Better late than never

Huzzah!

denis b wrote: »

Cheers Anne. Glad to be on this side of it . On the plus side I am 7 kgs lighter now

I managed to find those 7 kgs quite quickly after my own Hanson cycle

denis b

Huzzah! wrote: »

I managed to find those 7 kgs quite quickly after my own Hanson cycle

Hanson Plan for DCM to the rescue

Murph_D

So much good stuff happening here. Great training, great observations. I’m haunted by the Darndale Fisherman. It’s hard to think of a better way to illustrate the value of green space. Can’t imagine he caught much, but thats not the point, is it?

You mention the wind a few times. I’m guilty of overdoing it to hit the numbers myself in the past. I did a far too tough final marathon tempo 10 days out last year, in retrospect, not paying enough respect to the terrain. Give yourself a few seconds next time.

You’re all over this one. If I was a betting man I know where the money would be.

denis b

Murph_D wrote: »

So much good stuff happening here. Great training, great observations. I’m haunted by the Darndale Fisherman. It’s hard to think of a better way to illustrate the value of green space. Can’t imagine he caught much, but thats not the point, is it?
That's it D.....and I will not be running in the Olympics, still. In a strange kind of way I was thinking of him as the "Angel of the North" purely in emblematic terms.

You mention the wind a few times. I’m guilty of overdoing it to hit the numbers myself in the past. I did a far too tough final marathon tempo 10 days out last year, in retrospect, not paying enough respect to the terrain. Give yourself a few seconds next time.
I will have to cop on to myself about this. Foolish in the extreme and it isn't like I don't know that. I hate (panic :eek:) to see the pace lift beyond what I have set. I have resolved to work hard on this, to get some control over whatever is working against common sense. The race is not in the session :rolleyes:

You’re all over this one. If I was a betting man I know where the money would be.

Cheers, and it won't be for the want of trying

denis b

Hanson Week 18/18

Missed an SOS session last week so keen to make this a full on week.

Monday 18th Feb
Easy run 8 kms at 5:35/km and HR 140

Happy to see the HR back where it should be for this type of effort. Chest still congested but it is clearing.

Tuesday 19th Feb
Wup, 4x1.5mls@4:43/km (800m jog rec) and Cd for 17.8kms. Did 4:39, 4:40, 4:37, 4:41.

Out to my Artane, Coolock, Kilbarrack, Coast, Fairview loop again. Blessed in that it is unusual to have stop with traffic. Not bad for such a long run in the city. Watch inexplicably froze after second lap. Last 2 laps were into a decent breeze but felt strong enough today to stay with the required pace. Feel at this stage of the programme that fitness has improved significantly.

Thurs 21st Feb
Wup, 7 mls at HMP (4:50) and CD: 4:45, 4:47, 4:47, 4:46, 4:45, 4:43, 4:43, 4:44, 4:50, 4:46, 4:44, 4:35 (.22).

Good session but have noticed that my left foot is making a slapping contact with the ground. Niggles around that ankle and achilles have pretty well cleared up. Will try 2 or 3 sessions with an exercise to improve matters.

Fr 22nd Feb
Easy 8kms at 5:43/km and HR 141.

For an easy run this was tiring. Residual effects from yesterday. Exercises during run to improve left foot performance were moderately successful.

Sat 23rd Feb
Easy 10 kms at 5:34/kms and HR 140.

Very pleased with recovery from SOS sessions this week. Headed out to Tolka Valley for #8 Dublin Parkrun Tour. Pace this fairly sensibly without taking much notice of the watch.

Sunday 24th Feb
14 mls LR at target pace 5:27/km. Did 5:23/km and HR 141.

A new route up to Darndale and across to Baldoyle, Sutton Cross and back home along the coast. Uneventful but felt one or two dips early on which I ran through without too much bother. This type of a run would have been pretty impossible even 12 weeks ago. Nice to see the progress and noticed during the day that the run seems to have taken far less out of me than normal.

All good and 2 weeks to go to Bohermeen. Have set out my stall (see above) and plan to run a negative split. Fingers crossed.

Murph_D

Have you finished the plan 2 weeks early?

denis b

Murph_D wrote: »

Have you finished the plan 2 weeks early?

All good D. Had built an extra 2 weeks into the programme to cover hols/sickness here.

Has been a very lean winter in Scotland from a winter climbing perspective. Just has not been cold enough for long enough. That saved me a week and was lucky enough not to miss a week during the 18 weeks due to illness.

Repeated 2 weeks of the programme a few weeks ago and missed an SOS session in one of those weeks. That felt like a mini break.

Am on programme for the last 2 weeks and again for the next 2 weeks to avoid any problems on the run in to the race.

Murph_D

Thought it didn’t look like programme end but your week numbering system was confusing me!

OOnegative

All the best tomorrow D, great training block you have put in, run well.

Murph_D

+1

Looks like a super training cycle, D - have a great race. Looking forward to hearing the details!

skyblue46

Hey D I kept an eye out for you before the race but no luck. Can't find you on the results either. Everything ok?

denis b

skyblue46 wrote: »

Hey D I kept an eye out for you before the race but no luck. Can't find you on the results either. Everything ok?

Whoops. Sorry about that Sean and thanks for the KLO. Extended family medical emergency on Saturday night, which turned into an all nighter. All ended quite well but the HM has been kicked down the road but not out of sight .

You guys had tough conditions out there on race day so perhaps the gods were not so unkind to me . Keeping in decent shape, and as an older runner perhaps a few extra days recovery before race day will do no harm whatsoever.

Thanks for the concern.

chickey2

denis b wrote: »

Whoops. Sorry about that Sean and thanks for the KLO. Extended family medical emergency on Saturday night, which turned into an all nighter. All ended quite well but the HM has been kicked down the road but not out of sight .

You guys had tough conditions out there on race day so perhaps the gods were not so unkind to me . Keeping in decent shape, and as an older runner perhaps a few extra days recovery before race day will do no harm whatsoever.

Thanks for the concern.

Glad you're alright. I was wondering when I didn't see a run on strava. Have you a race in mind?

Younganne

denis b wrote: »

Whoops. Sorry about that Sean and thanks for the KLO. Extended family medical emergency on Saturday night, which turned into an all nighter. All ended quite well but the HM has been kicked down the road but not out of sight .

You guys had tough conditions out there on race day so perhaps the gods were not so unkind to me . Keeping in decent shape, and as an older runner perhaps a few extra days recovery before race day will do no harm whatsoever.

Thanks for the concern.

Glad all is ok with you D and hope family member is good too. Was watching Strava for you too.
Mullingar & Balbriggan both have half marathons this Sunday if there are places available and you can make it.

denis b

Went for the Mullingar option and have a place. Will have to hold for a few days but I have done as much as I can do for now and most importantly some very enjoyable running continues

OOnegative

Mullingar is a great race D, flat and fast. The only thing I will say about it, if the wind is blowing it can make the section on the Royal Canal tough depending on how the wind is blowing. Glad the family member is ok.

skyblue46

denis b wrote: »

Whoops. Sorry about that Sean and thanks for the KLO. Extended family medical emergency on Saturday night, which turned into an all nighter. All ended quite well but the HM has been kicked down the road but not out of sight .

You guys had tough conditions out there on race day so perhaps the gods were not so unkind to me . Keeping in decent shape, and as an older runner perhaps a few extra days recovery before race day will do no harm whatsoever.

Thanks for the concern.

Delighted that everything worked out well and that you've found an alternative race. Best of luck with it. Super training block done.

Huzzah!

Good luck tomorrow!

OOnegative

Yip, all the best in my home county tomorrow D, run well!!!

denis b

Hanson Week 19/18

Monday 25th Feb
Easy 8 km 5:45 and HR 134

Tuesday 26th February
Strength Session Wup, 6x1 mile (4:43/km pace) (400m jog rec) and CD. 17kms. 4:38, 4:38, 4:40, 4:39, 4:39, 4:38.

Wish I could say that this was an easier session than earlier in the programme but it wasn't. Times are better but fatigue and that old coast wind added to the session.

Thursday 28th Feb
Wup, 8km at HM (4:50/km) and Cd. 13kms in total.

Headed up to the Phoenix Park for this as the surface replicates the road race. Good session but glad it was not any longer.

Friday 1st March
Easy Run 11.1 kms at 5:42/km and HR 134.

A surprisingly easy run on a longer local loop.

Sat 2nd March
Easy run 8 kms at 5:34/km and HR 144.

Blustery squally morning and out to Griffeen Valley Parkrun for #9 on Dublin Parkrun Tour. A big turnout in the 'burbs - running easy was tough so picked it up a little for a more pleasant last 2 kms.

3rd March
14kms run cancelled. The day just went against me and I did not really mind!!!

denis b

Hanson Week 20/18

Original taper week with Bohermeen on the 10th March.

Monday 4th March
Easy run 8 kms 5:45, HR erratic.

Coldgear and gloves on for this one.

Tuesday 5th March
Easy run 8 kms 5:42 and HR 134

Thurs 7th March
Easy run 10 kms at 5:44/km and HR 139

Fri 8th March
Easy 8 kms at 5:38 with HR high at 148!!!

Sat 9th March
Easy 8 kms incl Parkrun #10 at Tyrellstown on Dublin Parkrun Tour.

Arrived late - Tyrellstown has developed and I had a memory of where I was to go which did not turn out to be totally reliable. The field were were gone about 2 mins so I plodded after them fairly briskly. Eased back when I caught up and was surprised at the finish with a shoutout from Bungy Girl. We did a joint cooldown with an additional lap where I had a million questions about her speed sessions. Got plenty of encouragement for the HM - which I remembered..

Sunday 10th March
Race day did not happen as I was sidelined after a medical all nighter with extended family. C'est la vie and all is now fine. Got a few recommendations for alternatives.

On paper this block of training has been pretty good. Off paper it is full of holes, where I completely lost interest and even wondered if I was just a slave to the routine of what I had set. Why not just stop - I had no interest, log was stop/start, and I was dreading the hard sessions to a point where I just wanted to quit. And then, The Spine Race, and it really galvanised me for a forthnight with positivity about running and something I could move on with when the HM was over. It seemed as though completing the HM was a means to move on only. That concerned me.

I stood back and decided that I would just concentrate on that days running and nothing else. I tried to pare back the effort, feeling that I was pushing things too much. But, every time I went out to do the hard sessions I always got the bit between my teeth and drove through the sessions exceeding the programme requirement. Sometimes that felt good and sometimes I just thought that that was exhausting. At the root of things I think I lost confidence and belief, no matter what I heard from those around me. It just was not there in a reliable form. In the week coming up to Bohermeen I decided that I was going to run it, but not as a race. I think that was my way of shielding myself from the pain I expected.

Hanson week 21/18

Monday 11th March
Easy 8 kms at 5:32/km and HR high but unreliable figures.

Tuesday 12th March
Easy 8 kms at 5:29 kms.

For the first time in a long time the legs were feeling a little better. Really did believe that the extra week would help with recovery for race day. Mullingar was booked for next Sunday and I decided to keep this fairly low key.

Missed a running day on Thurs with an impossibly tight schedule.

Friday 15th March
Handy 8km from Easy to HM pace and back. Idea was to remind the legs, and head, that the pace was there.

Sat 16th March
Easy Run of 5 kms @Father Collins Parkrun #11 on Dublin Parkrun Tour. Chatted to a few TRI folk mid run and got some info on the Howth Series - will give that a try.

RACEDAY

Got the best nights sleep in quite some time and had snoozed through some of the Ireland game the day before so felt full of energy. Approaching Mullingar the squalls and rain started in earnest. Have to say that it did not faze me and was still more favourable than conditions at Bohermeen the previous week. Chatted to a pacer to get an idea about his plans for pacing with the wind - got lots of advice about the course.

Right so - The Plan: A pb was now the A Goal. I needed a 4:50/km average to do that but needed to bank about 5 secs/km on the first 10 kms (so aim for 4:45/km) to give back on the very exposed section from 12-20kms (thought 4:55 might be achievable).

Kms 1-3 ( 5:04, 4:37, 4:43)
The first km was chaotic with a 5:04 but once the road opened up it was easier to move along. Found my new pace quickly enough and was surprised to win back th elost opening time moving uphill over the motorway. Pulled back a little to find the pace that would get me to halfway.

Kms 4-12
Beautiful running country roads which were flat and protected from the winds and just moved along gradually until the 8th km at which stage I had made a additional 20 seconds over what I planned. Legs were ok but not knowing how long I could keep this up I decided to hold the time advantage gained until the climb and wind ahead. That gave me 3 kms at 4:46 avg and time to regroup. I used the next km to catch up with a decent group to cross over the motorway and hit the wind and rain on the open canal.

Kms 13-19
Hit my first racing 4:50 with the hill and wind and decided that I would have to move on from the group. chatted to another lad about swapping leads and we pulled away with 2 others following for the next 2 kms [14+15] (4:44, 4:46). The group broke up with the effort and I pushed on but the wind was at peak now and there were only individual runners to target and get behind for a quick breather before pushing on again [16+17] (4:53, 4:53). Horizontal rain lashing down on the gravel path which was pooling but I loved running this section. It was wild and open and tough without you feeling broken. I had not lost the time against the wind yet, as I had expected, but the legs were feeling the effort. An then I remembered Hanson+ those strength sessions - a real confidence booster as I had never felt so good so late in a race. Picked up the pace through [18+19] to 4:45/km and was now overtaking regularly meeting a little opposition for interest.

Kms 20 to Finish
Nothing too dramatic to be honest. Just kept moving along [20] 4:43.km and managed a few smiles at the encouragement offered as the town appeared on the banks of the canal with some shelter from the trees. The gravel had thrown up lots of dirt on the legs of the runners I passed and we resembled cross country runners by race end. And the end was close, a quick 90 degree turn down an embankment and a sharp right for the last 600m to the finish at 4:25 pace.

Medal, quick chat, car, change clothes, McDonalds and home. Official time of 1:40:05 which is a pb by 2 mins and 25 secs. Very pleased with that. There are hidden reserves to be tapped, now that I have found them again. It was good to run yesterday and I am glad I did.

So many thanks for the good wishes, advice and support out there.

chickey2

Great stuff!
There seems to be similar stories from followers of the Hanson plans, tiredness during training but feeling strong in the last half of the race and keeping up a nice even pace.

Swashbuckler

Great run.. Fantastic to read. Chopping through the field with confidence. Lovely stuff. Well done on the big pb

OOnegative

Nicely done D, great racing and strong the whole way through, throughly deserved after your training block.

Murph_D

I’m delighted with this outcome, D - your training deserved that kind of result - and maybe more important than the result, that kind of feeling during a race, especially the second half. Very well done! A poster boy for the 21-week Hanson cycle.

skyblue46

Huge congratulations D. Great report and race. Hard to believe you had lost some motivation mid block. Well done on coming through that.

Unthought Known

Great running D. Love the way you paced that.

diego_b

Great job D, and congrats on the big pb. Thinking of doing a proper plan for Charleville HM and I have the Hanson's book so you've giving me ideas!
I can emphasis a bit with the thoughts of the pain to come in a race...I just try to block it out and just get on with it....then the pace sneaks up anyways without me worrying too much about it.

Singer

Nice PB, well run and well reported (as ever)! Interesting that you had pre-race doubts given how well the training looked on the other side of Strava etc. Maybe a shorter plan or incremental series of races would help keep the focus and motivation, and help dissipate the fear of race pain?

hillsiderunner

Well done, Denis, and very well-deserved. I hear you on the motivation, it can be hard to keep it going week after week and that's been quite high mileage on your plan.

If moving up to Ultras then it'd probably make sense to include long hikes for the time-on-feet and that might break things up a bit. But take it easy for a few weeks first