Is there anything to be said for another mass?

RJM85

Hi folks,

I'm starting this log as a way to make myself accountable for my training and (more importantly) diet. And also as a way of maybe forcing myself to think a bit more about what I'm actually doing and maybe forcing a bit of extra focus.

A bit of background on me; I'm 28 yrs old - I do fair amount of cycling and running, and have recently (last month) taking up swimming with a view to getting stuck into some triathlon next year. I took up running 3 years ago with the aim of shifting some weight; dropped from 17.5st (I'm 5ft 10.5) to just over 13 stone over the course of a year. And have slowly dropped a further 7 lbs (with fluctuations) since.

Some of my targets for this year included getting upgraded to an A3 license with cycling Ireland, new PB's at 5k, 10k and HM and completion of my first marathon. I've achieved all of those bar the marathon; I'm still on track for DCM in October. I think these goals might have been a little soft / non specific, and I'm certain that my performance could be better if I sorted out my diet at lead to some extent.

Current Weight: 12st 7.5lbs

Current PBs / times:

Running
5k 17:52
10k 38:10
HM 1:25:24

Cycling
10mile 24:18 (road bike)

Swimming
400m 7:22

Targets / milestones for 2014:
- drop 1 st by end February 2014
- improve on times above over the course of the year. I'll decide on target races etc later.
- complete HIM distance tri (& shorter distances before),
- race some cross country over the winter months (for fun)
- sub 3hr marathon
- attend swim sessions with local tri club over the winter

Dory Dory

Best of luck to you!!! See you at DCM!

RJM85

Right, Friday is usually my rest day so I guess it makes sense to do my updates at this end of the week.

This week was all about recovery for me. I did Dublin Half Marathon on Saturday, and the rest of the week became about getting my legs to talk to me again after that.

Before the race I had set my target pace at 6:30 per mile hoping that I might be able to find 15-20 seconds in the later part of the course to bring me in under 1:25. For the most part everything went to plan. I kept an eye on the Garmin (set just to record average pace), and was never more than 2 seconds per mile off target, and even under target for the most part. In the end, I missed the sub 1:25 by 24 seconds. I'm putting this down to two things - I stubbornly kept in line with what the garmin was telling me, even though I could see at each mile marker that it was over calculating my distance run (it showed 13.2miles at the finish), and I faded a little in the last two miles coming in at about 6:40 each. I was annoyed with myself afterwards, as I think I could have found those 25 seconds; but in retrospect its still a fairly big PB (previous from May last year was 1:29:58), and those 25 seconds will give me something to work towards in the short term!

Sunday my legs were in bits, so I wasn't fit for much. 30 mins on a stationary bike @ the gym and 800m swimming.

Monday 10 miles easy and 700m swim

Tuesday 5 miles easy on my lunch break. Felt off in the afternoon so took the evening off

Wednesday 5 miles easy and 1k swimming

Thursday (first day without leg pain!) 5 miles.

No hard sessions as I wanted to focus on recovering properly. (I really was in bits on Sunday!)

Total run: 39.1
Total swim: 2,500m

Plan for next week is long run (20 miles) this Sunday, with a hard run midweek (say Wednesday). I'm heading to a training session with a local running club on Saturday morning to see how I get on and to arrange racing cross country over the winter months. I'm trying to keep swimming ticking over until the tri club start up their training sessions.

RJM85

Ass handed to me at run sessions yesterday.

2k warm up, 8 x 4min with 90 sec recovery 2k warm down. These sessions are definitely going to bring me on - training with proper runners, like.

Signed up for my first cross country meet since I was yay high for next Sunday in drogheda too. Equal parts excitement and terror. Need to get a run in on my spikes (newly bought) to get used to them during the week.

1km swim done Saturday evening. Dunno how I'm progressing here at all. Times are staying steady and I probably need someone who knows that they're at to direct me. Looking forward to the swim sessions once they start.

20 mile run done this morning 8 min miles. Comfortable enough apart from the ridiculous headwind in the last 3. Worst part was a bit of chaffing, which while unpleasant; if that's the most infamy worries I'm doing ok.

500m swim more as a cool down as anything.

Another 20+ run next week (need to figure out the logistics with the cross race on Sunday and then it's taper time!

RJM85

Monday: 5 mile recovery run planned. Felt like I actually bonked at 1.5 miles, started coming round by 3 miles. Had to cut this short (4.5 miles) as I was running late due to ridiculously slow running.

Tuesday: 5 miles easy. Feeling much better. 400m TT 7:33 - little below my best, but I think I'm a little tired at the minute (due to run training and work). Another 400m done then shower.

Wednesday: interval session. 1 mile warm up, intervals increasing from 1 min by 5seconds each to last interval of 2 minutes (1:00, 1:05, 1:10, 1:15 etc). 45 seconds recover after each. Tough session but got it done. 1 mile jog back to the office to cool down.

Split sessions planned for tomorrow 5 and 5 - 10 mile total.

RJM85

Split sessions didn't happen due to working late and through lunch. Got 8 miles steady in yesterday morning.

52 miles for the week. Feck all swimming. Need to sort that out.

RJM85

8 Miles Saturday steady and wearing my xc spikes in advance of Sunday (bad idea)

6k xc race Sunday in drogheda. Flat course, good surface. Came 7th and was first man home for our 'B team' who came second in the team prize. Delighted with a medal! Feet not used to the spikes though and ended up taking a decent amount of skin off my right heel. Not keeping me from training or anything but sore. 500m swim in the afternoon.

5 miles steady Monday lunch time

2 x 5 miles steady today.

Interval session tomorrow afternoon followed by a swim (1k) in the evening. Had hoped to get a long run in but it's not realistically going to happen with work etc. will plan to get a 15-18 miler in on Saturday morning. Xc race then on Sunday.

RJM85

Today's interval session:
3:00, 2:45, 2:30, 2:15, 2:00, 2:45, 2:30, 2:15, 2:00, 2:30, 2:15, 2:00 with 1 minute recovery after each.

Intervals are the work of the devil.

Swims starting Saturday week, looking forward to it!

blainj2

RJM85 wrote: »

Today's interval session:
3:00, 2:45, 2:30, 2:15, 2:00, 2:45, 2:30, 2:15, 2:00, 2:30, 2:15, 2:00 with 1 minute recovery after each.

Intervals are the work of the devil.

Swims starting Saturday week, looking forward to it!

What distance are the intervals you are doing?

RJM85

blainj2 wrote: »

What distance are the intervals you are doing?

Basing them on time rather than distance. Total run yesterday was 5.8miles

RJM85

5 miles steady Thursday.
Rest day yesterday.
18 miles with 5 at PMP today. Comfortable enought throughout. Good confidence booster for DCM I think.
8,000m XC tomorrow in Dundalk. It's going to be hard. And sore. And all those other words.

Taper starts here I guess. 12 miler next weekend and then it's only a week to go :-/

RJM85

11th at the XC today. 29:58 for 5 miles which is ahead of 10k PB pace for me (and on grass!) happy enough with the result too; seemed to be a bit of a step up from last week at the front of the race and I effectively lost one place from the guys that were there at the novice. Which isn't too bad after an 18 miler yesterday evening!

Third in the team prize too, so came home with another medal!

RJM85

Following Sundays XC the cut on my heel which had been healing nicely got worse. I've decided to take a bit of time off to let it heal up properly. In the interim I've done 1.25km swimming Monday and Tuesday, with the same again planned for this evening (and tomorrow). Hopefully everything should be healed up nicely in advance of DCM, and I'm telling myself that the fact I can't run isn't the worst thing in the world as I was due to be tapering anyway.

:-/ aggghhh!

RJM85

another 1.25k swim yesterday and this evening.

400m TT included this evening 7:17 which is a small improvement.

Heel seems to be healing up ok. Taking extra care with my diet seeing as I'm not doing as much the last week. Weight is down to 12 st 5lbs. Just need to keep the focus on!

First masters swimming session on Saturday morning which I'm a bit nervous about.

RJM85

Up at six this morning to get a bit of breakfast and head for my first masters swimming lesson at 7. Put myself in with the 'beginners' lane as I had no clue where i stood. Turns out I seemed to be stronger than most of those around me and was told the 'intermediates' might be more appropriate by one of the guys in my lane. Always nice to get a confidence boost! I have a good idea of what might constitute 'training' now as opposed to just doing lengths. Good start to the morning!

Eight miles easy after that. Heel, though not fully healed was fine. All very comfortable 8 minute miles. I'll plan to do the same tomorrow (including some swimming beforehand) and then i can concentrate on resting up for the rest of the week!

RJM85

An hours swimming yesterday and today with 8 miles easy both days also.

Kept telling myself to slow down on today's run and still ended up doing it 30 seconds per mile faster than planned. Is this what form feels like?

Dory Dory

The speed is in the taper. The horses are fresh and want to go. Best to you at DCM.

RJM85

Dory Dory wrote: »

The speed is in the taper. The horses are fresh and want to go. Best to you at DCM.

Same to you! Fingers crossed!

RJM85

5 miles yesterday

3 today.

Having to talk myself out of heading to the gym each evening.

RJM85

Woke up yesterday with a cold. :-(
Bloody typical; I haven't been sick in at least 12 months.
Honey, lemon, cinnamon and ginger hoping to clear it with rest, but it's still here this morning.

RJM85

Woke up Saturday with a cold. Didn't go for the planned swim in favour of rest and hoping to clear it in advance of Monday. Collected my DCM race pack Saturday afternoon and got to bed early.
Spent most of Sunday morning in bed. Feeling a good bit better by lunch time... Phrased out for 2.5 mile run starting easy and building pace to 7 min / mile. Felt good, and finished up cautiously optimistic for Monday. Dinner of steak, salad and sweet potato, plenty to drink all day, packed and bed early.

Monday: up at 6 for breakfast, my supporters club (my parents) picked me up at 7:30 and arrived at merrion square at 8:30. Queuing for a portaloo meant that I missed the 9:00 start but I decided I was better getting my business done first! Started out on my own roughly 5 minutes after my wave on my own. Felt good for the first half - comfortably at 6:52 per mile.
Around mile 15 I started feeling a bit of pressure, but was still well able to hold my pace. 18 miles was my prearranged point to meet my mum with 2 gels for the last part (2 taken at 7mile and 14 mile). At this stage I was starting to suffer - pace dropped to 7 minutes per mile resolved to slow down through the water stations to ensure I got enough fluid on board - in truth, it was probably far too late at this stage. Had to slow to a walk around 21 miles and again passing RTE, walked through the water station coming onto merrion road. Despite the stops I was still making (I think) 8 minute miles and was rationalising that if I could keep this up it wouldn't be disastrous. At about 24 miles I was passed by the 3:20 pacers - knowing that I started out over 5 minutes after then I thought that if I could latch on they'd bring me in at sub 3:15 (lemons and lemonade and all that...) just as I tried to pick up the pace my right hamstring cramped up badly had to stop and took what seemed like an age to get myself in a position where I could continue (a very nice lady gave me a bottle of water which, if it didn't help physically certainly helped psychologically!).
I struggled on the last 2 miles in an awful state. Crossed the line in 3:20:05 disappointed and feeling completely awful.

Turns out I was badly dehydrated, spent the afternoon vomiting and generally feeling sorry for myself. By about 5 or so I was feeling a lot better and fit to eat. May not have been the wisest choice but I decided that a Chinese take away would have all the sodium and carbs I needed to refuel! Despite the disappointment (and swearing to myself that I'll never do /that/ again), by the time I'd been fed and had a little time to reflect I've decided the following:
- I'll definitely be back; this time the marathon won - but I'm determined to give a proper account of myself.
- my training next time will incorporate more longer runs (20 mile plus) - the highest I did this time was 20 miles.
- more pmp sessions
- don't get a cold 3 days in advance

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Hard luck, marathons are tough. We had lot's of people dropping off the last 4 miles in our group (3.20 pacer), the run in from the flyover into the RDS can be a difficult stretch even more so with trhe slight headwind we had.

RJM85

Makayla Abundant Scoutmaster wrote: »

Hard luck, marathons are tough. We had lot's of people dropping off the last 4 miles in our group (3.20 pacer), the run in from the flyover into the RDS can be a difficult stretch even more so with trhe slight headwind we had.

My attitude in most things is 'PB or blow up'. This time I blew up I suppose! (3:20 is still a PB, since it's my first I guess!)

Either way; I've learned more than I might have if I'd been more cautious. One of those things being that marathons are about a lot more than fitness and speed.

Dory Dory

Congrats on the pb and great time, especially being your first marathon. Because this is your first marathon, perhaps that explains why you didn't follow the example Oryx and I set by relieving ourselves behind the loos. You'll learn...oh, and welcome to the club.

RJM85

Dory Dory wrote: »

Because this is your first marathon, perhaps that explains why you didn't follow the example Oryx and I set by relieving ourselves behind the loos. You'll learn...oh, and welcome to the club.

If I could have I would have, but doing /that/ on baggot street wouldn't have been cool! (TMI)

RJM85

Back into the swing of things now after the marathon week went as follows:

Tuesday: an hours cardio in the gym followed by a lacklustre 500m swimming. All fairly gentle. Still sore after Mondays exertions.

Wednesday: same as Tuesday but with a little more intensity. Still sore but feeling better.

Thursday: 10 miles steady pace. 500m swim.

Friday: 10 miles steady pace. Back to swim training proper with c. 1 hr drills.

Masters swim session planned for tomorrow morning and planning another 10 mile or so run afterwards. Back to Interval sessions next week. Louth Senior Cross Country on Sunday. Time to get back to the bike now too. She's in for service at the minute so will plan to get out next week.

RJM85

Masters swimming yesterday morning. I think I'm getting the hang of this! I'm certainly not as terrible as I expected. Coach seems to be taking SWOLF scores at the end of each session to track progress. Mine is 92 (46 seconds for 50m and 46 strokes). Not really sure how that reflects, but as I understand it that number should start to come down over time.

10 miles easy after that. Lovely feeling to be finished for the day and showered by 10am on a saturday morning!

Louth Senior XC Championships this morning: 10,000m over a good surface with 5 laps. One steep hill and one shallower drag; Steep descent maybe 400 metres from the finish. From 20 seconds in I could tell I didn't have the usual strength in my legs I might expect. Either way; I raced my race - I had a Drogheda AC man breathing down my neck for the last 4 laps, but managed to hold him off, and a Dunleer man came close to passing me in the final straight, but I got the better of him in the sprint. Once the race settled into it's pattern I only dropped one place (to a team mate); so I guess I can come away happy enough. I came in 31st of 61 and behind a few from our own club that I should definitely be beating. I'm sure I'm not full recovered from DCM, and I still have a bit of that cold. The 10 miles yesterday probably didn't help either. Good experience though. The team came away with a number of medals, and there was a good bit of banter beforehand, which I definitely enjoyed.

I'm considering doing the Clontarf Half Marathon in a couple of weeks with the aim of going sub 1:25. I'll defer the decision till I see how I'm recovering mid week.

Weight is also down; 12st 1lb this morning!

Onwards and upwards!

RJM85

Monday: 2 x 5 mile run

Tuesday: 2 x 5 mile run

Wednesday: run - 1 mile warm up, 4 x 4 minute intervals with 1 minute rest. 800m cool down. Swim - 4 x 250m sets front crawl, 250m sculling, 250m to finish.

Same planned for tomorrow.

RJM85

Thursday: 5 mile steady at lunch. No swim in the evening as had to stay late in the office :-(

Friday: usual day off

Today:
- 70k spin with the club on the bike. First time on the bike in 2 months; I had notions beforehand of doing extra afterwards, but I suffered a bit on this spin. Heart rate seemed to be roughly where it normally is, but I just didn't feel great. Bike fitness will soon come back I'm sure. Good to get out with the lads and have a bit of craic etc. looking forward to our 'advanced' training spin tomorrow morning - 100k with a coffee stop; always great banter.

6 mile run this evening - my knee started playing up in the last mile. I might need to take a week off to let it (whatever it is) heal up. Might be due a new pair of shoes too.

1,000m swim afterwards. 2 x 250m; 250m sculling; 250m to finish.

Ill advised pizza and beer tonight!

100km bike tomorrow morning and will look to get an hour in the pool in the afternoon.

shotgunmcos

Nice days work!

RJM85

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Nice days work!

All being undone with beer presently!