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Still trying to figure it all out.
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The plan is really working for you. You're flying it. Half pb which included a 10k and 10 mile pb. Fantastic going. Which p&d plan is it? Will be really interesting to see how you go in Dublin.0
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I'm doing P+D up to 55, but with an extra 5 mile recovery run per week, to bring peak mileage up to 60 and 6 days of running. I used the same plan for Dublin last year, but without the extra run. I just thought the next plan up was too much for me, but wanted to do a bit more than 55 per week peak. I did adjust for Charleville - the plan had a 10 mile race on the Saturday and a slow 17 miler on the Sunday, but I prefer to race a half in the build up and it's worked for me before. I;m getting on a bit better with it too compared too last year - recovering faster and much less fatigued - although I am feeling it this week. I'd be worried if I wasn't to be honest. I would highly recommend this plan.0
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You literally answered what I was about to ask. I hadn't seen a half in the P&D 55 plan. Definitely a plan of interest for me next year and ties in nicely with Charleville which I really want to do. Long way off though so no point tempting the running gods!
Well done on the progress. Great to read and definitely motivating for the likes of me.0 -
Swashbuckler wrote: »You literally answered what I was about to ask. I hadn't seen a half in the P&D 55 plan. Definitely a plan of interest for me next year and ties in nicely with Charleville which I really want to do. Long way off though so no point tempting the running gods!
Well done on the progress. Great to read and definitely motivating for the likes of me.
Some people start the plan a week or two early and factor in a mini taper and recovery week for the half and that seems to work well too.
I like to plan ahead and suss out plans for the next thing I'm doing- there's no harm in thinking ahead. I'm already researching plans and buttering up the Mrs for the Berlin Half next April. And then maybe Frankfurt, but there's no point in trying my luck too much though!0 -
Monday 25/09
Rest
Tuesday 26/09
VO2 max session - 8 miles including 5x600@5k pace.
I was tired doing this - in between night shifts and didn't really get a good sleep.
Did a 3 mile warmup in and around 8:20 pace.
The intervals were done in the usual spot before work - ferry port queueing area on tarmac - flat and open with a perimeter of about 600m. There was a swirling wind, which was strong enough so the last 200m were hard enough. Again these were done a bit too fast and were less comfortable than they should have been but it was an enjoyable session nonetheless. The recoveries were 90 seconds and all jogged - no stopping for a breath or a drink or walking this time. I did take me until about half way through the second rep to get a feel for the pace.
Goal: 2:19
Splits: 2:15; 2:13; 2:12; 2:15; 2:15.
Cool down: 2.4 miles around 8:40
Total: 8 miles
Wednesday 27/09
11 miles medium long run
One of those days that gets away from you. My normal tactic when coming off nights is too get about 3 or 4 hours sleep and then get up around lunchtime in order to be able to sleep that night. I slept right through the alarm and didn't wake until around 4pm!!! This put me in bad humour straight away, but was also a sure sign I'd run up a fairly large sleep deficit over the previous few days. Managed to get out around 6pm for this, which turned out well really because the worst of the weather had passed and it turned out to be a bright warm evening, although the mist was start to form over the Lee Fields by the time I had finished. The original plan was 2 and a bit out and backs along the Straight Road, but when I got to the Anglers Rest I decided to go off up the Lee Road and Sundays Well Road to work in a few short hills, with the finishing miles around town and back to the Lee Fields.
Ran this too fast again (impatience/stress getting the better of me), but even at that the HR data from my FR235 was nonsense once I went off the flat - bears no resemblance to the effort. I felt good throughout and fairly strong, although I did tire during the last mile. I was glad I changed the route in the end because I got some cracking views over the Lee Valley and the city.
Splits: 8:24; 8:20; 8:24; 7:40 (downhill); 8:12; 8:15; 7:49 (downhill); 8:07; 8:09; 8:16; 8:20; 8:21.
Pushed it too hard on the hills by a fraction, but was comfortable on the flat and took the brakes off coming downhill. Felt really good after this - and managed a decent sleep too which was the main thing.
Thursday 28/9
5@8:47
This was supposed to be a recovery run, but I choose the wrong route. There were drags and wind so the effort levels were too high for proper recovery. But what did I expect going for a run on windy day around the highest part of the city? A loop around Apple and a couple of laps of the Fairfield, with an OCD lap of Lidl Churchfield carpark to make up the 5. I'm definitely feeling the cumulative effects of two hard weekends and lack of sleep today, so tonight will be an early night and tomorrow will be proper recovery - on grass if the field isn't a bog. I have that race at the weekend, but the course looks hilly enough. I plan to give it a good rattle, but will back off if I start to feel rubbish half way through. I have bad feeling that I may be getting sick, but its hard to tell because of the tiredness.0 -
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Finally got to read most of your log , it looks like you have it all figured out now ! Great log and running ,your putting in the sessions and getting the results . Where would one find this P+D plan ? Quick google shows it for sale at 10€ at trainingpeaks is that what you went with? Looking forward to seen how you get on in Dublin I think your in 3.10 shape for sure after that half marathon.0
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clickerquicklic wrote: »Finally got to read most of your log , it looks like you have it all figured out now ! Great log and running ,your putting in the sessions and getting the results . Where would one find this P+D plan ? Quick google shows it for sale at 10€ at trainingpeaks is that what you went with? Looking forward to seen how you get on in Dublin I think your in 3.10 shape for sure after that half marathon.
Thanks for saying so, but I still really have a hell of a lot to learn!!
As for the P+D plan - it comes from the book by Pfitzinger and Daniels called Advanced Marathoning. You can get it from Amazon and there is a Kindle version that you can read on your phone/Kindle. I would highly recommend getting the book because it contains a lot more information that just the training plan.
P+D book0 -
hot buttered scones wrote: »Monday 25/09
Rest
Tuesday 26/09
VO2 max session - 8 miles including 5x600@5k pace.
I was tired doing this - in between night shifts and didn't really get a good sleep.
Did a 3 mile warmup in and around 8:20 pace.
The intervals were done in the usual spot before work - ferry port queueing area on tarmac - flat and open with a perimeter of about 600m. There was a swirling wind, which was strong enough so the last 200m were hard enough. Again these were done a bit too fast and were less comfortable than they should have been but it was an enjoyable session nonetheless. The recoveries were 90 seconds and all jogged - no stopping for a breath or a drink or walking this time. I did take me until about half way through the second rep to get a feel for the pace.
Goal: 2:19
Splits: 2:15; 2:13; 2:12; 2:15; 2:15.
Cool down: 2.4 miles around 8:40
Total: 8 miles
Wednesday 27/09
11 miles medium long run
One of those days that gets away from you. My normal tactic when coming off nights is too get about 3 or 4 hours sleep and then get up around lunchtime in order to be able to sleep that night. I slept right through the alarm and didn't wake until around 4pm!!! This put me in bad humour straight away, but was also a sure sign I'd run up a fairly large sleep deficit over the previous few days. Managed to get out around 6pm for this, which turned out well really because the worst of the weather had passed and it turned out to be a bright warm evening, although the mist was start to form over the Lee Fields by the time I had finished. The original plan was 2 and a bit out and backs along the Straight Road, but when I got to the Anglers Rest I decided to go off up the Lee Road and Sundays Well Road to work in a few short hills, with the finishing miles around town and back to the Lee Fields.
Ran this too fast again (impatience/stress getting the better of me), but even at that the HR data from my FR235 was nonsense once I went off the flat - bears no resemblance to the effort. I felt good throughout and fairly strong, although I did tire during the last mile. I was glad I changed the route in the end because I got some cracking views over the Lee Valley and the city.
Splits: 8:24; 8:20; 8:24; 7:40 (downhill); 8:12; 8:15; 7:49 (downhill); 8:07; 8:09; 8:16; 8:20; 8:21.
Pushed it too hard on the hills by a fraction, but was comfortable on the flat and took the brakes off coming downhill. Felt really good after this - and managed a decent sleep too which was the main thing.
Thursday 28/9
5@8:47
This was supposed to be a recovery run, but I choose the wrong route. There were drags and wind so the effort levels were too high for proper recovery. But what did I expect going for a run on windy day around the highest part of the city? A loop around Apple and a couple of laps of the Fairfield, with an OCD lap of Lidl Churchfield carpark to make up the 5. I'm definitely feeling the cumulative effects of two hard weekends and lack of sleep today, so tonight will be an early night and tomorrow will be proper recovery - on grass if the field isn't a bog. I have that race at the weekend, but the course looks hilly enough. I plan to give it a good rattle, but will back off if I start to feel rubbish half way through. I have bad feeling that I may be getting sick, but its hard to tell because of the tiredness.
Passed me Ma's house I'd say!! What were you doing up that neck? You surely didn't run up from Blackpool.0 -
Itziger wrote:Passed me Ma's house I'd say!! What were you doing up that neck? You surely didn't run up from Blackpool.
Had to collect a parcel from the An Post depot. Did me messages in Lidl then. I've run from The Glen down to Blackpool and up Sunvalley Drive to Knocka and back before though. Not one I'd chance very often!0 -
hot buttered scones wrote: »Had to collect a parcel from the An Post depot. Did me messages in Lidl then. I've run from The Glen down to Blackpool and up Sunvalley Drive to Knocka and back before though. Not one I'd chance very often!
Blackpool to Knocka is some going. What height gain would ya be talking about? I know SV Drive isn't as steep as Fairhill or Fairfield Ave, but that route is a 2k climb I'd say, would it be? You might have it on Strava or somewhere.0 -
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I'm on the phone now Itziger and can't link the activity but it was 09/09/16 - a 12 miler. 898ft of elevation - went up Cathedral Road though, not SV drive.0
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Down in Passage East for this 10k tune up race. Lashing rain and hilly as f0ck. Pain awaits I reckon.0
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Ah jaysus. 41:20 and even at that the watch has the distance as 6.12. Went out to fast, waayyyy to fast, underestimated the hills, had to stop to cough me lungs up around halfway, even more hills. Quads ruined from descents. And now a stitch. Oh yeah, here's another couple of hills just for the craic like. The ham blaas were lovely though!
That was great fun altogether!!!!!0 -
Sounds like a great session! What was the target?0
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Swashbuckler wrote: »Sounds like a great session! What was the target?
In my head sub 40, until one lad told me this was not a PB course and then it was just to do myself justice. I passed 10k in 40:3x during half two weeks ago - so something in around that. I knew my day was done when I received words of encouragement from a guy 20 years my senior as I was stopped, bent in two with my hands on my knees coughing up the backwash (ya ya TMI) from my runny nose half way through the race!! Although to be fair, I was chatting to him after and it sounds like he ran some serious times as a younger man.0 -
Friday 29/9
4 miles with 6x100m strides - 9:05 average pace (strides included). Felt a bit crap doing this, although it was my shortest run since the beginning of August and it was a case of "just do it" because I was busy otherwise. I think I've just gone to hard overall this week. My HRM has being acting up the last few days, but even still I think my HR was a bit too high for this run.
Saturday 30/9
Race: The Croppy Body 10k, Passage East, Waterford.
I picked this race because it fitted in with my plan and it was easy enough to get too from Cork. It turns out it is also a memorial run in honour of a Raheny Shamrocks runner who had passed away, who was from the town. So out of a field of 98 runners, I'd say the half of them were Shamrocks, which was great to see.
The Dubs and the Waterfordians seemed to have no problem understanding each other, but every time I opened me gob I felt like Michael Healy Rae at a debutantes ball! Seriously, I spoke to a couple of fellas there and I don't think they had a clue what I was on about. And me being half Waterford an' all. Anyway, no one went with me from home and I knew no one there so chats were limited but appreciated. The weather was woeful and the course was almost sadistic (well in the form I was in it was!), but as I said the blaas were lovely, and the burgers too.
Felt like crap. Dunno whats wrong - I'm all congested but its not an infection, so some nasal spray usually does the trick. Slept crap nearly all week too. Last night was woeful though - went to sleep around 11:30 when next doors party quietened down a bit, but he gobdaws woke me at 2 shouting goodbye to each other from the hall door to the taxi. That was me awake until 6 and then I slept on until about 9:30, so I felt a bit rushed getting out the door.
So briefly. I did a mile warm up around the town waiting for the bus to the start (twas up a big f*ck off hill - I wasn't running that for a warm up)
and then ran half a mile up the course and back again. The first mile was a bit of a drag, but hero here was standing in the 2nd row and just followed the guys ahead of me out. After half a mile I realised i was hanging out the arse end of the lead pack so applied the brakes sharpish. Still felt good though so tried to maintain something like 40 minutes pace for the 2nd half of mile one which was a bit downhill. I could here the lead car saying something about a 300m hill ahead so I though I was on it - I wasn't. I was on the drag leading up to this yoke that looked more like a wall from one of those obstacle course races than a hill. That was the best hill of the day. A lovely decent then, picking up speed and increasing leg turnover before Hill 2 - and after 1.8 miles or so I was done, banjaxed by my own eagerness. Mile 3 then was a slight drag and then a big long downhill. I was overtaken by a Shamrocks guy here. He picked up water from a table which I did not, but then I started coughing a bit as "stuff" came a bit loose. Yer man gave me a drink (fair play) of his water and I was thinking if we could stick together we might be able to work off each other. There was a bit of head wind here and it was the blustery rain - like heavy drizzle - that just soaks you. I couldn't keep up with him though. Mile 4 was a big one descent followed by 400-500m hill with a 10% gradient in parts. I tried to take advantage of the downhill section but more "stuff" came loose at the back of my throat and I couldn't get it up, so there I was stopped dead in the middle of the road, hands on my knees coughing and hacking like auld fella on 60 Sweet Afton a day. Luckily this was such a small race that only 2 people passed me, one of whom told me to keep going so I did. I just followed the 2 lads for as long I could then from about 400m back. Mile 5 - I want me Mam. So mile 4 ends with another descent which mile 5 starts with for a bit - but I'm barely hitting actual 10k pace going downhill now in parts. Then another floggin' hill - which I though was going to be the last before the lovely downhill finish. It was clear now that I had overstretched myself and also that my quads were like jelly from all the downhill running. Twas like going up Patricks Hill in 5th gear in a snowstorm. the road flattened out a bit and I was able to push on before a sharp descent, and then another 200-300m or so 10% gradient climb. So now I'm just grinding it out. It was tough because I was never going to catch the 2 lads in front (finished 1 minute and 30s ahead of me respectively) and there was only one or two on my tail, plus I didn't care about being caught. I was out in no mans land for most of this race, so there was a bit of solo time trial feel to it in a way. Mile 6 - first half was flat/lumpy, but i was still dying from the last hill so it took me a couple of minutes to get back up to pace. The the last km was all downhill - including some bits that are coming up as -10 to -13 gradient. I'm just freewheeling know, bombing along but I knew I could have run faster again had I the energy. The last 200m or so were down through the town and there was loads of support from locals and the Raheny contigent - in fairness there was a good few locals out on the course too at various points giving encouragement and given how bad the weather was on the day I say fair play to them and thanks. Anyway, 'tis always great to here your name called out as you approach the finish, so I may have mustered up a sprint for the last 40m. I was totally flahed out biy! Hand and knees job, hacking up stuff, heart going like the clappers - a sorry sight indeed. I think turned my watch on and off at the wrong times - Garmin Connect has me running 6.12 miles in 41:20, Strava has the same distance in 41:09 (but I don't think Strava is measuring the time I stopped to rid myself of a lung).
Splits (from Garmin - total time, rounded)
6:08; 6:38; 6:44; 7:07; 7:31; 6:32 and 40s for the bit.
First mile is faster than 5k pace - therein lies the problem I think.
Anyway chip time (one of them funny shoe tag yokes!) is 41:19 and I finished 16/98 runners. This is officially a PB in a 10k race. Garmin Connect though tells me I ran 10k in 40:25 during the Charleville half, plus my HM average pace was faster than today. So today is still a PB, but I won't be satisfied until I break 40:25 (which of course means I have to go sub 40).
After a cup of coffee, a Ham Blaa (I love Blaas, and they're only nice in Waterford) and a burger I did 2 more miles cool down (4 laps of the town - it's that small) and headed of home. So 10.2 for the day.
I felt a bit sorry for the organisers, who put on a great day and a well organised race, because of the weather. It seems like a lovely little town and they had tents up out the back for the barbecue and cake stand on some grass around the back of the Community centre. There were lovely views of the Estuary and across to Co. Wexford. I can imagine on a nicer day people milling around outside and stretched out on the grass, it would have been lovely. Still everybody inside the hall seemed to be enjoying themselves - although I didn't hang around for long. There also gave out lovely souvenir mugs, but I'm after putting mine down somewhere and its lost.
Overall - I made a mess of the start of this race and didn't tackle the hills properly, burning myself out on the first real challenge. I don't think I learned anything much from today, or got the relevant race experience or sharpness (which is what I was after). I did however get a good workout and tomorrows long run (at recovery pace for most of it) will be done on fine tired legs - which I suspect is one of the main aims of this part of the plan. I hope Donadea goes a bit better in a couple of weeks time - although if I don't recover from today very well, I may just bin the final tune up race in favour of a session. We'll see.
Edit: It just occurred to me - if you'd have told me last January I'd run 41:19 for a 10k on a hilly course on a horrible day, I'd have laughed at you and told you were misguided at best and probably thought you were taking the mick. So can I gather signs of improvement from this race (in an overall sense since January) - absolutely - 41:19 for a 10k not being a "great" result is outstanding, seeing as how I couldn't break 20 minutes for a 5k on a flat course last January. Yep, I'm definitely doing something right.
Edit 2: I also got a stitch in my right side during mile 4 I think, coupled with the muscle in my neck and shoulder tightening up, but I stuck my fingers in under my runs and took long slow breaths which seemed to clear it - so possible diaphragm spasms - maybe asthma related??0 -
Great report HBS. Very detailed
In fairness a 41:19 on a course as tough as that is definitely as good, if not better than a 40.25 on a flat charleville course. I ran a 41.06 on a tough, hilly ballyheigue course in June and followed up with a 37.50 in a flat killarney 10k route in July. So you're definitely better than 41.19 but hills are hills!
That workout will stand to you.
Can't wait to see how the long run goes tomorrow. That....will....be....tough.0 -
Sunday 01/10
Another sh1t sleep. 3 hours if I was lucky. Working today, so I missed the opportunity to get a long run done in the early morning. No problem though, work was quiet and I brought the gear in with me so I was able to slip away a couple of hours early and got going at 6pm. I'm not a fan of evening long runs tbh, but this was ok. I had company for the first 5.5 miles or so with one of the night shift lads, but we were just chatting away and the end result was a few too fast miles to start with. Put the brakes on a bit when I was left on my own, but picked it up a small bit again for the last 3 or so miles. The last two miles felt tough enough to be honest. Legs felt ok for most of this, but the body was tired by the end. I wasn't exhausted - my muscles/legs were tired but I wasn't struggling aerobically if you know what I mean. Weather wise - the one advantage to this evening run was that the weather had cleared up. Mostly clear, around 14 degrees starting out with a cold breeze coming down the river. The headwind wasn't too bad though. I felt fairly cold by the time I finished in the dark though. The route was down the hill to the harbour, then 3 laps over and back to Haulbowline, with loops of the ferry port before heading back up the hill to work. Took on water at 4, 8 and 12 miles. I brought two gels with me but didn't bother using them.
Splits:
8:05, 8:04, 8:19; 8:04; 8:20; 8:28; 8:33; 8:34; 8:36; 8:31; 8:32; 8:39; 8:23; 8:12; 8:16; 8:18; 8:34
Looking at the splits it's obvious that the paces are a good bit out here for a long run the day after a race. This should have been more like a long recovery run, perhaps moving to the slower end of long run pace towards the end if I felt ok, but to be honest I was in a hurry to get finished and get home.
Weekly total: 55.4 - a bit lower than I thought it would be for some reason (must have done my sums wrong).
Monday 02/10
Rest. Jaysis I'm wrecked. I'd originally planned on doing a short recovery this morning but I'm in bits! No running today, just work.0 -
Tuesday 03/10
Thank god the taper starts next week because I'm really starting to get tired now. Its the first time in ages where I've felt this tired and my appetite is enormous too. This normally happens much earlier on in a marathon training bloc for me.
I've swapped around today and tomorrow's runs because I doubt I'll have time to do this tomorrow, but this meant doing the VO2 max session a day early, and I could really have done with an easy day today.
10 miles with 4x1200m@5k pace.
Headed to the park again to run the 500m loop.
3 miles warmup - 8:29; 8:47; 8:46. Felt rubbish doing this - everything felt a bit laboured, so much so I considered just doing easy miles for the day and doing the session later in the week, but then I convinced myself to do 1 rep and see how that went. Then 1 more, and so on.
1200m splits. Target: 4:37
4:34; 4:35; 4:39; 4:40.
3 to 3.5 minutes recovery.
As usual the went out too fast. I'd was more controlled in the 2nd rep. I held back during the 3rd rep to make sure I finished the session, but the last 200m or so were tough. The last rep was all I could manage, but was controlled again for the first 1000m, the last 200 into the wind were a struggle - this probably should have been my target for all 4.
Recoveries: I had set the watch to 3 minutes, but gave myself an extra 30 seconds after the 2nd and 3rd reps by pausing the watch. Nasal congestion meant as soon as I stopped running fast I'd starting coughing and spluttering due to post nasal drip, so recoveries were the usual mix of stop, walk, jog, drink, jog. This is not ideal, but unless I run the reps a lot slower its going to happen and I'd rather take it easier during the recovery than during the interval.
Cool down: Back home: 8:48; 8:32; 8:21. Felt surprisingly fresh after the first mile and cruised home. Wish I'd felt as good as that before the intervals.
10 miles for the day. Followed up with a preventative maintenance trip to the physio for a sports massage and some dry needling in the usual spots. She was happy enough and said I was in better shape than two weeks ago. Also gave me some good advice on minding myself for the next 3 or so weeks - reminding my of how I'm always getting into trouble just before the marathon and to take be mindful of the warning signs (i.e DFIU). I have one last apportionment booked 10 days out from Dublin, which means all going well my legs should be in good shape on the day.0 -
Wednesday 04/10
7 miles recovery including 6x100m strides
In between night shifts, and not a great sleep either. Tired mind, tired body and windy evening down the harbour - I wasn't really in the mood for this, but got out there anyway. I decided to just plod around keeping the HR around 130-135 for the first 5 miles before doing the strides and jogging back up the hill to work. Felt better after it. Instead of doing an out and back to Haulbowline, I choose loops of different parts of the ferry port so I wouldn't have big long stretches with a headwind - not in the mood for that today
8:51 (downhill mostly); 9:00, 9:20, 9:32; 9:46, 8:11 (Strides!!), 9:33
Didn't really care too much about the pace of this - just did a nice lazy plod about.
Thursday 05/10
5 recovery @8:57
I'd considered not bothering with this - it was my "extra" run and I'm really feeling it this week, but by the time I got out I was looking forward to it. A lovely sunny evening, with just a slight breeze - it was too nice not too. 8 laps of the Tank Field, so all on grass and I just felt better as the run went on.
Friday 06/10
11 mile medium long run.
11@8:21, with a fast downhill first mile and a just under a mile climb home at the end of around 220ft or so. Logistically this is a good route - out my front door, down to St Luke's and Summerhill and around to the Marina/Blackrock Castle Loop, then back home up Summerhill again to my front door. But the last mile is tough. Even with a good nights sleep, I felt tired after 8 or so miles. The wind this morning was freezing - my hands were like blocks of ice and I wished I'd worn my gloves, so I was uncomfortably cold for a good bit of this, and my upper body felt stiff. My hands were numb by the time I got home - I definitely have some circulation issues there. Time to break out the gloves again.
Still it was the last midweek medium long run of this training cycle, so another box ticked.0 -
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Saturday 07/10
4 recovery@9:24. Quite lethargic for this, pretty much the same as I've felt all week. I'd been putting it down to sleeping badly and maybe being a bit overtrained, but I'd overlooked nutrition. I remembered back to last year and when I felt this off I'd lost a load of weight. My eating habits haven't been great for the last couple of weeks. When I'm not working days I have a habit of skipping either breakfast or lunch. So today I made sure to have breakfast post run, lunch and dinner. Forgot to weigh myself though, and basically just overate!
Sunday 08/10
Long Run: 22 miles@8:14 average, 3:01
Woke up a bit late, but had a decent sleep. Yesterdays food fest meant I woke up feeling a bit ill. So I hung around the house a bit until I felt better and didn't get started until around 11am. Still had breakfast though. I wasn't really looking forward to this to be honest - I'd been tired all week, and in my head I could see me bonking around mile 15 and doing a death march to get the 20 in. However if things went well I was contemplating adding a bit on to the 20 just to make it to 3 hours.
Anyway - the plan was 2 loops from Kennedy Quay, down Centre Park Road, The Marina, Blackrock Castle, The Old Railway Line to the Pairc, Monahan Road and back to Kennedy Quay (8 and a bit), then 2 loops of Monahan Road/Centre Park Road (1.5) to bring it to 20.
The place was buzzing. There was a match on down the Pairc. There were runners everywhere - a fair few doing Dublin who I saw more than once. The river was full of rowers and Blackrock village was packed too. After a creaky first mile, I got into it and started to enjoy it, having to pull myself back once or twice. I kept picking up the pace until a 10 miles was at MP+10% - and still enjoying it. I wasn't feeling under pressure or tired, just good. I was feeling strong enough (aerobically) up to mile 17 (although the legs were feeling tired from 15), and then I did feel I had to work a bit to finish it out. I was passed a couple of times by a guy doing a session during the last 3 miles - I knew his face from races and from passing by him on the road some days, but hadn't spoken to him before. When I reached mile 20 he was there talking to someone and he asked me if I was going round the short loop one more time. So I did, and dropped the pace for a nice 2 mile cool down with company, and get comfortably to 3 hours. This is the first 22 mile training run I've done where I wasn't dying by the end.
This was one of those runs that leaves you feeling great about running.
Goal paces: Mp+20% (8:40) to Mp+10% (7:56)
Splits:
8:47; 8:32; 8:28; 8:29; 8:30; 8:34; 8:30; 8:20; 8:16; 8:08; 8:07; 8:00; 7:58; 8:00; 8:04; 7:56; 7:56; 7:55; 7:53; 7:50; 8:24; 8:20
Water (250mls)@ 4,8,12,16, Kinetica Cola Gel@ 8,12,16
Weekly total: 59.40 -
Monday 09/10
I usually take Monday off, but I wanted Thursday off this week because of the race at the weekend.
5 recovery@9:05 before work. I could definitely feel yesterdays run in my legs. I felt tired for the day to be honest.
Tuesday 10/10
VO2 max session - 5x600m with 90s recovery, Total 8 miles.
This was the first of these sessions I had to do early in the morning during this training block and boy did I feel it. My body didn't like it at all. I felt sluggish during the warmup - half alseep really, and was considering just doing all easy miles, but then went through the usual mental gymnastics of "I'll just do the first rep and see how I feel" and then "one more" until I had all 5 done. The pace was ok, but I had to take the recoveries very easy.
Splits:
Warmup: 8:51; 8:37; 8:52
Reps: 2:17; 2:17; 2:14; 2:15; 2:16 (paces - 6:07; 6:07; 5:59; 6:02; 6:05)
Cool down: 8:16; 8:42; 0.4 miles in 3:47 (8:38 pace)
Way to early for this kind of carry on!
Wednesday
6 recovery@8:58 - half on grass, half on roads. Wasn't watching the HR for this and effort levels rose above recovery range for the last couple of miles. It was an enjoyable easy run though. 6 x roughly 1 mile loops of the Tank Field + some of the roads around it.0 -
Donadea 10k - 43:23 chip time. Was going grand until 2 miles then just couldn't get air. Last 2 miles slower than PMP. I'd like to say I gave up, but I kinda didn't. Great location, just really hot today. Or maybe I'm overtrained. Worst performance in ages. Might have a think about my goal. Maybe.0
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Wouldn't worry about Donadea - just treat it as a decent session. Not the fastest surface either once you get into the 'jungle'.
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Murph_D wrote:Wouldn't worry about Donadea - just treat it as a decent session. Not the fastest surface either once you get into the 'jungle'.
Seriously though, it was like running in a rainforest it was that humid. Had a good long run today to cheer myself up!0 -
Only missed ya by a few minutes on the seafront today, or so flyby reckons. Well done on the Donadea outing.0
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Thursday 12/10
Rest
Friday 13/10
4 recovery @8:58 with 6 x 100m strides - very humid day and a very soft pitch - strides felt a lot slower and a bit more laboured than usual.
Saturday 14/10
Donadea 10k - 43
Splits: 6:18; 6:42; 7:16; 7:04; 7:22; 7:23; 1:20 for the bit. Started fading during mile 2, and was done for by the time we got into the forest. Stopped looking at the watch after mile 3. More like a jungle than a forest (very very humid) Jogged the last 100m and walked across the line. Good race though, great spread after.
Daily total (with w/up + c/down) -9.4
Sunday 15/10
Long run - 16 miles@8:16
I didn't have time to go to the Phoenix Park as planned, so I picked a 4 mile loop to do 4 times - Kilbarrack Road near the fire station, down to the coast, against the wind to Watermill Road, up through Raheny and back to the fire station. The hardest miles were along the coast into the wind. The drag up through Raheny was fine, but probably wind assisted. Overall an enjoyable run and I didn't feel too tired either during or after this run.
Monday 16/10 and Tuesday 17/10
Sick.
As Ophelia raged outside (it was pretty bad here in Cork City), I suddenly felt very tired, then very hot. Spent the last 24 hours shivering, overheating, sweating buckets and mostly sleeping and apparently spent half the night shouting in my sleep. I'm totally wiped out. Can't even think about running as I barely have the energy to go upstairs. Will hopefully be ok by the weekend.0 -
Wednesday 18/10
Still Ill.
Does the body rule the mind or does the mind rule the body? I dunno....
Thursday 19/10
Day 4 - Rang back the doctor, said this sh1t ain't working, got some recommendations for another OTC remedy to counteract the war the antibiotics were waging on my insides. Chanced a run before work. 6@8:27. Felt ok, not as bad as I expected it to be - started out with a plan to do 4 and felt ok so added on the extra two.
So the plan for the week was:
Mon: Rest; Tues: 7GA with 8x100; Wed: 8 with 3x1600@5k; Thurs: Rest. Fri: 5 rec. with 6x100m Sat: Rest Sun: 12 MLR
Now I'm thinking:
Mon, Tues, Wed: Rest/Sick Thurs: 6 GA Friday: 7GA with 8x100 Sat: 5 rec. Sun: 12 MLR
Weather permitting of course. Am I foolish to do 4 runs in a row? Saturdays is going to be very very easy. I want to get a session of strides in and I resigned the VO2 max session to history - I don't think there is any benefit in doing it now. It also looks like I'm going to have to wait a little longer to hit the 2000 mile mark. I suppose the enforced break has come during the taper, so that's ok but I'm left feeling like I haven't started the taper properly and those days off while spent resting did not do my nutrition and hydration any good. For the first time in this training block I'm starting to feel like I'm playing catch up.0 -
How'd it go?
You're in great shape, a few days off or sessions missed won't make a whit of difference at this stage. What will make a difference is not recovering from the cold, so that should be the priority. Look after yourself first!
But you know this.0 -
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Murph_D wrote:How'd it go?
You're in great shape, a few days off or sessions missed won't make a whit of difference at this stage. What will make a difference is not recovering from the cold, so that should be the priority. Look after yourself first!
But you know this.
Turned out to be less of a cold and more gastro related. Exacerbated by the orginal treatment. Hopefully on the right track now. Got some easy miles and strides in last night, but took today off (gastro issues+stormy+ night shift last night+taper). I'm confident I'll make it to the start without having done too much damage. On the other all my niggles appear to have cleared up so there's that. But a 5 day tummy bug - I wouldn't recommend it.0
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