A life without races is a life half logged

Carlow2011

druss wrote: »

Dunno if i could recommend myself as any kind of a pacer! I'm thinking of trying to go out at 4.20-ish for the first km or so to keep options open for a crack at closer to 1:30 if things miraculously go my way later on.

Then its a climb for a bit, so I think that would probably mean dropping back on the pace a bit. Then around Johnstown Castle the pace should probably pick up again. Will probably chuck on the boards top for a change if you want to meet up and go for it?

You seem to know the course well, I'm game if you are. 1.30 might be a bit optimistic but hey if here's to giving it a go!!

druss

Carlow2011 wrote: »

You seem to know the course well, I'm game if you are. 1.30 might be a bit optimistic but hey if here's to giving it a go!!

Well there are 1:30 pacers. Suppose we could sit in a bit off them and see if we can push on to join them later on?

I know bits of the course from training runs. But don't know a good 2/3 of it and particularly the bit with the elevation, so will have to be wary!

blockic

Good luck on Sunday druss. Might see ya there.

druss

druss wrote: »

Dunno if i could recommend myself as any kind of a pacer! I'm thinking of trying to go out at 4.20-ish for the first km or so to keep options open for a crack at closer to 1:30 if things miraculously go my way later on.

Then its a climb for a bit, so I think that would probably mean dropping back on the pace a bit. Then around Johnstown Castle the pace should probably pick up again. Will probably chuck on the boards top for a change if you want to meet up and go for it?

I forgot that this is actually the county half marathon as well, so club members are encouraged to wear the club singlet. A quick wardrobe change required, but I'll wear the boards top for the warm up and will say hi to those similarly attired!

My first time entering a race as a club member and wearing a singlet. My first time doing a half. Other than that, my normal pre-race whines are all present and correct though. I have a headache. I am snuffly and hitting the lemsips. Racing obviously brings out the hypochondriac in me.

druss

Sunday 21 April - Wexford Half Marathon

Distance: 21.15 km
Time: 1:36:34
Avg Pace: 4:34 min/km

It wasn't looking (and I wasn't feeling) particularly positive this morning. Looking out the window, I just felt like going back to bed. And more lemsip.

Once I togged out and jogged into town, I felt a bit better though. I had the boards top on for a bit of the warm up, before putting on the club top and legging it up to the finish line to get rid of my bag. Back on the quay, I was briefly talking to upthe19th and Dilbert75 before getting into race position.

As I sort of outlined to Carlow2011, I was between 1:30 and 1:35 in my pre-race targets. The 1:30 was based on 5km and 5miles races, and a whole bunch of optimism. The 1:35 was based on 10k and 10 miles. Nevertheless, I thought I would position myself within sight of the 1:30 pacemakers to give myself a shot at making that time.

End result? I went out too fast. My pace strategy from a few posts ago was sensible enough. Fast first km, then drop it a bit and respect the hills and the distance for a bit. I ignored that and went fast for the first 5 km..most of it uphill. (This course is not flat!).

I was still going strong enough at 12km, still ahead of my Garmin virtual pacer for 1:35. But I was tiring and losing focus. I knew most of the earlier part of the course and I was entering into unknown territory. After the hills, I was hoping for some nice drops to build up the speed and my confidence again. It didn't happen (This course is not flat!).

Anyway, got around, but dissapointed in my lack of HTFU over the final 5k. Support out there was daycent, from non-running club mates and from boardsies. The final shout out from Dilbert, upthe19th and (I think?) Blockic woke me up towards the end.
Met Stephen and Beef after. Grabbed my soup and roll. (I prefer cake and coffee after such exertions). The toddler decided she was bored of the finish line, so I walked home. Lot to be said for a two hour mid-day sleep. :P

Summary: I got there, but I haven't got the stamina to mantain pace to even 10 Mile distance. That is fixable and McMillan isn't lying to me, I can go sub-1:30. But i've got to do the work.

And there are no flat courses in Wexford!

Further edit: Sorry I didn't bump into you Carlow2011. I'd have been a rubbish pacer though. Hope you hit the target.

Carlow2011

It was your first half Druss and well done. I know I have learnt a lot out of today in my first half...firstly flat in Wexford must be different to the rest of the Country!! Secondly it's all about pacing. In training I start off at a reasonable pace and try to get progressively quicker finishing the last few k at 5k ish pace. Why then when there are a load of people around do I have to take off like a headless chicken??? I went out too fast and died a death in the last third of the race. I am happy with the time 1.35.48 (unofficial) but have a lot to learn. Well done again Druss on first half and other boardsies and boardsie pacers.

Edit: Could have done with the company all the same Druss, the head can be a bad enemy on a long run...here's to the next race.

druss

Carlow2011 wrote: »

It was your first half Druss and well done. I know I have learnt a lot out of today in my first half...firstly flat in Wexford must be different to the rest of the Country!! Secondly it's all about pacing. In training I start off at a reasonable pace and try to get progressively quicker finishing the last few k at 5k ish pace. Why then when there are a load of people around do I have to take off like a headless chicken??? I went out too fast and died a death in the last third of the race. I am happy with the time 1.35.48 (unofficial) but have a lot to learn. Well done again Druss on first half and other boardsies and boardsie pacers.

Well done! If you are in Wexford for another race, must try to coordinate a pacing session. You can do the hard work and i'll try to hang in there.:D

upthe19th

Good to put a face to the name druss. Nice running today and a nice time to open the account.

Onwards and upwards.

Steroo

upthe19th wrote: »

Good to put a face to the name druss. Nice running today and a nice time to open the account.

Onwards and upwards.

+1 great run and lovely to meet u!

Carlow2011

druss wrote: »

Well done! If you are in Wexford for another race, must try to coordinate a pacing session. You can do the hard work and i'll try to hang in there.:D

Will do, maybe the Strawberry at end of May. Good to talk, hope you're feet are up after the efforts.

Tom Joad

Well done druss - good solid performance and you definitely have a sub 1:30 in you..

druss

Carlow2011 wrote: »

Will do, maybe the Strawberry at end of May. Good to talk, hope you're feet are up after the efforts.

It was in my thoughts. However it has been described by people as "a bit hilly" ..the same people who described the Wexford half as flat! There was a flyer handed out for Oylegate today as well, which I may research. My next race is likely to be shorter though.

druss

Monday 22 April - Recovery run

Forgot to bring my watch, but it was probably 8k or so. Went out with the club and most of us were in a sore enough state from either the half marathon or the 10k, so it was a relaxed enough effort. Most of it was on the road and then finished up with two laps on grass.

I felt better for having done it, but my legs are feeling absolutely abysmal this morning!

Rest day coming up.

druss

Wednesday 24 April - Club run

Distance: 9.56 km
Time: 47:23
Avg Pace: 4:57 min/km

Same route as last week, except that I actually ran out to the track first. I feel much better after the day off and so I was able to live with faster bunch for a while.

druss

Thursday 25 April - Medium Long run

Distance: 13.28 km
Time: 1:10:16
Avg Pace: 5:17 min/km

Feeling back to normal now, a mere 4 days after the half. I'm thinking of giving a 10k race a go next weekend, but i'll have a few days travel in between so I mightn't be in the best shape for it.

druss

I played football on Friday 26 April. Then I was travelling on Saturday. Packing on Sunday. Off to Brussels on Monday. I packed the running gear as I knew i'd be over early enough to do something.

Monday 29 April - Brussels warm up
Distance: 10.31 km
Time: 55:00
Avg Pace: 5:20 min/km

My Garmin was confused and took ages to find a signal. I was also starting at the bottom of a hill and there were just loads of pedestrians around until I got to a park and found some wide open spaces.

Most of it was grand, but there were some steps and some bits with cobblestones that I wasn't as enthusiastic about. Lots of runners out too. Some absolutely flying it. My Boards AC shirt got some stares. Probably Irish ex-pats.

I did four laps..not quite 2.5k a lap..getting progressively faster. It wasn't that warm..but it sure as hell felt it.

Wednesday 1 May - Club run
Distance: 6.19 km
Time: 28:16
Avg Pace: 4:34 min/km

We didn't have enough interest tonight in doing some track work, but will definitely go for it next week.

Feeling the pace a bit, so I am wondering if a 10k race is the right thing to do for my Bank Holiday Monday.

druss

Thursday 2 May - Lunchtime run
Distance: 10.00 km
Time: 52:41
Avg Pace: 5:16 min/km

I went for a more "cross country" style run today. I felt a lot less sure of myself on grass. And I got tired very quickly. I'm not sure whether its the recent travelling catching up on me, the unfamiliar surface, or just the heat (and it is hot!).

I was out running with some faster colleagues. They were doing a fartlek and I was going for a slower plod. They certainly were putting me under no pressure to keep up with them and I didn't want to go fast anyway. But i think it's hard-wired into my system that the first time someone accelerates I inadvertantly try to respond. Today it only took me miliseconds to overrule my subconsious mind.

druss

Monday 6 May - Out and Back + Mile
Distance: 11.60 km
Time: 59:38
Avg Pace: 5:08 min/km

Family all suffering from different ailments so, since Friday, I've been to doctors, hospitals, pharmacies while remaining annoyingly healthy myself.

Anyway, my plan for a Bank Holiday 10k race was shelved (I don't think I would have been in the zone anyway) and replaced by a 10k evening run out and back to the track.

I also repeated (slightly more successfully now that I had worked out what distance a mile is on track) my mile time trial effort. I kept it fairly steady at 3.40km pace and hit 6 mins exactly. It didn't kill me, but the effort required to turn that into a sub 5 mins scares me!

druss

I played a game of football yesterday. Full of running, but still feeling kind of flat.


Wednesday 8 May - Fartlek

Distance: 7.96 km
Time: 37.50
Avg Pace: 4:45 min/km

This was a kind of structured fartlek with the club. It was roughly two minutes "on" followed by two "off". The fast bits always seemed to coincide with the wind blowing the wrong way!

The total also includes my warm down on the track afterwards.

Dilbert75

Any decision on your next race location and distance?

druss

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Any decision on your next race location and distance?

Probably Enniscorthy, but not decided on the distance.

I emailed my coach with a list of possible races (which she read as a list of definites) and she got a bit worried on my behalf! She also reckons that I may have burned up a fair bit of my aerobic base and this may explain why I feel a bit crap at the moment. This is indeed possible.

So she reckons regroup and rebuild from the ground up. Back into aerobic phase with the occasional race. This would prioritise doing the half marathon in Enniscorthy (but as a quasi LSR) over racing the five mile on the same day for instance. Further thought necessary!

What about yourself? Tonight somebody mentioned that New Ross were thinking of having a 10k as part of the Gathering events.

Carlow2011

Anyone know the Enniscorthy course for the half? Is it hilly or 'flat' like Wexford? Need something to focus the training.

druss

Carlow2011 wrote: »

Anyone know the Enniscorthy course for the half? Is it hilly or 'flat' like Wexford? Need something to focus the training.

"Flat"

People at the club run tonight were saying that the five mile is, pound for pound, hillier than the half. Presume you saw the course description here?

http://www.strawberryhalfmarathon.com/route.html

People do seem to agree that it is hilly, but some people (sadists?) claim that it is still a fast enough course.

Dilbert75

druss wrote: »

What about yourself? Tonight somebody mentioned that New Ross were thinking of having a 10k as part of the Gathering events.

Not decided yet. The 10k is being run by St Josephs AC on June 23 around Pink Rock (old Waterford road). Tough enough course though.

druss

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Not decided yet. The 10k is being run by St Josephs AC on June 23 around Pink Rock (old Waterford road). Tough enough course though.

The lads thought this was different again and would be in the town itself. With Kennedy Park somewhere enroute. Might just be an idea bounced around at some stage which didn't progress.

Must PM you later re the Wexford Half photos and your fundraiser.

druss

Thursday 8 May - Lunchtime run

Distance: 9.23 km
Time: 47.22
Avg Pace: 5:08 min/km

At least it wasn't raining at lunchtime. Still blustery as hell though. I hoped to do closer to 12k, but I was too hungry to bother.

I have been convinced of the logic of going back to basics. However first step is to do a MAF test, which I have always skipped pre-programme before.

Something to get my head around for the weekend, perhaps.

Signs that you need to do the test
The following symptoms indicate that your aerobic efficiency is disintegrating and you should conduct the test to confirm:

Constant soreness and tiredness after workouts (Getting a bit more prevalent recently)
Cravings for sugars and carbs (Puts down chocolate bar guiltily :P )
Impaired training performance (yup)
Restlessness and irritability (yup)
Increased resting heart rate (haven't checked)
Longer than 24 hour recovery needed from workouts (Hard to say, as I have had a few unscheduled days off.)

Dilbert75

druss wrote: »

The lads thought this was different again and would be in the town itself. With Kennedy Park somewhere enroute. Might just be an idea bounced around at some stage which didn't progress.

Now that you mention it, I did hear talk of a race from the Kennedy homestead into New Ross around the time of the Kennedy 50 celebrations (September I think) but have heard nothing since. Must ask again.

druss

Saturday 11 May - MAF Test

Distance: 13.95 km
Time: 1:19:05
Avg Pace: 5:40 min/km

Ok, so I did the MAF test and didn't like the results at all. Excuses out of the way:

I didn't start until 22.00 and by the time I got to the track all was in darkness. I was a bit worried about falling into the steeplechase jump pit and being the recipient of a Darwin award. Also, I had no dinner, I performed better in bpm terms on the road (both on the way out, and the way back!). And the grass was a bit wet. In summary, I clearly would have been operating at 4:00 min/km pace on a better day. :P

But anyway, I was working to an average of 142 b/m for the workout. I decided to do a 5k version of the test instead of the 8k. This is recommended if operating at lower mileage in recent weeks. The 5 k splits are as follows.

5:48.7 1.00
5:43.0 1.00
5:46.5 1.00
5:50.0 1.00
5:46.6 1.00

...which is absolutely abysmal. Maffetone suggests that it would mean that I could sneak south of 22 mins for a 5k race. I did 19:20 two months ago! So one of the following is true;

- I have eroded my aerobic base and/or the 5k race was "mind over matter".
- the test results are off, for whatever reason.

Tempting and all as it would be for me to go with the second one, I will grudgingly accept the findings and move on. Time to get back in programme.


Monday 13 May - Club run

Distance: 12.29 km
Time: 1:00:33
Avg Pace: 4:55 min/km

..but Monday comes around and I'm still ignoring Dr.Maffetone and not running in the right aerobic zone.

At the end of this, I also did a 3 x 100 m sprints. Take that Dr Phil!

druss

Wednesday 15 May - Club run
Distance: 11.35 km
Time: 56:32
Avg Pace: 4:59 min/km

A slightly different route tonight. We finished up with 6 x 100m strides.

Tom Joad

Explain the burning your aerobic base bit druss!! It's a new one to me