Turning a mule into a race horse.

Pacing Mule

SamforMayo wrote: »

It's hard to call! Had you done any running all week? It could just be an off day, we all have them. Good luck with the race, give it your best, that's all you can do!

Did 2.5 miles on wed as a little leg loosener / test of the recovery. Actually ran those faster than the first 2 last night with no issues. Was surprised to struggle so early last night.

It is what it is. My target on Sunday isn't lofty at all in the greater scheme of things around here. I'm not going to overthink it now. Just get out there. Hit the target pace and dig in for an hour. Job done. Sounds simple enough

SamforMayo

Pacing Mule wrote: »

Did 2.5 miles on wed as a little leg loosener / test of the recovery. Actually ran those faster than the first 2 last night with no issues. Was surprised to struggle so early last night.

It is what it is. My target on Sunday isn't lofty at all in the greater scheme of things around here. I'm not going to overthink it now. Just get out there. Hit the target pace and dig in for an hour. Job done. Sounds simple enough

And it will be, best of luck!

Pacing Mule

Perspective from both ends of the spectrum this morning. Woke up to find RedRunner had posted his long awaited race report from yesterday. Settled down to read it over breakfast. Super running and inspirational to see goals being met. Little reference within to being shocked by news of Mr Stew. Bit of digging later I find Marthastews post yesterday about how Mr Stew collapsed with a major heart attack whilst out running with his club. Thankfully he seems to be out of the danger zone as such.

I'm worried about not feeling on top of things for Sunday. The stews worried about a hell of a lot more. Perspective.

Pacing Mule

Set out tonight to do 3 miles at target race pace. Needed to do this for my own peace of mind for Sunday. I also took in the local hill en route - a 54 ft climb over .3 of a mile.

Target race pace 9:30 (gives a 59 min 10k time and 1 min to play with on the day for a PB sub 1 hour)
Tonights pace a relatively for me blistering 9:09
Splits of 9:26, 9:15, 8:46
Grade adjusted splits a consistent 9:18, 9:04, 9:01
PB's on the strava segments

Very happy with that and I feel I have a realistic chance now for Sundays target.

blockic

Pacing Mule wrote: »

Set out tonight to do 3 miles at target race pace. Needed to do this for my own peace of mind for Sunday. I also took in the local hill en route - a 54 ft climb over .3 of a mile.

Target race pace 9:30 (gives a 59 min 10k time and 1 min to play with on the day for a PB sub 1 hour)
Tonights pace a relatively for me blistering 9:09
Splits of 9:26, 9:15, 8:46
Grade adjusted splits a consistent 9:18, 9:04, 9:01
PB's on the strava segments

Very happy with that and I feel I have a realistic chance now for Sundays target.

Good stuff, just keep it steady for the first half now Sunday and it should be no bother to you!

Pacing Mule

Bit of advice needed please.

I'm in two minds on how to approach the rest of the week. Club night tonight will be a 6/7 mile run which for me is session territory no matter how slow. Bearing in mind last nights run effort would I be better off skipping the long run ?

Option 1. Run club run tonight as planned and do an easy 3 on Friday.

Option 2. Rest today. Couple of short easy runs either thurs/fri or thurs/sat

Option 3. Very slow recovery run today. Easy run on Friday.

So much for not over thinking things

menoscemo

I honestly think in General, you do too many Hard runs and not enough easy ones (unless of course you are not loggin your easy runs). I personally only do 1 hard run per week and a long run at the weekend, but I would do 5-7 other easy runs in between. Any session you do this week will not improve your race time on Sunday. So with all that in mind I would just do easy runs before now and the race.

Pacing Mule

menoscemo wrote: »

I honestly think in General, you do too many Hard runs and not enough easy ones (unless of course you are not loggin your easy runs). I personally only do 1 hard run per week and a long run at the weekend, but I would do 5-7 other easy runs in between. Any session you do this week will not improve your race time on Sunday. So with all that in mind I would just do easy runs before now and the race.

Thanks Meno.

No what I am logging is the runs - I get out on the bike too sporadically but don't tend to log that. I hear you on the sessions. My issue with the club is that it is effectively 2 hard runs a week (either hills or laps on a Monday and a long run for me on Wed) I get out for one or two more during the later part of the week so I'm already at 50-75% of runs at hard level. Might be an idea to alternate days at the club seasons. Go every second wed until such time as a 6 or 7 miler isn't any kind of effort and concentrate on ticking some easy runs boxes.

Edit: that or run more runs !

vitani

Pacing Mule wrote: »

Thanks Meno.

No what I am logging is the runs - I get out on the bike too sporadically but don't tend to log that. I hear you on the sessions. My issue with the club is that it is effectively 2 hard runs a week (either hills or laps on a Monday and a long run for me on Wed) I get out for one or two more during the later part of the week so I'm already at 50-75% of runs at hard level. Might be an idea to alternate days at the club seasons. Go every second wed until such time as a 6 or 7 miler isn't any kind of effort and concentrate on ticking some easy runs boxes.

Edit: that or run more runs !

I joined a club at the start of the year as well, but for the first six months or so, I'm only going to one session a week, and then I'll decide after that whether to add more. One session a week plus a long run at the weekend is enough for me at the moment - I think any more than that and I'd be risking injury.

menoscemo

Pacing Mule wrote: »

Thanks Meno.

No what I am logging is the runs - I get out on the bike too sporadically but don't tend to log that. I hear you on the sessions. My issue with the club is that it is effectively 2 hard runs a week (either hills or laps on a Monday and a long run for me on Wed) I get out for one or two more during the later part of the week so I'm already at 50-75% of runs at hard level. Might be an idea to alternate days at the club seasons. Go every second wed until such time as a 6 or 7 miler isn't any kind of effort and concentrate on ticking some easy runs boxes.

Edit: that or run more runs !

Yes, you should alternate the 2 club runs; doing only one per week and try to get out more on your own in between. You'll get maximum benefits from mixing up the speed and tempo runs. If you do too many hard runs in relation to easy running you will eventually end up stale (not improving) or injured..

1 Session, 1 long run and 3 easy runs per week would be a good start point. The more you run the better. Qulaity is great but not at the detriment of quantity IMO.

Pacing Mule

Taking Menos advice on board I skipped the club session last night, took a rest day and went for a short easy run tonight.

3 miles @ 10:41 pace.

Didn't set out with an actual pace in mind - ran easy, comfortable, enjoyable, hardly broke sweat, could sing along with the music etc. This turned out to be 10:41 avg pace but it does appear that even this was a bit too fast. Training pace calculators based on my expected time for the 10k on Sunday put easy pace closer to 11:30.

Pacing Mule

Ok setting goals down in writing for tomorrow.

Current PB for 10k 1:02:51 - this was set in August 2012 after I had come from an absolute zero fat couch potato base in January 2012. Then came a lay off.

I started running again in August 2013 and was back at a near zero base - struggling to knock together a few hundred metres at a time so the race tomorrow serves as a fair comparison time frame wise.

I HAVE to beat 1:02:51 for a PB
I will though be aiming for sub 60.

Plan to run at 9:30 pace which would bring me home at 59 minutes. That allows a minute of padding for the hill x 2 back out of the furry glen.

I've mentioned before elsewhere on boards that I do be concious of my times being slower than most here but that said sub 60 for me is a real challenge and will be a great personal achievement for me on the way to shedding the mule standard. I'm cautiously optimistic / confident that this will be tomorrow.

ecoli

Best of luck tomorrow. Ease into the pace. The work is there and (as much as you can in a race) enjoy it

vitani

Best of luck! Sub 60 should be well within your reach.

Murph_D

Confident you can make that goal comfortably given your recent progress. Enjoy it.

Tom Joad

Good luck and hope all the great work you've done recently pays off.

blockic

Best of luck tomorrow PM!

yaboya1

Good luck tomorrow PM.

p.s. just noticed earlier in your log you were looking for some race suggestions?
Two that don't seem to have been mentioned are the Tallaght 5k (Sunday 4th May) & the Terenure 5 Mile (Sunday 18th May).
Not sure if they'd suit you, but thought I'd make you aware of them just in case.

drquirky

Good luck PM.

Pacing Mule

Thanks a lot lads and ladies.

@quirky. Congrats again on the new arrival. Very impressed by the 2 day down time and back out there !

Will post up later how things went ....

ecoli

You couldn't have got a better day for it anyway probably the best conditions to date this year

Pacing Mule

Pop quiz folks.

5k race on at same time as 10k.
10k is two laps of 5k course.
Start and finish line are not beside each other.
Only one of each.
No sign of intent to move either.
How can they both measure accurately.

Ososlo

I wouldn't worry pm. Just focus on your own goal for today. There's nothing you can change about that so put it out if your mind and focus. Go nail It!!!

tang1

As Ososlo said PM, concentrate on your own goal dont be letting other factors put you off what your GOING to accomplish. Now go out and nail it.

AuldManKing

Give it your best shot PM......regardless.

Pacing Mule

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J88-RdWnNT0

Report later.
10k accurate course (edit: in that it wasn't short but I suspect was a fraction long)
57:52 watch - expect chip time to be little faster as took a few seconds to stop after.

Ososlo

Delighted for ya. You put in the work and reaped the results. Well deserved. Onwards and upwards from here.

dechol

Well done!

SamforMayo

Well done, great result, delighted for you.

tang1

Well done PM, super running dude.