Plodder alert

Murph_D

Tue 18 Feb

6.4k @ 5:52. Nice easy run on the seafront. First time out here for a while. Muddy!

Thu 20 Feb

8.1k @ 5:40. Seafront again. Longest midweek run since getting injured. Tough enough actually.

Sat 22 Feb

No running this weekend, but did a 10-mile walk in the vicinity of the Giants Causeway. (Smaller than expected.) :-)

WTD: 14.5k
YTD: 58k

Murph_D

Thurs 27 Feb

10k @ 5:54. Birthday run on the Seafront. Felt a lot easier than last Thursday's run.

Sat 1 March

5k @ 4:43 (23:36). Picked it up a little at Parkrun St. Anne's. Happy with the time, which is fastest so far this year, although I've not gone all out on any of them yet. Probably about 90% effort today, or a little more. Felt OK afterwards, so the fitness is definitely returning.


WTD: 15k
YTD: 73k

Murph_D

Goal times for 2014

With Berlin Marathon being the main goal race this year, and the idea being to run a 3:40 to qualify for Boston 2016, I thought I'd look at what that means in terms of goal times for shorter events. So plugging 3:39:59 into McMillan Calculator gives the following targets:

Distance|Goal|Current PB|PB Date
5k|22:35|22:05|Apr 2013
5m|37:26|38:03|Jun 2013
10k|46:53|50:51|Dec 2012
10m|78:22|78:53|Jul 2013
HM|1:44:32|1:46:25|Mar 2013
M|3:39:59|3:46:15|Oct 2013


So that gives me some idea of how much improvement is needed in the various distances and something to aim for between now and September. The necessary improvements seem achievable, although I can't take anything for granted anymore with this dodgy back...

For now, I'll continue to just try and build up the mileage before getting down to the Berlin training plan sometime in May. Will probably follow the Meno plan again, perhaps being more rigorous about putting in the effort in the midweek sessions.

Murph_D

Sun 2 March

40-min recovery run (6.3k). The legs were feeling tired after yesterday's effort. This little recovery run sorted me right out.

WTD: 21k
YTD: 79k

Murph_D

Tues 4 March

8.1k @ 5:37
Easy run with a couple of km in the middle at (last year's) MP.

Weds 5 March

6.1k @ 6:15
Just taking it easy. Time on the feet. Building up the kms.

Thurs 6 March

6.5k @ 6:21
See above.

Sun 9 March

10k @ 6:12
Lovely morning run in Donegal with the missus. We'd planned 8k but pushed on for another little bit.

It's been an uneventful week. Will stay at 30k for another week before building up in 5k intervals to 60k or so, then the marathon plan begins. Will try to reintroduce a little speed work over the next few weeks too.

WTD: 31k
YTD: 110k

Murph_D

Tues 11 March

6.5k easyish @ 5:47

No more runs this week. Work deadlines saw me postpone the weds and thurs runs past the point of no return (mind you that does not happen often - I did get a lot done this week!)

On Friday I was still toying with various ways to make up the mileage but a creeping feeling of ****tiness took over as I succumbed to some sort of bug (I refuse to call it 'flu or even Manflu) that lasted well past the weekend.

WTD: 6.5k
YTD: 116k

Murph_D

Thurs 20 March

10k @ 6:08

After a week of feeling crappy, I finally got out and did a slow 10k along the seafront. If you know Clontarf on a windy day like today you'll know that the outward (i.e towards Dollymount) journey is often wind assisted, and you take your chances on the way back. They journey from the Bull Wall was predictably unpleasant, especially as it was late afternoon and I hadn't brought the sunglasses to protect against the low setting sun.

WTD: 10k
YTD: 126k

Murph_D

Sat 22 March

Parkrun St Anne's: 5k @ 5:07 (25:35)

Last minute decision to do this - no breakfast, and immediately felt Thurs night's run (first in over a week) in the legs. So it was clear that the planned-for 24 to 24:30 wasn't on when the first k chimed in at 5:10 or so. So just settled in for a decent little workout. Was shocked and honoured to be handed the coveted No. 98 token in the finish chute. Really considered making off with it as there was a bit of kerfuffle going on with scanning problems etc. but thought the better of it.


Sun 23 March

50 mins @ 6:09 (8.13k)

Took a little canter down through East Point business park and the Docklands. Very enjoyable.



WTD: 23k
YTD: 139k

Deirdree loves Rashid

Murph_D wrote: »

Sat 22 March

Parkrun St Anne's: 5k @ 5:07 (25:35)

Was shocked and honoured to be handed the coveted No. 98 token in the finish chute. Really considered making off with it as there was a bit of kerfuffle going on with scanning problems etc. but thought the better of it.

Haha, I seen that alright on FB, would've wound them right up if you had've made off with it.

Killerz

Deirdree loves Rashid wrote: »

Haha, I seen that alright on FB, would've wound them right up if you had've made off with it.

It has built-in security measures that work inside the boundary of the park, like a trolley's wheels stopping to prevent it being taken out of a car park.....

Deirdree loves Rashid

Killerz wrote: »

It has built-in security measures that work inside the boundary of the park, like a trolley's wheels stopping to prevent it being taken out of a car park.....

I wouldn't be surprised lol

Murph_D

Tue 25 March

Easy 6.4k @ 5:54
Avg HR 161 (78%)

Sneaked home early to get this one in before dinner.

Wed 26 March

4 x 800 with w/u and c/d (Total 7.1k)
Avg HR 155 (73%)

Haven't done any sessions since last Autumn's marathon schedule so eased into this one with a couple of kilometers of a warm up followed by 4 x 800 and a couple of k back home to cool down.

Splits were 3:54 3:42 3:46 3:37 (Avg 4:41/k).

No watch, just tried to hit 10k pace (4:39) by feel, so this was a success, even if it was a bit short. (Still building up the mileage slowly after the enforced winter break - perhaps I'm being a bit conservative?)

Thu 27 March

Recovery 6.4k @ 6:04

Enjoyable outing at dusk on the seafront. Nice.


WTD: 20k
YTD: 159k

Murph_D

Sat 29 Mar

5k @ 4:51 (24:13)

Another St. Anne's parkrun under the belt - was able to hit the pace I'd attempted last week without too much trouble. Eased up a little after 3k or so.

Delighted to bump into menoscemo who had volunteered to do the timing. Nice job - official time matched my Garmin to the second. Spotted Marthastew also but didn't get to say hello (she's too fast!)

Sun 30 Mar

10k @ 6:18

Nice slow recovery out to St. Anne's again, where I relieved Mrs. M from child-minding duty so she could run home.


WTD: 35k
YTD: 174k

Deirdree loves Rashid

Murph_D wrote: »

Sat 29 Mar

5k @ 4:51 (24:13)

Another St. Anne's parkrun under the belt - was able to hit the pace I'd attempted last week without too much trouble. Eased up a little after 3k or so.

Delighted to bump into menoscemo who had volunteered to do the timing. Nice job - official time matched my Garmin to the second. Spotted Marthastew also but didn't get to say hello (she's too fast!)

Sun 30 Mar

10k @ 6:18

Nice slow recovery out to St. Anne's again, where I relieved Mrs. M from child-minding duty so she could run home.


WTD: 35k
YTD: 174k

I see someone made off with no. 98 again

Runchick

That 5k time's coming down nicely Murph

Murph_D

Runchick wrote: »

That 5k time's coming down nicely Murph

Thanks, A - but it still has a good way to go to get back to where it was this time last year, a week after Omagh!

Murph_D

Tues 1 Apr

6.7k easy.

Weds 2 Apr

10x400 @ current 5k pace (4:36/k) with 200m jog recovery. 2k w/u and 2.1k c/d. Total 10.1k

Did this on the treadmill. Mostly because I didn't fancy the weather but also to avoid hard surface as I am feeling the effects of increased mileage of late. No bother with the pace.

Thurs 3 Apr

5k recovery @ 6:21

WTD: 22k
YTD: 196k

Murph_D

Sat 5 April

Late night last night, and (unrelatedly) right foot a bit sore. No parkrun this week anyway, so took an extra rest day.

Sun 6 Apr

17.35k @ 6:03 (1:45:00)

Longest run of the year, and longest since DCM in fact. Rain, wind and sun along the Royal Canal. Found this tough enough going after 12k or so.

Have been ramping up the mileage from zero over the past couple of months. Goal is to reach 60k a week or so by mid-May when marathon training plan begins.

WTD: 39k
YTD: 213k

Murph_D

Tues 8 April

No running today – busy with other stuff and didn’t manage to squeeze it in.

Weds 9 April

Tried some more “speed” work tonight. The goal was five to eight x 800m at around 10k pace, which for me is about 3:44 per lap. No watch again, trying to run by feel. Result:

3:27 3:29 3:43 4:10:eek: 3:48

So basically first two laps too fast, leading to a bit of a blow-up by lap four, and a bit of a recovery at the end. In my defence, the second half of this was into the wind (but then again the first half was downwind…) Should have been able to put together more than five of these however, so that was a bit lame.

2k warmup, 1.3k cooldown: total 8:26k

Thurs 10 Apr

5k recovery @ 6:40

WTD: 13k
YTD: 227k

Murph_D

Sat 12 Apr

5k @ 5:50.

Parkrun St. Anne's with my daughter, making her debut having just completed a C25K. We took it nice and handy but gave it a bit of a lash down the home straight (which St. Anne's aficianados know is 900m long).

Sun 13 Apr

8.2k @ 5:54

Easy run on the seafront, having spent a couple of hours watching London Marathon and tracking the various boardsies. My own efforts today were far less heroic.

WTD: 26k
YTD: 240k

Murph_D

Tues 15 Apr

9k easy @ 6:00.

Felt awful doing this one, along the seafront again. Had a bit of a head cold but that doesn't seem to explain it all. Got a stitch at easy pace! Reminded me of a couple of truly awful-feeling runs just before DCM 2013, so I'm not going to worry about it.

Thurs 17 Apr

Progression (Regression?) run. Calculated paces using my target MP for Berlin, 5:11/k (8:21/mile).

So the target paces (per k) were 5:22, 5:11, 4:56 and 4:40.

Here's how it went:

Stage (Target Pace) Actual Pace Average HR (HR%)
Warmup 3.2k @ 5:41
8 mins Steady (5:22) 5:25 160 (77%)
8 mins MP (5:11) 5:16 172 (86%)
8 mins HMP (4:56) 5:08 178 (91%)
8 mins 10kP (4:40) 5:21 177 (90%)
Cooldown 3.2k@ 6:12

Total: 12.44k (Avg. 5:36) 157 (75%)

Last time I did this session, 16 weeks out from DCM 2013, I absolutely nailed it. My target MP hasn't changed that much (at the time it was 5:16) but I totally blew this one, as you can see! It didn't help doing this in windy conditions so I don't know what to make of it really - the blow up just reflects the state of my fitness at the moment. Anyway just trying to mix it up a little - we'll see how I get on when I do this again at the end of next month.

WTD: 21k
YTD: 261k

Murph_D

Fri 18 Apr

50 mins Recovery 8k @ 6:18.

After the last two uncomfortable runs, it was nice to be out in glorious sunshine in Dublin this morning. The Clontarf seafront was looking magnificent. Spotted a few groups of costumed warriors - preparing for tomorrow's Battle of Clontarf reenactment, I assume.

WTD: 29k
YTD: 269k

Murph_D

Sun 20 Apr

16.1k @ 5:52

Beautiful morning in Donegal. Nice easy 10 miler with a few steady to MP kilometres in the middle. This felt good on a hilly route. Nice way to end a crappy enough week running-wise.

WTD: 46k
YTD: 286k

Pacing Mule

That's a long way to go for a scenic run !

Missed you starting a log somehow - subscribed

Murph_D

Tues 22 Apr

5.41k @ 6:07 - easy run on the treadmill.

Weds 23 Apr

Interval session in the Phoenix Park. The idea was to do 2k warmup followed by 3x2k at around 10-mile pace (around 5mins/k) with 5 mins jog recovery between reps. This is a scaled down version (k for mile) of what I hope to doing in week 3 of the upcoming marathon training.

Warmup: 2k @ 5:47 pace
Rep 1: 2k @ 5:09
Rep 2: 2k @ 5:16
Rep 3: 2k@ 4:52
Cooldown: 2.03k @ 6:12.

Was doing this with a friend and we were chatting for the first two reps so the pace was a bit relaxed. I got him to shut up and lead the way on the final rep so the pace there was more like it. Average for the three intervals: 5:06/k.

Beautiful sunny afternoon to be in the Park. This felt great and we rewarded ourselves with ice cream afterwards. Total (with jog recoveries) - 11:48k @ 5:28

Thu 24 Apr

7.25k recovery @ 6:30.




WTD: 34k
YTD: 309k

Murph_D

Sat 26 Apr

Parkrun St. Anne's again. Wasn't feeling the best but decided to aim for 25 mins, going hard for he first lap and easing off, as I have to save at least a little bit for the DCU 5k this Weds. :pac:

Ended up doing 24:04 for the 5k. Total 5.61k with brief warmup.

WTD: 30k
YTD: 315k

Murph_D

Sunday 27 Apr

20k @ 6:08

Long run from home up to the Phoenix Park, then 15k in the Park, for a total of 20k. Did about 10k of this with Mrs. M. A beautiful morning, and we were out before the crowds, although there were plenty of runners out. Forgot to bring any water but no problems doing without.

First 50k week of the year, and no problems with the back so far. I'll take that.

WTD: 50k
YTD: 335k

Murph_D

Tues 29 Apr

4.2 k easy (untimed).

Weds 30 Apr

DCU 5k

I signed up for this little run as I’m a fulltime postgrad student and part-time lecturer in DCU. This is the second year of the event, and the organization was impressive enough for the size – chip timing, plenty stewarding and plenty of water and bananas at the finish line. The seemingly obligatory ear-splitting background music drowned out the race director's attempts to address the runners at The Helix start line, but we were soon off, on a course that crossed the DCU campus and into Albert College Park for two and a half circuits before returning to The Helix. (Some of us who run occasionally in Albo suspected the course might be a little short – it may well be, but not as short as the rudimentary course diagram emailed to participants suggested.)

This is a small event, especially considering the size of the DCU student and staff body (c.10,000). About 160 participants showed up as the gun went off under a slight drizzle. My goal was a 23 min pace, and this was difficult enough as people tore off at the start, as is usual in the fun run type of event. First km was a little fast at 4:35, but I was feeling OK and didn’t worry about it. Second km, at 4:27, was closer to PB pace for me (although a PB was never going to be on). As a result, things started to feel a little hairy, reflected in a third km of 5:01. For the rest of the race, I pretty much had to run on my own, as the field was well dispersed. I found myself holding off a stitch, as well as a bout of dry retching, in km 4 (5:04). Having survived that, I hung on as best I could in the final stretch (4:46), passing one or two people, but also being passed by others, including the woman I paced myself off in the first km (let's face it, she kicked my ass). Finished five seconds under target (a happy accident, really). That will do – although course may indeed have been a little short: 4.8k on the watch, but the trace was all over the place so impossible to say really.

PB: 22:05 (Apr 2013)
Target: 23:00
Actual: 22:55

Total (with warmup): 7.1k

WTD: 11k
YTD: 346k

Murph_D

Sat 3 May

Parkrun St. Annes - 5k @ 5:11 avg. Took it very easy this week, after Weds reasonably hard effort. Paced Mrs M for the first 4k, then picked it up for the last km. Good to have plenty left for the St. Anne's finishing stretch. Spotted Redrunner afterwards and swapped a few dodgy back stories.

Sun 4 May

20.2k @ 5:46 avg. (12.5 mi @ 9:17)

A nice easy run up the Tolka to Ashtown, then on to the M50 via the Royal Canal before returning to North Strand via the canal. I'd planned a couple of km at MP on the way back, picking out the stretch of canal between Ratoath Road and Phibsboro. As I was waiting to cross through traffic at Ratoath Rd (one of the few places on the canal where you have to do come up onto the road) a runner in a cycling outfit practically pushed me out of the way and darted ahead). Well I wasn't going to take that lying down on my fast stretch so I dialed up closer to HMP for a couple of km to leave him and his gel-arsed cycling shorts in the dust. Took it nice and slow then for the final couple of km.

WTD: 36k
YTD: 372k

Murph_D

Mon 5 May

Recovery 7.5k @ 6.14


Weds 7 May

Interval session: 10x400 @ 3-5k pace (4:15-4:30/k) with 60 seconds standing recovery.

If my arithmetic is correct the target here was 1:42 - 1:48 per rep. Laps 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 an 10 were downwind, the others into a stiff enough breeze. Actual times:

1:50 1:40 1:46 1:50 1:39 1:33 1:45 1:46 1:38 1:31 (avg: 1:42).

Avg. HR: 154 (72%)

Did this later than usual, at dusk, on the grass at Clontarf seafront. Felt good!

Total with w/u and c/d: 11k


WTD: 18k
YTD: 390k