Average runner...no injury...no excuse...

caseyjones1

Bit of background: 35 yo woman, 3 kids, 1 husband.
Running since Jan '09, somewhat devoted to Lau Gar, and could never choose between Kung Fu and running which causes many a conflict
Am currently injury free and want to try to make a big effort with running this year. I was only getting started last year on bringing my times down when I got injured, and every time I came back I was out again within about two weeks, up until Autumn last year. I did the cross country season, and did alright and am back training properly now since January. This involves two club sessions (speed) and a long weekend run, at least one kf session a week and sometimes a race.
I'm hoping that writing stuff down here will make me take stock and be honest with myself about my mileage etc. I will record my miles to date as well.

I feel that I've gotten to be an ok runner without ever really taking it very seriously so now I want to see what I'm capable of if I apply myself.

PBs:
5k: 21.15 (2011)
4mi: 28.17 (2011)
5mi: 35:09 (Jan 2012)
10k: 49:xx..(2010)
10mi: 81:xx (2010)
Half M: 1:46:xx (2010)
Marathon: 4:11 (2010)

Aims for this year:
5k: sub 20
4mi: sub 27
5mi: sub 34
10k: sub 45
10mi: sub 80?
Half M: sub 1:45

Heading to Dundalk today for a 5k race, training for week just gone as follows:

Monday: 7mi run including hills
Tuesday: 4 x 800 2 min recovery, Jog 5 mins, 3 x 200 jog back 85% effort, Jog 3 mins, 1 x 600. 1mi WU and CD
Wednesday: Lau gar, stance work, stretching, pad work
Thursday: Pyramid, 1 x 200 1 x 400 1 x 600 1x 800 1x 1000 1x 800 1 x 600 1x 400 1x 200, 2 min recovery between each
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Lau gar, stance work, stretching, press ups, sit ups, planks etc, very tough session.
Sunday: Rest

Ok looking back that was quite a busy week, don't always train that much!

I have found the training logs of others to be great reading so am really looking forward to doing this.

C

Nules10

Best of luck with the log caseyjones some great PBS there already. Good luck with the targets. No problem reaching them with all your new fancy running gear you will pick up in NY

caseyjones1

Thanks Nules10, I'm thinking the new gear has to help

Mountpleasant 5k 21:13

Race was grand today, wet but nice and cool. Quite a slog of a hill around 3k.
Can't believe I did it in exactly the same time as last year, it's uncanny. I had thought it was 21:15 last year but I looked it up there now and it was the same to the second.
Splits were 6.26, 6.59, 7.07 & 40 seconds for the last .11 of a mile
Happy with the result as a starting point for the year but I'd be lying if I said I was happy with the time, would hope to do better.
On the upside I was third senior lady and part of the first ladies team too so came away fifty euro richer - result!

pconn062

Well done on the race today and the top 3 finish, I did it myself, we got a good soaking! You seem to have good speed for shorter distances especially 5k, what's the long term plan?

caseyjones1

pconn062 wrote: »

Well done on the race today and the top 3 finish, I did it myself, we got a good soaking! You seem to have good speed for shorter distances especially 5k, what's the long term plan?

Thanks!

I don't have a long term plan, I just want to get faster really. Have been faffing around for far too long :mad:
Just don't know where to begin, I really want to get sub 20 for the 5k but don't know how to get there. I have a good few races coming up that I want to do.
I have been following your log and you did really well yourself, 3 5ks in a month at that pace is fantastic. One of our lads broke 19 today and was only thrilled with himself.

pconn062

caseyjones1 wrote: »

Thanks!

I don't have a long term plan, I just want to get faster really. Have been faffing around for far too long :mad:
Just don't know where to begin, I really want to get sub 20 for the 5k but don't know how to get there. I have a good few races coming up that I want to do.
I have been following your log and you did really well yourself, 3 5ks in a month at that pace is fantastic. One of our lads broke 19 today and was only thrilled with himself.

Sorry, "long term plan" is like a job interview question! I meant more time wise but I seen you wrote your goal times in your OP after I posted!

I'm no expert but a few sessions I've found good for 5k include:

10x400m @ 5k pace minus 20 secs off 90 secs recovery
6-8x800m @ 5k pace off 2-3 mins recovery
About ten days before a goal race do 3x1 mile @ race pace off 3-5 minutes recovery.

Good Luck!

caseyjones1

I think I'll use the Bohermeen 5k in June as my aim and go from there. I will be on the same training plan for another three weeks and then I'll change. Thanks for the input, much appreciated.

Salty Dog

caseyjones1 wrote: »

Have been faffing around for far too long :mad:

Not surprised with all those Wednesday coffee mornings !!

Good run today. Shouldn't have to much trouble breaking the 20 mins

caseyjones1

Salty Dog wrote: »

Not surprised with all those Wednesday coffee mornings !!

Good run today. Shouldn't have to much trouble breaking the 20 mins

And where did you crawl out of you are not a man of many words usually!
Listen I'm under no illusions, I'll have to go sub 20 to get genuine praise from you :rolleyes: but I'm happy with the cold hard cash I got today.
The coffee is fuel, you should try it. So is cake.
Have you noticed anything missing from your house lately?

jcsmum

Would kill to have some of your PBs
You will get lots of great advice here from the super speedy crew.
Best of luck with the logs and the goals.

Salty Dog

caseyjones1 wrote: »

Have you noticed anything missing from your house lately?

So that's where it went and here was me blaming H. Not a bad read

caseyjones1

So today should probably have been a recovery jog day but I forgot and out of sheer habit turned up for speed training.

2mi warmup, 4x800 with 2min recovery, 5 min jog, 3x200, 3 min jog, 1x600, 1mi recovery.

All pretty consistent(ly sluggish) but jesus my legs were dead. Lesson learned.
Just snarfed a double portion of pasta/ham/peas/cream/parmesan and fully expect to be regretting that most of the night, but man it tasted good.
Tomorrow's a kung fu day. No room for dead legs there.

Salty Dog am actually enjoying the book, nice to know the theory of these things even if one is to completely disregard it in training
Gives me something to argue with the real runners about

caseyjones1

Took a much needed rest day on Wednesday, didn't go to kung fu training and had an early night. Trying not to fall into old habits of training most days and burning out frequently.
Went to the club training last night and just did 4 miles easy. Planning to do the GIR on Sunday as circumstances have changed and I now have a babysitter.
Will hopefully rest now until then as am feeling pretty tired. Might try to dip my legs in the sea tomorrow in an effort to revive them somewhat.

Salty Dog

caseyjones1 wrote: »

Took a much needed rest day on Wednesday, didn't go to kung fu training and had an early night.

Slacker

Another good read : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Advanced-Marathoning-Pete-Pfitzinger/dp/0736034315

caseyjones1

Well the park was great today, lovely conditions and having an elite women's number meant no crowding for us. PB for me of 44.15 which I am very pleased with, room for improvement but a great start to the season. Hills were tough but I felt relaxed and strong, and maaaybe could have pushed a bit harder, but hey ho, nice to have enjoyed the race.

@Salty Dog, I *may* have already read that one when doing the marathon, think I *may* have also picked it up in your house! It had loads of coffee rings on the cover, rumour has it you use it as a coffee table on the arm of your couch...

caseyjones1

caseyjones1 wrote: »

PBs:
5k: 21.15 (2011)
4mi: 28.17 (2011)
5mi: 35:09 (Jan 2012)
10k: 49:xx..(2010) 44.15 (GIR 2012)
10mi: 81:xx (2010)
Half M: 1:46:xx (2010)
Marathon: 4:11 (2010)

Aims for this year:
5k: sub 20
4mi: sub 27
5mi: sub 34
10k: sub 45
10mi: sub 80?
Half M: sub 1:45



C

Great start to this logging business

Nules10

Wow brilliant stuff cj. Nice pb

caseyjones1

Thanks Nules10.



Tuesday 4x800,3x200,1x600, all with 2 min recoveries and a 3 or 5 min jog between each set. Nice session, felt really energetic for a change.
Wednesday 7mi @ 8.30mile pace.
Thursday nada, stood and watched the kids training tonight, my daughter is very excited about a little athletics meeting in Bush, Dundalk. Bless.
Resting now till K-Club 10k tomorrow. Husband in China for 10 days so feeling a bit tired from the single parenting but can hopefully match or beat my GIR time from last week. Am wondering is it too soon to race again? Guessing it doesn't really matter that much in the grand scheme of things :rolleyes:

caseyjones1

Really enjoyed the K-Club 10k today, and managed to scrape another pb - 43.51, happy days.

Went out stead and tried to hold a 4.18km pace, first 3k grand, slowed to about 4.20-4.25 over the next couple of k, upped a bit again but by 9k was just feeling tired and wanted it over with, could probably have run the last two km harder but heart wasn't in it for some reason.

Happy with the time :cool:

Now, what to do tomorrow? Might go watch the relays in Santry.

Salty Dog

caseyjones1 wrote: »

another pb - 43.51

Congrats - great effort & time. How much do you charge for coaching ?

caseyjones1

Salty Dog wrote: »

Congrats - great effort & time. How much do you charge for coaching ?

Thanks, no coaching for me!

caseyjones1

Not a very good start to the logging, haven't logged all week. Will do better!

Looked up miles for year to date on Garmin and apparently it's 281 so will add to that as I log.

This week so far:

Monday: Kettlebell interval workout at home.
Tuesday: Speed training at club, 4x800, 5 min jog, 3x200, 3 min jog, 1 x 600.
Wednesday: Kung fu, syllabus and fitness training
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Vo2 Max test, and Kettlebell interval workout at home (30 mins)
Sunday: LSR, 9miles @ 8.30mi pace around Oldbridge.

Found the Vo2 Max Test very interesting, and am very glad I did it, but am honestly a bit overwhelmed with all the info, not sure what to do with it. Apparently one of the lads in the club is going to go through it with me and explain how it relates to my training.

caseyjones1

Well it's been quite a while since I was on here. Had another baby this year and getting back into the swing of things now. Ran mostly through the pregnancy and returned to training quite soon after but only really attending club training consistently the last four weeks. Need to do some thinking on goals for 2014.