semper currere

scriba

Sun 13/5/2012

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7.31km in 54:25 (recovery run!)

Nice sunshine recovery jog with a friend, while the world slumbered on. Stiff to start, but loosened out by the end.

Not sure of my plans for the next few weeks yet, or whether I'm going to target DCM. Mid June is 18 weeks out, so I'll probably work on base till then.

Week (12) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
May 7th - 13th | 3 | 37.85 km | 63.09 km | 356.80 km

scriba

Tue 15/5/2012

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8.04 in 46:50 (easy run) 5:51/km pace

First pre-work run in weeks, but this is a necessity if I want to get some decent kilometres in. Still feeling a little tiredness from Saturday's exertions, but I need to get cracking again. This was fine, the best achievement was dragging myself out of bed an hour earlier than normal.

Finished the run with 2 x minute hills. While hard work as usual, I felt much more control and power than the last time I did it. Progress I guess.

Tomorrow it's intervals, as prescribed by the sage Ecoli on the DCM 2011 continuation thread.

Week (13) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
May 14th - 20th | 1 | 8.04 km | 71.13 km | 364.84 km

scriba

Wed 16/5/2012

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8.2 km in 45:35 (1.6km warmup, 6 x 600m intervals, 1.3km cool down).

|Interval|1|2|3|4|5|6|
|Pace/km|4'22"|4'23"|4'14"|4'39"|4'27"|4'10"|

Following ecoli's plan for the week, the intervals were to be 5k pace -5 seconds. My (training) 5k pb is 23:34, which works out at about 4:43/km pace. Hence the task was to run these intervals @ 4:38/km. I decided to simply run quickly for 600m, and if the interval was quicker then what was required, so be it. It's difficult to control pace in such a short distance with technology.

Another morning pre-work run, which I'm delighted with. Sunny morning, the local park was open early, so I got to do these on grass too! Spent extra time stretching my calves both before and after, which seems to have eased tightness completely. The intervals are a little varied :P, but I figure I gave the lungs a good work out there, so no harm done. I feel less tired today than yesterday. Go figure.

Also creeping towards 400km, which should be reached some time Sunday - 1/4 of the way to my 1600km.

Will try work out some race target times soon. I'd like to do a 10k just to get a starting time down for it.

Week (13) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
May 14th - 20th | 2 | 16.24 km | 79.33 km | 373.04 km

newbie runner

looks like the Emer Casey Foundation 10k this weekend in Youghal would be a good one to start with so???

scriba

newbie runner wrote: »

looks like the Emer Casey Foundation 10k this weekend in Youghal would be a good one to start with so???

I was thinking that, only I'm a bit stuck for time at the moment, all over the place with things that must be completed. I'm keeping my options open, and if I'm free, I'll head down.

scriba

Sat 19/5/2012

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10.88km in 1:01:48 (1.6km warmup, 2 x 10m HM pace [~5:10/km], with 3 min recovery. The rest easy, except for 4 min and 1 min hills :eek:).

The weekly plan I'm following called for an 8km easy run on Thursday, but with football on later that evening, and my body still feeling tired after last weekend's running, I decided to drop the session. I rested on Friday, and was raring to go this morning. The plan was as outlined above, except for the hills, which were simply on the random route I chose this morning. Felt good for the most part doing this, the wet weather just about held off, and felt stronger going up those hills. I think I'm going to try pick out some hilly routes for some of my easy runs/LSRs over the next few weeks, to try build some strength in my legs. Shouldn't be hard to find in Cork.

Still haven't planned out some target times for distances. I think I'll just keep running for a while, and try get some 4-5 session weeks in. Time enough to do that when I pick out my next couple of races.

LSR tomorrow (16km). Since I'm too busy to watch the rugby and soccer, let alone go all day drinking for it, it looks like I'll sadly be in fine fettle for an early run tomorrow. A bit of sunshine would be much appreciated! :pac:

Week (13) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
May 14th - 20th | 3 | 27.12 km | 90.21 km | 383.92 km

Pacing Mule

Hi Scriba,

Just out of interest what weekly plan are you following ?

scriba

Hi Pageant Messiah, good question! The only thing a scan through my log reveals is that I often switch plans, or simply not follow them!

I've decided for the next few weeks to follow the weekly plans posted by boards member ecoli on this thread. It's suited to the mileage I'm getting through consistently at the moment, and I'm also keen to see how my body reacts to different sessions. Plus it's nice to be able to question the plan designer on aspects of his plan! He normally posts a new plan up on a Monday morning.

scriba

Sun 20/5/2012

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16.56 km in 1:41:43 @ 6:09/km (90 min run prescribed).

Nice enough, a bit of sunshine to begin with, before it got a little muggy. This wasn't too tough, but I could feel heaviness in my legs, and my breathing got laboured every time I went a little quicker! Still, it's been a heavy ten days from my perspective, so that's to be expected. Delighted to get four sessions in this week, I think the key to it was the early morning midweek runs, so that's the plan for next week.

Week (13) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
May 14th - 20th | 4 | 43.68 km | 106.77 km | 400.48 km

400km! Roughly 25% of the 1000 miles target for the year. Hopefully 40km weeks will now become the baseline standard for the rest of the year (famous last words...)

red face dave

Good work Scriba. Have you any races planned?

scriba

I haven't registered for anything yet, but there are a couple of 10ks down in West Cork in mid June and the end of June, so I'll probably do one of those. After that, I'm thinking maybe both the Killarney HM in mid July, and the Ballyheigue HM at the start of July. Depends on a few variables, but hopefully I'll get one of each type done at least. How about yourself?

red face dave

Did the Killarney Maxi last year. Lovely views during the race, well organised but I don't think its great value for money.

I have a 10k next Sunday and the 5 mile at the end of June. After that then it will be time to start hitting the big miles so a half marathon somewhere in July.

scriba

red face dave wrote: »

Did the Killarney Maxi last year. Lovely views during the race, well organised but I don't think its great value for money.

Yeah, it's a perennial problem, but from my perspective, it's only an hour's drive up the road, and suitably positioned in the calendar. Other than that, I probably wouldn't do it.

red face dave wrote: »

I have a 10k next Sunday and the 5 mile at the end of June. After that then it will be time to start hitting the big miles so a half marathon somewhere in July.

Nice one. That should take some seconds of your pace when it comes to the longer runs. I'm hoping four or five weeks of solid training with a little speed work should leave me in better nick to tackle the 5mile-10k distance bracket later in the summer.

red face dave

scriba wrote: »

I'm hoping four or five weeks of solid training with a little speed work should leave me in better nick to tackle the 5mile-10k distance bracket later in the summer.

I am in exactly the same boat. Want to put in a good few weeks speed training and really push for a good time in the 5 mile in Dublin

scriba

Sat 26/5/2012

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10.5 km in 59:29 @ 5:40/km

This week has been a bit of a blow out as far as running has been concerned. So it was great to get out this morning, in the sweltering heat. Another hour later and I'd have melted into a mass of pasty ginger goo, Steve Staunton Orlando 94 style. Plan is to get an early LSR in tomorrow morning. Today was comfortable, threw in a few LT kms (~5/km) for the craic. It wasn't that much craic.

I'll have to stop posting about 40km weeks being a benchmark, every time I do, I end up doing half that! :rolleyes:

Week (14) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
May 21st - 27th | 1 | 10.5 km | 117.27 km | 410.98 km

scriba

Sun 15/7/2012

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8.22 km in 48:20 @ 5:53/km

Injury-free and somewhat stress-relieved, I got out for the first time in 6 weeks. Better late than never. I felt comfortable and ran a little longer than I had planned. Will do a few short runs this week to get back into the swing of things. Sunshine definitely helped

Week (20) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
July 21st - 27th | 1 | 8.22 km | 8.22 km | 419.2 km [/QUOTE]

Pacing Mule

Welcome back scriba !

scriba

Pageant Messiah wrote: »

Welcome back scriba !

Thanks! I've been climbing the walls. :eek:

Pacing Mule

So what happened you do you mind me asking. What was the injury ?

scriba

Pageant Messiah wrote: »

So what happened you do you mind me asking. What was the injury ?

Nothing running related thankfully, damaged ribs and shoulder. Attempted to run a few times with it, but it was very uncomfortable. I've been recovered over a week, but today was the first chance I had to get out.

scriba

Ok, after a summer of barely getting out once a week, I am finally back running, since the last weeks of September. I've rediscovered my love for it, just as the weather nose-dives!

Quick stats.

Sept. 24th-30th - 4 sessions, 29km.
Oct 1st to 5th - 3 sessions, 18km.

Doing a lot of gym treadmill and a little bike to complement it, as well as doing some 6km-7km walks with my mum in the evenings (about three a week).

I've targeted the Clon half marathon at the start of December as my comeback race. I'm following Hal Higdon intermediate plan for this (I jumped in at week 2), and I'm hoping to do it in around 1:45 (or at least beat previous half time of 1:49)

Right, off for a hilly morning run...

scriba

Might as well keep on top of this posting lark.

My long(ish) run for the week: 11.34 km in 1:07:10 (5:55/km), climb 223 m. Beautiful weather for it, and had a little terrier as a running partner for the first 5km before he bowed out and returned home. That's it for running this week, going to do a 6-7 mile walk tomorrow.

And tables!

Last week:

Week (34) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Sep 24th-30th | 4 | 29.1 km | 61.03 km | 497.05 km

This week:

Week (35) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 1st-7th | 4 | 29.74 km | 29.74 km | 526.79 km

scriba

New week, awful weather, treadmill time. Week 4 of the programme. Today was 6.6km in 38 mins, nice and handy. Finished off with 10k on the bike.

This week:

Week (36) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 8th-14th | 1 | 6.6 km | 36.34 km | 533.39 km

Enjoying the gym at the moment, although the boredom is surely only round the corner. :eek:

LarMan

scriba wrote: »

Ok, after a summer of barely getting out once a week, I am finally back running, since the last weeks of September. I've rediscovered my love for it, just as the weather nose-dives!

Welcome back Scriba, I hope your training goes well.

scriba

LarMan wrote: »

Welcome back Scriba, I hope your training goes well.

Me too fella, so far so good.

scriba

Gym again, program asked for 35min tempo run, wasn't sure how I was feeling this morning so I started slow and just incremented the pace every km by 20 sec/km. So km 1 was at 6:20/km, and km 6 was at 4:40/km, followed by a 6:00/km warm down to bring it over 4 miles.

So I did 6.5km in just over 38 mins, and followed up with 7.5km on the bike. Another day down, but felt some power for the first time in a long while. Augurs well.

This week:

Week (36) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 8th-14th | 2 | 13.1 km | 42.84 km | 539.89 km

scriba

6.5km @ ~39:30. Nice easy run.

This week:

Week (36) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 8th-14th | 3 | 19.6 km | 49.34 km | 546.39 km

scriba

Fri 12th October

Another easy run 5.0 km @ 30:10.

This week:

Week (36) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 8th-14th | 4 | 24.6 km | 54.34 km | 551.39 km

Have a 7 mile run planned for tomorrow, but my sinuses are all blocked up with a heavy head cold, no doubt due to the rapidly plunging temperatures of the last couple of nights. Hopefully I'll be able to get out there. If not. so be it, I got 2 9km walks in this week also which should help a tiny bit.

scriba

Wed 17th October

Another easy run 5.0 km @ 30:40.

This week:

My first run since contracting a heavy head cold last Friday, which spread to my chest. I missed last weeks LSR (7 miler) and am starting this week's schedule a day late. I have intervals scheduled for tomorrow, but I'm not breathing well enough yet to do them, with the annoying residual cough still in my chest. Hence maybe 4 miles tomorrow, easy pace, and see how I go. It will definitely be done indoors.

Week (37) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 15th-21st| 1 | 5.0 km | 59.34 km | 556.39 km

scriba

Thurs 18th October

Another easy run 7.0 km @ 41:00.

This week:

Still a wee bit chesty, having to cough once a minute, but all in all not too bad. Feel all the better for doing this.

Week (37) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 15th-21st| 2 | 12.0 km | 66.34 km | 563.39 km

Leaving for a stag weekend tomorrow, but bringing my running gear so I can get a run in before festivities begin tomorrow evening (while others are hacking bits of fairway into the air). I think 8 mile LSR tomorrow, and if I can manage 3 miles at something resembling 'pace' on Saturday morning, I'll be delighted with my week. Next week, I'll put in the intervals I was too sick to do this week.

scriba

Tues 23rd October

Another easy run 6.5 km @ 37:30.

I'm still coughing, although this was vital for sweating out all the weekend booze. Hopefully this will be the end of that annoying cough.

Week (38) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 22nd-28th| 1 | 6.5 km | 71.84 km | 569.89 km

Pacing Mule

Glad to see you back scriba.

scriba

Wed 24th October

6.5 km, including 7 x 400m intervals at 4:15 min/km pace, with 1 min slow jog breaks in between.

Still a little cough here and there. This was tough enough, but a good indication of where I am, and where I need to be. Hard sessions hard and easy sessions easy!Warm up and warm down was nice and slow.

Week (38) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 22nd-28th| 2 | 13 km | 79.34 km | 576.39 km

scriba

Thurs 25th October

8.1 km easy run in 48:29

Sweaty work, but felt ok. The slight tiredness in my legs reminded me that I need to be doing more 5+ mile runs.

Week (38) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 22nd-28th | 3 | 21.1 km | 87.44 km | 584.49 km

scriba

Fri 26th October

8.00 km run in 43:58 (incorporating 5k at HMP - 4:57/km)

This was good. I could probably have struggled on with another km at this pace, but was glad to break into a recovery jog. Body is beginning to move nicely now, I need to do more core sessions, and shift 7 kgs.

Week (38) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 22nd-28th | 4 | 29.1 km | 95.44 km | 592.49 km

scriba

Sun 28th October

13.34 km run in 1:21:55 Medium slow run

This was good. Nice and easy, plus some decent inclines and a big hill to get the blood pumping. More of that, please!

Week (38) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 22nd-28th | 5 | 42.44km | 108.78 km | 605.83 km

scriba

Tue 30th October

8.26 km run in 47:47 Easy pace 5:47/km; including 1.4km 85m hill.

This was easy on the lungs, tough on the legs, but grand afterwards. No real issues, and a lovely cool early winter evening to run in. Beginning to find some rhythm here, and this will easily be my best running month since I started, in terms of run frequency and distance.

Week (39) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 29th-Nov 4th | 1 | 8.26 km | 117.04 km | 614.09 km

scriba

I didn't get out today, but it is the end of the month, so I'm going to start posting a record of outings and total kilometres for each month. It's a good way of highlighting clearly where I fell down earlier in the year, in terms of getting out there, as well as showing that there is huge room for improvement in my training! Here's to a great November, next/comeback race is the Clonakilty HM on Dec 8th.

On another note, like many others I'm sure, I'm powerfully motivated by some of the marathon accounts of boards members at DCM. Congratulations all!

Month | Days | km
Jan | 0/31 | 0
Feb | 8/29 | 54.89
Mar | 13/31 | 126.29
Apr | 10/30 | 112.53
May | 9/31 | 117.27
Jun | 0/30 | 0
Jul | 2/31 | 13.02
Aug | 2/31 | 12.02
Sep | 8/30 | 61.03
Oct | 16/31 | 117.04
Nov | 0/31 | 0
Dec | 0/31 | 0
Totals | 68/304| 614.09

scriba

Thurs 1st November (and it really is...)

9.0 km run in 49:28 2km warm up, 2km warm down and 8 x 400m 4:15/km pace intervals.

Weather was awful, and I still haven't really settled on a place to do intervals yet, so I paid a visit to the gym this morning. The first one was horrible, but they improved by about interval 4, form-wise. I could feel my body tiring, yet my breathing was much more controlled by the end, if that makes sense. Tried keep the recovery times to about a minute, jogging at 9:40/km pace. Pleasing session, job done, but also a reminder of how much work I have to do yet. Loads!

Week (39) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 29th-Nov 4th | 2 | 17.26 km | 9.0 km | 623.09 km

scriba

Sat 3rd November

9.59 km run in 54:22

I ran this in between the dark clouds and threatened bursts of rain. The plan asked for 4 miles @ HM pace, which I'm hoping to be around 5:00/km, or just under. However, my body was extremely uncooperative, for a number of possible reasons: I had steak and pints last night and I started my run with a long, draining hill, which took me ages to recover from. My breathing was all over the place for this. I started running at race pace 3km in, but I couldn't keep it steady, as data from my run tracker showed. I managed just over 1km before feeling like I was going to have a heart attack, before bringing it back to around 5:30-40 pace. I managed another 2km at 5:00 again, before calling it quits and running 2km warmdown back to base. Deeply unsatisfying, but not too worrying considering I managed it last week. I'll try incorporate the pace miles in tomorrows LSR instead.


Week (39) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 29th-Nov 4th | 3 | 26.85 km | 18.59 km | 632.68 km

scriba

Planned racing schedule is:

Clonakilty HM Dec 8th (booked)
Belgooly 4 mile Dec 26th
Dungarvan 10 mile Jan 27th (booked)
plus hopefully Ballycotton Mar 3rd!

These are all races to keep me occupied as a build a base for next year, and hopefully get some speed into these old legs.

scriba

Sun 4th November

17.71 km run in 1:51:34

No pace miles in this, just a long slog. Sometimes, when you're not feeling well, or running particularly well, it's still consolation to know that you're banking some miles. This was my longest run since May, and I'll gladly take that.

However, churning stomach noises, combined with an array of fallen norovirus-stricken comrades, are foul omens for the next couple of days. Balls.

Week (39) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Oct 29th-Nov 4th | 4 | 44.56 km | 36.3 km | 650.39 km

scriba

Tue 6th November

8.06 km run in 48:06

Easy recovery run. Done on a treadmill, with 2% incline to keep it honest. Nice and warm.

Week (40) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Nov 5th - 11th | 1 | 8.06 km | 44.36 km | 658.45 km

scriba

Wed 7th November

7.22 km run in 40:00

Higdonesque tempo run, peaking on the fifth km. Splits/km, 6:18, 5:45, 5:30, 5:10, 4:50, 5:10, 5:30 and a slow finish. Done again on a treadmill, with 2% incline.

Week (40) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Nov 5th - 11th | 2 | 15.28 km | 51.58 km | 665.77 km

scriba

Fri 9th Nov

10.16km in 53:28, incorporating 8k @ 5:05/km. Done again on a treadmill, with 2% incline, the last km of pace felt like it would never end, but it's done now, and I'm looking forward to outdoor long run on Sunday.

Week (40) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Nov 5th - 11th | 3 | 25.44 km | 61.74 km | 675.93 km

scriba

Sun 11th Nov

11.61km in 75:16 slow and very hilly run in the beautiful surroundings of West Cork. I had to call this short because I was visiting friends and didn't feel like I could disappear for any longer period. That and *maybe* the wine the night before

Week (40) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Nov 5th - 11th | 4 | 37.05km | 73.35km | 687.54 km [

scriba

Tue 13th Nov

8.06 easy km in 50:01, nice slow run.

Week (41) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Nov 12th - 18th | 1 | 8.06 | 81.41 km | 695.6 km

scriba

Wed 14th Nov

8.1 km in 45:01, 2km @ 6:15/km, followed by 9 x 400m @ 4:15/km pace, with 200m breathers @ 6:30/min pace. This was hard, the last 50m of each interval tasted like giving up. But they're done.

Week (41) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Nov 12th - 18th | 2 | 16.16 | 89.51 km | 703.7 km

scriba

Thurs 5th Nov

8.1 km in 50:30, easy pace. HR never went above 137, felt a little sluggish after yesterday but was running well about 6km in.

Week (41) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Nov 12th - 18th | 3 | 24.26 | 97.61 km | 711.8 km

scriba

Fri 16th Nov

8.1 km in 50:58 easy pace. Really beginning to appreciate the benefits of 10 min mile pace, my legs were like lead this morning, but they got well loosened by this.

100th log post. Hurrah!

Week (41) | Sessions | WTD | MTD | YTD
Nov 12th - 18th | 4 | 32.36 km | 105.71km | 719.8 km