Target Practice

annapr · 12-06-2015 3:25pm

great session DG, you make it sound easier than your recovery run

Dubgal72 · 12-06-2015 5:32pm

annapr wrote: »

great session DG, you make it sound easier than your recovery run

Thanks Anna, in a way it was. It's impossible to get cross with 200s, they're gone before you have time to grumble

A long slow plod of 35 minutes where the legs are just not co-operating with the brain however.... :mad:

Dubgal72 · 14-06-2015 5:32pm

Sat 13
The Beer Mile, 0 miles, Kilbogget Park
Couldn't keep away from running so toddled along to the National Championships of the Beer Mile, sympathy bottle of Prosecco in tow

Nice and brisk in Kilbogget, the lovely hot day had turned into a bit of a chiller. Emer911 knew the score and had brought gloves and even a hat.

Saw a few familiar faces, Meno first, met the ex DrQ, 'Kevin and Kevin', had TRR, Chivito, timaaay and DR pointed out to me amongst others by a sidelined KC. Feck that 'not introducing yourself by your boards name because it is weird' rule; let's not pretend that the situation is for one nano-second normal so next year I am going to insist on boards name first, normal name next

(not just because a small "meno" started to trip past my lips at one stage....

)
Adrian attempted a feeble sand bag by telling me how tired he was.... :rolleyes:

Had a go at PM for the tameness of his costume and expressed my regret that I hadn't voted for the mankini....he agreed actually and c'mon, what a strategy to put off the opposition it would have been!! Met the lovely lady referred to in Yaboya's log as 'gf' and pleased to see that she actually has more common sense than her choice of beau would indicate

heehee.
Met Hannibal Smith, yay and had a lovely chat. The Fairview Bus arrived in good time with Annapr, aquinn, Murph and Bungy Girl sporting a Mary Poppins style bag

After which bag was opened and the clip board came out, the night started to take shape, bang bang bang, order and precision

Off they went and the faces as the laps went on was a sight to behold. Meno's strategic belching paid off, KU's slowish start worked too, despite being nearly last off at the start, he ate up the competition while looking more and more uncomfortable....Adrian soldiered on to a very very respectable sub 10 despite ripping his hand open on broken glass. I have to confess I misheard him and thought he had cut his pinkie on the bottle opener...five stitches later so he gets the Purple Heart award for guts in adversity

PM a close second, also a very healthy sub 10 despite the mental trauma of having to wear *that* geansaí

All in all a great night and strangely compelling viewing...not often you get to witness an Irish national record at such close quarters although I did get a little carried away at one stage and insist it was a world record...

The thread in itself is just brilliant. I wonder if we should break up the monotony of winter by having a xc beer mile or something like that? Beer, mud and puke, what a winning combination! See how those JTG dark horses do in some 'real' conditions eh

Sun 14

45 min recovery run. I have needed every hour of the two day recoveries between interval session this week! I had hoped to stretch the 45 mins to up to an hour this evening but the legs were just not playing ball. Taper now up till the track on Wednesday evening: 30 mins with strides tomorrow, rest Tuesday and a warm up couple of miles on Wednesday morning. See you on the other side!

Total: 6 days running, 33 miles or thereabouts
1 rest day
2 sessions, 1 Tarmac, 1 track
4 easy/recovery runs

Core, strength and general mobility: average, could do better ( see pep talk)

Bungy Girl · 17-06-2015 8:42am

Best of luck for later! Have fun out there

aquinn · 17-06-2015 3:06pm

Good luck, enjoy and mind yourself tonight.

annapr · 17-06-2015 3:14pm

Best of luck tonight, A, I hope you have a brilliant run

was hoping to get up to cheer you on but looking unlikely... we'll be with you in spirit!

Firedance · 17-06-2015 3:17pm

more good luck wishes here

Dubgal72 · 17-06-2015 3:25pm

Bungy Girl wrote: »

Best of luck for later! Have fun out there

I'll try....

aquinn wrote: »

Good luck, enjoy and mind yourself tonight.

Yes mammy

annapr wrote: »

Best of luck tonight, A, I hope you have a brilliant run was hoping to get up to cheer you on but looking unlikely... we'll be with you in spirit!

Thank you for even trying

Firedance wrote: »

more good luck wishes here

Thank you!!

I'll check in later

aquinn · 17-06-2015 4:05pm

So, all set.

This is Santry 7.30? Will try and make it. Will see if I can cycle up.

Watch the weather as it was warmer than expected on lunch.

aquinn · 17-06-2015 7:43pm

Delayed start, I'm nervous.

annapr · 17-06-2015 7:47pm

aquinn wrote: »

Delayed start, I'm nervous.

are you there? cool... we expect commentary!

aquinn · 17-06-2015 8:47pm

annapr wrote:

are you there? cool... we expect commentary!

I was going to record but thought I'd drop the phone. Will never be a track runner as jumped at each gun.

libelula · 17-06-2015 10:20pm

aquinn wrote: »

I was going to record but thought I'd drop the phone. Will never be a track runner as jumped at each gun.

Sure wouldn't a 'jump start' give you a couple of seconds advantage?

Dubgal72 · 17-06-2015 10:20pm

Race Report Graded Meeting #5 1500m, Santry 5:12 (unofficial)

I was quietly optimistic about this one. Recent training sessions were promising a good return. I had tapered well but kept the legs ticking over. Sleep could have been better but has been far less broken than previous months. I had practiced plenty of strong and positive visualisation. I had also welcomed the familiar track nerves when they surfaced closer to the day but channelled them and put them away when they showed signs of fluttering out of their box

Today was quite a relaxed day with only offspring #2 at home so no rushing around like the usual blue-arsed fly. He even played ball and napped for over an hour this afternoon. On the way in to Santry, I felt myself go into the zone. A bit tetchy and a bit quiet. Poor dad who was driving :eek: He's seen it all before though

Traffic was a bit snarly so we got there a bit later than I would have liked. Still plenty of time for a nice relaxed 40 min warm up: 20 mins jogging, leithreas, drills then strides on the track. First caution of the evening was my left Achilles when starting the first drill, gentle skips. Hmmmm. Left out a couple of the more dynamic ones just in case. ECOLII nowhere to be seen but I'm not sure it was sore enough at this stage to warrant any DNS advice. The strides didn't seem to aggravate it but at the same time it didn't go away.

The B race lined up and we were left waiting five minutes or so whilst the decision was made re combining the A and B races. Thankfully there was enough in each to warrant separate. Phew.

First lap: 78
Off we went and I settled into a comfortable fourth by the home straight. 58 or 59 for the first 300 and 78 for the first 400. Breathing a little heavy at 300 but legs felt fine. I was conscious that I needed to prevent the pace drop too much after 400 buuuuut...

Second lap 86
This is where I can't put my finger on it but I couldn't maintain and this lap is where I lost a few places. Nevertheless, I was surprised and disappointed to hear 2:44 called out at 800. Remember, I had gone through 800 in 2:45 in early May so had hoped for something around the 2:40 tonight.

Third lap 84
My focus tonight was to keep focus in this lap...and dig in no matter how I was feeling; tired or strong. So at least I managed to do that but it took a lot out of me.

Last 300 63
I had nothing to give this last bit, no kick, no nothing

Shame. That had been one of the more pleasurable parts of my visualisation :rolleyes: I could have tried harder to reel the athletes ahead of me in but I couldn't hear anyone chasing me so maybe I need to be chased?!

This felt a lot harder than the Wicklow Senior championship at the beginning of May. I had absolutely no kick left tonight, unlike the Wicklow's where I felt like a powerhouse.
My race was won in 4:59 I think but will have to see that confirmed tomorrow.

Aquinn came rushing to my rescue straight after the race as I stood doubled over on the track gasping for breath (A, it's ok, this is normal after a 1500

). She huddled me back to the start and ensured I 'got a drink into me'

Thanks A!
She also introduced me to AMK, getting ready for his 1500 debut but we didn't chat as i am sure the last thing he wanted was to make small talk to an internet randomer in the 5 minutes prior to his race

I repaid her kindness by forcing her to shuffle around the track with me for a warm down lap hehe. Achilles super tender by now :eek: but no twinge during the race.

The ladies A race went leaping round like gazelles, first lap in a super-speedy 72. Aquinn was more impressed when I put that in context: 70 seconds is a SINGLE lap which will get you on the 10 Round Numbers Table :eek: It was a championship race and was won in the champion-deserving time of 4:29.

AMK ran a fantastic 1500 race to finish 3rd in what he later said was his first track race. Didn't get to see TAFKA ECOLII run, or Krusty as the pa was driving and had to get him home for an early night in prep for his Wicklow Way Walk starting this Saturday

I limped a 1000m or so warm down and am now licking my wounds and icing that Achilles.
Really, it is early days in 1500 training yet. I have only completed three sessions and a longish run. Nevertheless, I had hoped to see a more significant move forwards. If you had asked me two months ago if I'd be happy with a 5:11 and 5:12 in the 1500 I'd have had a big smile on my face. See how greedy we get?! I suppose this is where other kinds of toughness come in to play: pick yourself back up, sort out the way forward....and move that way.

adrian522 · 17-06-2015 10:56pm

I know nothing about track races or 1500m so can't really advise but sounds like you gave it everything and ran the best race you could on the night.

Not to worry, I'm sure there will be better races to come. Also 5:12 is a damn good time by the way.

Firedance · 17-06-2015 10:57pm

Not sure if i gave you this before but in case its any use there' a great Achilles AIS stretch in it, the others are really good too...

http://www.runnersworld.com/stretching/how-to-stretch-your-calf-muscles

well done tonight, when the dust settles you will pick yourself up and move forward, we learn from the races that don't go our way as well as the ones that do. Hope the achilles heals quickly.

RedRunner · 17-06-2015 11:22pm

Well done A. Hope the Achilles isn't too bad. I'm still out with mine. They're a real biatch!

Notwork Error · 17-06-2015 11:44pm

You don't need to be chased DG, you just need to get into the chaser mindset. I find nothing better than focused agression on the runner in front(in a competitive fashion of course) like they are stealing something from you.

The person in front of you in any race feels the same as you do when being chased, full of fear. You have to aggresive when chasing someone and focus on attacking even if it's only thinking about gaining an inch on them, They'll sense it. Once you gain that inch, you're on the front foot and each step brings you closer to breaking them.

Not thinking about the finishline but just thinking of gaining on them with every stride, There's always that little extra in there when you start to gain on someone. That's my take on it anyway!

Well done btw! There'll be other races. A 5:12 is still a big step up over the last few months as you said and there's more to come. As you say yourself, patience young grasshopper, it'll come:)

KielyUnusual · 18-06-2015 7:08am

Well done DG. Nice to see that you've left the field of elite joggers and are now an elite runner

.

With regard to your race, I have also had difficulty in keeping the pace up over the second lap. All of my bad races have been lost here. I always thought it was too far out to be really pushing it but I've learnt from my mistake. You've really got to up the effort here to stick with the group you're in or if necessary overtake a few people.

What I found worked was really concentrating on the second lap and just forgetting about the rest of the race. I just got it in my head that I was going to get to lap two at a certain time or under and the rest of the race would be a formality.

Get down to the GV Ryan IMC meet in July anyway and there will be pacers. They may not be going at your pace but will make it easier to judge if you have dropped off dramatically in pace.

Good to get the first one out of the way anyway and you can learn from your mistakes and push on from here.

laura_ac3 · 18-06-2015 7:22am

Good going A. I won't pretend to know much about these kind of races but important to remember that a short while ago it sounds like you would have taken this time if it had been offered. Great that of course you never want to rest on your laurels or settle but the rest will come with all the hard work you're putting in and if you can build on areas you identify for improvement from the race. All a learning curve! It makes those good days when it comes together even sweeter

annapr · 18-06-2015 9:44am

Sorry to hear you were disappointed last night, A*. How do you feel about it now after sleeping on it? And how's the Achilles today?

*I'm still in awe of that time, but I know nothing!

Dubgal72 · 18-06-2015 9:52am

annapr wrote: »

Sorry to hear you were disappointed last night, A*. How do you feel about it now after sleeping on it? And how's the Achilles today?

*I'm still in awe of that time, but I know nothing!

Thanks Anna. Truthfully...Still disappointed. The Achilles is still very tender so I'm also a bit gutted that I *allowed* myself to get injured. My hips have been tight the last few days and I had a new stiffness in my left buttock (tmi? Sorry

) which is probably linked to the Achilles. I wonder if it affected my stride...clutching at straws here :rolleyes: I gambled on leaving a sports massage til after the race. I lost....
And ECOLII is away for a week :eek: How dare he?!

Dubgal72 · 18-06-2015 9:59am

adrian522 wrote: »

I know nothing about track races or 1500m so can't really advise but sounds like you gave it everything* and ran the best race you could on the night.

Not to worry, I'm sure there will be better races to come. Also 5:12 is a damn good time by the way.

Thanks Adrian

*coulda done better the last 100m :rolleyes:

Firedance wrote: »

Not sure if i gave you this before but in case its any use there' a great Achilles AIS stretch in it, the others are really good too...

http://www.runnersworld.com/stretching/how-to-stretch-your-calf-muscles

well done tonight, when the dust settles you will pick yourself up and move forward, we learn from the races that don't go our way as well as the ones that do. Hope the achilles heals quickly.

Thanks and thanks FD, really got to incorporate a thorough AIS routine. Wonder if Ososlo is up for hire?'

RedRunner wrote: »

Well done A. Hope the Achilles isn't too bad. I'm still out with mine. They're a real biatch!

Thanks R. Tell me about it....Yeah moticed you've been quiet for a while. Bad buzz

Notwork Error wrote: »

You don't need to be chased DG, you just need to get into the chaser mindset. I find nothing better than focused agression on the runner in front(in a competitive fashion of course) like they are stealing something from you.

The person in front of you in any race feels the same as you do when being chased, full of fear. You have to aggresive when chasing someone and focus on attacking even if it's only thinking about gaining an inch on them, They'll sense it. Once you gain that inch, you're on the front foot and each step brings you closer to breaking them.

Not thinking about the finishline but just thinking of gaining on them with every stride, There's always that little extra in there when you start to gain on someone. That's my take on it anyway!

Well done btw! There'll be other races. A 5:12 is still a big step up over the last few months as you said and there's more to come. As you say yourself, patience young grasshopper, it'll come:)

Thanks NE, you're right I know. Some great mind tricks there for use next time

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Well done DG. Nice to see that you've left the field of elite joggers and are now an elite runner .

With regard to your race, I have also had difficulty in keeping the pace up over the second lap. All of my bad races have been lost here. I always thought it was too far out to be really pushing it but I've learnt from my mistake. You've really got to up the effort here to stick with the group you're in or if necessary overtake a few people.

What I found worked was really concentrating on the second lap and just forgetting about the rest of the race. I just got it in my head that I was going to get to lap two at a certain time or under and the rest of the race would be a formality.

Get down to the GV Ryan IMC meet in July anyway and there will be pacers. They may not be going at your pace but will make it easier to judge if you have dropped off dramatically in pace.

Good to get the first one out of the way anyway and you can learn from your mistakes and push on from here.

Hehe thanks KU

Yep, lap 2 definitely going to be my focus next time, great advice thanks. The IMC sounds like a plan, I'll have a look now.

laura_ac3 wrote: »

Good going A. I won't pretend to know much about these kind of races but important to remember that a short while ago it sounds like you would have taken this time if it had been offered. Great that of course you never want to rest on your laurels or settle but the rest will come with all the hard work you're putting in and if you can build on areas you identify for improvement from the race. All a learning curve! It makes those good days when it comes together even sweeter

Thanks Laura, you're right, I know!

Bungy Girl · 18-06-2015 10:23am

Based on my now vast experience of track races (;)), can I just say

1. That is a super time
2. It was a 'warm up' for the main event - your words
3. You will be even faster and better prepared for the main event now

Sorry to hear about the Achilles, think we could all do with a masterclass from Ososlo. Hope it's better soon.

Dubgal72 · 18-06-2015 2:33pm

Bungy Girl wrote: »

Based on my now vast experience of track races (;)), can I just say

1. That is a super time
2. It was a 'warm up' for the main event - your words
3. You will be even faster and better prepared for the main event now

Sorry to hear about the Achilles, think we could all do with a masterclass from Ososlo. Hope it's better soon.

Thanks BG

. Had a good chat with Coachy earlier and he echoed point #2. He also said...oh wait, that's point #3. And he finished by saying...pretty much point #1

Hang on.....gets to the end of a Scooby Doo ep and unmasks.... :eek: you are coachy, I knew it!!

Ososlo · 18-06-2015 2:44pm

Bungy Girl wrote: »

Sorry to hear about the Achilles, think we could all do with a masterclass from Ososlo. Hope it's better soon.

ha ha you couldn't afford my masterclass:) what with my overheads (dressing gown rope:D) it'd take a lot of $$$$ to put that show on the road.

I've nothing to add DG except I can't believe that 1,500m isn't on the Round Numbers Table! I was about to send you the link last night for your super fast time and saw it's not on it! should be!!!!

Oh and well done. A great warm up for the next outing! I peered in over the fence to the stadium last night where all you real runners hang out but didn't spot you. Not that I've ever met you but I've seen pics! It might have been a bit early (7ish).
Really hope that Achilles is not troubling you much now.

Dubgal72 · 18-06-2015 2:55pm

Ososlo wrote: »

ha ha you couldn't afford my masterclass:) what with my overheads (dressing gown rope:D) it'd take a lot of $$$$ to put that show on the road.

I've nothing to add DG except I can't believe that 1,500m isn't on the Round Numbers Table! I was about to send you the link last night for your super fast time and saw it's not on it! should be!!!!

Oh and well done. A great warm up for the next outing! I peered in over the fence to the stadium last night where all you real runners hang out but didn't spot you. Not that I've ever met you but I've seen pics! It might have been a bit early (7ish).
Really hope that Achilles is not troubling you much now.

Hmmm, a Phoenix Park masterclass: a circle of internet strangers brandishing dressing gown ropes and assuming strange positions on the command of a pint-sized chief dressing-gown-rope brandisher...I love it! Where and when?? Consider me signed up!!

But seriously (actually the above bit is serious), thank you. And gutted you didn't see me! I was there at 7, jogging round the perimeter of the track

Unfortunately it is still a bit tender. Hopefully just inflamed and a good sports massage tomorrow night with therapist #2 will help towards sorting it out. Coachy has a few remedies and strategies and doesn't seem overly concerned for now. Funny, I had been thinking of signing up to a S/C class for a bit of structure and this has sealed the deal.

Firedance · 18-06-2015 3:03pm

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Hmmm, a Phoenix Park masterclass: a circle of internet strangers brandishing dressing gown ropes and assuming strange positions on the command of a pint-sized chief dressing-gown-rope brandisher...I love it! Where and when?? Consider me signed up!!
.

+1!

aquinn · 19-06-2015 9:02am

Morning,

How are you doing this morning? Ice and heat working ok?

Dubgal72 · 19-06-2015 11:06am

aquinn wrote: »

Morning,

How are you doing this morning? Ice and heat working ok?

Morning

and Thank You! I'm a bit perplexed, near-miraculous recovery

I was quite worried about this, I thought it would be a week of easy jogging if that. From hop-along Cassidy yesterday and Wednesday night to practically nothing today - ever so slight tenderness if I press really hard. Yippee! Sports massage tonight so that should help even more.

Target Practice

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