Think like a bumblebee, train like a horse.

KoemansCC

It's only my second half so I'll be happy with anything under 2 hours, I'm going to try and pace it for about 01:57 so I'll see how it goes...

Snailsong, I'll probably be in Kinvara about 09:30 so I might see you beforehand...

KoemansCC

Saturday 03 March
Type:  Race - Kinvara Rock and Road Half Marathon
Distance: 21.14k
Time: 01:58:51 (official chip time)
Avg Pace:  5:37/k

Weather was terrible this morning after a gorgeous day yesterday, luckily the clouds cleared just before the race and stayed dry throughout. Started off easily a bit faster than my target pace and I was comfortable until about 4k when my right foot started to get numb again. I had to stop 3 times to re-adjust my runner, pull my sock down, pull my sock back up again!!! Eventually just took my runner off and walked for a couple of hundred metres in my sock to get the blood flowing in my foot, put the runner back on and it didn't bother me again after 6k.

The rest of the race was mostly uneventfull, started slowing a bit about 6 k from home so tagged onto a few that were passing me and managed to keep pace with them, pushed it a bit towards the end and dropped one or two I had tagged onto. A fairly boring straight course, basically a big triangle with a few small inclines although I got caught out by a steepish hill near the end which made sure I crossed the line with nothing left.

Very happy to break 2 hours so that monkeys off my back, with a few more months endurance running with a bit of speed work I'd say sub 01:50 should be well achievable this year, I'll be happy with a simlilar time in the Connemara half next month due to the hills...lovely cakes the end as well

snailsong

well done, good run. Good to meet up yesterday and put a face to the name, sorry I missed you at the finish. I was accosted by a friend from home and didn't want to leave the finishing straight for fear of missing the wife. I was fairly happy with the course, fairly flat with a few small rises. I think the headwind on the long straight cost us all a few seconds though.

KoemansCC

Friday 09 March 2012
Type: Weights (Force)

Quick 40 mins in the gym this morning after work, I had planned a bit more but I had enough after the 40 mins.

Talk about a lazy week, decided Monday that I wasn't going to do much this week unless I was really up for it...I wasn't!!! and no side effects from the race last Saturday at all except for being a bit tired on Sunday. If fact I'm very happy with the way I'm feeling at the moment, except for a slight twinge in my knee a couple of weeks back I'm injury free which is a huge positive, although the intermittent numb foot is annoying but I'd say its time for a new pair of asics anyway...I have a newish pair of saucony's that'll do for now but I don't like the weight of them to be honest.

I've had absolutely no pain in my shins for ages now so touch wood the easier running is having a positive effect, looking forward to a medium length run tomorrow and a long one on Sunday (or vice versa).

Snailsong, well done on the pb last Saturday, a savage time...if I get within 10 mins of it I'll be delighted.

KoemansCC

Saturday 10 March
Type:  Run (Endurance)
Distance: 8.41k
Time: 00:51:47
Avg Pace:  6:10/k

I was surprisingly stiff after the strength season yesterday, especially on my calfs and quads, not a great run as a result as my legs felt heavy but good to get out...

KoemansCC

Monday 12 March
Type:  Run (Endurance)
Distance: 15.19k
Time: 01:33:28
Avg Pace:  6:09/k

Good long slow run on a gorgeous evening, a bit faster than I planned but enjoyable...I was absolutely wrecked yesterday so didn't get out at all, I had only 3-4 hours restless sleep last night so I was 50/50 whether to run today or not but I couldn't pass up on the good weather. I ran this on a different route than normal (Lerreragh, Tonabrucky, Drom East, Salthill), it's a very hilly route with big undulating bastard hills with very similar roads and scenery to the Connemarathon route...I used to really struggle running up hills but now they don't seem to bother me as much and I ran up them no hassle, legs felt a bit more tired than normal after but that's probably because I did feck all last week...

snailsong

KoemansCC wrote: »

Friday 09 March 2012

... its time for a new pair of asics anyway...I have a newish pair of saucony's that'll do for now but I don't like the weight of them to be honest.

.

I see lifestyle sports has 25% off all Asics if you 'trade in' an old pair of runners. Now's your chance.

KoemansCC

Monday 19 March
Type:  Run (Endurance)
Distance: 12.68k
Time: 01:16:51
Avg Pace:  6:04/k

First outing in a week, very very windy out there today...lsr on a flat course out by Salthill. I had a bit of a hangover so didn't know how long I'd be out for, finished about 4k earlier than planned but that was more down to the wind than anything else...

I'm really finding it hard to get the amount of training in I'd like so I'll probably have to knock the first triathlon plan on the head for this year, I'll stick to the running and see how I go for the next month or so...Connemarathon Half in two weeks so that'll be my focus for now.

KoemansCC

Sunday 20 March
Type:  Run (Muscular Endurance)
Distance: 10.09k
Time: 01:00:27
Avg Pace:  5:59/k

Speed session...
WU 15 mins easy
WI's 3 x 6 mins @ 5k pace (about 4:50/k)
RI's 3 mins brisk walking
CD 18 mins!!!

First speed session of the year, I can really feel it in the shins after, I used to run this way all the time so it's no wonder I used to break down so often. The cool down didn't work out as planned, I took a detour on the trail around the local woods to see what it was like in there (never in there before, eerie) and it was a bit longer/tougher than I thought so had to work a bit harder than a for a cool down.

Had only planned about 40 mins so the extra time makes up for cutting it short yesterday...

CorkonianRebel

Your running sessions look to be going very well!

KoemansCC

CorkonianRebel wrote: »

Your running sessions look to be going very well!

Ya, that's where 95% of training is, I'll get out on the bike in the next week or two. I'm starting to feel stronger when I'm running now, there always seems to be an extra gear to step up the pace a bit...early days yet though so I'll be sticking to the slower paced running for another while yet. There's a 10k on 22 April so I might push myself a bit more coming up to that...

KoemansCC

Bit lazy updating the last couple of days...

Sunday 25 March
Type:  Run (Endurance)
Distance: 21.34k
Time: 02:14:10
Avg Pace:  6:17/k

LSR with pickups...
Headed out well before midday to beat the heat, didn't work cos it was roasting at ten in the morning anyway...I hate running in the heat so I abandoned the pickups after the first two and just decided to enjoy the run. My HR was awful high from the start so it wasn't only caused by the heat, don't usually run this early so maybe that caused it. I didn't feel good throughout probably because of the reduced training the last three weeks and in hindsight I should have only ran about 15k, had two fluid stops on the way to refresh.

Monday 26 March
Type:  Run (Endurance)
Distance: 8.91k
Time: 00:57:30
Avg Pace:  6:27/k

Don't normally do recovery runs but felt it'd be good after the LSR, it always feels like I'm working harder when I run slow probably because my gait feels wrong, feels as if I'm heel striking a lot more too...should have done this on grass TBH. I got fed up about 600m from home so just floored it @ about 4:20/k pace...felt good but so much for recovery!

RacoonQueen

Are you still doing Connemara?

KoemansCC

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Are you still doing Connemara?

I am, looking forward to the day but not too sure about the race, there's still a bit of me out there from the last time I ran it two years ago...I'll be happy to break the 2hr again I'd say although I'll probably pace it a good bit faster and see how I go...think I'll bring a flask of coffee to have beforehand!

snailsong

Good luck in the race tomorrow. give it socks.

KoemansCC

Thursday 30 March
Type:  Run
Distance: 3.78k
Time: 00:20:00
Avg Pace:  5:17/k

Last quick run yesterday at target race pace ignoring the hills (I hope!!), I'll be happy to get home under 2 hours but I'll be targeting about 01:55...

snailsong wrote: »

Good luck in the race tomorrow. give it socks.

Cheers, I'm sure I'll have some tale of woe or other to report tomorrow...

RacoonQueen

Good luck tomorrow.

KoemansCC

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Good luck tomorrow.

Cheers, just tucking into an early breakfast of rashers, scrambled egg and grilled tomato...

KoemansCC

Sunday 01 April
Type:  Race -Connemarathon Half
Distance: 21.34k
Time: 02:07:18 (Watch time, no official time yet)
Avg Pace:  5:58/k

Tough going, once I hit about 7k and was struggling with my target pace I knew it wasn't going to be a good day...no excuses though just didn't have it in me this time around. Never mind the hills I struggled on the flat sections, had to walk a fair number of times. Savage day and race though and thoroughly enjoyed the lot, not a cloud in the sky the whole way and even enjoyed a few pints in the bar afterwards...on the plus side picked up a great farmers tan! Got home and devoured a double Italian, sirloin steak and veg and a massive bowl of carbonara from Basilico in Oranamare, could have ate a lot more but sleep was needed.

A recovery jog will most definately be needed later!!!

KoemansCC

Monday 02 April
Type:  Run (Endurance)
Distance: 4.60k
Time: 00:31:00
Avg Pace:  6:44/k

Recovery jog mostly on grass, feel a lot better today...

KoemansCC

Still a bit lazy updating....

Sunday 08 April
Type:  Run (Muscular Endurance)
Distance: 5.27k
Time: 00:30:03
Avg Pace: 5:42/k

A bit of a fartlek run on the treadmill @ 1% incline, 3 x 1k intervals at 5:00/k pace, the rest at different paces, ran the last 7 mins or so barefoot...I'm really starting to see a decrease in fitness due to lack of training, unfortunately I don't see any increased training in the next few weeks...

Monday 09 April
Type:  Run (Muscular Endurance)
Distance: 3.63k
Time: 00:18:02
Avg Pace:  4:58/k

Had planned to do about 6k fast but couldn't be arsed, took a detour after 1.5k and just ran home by a back road...ah well!

KoemansCC

Amazingly got a double session in today, renewed the gym membership so I can get a small bit done in the mornings after work...

Thursday 12 April
AM
Type: Bike (Endurance)
Distance: 32.54k
Time: 01:00:00
Avg Speed: 32.5k/h

Gym bike...first time on any sort of bike since before Kinvara, did the first 50 mins in z1 and the last 10 mins in z3...

PM
Type: Run (Muscular Endurance)
Distance: 6.52k
Time: 00:38.02
Avg Pace: 5:50/k

Speed session on the home treadmill...

WU 10 mins @ 6:00/k pace
WI's 7 x 2mins @ 4:36/k pace
RI's 1 min strolling
CD 7 mins @ 6:00/k pace barefoot

My legs feel so much better when I run on the treadmill barefoot, might invest in a pair of barefoot runners as blisters start forming after about 7-8 mins, still need a new pair of asics too...

KoemansCC

Couple of short steady runs on the treadmill at home the last 2 days...

Monday 16 April
Type:  Run
Distance: 5.34k
Time: 00:30:00
Avg Pace: 5:37/k

Tuesday 17 April
Type:  Run
Distance: 5.57k
Time: 00:30:00
Avg Pace: 5:23/k

KoemansCC

Monday 23 April
Type: Run (Muscular Endurance)
Distance: 6.03k
Time: 00:31:50
Avg Pace: 5:17/k

Speed intervals in belting hailstones, WI's 3 x 2k-ish @ 4:58/k, RI's 2 x 200m brisk walking...have a weeks holidays so plan is to get 7 more good sessions in between now and Wed week!

KoemansCC

Tuesday 24 April
Type: Run (Endurance)
Distance: 8.59k
Time: 00:50:009
Avg Pace: 5:49/k

Steady run on the treadmill at home, shame to be running indoors with the sunny weather today but wanted to watch the Barcelona game...had planned to do an hour buts it's damn hot running indoors with no aircon.

Time to get some more distance in the legs...

KoemansCC

Monday 30 April
Type: Run
Distance: about 5k
Time: about 30 mins
Avg Pace: 6:00/k

No energy, no motivation, no fun ...in fairness, I'd say I'm back close to square one so the best thing to do is go back to basics again, seemed to have some success with it last time and more importantly it was fun...

Tuesday 01 May
Type: Run (Endurance)
Distance: 10.06k
Time: 01:05:08
Avg Pace: 6:28/k

Long slow jog on the treadmill at home, didn't feel good for the first 30 mins but got into for the second half...it's the first time in 5 and a bit weeks that I've ran for more than an hour or longer than 10k in training...felt good at the end.