Back to the Future

RedRunner

Catchup time:

9/8 - Easy lunch run. [EMAIL="6.2mi@8:51"]6.2mi@8:51[/EMAIL]

10/8 - Rest

11/8 - Rest again. Busy with work . Last day before hols.

12/8 - Rest again. Driving down to Clare for a week of R&R

13/8 - LSR 13mi @9:42. Hilly terrain around the Doonbeg area. Enjoyable but tiring.

14/8 - Rest

15/8 - 6mi @8:40. Briskish pace, blustery conditions and hilly terrain.

16/8 - Rest

17/8 - 3.2miles @9:12. Windy beach run at Doughmore bay. Lovely beach just behind Trump International Hotel & GC.

18/8 - Rest

19/8 - Short and sharp. 3.4mi :8:02. Back on home turf again.

20/8 - LSR 16.2mi @9:16. A bigger step up from previous week than planned but got caught up and persuaded by the club group. Glad to get it done. Increased pace at mile 14/15 and paid for it on last mile. Tired finish.
back hurting later in day mostly due to all the driving the previous work and possibly aggravated by LSR.

21/8 - Rest. Scheduled physio visit to review Achilles. Spent all the time working on the back and scheduled another visit for Thursday with Frank Duffy 10 in mind.

22/8 - Rest day again to allow back to settle a bit. Suspect disc is bulging.

23/8 - Test run so I can report to physio on progress. easy 8 miles @9:08

No issues with the back

24/8 - back to physio . usual guy on hols so I saw Aidan Woods instead. Guess he probably knows his stuff. Olympic team physio etc etc.
All clear to run FD10 but not race it and he did some manipulation work on the back and massage

4 miles easy @8:54 in the evening.

25/8 - Rest

26/8 - Frank Duffy 10. Tentative plan to do 8:30 min miles and for sub 1:25

Splits : 8:12,7:56,8:13,8:03,8:27,8:28,8:17,8:18,8:21,8:27

Happy days , got through it ok and ended up with 5 min PB although the old pb was pretty soft ( from 2012)

Chip time 1:23:29

Conservative steady run. No issues with ether Achilles or back.

27/8 - Rest

28/8 - Cycle commute both ways

29/8 - Easy runmute home - 6.1mi @9:13

Kennyg71

Nice going R, beach not best for Achilles, your going well.

RedRunner

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Nice going R, beach not best for Achilles, your going well.

Agree but it was wet firm sand so it was ok.

RedRunner

30/8 - Cycle Commute in am, 5.3mi @ 8:58 at lunchtime , cycle commute home in PM

31/8 - Walkmute Home in PM. Was thinking of introducing one of these a week to help with endurance for marathon without having to increase running days and increasing risk of injury. Any thoughts anyone?

1/9 - Cycle commute both ways

2/9 - Pre parkrun warmup 2mi @9:01. Bumped into AQuinn near end of this and we jogged and chatted for short while. PR 22:41 for avg of 7:28. Was in two minds what to do here. Had been thinking of going for the sub 22 during the week but didnt have the confidence so opted to do a hard first lap at least and see how it felt , with the aim of getting under 11 mins at halfway stage.Managed 10:57 as I passed MrsMc on the watch and held back on the throttle a bit on the climb up past the dog park. Picked it up a bit on the avenue but felt tough and I was pretty zonked at the finish. More work to do before sub 22 is going to happen but at least I'm building up some consistency in the 22s now. Post PR warm down of 1.7mi@9:55 to bring daily total to just short of 7 miles.

3/9 - LSR 18.02mi @9:32

Delighted to get this done. Had to bring the eldest to football match in Maynooth so got up earlier than usual 8am club run to get this done solo. Met the gang on the way back. Started out dry but got soaked in the end. First trip out to Merrion Gates this year. Coast was rather windy so opted to turn up castle ave in clontarf and back onto howth road for some shelter. Good plan methinks. Felt in reasonable shape most of way round and kept the pace around what I wanted so it's good to have another decent LR under the belt.

36 miles done for the week.

RedRunner

4/9 - Cycle commute both ways. I find this is good recovery the day after long run.

5/9 - 6.8miles @ 8:50 which I'm hopeful to be MP. At least somewhere between 8:50 and 9:00. There, I've said it now...:eek:

6/9 - Grant Thornton 5k - 1.14miles warmup at varying paces

3.12miles (a lot of zigging and zagging) @7:22 for a chip time of 22:50.

had no plan going into this so lined up hoping for 22-23 mins. It was hard to get going at the start with the crowds and then the rhythm was upset on regular basis trying to get past runners. I wasn't too bothered though as I just wanted a workout really.

Great to see all the Cru gang volunteering, Marthastew & Mr. Marthastew,AQuinn, Murph_D,. Hope I haven't left anyone out!

Felt pretty good throughout and had that ever so subtle feeling of improving fitness. The pace went to 6:50 at one point which I was very happy with as its probably first time that has happened this year.

Murph_D

Well done R - good workout, good time for what looked a comfortable run at the 2k point anyway.

annapr

Great to see it going well for you now R.... getting some consistency back.

Walking is good cross-training (so McMillan says anyway!).

RedRunner

Murph_D wrote: »

Well done R - good workout, good time for what looked a comfortable run at the 2k point anyway.

Thanks for shout out

RedRunner

annapr wrote: »

Great to see it going well for you now R.... getting some consistency back.

Walking is good cross-training (so McMillan says anyway!).

Good, I'll be doing more walking than running this week!:)

RedRunner

7/9 - Rest & Physio visit. Instructions are to take it easy, get the long run out of the way at weekend and then have an easy week. No need for any racing between now and DCM

8/9 - Extra day's rest for good measure;). Bought new pair of Brooks Adrenalines GTS17. Adrenalines are my shoe of choice for long distances.

9/9 - St Anne's PR--to road test the new shoes. with warmup and cool down total of 6.4miles including 23:49 pr progression run

8:22
7:51
7:27
(4:35)

10/9 - Original plan here was for 18 miles with a few MP miles thrown in. After some consideration decided I would go for 20 miles plain easy as it might be better endurance wise and getting time on feet. With a light week ahead and HM the following week i'm starting to run out of weekends for 20 milers so decided to give it a lash.

Because of kids football matches I had to do this one solo. Up at 6am, small bowl of muesli, took care of nature's business, taped up achilles, packed the gel belt I plan on wearing for DCM, put on the vaseline (for nipple protection) , got crippled last week with that. Extra measure of sticking plaster on top and then by 6.30 I was on the road at last.

Into town and out to Merrion gates was the plan and then I went out towards nature reserve at sandymount to pick up a little more distance before heading over east link and out to clontarf coastal route . Took the causeway in and this left me a little over the 20 so as I was feeling ok, decided to go for the 21.

21.03miles @9:29
Splits: 9:35,9:27,9:27,9:15,9:45,9:43,9:45,9:43,9:36,9:24,9:24,9:18,9:30,9:27,9:21,9:39,9:30,9:24,9:21,9:21,9:33


Fuelling strategy was 500ml of water with Zero tab. Sipped this every mile from 6miles until it was gone (at about 15). high five isogel at 12 miles then again (with caffeine) at 16 miles.

Thrilled to get this done. Jumped into cold bath straight after as is now my routine after LSR and legs recovered pretty well. Some stiffness later in day and icing of achilles.

No running now until Thursday probably so hopefully will recover well now and be fresh for following week.

I'm entertaining a bunch of Bankers (yes I know there's a joke there!) over next few days so there'll be no chance of running. We'll get a bit of work done too:)

S.L.F.

Amazing run RR, you're in flying form

RedRunner

11/9 - 13/9 - Nada. Hosting a big conference at work. Long days of working and entertaining

14/9 - Decided on another days rest. Start of a few days leave from work, because I deserve it....ahem!

15/9 - 7 miles @8:58

16/9 - St Annes PR - 22:43 Avg pace 7:23. Bit of a progression run

7:55
7:21
7:09

Big burst of speed at the end. Feeling it in the hamstring later.

17/9 - LSR 16miles @ 9:36. Hated every minute of it!

RedRunner

18/9 - Rest day, basking in the glory of the Dubs 3-in-a-row! Had the day off work too.

19/9 - No running. Just a cycle commute both ways and visit to physio for general check up and see if I am still on track for DCM. General view was good. Some tightness in calf and a knot in hamstring which were ironed out. General rub down on quads, calves, hamstrings and some work on the glutes.

20/9 - Cycle commute in to work. Runmute home.Plan was to do 10 miles and was going to try them at MP, which I think realistically is somewhere between 8:55 and 9:05.

Turned out as 7MP + 2.3 E. 9.34 miles @9:05avg

Splits: 9:04,8:42,8:48,8:52,8:39,9:06,9:00,9:39,9:49,(9:53)


Halfway through this run was feeling the left hamstring tighten up so decision was made to cool the jets at 7 and just ease my way home.

Very annoying. Some stretching , Icing and then heat applied later.

Dublin HM at weekend. Plan had been to try do it at a little faster than MP but might ditch that and just do it all easy given this is a very undulating new course and don't want to damage the hamstring unnecessarily. Will rest again for next two days and treat HM as a long easy run with a few added on before and after. It's not the "main thing" as someone round these parts would say.

21/9 - Rest

Wubble Wubble

RedRunner wrote: »

17/9 - LSR 16miles @ 9:36. Hated every minute of it!

RedRunner wrote: »

18/9 - Rest day, basking in the glory of the Dubs 3-in-a-row! Had the day off work too.

19/9 - No running. Just a cycle commute both ways and visit to physio for general check up and see if I am still on track for DCM. General view was good. Some tightness in calf and a knot in hamstring which were ironed out. General rub down on quads, calves, hamstrings and some work on the glutes.

20/9 - Cycle commute in to work. Runmute home.Plan was to do 10 miles and was going to try them at MP, which I think realistically is somewhere between 8:55 and 9:05.

Turned out as 7MP + 2.3 E. 9.34 miles @9:05avg

Splits: 9:04,8:42,8:48,8:52,8:39,9:06,9:00,9:39,9:49,(9:53)


Halfway through this run was feeling the left hamstring tighten up so decision was made to cool the jets at 7 and just ease my way home.

Very annoying. Some stretching , Icing and then heat applied later.

Dublin HM at weekend. Plan had been to try do it at a little faster than MP but might ditch that and just do it all easy given this is a very undulating new course and don't want to damage the hamstring unnecessarily. Will rest again for next two days and treat HM as a long easy run with a few added on before and after. It's not the "main thing" as someone round these parts would say.

21/9 - Rest

Day of contrasts all right! I'd say that, like me, you just wanted to get Sunday's run out of the way and then get ready for the final. Great days, long may they last

Your plan for Saturday seems to be roughly similar to my own. Might see you there.

RedRunner

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

Day of contrasts all right! I'd say that, like me, you just wanted to get Sunday's run out of the way and then get ready for the final. Great days, long may they last

Your plan for Saturday seems to be roughly similar to my own. Might see you there.

Yes, I think you're right, coupled with not much running in the previous days.

Great occasion in Croke park later that day though. Resilience and patience in abundance. I need some of that to get me through this marathon!

Will keep an eye out for you Sat.

Might be no harm to ease back on the Parkrun exertions coming up to the Marathon? With your low mileage there isn't much recovery time before the long runs the next day. Not saying don't run then but at an easier effort.

RedRunner

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Might be no harm to ease back on the Parkrun exertions coming up to the Marathon? With your low mileage there isn't much recovery time before the long runs the next day. Not saying don't run then but at an easier effort.

Totally agree. Was just just thinking that myself the other day. Too risky now with only a few weeks left some more decent long runs in.

RedRunner

Dublin HM - Disaster on so many fronts but most importantly for me....DNF :-(

Had to drop out after four miles due to hamstring problem. Was long lonely walk back to the start. Hopefully DCM chances not ruined now.

Just as well I wasn't badly injured though. Not a medic in sight

OOnegative

RedRunner wrote: »

Dublin HM - Disaster on so many fronts but most importantly for me....DNF :-(

Had to drop out after four miles due to hamstring problem. Was long lonely walk back to the start. Hopefully DCM chances not ruined now.

Just as well I wasn't badly injured though. Not a medic in sight

Sorry to hear that R, hopefully not serious.

Wubble Wubble

RedRunner wrote: »

Dublin HM - Disaster on so many fronts but most importantly for me....DNF :-(

Had to drop out after four miles due to hamstring problem. Was long lonely walk back to the start. Hopefully DCM chances not ruined now.

Just as well I wasn't badly injured though. Not a medic in sight

Fingers crossed for you. I certainly wasn't expecting to see you after less than 4 miles.

Kennyg71

Sorry to hear that R, hopefully minor setback.

Murph_D

Ah no, tough break R, fingers crossed.

Younganne

Sorry to hear that R. Hope its nothing serious.

annapr

+1 R, really disappointed for you. Fingers crossed only a temporary setback.

RedRunner

annapr wrote: »

+1 R, really disappointed for you. Fingers crossed only a temporary setback.

Thanks Anna. I will make it, come hell or high water!

RedRunner

Been feeling good all week. Not an ounce of issues with hamstring. had even been doing strengthening exercises.

Decided to try a short slow run today..........

2 miles in it went again. Sniper shot to back of leg.............FFS!

#Distraught

HelenAnne

Very sorry to hear that.

Duanington

Sorry to hear that R.

Maybe its time to get fully recovered and look at a good block of base building for a spring marathon?

You've obviously got the hunger and desire to run one, the niggles popping back in the manner they did would point towards the need for a sustained period of conditioning?

I'm in a similar boat myself by the way so completely feel your pain ( well, my issues weren't hamstring related but you know what I mean).

Anyway, recover well - catch up soon

MonsterCookie

How have you been since Robbie. Assume you're resting as much as possible now?

annapr

Bummer to hear this Robbie!!

+1 to DD's comments above... although I would say do the base building before even thinking of a marathon... hopefully the hamstring will be ok soon.