The breaks even out in the long run

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Wednesday 21st October-

AM: 3 Mile Recovery

PM: 6 Mile Easy

Legs were grand today. One thing I'm noticing already from slowing down these run is it kinda feels like I'm doing nothing even though over the last few days, I've been running a good amount of miles, definitely room for tacking on more over the winter if I keep disciplined.....if that's possible for me:pac:

Training is back in my hands for the forseeable future since Monday. Coach has stepped down after having a baba so I'm on my own in seeing out the the last 3 and half weeks of the XC season, gotta get my ass in gear and put something together. It's alright really as the racing is heavy over the next few weekends so it'll be all about ticking over from week to week, the season has flown by so I've to start laying down plans for what I'm going to do when it's over. I'll definetely be going back into basebuilding and the safe hands of Malmo but the decision is whether to stick with the shorter road races as indoor track really isn't an option down here or take another shot at the marathon in spring.

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Thursday 22nd October- 5m Inc. 6x200m @5/6k pace w/200m jog rec

Grand!:) takin it handy.

Friday 23rd October- Rest


Pretty much all set for Sunday. We'll see how it goes.

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Saturday 24th October- 4m shakeout with a few strides

Feel in great form today, hit the road for a few frosty night time miles and the head is in a great place and legs aren't too far behind. Looking forward to it now.

We're one short for a club team tomorrow and the only ones heading from the county so there's no real pressure on except go out and run hard.

tang1

Safe to wish you good luck now I think, have a good one E.

Dubgal72

Best of everything NE! Go run hard so

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tang1 wrote: »

Safe to wish you good luck now I think, have a good one E.

I'm always open to some good mojo, cheers B:)

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Best of everything NE! Go run hard so

You're the boss A, will do my best:) well done today.

Firedance

Enjoy!!! and good luck

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Sunday 25th October- Munster Novice 6k XC

This will be a short one as I really don't remeber much from the race and it felt like it was over in the blink of an eye. 3 of us made the 2 hour trip to WIT in the sunny southeast, one short for a team but something that would stand to us with County senior coming up in three weeks time. A quick glance at the course and it was easy to see how tough this was going to be, it was on the side of a big hill with a constant climb into the wind for 3/4's of the 1500m laps. This was real XC with tufts of grass and a completely uneven surface.


The race started off really quick with a big lead bunch of 40 odd still intact halfway through the first lap, decided in good judgement to not go with them and settled into the smaller chase group of 7 or 8 behind which quickly wiggled down to just 3 of us at the top of the hill with the rest dropping off. We stayed that way until the second lap where I made a move on the steep downhill and opened a gap on the two lads and was still feeling pretty comfortable. By the time the it narrowed again, it was just me and one of the lads left and we'd some battle over the last two laps, tit for tat side by side stuff with the both of suffering big time.

I was the first to crack on the bottom of the last climb with just over 650m to go when he dug in and pulled away. The west Waterford guy was starting to catch up as well here as we came onto the downhill run for line. Tried my best to hammer it home from here but I could feel him closing up quickly until I found another gear with 50m to go and held on by the skin of my teeth.


Have no idea where I finished, it was well back in the field but I'd expected that to be honest, different class to county and great depth, might have snuck into the top 50. Happy out with how it went, handled a course that doesn't suit me per se, felt strong and my ex-coach seems to think I'm going well and progressing quickly so they are my big markers of success for the day:).

RayCun

that's a horrible course all right, I was down there with the juveniles a couple of years ago

Sacksian

Notwork Error wrote: »

Sunday 25th October- Munster Novice 6k XC

A quick glance at the course and it was easy to see how tough this was going to be, it was on the side of a big hill with a constant climb into the wind for 3/4's of the 1500m laps. This was real XC with tufts of grass and a completely uneven surface.

Brings back memories! That was used for the national novice in 2013 and was the most insane cross-country course I've ever raced on. It seemed to wind continuously up and up for most of the lap and then you had a ridiculous downhill at the end of each lap. It was also very muddy by December.

I went into it with a small injury and was off for more or less 3 months afterwards. I know another guy put his hip out on it!

You won't replicate something like that in training, so it'll definitely stand to you - well done!

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Results are in, 48th out of 63

It's a bit mental how much of a stepup it is to Provincial level. There was massively encouraging signs in those results though, a bit of internet stalking shows that the 2 guys I was battling it with have run in the mid and low 37's for 10k over the summer and the guy who finished 50 yards ahead ran a 1:20 half in Charleville this year, could I run those times on the road now? Not a chance I'd say but just mixing it up with those lads is hugely encouraging for my prospects heading into County senior.

Monday 26th October- 4m Rec

Calves were in full on rigour mortis today and felt really strained for most of this run, to be expected after the climbs yesterday.

Back into full flight tomorrow with training as it's two weeks to my next big race of the XC season with a tiny interuption of an indoor 400 this weekend for a bit of craic.

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Tuesday 27th October-

AM: 3m Recovery

Badly needed just to dust off the last bit of stiffness.

PM: 7m Inc. 8x400m @ Mile w/60s rest



Group session again tonight and the same session as last week Anyway, went with flow and hopped in with the lads again. Tough session so I did approach it with some caution and dialled the effort back this week as to not completely flog myself. Speed is definitely there.:)

Wednesday 28th October- 6m Easy

:eek: whatever about dialling it back last, my hamstrings weren't playing ball when I woke up this morning They were fairly sore which is unusual, normally it's my quads that feel the brunt of 400's so I skipped out on attempting this run at the crack of dawn and pulled the blanket back over my head. Been up the walls all week and haven't had a minute to myself so it was nice to finally get some peace this evening on this run. Legs were still fairly sore starting out but gradually got somewhat better as the run passed by.

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Thursday 29th October- 8m Easy

Hamstrings were still a little stuff today, not too bad but noticeable. The lads were heading back to track this evening but I decided to give it a miss after 2 hard enough efforts in the last few days. Just took it nice and handy around the hills instead, legs feel pretty good now.

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Friday 30th-Sunday 1st- Sick

Was supposed to run a 400m race yesterday but I wasn't feeling it over the weekend, was sick for the first time in yonks so I missed a few days as I felt like crap. Praise to the running God's for striking me down this weekend and not over the next two weeks though.

Monday 2nd November-7m Easy

Handy joy out to dip my toes in the water and see what's what. Seem to have come around again so this one was alright.

IvoryTower

Hi ne,

Who would be having a 400m race at this time of year, I thought all track stuff would be on hold until indoors or do big clubs hold these races all year round?

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IvoryTower wrote: »

Hi ne,

Who would be having a 400m race at this time of year, I thought all track stuff would be on hold until indoors or do big clubs hold these races all year round?

It was our County Indoors. They are held over a month before the season begins down here every year, Not sure why.

Not sure what it's like up in your area but I know one or two clubs hold outdoor winter meets but they are few and far between. Might be something to check out if you're looking to race.

This might interest you for the mile

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057499371

IvoryTower

yep it would, thanks NE

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Tuesday 3rd November- 6m Easy

Grand.

Wednesday 4th November- 6m Easy

That is all.

tang1

You taken on the Wild Garlic approach to logging or something?

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tang1 wrote: »

You taken on the Wild Garlic approach to logging or something?

Nothing exciting or troubling going on at the minute so not much to say, all is quiet:). Just ticking over between weeks of heavy racing so I'm not under any real pressure. No news is good news and all that.

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Thursday 5th November- 6 Miles Inc. 8x200m @ 8k Pace w/200m Jog Rec

Some race pace sharpening and a pretty easy going workout just to dial in some speed for the weekend. Legs feel pretty good which I'd expect after keeping the workload handy since Munster novice, really looking forward to Sunday now, we have a team which is brilliant so it's just a case of ticking over now and seeing how it all goes.:)

Wild Garlic

County senior XC?

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Wild Garlic wrote: »

County senior XC?

Munster intermediate XC 8k this week man. County Senior is on next week and we have a loaded team for that, should be a good battle.

Wild Garlic

Notwork Error wrote: »

Munster intermediate XC 8k this week man. County Senior is on next week and we have a loaded team for that, should be a good battle.

Ah good stuff, best of luck.

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Wild Garlic wrote: »

Ah good stuff, best of luck.

Cheers man! Made a bit of a cockup today. For some reason, it was in my head that it was Munster intermediate, it's actually Munster Senior 10k, away with the birds:)

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Friday 5th November- 5 Miles Easy

Dirty out there when I made tracks out the door this morning, place looked like a ghost town...even more deserted than usual:pac: but I'd the roads to myself and even a nice tailwind to carry me up the hill. The body felt alright, I'm itching to get going now as it feels like I've been in constant taper mode for the last few weeks so looking forward to blowing the doors off again on what I'm told is a flat and fast course in Beaufort, not sure if the lads are taking the mick or what on that as I've been around there before and it might as well be the Himalayas.

We'll see and either way, I'm pretty confident with where I am right now that I can handle any course that's put in front of me so no excuses.

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Saturday 7th November- 4m Shakeout w/ a few strides

Just taking it nice and handy this morning. Threw on the spikes and made my way to the soccer field for this run just for a change of scenery, seems to be some good zip in the stride so all set now.

tang1

Best of luck tomorrow E.

tang1

How'd you go?

Dubgal72

Yes, how?! Bet it was a real mud fest today! :eek: