Run run run run run run run....

jebuz

Monday 21/03 - 9 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:30 m/m this was so long ago I can't remember my thoughts or emotions at the time. Let's assume I was sleepy.
PM: 35 mins @ 8:27 m/m few very easy miles before pilates around the GAA pitches.

Tuesday 22/03 - 13.5 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:21 m/m - again too long ago so I'll just make something up, felt good, saw a red car.
PM: 8.5 miles @ 7:18 (with 2 miles on track @ 5:30m/m). Went down to the track and with the half coming up on Saturday I was just told to do 2 tempo miles so I did, all on my own. Felt pretty good for this but not sure if that was comfortable enough for race pace.

Wednesday 23/03 - 13 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:51 m/m - I remember this one. It was a hilly route but very scenic. I still regretted choosing the hilly route because my legs were tired.
PM: 8 miles @ 7:12 m/m - Felt a lot better for this one. Solo run, took on the hills again but legs were good.

Thursday 24/03 - 7.5 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:28 m/m - I really have nothing to say about this one
PM: 20 mins @ 8:02 m/m - little shakeout around the GAA pitches post rubdown and dry needling. I didn't even ask for the dry needling, she just jabbed it in there which is apparently the best way to do it because otherwise I would have tensed up in anticipation. Whatever works. I didn't cry.

Friday 25/03 - Rest
Drove to Dublin, got on a little plane to Cardiff. Nearly crapped my pants with the take off, seriously turbulent. Pretty much a nervous flier now. Walked around Cardiff in the evening and bought some milk for my porridge.

Saturday 26/03 - 16 miles incl. half marathon in 1:14:47
I'll do this in a separate post but don't expect a lot, I don't even have splits.

Sunday 27/03 - 14 miles
AM: 11 miles @ 7:24 m/m - tried to run on the half route again but went wrong after 1 mile, that's how much I was paying attention to my surroundings in the race. Felt fine for this and legs were surprisingly good. I found a nice route along the river and then did a little loop in the city park which was really nice. Had a few hours to burn then before my flight so I just drank coffee, ate nice things and worried about the flight.
PM: 25 mins @ 8:56 m/m - Got back to Dublin, dodgy enough landing with the crosswind - definitely a nervous flier now. I was staying with my lil sister in Chapelizod so she made me go out for 25 min jog in the park before we horsed a few pints and a thai curry. Good weekend!

Weekly milage: 73.5

jebuz

Some sort of preface
Exactly this time one week ago I was sitting on the couch of my apartment in Cardiff watching Netflix and eating a can of tuna, the john west one with chilli oil and garlic which later turned out to be a terrible pre race meal. Then I looked at my watch and decided I should probably go and do a half marathon - the one I actually came over to do. I headed out into the miserableness for a 15 minute warmup where the wind and rain itself was only warming up.

Pre Race Excuses
I didn't feel fantastic on the warmup and my calf that had been bugging me for the guts of 2 months now was feeling very tight and niggly. Based on my current fitness and the lack of proper sessions due to the injury I knew I wasn't in PB shape so I saw this as a good opportunity to leave the watch at home and run by feel. I wanted try enjoy the event a bit without having to go into the bad place. Maybe that's a bit soft of me but to me this wasn't a goal race, I'm not in a marathon cycle right now and had little to gain by pushing my body to the limit.

Panic before the start
The race was to start at 2:10pm but I left it very late to get up there. I had a nice low bib number of 117 which means I could start very close to the front but it was soon obvious I wasn't getting anywhere near the entrance to the coral in time. I could barely move trying to move up the main street so eventually I had to jump the barrier and lucky enough for me I jumped into the right coral. I stood around in my big stupid plastic tent for a while before Rhydian, the hit Welsh singer sang a cracking version of "One Day Like This". It was really class, he hit this big long note at the end and fireworks starting going off and then the gun went and we're off. I gave him a nod and a wink as if to say well done as I headed off but he didn't see me, or he pretended not to.

The first few miles
Mass carnage at the start and a few runners fell ahead of me so I just nipped around them without any concern for their welfare, it's a selfish sport but I did hope they were ok. The eventual winner also fell so some would say it's to your advantage falling and getting trampled on at the start. The field settled out eventually and my plan was just to tune into a sort of tempo pace and so that's what I did. I did feel I was working pretty hard for a while and thoughts of just pulling it right back to marathon pace creeped into my mind but I batted them away and just kept going.

This is the first time ever I don't have splits for a race which is kind of liberating but now I kind of wish I had them. I'm not good as estimating but I would say I ran that first mile in about 4:05, it was hot.

The next few miles
The route was pretty nice as we headed down towards Penarth and the docks. There were a few rolling drags which caught me working hard but I was generally feeling like I was running well within myself though I had no idea what pace. I figured I was on around 76 pace at worst. We hit the 5 mile mark and I was really hoping there would be a clock, I was really curious to know the time - a direct result of being married to a GPS for the guts of 4 years. I started to work in with a group at this stage and figured they were looking pretty strong. The wind was tough over the first few miles but around now we started to turn and had the wind on our back, conditions not as bad as I expected so far...so far.

Finally an indicator
So as expected there was a mat at 10k and wahey a clock. I was pretty surprised to see 35:2x on the board, I was feeling pretty comfortable. I said I'd be happy if I kept up this effort until the end but then I remembered how long was left. On I went anyway feeling pretty good and just ticking off the miles. I got a really bad stitch between miles 7 and 8 and was really close to just pulling over for a few minutes but I stuck it out as long as I could and it eventually subsided. That I think was a direct result of the chilli and garlic tuna, idiotic really - but deliciously idiotic.

The weather turns
It was somewhere between mile 9 and 10 where the weather master stuck his (or her) key into the ignition and directed an almighty barrage of shíte all over the race and its participants. The sideways rain gushing into my cheek was my particular favourite part. Fortunately for me I was actually feeling ok in terms of the race, the legs felt good and was feeling like I could pick it up a little. My group really stretched out and I found myself on my own and closing in on a lot of runners ahead. I was actually enjoying this! I really felt for anyone who was already in a bad place and then the weather was just adding a completely new dimension of pain.

Last 3 miles
I was keeping up a good effort over the last 3 and lapping up all the great support. People were even reading my singlet but most people shouted go "Lee Valley" but I didn't correct them I just smiled and ran, it wasn't the time or place for that. I saw my second 10k split (funnily enough at 20k) and it was 35:4x based on my calculations so pretty much on par with the first one even with the added wind.

The last few miles just flew by, my top was stuck to me with the rain but I was still enjoying it and effort was right in the hard but manageable zone. If it was a scale of one to red, I would say it was a light pink.

Caught a couple more people at the closing stages but one of them came with me and we had a nice little ding dong to the line but crossed at the same time. I saw the clock at the end (official time was was 1:14:47 @ 5:41m/m and 77th overall in the mass race) and based on my 10k splits it was about where I expected though I did think it would be in the 75's - nice little bonus to get under the 75 and still feeling like I had a good bit more in the tank.

After thoughts
I was pleasantly surprised being honest. I wasn't going in with huge confidence but to pull off that time in those conditions without pushing it extremely hard was a good day. Running without the watch took a huge amount of pressure off and I'd really consider it again for the next half. If I compare those last 3 miles in Cardiff to the last 3 miles of Charleville last year I was in a completely different place (ran 73:28 in Charleville). I was hurting and working so hard in Charleville whereas in this race I was picking it up and feeling really good.

Overall great weekend, enjoyed the atmosphere despite the weather and met up with a few clubmates over there including my coach. This was a good booster before I start preparing for Berlin in September though I think I really need to be running a low 72 if I want to realistically consider a 2:30 run in Berlin. A lot of hard work to come but I'm ready for it.

The End.

El Caballo

Haha, classic. Well done man, solid run in those conditions.

chickey2

Great report, and a great run too!
Would you try running with the watch in your pocket or on facing away from you so you can't see it during the race but would have the splits to look at later?

jebuz

chickey2 wrote: »

Great report, and a great run too!
Would you try running with the watch in your pocket or on facing away from you so you can't see it during the race but would have the splits to look at later?

Thanks chickey That's a good idea but I don't think I could be trusted not to look at it.

I think the only real solution here is sellotaping the watch to my back and asking a fellow competitor to start and stop it.

jebuz

Monday 28/03 - 5.5 miles @ 8:13 m/m
Still hanging around capital city so headed off for a very light jog in the morning with the sister around Chapelizod/Kilmainham. Got back to Cork very late and was knackered from the weekend so I decided not to run again and just ate some easter egg instead.

Tuesday 29/03 - 16 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:53 m/m
Run before work, still a bit lethargic and pace pretty much reflects that.
PM: 11 miles @ 7:29 m/m
Ran with clubmate after work into city and back. Felt a lot less lethargic than this morning and pace pretty much reflects that.

Wednesday 30/03 - 10 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:31m/m
Felt pretty good this morning
PM: 5 miles @ 8:06 m/m
I bet you were wondering where my pilates class was this week. Ok you weren't but still, it was tonight. Usual run with clubmate before the painful stretchy show. I'm getting the hang of it though, only fell over twice tonight.

Thursday 31/03 - 15 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:31m/m
Identical to yesterday morning in terms of route and pace except I was wearing different coloured shorts.
PM: 10 miles with 5 miles track tempo @ 5:40
There was a club mile trial on the track this evening for the national road relays. I wasn't going to chance my arm running it only after just getting over the calf tear and with the half in my legs so that meant after the trial I was on my own for a tempo. This didn't go so well, I felt sluggish and lethargic and tired and lonely and some other negative emotions. I headed out with a group intentionally trying to keep it comfortable at 6 min pace for the first mile. This felt fine so then I broke away from the group and picked it up to 5:30's but after another mile I was feeling it so pulled it back to around 5:45 and I just got through the rest of it. I thought I was well recovered from the half up until this evening so I figured a day off should sort me out.

Friday 01/04
Today I got bitten by an alligator and died instantly. Got you! April fools. Rest day due to being so fecked last night.

Saturday 02/04 - 13.5 miles (10/9/8/7/6 min session)
A classic marathon session, hadn't done one of these in a while but the feeling you get after finishing one of these just can't be beaten, it's a solid session. There was a group of 6 of us doing this one on the pathway behind the farm, still not allowed on the grass for some reason. I pretty much found myself solo for most of this, sandwiched between a group of 3 and then 2 guys stretched out ahead of me. I was happy with the effort overall, felt tough for the 10 and 9 reps but I settled in and kept them pretty consistent from there but always working hard. We couldn't run continuous reps and ended up having to stop and turn for most which upset the pace and rhythm but a great group as always making the session so much more manageable. The sooner we get back onto the grass though the better.

Splits (2 min recovery):
10 mins: 1.7 mile @ 5:34 m/m
9 mins: 1.6 mile @ 5:32 m/m
8 mins: 1.4 mile @ 5:36 m/m
7 mins 1.2 mile @ 5:30 m/m
6 mins: 1 mile @ 5:32 m/m (that doesn't really add up does it )

Sunday 03/04 - 17 miles @ 7:12 m/m
Wrapped up the weekend with a nice 2 hour long run down at the marina with the gang. The rain held off thankfully though windy at times. Legs felt really good today and nice to finish the week feeling well recovered from Cardiff.

Weekly milage: 77

jebuz

Monday 04/04 - 10 miles @ 7:19 m/m
Once again on my birthday I found myself in a foreign country as I shipped off (on a plane) to Munich for the week, not a holiday. Actually now that I think about it, 3 of my last 4 birthdays have been spent abroad, interesting stat. Anyway after a very early 5:30am start and a long layoff in London, finally got to my hotel in Munich for 5pm. The hotel had remembered it was my birthday and left me out a donut with pink icing and a jar of jellies. I decided to keep the donut until after my run but approx 3 seconds later I changed my mind and I took a massive bite out of it and it was so worth it. I couldn't wait to get the runners on and hit the English Garden on what was a beautiful balmy summer evening, apparently it was up to 20 degrees that day. I just realised I've wasted a lot of words building up to the actual run so I'll finish up now. Run was fine, felt tired which was probably to be expected. Finished the donut when I got back and went for a pint and a wienerschnitzel.

Tuesday 05/04 - 10.5 miles @ 7:11 m/m
Got back from work at a decent hour so got our about 6:30pm. I wandered off in a random direction and it turned out to be a bad direction as for the first mile as I was stopping like a fool at the lights every 15 seconds. At least I didn't do that embarrassing jogging on the spot thing. I eventually found myself out in the suburbs and after about 4 miles I found a nice park which I did a few loops of. There were loads of idiot runners there running around in all sort of directions, it was like a little runner city so I joined them and became part of their idiot community. Soon I had to leave running city and headed back to the bustling city centre and had some veal meatballs and a brew.

Wednesday 06/04 - 12 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:24 m/m
I have my own little 5 mile route I designed from my last trip and it's a pretty solid one so threw a quick run in before work, felt good.
PM: 7 miles @ 7:13 m/m
Again got out around 6:30pm and took a similar route to this morning but appended 2 miles, obviously. Legs feeling good.

Thursday 07/04 - 8 miles with abandoned tempo
Was told to try get a tempo in Thursday and I find these easier on the track because it's what I'm used to. I saw a track on the map about 2 miles from my hotel, ideal as my warmup could be the run there. As expected there was a track in the spot that google maps said there would be a track. The next issue was getting in. I got in through the unmanned gate. Too easy. My achilles was kind of annoying me during the warmup but I pretended it didn't exist even though I should have listened to it and not ran a session. It was kinda raining, but not raining, you know that really annoying misty stuff that you can't really call rain but it's definitely wet, and annoying.

Plan was 30 mins @ 5:30 pace so off I went into the tempo hitting an 82 second first lap, grand. Then on the 2nd lap I started feeling real pain in the achilles, balls. I immediately took the foot off the gas down to around 6 min pace and was able to maintain that without pain. I was pissed off and really angry at my achilles which is always trying to ruin my life. It was the same leg with the troublesome calf so it may be related. After 20 mins of gradually getting slower (doing around 6:30 pace by now) and the achilles now really starting to complain, I knew I was being stupid so I called time on the session and headed back, defeated. Team morale was low. On the run home I was seriously worried because I could really feel it hurting and it felt a very familiar pain. I was cursing myself for being such a fool and not listening to my own advice, which is to listen to my own advice. No questions asked, day off tomorrow and see how it is at the weekend. Went for a pint and some pan fried char (a type of fish) to take my mind off it. I couldn't take my mind off it. Everytime I closed my eyes I just saw a load of mangled achilles tendons floating around.

Friday 08/04 - Rest
Last evening in Munich so didn't run and had a duck tikka massala. Take that achilles.

Saturday 09/04 - 10 miles @ 7:14 m/m
Landed back in Cork around lunchtime and planned to meet up with a clubmate for some easy miles. Well what I really hoped for was any miles, pain free. I didn't know how the achilles was going to react, usually after feeling pain like that it's usually a case of a week before it's right again. To my surprise the first few miles felt perfect, and the last few! I didn't even remember that I was supposed to be monitoring it for the first few miles as I was chatting away and then suddenly I was like hey my achilles isn't banjaxed. Nice run into the city and back home. Celebrated the little victory with a haircut and a fresh fillet of monkfish from the market. Living life!

Sunday 10/04 - 15 miles @ 7:19 m/m
Well, the mother of all storms came to visit Cork today. Having checked the forecast I knew what was coming and it wasn't gonna be pretty. It's April for feck sake why are we still dealing with floods and storms...and snow! I woke up at 8 to the sound of small animals being flung against the side of my house, good start. There was no avoiding this, it was forecast for the whole day. I almost wished I had an injury so I didn't have to go run in it but I knew it just had to be done, even though it didn't really have to be done, I didn't want to be soft. Anyway I wrapped up as best I could, tighties, base layer, hat, gloves, helmet, shin guards and I just went for it. There was no plan, just go out and run for a while and tolerate as much as I can.

I made it into the city though at the point of highest elevation I felt like I was on a treadmill, I really questioned if I was actually moving forward. When I turned after a few miles and I had the wind behind me, I felt amazing and genuinely believed I was in with a chance of making the olympics. It got a bit silly for a period, forgetting that only 2 days ago I was resigned to another achilles layoff, there I was on the Mardyke walkway hitting sub 6 min pace, majorly wind assisted and feeling pretty comfortable. I was almost toying with the conditions and seeing how far I could push it, my HR was only ~145bpm at that pace. My calf suddenly started paining me as if to say what the f** are you doing! So I immediately stopped being a knob and pulled it right back to normal long run pace. The calf still niggled for a few miles but then settled down.

I knew I had to turn and face the wind again and not long after I did, I bumped into my clubmates doing a 20 miler coming the opposite direction. I decided to join them for a few miles until departing for home and I made my climb back up Blarney street completely wind assisted which was nice hitting 15 miles on the dot. Really glad to get a decent long in but even more glad to get into a warm shower followed by a hearty bowl of porridge. This was one to remember for sure.

Not a bad week for a week spent abroad with work and always happy to finish a weekend not injured.

Weekly milage: 65.5

This post took seriously long to write, it's so far past my bedtime I'm actually angry at myself :mad:

jebuz

Monday 11/04 - 10 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:30 m/m
PM: 5 miles @ 7:23 m/m pre pilates

Tuesday 12/04 - 3 x 1 mile track session (9 miles)
Plan for this was 5 x 1 mile and first real track session in a while. This didn't go so well, managed just 3 reps and it wasn't due to any injury, I was just completely fecked. I was running this with one other clubmate and I was working hard from the off. First mile was 5:15, next 2 were 5:12 and I was completely done by the 3rd. I was breathing too heavy, legs were wobbly and I knew I was done. I have never not finished a session so this felt strange, I actually tried to start the 4th one but got 200m in and knew I wasn't able and walked off the track. Still not a bad workout in hindsight but I'm not sure what I expected having not done any speed focussed work in a while. The reps were too quick, should have been 5:20 and I might have managed the 5. I'm a long way off where I wanted to be at this point of the year but this is what I signed up for it, it's never plain sailing.

Splits (400m recovery): 5:15, 5:12, 5:12.

Wednesday 13/04 - 10.5 miles @ 7:07m/m
Ran into city with a clubmate after work, nice run felt fine.

Thursday 14/04 - 8 x 200m (8 miles)
Got asked to run on the mens senior team for the road relays on Sunday which I see as a great privilege and I was only too happy to oblige. I wasn't sure how the calf would hold up but I figured it would be a good idea to race and test it out. Tonight was just a sharpener for that so jumped in with some lads for 8 x 200m. When I heard the session I feared the worst since I hadn't really pushed the calf on short reps yet. I eased into it holding back a little for the first but gradually got more confident when the calf was feeling ok and was hitting steady 31's for the majority. Finished the last one working very hard but boy I missed the feeling of those hard efforts. When cooling down on the pitches I worryingly felt a dull ache in the calf so decided there and then to take the next day off.

Splits (200m recovery): 32, 33, 31, 31, 30, 31, 31, 31.

Friday 15/04
Rest

Saturday 16/04 - 10 miles @ 7:52 m/m
Very easy effort today, plan was just a few miles before the race and to make sure the calf was ok. Was feeling good and enjoying it so kept going for 10.

Sunday 17/04 - 2 mile leg in National Road Relays (10 miles)
This was a great event and great to be part of it and witness the cream of the crop of Irish distance running. While I didn't perform spectacularly myself I was glad to be part of the event and watching some of the top runners really tends to drive me on and reminds me that while I'm a long way off these guys, there's no reason why I can't someday match them. I ran 10:25 for the 2 mile leg, absolute lung buster! I gained one place for the team and we came 11th overall. Not really what I would have hoped for in terms of time but as I mentioned above it was just great to be a part of it and makes me want to come back stronger next year. I have to accept that's where I'm at right now, need to keep patient and remind myself there are better days ahead of me this year.

Weekly milage: 58

I headed for a few miles around St.Annes afterwards and this gave me some time to have a good old think. I decided I'd take a full week off running for a couple of reasons...

- The calf issue has been ongoing for 2 months now, it's just still not 100% right and constantly on my mind during sessions. I think a good week of me doing absolutely nothing is what it needs. It's funny, it was never even an option for me to take a week off until someone said it to me at the relays (in fact they said take 2 weeks) and though it was hard to hear, it just made sense.
- I'm in Munich for the week on a work trip, ideal time to take a break
- The primary goal this year is Berlin, that's in September and one week off now will have zero impact on my ability to run well there.
- I feel I've been trying to force myself back to where I was before this calf injury, there have been days I really didn't want to run and didn't look forward to sessions, that's pretty rare for me so I know I need to change something. This will be good for the head and I'll get to see what it feels like to be normal again :pac:
- I will come back feeling fresh and ready to start the serious training for Berlin.

So far so good, day 3 in Munich and I haven't even thought about putting on the runners, but I've put on about 2 stone... badum-ching!

Dubgal72

Always a good update here What do the experts have to say about the calf and rehab? I liked your comment about ignoring the achilles. It's exactly what I am doing right now about my bum, except this update reminded me to stick a bag of frozen peas down my running tights as I type so thanks, I think

demfad

Great posting and solid training!
Re. your calf: I have had issues myself recently. There is a great book called "the anatomy of a runner" by Jay Dicharry. Chapter 9 has tests (takes half an hour). Depending on results of tests progressive exercises are recommended.

For calf issues i am poking about with my fingers on the sore spot (currently high inside my calf) while flexing my ankle.
Then Im doing eccentric calf raises: Like these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL7kER_jGvA
except you start on level ground by raising yourself up with both calfs and slowly lowering down with one . By slowing the drop you are trying to contract your muscle while it is being lenghtened (by body weight/gravity). Thishelps to align your muscle fibres.
Dicharry describes the muscle as like a bunch of straws: weak when pointing in different directions strong when all aligned and vertical.
The massage loosens the (dodgy) straws out, the eccentric raises pulls them straight.
I'm not a doctor but hope that helps. That book is a very useful wee handbook if you dont have it.

adrian522

Ah the good ole calf problems. I could have written the above myself.

annapr

Good to see you are listening to your own advice and taking the week off... Although disappointing that we won't get an update on the Munich idiot community

frebel

Really enjoyed your commentary on the idiot community of Munich...there was a bit of lolling going on while reading which was very unusual of me

Balls on injury but long term running over short term jogging gotta win every time...sort it now and let it behind you and rejoin your beloved German idiot runners in September

jebuz

Just a quick update and not a good one. I took the whole week off as planned, just relaxed and enjoyed the evenings in Munich - pints and delicious grub every night which was totally worth it After 5 easy miles on the grass last Sunday I was feeling ready and refreshed to start the hard grafting again. But then, WALKING into work on Monday morning this week I felt a terrible jab in the calf. The pain soon subsided and while I was a little worried I didn't think much of it (denial). I ran a few more easy miles on the grass Tuesday evening, calf just still not feeling right but no pain. Took Wednesday off with a headcold, then yesterday 5 mins into an easy run I felt that stabbing pain again and had to limp back to the car deflated. Feels like I'm back at square one but this time I need to take more action. I'm going to try arrange an MRI at this stage and hoping to see physio today but this could be difficult with another trip pencilled to Munich next week.

It's really time to sort this calf out properly or else I'm not going to do myself justice (or even make the line) in Berlin. Will obviously leave off logging for a while as I've nothing to log but not to worry I'm staying positive and I know I'll be back from this soon, it's all part of the journey.

(p.s thanks demfad for the solid advice above, very useful information)

jebuz

Anyone alive around here?

Time for an update. 5 weeks ago I was just after tearing the calf for a second time within the space of a few months. I was pretty disappointed but pretty much accepted that I was going to have to come back a lot slower that I originally anticipated, particularly given the fact I had no experience with calf tears. So after a lot of easy (and trepid) runs and gradually building back up the volume, I'm feeling like I'm almost back to fitness and motivation is in the green zone. I was going to use the phrase 'almost out of the woods' but really as runners are we ever out of the woods? It seems like a lot of us are fighting a constant battle as we all straddle that thin line between high performance and injury. From this I've taken some learnings though and if there is a next time I know I'll be much better equipped to handle it. This weekend I've gotten through a tough Saturday session and 2 hour long run today and I felt really good. That start line of Berlin is suddenly looking a lot more vivid as long as I stay smart.

Of the last 5 weeks, I've spent just 1 week in Cork, 1 week training holiday in Portugal with my club mates (no sessions!), and 3 weeks in Munich with work. I kind of see the travel to Munich as a good thing as I wasn't tempted to go to club sessions, just got on my own, at my own pace and gradually felt the confidence building in the calf with all the easy running.

Quick recap...

April 25 - May 01
Tuesday: 6 miles @ 8 m/m
Thursday: 0.6 miles

May 2 - May 8 (Munich - 42 miles)
Monday - 4.5 miles @ 8:21 m/m
Tuesday - 5 miles @ 7:41 m/m
Wednesday - 4.5 milles @ 8:27 m/m
Thursday - 7 miles @ 8:09 m/m
Friday - 4 miles @ 7:52 m/m
Saturday - 8 miles @ 7:44 m/m
Sunday - 9 miles @ 7:29 m/m

May 9 - May 15 (Portugal - 63 miles)
Monday - 10 miles @ 7:08 m/m
Tuesday - 10 miles @ 7:14 m/m
Wednesday - 5 milles @ 7:28 m/m
Thursday - 10 miles @ 7:01 m/m
Friday - 5 miles @ 7 m/m & 6 miles @ 7:04 m/m
Saturday - 6.4 miles @ 7:44 m/m
Sunday - 10 miles @ 6:56 m/m

May 16 - May 22 (Cork - 57 miles)
Monday - 10 miles @ 6:48 m/m
Tuesday - 5 miles @ 7:30 m/m & 6 miles @ 7:17 m/m
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - 6.5 miles @ 7:27 m/m
Friday - 8 miles @ 7:17 m/m
Saturday - 10 miles (solo session tester - 3 x 5 mins @ 6 m/m on grass)
Sunday - 11 miles @ 7:35 m/m

May 23 - May 29 (Munich - 60 miles)
Monday - 5.5 miles @ 7:54 m/m (cut short due to achilles pain)
Tuesday - 2.5 miles @ 8 m/m (achilles tester)
Wednesday - 11 miles @ 7:32 m/m
Thursday - 10.5 miles @ 7:25 m/m
Friday - 5 miles @ 8:22 m/m
Saturday - 10 miles (solo session 6/5/4/3/2/1 mins on grass)
Sunday - 15 miles @ 7:14 m/m

May 30 - June 05 (Munich - 71 miles)
Monday - 7 miles @ 7:46 m/m
Tuesday - 13.5 miles @ 6:55 m/m (got lost, shamefully had to get u-bahn home)
Wednesday - 6.5 miles @ 7:59 m/m
Thursday - 10 miles @ 6:58 m/m
Friday - 5 miles @ 7:09 m/m
Saturday - 12 miles (farm session 10/10/10/5 mins on grass)
Sunday - 17 miles @ 7:06 m/m

So that's where I am now, had a really good week this week and this weekend I felt particularly good with no niggles in the calf. Came back via Belgium on Friday and spent a day in RunnersLab (http://runnerslab.be/) with a couple of clubmates which I found really interesting. Full dexa/back scan and video/pressure analysis of my gait. I ended up getting a custom pair of insoles and got recommended a shoe that suits my style so we'll see how that works out. It's pricey but I think it's worth a trying, whether it was worthwhile time will tell. Either way, nice to be back logging Plan for now is to just continue training, working on keeping the calf healthy (weekly rubs, foam rolling, heel raises, drops) and only when I'm ready will I consider racing again.

jebuz

Monday 06/06 - 9.5 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:43 m/m
Morning of the Cork marathon so I headed down early into the city and back for a gawk. There was a tangible sense of fear lingering around, fear and heat. Lucky for me the fear wasn't a factor as I was planning on just heading in to observe pain rather than partake in pain. At only 9am I could already feel the humidity and I was struggling on a recovery run! I felt carnage was imminent for the runners. I was right.
PM: 4.5 miles @ 7:01 m/m
After witnessing and enjoying the struggles of the marathon/half runners (including DublinRunner leading the half marathon coming into the last corner after cutting about 10 miles off the course:) I was suitably motivated to head for a few more miles on the grass, still hot but got it done.

Tuesday 07/06 - 12 miles @ 6:52
Met with a couple of clubmates for this one, nice evening so we took a nice route out to Ballincollig and back. Pace got pacey near the end, and by pacey I mean racey. Legs and more importantly the calf feeling good this week.

Wednesday 08/06 - 8 miles @ 7:24
Warm evening, mix of grass and pathway running. Wore the new insoles but I'm still breaking them in and started getting a blister so I cut it short from the planned 10 miles. I felt that was worth mentioning.

Thursday 09/06 - 10 miles with 30 min track tempo @ 5:40 m/m
Really happy to get this one without any trouble. First tempo in a long while and glad to see I haven't gone too far backwards in terms of fitness. Ran the whole thing with another clubmate who dragged me along at times so was relieved to have company.

Friday 10/06 - 5 miles @ 7:47
Handy recovery in the city before work. Legs felt pretty heavy from the tempo which wasn't really a surprise. It'll take me a few weeks to get used to the sessions again.

Saturday 11/06 - 12 miles with 4 x 10 mins on grass
Last week I wasn't quite ready for the full 4 x 10's but no excuses this week and even though it was a serious grind, I have to say I am so glad to be back running these sessions with the group, they're so satisfying (once finished). Was in with a nice group of 5 or 6 for this, really struggled for the first rep as the legs were feeling really heavy. Mentally these are very demanding, after two reps I was really questioning if I'd finish out the session but having the group there almost demands you stick with it and see it out. I ended up keeping them all pretty steady in the end, getting a second wind for the final 2 reps. All going to plan, these should be getting a lot quicker over the next few months but for now I'm pretty happy with the effort.

Splits (2 min recovery)
10 mins @ 5:40 m/m
10 mins @ 5:42 m/m
10 mins @ 5:41 m/n
10 mins @ 5:43 m/m

Sunday 12/06 - 20 miles @ 6:53m/m
First 20 of 2016! This wasn't planned and probably a little naughty of me to do a 20 already. The plan was 18 miles but I was in a great rhythm with a few club-mates and just went with it, finished really strong with a 6:18 mile. Yeah, not the smartest but hopefully I get away with it, certainly didn't see this happening a few weeks ago but ya know...when in Rome...what do you mean I don't understand that expression :mad:

Weeky milage: 77

TRR_the_turd

Great stuff. You seem to be well and truly motoring. Have the injuries cleared up completely or are there any niggles at all?

jebuz

Yeah thanks Dave, was pretty happy with that week gone by, finally feeling like I'm moving well again. No niggles right now but got to still be careful not to ramp up the milage too quickly and to keep up the preventative work. All I want right now is to get a good solid block of training in and get to that start line in PB shape, same as yourself I suppose. Good to see your ****ty log back up and running, can keep a good eye on you but looks like you're getting in some decent milage. Should be a few of us heading over with similar targets, let's see if we can get a big scary group galloping along like Charleville

jebuz

Monday 13/06 - Rest
Little bit of post 20 miler guilt combined with a little bit of heavy legs combined with a pinch of sense = Rest day...nadda!

Tuesday 14/06 - 12 miles @ 7:23m/m
Nice and relaxed run with some clubmates out to Ballincollig and back.

Wednesday 15/06 - 10 miles
AM: 5.5 miles @ 7:28m/m
Early morning jaunt around the city, can't remember much about it.
PM: 4.5 miles @ 7:18m/m
Up to the GAA pitches beside work for a few miles and then it was off for an extremely painful rub. I'm serious, I was trying to crawl off the table!

Thursday 16/06 - 10.5 miles with 35 min tempo @ 5:38
Very happy with the session this evening. In with 2 other lads training for Berlin and we all shared our time at the front keeping the pace nice and steady throughout. We were in lane 2 as there was another group doing mile efforts in lane 1 but we hit 35 mins having completed 25.5 laps or just about 10k (according to this). Felt pretty strong for most of this though was working hard for the last 5 minutes. A lot more of these to come.

jebuz

Friday 17/06 - 6.5 miles @ 7:38 m/m
Into the city on a lovely sunny morning for a standard recovery jog before work. Legs were pretty tired first few miles from the effort last night but felt pretty good by the end.

Saturday 18/06 - Grass Session: 4 x 10 mins (12.5 miles)
Really great to be back in the groove for these sessions, the bread and butter of our marathon training in the club...mmm bread and butter. Pace slightly quicker than last week but I was more happy with how I felt during this. Reps all felt very controlled, breathing and form felt good and was able to pick it up on the last one. Calf has really been behaving itself over the last few weeks but funny enough I had my MRI scheduled for today. It was booked 4 or 5 weeks ago and even though I was feeling fine I said I'd go get it done anyway to rule out anything sinister going on in my calf. So I cycled into town after the session, had brunch and then a few pints for the match and then went for an MRI and cycled home. That's got to be a first

Splits (2 min recovery)
- 10 mins @ 5:38
- 10 mins @ 5:37
- 10 mins @ 5:37
- 10 mins @ 5:31

Sunday 19/06 - 20 miles @ 7:05 m/m
Great to get 2 of these done in a row without incident. Was tight for time this morning as I had an afternoon flight to catch from Dublin to guess where... yes, Munich. Out the door at 7:20am, ran 5 miles to the marina, 2 laps of 5 miles with some clubmates and then 5 miles back home. Porridge, omelette and into the car with some Irishman abroad podcasts. Good hilly route but the legs felt really good, rounded off a pretty good week and feeling well and truly back in marathon mode, i.e tired.

Weekly milage: 72

Might back off a little this week, that's 3 good weeks of sessions and long runs so I may just try get easy running in this week and see how the weekend goes.

El Caballo

jebuz wrote: »

mmm bread and butter

You need to get out more. Training is looking good man, seem to setting yourself up well early on.

jebuz

Monday 20/06 - 12 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:50 m/m
I made the journey over to Munich Sunday evening, it's much better waking up there on Monday morning than getting up at 4am in Cork for a flight. Legs were tired for this one, took it very easy.

PM: 7 miles @ 7:29 m/m
Felt good for this one but still kept pace on the easy side of easy. Got adventurous with the route and just added 2 miles onto the morning route.

Tuesday 21/06 - 15 miles
AM: 10 miles @ 7:31 m/m
Wanted to get longer run in earlier as we had a little office euros party planned for the Germany Norn Iron game. Was pretty groggy for first few miles but a lovely morning for a jog, sunny blue skies and felt good by end of it.

PM: 5 miles @ 7:36 m/m
Stuffed full of pasta, cakes and (just 1) beer I was reluctant but I headed out for a handy 5 miler.

Wednesday 22/06 - 10 miles with 5 miles @ MP
I'm toying with the idea of moving my tempo to Wednesday rather than Thursdays, the logic being I have a little extra time to recover before the Saturday session, the downside being I'll likely have to do them solo as the club does tempos on Thursday. No better day to try it on a 30+ degree scorcher in Munich. It was still 27 degrees heading out the door at 7:30pm and I was keen to get back for the Ireland game at 9pm. Headed down to the wide open Oktoberfest area which is perfect for a session (when there's no Oktoberfest on obviously). I felt terrible on the warmup, tight chest and sweating profusely at warmup pace. I knew I had to reel back the pace to more of an MP effort. I felt ok once I got going but the effort felt more like tempo than MP, probably expected in the heat but I finished wondering how the hell I ran this pace for 26 miles last year. Miles were 6:08, 6:05, 6:04, 6:00, 5:57. Back to hotel cleaned up and then dinner and a pint and a 1-0 victory over Italy...Bradyyyyyyyy!!

Thursday 23/06 - 13.5 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:38 m/m
Another cracking morning, summers arrived here. Legs very heavy at first but felt good by the end of it.

AM: 8.5 miles @ 7:03 m/m
Plan was 7 but kinda got a bit lost. Felt really good for this and worked down to a 6:40 pace before I got lost so I had to slow down to use my brain to recover my path. That's all from Munich for this week, home in the morning!

Friday 24/06 - Rest
Precaution moreso than tiredness, even though the legs have been feeling good this week and the calf is in good shape. Having gotten in some good milage this week and a planned heavy weekend of miles I wanted to let the body recover a little. So I flew back to Dublin on a big flying machine, had a bombay pantry.

Saturday 25/06 - 4 x 10 mins (14 miles)
Staying in Dublin for the weekend and knowing this session was on the cards I tried to recruit some poor fools to join me but nobody would take the bait. Headed up to the polo grounds for this on a decent morning for a session despite a bit of wind on the back straight. The pace wasn't quite where I wanted it to be but the effort was definitely there and I was happy with the session. I found it a little difficult on my own and maybe that's the downside of always having a group to work with, maybe I get a little soft when I'm faced with solo sessions. (Perhaps another good reason to move my tempo to Wednesday). The legend that is Catherina McKiernan was running a session in the opposite direction and she threw the odd word of encouragement my way which was really nice coming from a 2:22 national marathon record holder. All I could think of was 'I'm not even running close to her record marathon pace for 10 minutes' :eek:
Had to take a detour on the way home thanks to some yank staying in the park, it was wall to wall coppers! ended up doing a 4 mile cooldown...cheers Joe!

Splits (2 min recovery)
10 mins @ 5:38 m/m
10 mins @ 5:39 m/m
10 mins @ 5:37 m/m
10 mins @ 5:41 m/m

Sunday 26/06 - 20.5 miles @ 7 m/m
Last act of the week was the minor task of getting through a solo 20 miler in the park. Rain was coming down pretty heavy just after 8am when I started but it was mild and not so windy, ok conditions. Felt good for this and was able to throw in a few quicker miles, just wanted to get it done more than anything. Bumped into some old Donore clubmates at 15 miles and slowed it down a bit but was glad to have company for the last 5 which just flew by. Really happy to have this done before hitting the road back to Cork where I watched Irelands euro dreams dissipate then headed for a massage, once again crawling off the table but they seem to be working well despite the horrific pain. Looking forward to a week in Cork now.

Weekly milage: 85

Trialling a new log feature: Strava screenshot. I need some more colour around here (shamelessly copied from BeepBeep)

Krusty_Clown

A really solid week - and up to 20+ on the long run already? Making me feel like I'm way behind....

/unsubscribe.

jebuz

Yeah maybe a bit too quick up to 20 achilles strikes again! Taking a few days downtime right now as it flared up on Thursday after a tempo. It's mild but taking no chances so I skipped (well abandoned) the session & long run this weekend.

Monday 27/06 - 12.5 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:40 m/m - sleepy recovery run around the city, legs tired.
PM: 7.5 miles @ 7:01 m/m - less sleepy run at the farm with some clubmates, legs better.

Tuesday 28/06 - 15 miles @ 7:00 m/m
First mid week 15 of the cycle, including a nice tough climb back up to work at the end. Had company for this made it a lot more manageable but felt good overall.

Wednesday 29/06 - 10 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:50 m/m - pretty knackered today, think that 15 was too quick.
PM: 7.5 miles @ 7:30 m/m - still very tired so decided to cut back from 7/8 miles and stick with 5. Headed out to farm and kept it handy

Thursday 30/06 - 35 min tempo @ 5:40 m/m on grass (10.5 miles)
The track was out of action tonight due to some international hockey show so this meant a tempo at the farm, a first for me and quite enjoyable. Good group of us, effort felt ok and controlled. Felt much more manageable mentally as the lap of 2 pitches was exactly a mile, ran just about 10k and a good session. Achilles started bothering me when I got home - great! I'm not comfortable doing my sessions with the new insoles yet so I'm thinking the switching between using them and not using them can't be good for the achilles.

Friday 01/07 - Rest

Saturday 02/07 - 5 miles (abandoned session)
Felt a slight niggle on the warmup but didn't feel significant so I decided to give the 4 x 10's a lash. 5 minutes into the first rep and despite feeling great otherwise, the achilles started complaining. It wasn't extremely painful but noticeable enough so I had a decision to make. It took me about 3 more minutes to make the decision but eventually I saw sense, I pulled the plug and just jogged back to the car before I changed my mind. It was a very familiar pain and no doubt a result of the recent increase in milage so I just need to take a few days easy and I'm hoping once I get used to the new insoles, these problems will be less frequent.

Sunday 03/07 - Rest

Weekly milage: 54

jebuz

Good week bouncing back from the achilles trouble last week. Milage not particularly high but hit the key sessions and particularly happy with the session and long run at this weekend.

Monday 04/07 - Rest
An extra day off to ensure the achilles recovers. Gym at lunch. Caught up on some ironing.

Tuesday 05/07 - 10 miles @ 7:01 m/m
An incident free return to running which was quite pleasing. Headed out to the farm after work, great evening and just ran away with the achilles feeling fine again. Looked at my watch after a while and I was fully sure I had been running around 8 m/m but I guess with the fresh legs after the rest I had a little bit more energy than usual so I went with the 7 min pace.

Wednesday 06/07 - 8 miles @ 7:20 m/m
Plan today was just to get another few easy miles in the bag so out to the farm after work again where I met a clubmate. After 20 mins or so I felt a blister after flaring up, new insoles are not agreeing with my girly wafer skin. I couldn't keep going as it was exposed, had no first aid in the car so I drove home, plastered it up and headed out for another 5 miles. Ridiculous.

Thursday 07/07 - 5 mile tempo @ 5:35 m/m (9.5 miles)
This was the session that screwed me over last week, I was a little bit apprehensive tonight with the achilles trouble so I said I'd pull back from the usual 35 minute session and see how I go. I decided to try out the insoles for a session and I got through it but at the expense of making yesterdays blister worse, sometimes my decisions are really questionable. The tempo itself felt tough enough tonight even though I expected to be feeling fresher than the other lads. We had a good group of 5 for this, all took a mile at the front and we were keeping steady 86/87 sec laps in lane 3 (due to a massive grandstand in lanes 1 and 2 for the international hockey) but I was working hard for the last mile or so. I hit 20 laps or just over 5 miles in around 29 minutes and pulled over, happy to get though without any achilles issues but mounting blister issues. I'll take the latter over the former any day of the week though.

Friday 08/07 - 5.5 miles @ 7:41 m/m
Usual Friday morning jaunt. Blisters still troubling me but ran through the discomfort in the hope my skin will just harden the f up...and quickly for tomorrows session. Otherwise felt fine.

Saturday 09/07 - 6 x 6 mins on grass (12 miles)
This was the session I had been waiting for after a few weeks of 'just getting through it'. I felt really strong today and I think I really needed this one, doubts were creeping in especially after the effort on Thursday. Nice to mix it up from the 4 x 10's for a change and the 6 min reps just seemed to fly by. I was feeling good from the warmup and into the first rep I was feeling so comfortable. As always a great group to work with, I was never quite in the red zone for any of the reps and despite a hairy wind, they were all pretty steady and I finished feeling pretty satisfied. Blisters held up but still not in great condition.

Splits (2 min recovery)
6 mins @ 5:26 m/m
6 mins @ 5:30 m/m
6 mins @ 5:35 m/m
6 mins @ 5:30 m/m
6 mins @ 5:32 m/m
6 mins @ 5:30 m/m

Sunday 10/07 - 20 miles @ 6:56 m/m
Was a bit worried how the blisters would react with a 2+ hour run but the Compeed plasters (tm) did their job nicely and got through this feeling great. Effort felt very comfortable today despite the session in the legs and I couldn't believe how quick it went. Of course 20 miles always goes quicker when you're talking shíte for most of it. Delighted to round the week off with this. On we go!

jebuz

A good solid week in the bag, milage target was around 80 and keys sessions were hit but I'm particularly pleased with the effort levels in the sessions this week. I'm finding the workouts a lot more manageable now and feeling stronger every week. As always priority is keeping the body healthy and thankfully everything was just moving well this week. I'm being surprisingly disciplined in terms of supplementary work, foam rolling and stretching every night (probably out of pure fear) and the weekly Sunday rubs are definitely playing their part.

Monday 11/07 - 12 miles
AM: 6 miles @ 7:30 m/m Fairly groggy for first few miles but was feeling grand as I grew into it.
PM: 6 miles @ 7:38 m/m Only a few hours later I was off again at lunchtime as I wanted to have the evening free. Headed off with a clubmate who I work with so was nice to have company. Fairly hilly route but legs were ok with it, well they didn't get a choice really.

Tuesday 12/07 - 15 miles hilly @ 7:13m/m
We were told to start working some hills into the Tuesday long run so I picked out a route with 1000+ feet of climbing and headed off with some clubmates after work. This was a really enjoyable run, climbs were tough at times but I felt strong and the route was a pretty good one looping up the northside down around the southside and then a monster climb back up to work.

Wednesday 13/07 - 11 miles
AM: 5 miles @ 7:39 m/m A bit knackered from the previous days exploits but handy 5 miler around the city before work.
PM: 6 miles @ 7:29 m/m Slightly more alive than this morning, headed out to Ballincollig regional park on a fine evening, really enjoyed running the trails in the evening sun.

Thursday 14/07 - 35 min track tempo @ 5:35 m/m (12 miles)
This was a particularly good session and a big boost in terms of confidence. If I compare this to last week it was a world of difference. Last week I was struggling with the pace in the last 10-15 minutes and finished questioning my fitness but this week, despite a wet track, the effort felt much more controlled, effort was right in the sweet spot of comfortably hard and I finished feeling like I had more left in the tank. Was just two of us running this one, my buddy from Frankfurt last year and we worked well together alternating each mile at the front which made the whole session a lot more manageable. We were running in lane 3 so worked out at around 6.3 miles for the session and hit 10k in around 34:30.

Friday 15/07 - Rest
With a heavy weekend on the way and a very good week so far I decided to take Friday off, I was well on track for the 80 mile week so I fought the urge and just did nothing. Well I did other things such as FIFA 16, but not running.

Saturday 16/07 - 4 x 10 mins on grass (13 miles)
Well the rest did me good as I felt really strong today despite the 100% humidity sapping the life out of everyones bones. I didn't realise how much affect that had until the first rep and we were all gasping for air in the recovery. Effort-wise, the legs felt good and I was running strong but it was the heat chipping away at me each rep and I was feeling it. Despite that I kept them all quite consistent and happy to see this one out, the improvement over the last few weeks is starting to show...finally.

Splits (2 min recovery)
1.8 miles 10 mins @ 5:30 m/m
1.8 miles 10 mins @ 5:32 m/m
1.8 miles 10 mins @ 5:34 m/m
1.8 miles 10 mins @ 5:36 m/m

Sunday 17/07 - 20 miles @ 6:50 m/m
Another morning of 100% humidity and we felt it. This was Lizzie's last long run before heading for Rio so we had a nice big bunch down the marina, great atmosphere. As always, 4 predictable laps of 5 miles and by the last lap we were whittled down to 4 or 5 and I think I was hallucinating, picturing giant bottles of cold water along the marina walkway. Apart from the heat (which should never really be a complaint), felt fine for this one, decent pace, finished strong and great to be part of the send off for our future olympian who has no doubt inspired belief into a lot of us at the club.

jebuz

Ahh 9 weeks!! Good week considering the fact I had to pull out of Thursday's tempo with an achilles niggle on the warmup. God I hate my achilles so much. Thankfully nothing serious in the end and I eased off allowing me to get in the weekend sessions and hitting decent milage for the week.

Monday 18/07 - 13 miles
AM: 6.5 miles @ 7:33 m/m. Nice relaxed run before work, legs felt pretty good.
PM: 6.5 miles @ 7:31 m/m. Headed with clubmate after work, hilly route into city and back.

Tuesday 19/07 - 15 hilly miles @ 6:56m/m
Hottest day of the year, had the fear for this one but it wasn't so bad in the end apart from the 10,000 flies stuck to my skin. Knocked off work early to enjoy some of the sun and a few of us from the club met up at the Blarney running trail around 4.30pm just as it was starting to cool a little. It's a hilly 3k loop mostly on grass with a few gravel trails, 3 euro to use it but really worth it...especially when you do 9 laps! Felt starving on the first lap and kinda weak, I thought there's no way I'm running 15 miles here today. My brain was just being a drama queen as I settled into it eventually and felt really strong particularly on the climbs. Pace picked up each lap and we were running 6:30 miles by the end. Great workout with over 1200+ feet climbed.

Wednesday 20/07 - 14 miles
AM: 7 miles @ 7:27 m/m. Usual plod around city before work, in decent shape from the previous days effort.
PM: 7 miles @ 7:17 m/m. Simple out and back route from the Cork Gaol out the straight road and back. Was day dreaming a lot about things and stuff so it just flew by. Few strides at the end.

Thursday 21/07 - 7.5 miles @ 8 m/m
Plan was the usual 35 min tempo on the track but on the warmup I felt a niggle on the left achilles. It felt mild enough but also something that I shouldn't ignore. After an intense internal battle I came to the conclusion I should leave off the tempo and just jog very easy miles. I was disappointed to miss out on the session but in hindsight it's just one session. With a planned day off on Friday I was hoping the decision would pay off and I'd get the weekend training in to salvage the week and thankfully that's exactly how it played out. A rare display of sense prevailing.

Friday 22/07 - Rest
Just worried about the achilles really and made some buffalo shrimp.

Saturday 23/07 - 4 x 10 mins on grass (14 miles)
Jogged 1.5 mile tester around my neighbourhood before making the trek out to the farm, didn't fancy going out there and pulling up on the warmup if the achilles was still dodgy. Felt grand anyway and then on the warmup with the group was still feeling fine so I was confident I'd be able to run the session, no sign of aggravation. The session went really well despite another very warm humid morning. Pace has been creeping up the last few weeks and happy to see all reps steady and under 5:30 pace today. Effort felt bang on, working hard but never into the danger zone so was delighted to get the session in with no issues.

Splits (2 min rec)
1. 10 mins @ 5:26 m/m
2. 10 mins @ 5:28 m/m
3. 10 mins @ 5:27 m/m
4. 10 mins @ 5:28 m/m

Sunday 24/07 - 21.5 miles @ 6:53 m/m
Part 2 of the weekend and no issues with the achilles today. Time seemed to fly in the group as usual and felt strong and relaxed the whole way. Picked up pace to 6:15-30 on last couple of miles which rounded off a pretty good weekends training. Pity Waterford had to then go and ruin my day :mad:

jebuz

A very good week, highest milage in a while and with a race thrown in for good measure. I hadn't raced since a 2 mile relay leg back in early April so I was happy to get out there again and embrace the pain. I'm feeling in pretty good aerobic shape right now but as always the priority managing the load sensibly, keeping on top of niggles and generally not being an idiot. In terms of racing, the R&R half was originally scheduled for this weekend but we've changed that to target the Clonmel half one week later. Business as usual this week so!

Monday 25/07 - 14 miles
AM: 8.5 miles @ 7:28 m/m Nice meander around the city before work. Legs feeling good.
PM: 5.5 miles @ 7:16 m/m Few miles after work around the local GAA pitches before heading for a rub. Legs felt surprisingly fresh.

Tuesday 26/07 - 13 miles @ 6:51 m/m
With an eye on Thursday's race, we shortened the distance slightly down from the usual 15 miles but effort was the same. To the Blarney Castleview trail which has cemented its place as the home of the Tuesday long run. Good honest effort on the rolling hills with a couple of clubmates, felt really good for this apart from the sloshy stomach syndrome driving me nuts.

Wednesday 27/07 - 8.5 miles @ 7:28 m/m
Just the one run this morning as I make some sort of effort to be reasonably fresh for Thursdays race. Felt pretty good for this and threw in a few strides on the track at the end.

Thursday 28/07 - 5 mile race - 4th in 27:14 (12 miles)
With the half marathon being the primary short term goal, we had pencilled in a shorter race to sharpen me up for this and get me back racing. The was 3rd in the Ballycotton summer 5 mile series, ideal distance and good timing on a Thursday instead of what would have been a tempo session. A good hard effort and no injuries was the order of the evening.

Got out there with plenty of time to spare, parked in a field, collected my number and headed for a sluggish 2 mile warmup with some clubmates on what were pretty dilapidated country roads. Somebody coined the term "cross country on road" which wasn't far off the mark. The course was 2 x laps of 2.5 miles with some challenging drags but on the whole a reasonably fast course. I made my way to the start line and tried not to look nervous by joking and punching my clubmates on the arm, I'm pretty sure everyone bought it. Anyway, bang goes the gun.

Mile 1 - 5:17
Fumbled with my watch for the guts of 30 seconds as I couldn't start it. Amateur!
Eventually I looked up from my watch and I was sitting in a fairly large pack. I noticed my Berlin training partner JOC at the very front and starting to pull away with the race favourite from East Cork. Without even thinking about it, I made a burst to the side and settled in just behind them, feeling pretty comfortable in this mile but pretty much downhill for most of it.

Mile 2 - 5:17
We made a sharp turn just after the 1 mile mark and turned onto a long straight. I was keeping pace with the 2 guys for most of this but they started to make a little gap on me here. A St.Finbarrs who was tracking me closely made his way up alongside me just at the end of this mile. From the commentator with his megaphone in the van ahead, I knew it was just the 4 of us in this race. I was feeling reasonably good at the end of this mile but now for the climbs.

Mile 3 - 5:36
This was a fairly tough mile of drags as we made our way past the start line again, we got some good cheers as I focussed on straightening up my torso to give the impression I was looking comfortable. Once I got passed the crowd I reverted back to the usual ragdoll racing style. I did start tiring here as the guy alongside me surged his way up to the front. There was now a distinct group of 3 at the front and myself chasing behind.

Mile 4 - 5:23
I was just going through the motions here. Keeping a fairly decent pace but knew I didn't have the legs to chase the group ahead though the gap of about 50m now wasn't getting any bigger. I was fairly content to keep this effort until the end, there was no need to go to the well for this race. I watched the battle up ahead as East Cork just seamlessly pulled away from my clubmate as he moved into another gear. Great to watch.

Mile 5 - ? (0.9 miles @ 5:28 m/m)
Don't have a proper split for this mile given my watch troubles at the start. I was starting to work pretty hard now as we hit the drags again. I kept the effort steady enough and knew I had 4th spot cemented as I watched the battle for 2nd up ahead, I was urging on my clubmate in my head and sure enough he was able to put in a surge and hold on for 2nd. I was aching for the finish line by the end which tells me I put in a pretty decent shift. I came home in 4th in 27:14, 15 seconds behind 3rd and 16 seconds off my PB. That'll do.

Pretty happy with the effort given the high milage and lack of any real taper. Myself and my training partner headed off for a fairly gruelling 5 mile cooldown where I experienced a fairly horrible energy crash. Got back to the community centre in the village and all the nice stuff had been eaten so I just went to town on the rich tea biscuits.

Friday 29/07 - 7.5 miles @ 7:23 m/m
The legs felt surprisingly fresh this morning, nice run around the city before work, good sign.

Saturday 30/07 - 4 x 10 mins on grass (13 miles @ 6:32 m/m)
Myself and JOC were told by the coach to take it easy for this one since we'd both raced Thursday. We innocently nodded in obedience only for us to recklessly abandon any concept of taking it easy once we kicked into the first rep. To be fair I was willing to pull it back if I felt really tired but from the start I felt good and just settled into 5:25-30 pace which felt like the right effort. A group of 4 of us formed and ran the rest of the 10 min reps together keeping the pace very consistent and no ill effects from the race. Great session, was really happy with this one.

Splits (2 min recovery):
1. 10 mins @ 5:26 min/mi
2. 10 mins @ 5:26 min/mi
3. 10 mins @ 5:29 min/mi
4. 10 mins @ 5:27 min/mi

Sunday 31/07 - 20 miles @ 6:52 m/m
Lovely run today with a good group of 6/7 lads. Mixed up the route for a change to take in a monster climb coming out of Monkstown then back to the marina for a couple of loops. Felt really strong for this and energy levels were good, gradually picking up the pace to finish with a 6:17 mile. Wrapped up a really positive week and one I can really kick on from now if I stay healthy.

viperlogic

jebuz wrote: »

Mixed up the route for a change to take in a monster climb coming out of Monkstown

Monster is an under statement. The Monkstown triathlon run leg is up that also, brings many to a walk. There is another beaut just down the road a bit further near Raffeen.

jebuz

Another good week behind me and on the whole a good solid 4/5 weeks training leaving me feeling in decent shape for Clonmel half next week. The body is starting to feel the cumulative tiredness at this stage, nothing unexpected there but I'm looking forward to taking it easy next week and getting fresh for the race.

Monday 01/08 - 14 miles
AM: 9 miles @ 7:28 m/m Headed down to Enniscorthy for the bank holiday and despite the heavy rain it was nice to get out for a few miles in the morning before savaging a breakfast in the excellent Cotton Tree cafe and heading back on the road to Cork, felt grand for this one.
PM: 5 miles @ 7:14 m/m Few more miles thrown in before heading off for my weekly rub, the most painful one yet but I think they're playing a role in helping me get through the training in one piece so I won't complain too much.

Tuesday 02/08 - 15 miles trail run @ 6:40 m/m
Met up after work with some clubmates at the old reliable Blarney trail. Felt good today but pace maybe a little too quick given the fact we're already working hard on the undulating hills and uneven surfaces. I was on my own for the last 5/6 miles and was working fairly hard but feeling strong. I see this as a session moreso so I'm happy to give it a good effort.

Wednesday 03/08 - 15 miles
AM: 9 miles @ 7:35 m/m Comfortable run around the city before work. Always a good sign to see the HR low on the easy days (122 am and 119 pm), it's something I'd keep an eye on to make sure I'm not overcooking it an recovering well between harder efforts.
PM: 6 miles @ 7:29 m/m Up to the GAA pitches near work for some monotonous laps but legs felt really good. Some local lads decided to use me as target practice as they pelted chunks of tyre my way, lucky for me they had a shít aim.

Thursday 04/08 - 35 min track tempo @ 5:30 & strides (13.5 miles)
One of the better tempos of recent weeks, solid 5:25-30 pace throughout and felt really strong at times. Great group of 5 for this one which always makes it easier and we all did our bit taking a mile each. Strava reckons I ran a 33:28 10k which is bollox, was closer 34:10 based on the 25+ laps we ran in lane 2. Still, I think that's a PB! Few strides afterwards and then a nice cooldown along the Lee, great session.

Friday 05/08 - 5 miles @ 7:42 m/m
Would have liked a day off this week but with the half marathon taper next week and a shorter long run planned for Sunday I wanted to keep the milage up for one last week so I got out before work for some very handy recovery miles. Felt a little tired for this, tempo took a bit out of me.

Saturday 06/08 - 10/9/8/7 min on grass (12 miles)
Wasn't sure how I'd go for this session, was feeling tired on the warmup but it went really well once I got settled into it. With the 10/9/8/7 session the unwritten rule is to try crank it up a little each rep and I think we managed that pretty well today despite hitting the first rep pretty hard. A fairly hot humid morning and there was a fairly large group for this. Into the first rep and my 2 Berlin training partners made an early break, I thought we had an understanding to take the first one easier, bastards. Didn't see an option but to go with them so I closed the gap and stuck with them. I was really feeling the heat by the 2nd rep and counting down the minutes. I started to feel a bit stronger for the 8 & 7 min reps and finished working very hard but in control and we managed to keep all the reps pretty consistent. There was a lot of hands on the knees after this one!

Splits (2 min recovery)
1. 10 mins @ 5:26 m/m
2. 9 mins @ 5:24 m/m
3. 8 mins @ 5:24 m/m
4. 7 mins @ 5:23 m/m

Sunday 07/08 - 15 miles @ 6:53 m/m
Just the 15 for the long run today, felt like the teacher had given us less homework than usual. Enjoyable run with a good group of clubmates down the marina. Effort felt very relaxed and picked up the pace over the last few miles. Ate a nice danish afterwards.