A Slow Journey to Faster Times

Duanington

I was only thinking about the mental aspect of racing last night ( trying to distract my brain from the freezing rain hopping off my face), I often read "I'm not in race shape" or "I'm not racing fit" and other such comments on the various logs I follow.
I wonder how often we actually convince ourselves that we aren't in the kind of shape that brings PBs when in truth, most people here would have spent years training and building up to a level that allows them to perform at their best....are we really to believe that we can undo those kind of lifestyle changes ( because lets be honest, for a lot of us on here - it isn't just a few runs a week, it is a genuine lifestyle change) in a matter of weeks?

I saw you on the final stretch in St Anne's, you looked very relaxed and didn't look like you were going into the red at all and yet you ran sub 19 minutes ( which I'm sure would have been a big deal a year ago, right?)

I'm convinced that there is an element of training our minds to run through barriers in what we do - call it effort, pain, whatever but its that thing when you are running the last kilometer in a race, thinking or perhaps accepting you are running as fast as you can and yet if you REALLY REALLY push it and force the issue, surprise, surprise...there's a bit more in the legs....it hurts but it's there.
Each time we breach that barrier - that feeling becomes familiar and a little less daunting to take on.
I wonder how many times we just resign ourselves to the fact that the fitness isn't there when in fact, the real issue is that we're just not mentally prepared to start running those barriers yet.

Anyway, I don't think you're as far away as you think - in fact, I would say you'd run a completely different race now with that session in the bag.

Onwards and upwards!

Netwerk Errer

I'm far from an expert and I could be completely wrong but I thought I might throw a few thoughts out on this. Wouldn't you have been a lot stronger aerobically back in June because your training was more focused on aerobic conditioning? One thing I have always noticed in my training is after specific training and racing, my baseline fitness drops. Basically, I go through peaks and valleys.

Specific training and racing releases cortisol and anaerobic by-products that your heart has to clear which degrades the aerobic engine over time. You will have a baseline fitness and peak fitness. Your body will always fall back down to the baseline level of fitness after peaking for a race because you have degraded the aerobic engine by doing anaerobic training and your body can't produce enough cortisol to keep the peak level of performance. The stronger you are aerobically(years of training), the less of a drop to baseline fitness from peak fitness. Your HR will rise because it is a direct function of aerobic fitness.

The drop in cortisol levels is why you often see athletes mentally struggle after peaking for a big race. Personally, I think the HR has risen because you haven't fully got back to aerobic training yet and if you focus on taxing that system for a few weeks, your fitness will improve quickly and your next peak will be even higher.

yaboya1

Duanington wrote: »

I wonder how often we actually convince ourselves that we aren't in the kind of shape that brings PBs when in truth, most people here would have spent years training and building up to a level that allows them to perform at their best....are we really to believe that we can undo those kind of lifestyle changes ( because lets be honest, for a lot of us on here - it isn't just a few runs a week, it is a genuine lifestyle change) in a matter of weeks?

I had never had this mentality going into a race until this year's DCM. Now I've done it three times in a row.

Duanington wrote: »

I saw you on the final stretch in St Anne's, you looked very relaxed and didn't look like you were going into the red at all and yet you ran sub 19 minutes

This is true. I also read your comment on your own log about me not breaking a sweat when you saw me passing. On top of that I managed to say hello to you on my way past, so I obviously wasn't putting it all in. Reading these comments and looking back myself now, I'm a bit ashamed to be honest......

Duanington wrote: »

Anyway, I don't think you're as far away as you think - in fact, I would say you'd run a completely different race now with that session in the bag.

I totally agree. I would love to give St Anne's another go this Saturday, but unfortunately I'm in work at 9am
I may have to wait until Raheny.

yaboya1

Netwerk Errer wrote: »

I'm far from an expert and I could be completely wrong but I thought I might throw a few thoughts out on this. Wouldn't you have been a lot stronger aerobically back in June because your training was more focused on aerobic conditioning? One thing I have always noticed in my training is after specific training and racing, my baseline fitness drops. Basically, I go through peaks and valleys.

Specific training and racing releases cortisol and anaerobic by-products that your heart has to clear which degrades the aerobic engine over time. You will have a baseline fitness and peak fitness. Your body will always fall back down to the baseline level of fitness after peaking for a race because you have degraded the aerobic engine by doing anaerobic training and your body can't produce enough cortisol to keep the peak level of performance. The stronger you are aerobically(years of training), the less of a drop to baseline fitness from peak fitness. Your HR will rise because it is a direct function of aerobic fitness.

The drop in cortisol levels is why you often see athletes mentally struggle after peaking for a big race. Personally, I think the HR has risen because you haven't fully got back to aerobic training yet and if you focus on taxing that system for a few weeks, your fitness will improve quickly and your next peak will be even higher.

You know way more about running than I do, but I like what you're saying and hope it's true.
Roll on Hamburg.....:)

Netwerk Errer

yaboya1 wrote: »

You know way more about running than I do)

Ha! I don't know about that but I said I'd throw a few thoughts out there:)

FBOT01

yaboya1 wrote: »

I had never had this mentality going into a race until this year's DCM. Now I've done it three times in a row.



This is true. I also read your comment on your own log about me not breaking a sweat when you saw me passing. On top of that I managed to say hello to you on my way past, so I obviously wasn't putting it all in. Reading these comments and looking back myself now, I'm a bit ashamed to be honest......



I totally agree. I would love to give St Anne's another go this Saturday, but unfortunately I'm in work at 9am
I may have to wait until Raheny.

I will head up the watch at 8am if you want to bring the head torch....maybe D will toe the line with you and give you a run for your money:pac::pac:

menoscemo

Basically NE you are saying that it takes a while to get back into Racing short distances after a marathon, but a few hard efforts bring you on and then your Aerobic fitness from marathon kicks in?
I would agreee with this for sure. I set my 5 and 10k PBs last june after a PB marathon in April. I didn't do a lot of miles in between but was racing pretty much every week (granted a lot of them were club run races and not 100%); while the first few races were poor I then kicked on very quickly, I definitely feel the marathon training was the crucial factor in setting the PBs.

Netwerk Errer

menoscemo wrote: »

Basically NE you are saying that it takes a while to get back into Racing short distances after a marathon, but a few hard efforts bring you on and then your Aerobic fitness from marathon kicks in?
I would agreee with this for sure. I set my 5 and 10k PBs last june after a PB marathon in April. I didn't do a lot of miles in between but was racing pretty much every week (granted a lot of them were club run races and not 100%); while the first few races were poor I then kicked on very quickly, I definitely feel the marathon training was the crucial factor in setting the PBs.

As I said, I'm far from an expert but I feel this varies from person to person. Really, in a perfect world, you shouldn't be doing hard efforts after a marathon for a long time if you periodise your training correctly.

After goal marathon race depending on your race distance goals, your training should look like this.

Race day
Recovery phase (5weeks)
Base building (6-as long as you like)
Transition phase(4-6 weeks)
Specific phase (6-18 weeks depending on race distance)

It's important to note that this is my personal interpretation of length of each phase but the in a perfect world, you want to periodise your training with each phase. It takes around 5 weeks to return to baseline fitness(depending on the aerobic fitness of an athlete) after a marathon in which your body goes through exhaustion and recovery. Baseline fitness isn't what your peak fitness was on raceday, It's basically your aerobic fitness level and hovers between exhaustion and peak.

The LT work that you do in the lead up to a race actually degrades your aerobic fitness during that time but is a necessary evil. Some people will run PB's in a month or two after a marathon because their baseline fitness has improved so much in training for the marathon that it's actually higher than their previous peak fitness level. You can go back into hard training after the recovery phase of a marathon but I feel skipping the base phase limits your chance to improve your baseline fitness. Improving your baseline allows the next peak to be higher than the previous.

Yes, doing a hard sessions now would would see yaboya get back into race and PB shape in a couple of weeks but I feel in the long run, It would benefit him to focus on the aerobic side of things and he would peak higher the next time around.

Excuse me on the cortisol side of things on the previous post, i might have got mixed up but I feel the underlying message was correct.

Edit: You're right too Meno. After recovering, if you skipped the base phase and started doing hard efforts, you would be back flying in a few weeks over the short distances.

I wish ecoli was here, he's a hell of a lot better explaining these things than me.:)

Edit: You're right too Meno, If you were to do hard efforts now and skip base training, you would still be back flying over the short distances soon. It takes a w

Netwerk Errer

Apologises for hijacking your thread a bit yaboya.

I really should add that it isn't a perfect world and people like to go out and race and have the craic. If you want to race soon after a marathon, I would agree with Meno's summary.

yaboya1

Netwerk Errer wrote: »

Apologises for hijacking your thread a bit yaboya.

I really should add that it isn't a perfect world and people like to go out and race and have the craic. If you want to race soon after a marathon, I would agree with Meno's summary.

No apology necessary.
I'm always interested in other opinions and thoughts, which is kind of why I have a log in the first place. Knowledgeable input is never a bad thing. At the end of the day if I want to do something I'll go ahead and do it anyway, but if I'm in two minds it's always good that I can get valuable feedback here.

ThebitterLemon

Duanington wrote: »

I was only thinking about the mental aspect of racing last night ( trying to distract my brain from the freezing rain hopping off my face), I often read "I'm not in race shape" or "I'm not racing fit" and other such comments on the various logs I follow.
I wonder how often we actually convince ourselves that we aren't in the kind of shape that brings PBs when in truth, most people here would have spent years training and building up to a level that allows them to perform at their best....are we really to believe that we can undo those kind of lifestyle changes ( because lets be honest, for a lot of us on here - it isn't just a few runs a week, it is a genuine lifestyle change) in a matter of weeks?

I saw you on the final stretch in St Anne's, you looked very relaxed and didn't look like you were going into the red at all and yet you ran sub 19 minutes ( which I'm sure would have been a big deal a year ago, right?)

I'm convinced that there is an element of training our minds to run through barriers in what we do - call it effort, pain, whatever but its that thing when you are running the last kilometer in a race, thinking or perhaps accepting you are running as fast as you can and yet if you REALLY REALLY push it and force the issue, surprise, surprise...there's a bit more in the legs....it hurts but it's there.
Each time we breach that barrier - that feeling becomes familiar and a little less daunting to take on.
I wonder how many times we just resign ourselves to the fact that the fitness isn't there when in fact, the real issue is that we're just not mentally prepared to start running those barriers yet.

Anyway, I don't think you're as far away as you think - in fact, I would say you'd run a completely different race now with that session in the bag.

Onwards and upwards!

Auld lads like Meno and I are never in "race shape",

Don't think you need to overthink it or try and PB everything in sight this early in your cycle P. That was a great session

TbL

yaboya1

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

Auld lads like Meno and I are never in "race shape",

Don't think you need to overthink it or try and PB everything in sight this early in your cycle P. That was a great session

TbL

Thanks.
Let me know when you're making your visit to St Anne's.
I'll try and get down to help the lads with the red carpet .

dublin runner

menoscemo wrote: »

Paralysis by analysis surely?

jebuz wrote: »

Get into a club

I am caught in two minds whether to wade in with my opinion but as I have met you and have run with you I will throw my hat into the ring. I wasn't too sure if I should comment as I think there is a big risk of information overload.

Put simply, you are putting too much pressure on yourself. You are self-coached (right?), run the majority of your sessions solo (maybe all-not including easy/recovery runs), currently not in a club and are training by heart rate. That's a whole lot of responsibility placed on your shoulders and in my opinion, way too much.

Options:

1. Join a Club

If you can even make one session a month you will see the difference. Probably the best desicion you will make in terms of development. Asides from that it breaks up the week. All you have to do is turn up and let someone else worry about the session etc. (never mind the great social aspect!)


2. Get a coach/liaise with a person you trust

I really feel you should strongly consider this as it takes a lot of pressure and responsibility off your shoulders. Running is tough enough so let someone else help you.

---

I wouldn't place any heed on your recent results. You really shouldn't be running well at the moment, you have just completed two marathons and a very productive training block. Simple solution is take a break from racing and concentrate on getting strong (Jaysus, I sound like my coach now!). The time for running well is next year, not now.

paddybarry

I think you would improve out of all recognition if you joined a club. I would join tomorrow morning if circumstances allowed.

menoscemo

Can I just put my oar in and recommend you join Tallaght :pac:.
Don't let Raycun come along here and say otherwise , If you join his club you'll just want to move to a real club when you get really good.

RayCun

menoscemo wrote: »

Can I just put my oar in and recommend you join Tallaght :pac:.
Don't let Raycun come along here and say otherwise , If you join his club you'll just want to move to a real club when you get really good.

:pac:
I thought yaboya was a northsider?

I'll just point out that in the Tallaght/Bros Pearse smackdown at this year's Dublin marathon, it was Brothers Pearse that walked away with the medals...:)

menoscemo

RayCun wrote: »

:pac:
I thought yaboya was a northsider?

I'll just point out that in the Tallaght/Bros Pearse smackdown at this year's Dublin marathon, it was Brothers Pearse that walked away with the medals...:)

Why did I think Clondalkin??

Oh Come off it Ray, we have elite runners in our club (Sean Connolly, Thomas Fitzpatrick etc) as well as county XC Champions in the ladies. Your only decent ever runner went off to join DSD

BTW your auld lads only won a medal because some of our Auld lads refused to be classified as such, our really Auld lads (M50) won medals if you want to go down that line....

Netwerk Errer

dublin runner wrote: »

I am caught in two minds whether to wade in with my opinion but as I have met you and have run with you I will throw my hat into the ring. I wasn't too sure if I should comment as I think there is a big risk of information overload.

Put simply, you are putting too much pressure on yourself. You are self-coached (right?), run the majority of your sessions solo (maybe all-not including easy/recovery runs), currently not in a club and are training by heart rate. That's a whole lot of responsibility placed on your shoulders and in my opinion, way too much.

Options:

1. Join a Club

If you can even make one session a month you will see the difference. Probably the best desicion you will make in terms of development. Asides from that it breaks up the week. All you have to do is turn up and let someone else worry about the session etc. (never mind the great social aspect!)


2. Get a coach/liaise with a person you trust

I really feel you should strongly consider this as it takes a lot of pressure and responsibility off your shoulders. Running is tough enough so let someone else help you.

---

I wouldn't place any heed on your recent results. You really shouldn't be running well at the moment, you have just completed two marathons and a very productive training block. Simple solution is take a break from racing and concentrate on getting strong (Jaysus, I sound like my coach now!). The time for running well is next year, not now.

+1. DR to the rescue!

RayCun

watch this space meno

yaboya1

Cheers for all the advice lads.
Seems like I might have to make some sort of New Year resolutions.

menoscemo wrote: »

Can I just put my oar in and recommend you join Tallaght :pac:.
Don't let Raycun come along here and say otherwise , If you join his club you'll just want to move to a real club when you get really good.

RayCun wrote: »

:pac:
I thought yaboya was a northsider?

I'll just point out that in the Tallaght/Bros Pearse smackdown at this year's Dublin marathon, it was Brothers Pearse that walked away with the medals...:)

menoscemo wrote: »

Why did I think Clondalkin??

I am (a bousy (ask Dubgal72)) from Clondalkin, but I'm living near the City Centre atm (northside :P)

RayCun

seriously, what you want is a club where you can get to the training sessions that interest you, with a group of runners just a little bit better than you. You're not going to be training with Thomas Fitzpatrick in Tallaght, or Sergiu Ciobanu in Clonliffe, and you don't want to be - no point in going on a tempo run with people who'll burn you off after a minute. But most clubs will have a fair range of midpackers, and most of them will be thinking about distance races, so you have lots to choose from

ger664

menoscemo wrote: »

Paralysis by analysis surely?

HADD training which yaboya1 is using is primarily done by HR. Whats the point in wearing/training with one if you are not going to look/compare the results. I agree don't get hung up on them but low end HR looked wrong.

yaboya1 wrote: »

I did wait for the HR to come back down to around 120bpm before I started the first interval, but maybe I shouldn't have done the strides?

Strides could well explain the slow pace/hr @ 130 and the warmup was long as well so maybe body was still in recovery from this during the first set of 2400's. Looking at that steady pace for HADD is probably 145 if you continue to train that way.

As others have said joining a club would be hugely beneficial to you as well as whatever club manages to secure your signature :rolleyes:

yaboya1

RayCun wrote: »

seriously, what you want is a club where you can get to the training sessions that interest you, with a group of runners just a little bit better than you. You're not going to be training with Thomas Fitzpatrick in Tallaght, or Sergiu Ciobanu in Clonliffe, and you don't want to be - no point in going on a tempo run with people who'll burn you off after a minute. But most clubs will have a fair range of midpackers, and most of them will be thinking about distance races, so you have lots to choose from

Just as a matter of interest, would Thomas Fitzpatrick be around my age (33) and did he used to run X-Country at school?
I remember seeing him at the Enniscorthy 10k and he looks very like the guy who used to streak off alone into the distance while we were battling it out for a top ten finish in my brief X-Country career :P

menoscemo

yaboya1 wrote: »

Just as a matter of interest, would Thomas Fitzpatrick be around my age (33) and did he used to run X-Country at school?
I remember seeing him at the Enniscorthy 10k and he looks very like the guy who used to streak off alone into the distance while we were battling it out for a top ten finish in my brief X-Country career :P

I'd say that's probably him alright.

RayCun

just turned 33

yaboya1

Wednesday 17th December - 105 minutes Easy
12.45 miles @ 8:26min/mile average (133bpm avg)

No real plan tonight. Just hit the road for some easy miles and decided to keep going. Kept the HR pretty even all the way, apart from the odd spike/trough due to hills & drops. They explain the skewed splits in some of the miles. Feel great now


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:12
Mile 2 - 8:01
Mile 3 - 8:18
Mile 4 - 8:30
Mile 5 - 8:59
Mile 6 - 8:58
Mile 7 - 8:37
Mile 8 - 8:21
Mile 9 - 8:30
Mile 10 - 8:15
Mile 11 - 8:08
Mile 12 - 8:12
0.45 - 4:02

yaboya1

Thursday 18th December - 45 minutes Easy
5.14 miles @ 8:45min/mile average (133bpm avg)

Stayed away from the coast to try and avoid the hellish gale that's blowing outside. Unfortunately that was impossible no matter how far inland you went. Glad to have this done early in the day as I've a lot on later and may not have got out otherwise.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:26
Mile 2 - 9:02
Mile 3 - 8:52
Mile 4 - 8:39
Mile 5 - 8:44
0.14 - 1:20

yaboya1

Friday 19th December - 75 minutes Easy
8.57 miles @ 8:46min/mile average (136bpm avg)

Didn't get out for this until mid afternoon thanks to a major hangover. Knew from previous experience I'd feel much better after it, so headed out as soon as I had stopped feeling sorry for myself. A nice fresh breeze in my face from every direction was just what I needed. And guess what? I'm cured! :pac:


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:36
Mile 2 - 8:29
Mile 3 - 8:29
Mile 4 - 9:03
Mile 5 - 9:22
Mile 6 - 8:44
Mile 7 - 8:39
Mile 8 - 8:52
0.57 - 4:49

yaboya1

Saturday 20th December - 60 minutes Easy
7.2 miles @ 8:20min/mile average (129bpm avg)

As soon as I got in from work tonight I headed straight back out the door, as I felt it would be a sin not to get a few miles done in the perfect conditions outside. For a change I wore the new HRM that Garmin had sent me, just to test it out. I felt I was making the same effort as the other night (130-135bpm), but the Garmin was hanging around 115-120 for the first couple of miles. It was about three miles before I even hit a high of 130, so it seems this one may be as reliable as the last one! Anyway I kept the effort easy, so no harm done. I'll go back to the Polar again for my next run.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:36
Mile 2 - 8:18
Mile 3 - 8:21
Mile 4 - 8:22
Mile 5 - 8:23
Mile 6 - 8:16
Mile 7 - 8:04
0.2 - 1:42

Murph_D

New HRM - glad you finally got a result there. Do you wet the contacts before you put it on? Could try both at the same time and see how they compare!

yaboya1

Murph_D wrote: »

New HRM - glad you finally got a result there. Do you wet the contacts before you put it on? Could try both at the same time and see how they compare!

Yeah after about a month of nagging :P
I wet them both before I get going. It wasn't as if it was hitting spikes & troughs though. It's like the Garmin gives a reading about 10bpm lower for some reason. I'm normally hovering around 130bpm, but was hovering around 120 for ages tonight. I might try them both for an experiment, but tbh I hate wearing one as it is. Two would be a right pain :O

yaboya1

Monday 22nd December - 75 minutes Steady
9m @ 8:20p/m average (146bpm avg)

I would have rathered do this on a much less windy day, but I live in Dublin and can't run at all tomorrow. So I decided to just grin and bear it. This session proves to me that I've pretty much already 'mastered' 145bpm and that I can probably go straight back to 150bpm for these sessions which is where I left off in the summer. The pace variation in some of the miles is completely down to the wind. No other reason. The 8th steady mile proves this with a similar split to the earlier ones, as I had shelter from the wind there again before it hit me head on again for the final split. My HR actually hit it's peaks during miles 6 & 7, the two slowest miles. I'll probably go easy on myself and stick to 145bpm for my Christmas morning Steady session (to be sure), and then get back to 150bpm starting from next week.


Splits:

Warm up mile - 8:19 (135bpm)

Mile 1 - 7:58
Mile 2 - 8:15
Mile 3 - 8:03
Mile 4 - 7:56
Mile 5 - 8:09
Mile 6 - 8:53
Mile 7 - 8:42
Mile 8 - 8:06
Mile 9 - 8:36

1 mile cool down - 9:05 (139bpm)

yaboya1

Tuesday 23rd December - 60 minutes Easy
7.28 miles @ 8:14min/mile average (133bpm avg)

What a difference a day no wind makes!
This run is almost identical to last Saturday's, but the splits are slightly quicker than yesterday's steady session despite the much lower HR. Shows you how much the wind can affect your effort levels. Delighted to get this in as I had no expectations of running at all today, so an hour was a real bonus. Lovely out there. I was too warm in sleeves at 9pm.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:09
Mile 2 - 8:29
Mile 3 - 8:19
Mile 4 - 7:57
Mile 5 - 8:21
Mile 6 - 8:12
Mile 7 - 8:10
0.28 - 2:25

yaboya1

Thursday 25th December - 75 minutes Steady
10m @ 7:33p/m average (146bpm avg)

I meant to get some easy miles in yesterday but with everything that was going on, it just never happened. Anyway, that left me fresh for another Steady session this morning. I got results far more like I was expecting this time. Some small variances due to hills/drops, wind behind/against but mostly a fairly steady HR and consistent splits. This convinces me of what I already suspected and I'll move up to 150bpm for my next Steady session. The next few days could be a complete write off for me, but I'm not going to worry about it since my goal race is not until the end of April :P

Happy Christmas to All!


Splits:

Warm up mile - 7:29 (135bpm)

Mile 1 - 7:05
Mile 2 - 7:29
Mile 3 - 7:42
Mile 4 - 7:29
Mile 5 - 7:32
Mile 6 - 7:41
Mile 7 - 7:33
Mile 8 - 7:48
Mile 9 - 7:37
Mile 10 -7:34

Cool down mile - 8:30 (139bpm)


p.s. Wtf is this Kilkeel/Crossmaglen Running about when you upload to Garmin Connect? I've never been to either??

Pacing Mule

yaboya1 wrote: »

Thursday 25th December - 75 minutes Steady
10m @ 7:33p/m average (146bpm avg)

I meant to get some easy miles in yesterday but with everything that was going on, it just never happened. Anyway, that left me fresh for another Steady session this morning. I got results far more like I was expecting this time. Some small variances due to hills/drops, wind behind/against but mostly a fairly steady HR and consistent splits. This convinces me of what I already suspected and I'll move up to 150bpm for my next Steady session. The next few days could be a complete write off for me, but I'm not going to worry about it since my goal race is not until the end of April :P

Happy Christmas to All!


Splits:

Warm up mile - 7:29 (135bpm)

Mile 1 - 7:05
Mile 2 - 7:29
Mile 3 - 7:42
Mile 4 - 7:29
Mile 5 - 7:32
Mile 6 - 7:41
Mile 7 - 7:33
Mile 8 - 7:48
Mile 9 - 7:37
Mile 10 -7:34

Cool down mile - 8:30 (139bpm)


p.s. Wtf is this Kilkeel/Crossmaglen Running about when you upload to Garmin Connect? I've never been to either??

Either have I but I've been running there all week too.

laura_ac3

I think all of boards have done all their training in kilkee for the last week.

Calvin Johnson

Happy Christmas

yaboya1

Friday 26th December - 60 minutes Easy
7 miles @ 8:37min/mile average (135bpm avg)

A horrible morning out there today. Still not bad for running, but dreary and depressing to look at. A stark contrast to yesterday's blue sky & cool, crisp, conditions. Managed to sweat off some of the Christmas Day excesses. Now it's time for some more and to lose win a fortune on the horses.....


Splits:

Mile 1 - 7:55
Mile 2 - 8:34
Mile 3 - 8:41
Mile 4 - 7:37
Mile 5 - 8:54
Mile 6 - 8:59
Mile 7 - 8:36

Itziger

yaboya1 wrote: »

Friday 26th December - 60 minutes Easy
7 miles @ 8:37min/mile average (135bpm avg)

A horrible morning out there today. Still not bad for running, but dreary and depressing to look at. A stark contrast to yesterday's blue sky & cool, crisp, conditions. Managed to sweat off some of the Christmas Day excesses. Now it's time for some more and to lose win a fortune on the horses.....


Splits:

Mile 1 - 7:55
Mile 2 - 8:34
Mile 3 - 8:41
Mile 4 - 7:37
Mile 5 - 8:54
Mile 6 - 8:59
Mile 7 - 8:36

Who do you fancy today Yaboya? Was thinking Dynaste e/w (I know it's not a bank breaker).

yaboya1

Itziger wrote: »

Who do you fancy today Yaboya? Was thinking Dynaste e/w (I know it's not a bank breaker).

Only seeing this now. Would have advised Dynaste at the prices too tbh, but I knew he'd struggle to beat the fav considering their head to head record.

outforarun

That Kilkeel/Crossmaglen thing is a bit mad alright. I'm running in Milan at the moment and all mine have been coming through as Figino Running, that's a small village not too far from where I am. Bit mad.

yaboya1

Monday 29th December - 75 minutes Easy (including 6 x 100m Strides)
8 miles @ 8:50min/mile average (135bpm avg)

Decided to try and sweat some of the junk I've been living on for the past week out of my system. A great night out there for a run if you can avoid the icy patches. Funnily enough I do feel a lot lighter, but I think that's more down to my empty pockets from doing my absolute b*ll*x on the horses over the last few days than anything to do with my calorie loving body. Threw a few strides in at the end. Pity some of the nags I backed couldn't accelerate like that in the closing stages of their races......:rolleyes:


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:17
Mile 2 - 8:51
Mile 3 - 8:53
Mile 4 - 9:00
Mile 5 - 9:03
Mile 6 - 8:56
Mile 7 - 8:49
Mile 8 - 8:49
*0.65 - 4:26

*Strides

RacoonQueen

I profited by €27.50 on the races. :cool:

Some of us, are just good at everything...

yaboya1

Tuesday 30th December - 75 minutes Steady
11m @ 6:58p/m average (151bpm avg)

To say I'm delighted with this would be a massive understatement. I've been eating like a pig and drinking like a fish all week, so I wasn't exactly expecting much from tonight. However, I knew the most important thing was to run at the same Steady HR for the entire session regardless of the split times and I wasn't going to let a slow average get me down. I did feel great today though and couldn't wait to get out when I got home from work. It's a perfect night out there and milder than last night, so no ice to worry about. Consistent HR all the way and splits I'd be expecting to see if I was close to full fitness, and there's no way I'm there as I've definitely put on a few pounds over Christmas. I haven't weighed myself, but I can feel it on me. Anyway as I said, really over the moon with this. The pace did drop a little towards the end, but much later and by far less than I would have expected. Really excited about my running for 2015


Splits:

Warm up mile - 8:04 (133pm)

Mile 1 - 6:46
Mile 2 - 6:47
Mile 3 - 6:53
Mile 4 - 6:56
Mile 5 - 6:58
Mile 6 - 6:58
Mile 7 - 7:02
Mile 8 - 7:07
Mile 9 - 7:00
Mile 10 -7:01
Mile 11 - 7:12

Cool down mile - 8:46 (134bpm)


I think I spotted laura_ac3 towards the end of my run? I said hello and she said hello back, but still not certain it was her. I think it must have been as randomers normally ignore me :pac:

tang1

Any nice beers to comment on over the festive season?

ThebitterLemon

yaboya1 wrote: »

Tuesday 30th December - 75 minutes Steady
11m @ 6:58p/m average (151bpm avg)

To say I'm delighted with this would be a massive understatement. I've been eating like a pig and drinking like a fish all week, so I wasn't exactly expecting much from tonight. However, I knew the most important thing was to run at the same Steady HR for the entire session regardless of the split times and I wasn't going to let a slow average get me down. I did feel great today though and couldn't wait to get out when I got home from work. It's a perfect night out there and milder than last night, so no ice to worry about. Consistent HR all the way and splits I'd be expecting to see if I was close to full fitness, and there's no way I'm there as I've definitely put on a few pounds over Christmas. I haven't weighed myself, but I can feel it on me. Anyway as I said, really over the moon with this. The pace did drop a little towards the end, but much later and by far less than I would have expected. Really excited about my running for 2015


Splits:

Warm up mile - 8:04 (133pm)

Mile 1 - 6:46
Mile 2 - 6:47
Mile 3 - 6:53
Mile 4 - 6:56
Mile 5 - 6:58
Mile 6 - 6:58
Mile 7 - 7:02
Mile 8 - 7:07
Mile 9 - 7:00
Mile 10 -7:01
Mile 11 - 7:12

Cool down mile - 8:46 (134bpm)


I think I spotted laura_ac3 towards the end of my run? I said hello and she said hello back, but still not certain it was her. I think it must have been as randomers normally ignore me :pac:

Nice session after the Xmas P.

TbL

laura_ac3

That was me! I thought it was you but without my glasses in the dark I'm not always great at identifying people, buses etc until they're nearly past me. And I've embarrassingly said hello, by name, to the wrong people before hence my general greeting

RacoonQueen

yaboya1 wrote: »

I think it must have been as randomers normally ignore me :pac:

Don't blame them..

Murph_D

I see from GC that you were out same time as me, but must have missed you when I headed over the wooden bridge before turning back. Missed a chance to get a wave!

yaboya1

Saturday 3rd January - 75 minutes Steady
11m @ 7:21p/m average (151bpm avg)

Back in Crossmaglen Clondalkin for this. Pretty consistent splits, but the average pace is more than twenty seconds per mile slower from the same session last Tuesday. Maybe that's because I've done no running since then, maybe it's because I've been out drinking on two of the last three nights or maybe it's because conditions aren't as ideal today as they were then. I won't stress regardless, particularly given the week that's in it. Back to the normal routine from Monday.


Splits:

Warm up mile - 8:22 (129pm)

Mile 1 - 7:07
Mile 2 - 7:20
Mile 3 - 7:19
Mile 4 - 7:13
Mile 5 - 7:17
Mile 6 - 7:31
Mile 7 - 7:23
Mile 8 - 7:24
Mile 9 - 7:26
Mile 10 -7:25
Mile 11 - 7:25

Cool down mile - 8:32 (139bpm)