Turning a mule into a race horse.

HS3

That must have been some dinner :pac:

Pacing Mule

Just shy of 10 miles done with UM1 and a few others yesterday morning averaging 9:20 pace. 3 sub 9 miles in there little bit harder than usual effort wise. Hangover from getting used to 11:00 miles for DCM.

Have entered the Donadea 50k next Feb so I will be working towards that over next couple of months.

Pacing Mule

Howdy strangers :pac: Long time no post from me here but I've been lurking.

This time last year ......

Pacing Mule wrote: »

There certainly is.

At the start of the year I set a 20:30 5k target for the end of the year. Based on that race on Sunday people more knowledgeable than me are saying next race out should see sub 20 and sub 19 in reach by the end of the year after a proper marathon cycle (looking at a customised super meno plan) Marathon goal also being cut as 3:49 is a bit soft.

So the main goals now are:

Sub 20 5k by End June - St Cocas 5k a likely race for this.
Sub 3:30 at DCM (scares me a bit lot but what the hell :pac:)
Build on the endurance from a solid marathon cycle and have a crack at sub 19 then.
Some other tune up races along the way but the main goal / mantra for the year is Sub 20-Sub 3:30-Sub 19

About a year ago I set what turned out to be pie in the sky targets :pac: and as it turned out didn't actually "race" again at all until last Sunday. Life has been really really busy and running was just there as a hobby and stress relief rather than something to be really working at. Turned up to the Donadea 50k with a sure see what happens attitude not expecting to finish as I'd feck all long runs done. Ended up running marathon distance before dropping out and got an unofficial marathon PB during it. Tells you how soft my official PB is.

A few weeks ago I decided I needed to get myself back into racing shape so I set off on a little challenge to aim to run at least 5k every day for a while. Something the right honourable Myles Splitz (sad to see his recent departure from the forum) said to me years ago was in the back of my mind. Something along the lines of I get it that someone can have a busy life and doesn't have time to train but if you can tell me the latest updates on your favourite tv programme then don't tell me you didn't have time to run. So began a streak as such which needed runs at 5am or during a 30 minute work break (to change run 5k and change back) etc. I'd aimed to get back into sub 22 min shape for this years jog for a dog. PB of 20:51 set there last year. I'd done a test 5k and came in at 24 minutes before starting out. Not all out but reckoned I was in 23:30 shape so 22:00 was a fair target to aim for in 5 weeks.

Got it done and actually enjoyed the focus of the challenge. The benefits of the consistent running were much better than expected and I ended up running a 27 second PB with a 20:24 - sub 20 missed mainly due to a lack of endurance training. It wasn't a pretty finish at all (it was downright ugly and probably the ugliest ever - race photos caught me looking a bit rough on the home straight) but it shows you just how much fitness can be brought back into things with consistent training.

At this stage it's about getting some endurance into me and hopefully build on that consistence. Life is still mega busy but I think I can squeeze things in a bit better than I have done before. Main target for the year will be the Mondello Racetrack Marathon in September with a sub 20 5k somewhere along the way. Most likely a crack at that at the Cocas 5k. Only snag is that I'm most likely looking at surgery to remove what is now 2 heel spurs and that might change things depending on the timing. But for the moment it's full steam ahead.

tang1

Nice to see you back about the place, well done on the 5k PB & those photos were grim!!!

Pacing Mule

tang1 wrote: »

Nice to see you back about the place, well done on the 5k PB & those photos were grim!!!

Never really left

Did you manage to sign up to Facebook or did you spot a photo elsewhere ?

tang1

Pacing Mule wrote: »

Never really left

Did you manage to sign up to Facebook or did you spot a photo elsewhere ?

No on Facetube now!!! Certainly didn't see them on page 3 of The Sun!!

Pacing Mule

Lost the man boobies a while ago

Pacing Mule

Call me paranoid but I get back and Tang1 leaves.

In all seriousness though if you're reading this B take care mate and hope to see you back soon.