Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose

diego_b

5.5 miles completed tonight....starting at the Apple green petrol station on the Clonskeagh Road, a little trot up the Clonskeagh road (and it does feel like a little drag upwards there)...taking a left turn onto Roebuck Road, up that little oul hill (I found that okay but I hadn't run 20miles at that point, it is reasonably short as hills go in comparison to the west of the country that I live/run in these days). Left turn then and the nice downhill that is Fosters Avenue. Onto the Stillorgan dual carriageway, over the UCD flyover....another trot for a few mins more than down Nutley lane....again enjoyed the little downhill that felt to be. Left then onto Merrion Road, straight on through Ballsbridge...past the RDS and then the final mile or so to finish at Merrion Sq. That was the last 5.5miles or so of the DCM 2015 route which I ran with a mate this evening, we didn't get started until 7:15pm which is a bit later than I normally run these days but as I was up to Dublin for the night I wanted to get some of the route in. It was pretty warm tonight as well but was grand enough throughout.

Avg pace was 9:48min/mi
Avg heart rate was 154bpm
Splits
10:12
9:42
9:34
9:41
9:50

Have to say I found it odd running in an urban environment again as it's been quite a while, I've gotten used to just the cows in the fields for company and even those friendly Kerry dogs. I will be up again towards the end of September and hope to do all going well do my 20 mile LSR...as I was suggested before maybe a few might fancy meeting up to do that.

One issue for me this evening is my right Achilles is a bit sore since my run yesterday at lunchtime, there was half a mile in that run of a good hill to run up so maybe I have hurt it a bit. Not the first time I have ever felt it, normally the kinda thing I get after astro soccer (but been month since I played and felt this). Oddly it's fine to run with but I can feel it a bit walking. I have a physio appointment booked for Tuesday morning anyways for a sports massage but wondering am I safe to do my lsr this weekend even it stays as is...tomorrow is a rest day but guess I could leave my run till Sunday to do an extra days rest if needs be.

diego_b

14mile LSR this morning starting at 9:10am....I am in wave 2 for DCM so said I will start at 9:10am today for a change as I will on the day. I had some concerns about my achilles as I posted on Thursday night but I following MrsMc's suggestion for a good foam rolling session on the calf muscles so I did that before going to bed last night and then some more this morning. Things were feeling good so said I'd go for it. It was a run I was looking forward to ask I was going to be running from my parents home (just outside Borris in Ossory) where I grew up to the nearest town (Roscrea, 7 miles away) where I went to secondary school. In my youth I thought it too far to even cycle only for a handful of times and today I was going to run it and turn around and run home!
I brought my water belt with the High 5 Zero in it, and extra bottle to stash around the 3 mile mark for me to collect on the return leg. It felt like it was going to get pretty warm so said might as well have the extra water to hand. Decided to do the run at MP+1min so around 10min miles. Total run took me 2hr 20min 36secs so was pretty close on the pacing.
Carried 3 shot blocks with me that I took every 3 miles and I also took a standard high 5 gel at 6 miles...I had an isogel with me as well but I like to keep them as they are the ones I use more in races.

Avg pace 10:02, average heart rate 147bpm
Splits
10:20
10:01
10:03
10:04
9:57
10:01
9:52
10:07
9:53
9:56
10:02
10:04
10:10
10:02

My Achilles felt fine throughout but I did start to feel a bit of discomfort in my calf on the same side after about 7 miles but I would have graded it very low on the pain scale so kept tipping away. It was a bit sore afterwards but I gave it a good going on the foam roller and that seems to have helped. I have already got a sports massage booked for Tuesday morning at 8am so if I still have an issue with it then I will get it checked out by the therapist.
Got back to Kerry this evening and wearing my new Saucony Ride 7s around my home to try break them in (likely to be the ones I do DCM in all going well), feeling good so far and the calf as well seems to be happy with itself so hopefully nothing to amiss there. Got a new foam roller in Dublin yesterday as well and that definitely made a difference comparing it with my old foam roller for the resistance it offers.

diego_b

3 mile recovery run this morning, worn my new Saucony Ride 7s and they seem grand. Not much difference between them and the Breakthru's only a small bit more cushioning. Went up half a size in them as well as the toe box is slightly different in them. Using a lace lock they work well and give me that extra couple of mm's I think I need for foot swelling over the really long runs.
Today's avg pace was 10:15 min/mi. Calf feeling pretty good, think the foam rolling is sorting it out, guessing I had a proper nice knot there or so it seemed yesterday.

diego_b

Sports massage this morning and that went grand, pt says I'm in good nick at the moment which is nice to hear. Achilles issue was due to an ankle issue that she says has been fixed now with an adjustment. Just wear and tear there.

Mixed session tonight with my club.
Got to training early so I did a mile and a half warm up.
Training started then so some easy running to warm up then did two miles at around mp. Some core work and warm down.
Covered 4.85miles at 10:49min/mi but some of that was down around 9min/mi.

Singer

diego_b wrote: »

14mile LSR this morning starting at 9:10am....I am in wave 2 for DCM so said I will start at 9:10am today for a change as I will on the day.

If you wanna get all OCD about it, the clock goes back the weekend of DCM, so it'll actually feel more like 10:10am

diego_b

Singer wrote: »

If you wanna get all OCD about it, the clock goes back the weekend of DCM, so it'll actually feel more like 10:10am

Does it...that is good to know actually. I actually thought about that last week to check it. Kinda annoying that but guess being out earlier on LSRs than needed is better than later.

diego_b

Small training update this morning, got out early (7:15am, earliest time ever for a training run) and did 3.2 miles @ 10:07min/mi (I did 4.85m last night in training and don't want to exceed the mileage target for the week). Will do the 8 mile run in London tomorrow and the 19mile LSR over there as well on Saturday.

diego_b

Set out for an 8th mile easy run tonight around Hyde Park in London, didn't get started till 8pm so the available light was going to be an issue. Decided I'd do one lap going anti clockwise inside the park around the perimeter...4 miles and then see how I was fixed with light and tiredness (had been going all day with traveling over here and wandering around the shops with my wife). So the first lap went grand but the last half mile of the 4 was tough as it so dark. Really lovely place to run I have to say and plenty of people running as well which was nice.
Decided then to do a clockwise lap retracing my steps but on the footpath outside the park...where I could benefit from the street lights. On the way back around Kensington I took a slightly wide lap (didn't know where I was going) and with buildings it wasn't so easy to keep the park on my right hand side as I thought it would be. Meant I ended up the run with 8.72 miles but have to say I felt great on the run and felt I could have kept going for a lot longer if I wanted too.
Hopefully feel the same doing the 19 mile LSR over here!
First time ever running outside of Ireland as well tonight so that was another first for this marathon programme for me.

Distance: 8.72miles
Avg pace: 10:01
Avg heart rate: 144 (interestingly it started off high for the first mile in the 160s but then settled right down to a low avg for that pace for me)
Splits:
10:21
10:04
10:00
9:43
10:32 (stopped for a sec to cross the road and checked a map as well)
9:49
9:51
9:43

diego_b

Funny how these LSRs affect me, I am wide awake now after been knackered tired earlier and all the way through to this evening. Will get to bed soon anyways, planning on doing my recovery run in the morning. Last run in London for me in this little break.

Today's run went well but it was tough at spots. It was a challenge in ways planning a route but managed well and only had to do a small little loop for the last 0.3mile or so. Started at 9:20 running from my hotel on the North side of Hyde Park doing half an anti-clockwise lap of the park. Linking to Green Park at Hyde Park corner and then doing half a clockwise lap there before running past Buckingham Palace and up the Mall. Enjoyed those segments a lot and was cruising as I turned at Trafalgar Square to run down Whitehall. Ran down past Downing St to Parliament Sq and around the block there (past Westminster Abbey and Big Ben) anti clockwise before going across Westminster bridge and onto the South Bank. Crowds were starting to build there and I needed to slow down and weave a small bit, used the toilet facilities in a McDonald's there (aside from milkshakes and the very odd Big Mac that is all they are good for). Once I got past the London Eye it all opened up along the bank and started meeting loads of runners doing their runs. It was interesting to me as there was some real flyers about, just to note as well that non of the best form runners I saw were wearing earphones. They were smooth, almost effortless machines, one lady that passed me looked a bit like Jessica Ennis (I should say the ridiculously great and lovely Jessica Ennis that she is) but obviously was not her. This lady was clad in Nike top to toe.
I got down as far as the Tower Bridge then after a few miles and ran across...this was very cool too and then I did a full lap around the Tower of London before taking off back down the North Bank.
North Bank was more challenging as plenty of ducking and diving around buildings for a bit to find the route but managed grand. Having to run up steps at points were challenging!
Eventually at around 11 miles I was back down at Westminster Bridge and decided to stop for a min just to have a stretch and think about the next 7-8 miles or my route. Decided the South Bank was gonna be it but in the opposite direction to what I had ran and down towards Battersea Power Station.
That choice proved a good one and was able to rattle off a few more miles and cross back over the Thames on the Chelsea bridge. I was getting properly into the guess the road/path to follow but managed fine. Spotted a sign saying Westminster and said I'll follow that with the idea it would bring me right back to Parliament Sq and after 3 miles or so it did. Started to retrace my route then back up Whitehall to Trafalgar and back down the Mall towards the Palace. It was around 12-12:30 now and the heat had gone up a notch and good crowds around so started to feel it with those two challenges. Had to stop at traffic lights on the Mall and that hurt...really rather stay going than stop. Ploughed on through the middle of Green Park then. But then had another two min stop at traffic lights this at Hyde Park corner and that was even tougher to get going from. I had just over 17 miles done then and knew I was gonna find it tough, said I'd plough on right up the middle of Hyde Park knowing that I should be fairly close to 19 miles when I get back to my starting point. The last mile was tough going and yet I kept going even though my pace had gone to hell and heart rate upped too. Before that point down around Hyde Park corner when I was stuck at those lights with 17 miles done I said today is all about these last two miles to come, it's just I needed to run 17 miles first to get the feeling of that into my legs and to handle the pain and slog that is to come now. I just pulled myself up and said keep going till you hear the beep on the watch. I was delighted when it came, finished in 3 hours 16mins 16secs. My longest ever run by a good 20 plus mins and 2 miles.
Back to the hotel then I went with some slow watching for stretching and an Epsom salt bath.

Distance 19miles
Avg pace 10:20min/mi
Avg heart rate 151
Splits
10:49
10:13
10:39
10:08
10:46
10:15
9:52
10:24
10:39
10:01
10:41
9:51
10:25
10:03
10:11
10:34
9:58
10:12
10:35

Carried about 600ml of water (with high 5 zero) in it and drank all that. Would have taken more if I could. Took an ISOgel at 6.5miles and one at 13miles with 4 cliff shot bloks...one every 3-4 miles or so. Also took two sports beans I brought with me, seriously sugary things those, doubt I'd use them over something like the Cliff Shot Bloks.

diego_b

Very easy 2 mile recovery run this morning in Hyde Park, avg pace was 12:25 min/mi. Legs felt a bit stiff in the first mile but grand then.
Did loads of walking today as well and legs feeling grand really.

diego_b

5 miles easy tonight, back home in Kerry and with all the unpacking I didn't get out till half 7 (late for me these days). Felt tired before I started running so thought it might be tough.
Heart rate was a bit up in the first mile, higher than normal for the pace but then it settled right down. Felt very comfortable throughout and upped my pace a little each mile before slowing in the last half mile.
Felt I could have ran for a lot longer at the pace. Planning to do my 8 miles from the boards plan tomorrow morning.

Distance 5 mile
Avg pace 9:53min/mi
Avg heart rate 145
Splits
10:12
10:06
9:41
9:31
9:53

diego_b

8m easy earlier on today, off work today so took a small lie in this morning. Started run just after 11am.
Run went well, felt very comfortable throughout.

Distance 8m
Avg pace 9:51min/min
Avg heart rate 149bpm
Splits
10:06
9:44
10:05
9:52
9:36
9:43
9:34
10:09

diego_b

4m club session last night, mixture of about 0.5mile on the road, 1 mile on trail and the rest on roads.
Left out the strides from the boards plan ahead of my race tomorrow as I think I am doing the strides too fast and wary of injury.
Some strength and condition work to finish.

Distance 4m
Avg pace 10:14min/mi
Splits
10:33
10:14
9:28
10:41

diego_b

Race report for Dingle Half Marathon

Today was my final scheduled race ahead of DCM, in preparation for the race during the week I was debating how hard was I going to push it. Decided on a A goal of 1:52 (8:32min/mi....that was 28 seconds off PB from Killarney back in July) and a B goal of beating the previous PB I had set back in June (which was 1:55:40 at the Half on the Head, a similar hilly course to today's route). No C goal really but said if things were going bad I would drop to my pmp of 9:09 and use it as a mp run.
How I decided on the pace was that I have a good 6 weeks or more training since the last race and whilst today was to be a hard course I figured that a pace a little slower than my last 10K race on the August bank holiday was achievable (I averaged 8:19min/mi that day and remember saying to my coach afterwards that whilst I don't think I could have run any quicker if he told me to do a second lap of the course I think I could hold the pace).
I did up a pace band (you can see them here I have only used them in half marathons to date but expect I will use one on the full.
Part of the reason I use them is that I can add dots/codes to each mile to let me know if there's a hill (up/down) and when the water stops are.

Preparation last night included the now regular routine of getting all the bits and pieces ready for the morning. As I was driving to the race, about an hour from I packed spares of most things. The OCD type behaviour kicks in sometimes, my current idea is needing spare laces!! Anyways got to bed about half 10 and sleep so so....again to be expected. I get excited like a child before Christmas with these things.

This morning, was up at 6:15 and got on my gear after putting on sun cream and body glide on the necessary areas. Missed putting body glide under my arm and as I was wearing a singlet I would pay for that later with chaffing.
Had a normal breakfast and was on the road about 7:10. Parked up in Dingle around an hour later. Conditions were looking very favourable in being nice and bright but not especially warm I felt. Heading down to the Marina to meet some club colleagues and did a warm up 0.9 of a mile with one of them. Nice and handy and feeling pretty good. Last minute dash to the jacks as always and then into the starting pens.

Quite a large number at this race, I think around 1800 starting mixture of half and full starting together. We would all run together out to Dun Chaoin before the halves would split off the to finish near Kruger and the full would continue on the complete the Slea Head route.

Mile 1
Took me about a minute from the starting horn to get to the start line, I started nice and handy for the first few hundred meters and let the crowd break up a bit. It was quite tight and I didn't want to be wasting effort weaving. First hill was in the first mile but checking my HRM and pace and felt good. Tip away. The watch beeped at 8:28 so happy days I was right into my pace with a few secs to spare.

Mile 2
Was running within a good crowd at this point and things were quite jovial. Mile 2 was pretty flat that I can remember and we were well out the town then and well settled into the race. Split was 8:26 so still all good

Mile 3
This as I'd noted on my pace band was going to be a steady climb for a mile and a half. Was feeling fine and kept an eye on my HRM to make sure I wasn't overdoing it on the hills. Expected to slow slightly with these but could gain it back as there were some downhills to come. Breathing was really good so far into the race. Split was 8:29, thought that was possibly a bit fast but que sera.

Mile 4
Still climbing, not that noticeable but just your effort levels would go up. About half way through this mile it opened up a bit and there was a slight downhill which was nice. Got chatting with a couple there for about half a mile and that blew that mile away to be honest. Split was 8:26.

Mile 5
Still enjoying the general decline (guessing opposite of incline!) and was really motoring now. Starting thinking a bit about the PB and would I be good for it. Guessed if I could maintain the same effort and keep banking a few second would secure me for the bad hill at the end to come. Split was 8:21.

Mile 6
Bit of a climb here again, can't really remember this one but still things were going well. Took my one gel for the race about halfway through the race. I was taking a clif shot block every 3 miles or so as well. This is my current plan for DCM as well, seems to work okay for me and I keep the tank topped up before it empties. Split 8:33, first one above my target split of 8:32 but unconcerned as had a few seconds banked.

Mile 7
Starting to feel a little bit umcomfortable at this point and I had noted that the tongue on my left shoe had moved downwards and putting pressure on the top of my foot. It wasn't bad but I debated for a few mins what to do....never had runner issues before mid race but said look stop for a sec. Pull the tongue up and see how it goes, was concerned I would have to relace back up. Anyhoo pulling the tongue seemed to sort it so we trucked on. Split was 8:38, figured at least 5-10 secs lost slowing down and starting back up after messing with the shoe.

Mile 8.
We again were on the upward curve now and I was starting to feel it tough, can't really remember what my thoughts were on the run this time but I do remember saying to myself run tall and checked for tension in my shoulders and arms. I also was saying run smart to myself at times to keep things in check on the pace front. However when I saw the split time of 8:54 I was thinking feck, am I starting to blow up here. Checked my pace band for my overall target time for the race and I was still on the money. Decided to try speed up slightly and then check things at the 10 mile marker.

Mile 9
This was quite nice out around this part of the peninsula, I start thinking sometimes with these when you see cliffs, islands, the sea and that that we are running at the end of the world! This part of the course was flat and I could feel a second wind maybe coming so decided to start to push a little ahead of my 10 mile checkpoint. Split time was 8:30....we are back in business!!

Mile 10
Much the same as mile 9 for me, this part of the course was a bit windy and even a small headwind at spots but seriously lovely and the cliff face was shading from the sun. Ran the race with sunglasses, I do most races but no real need. I was motoring at this point I felt so when I went past the mile 10 marker on the course I checked my pace band which had a target on 1:25:29. As I passed the sign I saw my watch 1:25:30....proper smiled at that. I asked myself how do I feel and my answer was one word, strong.
I knew I had almost 30 seconds to play with then if going for my PB and said look you have to run 3.1 miles....something you have done weekly now for 2.5 years so this is an easy distance now....lets see how fast you can do it. Dropped the hammer proper. Split time was 8:13.

Mile 11
Fairly well tipping it now and passing people at a steady rate, really enjoying myself now and started to think thank you boards plan, dubgal et all I am in proper good nick for this sort of stuff now. Split time was 7:57 (this to note is my flat out 10K speed before DCM training).

Mile 12
I knew it was coming and there she was hill in all her glory, the hill I had heard about a few months back. Decided to ease back a small bit and make sure I wasn't blowing too hard to keep something for the last mile and change. This hill was nasty, it had dips in it and bends so really had no clue as to how long it would go really but I did know according to my research that by the end of the mile it was going to be done. The last part where we crested over the top was the worst, was hoping that was the end as I was hoping my good work would not go to waste. Split time was 8:36 so I lost very little on planned average.

Mile 13 and to the finish
I knew this was going to be flat even with some downhill so I decided to give it everything I had to be honest. I had spotted the 3:45 pacer for the marathon so think I passed him in my final sprint to the finish. As the half and full runners were split I wished good luck to the full people nearest to me and one of them said thanks and told me I shouldn't be able to talk really now and drive on hard for the finish. I said you're right and gave it a proper flat out push from the 13 mile mark to the end. Sharp 90 degree turn so didn't see the clock till going over the line and gave it socks celebrating when I was the gross time of 1:51:40...knowing that even that was better than what I had set out to do.

Distance 13:1miles
Time 1:50:34 (chip time from race, 1 second slower than my watch but all good)
Avg pace 8:22min/mi
Avg heart rate 171bpm (steady throughout but increased in the last 3 miles which I would expect as to how I ran them and the course profile)

Overall thoughts, loved the race and will do it again. There was a good few of my clubmates doing the race so that was nice to meet them before and afterwards and in general whilst people find the race hard everyone seems to enjoy it for the most part. Was happy with how my race planning worked, need to have a check on how I'm lacing my runners....had tried a lace lock in the last few weeks on LSRs and I'm not sure about it....might go back to the standard knot I use. As I said in the prep section I forgot to apply bodyglide under my arm and got a fair amount of chaffing from my singlet top....something I won't miss in future.

So my last race before DCM and I think if it had been a flat course I could have maybe broke the 1:50 mark. I am training for the 4 hour time for the big day and at least with a time like today I am proving more to myself that I might be capable of getting close to 4 hours. I am currently in two minds but obviously more training to come and I am responding well to it. Go with the 4hr pacers and risk 4:05-10 when the fatigue I have never experienced kicks in or go with the 4:15 pacers and possibly enjoy the experience more and push with a strong finish if I am capable of that. No need to answer that yet as back to training next week!

yaboya1

Good stuff diego.
Training going well, so at least you'll have the marathon to look forward to after Kerry get hammered in a fortnight

diego_b

yaboya1 wrote: »

Good stuff diego.
Training going well, so at least you'll have the marathon to look forward to after Kerry get hammered in a fortnight

Haha I'll pass that onto my wife, she's the Kerrywoman....I'm from Laois originally so I can't say much at all!!

yaboya1

diego_b wrote: »

Haha I'll pass that onto my wife, she's the Kerrywoman....I'm from Laois originally so I can't say much at all!!

Yes, stick to the running

diego_b

3 mile recovery this morning, did some foam rolling first and then some stretching afterwards. Feeling in good nick after the race, quads a bit tender in spots but nothing bad or unexpected.

Avg pace for this morning was 10:37 and I did feel I was having to hold myself back. Guessing the buzz I have from yesterday's race still in the system.

diego_b

Two sessions this evening, short 1.75 run on Banna Strand at 6pm approx...avg pace was 10:20min/mi.
After that a club session on Ballyseedy Woods just outside Tralee at 7pm, covered around 4.67 miles @ 11:29min/mi.
The GPS is way off to be honest for stuff like trail running in the woods, cannot hack the tree cover so I keep an eye on the heart rate to keep the effort easy. Feeling well recovered since the race anyways!

diego_b

Headed out for the 1m w/u 9m pace 1m c/d around half 5 this evening and was very happy with. Warmup mile was a small bit faster than planned, also my heart rate monitor gave up the ghost for some reason so was proper running on feel there afterwards. Splits as follows:

9:47
9:35
9:25
9:29
9:25
9:23
9:29 (turned in the start of this mile so lost a few seconds)
9:26
9:28
9:26
10:41

Really loved the splits on that run and I was running comfortable throughout, generally these runs I do them down nearer to 9min/mi but given the race last weekend and listening to what Dubgal advised earlier I would see if I could stay around 9:30min/mi.

diego_b

3 mile recovery run tonight as per plan. Was tired starting off as had a tough day in work. First wet run in quite a while, not sure how I avoided the rain for at least 6 weeks!

Avg pace was 10:31min/mi
Avg heart rate 143
Splits
10:40
10:12
10:36

diego_b

16m LSR completed this morning and crikey it was tough going. Much more of a slog that the last few long runs have been. I have an idea what the cause was, combination of me not getting my pacing right at all....part of that was down to me just not feeling it today, part of that was possibly the race still in my legs from last weekend and the heavy training week this but another key point was that I made a balls of it with the route I picked to run.
Just a ridiculous amount of hills, for comparison....last week's proper tough half marathon had 459ft of climbing throughout. Today had 541ft with a 476ft descent during the 16miles.
I was grand until during mile 7 when I was starting a good climbing phase that lasted for around 2.5 miles plus I had a headwind and rain to deal with. Starting to feel it then and was at my furthest point away from home so you just keep trucking.
I had fancied a route change and went for something a bit scenic but I was proper fecked by the last few miles of the run. Also it did not help that planned scenic route meant I had to run head on into a local cycling road race for the last 5-6 miles of my run. I switched to the left hand side of the road and was out of the way then. At the very back of the race in a support car was the running coach from my club so it was nice to see a friendly face and give a high 5 too. I still had about 2.5miles to go at that point and was really counting it down. Anyways the positive was that I got it done but I learned a valuable lesson in route planning down here, you run and learn.

Distance 16m
Avg pace 9:56min/mi
Avg heart rate 152bpm

10:05
9:48
9:37
9:57
9:39
9:54
9:48
10:23
10:05
9:49
9:25
9:53
9:51
10:06
10:32
10:09

Dubgal72

Hi diego, well done anyway and next time you pick a hilly run (!) focus on effort, don't worry about pace. And yeah, quite normal to be fatigued at this stage, especially after the HM and PMP run. Easy miles now for the rest of the week, maybe a few strides towards the end of a run later in the week.

diego_b

Dubgal72 wrote:

Hi diego, well done anyway and next time you pick a hilly run (!) focus on effort, don't worry about pace. And yeah, quite normal to be fatigued at this stage, especially after the HM and PMP run. Easy miles now for the rest of the week, maybe a few strides towards the end of a run later in the week.

Thanks and will do, whilst the others are racing the end of this week...I will be taking it handy!

diego_b

3mile recovery run doe this morning, local charity 5K race so I jogged with my wife whilst she raced. Came home in 32mins approx. It was a good concept for a race with no gps allowed. When entering you had to predict your finish time.
Prizes for fastest lady and man home with more prizes for closest to predicted time. We had put down for 34mins but my wife was a bit quicker than that so she's happy and I am too as was only going very handy.

diego_b

Did 5m easy run tonight avg pace 10:16, picked a new route to run which freshened things up a bit. I actually got a phone call after 3 miles and decided to take it so ran like a tool holding my phone to my ear for about 20mins for the last 2m miles. As I passed back through my village a neighbour out sweeping the path commented something (nothing bad)...and she was right as I did like pretty stupid. One way to be sure of keeping the pace conversational is to run whilst talking on the phone!
Ran in my oldest of 3 pairs (450K on the clock) in my current rotation and could feel my left knee a bit...nothing bad but something noticeable. Will run in a pair with less mileage on them tomorrow and hopefully all will be okay. I need to be mindful of how I put my feet under my desk to keep my posture good.

Splits
9:55
9:58
10:20
10:33
10:35

diego_b

8 miles easy run completed tonight, avg pace was 9:57, avg bpm 146.
Picked a new route to run tonight so that was nice but discovered many new dogs in the area....errr.

Could feel my left knee again, nothing bad but would notice it so texted the physical therapist in my area to try get an appointment in the next few days. I had something like this about 18 months ago and did get physio at the time. It was put down to a weakness in some of my thigh muscles and gluts making some quad muscles do more work than others causing knee pain....nothing wrong with the actual knee itself. It goes away as soon as I stop running and I only feel it occasionally going down the stairs at home if I have been sitting working for an hour or two.

Splits
10:03
10:01
9:48
10:18 (slowed down and stopped as needed to check the map on my phone)
9:42
9:50
9:08
10:46

diego_b

Bit of catch up needed here, Thursday night's planned 4 mile run ended up becoming a 5mile run on Friday morning instead. Had a wedding on Friday and family down so that meant things got mixed up a bit. Avg pace was 9:43min/mi and felt grand throughout. Knee was aching a small bit during it so went ahead with the booked physical therapy session I had for yesterday morning.
Turns out it appears to be a muscle issue with my VMO....the tear drop muscle in your quad and there's a significant weakness in the left leg one versus the right leg one. Basically means that my knee cap likely is not tracking correctly as the IT band and other muscles in the area have too strong a pull on the cap, so to address it I have a series of exercises to do to try alleviate the cause and it should go away. The is something I originally felt about 18 months ago when I first went from 5K to 10K but then with some work it went away with some work but guessing the weakness is still there for it to come back again. Interestingly the physical therapist noted a significant difference in my right leg quad muscle group size versus left leg, not something I noticed before myself!
Fingers crossed knack it stays to the same extent it is as it's not impacting me at the moment with the training.

diego_b

19m LSR completed this morning, earliest start for one to date. Was on the road running a few mins past 8am. This is gonna be a reasonably short LSR report (for me), today I was just thankful to be able to run as I will be for everyday that I can for the foreseeable future.
I ran from the outskirts of Tralee to Fenit (and right down the pier) from there to Ardfert and then to Ballyheigue. I ran with a mate from my running club and it was so much easier than my last three-four LSRs that I done on my own. Have learned the value of the solo LSRs in that mentally I feel whilst they have been very hard in spots I have never failed to get through them and know I have good reserves when the going gets tough. Today albeit a longer run (5 miles longer than last week) was pretty easy in comparison, plenty of chat along the way so the time zipped along. Took a gel at 5 mile and 10 miles with one shot blok around 13miles. It absolutely lashed ran for a good lot of the run today as well which I was very happy with as I wanted at least one LSR to be like that in case it lashes rain on DCM day. Oh yeah I used the hypafix tape and it works like a charm, highly recommended!
My knee ached a small bit, have to work on my VOM muscle (had a physical therapy session yesterday) to help ensure my knee cap is tracking correctly and avoiding the irritation that is currently happening. M-6 down now, roll on M-5.

Time 3:10:10
Avg pace 10min/mi
Avg heart rate 153bpm

Splits
10:18
10:00
10:06
9:50
9:48
9:53
9:58
10:09
9:15
10:15
9:46
9:48
10:08
10:22
10:11
9:54
9:50
9:57
10:02

diego_b

Not updated this week as first training run was not until last night, had some knee issues this week and attended the physio (who turns out to be one of the proper fast people in my club so that was nice). Spent over an hour with him and he had me out running as well and gave me some queues that might help ease the load I was putting on my knee.
Tried those last night and they seemed to be work well so I did a small bit of the DCM 2015 route from Blackhall place and into the park. 5 miles in total @ 10:09.

Avg heart rate was 151 which is a bit high, HRM seemed to be very screwy for the first mile....I may not have had it strapped on correctly so was getting high readings.

Splits
11:13
9:48
9:50
9:46
10:10

The knee was fine after the run and this morning also, bit stiff after driving for 30-40mins....clutching does it not favours so we'll see how it goes. Planning to give the 20mile LSR a go tomorrow. If that goes okay I might do a 6mile run pacing my wife around a 10K race on Sunday....the pace would be less than 11min/mi so recovery speed for me. Plus it will help me get back a few more miles for the week.