easy 8:03m/m 25deg and sunny

thurs 6m easy 8:05m/m 28deg and humid.
was supposed to be 9m but it was just too hot, was 34 today with a feel like factor of 44 degs! ran at 8pm and still 28degs....so cut the run back to 6m and was dripping in sweat after!

total weekly mileage: 21m

long run planned for the weekend and another recovery run

Caprica

Best of luck with the training. Will sub 2:50 take much time of your PB? Don't envy you having to train in that heat, I'm finding Dublin warm but it's nowhere the high 20's

seanynova

Caprica wrote: »

Best of luck with the training. Will sub 2:50 take much time of your PB? Don't envy you having to train in that heat, I'm finding Dublin warm but it's nowhere the high 20's

will take 6+ mins off my pb, which should be do-able but im just not there with fitness, so depends on how quickly that comes back...as i say ill know more regarding marathon pace closer to the date.
i see you will be giving dcm a go yourself, 14/15week plan? any time in mind yet?

seanynova

fri; 4m easy 7:52m/m warm out

sat; 5m easy incl 6x 15-20sec strides 7:40m/m again warm

1st long run on the traing plan:
sun; 18.0m, 2:24:03mins @8:00m/m HR 151/162 17-21deg sunny/cloud

had to stop around 6/7 times to take on water at the watre fountains dotted around the park but if i didnt i have been screwed....feel ok afterwards, might go for a swim(splash around) later though and do some more stretching

total weekly mileage 48m

aero2k

Best of luck Seany,

2:50 is well within your reach. Don't worry about the slow tempos for now, give yourself a few weeks at that pace and suddenly you'll be able to take a big step up.

tunguska

seanynova wrote: »

im going to follow a hybrid Daniels plan, using Plan A Q1 sessions and improvised Q2 sessions from the Elite plan.

Sounds good Seany. Myself and the guy Im training with are following daniels elite program. Where are you based? If you're in dublin why not jump in with us? What kind of mileage are you planning on peaking at?

Gringo78

Best of luck Seany - going for Dublin myself with a similar time target so might see you on the start line. The Daniels Elite plan just looked too scary to me so will be sticking to something easier but may progress to some of those Q1/Q2 sessions if things are going well.

smmoore79

Best of luck Seany. i cant believe that you've done an 18 miler already!!!!

Gringo78

smmoore79 wrote: »

Best of luck Seany. i cant believe that you've done an 18 miler already!!!!

Well spotted smmoore.

Seany, I'm assuming you are doing the full mileage as per the daniels Q1/Q2 sessions as opposed to his recommended 1 mile or 6min whichever is shorter? i.e when Daniels writes 18m Easy he means 18m if your easy pace is 6min miling, otherwise 18x6min which in your case would have been only 15 miles??

Probably ok to do this on the long easy runs, but be careful on the Q1/Q2 sessions which have a lot of PMP miles thrown in, the session might be too 'superhero this early on after coming back from injury. For mere mortals running >2:30 1 daniels mile easy is 6min & 1 daniels mile MP is 5min & 1 daniels mile tempo is 4:45.

seanynova

tunguska wrote: »

Sounds good Seany. Myself and the guy Im training with are following daniels elite program. Where are you based? If you're in dublin why not jump in with us? What kind of mileage are you planning on peaking at?

thanks for the offer but im in canada now, and i dont think im near sub2:50 pace yet so id be slowing you down anyway...
hoping to peak at 65m but ill be using the % scale to adjust the weekly mileage.

Gringo78 wrote: »

Best of luck Seany - going for Dublin myself with a similar time target so might see you on the start line. The Daniels Elite plan just looked too scary to me so will be sticking to something easier but may progress to some of those Q1/Q2 sessions if things are going well.

the elite plan would be hard going, the long PMP runs with tempo miles to break up the pace would be tough. thats why im using plan A for Q1 sessions. otherwise the Elite plan Q2 sessions, when time based(see below) are do-able, i hope!
hopefully we will make it to the line, i may have work issues but we will see how it pans out at this stage.

Gringo78 wrote: »

Well spotted smmoore.

Seany, I'm assuming you are doing the full mileage as per the daniels Q1/Q2 sessions as opposed to his recommended 1 mile or 6min whichever is shorter? i.e when Daniels writes 18m Easy he means 18m if your easy pace is 6min miling, otherwise 18x6min which in your case would have been only 15 miles??

Probably ok to do this on the long easy runs, but be careful on the Q1/Q2 sessions which have a lot of PMP miles thrown in, the session might be too 'superhero this early on after coming back from injury. For mere mortals running >2:30 1 daniels mile easy is 6min & 1 daniels mile MP is 5min & 1 daniels mile tempo is 4:45.

so as i say, im working off time for the faster stuff, like 10mins tempo instead of 2m, or 20mins tempo instead of 4m kind of thing. but for the long runs im happy to tip away and do high mileage. but the plan is also rearranged to suit a few things.

seanynova

tuesday; 10m, 1:19:50mins @7:59m/m HR 155/165 23degs and sunny!

total weekly mileage; 10m

my midweek runs will be based around a med-long run, recovery runs and a daniels Q session. kicked off the med-longs today with 10m, will ramp it up to 14m at some stage.
going okay so far, but weather would take it out of ya!

seanynova

wed; 4.5m Easy

thurs; 9.0m, 1:16:05mins @8:27m/m HR 153/186
24degs, evening

5x 0.62m Splits:
3:29(177)
3:21(186)
3:30(181)
3:33(183)
3:31(184)

did 5x 50-60secs reps after this also but they were only around 5:15m/m pace, feeling the heat big time and had no liquids on this run, was running dry!

total weekly mileage: 23.5m

Speedy44

seanynova wrote: »

wed; 4.5m Easy

thurs; 9.0m, 1:16:05mins @8:27m/m HR 153/186
24degs, evening

5x 0.62m Splits:
3:29(177)
3:21(186)
3:30(181)
3:33(183)
3:31(184)

did 5x 50-60secs reps after this also but they were only around 5:15m/m pace, feeling the heat big time and had no liquids on this run, was running dry!

total weekly mileage: 23.5m

Nice going Seany, you'll be back in the thick of it again before you know it.
Have to say I'm jealous of you running in that lovely hot Canadian weather

theboyblunder

best of luck seany! will be following with interest

PS I'll be doing dublin now and not lucerne. At this stage im aiming for the same time as yourself, hopefully both of us can stay healthy and head out together.

seanynova

Speedy44 wrote: »

Nice going Seany, you'll be back in the thick of it again before you know it.
Have to say I'm jealous of you running in that lovely hot Canadian weather

i think its ok to be jealous of the weather, but NOT to be running in it...lol. im getting used to it but i have to wear SPF 60 everyday...so usually in the summer its +30 and in winter its -30!! have to take the bad with the good

theboyblunder wrote: »

best of luck seany! will be following with interest

PS I'll be doing dublin now and not lucerne. At this stage im aiming for the same time as yourself, hopefully both of us can stay healthy and head out together.

i think sub2:50 is the new sub3! lol
at the mo you are well ahead of me on pace but i hope to improove quickly, otherwise it will be good to help motivate each other...although, i wount be using you as a taget or anything, ill run my own pace but you know what i mean. ill keep following your log anyhow, nice 1200s yeaterday, that was the pace i was at before i got injured, hard to see myself getting there but im hopeful....with 17weeks to go, you will have no bother with your target!

Caprica

seanynova wrote: »

will take 6+ mins off my pb, which should be do-able but im just not there with fitness, so depends on how quickly that comes back...as i say ill know more regarding marathon pace closer to the date.
i see you will be giving dcm a go yourself, 14/15week plan? any time in mind yet?

We must have fairly close PB's so, I have a 2:56 from Berlin last year. Had hoped for sub 2:55 in Paris this year but a sore calf and the heat meant it didn't happen. Have been carrying the injury since then so have only got back to light training in the last 3/4 weeks. Plan to kick of the proper training next week to give me a 14 week programme and hopefully go under 2:55.

seanynova

Caprica wrote: »

We must have fairly close PB's so, I have a 2:56 from Berlin last year. Had hoped for sub 2:55 in Paris this year but a sore calf and the heat meant it didn't happen. Have been carrying the injury since then so have only got back to light training in the last 3/4 weeks. Plan to kick of the proper training next week to give me a 14 week programme and hopefully go under 2:55.

ya, 2:56 here from dcm last year so it theroy 2:50 should be close enough to my reach...but like you i had injuries so its just a case of seeing how well i get back to fitness and build on it.
14weeks would be enough time i think to get into good amrathon shape, id say one of the more important things is consistancy and injury free training. good luck with it anyway mate, will keep an eye on your log as usual

seanynova

fri: rest day

sat: 6.5m easy 8:14m/m

sun: 16m, 2:03:20mins @7:42m/m HR 156/181
21degs morning

2x 10min Tempo Splits(HR):
6:08(170/178)
6:06(173/181)

was a good Q session to get done, i think i can prob increase the pace of my easy runs a little, was at a low HR for a lot of the easy miles.
the 2x 10min tempo pace was prob a little faster than it should have been but the HR's are in line with my half pace HR so its prob ok.

total weekly mileage: 46m

seanynova

mon: rest

tues: 5m easy incl strides

Wed: 10m, 1:16:20mins @7:38m/m HR 159/177
24degs evening

18/9/5/5mins Tempo Splits(HR):
6:12(172/177)
6:23(170/177)
6:14(167/174)
6:17(168/176)

was supposed to be 20/15/10/5mins but was just too tired to go on...got a few stitches also which caused me to end the 1st and 3rd intervals. not sure what was up tonight, max HR was less than my half marathon avHR and avHR was less than my marathon pace avHR so i wasnt working too hard aerobically but i was just jaded...will do another tempo session on sunday and see how things go then.

total weekly mileage: 15m

seanynova

thurs: 6m Easy

Fri: Rest

Sat: 4m Easy in 33degs with a feels like factor of 39!

Sun: 18m, 2:22:54mins @7:56m/m HR 166/182
25degs

5x Tempo Splits(HR):
6min 6:09(168/176)
3x 5min:
6:10(172/182)
6:12(172/181)
6:12(174/187)
2min Tempo:
6:12(172/180)

it was hot out there, at 6:30am it was 20degs, prob at the start of my run it was only about 21 but morning heat is different to afternoon heat, and it was worse!
havent had to endure anything like that since last year but i think today was the worst...prob cos of the tempo stuff but 11+ miles after was just too hard to be called easy

total weekly mileage: 43m

seanynova

mon: 5m Easy 33degs

Tues: 8m Easy 32degs and humid! (was 36-37degs earlier that day)

wed: rest

thurs: 10.5m, 1:18:39mins @7:29m/m HR159/184 25deg

3x 10min Tempo Splits (HR):
6:19(170/174)
6:15(170/181)
6:16(174/181)
1x 7:30min Tempo Split (HR):
6:18(169/184)

have had a few bad tempos lately so eased back on the pace a bit in an effort to get this done in one piece, done, except i had to cut the last one short but could have gone on. HRs seam low for tempo pace, that said, not sure i could have gone much faster and still say it was comfortably hard....little cooler tonight than last few days helped, sorry for always going on about the weather but it really does make it harder...in a few months ill be putting a - sign before those temps!
anyway ill keep going with those tempo paces for another few weeks and hopefully take in to single figures then(6:08/6:09) but i would like to be running tempos at 177bpm ave over 10mins...


total weekly mileage: 23.5m

seanynova

fri: 6.5m Easy

Sat: 20.5m, 2:43:42mins @7:59m/m HR 152/163 19-20deg sun/cloud

checked the weather forcast last night and with rain and 15-18degs forcast i though sat would be the best day to do my 20miler....had a little lie-in bed this morning and at 10am it sure enough was overcast but no rain...had a few things to get done this morning but didnt really mind as the forcast still said 80% chance of rain and overcast for the day...by 1pm, the sun was out and temps at 19degs, crap, had committed to run today as dim sum in on the cards for tomorrow morning so off i went....was sunny for the 1st 10 and more or less cloudy for the last 10 and just as i turned the corner to my apt, it started to rain, typical! would have loved a run in the rain....

anyway got it done an in good enough time i think, HR was very low, maybe aerobically im am fitter than i think, but my leg strength is not there yet.

total weekly mileage: 50.5m

seanynova

finished last week with another 5.5m to make it 56m for the week.

this week i did:
mon: 5m easy
tues: 12m easy
wed:4m easy
thurs: 9holes of golf (shot 37 )
fri: 7.5m, 58:46mins @7:50m/m HR 158/186
26degs, evening

6x 0.62m Splits:
3:27(179)-5:34m/m
3:24(183)-5:30m/m
3:28(186)-5:36m/m
3:28(181)-5:36m/m
3:27(18X)-5:34m/m
3:26(18X)-5:32m/m

was rushed to get this done so the warm up/down was short by a mile each, but happy i got 6reps done, all about the same effort and prob could have done another 1 or 2, only i had no fluids on the run so mouth was very dry. happy with the even enough times also, typically 2-3secs faster and more even than last time i did this sesssion(2/3weeks ago)...only thing is im short on mileage this week now, might double up tomorrow.

total weekly mileage: 28.5m

theboyblunder

seanynova wrote: »

finished last week with another 5.5m to make it 56m for the week.

this week i did:
mon: 5m easy
tues: 12m easy
wed:4m easy
thurs: 9holes of golf (shot 37 )
fri: 7.5m, 58:46mins @7:50m/m HR 158/186
26degs, evening

6x 0.62m Splits:
3:27(179)-5:34m/m
3:24(183)-5:30m/m
3:28(186)-5:36m/m
3:28(181)-5:36m/m
3:27(18X)-5:34m/m
3:26(18X)-5:32m/m

was rushed to get this done so the warm up/down was short by a mile each, but happy i got 6reps done, all about the same effort and prob could have done another 1 or 2, only i had no fluids on the run so mouth was very dry. happy with the even enough times also, typically 2-3secs faster and more even than last time i did this sesssion(2/3weeks ago)...only thing is im short on mileage this week now, might double up tomorrow.

total weekly mileage: 28.5m

Hey good stuff seany, especially in 26C! Were at the same paces now - I think the reps early in the programme are starting to kick in now....