(Half) Iron Maiden

rainbow kirby

Sunday - Reading half-marathon - 2:01:42 (5:46/km average pace)

Wasn't ready for this at all - running has been a disaster this month. Brian convinced me to do it anyway, he has done it twice before and told me it was a really good race and he'd love to be out doing it. So we set out west in perfect running conditions yesterday morning...

Wave start was very well done - they were careful with their pacer placement, I started around 15 metres behind the 2:00 pacers and because of this around 90% of people in my wave (5th of 7 waves) were going off at the right pace. Apart from the pacers! First 2 mile splits were in the 8:30-40 range :rolleyes: - can't beat a boardsie there :pac:

Couple of big hills early on, one after about 3 miles felt rougher than it should, but the legs felt a bit better by around 5 miles once the course got to the university. Was still with the pacers at this stage. Started to feel it by around 6-7 miles as the course got to Reading town centre, did my best to stick with them but was slipping by 8 miles. A bit of mild GI trouble was starting to make its presence felt at this stage, I have my suspicions that the Lucozade Sport I started taking on at mile 5 was not too well received - I normally don't have anything, even water, for runs <2 hours during the winter and spring. Wheels were properly off by mile 9 and it was just holding on at that stage, working hard when I could etc. Last 2 miles of the course bears a very strong resemblance to De Straight Road in Cork, only you're running towards the Madejski stadium. You see it from around the mile 11 mark, and it feels like it takes forever to get to it! Decided to empty the tank from the 800m to go mark, and just gave it everything I had. Crossed the line in 2:01:42 chip time anyway, around 15 seconds faster than the Great North Run in September.

The time is shoite tbh, but it's about as good as I could have expected given the leadup. The race is incredibly well organised and I'd love to do it again next year. Crowd support along the route is great too - loads of people out, loads of bands along the course, and even at one point a pub giving free beer shots on one side of the road across from a church with a Bible verse about running on its sign.

mossym

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Apart from the pacers! First 2 mile splits were in the 8:30-40 range :rolleyes: - can't beat a boardsie there :pac:

Couple of big hills early on, one after about 3 miles felt rougher than it should,

might explain the earlier pace....

rainbow kirby

Monday - 1,800m easy swim, did 180 swim, kick, catch up, 300 swim, pb/paddles, swim, pb/paddles, 60 swim to bring it to a round figure. Felt crap at the start but improved as the swim went on.

rainbow kirby

Tuesday - usual gym session with himself this evening. We haven't been in a few weeks and my legs are still DOMSy from Sunday, so it was a bit more painful than normal doing our circuit. 3 mins rower followed by 3 * (10 twists with 5kg medicine ball, 16 jumping lunges, 10 pushups, 10 hamstring curls on ball, 10 one-legged squats each side, 10 OHP with 15kg preloaded barbell, 60 secs front plank, 60 secs left side plank, 60 secs right side plank).

Heading back to Ireland in the morning - got The Call from home this morning unfortunately

Dory Dory

I am very sorry. I'll be thinking of you.

ToTriOrNot

Sorry about your loss RK!! Be gentle with yourself, and travel safe.

rainbow kirby

Back in London now after everything - flew back Wednesday lunchtime, removal Wednesday afternoon, funeral Thursday. Feels like I've been on rails for the last few days, but I have to start getting back into some kind of normality. Feel like I want to give up drink forever tbh, I'm just sick of it at this stage.

Hit the pool this afternoon, did around 2km. Loosely followed the day 1 from Kurt Godel's sessions for this week, missed out on being able to set a TT time because of some muppet in my lane who kept interrupting my faster 100s due to his inability to understand what a tap on the foot means. Down with that sort of thing.

rainbow kirby

Monday - weather was pure crap so decided to hit the turbo rather than going out for a run like I planned. Did 40 minutes with alternating 1 min out of the saddle or 1 min sprinting every 5 mins. Felt pretty good overall, and was rather nice to smell tasty curry smells wafting from the kitchen by the end of it

rainbow kirby

Tuesday - gym session, the usual 3 rounds of circuits. Head just not in the game at all, but pushed my way through it anyway.

Meant to get up early this morning for a swim, couldn't manage to drag my fat ass out of the bed before 8. Having a lot of trouble with early starts this week, and I need to sort that out. Think I'm starting to annoy myself at this stage there.

rainbow kirby

Wednesday - 6 km run @ 5:58/km average pace. Hadn't run for 10 days before this :eek: This was ok, nothing special, good to be back out though.

rainbow kirby

Thursday - morning swim. Did around 1,500m, this was crap. Felt absolutely agricultural in the water, stroke didn't feel good at all. Still glad I went, but it was kinda like "I got up at 6:40am for THIS!?".

Solobally8

Just catching up with your log RK. So sorry to read about your loss x

rainbow kirby

Friday AM - 45 minute easy spinning on the turbo, heading north in the afternoon so wanted to get *something* done while himself was in work! This was pretty decent anyway.

Saturday - 4km Brian-paced run (5:35-5:40/km) along Blackpool seafront. This was lovely, gorgeous morning for it and the legs actually felt surprisingly good.

Sunday/Monday - slept late and was doing touristy stuff so ended up with two rest days.

Have decided to knock any thoughts of a 70.3 this year on the head. March was a disaster in general and I haven't put the bike work in, also I lose another 3 weeks in May/June because of the wedding and honeymoon. Will make London Triathlon Olympic distance my main goal again this year.

rainbow kirby

Sun was out today and it was lovely and warm so headed to Regent's Park on our bikes after work. Busy enough out there, bit of Easter holidays tourist overspill too. 22km @ 26.5km/h in the end, really enjoyed this.

rainbow kirby

Wednesday - did day 1 of Kurt Godel's sessions from this week. Good session, fist/pull buoy combination is a bit evil though! 2,580m covered in total with length adaptations for 30m pool.

Thursday - run home from work (5.8km @ 5:45/km average pace) and then did outdoor strength work with himself in the park beside our apartment. Very enjoyable combination - was surprised when I looked at the average pace afterwards because I felt like I'd been moving through molasses for a significant chunk of it and had to go slowly through big crowds near Highbury and Islington station!

We have now finished off the last of our Easter chocolate - time to cut down/out the crap until the wedding. 44 days to go...

rainbow kirby

Friday - very pleasant cycle around Regent's Park - 8 laps for a total of 35.6km @ 25km/h ish average speed. Had himself with me for the last 4 - we meant to start together but he had to nip to the bike shop after a brake pad issue. Quick pit stop and I had a draft for the second half.

Saturday - woke up feeling very stiff, possibly a bit of second day DOMS from Thursday's outdoor core work! Easy swim - 1,600m ish of just stretching the body out and a few drills. Unwinding the shoulders with a bit of backstroke too.

Sunday - back to Regent's but with my running shoes on this time! Had company for the first half of it, then I headed to Primrose Hill for a couple of laps while I dispatched himself to get the teas. 8km @ 5.53/km average pace - first half was much faster because Primrose is hilly!

Monday - out to the Hampstead Heath extension for an easy run 90% on grass and very soft trail, 6km @ 6:35/km average pace. Looks like a child's drawing on Strava tbh!

Tuesday AM - lovely swim before work. Sun streaming in the windows made the pool a very pleasant place to be, can't wait for the lidos to warm up tbh! 1,620m as 180 swim, 180 kick, 180 swim, 300 pull, 360 swim, 300 pull, 180 swim. Wanted to do more but was hitting up against my hard limit for the time I need to be out of the pool to get to work on time.

Forecast to be very very nice later (23 ish and sunny) - gotta be a cycle later.

rainbow kirby

Tuesday PM - just as nice as predicted. Went cycling with himself after work. Regent's was chock full of cyclists, so decided to have a bit of fun and try and draft off every wheel that got near me. 22km @ 27 km/h average in the end, really enjoyed that.

Wednesday AM - run to work, 5.8km @ 5:58/km average pace. Just rolling down the hill really - quite comfortable and not even too much pedestrian stupidity to deal with today. This evening has pint in a beer garden written all over it (25c at around the time I leave work, but back to April normality from tomorrow) so we'll see about later!

rainbow kirby

Thursday - gym session after work, the usual circuits. Tried increasing our plank duration, it wasn't pretty :pac:

Friday - rest day/fly to Dublin

Saturday - run to/from Tymon Park, Parkrun in 25:27 (33rd overall, 8th lady, 5th in AG). Happy enough with that, though I suspect that the lady who I outsprinted at the end jumped ahead of me in the finishing chute! Afternoon spent shopping for bags and accessories in Dundrum for my bridesmaids was probably more tiring... :eek:

Sunday - easy run, 6.1km @ 5:56/km average pace. Lovely reminder of the Firhouse Road wind tunnel this afternoon too, I forgot/had put it out of my mind how grim that can be when the wind kicks up :pac:

rainbow kirby

Monday - rest day - took my first ever driving lesson though :eek:

Tuesday AM - easy swim, trying to remember some of Kurt's points from this week. Felt a bit agricultural, but I'll put that down to only one swim last week. 180 swim, 180 kick, 180 swim, 300 pull, 420 swim, 300 pull, 180 swim = 1,680m by the time the clock ticked over to 8:30 and I had to get out or I would be late for work. Ironmonger Row is very pleasant on these sunny mornings, the pool really catches the sun early.

Tuesday PM - 10km run, started out with himself and we did an up and back from Crouch End to Highgate along the Parkland Walk (disused railway track), I then carried on to Finsbury Park, did a loop there and then ran home. 5:48/km average pace, felt pretty comfortable.

Dory Dory

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Monday - rest day - took my first ever driving lesson though :eek:

You'll be grand!!! But I wouldn't look to RQ for any vehicular mentoring.

rainbow kirby

It's one of those life skills which should probably have been learned long before the age of 30! :pac: Had a bit of a rush out for my lesson this morning, the instructor had rescheduled next week's lesson and I thought it was this week's one that had been rescheduled :eek:

Wednesday - gym session with himself, 3 min row + 3 * (10 twists with 5kg medicine ball, 16 jumping lunges, 10 push-ups, 10 hamstring curls with swiss ball, 10 OHP with 7kg dumbbells, 10 one leg squats each side, 65 second front plank, 60 second side plank each side). This was pretty rough, legs were acting a bit unimpressed. C'est la vie.

rainbow kirby

Thursday - short turbo session, was a bit time crunched so put a good effort in. 40 mins total.

Friday - coached swim session, this hadn't been on in a while because my coach is an Xterra pro triathlete and has been off in Asia and Guam racing. Felt really good to be back and getting some solid feedback.

Saturday - got dropped off at Crouch End while Brian was driving to work, ran down the 2km from there to Finsbury Park, did the Parkrun and ran home. 25:31 for the Parkrun, only 4 seconds slower than last week on a much hillier course so pretty happy with that. 10km total for the morning.

Sunday - nothing - London Marathon day so we went in to watch, then later on met up with the usual suspects in the Coal Hole. Much booze consumed.

RacoonQueen

Dory Dory wrote: »

You'll be grand!!! But I wouldn't look to RQ for any vehicular mentoring.

What, what, what!!! What have I done now?! :eek:

rainbow kirby

Monday - morning workout wasn't going to happen because drink, then limited workout time in the evening due to trying to get to a fundraising table quiz for the Yes Equality campaign, so squeezed in a dreadmill run in the basement gym at work. 35 minutes split up as 10 mins @ 10 km/h, 5 @ 11km/h, 5 @ 10 km/h, 5 @ 11 km/h, 1:30 @ 11.5km/h, 3:30 @ 12 km/h, 5 @ 10 km/h for a total of 6.2km covered.

Tuesday - slept it in to swim in the morning, ended up going running with himself at Regent's Park after work. Did the first lap with him and then did a second one myself. Total of 8.8km covered at 5:40/km average pace. This is the first time that he's covered a full lap of Regent's Park since he got ill in 2012, so I'm absolutely delighted to see him back at that stage again.

Wednesday AM - pre work swim, 1,800m covered. 180 swim, 180 kick, 180 swim, 300 pull, 420 swim, 300 pull, 180 swim, 60 easy swim to round the distance out. Very pleasant there this morning, got into a lane with a few lads who looked like triathletes with sinky legs and the speed was very consistent.

rainbow kirby

Wednesday PM - gym session, the usual 3 circuits. Gym was rammed and it was way too hot in there, not one of my better ones!

Thursday - rest day, wedding planning stuff!

Friday - swimming was cancelled (because my coach forgot to tell us she was in bloody Malaysia), then OH forgot to bring my bike shoes when he was bringing my bike to Regent's Park, so there was a quick diversion out to Sports Direct for a sneaky new pair of running shorts (had my runners with me because I was wearing them for my 7am driving lesson). 9.1km (2 laps) @ 5:43/km average pace.

Saturday - 40 minute turbo while watching the last day of the Championship season, this was a load of ****e but got it done anyway. Rugby and pints later though.

Sunday - tried out my local masters club, did a session where there was quite a lot of IM stuff. Me, breaststroke and butterfly are not the best of friends. Was sharing the lane with two older women and we did have a laugh though!

Monday - swim at Barnet Copthall while OH and his mate played the pitch and putt course there. Slightly grotty pool, but I had the lane to myself so that was pretty sweet. 250 swim/250 kick/250 pull warmup, then 2*(4*100 steady/200 easy) plus another sneaky 50 to round it off at 2km. Steady 100s were in the 1:57-2:05 range, did one of them as a TT effort and that was a 1:50. Tried to keep the rest down to around 15 seconds.

rainbow kirby

Tuesday - very busy day, had a driving lesson early, then was busy in work, and had to cook a big dinner when I got home so finally squeezed in a run quite late. 7km @ 5:48/km average pace.

Wednesday - my bed was reluctant to let me leave on a stormy morning so I didn't get to the pool like I planned, but got in a gym session in the evening anyway. Added a little to the usual circuit by throwing in 3 * 8 * 20kg bench press and a little bit more core stuff too.

Thursday - run to work, 6km @ 5:51/km average pace. Felt pretty good in general, probably should have stopped into the polling station along the way rather than waiting until after work though! Glad to have it out of the way anyway.

rainbow kirby

Thursday PM - sneaky extra run! OH was heading out for his one shortly after I got home and I decided to join him. 4km @ 5:40 ish average pace.

Friday - coached swim session, quite a bit of work on stroke count and a bit of speedwork too. Enjoyed this

Saturday - time to race! Entered a 10k race in Regent's Park, decided to have a lash and see how I got on. Went out a bit too quickly, 5 min/km on the nail for the first km is closer to my current 5k pace. Settled afterwards, put in a decent effort and finished in around 52:40 (relatively evenly paced - 3 lap course, and the fastest and slowest laps were only around 20 secs apart). The fastest 10k I've run since Dunshaughlin 2012, so I'm happy with that, and a pretty nice last blast before the wedding

MojoMaker

Well done, must feel great

rainbow kirby

Chip time was 52:33 in the end. Absolutely delighted with that tbh!

Sunday - coached open water session at the West Reservoir Centre. Getting into a reservoir at 8:30am on a chilly Sunday morning in May is one of those things that makes you contemplate the direction your life is taking briefly, but it was quite nice once I got in. Had a bit of skills coaching (sighting/drafting etc) and then was let loose on the bigger 750m loop. Did a total of around 1,400m. Water was 14c, wasn't too bad but can't wait for it to warm up!

Monday AM - run to work, 5.8km @ 5:47/km average pace. Let's just say I'm thankful that there's a hell of a lot of cushioning in Kayanos, because I wrecked my feet in heels yesterday for the sake of Ladies Day at the races! Pretty nice run anyway.

rainbow kirby

Monday PM - lovely evening, so I decided to run home from work too. 5.8km @ 5:53/km average pace. Note to self: running past Highbury and Islington and Holloway Road stations on an Arsenal match evening is not a good idea.

Tuesday - 1 hour ashtanga yoga class at the gym, felt like I needed a bit of a stretchout.