Phoenix Nights

Chartsengrafs

A poor week of training unfortunately. It started well, but a bereavement in the GF's family meant a lot of travelling around the south-east and couch-surfing towards the end of the week.

Tuesday 28 June 7 miles
First session post-holidays and happy with how it went. 12*400, mostly 81-83 seconds.

Wednesday 29 June 5.8 miles @ 8.02
Didn't get out at lunch so 5.8 miles in the evening.


Sunday 3 July 11.1 miles @ 8.06
Got back this evening, struggled at times, mostly because I ate a late lunch which proved uncomfortable.

Chartsengrafs

Good week with a bit of a shake up to the routine. Track session has been moved from Tuesday to Saturday (and a far better track to boot). Hills are now Tuesday evenings.

Monday 4 July 6.2 miles @ 7:48
I usually use Wednesday as my fifth/easy run but opted to keep the momentum going on Monday after the previous poor week. Commute home from work. Maybe a tad quicker than needed.

Tuesday 5 July 6.2 miles hills/tempo
This included 30 minutes tempo around the Garda XC course in the park @ 6:38. Good session, felt stronger than expected after two poor weeks.

Thursday 7 July 6.5 miles
30 minute tempo (4.6 miles) with first km or so taken slow. Splits: 0.6 mile 8:18 pace, miles thereafter: 6:29, 6:21, 6:18, 6:21
I led our little group and enjoyed this.

Saturday 9 July 6.25 miles
Track session, probably the quickest I've done 10*400 (with 200 recovery)
Splits: 80,80,81,82,76*,80,82,83,80,79

*Ashamed to say the 76 was my lap, went out far too hard.
I used to do this session with two others. For various reasons there are up to 6/7 in my group now which helps keep things moving!

Sunday 10 July 10 miles @ 7:58
Sunday 10. Bit strange doing it the day after a track session rather than hills. I used to find a 10-12 mile run to be tough the day after a hill session when I joined last year, but soon adapted. I presume the same will happen with this. Legs weren't too impressed after 8 miles but got it done.

tang1

Your hardly racing Mullingar next Sunday?

Chartsengrafs

I'm not no. If I do a 10 miler this year it'll be the Frank Duffy as I'll hopefully have some longer miles in the legs by then. Are you doing it yourself?

tang1

Chartsengrafs wrote: »

I'm not no. If I do a 10 miler this year it'll be the Frank Duffy as I'll hopefully have some longer miles in the legs by then. Are you doing it yourself?

That's the plan, I'm not expecting to much to be honest, I haven't ran in the past 10 days due to niggles and a bit of ill health. Go back at it tomorrow but it will be all easy stuff up until Sunday then hope for the best!!!

Chartsengrafs

That won't make things easy! Fair play for giving it a go. No pressure at least.

Chartsengrafs

Monday 11 July 5 Miles @ 8.20
I needed some easy miles on grass after the weekend. This was messy, I was running on a green near where I live and had to go home for water after swallowing an insect for 2 miles and having a continuous coughing fit . I then headed for a trail by the canal which is now quite overgrown with good bunches of nettles so I had to double back after trying, but failing, to avoid nettles. Re-routed back out the other direction.

Tuesday 12 July 4 Miles @ 7.49
My Garmin was unexpectedly flat but I have a route that is bang on 4 miles, so I did that. It felt easy but I was still looking forward to a day off.

Thursday 14 July Docklands 5k 17.55
I decided just before holidays that I would target this a week before Fingal 10k. Last week gave me confidence after the previous poor two weeks. Consistency has been there since last November or so, so time to make use of it.
A big crowd from work were doing this and I headed down with the lads I sometimes run with at lunch. Did about 2 miles warmup, some strides etc and my 42nd pee of the afternoon/evening.
I lined up with two lads from my club who have made good gains this year (from where they were) and we've been training together a good bit over the past few months- tempo, track etc.

Mile 1 The two lads took off like hares (which I sort of expected). We had lined up maybe 4 rows from the front. A good few passed me in the first few hundred metres but I took no notice. I settled into a rhythm and started to go by a few by the first bridge. Pace was a tad above target (target 5:50 or so) but it was pancake flat and the wind was on my back. 5:45min/mile

Mile 2 This included the turnaround point. I remember thinking at about 1.4 miles that this was going well. I was working, sure, but I knew I could hold the pace. After the turnaround and into the breeze I tucked in behind two lads from Brothers Pearse. I went around them at some point I suppose as I was behind some other lad then for a good half mile. The two clubmates were in sight. 5:51min/mile

Mile 3 The lad in front of me slowed ever so slightly at the bridge back onto the South Quays, around 3.5km in. I realised I had to hold on. The final km is straight so I just maintained rhythm. At about 4 km I remember thinking I would like to go home about now. That was a good sign. The two clubmates were getting ever closer (claearly slowing down) but I had no interest in speeding up. I ultimately ended up 4 seconds behind one, 10 behind the other. 5:50min/mile

0.1 mile 5:45 pace Pretty tired, no real kick at all.

Overall a PB by 19 or so seconds so I'm happy with that. Conditions were perfect; warm, a gentle breeze and pancake flat.

Total 6 miles.

Murph_D

Tasty!

tang1

Well done on the PB, tasty running as Murph D said.

Kennyg71

Well done on PB, very well raced.

jake1970

Congrats on the PB.

Chartsengrafs

Thanks folks. 'Tasty'.. that's a new one

Saturday 16 July 6.9 miles track
I didn't make it out for a recovery run on Friday as I had a work thing so straight back into it. And it was a tough one.
100,200,300,400,800,800,400,300,200,100 pyramid, with a mere 100m recovery between each. So it was an endurance session as much as anything. After a slow jog we then did 4*400.
I won't list all the times but the 400s were coming in at 81/82 which I was happy with considering the lack of recovery. I was tired Saturday night.

Sunday 17 July 9 miles @ 8.01 pace.
I set out to do 9 instead of the usual 10-12. By the evening I was glad, I genuinely thought I could feel the difference. Bit of a struggle this one.

Monday 18 July 5.5 miles @ 8.10
More sensible pace today, trot around Trinity with some workmaktes at lunch. Very warm but enjoyable.

Tuesday 19 July 5.2 miles hills/tempo incl 3 @6.33
Most of us are racing Sunday so we did 20 minutes hilly/trail tempo instead of the 30 we have been doing. Hottest day of he year and felt it, but maintained pace well and didn't slow/drop off like the majority of my group did. Looking forward to a day off tomorrow.

Murph_D

Chartsengrafs wrote: »

Thanks folks. 'Tasty'.. that's a new one

I'm pretty sure I learned it from Ferris B.

(Oh, and are you doing the timewarp or do those runs belong in July?)

Chartsengrafs

Not sure what was going on there Murph! Edited.

tang1

All the best tomorrow, hope it goes to plan, run well.

tang1

Great running this morning, would I be right in saying that's a new PB? Tasty time either way.

Chartsengrafs

Thanks very much Tang, only seeing your good luck message now. Yes, a PB of ten seconds. I've always attached a caveat to my previous PB, from what I suspect was a slightly short course although I can't confirm that.
Also, 25 seconds faster than Dunshaughlin a month ago. Either way a PB!

Thursday 21 July 7.4 miles @ 7:58
I skipped the tempo run due to Sunday's race, and took this handy. Felt a little tired after it though if I'm honest. I neglected to mention that I tried out my new racers on Tuesday, and liked them

Friday 22 July 5 Miles @ 8:15
Nice easy one at lunch with a few guys from work. Another warm one.

Sunday 24 July Fingal 10k 38:11
Got out to Swords early and jogged into Swords Main St area with a clubmate. Went off by myself and did some strides, and swallowed a fly (again!). I was coughing for a few minutes as it was kind of stuck in my throat. Unable to shake off the irritation and asked a fellow runner if she would give me some water, which she kindly did. Lifesaver, as it was ten minutes before the start and it was very uncomfortable
I felt warm but OK in the warmup.

I hopped into the pen and lined up. I can't remember much by way of detail but here we go.

Mile 1 6:08: I like to start steady over 10k but steady was quicker than usual. Mild drag to start with, spent half a mile passing a good few, but not in an-over eager way. I didn't know the course but felt a PB was on.

Mile 2 6:04. Still felt very easy, but the first few miles felt downhill, I knew I would pay for this later.

Mile 3 6:15
I grabbed a sip of water at 4km or so and lost a bit of rhythm in doing so as I slowed right down (I struggle with cups). I often would not drink over 10k but felt warm today. I was going slower anyway on approach, about 6:12 pace at the time of the water station, taking my time going up the first bit of a drag

Mile 4 6:10
Took a while to get my groove back, but get my groove back I did.

Mile 5 6:07
At the 8km sign my legs felt a bit tired and I had to start into the 'two laps of the polo grounds' mantra.

Mile 6 6:09
The 9km sign felt like it would never come. I looked at my watch quickly and it said 5.75 miles. So I missed the sign. That was a nice boost as I was nearly home

0.22 mile 5:58 pace
I made no effort to speed up but apparently I did.

Overall I decided to go out a bit more aggressively than Dunshaughlin and gained 25 seconds in doing so. My plan was to hold 6:0X minute miles and see where that got me. It's a PB (10 seconds) and that's good but I really felt 37:XX was on and I was disappointed to miss out.
Not the easiest route but not the worst, it's certainly fair. Good day out, some good running by mates in the club.

Total 9 miles

jake1970

Congrats on another PB.

denis b

Just catching up with the logs after the hols. Double pb's....serious congrats. You must be in the shape of your life. Keep it going.

Back in Black

Well done on the PB. You are flying around the minute.

Chartsengrafs

Thanks folks, it was nice couple of races so I'm pleased with how things went.

Tuesday 26 July 6.4 miles
Straight into hilly tempo. I've had better ideas. The tempo part was 20 minutes but I pushed hard throughout, not sure of times.

Wednesday 27 July 5.75 miles @ 8.28 pace
Saw sense today and eased the effort off. Felt better after this, very easy around Trinity at lunch

Thursday 28 July 6.3 miles@ 8.17
Still tired/conscious of burnout I skipped the tempo session and ran easy again. Went to Porterstown Park for a change of scenery.

Saturday 30 July Track 6.5 miles
I was glad of the easy miles and felt OK after warming up.
6*200, 6*300 all with 200 recovery. Paces were good. We finished with 3*400, chasing the slower groups, and my group in turn being chased by the fast lads. Hammered these (by my standards) in 78,74,75. Then again it's easy when there are only three..

Sunday 31 July 12 miles @ 8.07
Started off slowly with the first mile in 9 minutes, felt that worked very well. I was tired enough from 10 miles onwards.

Tuesday 2 August 6.2 miles
Back to hilly tempo (25 minutes) around the Garda XC course. Underside of my big toe is sore today, wonder if I stomped on a root or something.

Wednesday 3 August 5.7 miles @ 8.11
Lunchtime meeting meant no Trinity at lunch so took it nice and easy myself this evening. Stupid toe is still sore though, something similar happened a few years back, it felt a bit off for weeks!

Chartsengrafs

Finishing off the week..

Thursday 4 August 6 miles incl 2 miles TT-type.
Main session was a 2 mile run back to the clubhouse after a warmup. Straight down Chesterfield; we more or less treated it as a race. Mile1: 5.32, mile 2 : 5.32. It's the quickest I've ever covered two miles, surprised myself a bit.

Saturday 6 August 14.1 miles @ 8.03
This was my longest run in about two years. It felt like it too. Mostly because I ran alone - stag party Saturday and night meant I would forego this morning's track session knowing that the chances of running long on Sunday would be slim.

Sunday 7 August 5 miles @ 8.19
Recovery in more ways than one. Took it easy last night so felt fine, though the fresh windy evening helped to blow off some cobwebs.

Chartsengrafs

Tuesday 9 August 7.6 miles
35 minutes of this was a pyramid session around the usual hills/trails. The 'on' bits were anywhere between 5.40 pace and 6.15 pace. Fairly pushed this. Pulled right back on the recoveries however.

Wednesday 10 August 5.7 miles @ 8.12
Easy at lunch

Thursday 11 August 6 miles
Incl 2 mile TT-type thing at 5:36 pace. Eased off ever so slightly on last week's pace but this was still very close to my limit.

Saturday 13 August 6 miles
200s,300s,400s. 300s around 58. Finished with 3 near vomit-inducing 400s: 82,74,76

Sunday 14 August 12 miles @8:00
I had great company for the first 8 but finished this off alone. Looked about as lively as most of the folks plodding through their half ironman.

Tuesday 16 August 5 miles
Getting my taper on for Frank Duffy. Bit daft doing the race with the lack of long runs but it'll be fun if nothing else. Incl 20 mins steady / tempo-ish at 6:23 or so. Legs are feeling heavy, last week took it out of me.

tang1

Best of luck in the morning, hopefully won't be to far behind you!! Run well.

Chartsengrafs

tang1 wrote: »

Best of luck in the morning, hopefully won't be to far behind you!! Run well.

Thanks you too tang. My target is more or less the same as yours so I'll keep an eye out!

tang1

Chartsengrafs wrote: »

Thanks you too tang. My target is more or less the same as yours so I'll keep an eye out!

Trim AC candystripes and shaved head will be me.

jake1970

Best of luck tomorrow. Enjoy!!

Chartsengrafs

Wed 17 August 5 Miles @ 7:49
Nice easy run, raining throughout so has the streets and bits of the park to myself

Thursday 18 August 4.5 miles @ 8:10
Taper continued with easy run at lunch

Saturday 20 August Frank Duffy 10 Mile. 65.21
My focus this year has been very much 5/10k distance but I wanted to mix it up a bit so signed up for the fun (!?). My training has not been geared to longer stuff at all but I cockily thought at the very least my pb of 65:07 would be toast. Aim wasn't too aggressive either in theory; high 63's. From mile 4 however I realised my target was unrealistic and that low to mid 64 was still worth going for.

Needless to say it was a shocking morning, the weather was quite bad. The hills were OK but the bits that caught me were the parts with headwinds. I kept trying to join groups, but any time I did they slowed, so I ran much of miles 5 to 9 alone and worked very hard to maintain 6.35 pace for some bits.

Splits were 6.30, 6.17 (careful now!), 6.25, 6.25, 6.29, 6.35, 6.25, 6.23, 6.34, 6.41 and 36 seconds for 0.11 mile. Reading through the splits it's still a little unclear where I leaked so much time. Obviously the last two miles but that 0.11 / 0.36 seconds at the end threw my pacing a bit (not saying the Garmin is correct btw).

So a bit disappointed with the time but happy that I left everything out there. Dead man walking from mile 9.

Total 11.7 miles.

Chartsengrafs

Tuesday 23 August 6.4 miles @ 8.22
My achilles was sore immediately following Frank Duffy. I was hobbling for the test of the day. I took two full days off, applied foam roller to calves, ice to the achilles and pizza to my face. This run was a tester, mostly on grass and luckily it felt fine.

Wednesday 24 August 5.3 miles @ 7.51
Some easy miles at lunch

Thursday 25 August 5.5 miles
Including 20 minutes tempo on grass, mile paces were 6.17, 6.14, 6.12, 6.12 (for the remainder of the 20 minutes)

Saturday 27 August 6.4 miles, track
4*400, 4*500, 1*800. Lovely morning for this, felt good. 400s in 77-81, 500s around 1.43.

Sunday 28 August 11.1 miles @ 8.02
This started badly, I went over on my ankle in the first mile. I stopped and a clubmate waited to make sure I was OK. I gave it a minute or two then continued at 9 minute pace. I think I was lucky (again), continued the run without pain and the pace crept up. Will keep an eye on it.

Chartsengrafs

Decided to get a last road race in before the season ends. Out of bed, porridge in to me, down to Carlow good and early. Turned out I was 25 hours early as the race is on tomorrow. My absent-mindedness knows no bounds

Chartsengrafs

September started with a few missed training days due to a cold and then my Garmin packed it in. I forgot about logging completely, but got my old Garmin back working by the end of the month. September was fairly unstructured, partly by design as I was away a good bit and the road season had effectively ended. Rather than log the month's activities, I'll restart from October. Again, fairly unstructured due to holidays etc but back to tempo, track this week.

Sat 1 Oct 6.3 miles @ 8.03 There was no track session so I ran easy myself
Sun 2 Oct 10 miles @ 8.06 Easy, usual Sunday. Need to get these back to a regular 11/12 though. Went out to watch the Dublin Novice XC shortly afterwards and to take some pictures. The lad I coerced into joining the club earlier this year came just outside the top 5. Amazing progress considering this is his first year of structured training and from memory, second XC race. Very pleased for him.
Tues 4 Oct 7.1 miles From memory this was a good hard session. After a warmup, we did 1 mile hard. Then a short pyramid (one to 4 minutes), finishing with a mile hard again. The final mile was in 5.53
Wed 5 Oct 3.7 miles @ 8.16 Something came up so I could only run for 30 minutes
Thurs 6 Oct 7 miles incl tempo 3 easy in group, 3 tempo, 1 cool down. 3 tempo miles were 6.17, 6.23, 6.30. I recall running this alone and drifting off the pace in the final uphill mile.
Friday 7 Oct 6 miles @ 8.17 Easy recovery by the canal

Monday 10 Oct 9.55 miles @ 7.57 I was away and couldn't get out Sunday so ran longer on Monday. Last run before holidays.

Seville: Wed 12 Oct, Thurs 13 Oct, Friday 14 Oct, Sat 15 Oct Easy miles each day I got out. 5.6 miles, 5 miles, 6 miles, 4.1 miles. Average pace improved as I adjusted to the relative heat - from 8.11 to 7.55.

Monday Oct 17 4.5 miles at 8.17 in Granada Only morning run on holidays, all others were evening. Only one I didn't enjoy, the ice cream and abnormally large whiskey after dinner the night before didn't help. Wasn't hard, but it was a bit bleh.

Wednesday Oct 19 6.3 miles @ 7.50 Back home, nice lie in and popped out in the early afternoon. Ticking over on holidays paid off, this felt very easy, and hopefully back to tempo tomorrow night.

Chartsengrafs

Finishing off the week. I've developed a nice head cold since the final few days of holidays which didn't help some of these sessions!

Thursday 20 Oct 6.6 miles
Incl 2.5 mile tempo (6.14, 6.10, 6.10). I expected this to be 3 miles but we went back to easy pace a half mile earlier than expected. Felt good.

Saturday 22 Oct 6.5 miles
My first visit to the track in 5/6 weeks. 2*800, 2*400, 6*200, 2*400, 1*800. Not sure of times as I'm still using my temporary Garmin. Definitely missing some leg speed - I was fairly wrecked but the congestion certainly didn't help.

Sunday 23 Oct 11 miles @ 8:07
Not much to report, started with the first mile at 9 min pace and steadier after that.

Chartsengrafs

The congestion I mentioned in my last update got a lot worse and I missed a full week. Nothing I could do about it unfortunately. I started to feel a bit better on Friday of last week, just in time for a 2 night stag in Germany. I'd usually be put out by missing training but I knew I still wasn't up to running so went anyway with no regrets. Perhaps a week off wasn't the worst thing that could have happened, it's been a while!

Tuesday 1 Nov 6.5 miles @ 8:27
Eased back into it, didn't look at the watch until I got home. Took it very easy, pace was a little slower than expected. Lovely evening to be out, Autumn is definitely my favourite time of year to train, I've always loved it.

Wednesday 2 Nov 5 miles @ 8:15
Easy again, felt a bit wonky after the week off but still enjoyed it.

Thursday 3 Nov 6.3 miles
3 miles easy(ish) out (8:46, 7:33, 7:41) 2.5 miles tempo back (6:39, 6:07, 6:15) & cool down. Paces were all over the place but not to worry. Legs felt very rusty but aerobically I felt OK.

Saturday 5 Nov Hills/ XC 6.4 miles
I'm not attending the track at the moment so ran loops of the Dublin Novice XC course (not a full mile) with a few clubmates. 1 lap easy + 4 laps steady. Steady / tempo paces between 6:12 and 6:20 I think.

Sunday 6 Nov 12.2 miles @ 8:04
I'm occasionally in Kilkenny at weekends so did my long run from here. About 3 miles out and back on the Waterford road, then into the Castle park and along a path by the river in the direction of Bennetsbridge. Another fantastic morning for it.

In other news I started work on a new postgrad this week but I'm reasonably confident of juggling it, training and work. It's been a few years since the last postgrad I did - a lot more working alone on this so time management will be critical! Happy to get started all the same.

Chartsengrafs

Tuesday 8 Nov 6.4 miles
This included 10*200 with 200 recovery. After that 2*800. No idea of times as I'm still using my backup Garmin but felt I was moving well for the 800s which were on a nice hilly lap. First bit of speed in a while!

Wednesday 9 Nov 6.1 miles@ 8:12
Easy jog home from work. Didn't fancy going through the Park so came up the Navan Road. Legs were nice and tight after last night but this helped a lot.

Thursday 10 Nov 6.1 miles incl 2.5 tempo
3 miles easy out (8:50, 7:55, 7:45), 2.5 tempo back (6:16, 6:06, 6:07) and a cool down.

tang1

You running Jingle Bells?

Chartsengrafs

tang1 wrote: »

You running Jingle Bells?

Yep I intend to, there'll be a good crowd from the club hopefully. You're doing it too I think?

tang1

Chartsengrafs wrote: »

Yep I intend to, there'll be a good crowd from the club hopefully. You're doing it too I think?

Sure am, any time goal in mind?

Chartsengrafs

tang1 wrote: »

Sure am, any time goal in mind?

Not at all, just going to run hard! Happy with my pb earlier this year but I've done no little to no interval training in recent months. Would be plenty happy with low 18 so will run as well as I can to do so. How about you?

tang1

Chartsengrafs wrote: »

Not at all, just going to run hard! Happy with my pb earlier this year but I've done no little to no interval training in recent months. Would be plenty happy with low 18 so will run as well as I can to do so. How about you?

Love to run low 18 to but not to sure I'm in that kind of shape, could try hang onto your coat tails and hope for the best.

Chartsengrafs

tang1 wrote: »

Love to run low 18 to but not to sure I'm in that kind of shape, could try hang onto your coat tails and hope for the best.

Not sure I am either. Sure at least we'll both try to finish this one and go from there

Chartsengrafs

Saturday 12 Nov
5.8 miles. Same as last week (hills/XC) but with 2.5 minute recovery. 4 laps, bit quicker this time, averaging 6:08 to 6:13 for the 4* 5 minute efforts. Was glad of the spikes this week.

I was sick on Sunday so didn't get out. I tend not to run Mondays (couldn't if I wanted to in this case) so a few unexpected days off.

Tuesdsay 15 Nov
7.1 miles, 8.23 pace.

Wednesday 16 Nov
6.7 miles. Incl 10*2 mins at 10k pace. Strange doing a session like this solo. Ran up and down the canal between Ashtown and Castleknock. It was a cold one.

Thursday 17 Nov
7 miles, commute home at 8.30 pace. I could get used to these slower miles

Bit of a change to things from this week. Hope to go long at the end of May so I've started working with a coach. This will involve fewer/no club sessions and more focused work. I think this will work better around the exams in Spring, not to mention work. Looking forward to getting into it.

Chartsengrafs

Saturday 19 Nov
8 miles steady @ 7:36 pace. Taking a bit of time to adjust to the new training paces - started off far too quickly but settled down. I think my brain and legs now understand 'steady' and what is expected of them.

Spent the morning on registration and then marshalling the BHAA XC Irish Life Race. It was good fun but cold. These races are a tenner (when a member), with a feed and hot showers afterwards. Yesterday was a particularly good course too. Baffled by the relatively low turnout for some of these races.


Sunday 20 Nov
10 miles @ 8:33 pace. I started off with some of the usual lads but we were drifting towards 7:55 pace and the brief is to run slower. Dropped back to a few of the women after 3 miles. My favourite conditions for a (mostly) trail run; leaves everywhere, frosty ground and the park looking incredible. Very enjoyable run.

Chartsengrafs

Feeling some discomfort in my achilles over the past few weeks. I don't think it's serious as I can run fairly comfortably but I may need to reconsider Jingle Bells 5k on Saturday. Jumping into a pair of racing flats might not be the best thing for me right now. Other than that a solid, enjoyable week.

Tuesday 22 Nov
7 miles @ 8.27. Easy run down Blackhorse Avenue.

Wednesday 23 Nov
6.8 miles @ 7:27 pace. Incl 5*5min at HMP (all 6:20 to 6:23).

Thursday 24 Nov
7 miles @ 8:22
I had a blacktie work thingie in the evening so got away from the desk fairly promptly at 5.30pm, ran more or less to the wooden bridge in Clontarf and back in.

Saturday 26 Nov
8 miles steady @ 7:36 . I started this a bit under-fuelled (hungry) so although it felt nice and comfortable I was looking forward to finishing.

Sunday 27 Nov
10 miles @ 8:10. This included 4 minute pickup (6:20 pace) at mile 6. The subsequent miles were a good bit too quick - low 8's rather that 8:20+ as I found it difficult to slow back down effectively. But I'll get used to this type of thing, not used to throwing in efforts on a long run. Incidentally this was the only segment where the achilles was kicking up a fuss.

Chartsengrafs

Slightly lower mileage week due to concerns about my leg, and Jingle Bells on Saturday. Magic Myles introduced me to a world of pain on Monday evening. Turns out my achilles is fine (which was a big relief), but the pain has been in that general area, hence my concern. The session helped a lot, some jabs of pain continued up to Friday night, and cleared up after Jingle Bells.

Tuesday 29 Nov
7 miles @ 8:24

Wednesday 30 Nov
7.4 miles @ 7:31 average. 5 steady, 1 easy, 1 at 10k. Felt I was going fine for this but ate too late/too much in the afternoon so had a stitch throughout. Not clever

Thursday 1 Dec
5 miles easy @ 8:12 incl strides.

Sat 3 Dec
5.6 miles
Jingle Bells 5k
I fancied this as a end of season blowout and largely because a load of us from the club were doing it. Zero pressure, haven't really done any speed work in a few months. Still felt confident of going low 18 however, although my PB is 17:55. Chip time 18:05, I had 18:02 on my watch so obviously started it too late. Watch paces: 5:52, 5:55, 5:39 (5:17 last bit).
I was in town Friday evening and my leg was still a little sore at first walking around. Not a bother before, during or after the race though. Very relieved.

Sun 4 Dec
10.2 miles @ 8:24.
Club party was on last night. I took it fairly handy, didn't stay out late. Headed out at noon, got a bit tired at 6 or so miles, but picked up after that.

Chartsengrafs

Tuesday 6 Dec
7.2 miles @ 8:29
Easy commute home in very unseasonable weather. Legs felt a tad heavy.

Wednesday 7 Dec
9 miles, 7:49 average. 4 easy, 3 steady, 2 at MP. Legs wanted to know why we were doing 9 miles on a Wednesday. Brain had to tell them that we're just following orders and besides, it wasn't so bad at all really.

Thursday 8 Dec
5.5 miles @ 8:03 pace
Christmas party straight after work so easy run at lunch.

Saturday 10 Dec
8.4 miles @ 7.24 average. Incl 10*2 mins @ 10k pace. I was still feeling the effects of Thursday night and was dreading this, but it went well and I felt a lot better for it. Great to get moving again and didn't have much difficulty hitting the 10k paces, pulled back a few times as I was starting to go under 6 minute pace.

Sunday 11 Dec
12 miles @ 8:12
I did the first 11 nice and easy but met a (fast) old 3D tri clubmate on my way back to the clubouse, drifted into 7.30 pace, but still didn't feel too hard.

Highest mileage in a while and enjoying the new training structure.

Chartsengrafs

Monday 12 Dec
As I wouldn't be running on Saturday due to a wedding, I brought the week's runs forward a day. Very easy commute run on tired enough legs. Would usually take Monday off.
7 miles @ 8:38.

Tuesday 13 Dec
10.5 miles @7:31. Including 4*10 mins @ MP (6:56 or so).
I ran Tuesday morning as I had the day off. I was quite tired during the 2 mile cool down, just from 4 steady days rather than the actual MP efforts which I felt pretty good for. Nice to do some MP miles to get a feel for them.
My calf has been troubling me a bit again, so I got a lot of work done on it Tuesday evening, it was in spasm apparently. That would explain the pain I guess!

Thursday 15 Dec
7 miles @ 8:18 pace. Nice easy one after the day off.

Friday 16 Dec
8 miles @ 8:20 pace. Got this in before the drive down to Cork. Ran along trails and pure mud by the canal. Very enjoyable but heavy going in places.

Sunday 18 Dec
10 miles steady @ 7:26 pace.
Drove back up from Cork this afternoon. Glad I took it very easy over the two nights, I didn't want to be missing this. Felt great as it happens. Non alcoholic beer is a wonderful thing sometimes.

Chartsengrafs

Low enough mileage week, 5 runs on the trot which I'm not at all used to! Not many out pounding the parks and pavements this week..

Tuesday 20 Dec
7 miles at 8:21. Commute run home.

Wednesday 21 Dec
9 miles at 7:51. 4 easy, 3 steady, 2 MP. Very sluggish for the easy and steady bits, but it was a muggy damp night. If you can't feel sluggish in December...

Thursday 22 Dec
7 miles at 8:18.

Friday 23 Dec
7 miles at 8:17 . Caught the end of Storm Barbara. My own sister Barbara is flying in this afternoon but that's a whole other storm

Sat Dec 24 Dec
4.7 miles.
Coach suggested a Parkrun so I popped out to Poppintree. 5th day running so I wasn't racing per se, 18:41, working quicker than tempo pace. Cold, windy morning but nice and short.

I traditionally run Christmas day but I might take tomorrow off.
Have a great Christmas everyone!

Chartsengrafs

Monday 26 December
7.2 miles at 8:20 pace.
For the first time in few years I didn't get out Christmas day, happy enough to take the day off.

Wednesday 28 Dec
9 miles at 7:47 pace. 4 easy, 3 steady, 2 MP. 1st of two runs in Kilkenny.

Thursday 29 Dec
7 miles at 8.26, nice and easy along the Nore.

Sat 31 Dec
8 miles steady at 7:28 pace.

Sunday 1 Jan
8.2 miles at 8:28 pace. Intended to do ten but felt absolutely brutal after 2/3 miles. I was eating total rubbish all day previously (New Year's Eve and the days before) so I'll blame that!

172 miles for December. Back to normality tomorrow!

Chartsengrafs

Tuesday 3 Jan
7 miles at 8:32 pace, commute jog. It's an uphill drag no matter what route I take from work, today I went up Knockmaroon Hill in Chapelizod rather than Blackhorse Avenue or the Navan Road. Probably won't do that again.

Wednesday 4 Jan
8.4 miles at 7:44 pace.
3 easy (8:39, 8:19, 8:24 ), 3 steady (7:43, 7:24, 7:24 ), 2 at (fantasy) MP (6:56, 6:53).

Thursday 5 Jan
7 miles easy at 8:19 pace, one of those lovely nights where it feels completely effortless, even for an easy run.

Saturday 7 Jan
Fartlek, 6.3 miles
2 miles warmup (8:26, 8:21), then 1,2,3,2,1 minute efforts with 1 minute steady in between. 5k to 10kish effort, paces were 5:48, 5:45, 5:56, 5:44, 5:37. Recoveries were in 7:30s so overall steady enough. 2 miles cool down. Short session so no point easing off the pace when it felt fairly comfortable.

Sunday 8 Jan
12 miles at 8:38 pace.
Easy one on mucky trails. My usual Sunday companions either raced yesterday or today so I started with a few others. Pace for the first 4 was very slow at 9 mins+, but I split off and kept it steadier for the remainder, but still kept things easy.

Chartsengrafs

Monday 9 January
7 miles at 8:31 pace. Commute.

Tuesday 10 January
8.5 miles, incl 3*8 mins @ HMP, from memory 6:26 to 6:31.

Wednesday 11 January
7 miles easy at 8:25. 5 days on the trot which I wouldn't do too often.

Friday 13 January
9 miles steady at 7:29 pace. Got going later than intended, this was a very cold one. Really enjoyed it, I think there was talk on tang's log last week about the benefit of steady runs and I definitely agree.

Saturday 14 January
13 miles at 8:37 pace. I started at 8.15am, a good hour earlier than normal. I struggled a bit regardless of pace, getting all manner of stitches. Less than 12 hours after the nine steady I guess I just wasn't recovered properly and possibly hadn't eaten right in the interim. I was going away for the rest of the weekend so there was an element of cramming this in. Legs felt fine all the same.