The main thing is keeping the main thing, the main thing

overpronator

Nice going, that's a fun session with the long recoveries, can really get after it.

Firedance

Best of luck on Saturday! I hope to be out cheering on without the 4 legged supporter this time. Its a super race and am a bit gutted to be missing it this year, last 2 years its been hot n sunny!

FBOT01

Bit late with the good luck as you are probably done and dusted at this stage. Hope it went to plan!

tang1

Nice running tonight, you happy?

AuldManKing

Monday / Tuesday: Took 2 rest days as the knee was at me a bit. I went to bring the dog for a walk and slipped out of my day shoes into an old pair of runners and the difference was immediate.
I guess we don't pay enough attention to our day wear - I reckon these were the issue, but I knew I'd be suffering some residual effects for a few days.

Wednesday: 6.4m inc 8x40 seconds - felt very good on the strides. Watching for any knee impact.

Thursday: 4m easy with the dog - the knee was ok after a mile of so.
Walking around the house barefoot that evening really helped.

Friday: Another short tester - 5k with some strides. I wore the racers for this and glad I did as they didn't offer enough support. Also worked at home so I could be barefoot all day!!!

Woke up Saturday morning and Bingo - no niggle. Good to go.

AuldManKing

Dunshaughlin 10k -

The soccer and Rugby proved able distractions during the day to keep my mind off the race.
For the 2nd race in a row, I had no pre race anxiety - I guess I've found my pre-race formula and race tactics that keep me confident.

Made it to Dunshaughlin with an hour to spare and met up with Statss (lets just call him Statss - I cant get used to TomWaits) - and then Back in Black and OverPronator for a warm up and some strides.
A quick hello to some other Boardsies inc one from the high altitude camp in Iten.
Gun went off fairly sharpishly and we were off.
As we passed the 1k mark I felt my knee starting to throb, $hit - I said I'd see how it was for a mile then make a call. Thankfully it settled down and didn't bother me for the race again.

The 1st mile marker came and went in 5:54 - possibly too fast but it was downhill, so I kept with it. I was in a good group and we all seemed comfortable. I could see OP about 10 secs ahead with BeepBeep in his famous yellow top a bit further on.
Mile 2 was OK as well - feeling good and I knew I was in for a good time. Definitely a PB and if all went perfectly, then maybe, just maybe a sub 37 was on the cards.
Mile 2 was 5:57.

The pace kept very consistent for mile 3 - I tried and failed again to pour water over my head - its a feat I must try to master
I think the group I was in was different from the 1st mile as some people fell back from the group ahead. I could still see OP ahead of me.
Mile 3 was 5:57 and we went through 5k in 18:25.

Mile 4 was more of the same, with the exception of me getting a bit carried away to make it up to another group ahead. Still feeling good but thought of finishing soon were in my head. Through mile 4 in 5:53.

I had heard about an infamous hill on the course and I cant recall if it was just before the 4m mark or in between 4&5, but it had a list of names (previous winners I guess) painted on the road and it kept me distracted. As I reached the top I thought, great, that’s that done. As we came down a nice hill I see a sign on the road saying "Get up that hill"……….oh no!

The oncoming ‘hill’ or a drag as we call it, comes at a bad place in the race, and an even worse place if you’re not expecting it .
As I was coming along – I was feeling it – a quick glance at the watch and pace was down a good bit, the brain was yelling at me to stop for a minute, but just up ahead of me, a guy stopped. Then right away a guy beside me stopped.
Well, I wasn’t going to be that guy, I said and pushed on.
I minimised the damage to a 6:09 5th mile

I pushed on a bit, getting the pace back into the 6 min mile mark – feeling the effects of that famous ‘Mount Dunshaughlin’ as Statss later christened it.

The last mile was real racing – there was a couple of people ahead and a few on my shoulder. It was a battle to maintain 6 min/miles but it was a battle we all appeared to be fighting.
We passed the 9km sign and it became “just one lap of the polo grounds” as I caught the group ahead.
The 800m sign came into view and my mind went to the track at Santry – just two laps left………
I tried to push, but didn’t have it.

800 became 600 and then 400 – 1 lap of the track left – quickly passed the 6m mark – mile 6 in 6:00.
“Just around the corner” people were screaming – I had no idea where it was, but it better come damn soon.
As I turned the corner – about 100-150 left, I can see the clock counting down from 36:46.
My God – that’s a good PB, not what about a sub 37?

I pushed on, but couldn’t generate enough – a guy flew past me – one of the few who passed me on the course and I got through the line as the clocked ticked 37:04.

Delighted with the time – dry retched, took a moment by the barrier and went off the share tales of battles, PB’s and woes with other Boardsies back at race HQ.
A good evening out, a great race and a great feed afterwards with good company.

37:02 official time – a 38 second PB. (5k splits: 18:25/18:27)

AuldManKing

Meanwhile 14 hours later...............

Castleknock 5k

This is a race that a couple from the club have put together and is a very good local community race and always raises a lot of money for charities. So I said I'd support it.
The plan was to jog around it and use it as a recovery run.

I got down to HQ and done a couple of miles with a clubmate who was looking for a good time - he got it and a few scalps along the way as he finished 4th. As I was doing strides with him I was thinking, hhhmmm, the legs actually feel ok, maybe I can go for a prize here.

As its a local race, the field is never that deep, I was thinking if I could sneak under 20, I'd be in with a shout of an old man prize - I'd see how the 1st mile went and then decide.

Peter Somba had turned up after last nights heroics but John Coughlan was going to out Somba him - Sombas tactics are to sit on peoples shoulders and kick at the last few meters - his last few races were won by a couple of seconds. JC's plan was to do it to him, which he did.

Anyway, back to me ............

As we started off, I looked at the crowd ahead, about 40-50 people going off too hard as usual - mile 1 is very much downhill. The legs felt ok and as we turned off Tower Road into Knockmaroon gate, mile 1 beeped at 5:55.

I new I wouldn't maintain that, but the effort would be the same on the uphill. This was pure racing as I started to move through the field, so many had gone of too fast and I knew they'd come back to me, as long as I could maintain a decent pace. We turned up the OS road as I caught another couple.
Up ahead I could see a clubmate who I knew was a 19m 5k runner. $hit I thought - he seems too far ahead. Still I resolved to catch him in Farmleigh as he might suffer in there (its quite an incline).

Mile 2 beeped at 6:13 - but it wasn't about time, it was about catching my clubmate and the group of 10 or so between us.
I kept the effort strong and maintained the pace going through Farmleigh.
At about 2.7m I came alongside him and stayed there for a few seconds, making sure he heard me and knew was there. As I went past him, I shortened the stride and pumped the arms - I wanted to make sure he wasn't coming back at me. As we went out through Farmleigh we turned right onto Tower Road again, for a steep incline towards Castleknock College. I could hear his footsteps getting further behind me as I felt strong enough going up the road to the college entrance.

Going up the avenue of the College I seen the clock ahead - it was reading 18:46 - with 100-150m ahead - oh no, not again I thought

I went under the clock in 19:03 - not worried 1 bit about the time, delighted to have raced it well despite racing 14 hours earlier.

12th place & €30 prize for 3rd Old Lad and also won 6 months Gym membership in the raffle.

A Great weekend so far.

tang1

Delighted for ya on the 10k PB Alan, great to see. Just to point one thing out though and may stand to you in the future, whatever about a culchie like myself wearing black socks there's some excuse but a streetwise Dub like yourself, no excuse at all for it!!

AuldManKing

tang1 wrote: »

Delighted for ya on the 10k PB Alan, great to see. Just to point one thing out though and may stand to you in the future, whatever about a culchie like myself wearing black socks there's some excuse but a streetwise Dub like yourself, no excuse at all for it!!

The white shows off the tan too much - thought I'd tone it down a bit........ :pac:

annapr

So, are you racing again tomorrow? :eek:

Congrats on the 10K PB, well done!

FBOT01

AuldManKing wrote: »

The white shows off the tan too much - thought I'd tone it down a bit........ :pac:

What you actually meant to say, A, was that the tan runs into the white socks and stains when you are actually planning on sweating during a race. Will have to keep an eye out for that tell in future on the startline to see if you mean business

Nice going at both races over the weekend. The 10k was another well deserved result. You seemed to be settling in nicely to the "real" racing and enjoying it to boot!

Murph_D

Back to back racing? Obviously the recovery shtick is to keep the conservative competition at bay. Kudos.

Wubble Wubble

The training is most certainly bringing about results! It's very easy to kill your race on that downhill; once I felt my legs burning before we even turned into the Park, I knew it was game over. Forgot to mention when talking to you yesterday, fair play for organising the Ireland jersey for the auction. Didn't hear how much ye raised?

AuldManKing

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

The training is most certainly bringing about results! It's very easy to kill your race on that downhill; once I felt my legs burning before we even turned into the Park, I knew it was game over. Forgot to mention when talking to you yesterday, fair play for organising the Ireland jersey for the auction. Didn't hear how much ye raised?

Yep - that downhill 1st mile is a big risk alright - been burned there last 2 years!
Not too sure on the Jersey, I think interest may have fallen off about 3:45pm on Saturday
Hopefully we got some bids on it.

Duanington

Well done on the PB A - really impressive stuff and rewards for the training you're doing at the moment. Congrats and keep up the good work.

Loved the 2 races in 15 hours or whatever too !

laura_ac3

Well done on the PB, nice chunk off that kind of time. Sub 37 not far off.

tomwaits48

you can call me whatever you like....everytime I'm standing beside you women appear out of nowhere....long may it continue.

AuldManKing

tomwaits48 wrote: »

you can call me whatever you like....everytime I'm standing beside you women appear out of nowhere....long may it continue.

Its the black socks.

AuldManKing

Monday: 4m @ 8:06 pace. Legs feeling ok. Nothing spectacular.

Tuesday: Planned rest day.

Wednesday: The club session was on at the Popes Cross today - so given I had planned to race on Friday, I said I'd go down and act as pacer for 2 of the 25 min 5k people. 2x1.5k at 8 min/miles for us.

On the way back to the car, I decide to do another loop to add a couple of miles on and about 0.5m later the pain in my knee becomes so severe that I cannot walk on it.
Icing it all night and still no different. Its painful even when sitting which is strange.

Going to physio later tonight (following club marathon plan meeting )

I've 3 weeks holidays planned from Monday - I had planned to use it as a break to recharge and do some easy running only. Lets see how the knee is in the coming days.
If i have to take 3 weeks off - so be it - better than 4 months on the sidelines again.

Duanington

#auldWISEmanking

ThebitterLemon

Duanington wrote: »

#auldWISEmanking

When I said that out loud quickly, it just sounds wrong

TbL

Speedy recovery

overpronator

So whats the goal time for Kilcock!!?

FBOT01

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

When I said that out loud quickly, it just sounds wrong

TbL

Speedy recovery

Does that not apply to most things you say

AuldManKing

Went to a meeting on Thursday with the club coach who's putting together a marathon plan for a group in the club.
He's ran a large number of Marathons and has 8 or so in the 2:40 range, so he knows a thing or 2.

There's a lot of benefits to doing the club plan as there's a good group doing it - so I'll have a lot of company. Mileage tops out in the 60's and the emphasis is on the long run but also on the non running things (nutrition, stretching etc)
The downside is that there's a strong emphasis on speedwork (usual club session on Wed & Sat) with a 5m tempo every 3 weeks or so.
Another cornerstone of the plan is a 10 miler on Tues & Thurs - with the speed session sandwiched in between.

I'm not sure that this meets my needs as its kinda what I'm doing now, so there'd be no progression for me with the exception of the long run distance. The lack of MP runs also concern me.

Think I'll need to be selfish on this one and go with my original plan - but will give it some thought.

The coach is also a sports therapist, so he went to town on my injury last night.
He reckons its not the knee itself but the Quads.

Leg is much better today. I'll take a few days off still, just as a precaution.

Younganne

just catching up, Congrats on the PB in Dunshaughlin, great result and well deserved from all the hard training!

Congrats on the podium in 5k & nice prize in the raffle too!!!

Hope the injury is short lived!

AuldManKing

Ended up taking 2 weeks off due to the knee - defo wasn't the quad.

I was on holiday on the East Coast of the US - Washington/Philly/NY/ Long Island and it killed me not to be able to run in iconic places such as The Mall, the Rocky steps or Central Park (which is quite hilly). Managed a few runs along the river in NY but nothing more than 5 miles.
There was a public running track there, which was better than running on roads with a niggly knee. Done a lot of S&C work there too (as well as a lot of walking around shops after 3 females)

Got to The Hamptons (.....always wanted to say that) and got 2 runs in 4.4m/6m- could have done more but it was far too hot and humid. Done 9 on Sunday in the PP for a total of 25m for the week just gone and started this week with 5m in the PP this afternoon..

After each run the knee feels better and better, I'm still doing a lot of excercises and strength work, it seems to be more of a mobility/flexibility thing than anything else (Hurts if it turns inwards).


Its 14 weeks to DCM and I was starting to think about focusing on a different distance and going for a marathon in Spring.
However - prior to the last 4 weeks, I have 16 weeks of averaging 55m a week - that has to come back to me pretty soon - doesn't it??
My last 10 weeks mileage are - from this week;

25 - 9m longest run
11
0
10
30 (Dunshaughlin 10k Race)
63 - 15m long run
56 (Dunboyne 5m Race) - inc 16m long run
43 (Down week)
57 - 13m hill run
33 (Terenure 5m)

My thoughts are to see how the next 2 weeks go - run easy this week - about 40 miles and then do upto 50 the following week with 1 tempo session.
All going well - I'll then look at a 12 week plan - possibly a slightly modified P&D 12 week plan.

If I'm doubtful, I'll continue to run easy and focus on another distance.

Sound plausible??

aero2k

Damn boards - where's the button to "thank all of a post except the mention of the Hamptons"?

AuldManKing

Monday: 5m(7:40) in the park - very warm for it - Knee mobility work afterwards.

Tuesday: 5.4m Recovery (8:48) + 15mins of S&C in Albert College Park - Lunges/Plank/press ups/squats/calf raises

Wednesday: 9.1m @ 7:43 - good run in the PP - maybe 1m too much. Knee ok afterwards. Knee mobility work.


Thinking Strongly of San Sebastian. 18 week plan from this week - 2 weeks build and 16 week plan..........seeds been planted with wifey.

AuldManKing

Thursday: No running -30mins of strength work/stretching.

Friday: 5.1m @ 7:55 around the PP - nothing to report.

Sat: back over in Ringsend/Sandymount for possibly the last training session for my daughter - big final on Wednesday v Kerry.

7.2m @ 7:55 pace and about 15 mins S&C work afterwards (lunges/planks/push ups / calf raises /Squats)

Sun: up late so didn't run with the group. Managed 12 miles at 7:53 pace for my longest run in 6 weeks.


44m for the week - not too bad with 1 leg - found this week tough - much tougher than when I returned from 4 months out with injury, this was only 2-3 weeks out. Hopefully its a heat factor and nothing else.

Still managing the knee, but great to get a decent week in from a mileage perspective. Hopefully the knee keeps its rate of progression in the coming week and I can start to think about some speed work.
It'll be strides 1st, then tempo before I do any interval type work.

ThebitterLemon

Well, are we holding hands in San Seb and can I borrow ur bottle of fake tan

Always good to look your best in the finish line photo, assuming I make it!

TbL