Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest
Be still my beating heart
Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
Strep throat is completely S(IT, bloody awful thing to get. It really takes it out of you.
Yes you can drink but it will reduce effectiveness of antibiotics so don't bother
Horrible horrible infection. Even sipping water is like swallowing razors blades. High fever, chills and aches, inablility to eat headache.0 -
-
Nah, its just us country folk are fair hardy not like these soft city types.
Wouldn't know a hard days work if it bit them in the ass.
Although I'm a bit worried that you went to the doctor in the first place. You must be turning
You'll need to watch a hurling game or something to top up. Ideally you'd go footing turf but perhaps not in your current condition.0 -
I'm gone fair soft alright ku. Tis far from doctor's visits I was reared.KielyUnusual wrote: »Nah, its just us country folk are fair hardy not like these soft city types. Wouldn't know a hard days work if it bit them in the ass.
Although I'm a bit worried that you went to the doctor in the first place. You must be turning
You'll need to watch a hurling game or something to top up. Ideally you'd go footing turf but perhaps not in your current condition.
I'll have a good fade a spuds an parsnips for de tae an dat should put me right. Maybe a trip ta mass might help too
But I is gangsta now!
#confused
0 -
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
Wednesday 24 - Sunday 28 June- no running due to strep throat infection and on antibiotics. Didn't want to run as hadn't the energy any of those days except possibly Sunday which was strange for me. I really musta been sick!
This week was all about building back up oh-so-slowly.
Monday 29 June
5 miles recovery
Still on the antibiotics but felt better today so didn't think a slow jog would do any harm. Rhr very low this morning at 48.
Kept it very comfortable. Felt a bit odd at the start probably due to the antib's and 5 day lay-off - my longest running break in about a year!!!!
10:15 avg pace
Tuesday 30 June
5 miles recovery
Roasting hot! Think the antibiotics were still making me feel a bit more tired than normal but felt fairly good still once I didn't have to work very much.
Legs a little achey today but not surprising really after the days off and the AIS and Lunge Matrix routine being re-introduced after the break.
145 miles total for June. Lowest this year by far. Not surprising with 5 bloody days off sick
The Race Police might also notice that I was a naughty girl as I failed to get in a race in June:(
I was meant to do a 5k last weekend but sickness put paid to that and there was no point in me doing one yesterday as I just wasn't up to it. Excuses excuses I know I know... I will however be rectifying that once I feel back to where I was prior to sickness as I know I NEED to do one again soon badly and stick to my one race per month promise to myself! I did however do that controversial 4 x 1 mile at 5k session which was pretty similar to a race or time trial so that can serve as my race-effort for this month.
Wednesday 1 July
5 miles easy
Stepped it up on mile 4 just to wake up the legs and body a bit. Felt good.
Thursday 2 July
6 miles easy
Finished antib's yesterday.
Drove to PP with intention of doing my 90 min long easy run. From the off I just felt like sh1ght:( Breathing not good, chest a bit tight, legs heavy, generally tired. Thought I'd shake it off, shake it off, uh uh uh, shake it off, shake it off�� but it never happened so just cut it short. Sleep ain't been great lately. No point in flogging a dead horse.
Friday 3 July
4 miles recovery
This was a bit of a slog. I kinda knew after a mile that I shuda taken a complete rest day. Oh well, I'll learn.. or maybe not.
10:03 avg pace
Saturday 4 July
90 mins relaxed w/6x 45 sec @ 5k
Felt great today however the strides took a bit more out of me than they should have. First bit of faster paced running for a good while so was glad it was only a few strides. Very hot out there but a nice welcome breeze on my loops.
This was the first run in my new plan:
Race: Half Marathon
Place: Tullamore
Date: End August
Goal: Sub 1:50 ..
I am very worried about the heat though if it continues all summer. I'm ok running easy in the heat or a short session but half marathon pace for the duration of, well, a half marathon...hmmm... not so sure how I'll cope with that and it starts at noon... worst time of the day if it is warm.
Sunday 5 July
1 hour recovery
Totally fcuked today. My body feels like I went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson last night. Boxing rounds that is:)
Next to no sleep but managed to do a few loops of local park. Actually felt great on this run once the tightnesses loosened out. Soooo enjoyable to run in the rain for a change. Truly sublime
40 miles weekly total
A proper speed session on the cards for tomorrow and delighted to say I'll be back to my higher 50+ mileage weeks for this half marathon block.
Usual AIS and Lunge Matrix done every day and Myrtle after longer run on Saturday.0 -
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
MaggotBrain wrote: »Have you run there before? Last year was perfect running conditions as far as I can remember! I discarded my Garmin entry in haste so I have no data unfortunately.
It's a fair course with good pacers. Only comment is that it is out in the shticks with little support outside of Tullamore. Last 400m on the Harriers running track is a brilliant way to finish up. Best of luck with the next couple of weeks training!
Hello there
No I haven't done it before. The only reason I'm doing that one it is because it's the only date that suits around that time. I'd rather the race series one or something 'busier' for sure. However, there does seem to be decent numbers running it and a good few around my time looking at past results. There's a good thread on it in Events section with Garmin link.
Thanks 0 -
-
MaggotBrain wrote: »Didn't mean to put you off by the way, it's a very good half. I'll be there either way running or cuttin silage will see how things go.
Cuttin silage at the race
Hope to see you! Either way!0 -
Nicely!!
There are studies that show that running at higher temps have the same physiological advantages as running at altitude (don't ask me to provide links). Granted the temps in those studies, were a good bit higher than temps of the last 7 days, but just goes to show the impact they can have on the system!
Best of luck with half marathon target, it's a tough but realistic one!0 -
Advertisement
-
Tullamore is a nice run. A few short little hills here and there from what I remember 2-3 years ago strava thingy...
I found it tough at times as a beginner runner, but probably a fair course all in all. A bit tough on the way back in on the hard shoulder but plenty of people to work off. A good club race with a good warm up area within the grounds and a nice spread afterwards 0 -
TRR_the_turd wrote: »Nicely!!
Best of luck with half marathon target, it's a tough but realistic one!
Thank you kindly. I was hoping it would be seen as such.
Based off my current 5k pb I'd be in around 1:51 but my 4 x 1 mile session would suggest a 30 second improvement since my last race but obviously that means nothing until I actually achieve it in a race! Plus I have almost 2 months of training and I think I'm better when it comes to the longer stuff so I do feel sub 1:50 should be possible. By how much who knows. I'll revisit that nearer the time.
Good luck with your Charleville training. That was my original target race. You might have a bit of company from some Boardsies and ex-Boardsies on the daymartyboy48 wrote: »Tullamore is a nice run. A few short little hills here and there from what I remember 2-3 years ago strava thingy...
I found it tough at times as a beginner runner, but probably a fair course all in all. A bit tough on the way back in on the hard shoulder but plenty of people to work off. A good club race with a good warm up area within the grounds and a nice spread afterwards
Cheers for that Marty. It was your link on the other thread that I saw also.
As I said above it's not my preference for my goal race this year but as with every race I ever seem to target, a wedding gets in the way.
There must be something to this marriage lark as everyone seems to want to do it!0 -
-
-
-
Hey A, glad to see your throat is better and you are back in action... 40 miles seems like a lot though, even if all easy running, coming back off a strep throat and antibiotics... don't overdo it now missis! (you'd say the same yourself) 0
-
Hey A, glad to see your throat is better and you are back in action... 40 miles seems like a lot though, even if all easy running, coming back off a strep throat and antibiotics... don't overdo it now missis! (you'd say the same yourself)
yep absolutely. This is where I fall down - my Achilles heel (so to speak!) when it comes to my training.
If I were advising someone else I definitely would have suggested doing less and not to run every day first week back.....
edit: tbh I was expecting a bigger (well deserved) bollicking than that from someone!0 -
yep absolutely. This is where I fall down - my Achilles heel (so to speak!) when it comes to my training.
If I were advising someone else I definitely would have suggested doing less and not to run every day first week back.....
edit: tbh I was expecting a bigger (well deserved) bollicking than that from someone!
yeah, I was expecting you would have as well, but they were all too excited about your HM Plans 0 -
-
Monday 6 July
3 x 6 x 40 secs at 1 mile effort (3 min rec between sets) & 2 mins at 3k-5k at end
I slept for 10 hours last night and I had to be actually woken up. That like never happens. A-mazing.................
It was a lovely dull rainy day and I had a smile on my face all morning looking forward to this outing. By the time I got out however, it was very warm and the sun kept tyring to break through and was winning a lot of the time.
First bit of proper speedwork in a few weeks. 2 mile warm up and then spent about 10 mins on my drills and strides. Really woke the legs up and felt really 'up for it' when it was time for the off.
Really enjoyed this session. Very hard work esp on 3rd set but all manageable and felt I got the effort right. This was all about keeping the form strong, with tall and relaxed body and quick light feet and not tying up. All felt good.
The 2 mins at end came in at 7:05 pace so a tad fast but felt right at the time. Didn't bother lapping the pace of the strides but all felt correct effort/pace.
Felt great after this and had a lovely glow for the rest of the evening
8 miles total 10:07 avg pace
Tuesday 7 July
am: 40 mins recovery 9:58 avg pace
pm: 40 mins recovery 9:52 avg pace
First one local, second one Phoenix Park. Both lovely relaxed rainy runs. Felt really good today, especially this evening. Lovin the rain and the cooler weather.
Great sleep again last night.
Wednesday 8 July
am: 40 mins easy 10:04 avg pace
Local
pm: 40 mins easy 10:04 avg pace
Whitehall Park. Tired for some reason. Pace very slow. Bit of a slog.
Lovely sleep for 3rd night in a row. Sleeping like I've never slept before. Not sure what's up with me but just can't get enough and it sure ain't normal!
Thursday 9 July
45 mins easy
Went to Phoenix Park with intention of doing my long run but sleep was crap (back to normal...) last night and I just felt way too tired so knocked the idea of that on the head when my easy effort wasn't feeling easy enough. Enjoyable as an easy run.
9:49 avg pace
Friday 10 July
Rest
Added up what my mileage would be were I to do all my planned runs this week and it's a bit of a jump from 40 to 58 so dropped today's runs. I'm conscious also of annapr and Firedance's wise words about just being back from sickness so no harm to take a rest day as I didn't take one last week. However, all day I was having conversations like this with myself:
Voice1: 'Yes definitely take a rest day, you're tired and didn't sleep last night'
Voice 2: 'but I've slept really well the prevsious 3 nights so I'm not really that tired'
Voice 1: 'yes but you were sick last week and on antibiotics and you already ran too much last week as it is' '
Voice 2: yes but it was all slow miles and I felt fine and didn't take anything out of me'
Voice1: 'yes but you need to back-off every now and again and give your body some time to really rest. Any kind of running is stressing the body to some extent. You didn't feel 100% on your run last night so your body is trying to tell you something'
Voice 2: 'yes but my rhr was lower than ever this morning so I'm recovered from whatever was wrong with me yesterday'
Voice 1: 'yes but everyone needs to take a day off every now and again'
Voice 2: 'yes but some people don't actually. Some people run every day and it doesn't have a negative effect. Isn't there some guy in the States who's run every day for the past 50 years or something? And loads of Boardsies run every day. It's no big deal!!!'
Voice 1: 'yes but you're not everybody. And plenty of people don't run every day and are much better runners than you. This one time, just really listen to your body. Please'
Voice 2: 'yes I am and it wants me to run today'
Voice 1: 'yes but REALLY listen to your body and ask yourself do you NEED to run today'
Voice 2: 'ok I will'
Voice 1: 'well what did it say'
Voice 2: 'it said I want to run today and I need to run today'
Voice 1: T***
Voice 2: What would you know?
Voice 1: You're an idiot and you really take this running lark WAY to seriously sometimes. I wouldn't mind if you were any good at it. Take a fcuking day off for fcuk sake. It's one bloody day!!!!! Prove to yourself you can do it'
Voice 2: 'huh ok'
Voice 1: 'great well done, knew you could do it it'
Voice 2: fcuking ****......
Hard to argue with that obstinate cow.
Saturday 11 July
13 miles with 60mins at AT
Felt good on the warm up. Then into the 2 hour race effort section (AT-Aerobic Threshold). Done by feel. 4 miles easy to start. Then into the AT section. Felt good for the first 2 miles AT miles. Then someone stopped me for directions. I yelled them out as I continued running and then as I went on my merry way, a horrible stitch kicked in. First 2 AT miles were sub 8:30 pace. The stitch got worse and worse and moved from the left side to the right side after a while. I tried everything to alleviate it. Nothing would work. I dug my fingers into the area so hard that it's all bruised today:( It was so frustrating. I considered binning the session but even when I slowed down the stitch wouldn't go. Pace (checked afterwards) slowed up to 8:50, which is not at all surprising. It was a horrible run and I never ever say that about a run. The wind and the hills didn't help. Plodded on through it and got it done but I don't think I benefitted anything much from the run as I'm supposed to run tall and relaxed on these runs but I felt anything but tall and relaxed as I was bent over for most of it holding and prodding my side and close to tears as I was so frustrated so very tensed up.
Legs felt great and breathing felt good throughout but stitch wouldn't allow me run how I wanted. Tried all the usual things to alleviate it - breathing, slowing down etc etc... If I had felt that way in a race I would 100% have bailed. Pointless to continue...Haven't had a stitch in a few months now so not sure why today. Really eased into the session very slowly and progressively and hadn't eaten for 3 hours so dunno what to blame. I'll keep an eye on it and if it happens on the next few sessions I'll go see a physio to see if it might be a muscle thing as was suggested to me on here before.
Positivies: Longest run since DCM and 3 min half marathon pb (very very soft pb but clutching at straws here..)
13 miles total
Sunday 12 July
Sleep was crap and slight hangover. Today was supposed to be either 2 x 40 min recovery runs today or 1 x 60min recovery run. I broke all the rules however, and did one longer run. Both of the voices in my head were teling me to do it that way so blame them, not me
I loved it. It obliterated all the bad memories of yesterday's shltty run. I could have run all day today. 8 glorious laps of my local park.
80 mins recovery 10:02 avg pace
50 miles weekly total
AIS and Lunge Matrix routine done prior to every run and Myrtle routine done after Monday's and Saturday's sessions0 -
Advertisement
-
WELL DONE you for taking a day off, LOL at the conversation, doesn't surprise me in the least though
On Saturday's run, you mentioned if it was a race you would have bailed, do you think it did any good sticking with it given that you were feeling so uncomfortable, close to tears and tensed up? Maybe it did and maybe it'll stand to you for sticking with it, I think if I was feeling like that on a run though I'd call it a day and try again another time - do go to a physio though A, if it is muscular/diaphragm related you can get it sorted once & for all.
Edit: Didn't mean for that to sound harsh or anything, just musing on sticking out bad runs 0 -
WELL DONE you for taking a day off, LOL at the conversation, doesn't surprise me in the least though
On Saturday's run, you mentioned if it was a race you would have bailed, do you think it did any good sticking with it given that you were feeling so uncomfortable, close to tears and tensed up? Maybe it did and maybe it'll stand to you for sticking with it, I think if I was feeling like that on a run though I'd call it a day and try again another time - do go to a physio though A, if it is muscular/diaphragm related you can get it sorted once & for all.
Edit: Didn't mean for that to sound harsh or anything, just musing on sticking out bad runs
No I don't think it did me any good continuing. Should have bailed and tried it another day. I'm just too damn stubborn sometimes 0 -
-
Monday 13 July
am: 40 mins recovery
Lovely little light jog to get the car. Was a little hungover but this was just perfect to clear the head. Net downhill. This run made me very happy and a lot less hungover. It's the little things!
9:48 avg pace
pm: 40 mins recovery
Little spin up to the airport and back. Had a nice snooze in the late afternoon. Set me up nicely. Oh how wonderful it is not to ever have to work Mondays. I sometimes do a bit of work from home on Mondays but can usually take them off if I want to when I'm not particularly busy. Lazy hazy day. Nice to see my easy pace a little bit faster this week. Think I was really still recovering last week. Feel back on track now. Easy pace getting back to where it was - i.e. slightly less slow.
9:39 avg pace
Tuesday 14 July
8 x 35 sec hill reps off 3 mins recovery
3 mile warm up. Nice and steady. Threw in a few strides. Forgot to do me drills.
Loved this. Everything about it felt perfect. It was a lovely coolish clear still night. My warm up was faster than usual with even a sub 9 min mile on mile 3 which felt very easy. Went to my old hill that I used to do my hill reps with my sister last year. It was a very busy night for hills in the Phoenix Park. At one stage there were 3 of us taking turns to use 'my' hill for our sprints, but it was all very amicably done. I worked a bit harder than usual I think due to the audience. I was dying by the sixth and felt a bit sick but finished strong enough. Tried to keep my 'quick light feet' mantra to the forefront of my mind throughout.
8 miles total
Wednesday 15 July
6 miles recovery
This was one of the mostest pleasantest runs I've ever done:) It was just as the sun was setting in the Phoenix Park. There was every imaginable shade of pink in the sky. I felt great. It was cool. There was no wind. It was lovely and quiet. Splendid
9:53 avg pace
Thursday 16 July
Rest
Felt absolutely fcuked today. Dunno why. Sleep was ok last night but I felt exhausted and drained of every ounce of energy. Could have attempted a run but didn't think it would do me any favours.
Friday 17 July
10 x 3 mins at LT off 35 sec jog/shuffle rec
Felt good today. Went to bed at 9 o'clock the previous night and while I didn't quite sleep all of the ten hours I was in bed, I did have a very good bodily rest and a decent 7 hours or so of actual sleep. Energy levels felt replenished today.
3 miles warm up and then some drills. Did them really properly today and not half-arsed like I sometimes do and actually enjoyed them. Flat foot marches, butt-kicks and high knees.
Threw a few strides into the warm up after the drills.
Did the reps by effort and not looking at the watch and while I'm happy with the consistency, I would have hoped they'd have been a tad faster. Maybe the sickness and antibiotics took a bit more out of me than I thought and I actually lost a bit of fitness. Hopefully it won't be long coming back.
10 x 3 min paces: 7:58 7:58 7:56 7:58 7:50 8:01 8:01 8:03 7:50 8
All reps felt fine and manageable and enjoyable for the most part (maybe I did them a bit slow) and the recoveries were short alright, but enough time to get my breath back. I did get mild stitches from about rep 7 onwards however. They were manageable today though and I could run through them without too much discomfort. Right hand side this time. It was about 4 hours since I'd eaten.
On the cool down I was absolutely frozen. I'd only a singlet and shorts on and it was a cool enough evening and the wind was cutting through me and it was getting quite dark and late. I was sorely tempted to thumb my way back up Chesterfield Avenue back to the car but feared I might have been mistaken for some kind of 'running-lady-of-the-night':)
Had to run my 2.5 mile cool down faster than usual back to car. SOOO Happy to get there!
10 miles total
Saturday 18 July
40 mins recovery
The body was a bit achy upon waking and knew it had done a workout the previous night. I was actually pleased about that as it showed I did work hard yesterday. thought this would be a terrible slog but it was actually lovely and not at all as slow as I would have envisaged beforehand.
10:05 avg pace
pm 40 mins recovery
Up to airport and back. Very windy an warm. Felt good.
9:49 avg pace
Sunday 19 July
Had to up sticks and rush to KK Saturday pm. Lots of time spent in and out of hospital all day today. Felt very selfish getting any run in at all however the family dog had to be walked anyways so decided to bring him on my run.
Had lovely romantic notions of ambling merrily through the fields and lanes and hills of my youth on a sunny summer July morning. Reality was very different however. The trails that used to be in fairly good nick are all over-grown and full of nettles and thistles so it was like an obstacle course trying to get any kind of decent run done. The bloody dog wouldn't co-operate with running any kind of consistent steady pace so I f'd and blinded my way in a far from romantic fashion through the high-ways and by-ways, and arrived home in foul form with scrapes all over my arms and legs from wading my way through briars and brambles. Get me back to the city ASAP! I'm definitely not the hardy country gal I once used to be!
40 min hilly run
11:08 avg pace
pm: Had to cancel the pm run due to late hospital visit and meeting. All very draining. Could go into the Ring Road to run in the dark with the street lights but choosing a glass or two of something instead!
Myrtl routine done after Friday's and Tuesday's sessions and Lunge Matrix and AIS done prior to each run.
44 miles weekly total0 -
-
-
-
Monday 20 July
40 mins easy, 3 x 45 sec @ 5k, 5 mins easy. 10 mins @ LT, 5 mins easy, 3 x 45 @ 5k
Had to bring notes with me for this one! Seriously:pac:
Was completely out of my routine as I was in KK most of the week with 3 x hospital visits every day. Healthy eating regime completely out the window and drinking a bit too much every night so was very dehydrated during this session. Am drinking too much in general these days. Slippery slope... will try to reel that in for August.
Went to the Ring Road in Kilkenny for this and ran a loops. Warm 'n windy morning.
Was feeling kinda crappy starting out and hard to focus on the job at hand and defo felt effects of recent dehydration and poor diet. Had to carry the phone in case of emergency which was a bit uncomfortable.
Ignored the watch for the session and just ran by effort and glad I did as the paces are a lot slower than they should have been so would have been a bit disheartened to be putting in the effort and seeing the slowish paces:
w/u - 10:46 10:28 9:41 9:46
45 secs: 7:42 7:31 7:30
10 @ LT: 8:13 7:53 (much too slow, just not feeling it at the faster pace)
45 secs: 7:52 7:57 7:24 (all over the shop)
c/d - 9:48 9:28
So a bit of a disappointment but it is what it is and ran to the correct effort on the day. Can't win 'em all!
8 miles total
Tuesday 21 July
am: 40 min local hilly run from folks' house. Undulating to say the least! As a local farmer was quick to tell me, 'You think you have hills in the Big Schomke ha ha! These are the hills that will put hairs on your chest' :eek:
9:52 avg pace
pm: 35 mins
Another local hilly route for the pm the course. This was on the course that we used to be made race on for the annual village race when we were kids. God I have such horrible memories of this race and actually hate running this route now as it brings back horrible memories of my yearly running humilation. This annual race put me off running most of my life. It started at the top of a fairly steep hill and every year by the bottom of the hill my goose was cooked as I had gone out too fast and it was a nightmare uphill climb all the way home. I just couldn't run as a kid. There wasn't anything wrong with me, and I wasn't fat or sick, I was just slow, oh so slow Oh the memories. Horrible I hated it with a passion.
There's a 5 and 10k race which is run along part of this route now and my ambition is to do the race when I have a chance of coming in the first 3 females. I think a 10k time of about 45 mins would get me that so I'm not doing the race until I feel I can have a good chance of achieving that goal. Then I will have conquered my demons of racing and running as a child FOREVER!
9:19 avg pace (ran too fast but my mind was racing whilst reminiscing about the past and my legs followed)
Wednesday 22 July
3 x 6 x 40 secs at mile effort (3 mins between sets) & 3 mins @ 3k-5k effort at end
Legs felt great today so no ill-effects from the recent hilly runs. Did my drills and 2.5 mile warmup.
Enjoyed the reps. Nice to move at that effort. Just ran by feel. All good.
3 mins at end at 7:17 pace
9 miles total
Thursday 23 July
60 mins easy
Few laps of local park and then 1.5 miles up towards airport and back. Trying to incorporate as much hilly stuff as I can into all my runs where possible as Tullamore is a bit hilly in parts I think.
9:50 avg pace
Friday 24 July
am 35 mins easy
9:52 avg pace
Great evening of athletics in Santry. I'm vowing never to miss this occasion again. Gutted I missed the Men's 100m. Damn you Ed Sheerin causing traffic havoc in the city
Highlights for me were the Women's 800m and the Morton Mile. Great to see athletes of this caliber 5 mins from my home
Back home to watch the DL from London with a glass or two of wine to help the *RAD nerves. Amazing how Mo can run like that and not even appear tired at the end. Most of the wining athletes in Santry tonight were on their knees at the ends of their races... literally.
pm: 35 mins easy
10:06 avg pace
Saturday 25 July
Parkrun
The Half Marathon is the main target this year but I was told by the boss that I could do a 5k and a 10k in the lead up but not to miss any of the sessions on my plan and not to taper as the Half is the main goal for this block of training. I'd done 2 hard sessions this week already and the legs do feel tired but I really felt I needed to line up for a race again asap as it's May since I did one and I gotta work on the old nerves... I missed a race in June. Today was my last chance to slip in any kind of a racing effort before the month is out.
I set up a Parkrun date with Wottle who offered to hold hands to help each other out as we suffer from that similar dehabilitating affliction - RAD or *Race Anxiety Disorder (TM Wottle). We felt it could be mutually beneficial to push each other on and help face "The Fear" together.
Ended up not being up to make it over to Shanganagh in time so just stayed local.
Arrived in Poppintree about 9:10 and left the watch in the car as wanted to keep this as stress-free as possible. Regret not wearing the watch now as might have paced it better if I had worn it. Must get a stopwatch actually just so I have an idea of lap times.
Nerves were crippling until the run started. Ridiculously so. I won't bother going into detail about it again like my Dunboyne race report when I apparently embarrassed myself with my personal revelations;) but suffices to say that I wasn't in a good place Tried to smile as much as possible and do my calming breathing technique but nothing really helped. It's a fcuking Parkrun for fcuk sake I tried to tell myself in vain...
Usual messy start with 35 min runners lined up beside 18xx min runners so lots of weaving for the first half mile. Note to self, start just behind the line next time or at least in the 2nd row.
Battle of the Blonde Ponytails:
I've never actually raced people for position before (for obvious reasons), I usually just race myself and my pbs. However, today I found myself in the very alien position of being first female for most of the race with female number 2 (blonde ponytail) right on my shoulder throughout. I actually ended up having a bit of fun today! Well maybe not 'fun' but an interesting experience at least.
I sussed 'Blonde Ponytail' out at the startline of being of similar ability. We lined up together. We look quite similar interestingly, similar height and size, same blonde ponytails. I passed her quite easily early in the race. She was breathing quite heavily from the off so I knew exactly where she was at all times. I could almost feel her breath on my neck she was that close to my shoulder at times.
I didn't have a notion of what pace I was doing so it was all just about maintaining 1st female position and passing as many males as I could in the process.
So Blonde Ponytail was there on my shoulder throughout. I'd lose her for a bit (no heavy breathing and footsteps behind) but she'd come back on my shoulder again (very heavy breathing and matching my footsteps step for step). I'd lose her again but she'd bounce back again and again for the first 2 miles or more. Couldn't ditch her. Then I felt her coming strongly from behind and next thing she levelled with me. We ran together for a bit but I could feel she was running strong even though she was breathing like crazy. Then the biatch passed me, blonde ponytail flying in the wind. I stayed on her shoulder for another bit but she steadily got further away from me. I don't have a clue about my pacing, but I'd say I did the first 2 miles too hard trying to stay in front of her and paid for it by not leaving anything in the tank for the end of the race. Couldn't catch her no matter how I tried Female no. 3 came up strongly behind me towards the end of the race but I managed to hold her off and bet her by a second! Funny how in such a small pool of runners there were 3 of us so evenly matched.
Gotta work on that finishing kick....
When I was finished I hadn't a notion of how I had done as I had no watch and the girl ahead of me didn't either but I really presumed it'd have been under the 24 as I felt I had worked hard. Absolutely appalled when I heard someone near me say they got 24xx and even more disgusted when I saw the official results - 24:42! 2nd Female. Blondy got me by 14 seconds this time. I'll take her next time My PB is better than hers so I know I can do it on fresher legs.
Thinking back on it, it was fairly windy this morning. I felt she was kind of holding back on the windy stretches when I felt she could have passed me. She was probably just using me as a wind shield! Biatch!!! I gotta learn how to race!!!!!!
Anyways, poor time for me (40 seconds slower than PB set in May and I'm not used to not pb'ing in races so it's a hard pill to swallow !!!) but I guess I can't expect to pb automatically without some kind of taper.
I'll do another 5k or 10k sometime between now and the Tullamore Half at the end of August, but I won't be tapering for that either as the Main thing is the Main thing and I can't lose sight of that. Plenty of time to work on the 5k from September onwards to get my December 5k 2015 goal of 22xx.
Now I wondered what would have happened if I had tried to follow Wottle around Shanganagh today instead...
pm: 40 mins recovery
Yes I slipped in a naughty second run today but I felt great and my legs were grand. I know it should be a lot slower too but I just did what the legs wanted and it didn't take any effort.
9:49 avg pace
I must say I do smile inwardly when I think that I came 2nd female in any kind of a race. I know it's a small field with only 53 runners and a lot of slow runners but still. I never thought I'd see the day.
Piss poor time though! Don't worry I'm not delusional but it was kinda fun to actually 'race' for a position for the first time.
Sunday 26 July
80 mins easy
Today should have been 2 x 40 mins or 1 x 60. I went out to do 40 mins but felt absolutely amazing. I think it was the cool 12 degree temps and lashing rain, my favourite running conditions of all. I didn't want to stop at 40 mins so said I'd do one 60 min run instead. However, I didn't want to stop at 60 either so just kept going. Naughty naughty I know but I was just enjoying it so much. I felt I could have run at that effort all day today, but I don't think that's in the plan for this week!
9:46 avg pace
I missed a few of my AIS and Lunge Matrix sessions early in the week as I just kinda forgot as I was out of my usual routine and away from home. Back on track now though. I did remember to do the Myrtl after each harder run and the Parkrun though.
53 miles weekly total0 -
-
Advertisement
-
Saturday 25 July
Parkrun
Now I wondered what would have happened if I had tried to follow Wottle around Cabinteely today instead..
you would have met me! damm, pity, next time hopefullyI must say I do smile inwardly when I think that I came 2nd female in any kind of a race. I know it's a small field with only 53 runners and a lot of slow runners but still. I never thought I'd see the day.
Piss poor time though! Don't worry I'm not delusional but it was kinda fun to actually 'race' for a position for the first time.
time aside this is brilliant, in XC its all about position and it IS fun to race for that so big congrats on 2nd lady!
+1 to the good wishes too0
This discussion has been closed.
Advertisement