The breaks even out in the long run

El Caballo

hot buttered scones wrote: »

Well done and congrats on the PB!

Cheers HBS, hope to see you back and fresh soon.

Swashbuckler

Great report. Well done on the pb. Waterford is definitely one I'd consider for next year. Keep it up. Great to see.

Baby75

great report

clickerquicklic

Savage running well done.

El Caballo

These seem to be the done thing around here and I think they make interesting reading so might as well throw my hat into the ring.

Date|Race|Time|Comment
29/1/17|Milford 10k|41:24|Back training a few weeks, suprising result
26/2/17|Adare 10k|42:49|4 Mile tempo w/last 2 hard
21/5/17|Ballingarry 7k|29:17| No training for 2 months. The turning point in my year
24/6/17|Waterford Viking Half|1:33.02|Fastest Half in 3 years
5/7/17|Coillte 10k|41:15|Fastest 10k in 2 and a half years
20/8/17|Curraghchase 10k|41:09|Tough course. Seasons Best
17/9/17|Charleville Half|1:27:04|Second fastest half ever, fastest in 4 years
29/10/17|Dublin City Marathon|DNF 11 Miles|Came In Sick, made some mistakes and had a bad day
4/11/17|UL 5k|18:34| PB taking down my 5k best from 2013
11/11/17|UL 5k|18:39|High winds, 3rd fastest 5k Ever
2/12/17|Waterford Half|1:25.43|PB on challenging course taking down my old PB from 2013
17/12/17|Newmarket 5k|19:41|Poor lead up, return of black dog. No sleep

The year started off ropey enough for me as I kind of half heartedly jumped back into training after a long period off which I blamed on work commitments at the time, I really didn't see how I could work 70 hour weeks and train like I needed to so I just decided to run for the sake of running when I got a chance. I managed to pull of a surprise result in the Milford 10k and approached a coach to take me on. Unfortunately, that didn't work out as I was battling through a myriad of niggles and injuries and frustration eventually won out. I really just didn't want to run at all at this stage and didn't do a tap for the next few months.

Towards the middle of May, I started to get drawn back to running again. I was doing very little but was starting to get out 3 times a week. I ran a local 7k fun run where I finished well back in a field that I shouldn't of. This was the light switch moment for me and as soon as I got home, I registered for the marathon in Dublin as well as a few more races in the build up. This was something I posted in the sub-3 thread at the time which probably captures my mentality at this time better than I can right now

El Caballo wrote: »

I'm going to have go. At the training anyway and hopefully end up in shape to run on the right side of 3 hours. I've no delusions about it working perfectly as the time frame is short and I'm coming from a weak base so running a good marathon is the priority whether that's under 3 or over 3 and is something that I'll consider as the race gets closer. But I have to admit that nothing gets me motivated like a 2:xx marathon right now so if I have to live in dreamland of achieving that over the next few months to get me out the door everyday to train, I'll happily do it whether I can or can't:pac:

My mileage peak is probably going to be a lot higher than I've ever had going into a marathon before but overall, the training is going to be pretty simple and a case of get out the door and get it done. Racing schedule is also going to be light with a few races coming up soon just to gauge my fitness levels and then a break before hitting my buildup races in late August/September. Something like this:

Waterford Viking Half(June 24th)
Coillte 10k(July 5th)
Curraghchase 10k(August 20th)
Charleville Half(September 17th)

PB's:

1500m: 5:01(2015)
3000m: 10:45(2014)
5k: 18:34(2013)
10k: 39:46(2014)
10m: 65:34(2014)
Half: 1:26:26(2013)
Marathon: 3:15:29(2013)


As is clear from above, endurance is my biggest hurdle in attacking a sub-3 which is why I'm foregoing a racing heavy schedule like I normally would to get more focus on my long runs and weekly mileage. My schedule will build up to 6 or 7 days a week running and hopefully that will get me in the shape I need to be, whether it does is another question as time is probably not on my side coming from the level of fitness I'm at right now although I should get a better grasp after the half next weekend.

My buildup was really gradual and all just very slow easy runs and although I was struggling, I was starting to enjoy the no pressure element of the training and slowly buying into the long-term approach that coach was selling me. It didn't stop me from feeling like crap during races though from a lack of sharpness but I found that I could grind through them to pretty decent results all the same as I did during the next few outings in Waterford, Coillte and Curraghchase. I felt absolutely terrible as I wasn't used to the speed and turnover of race pace but strangely enough, I got a lot of satisfaction from that as I was getting faster and faster just off of easy mileage and the odd short tempo "where would I be a liitle speedwork?".

The half in Charleville was where it all really came to fruition though. I was really starting to hit my stride and I felt really strong from the first step that day. My half PB was always the one I looked at when I used to think back to my best days in 2013 and wondered if I'd ever get back to it again. Coming within 40 seconds of it in Charleville was a huge confidence boost and one I wasn't expecting until about 6 miles in when I realised what pace I was going at.

Training was going perfectly over the next few weeks but even at that, I knew my hugely ambitous plan of going from scratch to sub-3 in a few months wasn't going to happen. A post in the sub-3 thread 3 weeks out from Dublin probabably sums up my thoughts better:

El Caballo wrote: »

Just thought I'd give an update on this while I'm here and only a week out from the taper and inevitable madness so now's is probably to best time to write this down. The half in Waterford went decently enough although I felt terrible pretty much from the get go, Managed to finish in 1:33:0x to run my fastest half since this race 3 years previous which was a decent starting point but also a reality check in that 7 min/miles felt really quick at this stage,"How the hell was I going to run faster for double the distance?" was an overwhelming thought during the race.

I quickly moved on to the pancake flat Coillte 10k two weeks later and was finally starting to feel a bit better about running m and the result was much improved, ran 41:15 with a big negative split on the way home to a result I was delighted with as it was my fastest in 2 and a half years and I was starting to make some good progress back. The end of July/start of August proved to be a bit of a disaster as I missed the bones of 3 weeks with a chest infection I couldn't shake which put a big dent in my confidence of hitting a sub-3 or even a PB as I seriously considered just not running a marathon at all. Said I'd give Curraghchase a shot anyway a week later just to see where I was fitness wise. A tough little course but I managed to run 41:0x to top my time from Dundrum a month earlier on a much more challenging course which was really encouraging to say the least.

Over the next month, I got a decent spell of training together in the lead up to Charleville but was still unsure of where I was fitness wise going into the race. Decided to go with the flow and take a chance on the pace which rewarded me a time of 1:27:04 which was my fastest half in 4 years and second fastest ever. Probably left a bit out there as I faded a lot over the last 5k but I was ecstatic with the result as it signalled a return to form I thought would never come.


I didn't quite reach the volume and intensity of training I had hoped to when I posted the above quote as all my training has been pretty much base mileage with the occasional short 2-3 mile tempo so this will hurt me going into the marathon. As such, I think a sub-3 attempt would end badly for me so I've given up the ghost on that. It is what it is and I knew heading into this block of training that it was hugely ambitious of me to get a sub-3 clocking this time around. The sub-3 may be gone but this has been a hugely successful block of training for me in that it did indeed manage to get me out the door and motivated which was always the main goal. So whatever happens on Marathon day, I'll have this naval gazing post to look back on before the madness starts to kick in next week:pac:

As for the Sub-3, It's only a matter of time!:)

Admittedly, when writing that very post, I had never even considered what would be about to happen in Dublin a few weeks later but I was just as suprised thinking back how literally I took that last paragrah despite probably having the worst day possible. Usually, a performance like that would be it for me and lead to a complete running meltdown but this time was a bit different. I stepped off the course in Dublin content in the knowledge that I was fit and had got to the point where I was properly enjoying my training for nothing for nothing more than the act itself. Another quoted post:pac: but I find these a much better way of capturing the moment and thoughts throughout my year. This being the day after the Marathon:

El Caballo wrote: »

Dublin Marathon(DNF)

Where do I start with this? Usually, it would be to avoid it like the plague through equal parts anger and shame but strangely enough, I don't really feel either of those this time around, A little disappointed of course as it was my target race and I felt I had finally learned and become wise enough to nail a marathon but that wasn't to be. I just didn't feel it from the gun be it in my legs or the adrenaline, neither were there for whatever reason. I knew almost a mile in that my legs weren't feeling it but lived in hope that they would come around at some point but they never did and I called it a day at the tunnel 11 miles in when a redlining 8:02 flashed on my watch and I was eaten up by the 3:20 group. For me, there's was going to be no glory in grinding out a horrific 3:40/45, I've been there before in 2014 finishing in 3:56 on a bum knee after targeting the sub-3(even that day, the 3:10 guys didn't catch me until 21 miles) and that race haunts me to this day not because of the pain but because of how much it set me back(3 years later and I still haven't got back to that level and haven't run a PB either). I wasn't going to repeat that today just for the sake of it and to still feel the same way about the run so I felt like the right choice was to knock it on the head.

Distance running is often looked at as a grind it out sport which it is of course and many people will and have already criticised as well as a bit of Craic on the back of my running or lack of yesterday:pac: but I can live with this one. I know I made the right decision for me. I'm fit, probably more motivated than ever to make it up to myself and relatively fresh to follow through on getting back into training right away and finally take down a few Pb's that are a couple of years past their sell by date.

That was my overwelming feeling post race but I'm not going to lie and say I didn't have any doubt after the race. When you haven't run a PB in 3 and a half years and stuff like this happens, it makes you wonder if you ever will which is why I lined up in a 5k just 4 days after the marathon. Those thoughts were quickly vanquished as I crossed the line 18 and half minutes later to finally run a PB, thank fook for that:pac:. I quickly followed that with another 5k a week later finishing 5 seconds slower but in windy conditions before settling in to training again for the Waterford half. All went went well in the lead up and thoughts firmly shifted to finally knocking down my now ancient PB which I duly managed shaving 43 seconds off it and in doing so finally overtaking my old self.

Although Newmarket was originally planned as a sub-18 attempt, my buildup wasn't good as the contract at work is finished and I was left go at the end of November and going from not having a waking moment to think to having the whole day to myself at this time of year isn't something I cope well with. Bouts of insomnia, lack of appetite and general low energy don't go hand in hand with good performances and have a huge effect on training unfortunately but it will pass as I've a lot of things lined up in both personally and in running for the next year.

What I learned this year:

On the whole, it's probably the best I've had in a long time. I learned a huge amount about what makes me tick as a runner and the value of planning ahead. My biggest weakness over the years was that I was flying aimlessly through training and races. I could get motivated for short term targets but I had nothing planned for after or to fall back on. I suppose it's easy to think positely when everything is going right and you know that you are progressing but I think that good planning ahead is half the battle. While writing this, I started thinking about what I would be saying right now if I hadn't booked the half marathon in Waterford back in October. I'd probably be sitting here mulling over another year without a PB and ending it with a whimper of a DNF in Dublin. The last few races shaped this outlook even though the training was started long before the results came in. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the small things can have a huge effect and success is often just around the corner from percieved failure. I learned that the long-term approach to both planning and training can also bring short-term success and satisfaction, they don't have to be mutually exclusive and most of all to be corny as can be imagined, I learned how much I enjoyed running whatever the results may be.

Swashbuckler

Didn't realise you were from my neck of the woods!

El Caballo

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Didn't realise you were from my neck of the woods!

Haha, I thought you were a Kerryman tbh.

Swashbuckler

For four months of the year I'm a mobile home at the weekend kinda guy in Ballyheigue but born and bred in West Limerick.

denis b

Superb review EC. Plenty of fortitude on offer there mixed with realism and action. Not surprised that you won out.

El Caballo

Swashbuckler wrote: »

For four months of the year I'm a mobile home at the weekend kinda guy in Ballyheigue but born and bred in West Limerick.

We'll have to get you a green and white singlet;)

denis b wrote: »

Superb review EC. Plenty of fortitude on offer there mixed with realism and action. Not surprised that you won out.

Cheers denis. It definetely was an up and down year but I'm happy with how it played out and where I'm building to. Now to kick on from here:)

Safiri

Might as well go back home to this one again. I'm gonna defer Berlin until next year if I can. Marathon training isn't really compatible with my life right now so I can't do it justice in the short time frame. On the brightside, I have actual training to log for the first time this year after frustrating injuries early on an excessively hectic life since meant I've done sweet FA. Decided to do a race as a kick me up the hole "oh god, I've slipped so far" kind of motivation to get me going again. That fortunately didn't come to fruition and I'm left wondering what the hell is going on with my fitness!? That's a good thing though.

Friday 11th May- Curley Cunningham 4 Mile(25:12)

Running is a funny sport and makes no sense at times. Fastest 4 Mile in 4 and a half years and only 20 seconds shy of a PB. Admittedly, I would've probably destroyed that PB had I got in a 4 Mile race 6 months ago but I'm hugely suprised that I ran that quick and came that close given how little I've done over the last 6 months. I've run a ton of 4 miles in between my PB and this evenings race(probably more than any other distance) and never came close to either so to be able to run that fast as a rustbuster and starting point after a long spell of inconsistency is hugely encouraging:) Tells me the peak could be a lot higher this year if I get my ass in gear.

chickey2

Delighted to see you back logging. Looks like you're off to a good start!

OOnegative

Good man E, welcome back.

Singer

Nice one. Great to have you back, if entirely unsurprising

Safiri

So as I've been running a little more again over the last while, it's probably a good time to get this going again to build on the small bit of momentum I've got going right now.

The plan isn't all that much, I'm going with a fairly similar approach to what got me PB's last year, it seems to work well with my lifestyle and gets results. Basically going to be made up entirely of easy miles, moderate Aerobic tempos and occasional LT runs for now. Starting out with 3-4 runs a week and taking it from there. Usually after missing this much training, I feel terrible on most runs, that hasn't really been the case so far this year though, the tightness in my calves which has been the bane of my running existence for the last 5 years has disappeared out of nowhere and makess running feel like a pleasure. I'm still a mile off where I was but that's to be expected and not something I'm too bothered about, the goal for this year is to build fitness no matter where I'm starting from and that's about it.

On races, I'm signed up to run Charleville next month and want to run the Waterford half again in December, I haven't really thought out much in between yet as I'm a bit out of touch with the racing around this time of year as I'm usually running XC or a marathon.

Sunday 26th August- 9 Miles Long Run(No watch)

Windy and wet but infinitely more enjoyable than the normal Sunday Custom of being hungover and/or working that the last few months have brought. 3 loops of 3 Miles around my old loop from last years marathon exploits. Longest run in 7 months and not a bad starting point to kick off from here.

OOnegative

Give up the woodbines E?

Safiri

OOnegative wrote: »

Give up the woodbines E?

The short answer is no.

The long answer is well...long:pac: and involves a fair bit of internal dialogue that no one wants to hear so lets just say I'm working on it and plan to kick them as well as some other vices that need kicking which are holding me back from what I really want to do.

Murph_D

Safiri wrote: »

The short answer is no.

The long answer is well...long:pac: and involves a fair bit of internal dialogue that no one wants to hear so lets just say I'm working on it and plan to kick them as well as some other vices that need kicking which are holding me back from what I really want to do.

Wouldn’t mind hearing the long answer. Plenty of experience with all kinds of vices around here by all accounts. Might trigger some helpful dialogue.

eyrie

Safiri wrote: »

So as I've been running a little more again over the last while, it's probably a good time to get this going again to build on the small bit of momentum I've got going right now.

Good to see you back logging again, always enjoy reading your thoughts

Hope the training is going well

Safiri

Murph_D wrote: »

Wouldn’t mind hearing the long answer. Plenty of experience with all kinds of vices around here by all accounts. Might trigger some helpful dialogue.

Cheers Murph but I'll be grand, none of them are hard to give up, just a case of not living like I'm 19 anymore:pac:

eyrie wrote: »

Good to see you back logging again, always enjoy reading your thoughts

Hope the training is going well

Thanks eyrie. training ain't going great right now, I picked up a fairly bad strain in my Trapezius acting the muppet so been pretty much bed bound for a week now and am out of action for another 2 at least.

eyrie

Safiri wrote: »

Thanks eyrie. training ain't going great right now, I picked up a fairly bad strain in my Trapezius acting the muppet so been pretty much bed bound for a week now and am out of action for another 2 at least.

Ahhh really sorry to hear that, sounds very tough. I'm guessing that means Charleville is out? Hope you recover well anyway. Keep us posted.

Safiri

eyrie wrote: »

Ahhh really sorry to hear that, sounds very tough. I'm guessing that means Charleville is out? Hope you recover well anyway. Keep us posted.

Yeah Charleville was a no go eyrie, not too dissapointed as it would've been just a painful rustbuster.

Tuesday 25th September- 5 Miles(9:23 pace) inc. 6x8sec Hill Sprints

First run in about 3 weeks, I'm now in for all the county XC races so have to get off my arse and try and not make a show of myself out there, first race is County senior in a week and half so that's not going to be easy at 10 laps of 1k and going up that hill every lap but shur why not. Week after is Novice and week after that is Munster Novice, I'll be lucky to avoid the wooden spoon in all those.

Plan is to build a lot of mileage this year with some workouts focused on pure speed development and not get injured/distracted along the way.

Goals for 2018:

Avoid XC wooden spoon
Sub 60 400m at county/munster indoors
A sub-40 10k
A sub-19 5k

Safiri

Wednesday 26th September- 5 Miles Easy

So my calves are back at me, it's irratating to say the least and I'd give anything just to run without feeling like they'd explode. It's basically 5 years of this now. There's no real injury pain, they just start burning a few minutes into a run like the feeling of lactate and go pure dead and heavy. Somedays, they free up after a few miles and it feels like I'm running on air but most days, they just get worse and worse to the point where I feel like I'm just plodding and couldn't run faster if I tried despite running at a slow pace. I don't know what to do at this stage, Rest, stretching, strengthening does nothing. Even when I was going well last year, it felt like I was constantly fighting to keep going on most runs.

Thursday 27th September-5 Miles Easy

More of the same:(

ultrapercy

Safiri wrote: »

Wednesday 26th September- 5 Miles Easy

So my calves are back at me, it's irratating to say the least and I'd give anything just to run without feeling like they'd explode. It's basically 5 years of this now. There's no real injury pain, they just start burning a few minutes into a run like the feeling of lactate and go pure dead and heavy. Somedays, they free up after a few miles and it feels like I'm running on air but most days, they just get worse and worse to the point where I feel like I'm just plodding and couldn't run faster if I tried despite running at a slow pace. I don't know what to do at this stage, Rest, stretching, strengthening does nothing. Even when I was going well last year, it felt like I was constantly fighting to keep going on most runs.

Thursday 27th September-5 Miles Easy

More of the same:(

Have you tried magnesium rub and oral supplement. If you buy a bag of magnesium flakes in booths and dilute them in water and rub on it may help relax the muscle. Also try rolling a tennisball under foot before running to release the facia.

Safiri

ultrapercy wrote: »

Have you tried magnesium rub and oral supplement. If you buy a bag of magnesium flakes in booths and dilute them in water and rub on it may help relax the muscle. Also try rolling a tennisball under foot before running to release the facia.

Funnily enough, Someone was just asking about magnesium oil in the novice thread a couple of hours ago. My sports therapist used to always rub it on my calves after a massage years ago but I never used it myself. I didn't even know what it was for past it feeling kind of refreshing. I'll give it a shot.

SuspectZero

I think I've had more logs than usernames which is saying a lot:pac: but this is probably my most complete history of training online and it's an interesting read back if even if cringeworthly funny at times:pac:. I'm trying to make a comeback of sorts and probably need a bit of accountability as although motivation isnt at rock bottom anymore, the thought of having to get going again isn't very appetizing tbh as I know finding a rhythm will be a slog at first. It's been 3 years and a few days since I ran my last PB which was the Waterford half marathon in 2017(where the heck does the time go) and it's probably safe to assume I'm at my worst level of fitness since my early 20's. I've had two failed attempts at getting going again since that PB in 2017 so my goals are pretty low this time around but probably exactly what I need to focus on, just to get out running and get somewhat fit basically.

Goals:

Get out atleast 3 times a week
Complete scheduled distances no matter how slow I need to go
Start small and slow and build as I feel better(dont let my mind get bigger than my legs in other words). Getting out 3 times a week and running 3k for months is better than running 3 50 mile weeks and been back on the couch two weeks later.
Focus on progress from the couch, not against the ghost of the past
Work on cleaning up my diet and flexibility

I dont have any races or targets planned, have to focus on getting the fundamental aspects down before even thinking about that. I havent actually logged any runs yet:pac: but the plan is to start Monday and have a bit of accountability by writing it down first like this so we'll see how it goes fingers crossed.

OOnegative

Can I ask you one thing, keep the log going.

You have tons of knowledge to impart to this forum, stuff I will spend time to read, as would others.

Singer

Great to see you back! (he says as a lurker)

SuspectZero

OOnegative wrote: »

Can I ask you one thing, keep the log going.

You have tons of knowledge to impart to this forum, stuff I will spend time to read, as would others.

Cheers B! We'll see how it goes, the upkeep of the log is depends on my ability to get my lazy ass off the couch. Hope all is well with you!

Singer wrote: »

Great to see you back! (he says as a lurker)

Haha thx B! Maybe it's time to dust off your own one while you're here;)

AuldManKing

Super to see you back - hopefully see some welcome imparting of knowledge on various logs/threads.