Running for all the right reasons I hope.

Ray Donovan

Hi all,

Over the last few evenings I've been reading a few of these training logs and I said I'd start one myself. Now I'm not even near the ability of most of the runners here both in terms of distances and pace but I'm sure lots of people can relate to me.

So where to begin. I'm 33 now and all through my teens and early 20's I had a keen interest in sports and played soccer until I was around 22 and hurling until around 25. However as I got older I found that if I hadn't played well in a game I would get ridiculously down over it and would feel terrible for ages regardless of my teams result. Also where I'm from is hurling obsessed so it was impossible to get away from it. The long and the short of it all was that I kind of drifted away from playing for the local team and while I still was involved in a coaching capacity with youngsters my playing days were gone. I started my current job in 2008 and even though it's a job with a great perception from the outside I can find it quite stressful and can take a lot of it to heart. In summer 2012 my living arrangements changed as I moved closer to work and for a year I was just in a complete rut of work, home, couch, bed etc etc. I was beginning to get very very down but was hiding it very well to significant people in my life, work colleagues and so on.

So on a work night in Summer 2013 I suggested to build a bit of team morale that a crew of us should aim to partake in the Run in the Dark 10k that was in November 2013. Obviously with everyone full of beer they all agreed (in the end I was the only one who did it, 2 girls did the 5k). So I downloaded a couch to 10k and stuck religiously to it. Without hesitation it was the greatest decision I ever made. From Week 1 Day 1 of the app I was thoroughly enjoying being out again. Occasionally I'd have company on the runs but mostly it was just me. The 10k came and obviously fairly nervous but got around in just over 47 minutes so I kept the training up and knocked a minute off that in a 10k in December.

Unfortunately during this 10k I managed to seriously injure myself and I was out for 12 weeks. It was probably the hardest time I ever put down as my "downness" (I'm not going to use the word because I wasn't depressed) returned. After a few trips to a specialist and experimenting with insoles my injuries cleared and I got back running towards the end of March. However fitness wise I was nearly back to square one. My third run back was a 6k/10krace and I took a wrong turn and had to run the 10k. Nearly killed me but I got around in 52mins. Ever since then I've been running a lot in the 5k to 12k bracket most evenings of the week. I managed a 10k in 45.13 in early Summer but I haven't run a race since. Just runs on my own and sometimes with a few lads from home.

As I said in the title I think I'm running for the right reasons. I know I'll never win a race or set the world alight with my pace but I just get out there as it makes me fill better about myself which for me is huge. I've read all about fartlek training etc but while I do keep my times on a nike plus app I'm not obsessed with times or that. Anyways I was running 2 weeks ago and I went 13.6k(longest run I ever did) in 1.03 so I said what the hell I'll enter a half marathon. So on October 4th I'm going to run the Galway Bay Half. Obviously not a huge achievement for the majority of runners out there but for me I'll be proud as punch if I manage it. So I've taken the beginners plan for a half from the Galway Bay Run website and I've started on week 7 since yesterday.

So yesterday I did 8k in 38.18 and today I did 6k in 27.48. Tomorrow has me down for another 8k. I'll try and keep this log up to date in the hope it will be an extra motivation and for anyone who reads I hope it helps get you out there.

Ososlo

Welcome to the logs Ray. I'll be following with interest. Best of luck with the training for the half.

PaulieYifter

Good man Ray.
One piece of advice is to slow down on your training runs. Unlike GAA training you don't run yourself into a puke in running training - only maybe once a week and in races
Have a look here for recommended training paces: McMillan

I see the plan you are on has 5 days running but don't think it says much about pace. The 5 days can be 1 long, 2 recovery, 1 easy and 1 fast - fast meaning intervals or fartlek or tempo.

You don't need to obsess about times as you say so you can do this by relative effort too.

I too played hurling up to early 20s then became a drinker until mid 30s and then a runner. You'll be amazed how muck quicker you'll become if you train smart and consistent with small regular gains.

Ray Donovan

Cheers Ososlo.

tommyh1977

Hey Ray, I'm in much the same scenario as yourself, albeit i'm plodding along through 5k & 10k races for the last two years. In June I started a clean nutrition plan and have lost around a stone and a half. Now i'm running better, faster and longer. Like yourself, did 14.5k in 1.20 this day last week and am seriously tempted to give the Galway Half a shot. I have been told that going from a 10k to a half can need as much mental training as physical, and I still have this little fragment of doubt running around in my head. Like yourself, I would also be proud as punch to complete a half in next few weeks. Again as you already said, it's a small achievement compared to some of the runners on here, but at 37 this is the most sporty I've ever been, never played any sport growing up. Best of luck in Galway and should I enter I'll let you know.