Berlin Q or Bust: Road to sub 2:45

AuldManKing

We all know you're faster than that - its a decent time to be fair given that it was pretty blustery today.

Its good practice for later in the year - defo a step in the right direction.

healy1835

Anyone know how far in advance the BHAA races open for entry? Planning on running the 10k in the K Club and don't see anything on the website......wouldn't like to miss it.

skyblue46

healy1835 wrote: »

Anyone know how far in advance the BHAA races open for entry? Planning on running the 10k in the K Club and don't see anything on the website......wouldn't like to miss it.

I think the entries open pretty immediately after each event for the next one. I'm fairly sure you can only enter the next event at any given time.

healy1835

Mon: 5.5k Daily Mile in school: 26:55 @4:49/km

5Miles Easy: 40:03 @4:59/km
On plains....

Tue: 4Miles Daily Mile in school: 30:00 @4:41/km

10.3k Easy: 49:13 @4:45/km
Pissing rain, miserable weather......but I felt awesome out on this one. Sometimes you're just bouncing along and the thought occurs to you 'jaysus I feel fit......' this was one of those occasions.

Wed: Session: 2Miles/5Miles @HMP/2Miles

5 Miles HMP: 30:05 @3:44/km

Did this on the track. Starting a block for Limerick HM next week so I'm actually just freewheeling about this week. Figured I'd do a tempo @HMP and see how that felt.......pretty comfortable was the answer. No heroics, plugged in the pace to the on-board computer and just popped out 20 and a bit laps

Itziger

5 miles at HMP is fairly impressive. I break up my HM stuff; today's plan is 3x13 mins which should be about 3.3 or 3.4k each. Not 100% sure of rec times between. 2 minutes I suppose.

healy1835

Itziger wrote: »

5 miles at HMP is fairly impressive. I break up my HM stuff; today's plan is 3x13 mins which should be about 3.3 or 3.4k each. Not 100% sure of rec times between. 2 minutes I suppose.

I'll plead ignorance here Donal....it wasn't planned so I don't know if it's something I'd ever do again/be given ;I just felt like doing a longer session, decided I'd give HMP a rattle I've 1:18:something in my mind for Limerick at the moment. That might change a little either way, but 3:44/km felt like HM effort. 10k next month might tell a tale as to where I am. Had hoped to do a 10Miler beforehand but nothing really suited.....

healy1835

Thu: 13k Recovery: 1:08:05 @5:14/km

Fri: 11k Easy: 54:17 @4:56/km

Planned on possibly doing a LR as myself and herself were staying up in town and attending what young boppers call a 'gig or something..... didn't quite pan out, but got this is before abandoning children for the night

Sat: Nope

Sun: 22k LR Inc 12k w/buggy: 1:44:00 @4:44/km

Managed to sandwich this in in the only little window I could in the afternoon. Just happy to get it done really

Limerick Half Marathon: Week 1 of 10

Mon: 10Miles Easy: 1:20:14 @4:59/km

Looking forward to this block. To steal an adage, the main thing will be to keep the main thing the main thing there will be a couple of warm up races alright, but they will be a means to the end that is the HM in May. Have good memories of my (unplanned) trip to Limerick last year so hopefully this planned trip will go just as well.

10 weeks are tentatively planned to look something like this.....(as ever, I'm sure things will be tweaked and tinkered with, but I'm happy with how this looks right now)

Feb 25-Mar 3
6 x mile off 90 secs recovery
8 mile tempo
24-26km

Mar 4-10
16 x 400m off 45 secs recovery
5 x 2k off 2 mins
28km easy-steady

Mar 11-17
Midweek session Wed or Thursday
4 mile tempo – 3 mins (jog) recovery –followed by 6 x 400m off 60 secs
No long run race on Mon 18th
Load up early in week

Mar 18-24
5k Road Race – MSB St Patricks
K Club 10K
28km easy

Mar 25-Apr 31
6 x mile off 90 secs recovery
3 x 2 mile (hard efforts) off 5 mins
26-28km relaxed-steady

Apr 1-7
16 x400m OR 14 x 300m hill
10 mile time trial
26-28km

Apr 8-14
5 x 2k off 2mins recovery
Hockey Club 10K
26-28km

Apr15-21
16 x400m OR 14 x 300m hill
8 mile tempo
Push LR (26km) to Mon 22nd

Apr 22-28
LR on Monday/Tuesday
3 x 2 mile off 5mins
20km easy

Apr 29 – May 5
Limerick Half

Swashbuckler

I only just realised you're running the half and not the full in Limerick. So I won't be at the start line with you.

The relay I'm running needs all four runners finishing the last leg together so I don't think I'll be able to see you at the 6 mile marker.

healy1835

Swashbuckler wrote: »

I only just realised you're running the half and not the full in Limerick. So I won't be at the start line with you.

The relay I'm running needs all four runners finishing the last leg together so I don't think I'll be able to see you at the 6 mile marker.

no prob P. Only saw your PM there now.....how fast do you guys plan on running the relay?

Swashbuckler

healy1835 wrote:

no prob P. Only saw your PM there now.....how fast do you guys plan on running the relay?

I'd be guessing to be honest but two of the lads are very quick. Between the four of us we're all sub 38 10k runners I think. One of the lads would be closer to 33/34. Other lad 34/35. Solid team.

healy1835

Limerick Half Marathon Week 1 of 10

Mon: 10 Miles Easy: 1:20:14 @4:59/km

Tue: Daily Mile stuff: 5.1k: 24:55 @4:53/km

10.5k Easy: 50:19 @4:47
Glorious spring afternoon on the plains. What else would you rather be doing?

Wed: Session 6x1 Mile @10k pace off 90/secs (5:40,5:47,5:47,5:43,5:47,5:46)

Brought a group of 5th&6th class lads to a Defence Forces obstacle course event....great day, of course Mr Healy decided to do it with them. Great craic, but considering I had a session planned for later on probably wasn't the best idea to be tearing up and down hills after fellas

Debuted the Vaporflys for the session.....they'll take a bit of getting used to, but there's definitely something going on down there. I suppose the edge will (or won't) come in a longer race situation, but they felt pretty good. Have an 8 mile tempo on Sat so will don them for that maybe.

Had company for 3 out of the 6 miles from my regular training buddy. He's also runing Limerick and we're both going to have a rattle at 2:50 in the autumn, his coming in Berlin

I am trying to insert more discipline into my sessions, and today was a good example i think. I've been running a couple too hard as was highlighted (very helpfully) here a while back. I figure that, all my ducks in a row, I'm not a million miles away from 36mins for a 10k at the moment, so plugged in 3:36/km and off I went. Used my tempo loop in the Camp, a nice loop but with one or two little drags to keep you interested.

First mile was too quick, felt fine but too quick. Settled into a nice pace and rhythm for the next couple. 4th Mile, shoe lace opened just as I was setting off, forgot to start watch back, but my partners watch clocked 5:43, I prob was about 5:40 again as I had to catch him up. Anywho, last couple were back in at desired effort and pace.

Happy with session, happy with shoes, happy with running

16.5k for the day.

Edit: No idea where that emoticon came from up the top of the post!!

healy1835

Thu: 13k Easy: 1:04:18@4:57/km
Nice evening for a run around Clontarf.

Fri: Rest

Sat: 8 Miles Tempo: 49:56 @3:53/km

Weather was pretty grim for this one so I headed up to the Camp to do this on the tempo loop. Checked in to see what pace I should be aiming for....6:15 miles came the reply.....headed out for warm up and really began to doubt that that pace would be happening.....but as happens quite often with me,once I got out and into rh3 session I was moving pretty decent. Last mile or so required a little grit to hit the pace but delighted to finish and feel pretty decent. Ran an almost identical time in August when I was knee deep in DCM training and feeling sharper than I feel now so that's a good sign. About 16k for the day.

Sun: 26k Relaxed: 2:01:42@4:41/km

Not a lot to report. Legs felt remarkably good after yesterdays session and the run, my longest since DCM, passed without incident.

106k for the week.

healy1835

Limerick Half Marathon Week 2 of 10

Mon: 12.4k Recovery: 1:03:42@5:08/km
Took to the snowy plains for this one, went for a trot up Braveheart hill too. Testing enough underfoot conditions.....for someone like myself

Tue: 17k Inc 5k Daily Mile stuff: 1:22:10@4:50/km
Same route as the day before. Equally as inept at running on the slop as the previous day!

Wed: 16x400m off 60secs.
Had company for this, partner wasn't 100% sure if he'd be able for session so I pushed the recoveries from 45 to 60 secs. Did this on the Defence Forces track which is always an experience as the track isn't quite oval GPS was all over the place. Some short, some long. Next time I do a session on that track I'm just going to manual lap rather than programme in the session. All reps were 78/79 territory and I felt pretty strong out there. Took the front and paced all the efforts, not going as hard as I would have on my own and making sure my mate kept in touch.

Thu: 13k Easy: 1:04:54 @4:59/km
Out to statue near Bull island and back to Marino. Just about squeezed out whatever light there was to get out and back over the wooden bridge.

Fri: 10k Easy: 49:50 @4:59/km
Easy on the plains to celebrate my 38th birthday

Sat: Session: 5x2k off 60/seconds

6:55, 6:52, 6:58, 6:58, 7:02

Took to the track for this. Windiest session I've ever put in......nearly took off going down the back straight a couple of times. Felt strong and reined myself in after a hot 2nd rep. 4 good sessions in first 2 weeks of block, happy with that. 10 Miles for the day.

Going for a few beers this afternoon so may or may not get out tomorrow, but will prob do 20k or something on Mon. One session next week and then MSB 5k on the Bank Holiday before K Club 10k the following Sat.

Swashbuckler

Happy Birthday man. 38... Makes me feel a bit better about my 37.

healy1835

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Happy Birthday man. 38... Makes me feel a bit better about my 37.

Cheers P.....I'll be quicker into the M40 class though

OOnegative

Belated Happy Birthday J, that explains why your way faster than me, your two years younger.......

Swashbuckler

healy1835 wrote:

Cheers P.....I'll be quicker into the M40 class though

Haha 2021 will be my year.....

AuldManKing

30 bleedin' 8 - I only started running at 38. That was 8 years ago!!

AuldManKing

AuldManKing wrote: »

30 bleedin' 8 - I only started running at 38. That was 8 years ago!!

......... happy birthday btw :pac:

Swashbuckler

AuldManKing wrote:

30 bleedin' 8 - I only started running at 38. That was 8 years ago!!

Well in fairness you're not called YoungManKing

OOnegative

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Well in fairness you're not called YoungManKing

Always be RunningKing to me:D:D:D.

healy1835

Limerick Half Marathon Week 3 of 10

Mon: 20k Easy: 1:37:40 @4:53/km

Did 5k XC (@5:06/km) with the kids after school and then did 15k around the camp on my own (@4:48/km).

Tue: AM 7.5k: 39:01 @5:10/km
PM 7.5k: 35:58 @4:48/km

In and out of work, against and with the wind.

Wed: Session: 4Mile Tempo/3mins Easy/6x400m hard efforts

Instructions had been to do it on the track, with a decent pace for the tempo, but more of an emphasis on running the 400s hard.....the wind and dodgy GPS on the Defence Forces track put me off so I figured out a loop that would have me running the 400's mostly uphill and into a gale.....and I mean a gale!

Tempo 24:33 @6:05 & 400's 🀪 95,89,88,85,86,88

Enjoyed that. Tempo felt really controlled, even allowing for the wind. At one stage I glanced down at the watch and saw I was moving a bit too quickly and on course to dip under 6 min miles so I scaled it back. 400s were unrelenting. Nearly blew a gasket on the first one up a steep climb, worked my way into them afterwards and finished the last one with not a whole lot more to give. Just under 15k all in all.

Thu: 13k Easy: 1:04:41 @4:59/km

Headed towards city instead of seafront and had notions of running the other side of the water to the Poolbeg chimneys.....of course I hadn't a balls notion where I was going, ended up running through East Point, out towards the Tunnel and M50 and then I just bailed and headed towards the 3 Arena and back around to Marino. I wouldn't describe myself as being lost during this run, but neither would I claim to know exactly where I was going for a lot of it

Fri: 5k Daily Mile Stuff: 24:21 @4:52/km
5Miles Easy: 39:16 @4:53/km

Sat: 11k Easy: 53:12 @4:50/km

Its amazing when your usual session day is replaced with an easy run just how easy the running feels sometimes.....

Running the MSB 5k on Monday. Didn't expect to be running it as it's been a late addition to the plan. K Club 10k Saturday is still happening, but I'm going to have a good rattle at it Monday. Actually feeling quite positive about running a 5k for a change....might even do myself justice over the distance

85k for the week thus far.

OOnegative

Best of luck tomorrow J, run well man!!!

Singer

Have a great 5k! Great race to give it a good go.

healy1835

Monday Race Report!

MSB 5k: 17:34

Got up to town in nice time, the whole gang in tow. Parked in Stephen's Green multi storey and headed out for a warm up. Met the gang back at the entrance to the green at 11:50, dropped jacket and headed to do a few strides near the start area. I'm feeling pretty relaxed, apart from my warm up around Fitwilliam Sqaure where the various food trucks delivered some pretty amazing aromas. Contemplated pulling out and just eating food but had no money on me so continued with original plan of racing......

As always the dilemma of how far to stand back from the front presented itself to me......I'd got caught in Raheny but at the same time I didn't want to be beside athletes I'd no real right to be alongside. Think I judged it pretty well in the end.

Km 1: 3:21
I'd gone out too fast in the Kildare Novice a few weeks back and was determined not to make the same mistake here.....and of course I clocked another 3:21 first kilometer! I was in a nice group though and unlike the Curragh, I didn't immediately feel like i was overreaching here.

Km 2: 3:30
I did however plan on starting and finishing strong, with hopefully nothing under 3:30 in between. 2nd km was comfortable and I'm in a group that I probably end up hanging in with for too long. There's a Tallaght guy, who was a few seconds ahead of me in both of my best performances last year; Frank Duffy & Race Series Half, and a Crusaders athlete. They seem to be having a little battle, constantly overtaking each other and I just sort of sit in behind them.

Km 3: 3:31
This continues for a good while but then I sort of think I could push things on a bit, so at around the end of the KM I make a bit of a move. I definitely think I could have pushed on earlier and I should have gone off how I was feeling rather than the idea of sitting on runners in front.

Km 4: 3:35
Of course I decide to go solo at precisely the wrong time, we're going back up the canal and into the wind and suddenly I'm isolated, no one within 10meters ahead of me and I can sense guys sitting in behind me. My own fault for not really looking at the route map beforehand really.....anyway, I'm sort of struggling now and negative thoughts start to enter. 'You really aren't much use at this 5k stuff' sort of thing, except stronger language.

Km 5: 3:18
Didn't last long though, and before I know it we're off the canal and I've gone through the 4k marker. Do I have the legs/stomach for a strong finish? The answer is a big yes. Passing out a good few now as we work our way back to the green. Thought I was nailed on for 17:20,at the very least, and 5k beeps @17:15, but last km seemed to be long? Anyway, the clock doesn't need to tell me that I've ran a strong race. Again, not a perfect race, but I'm improving over this distance for sure.

Time: 17:34 @3:27/km (5.1k)

OOnegative

Well done J, strong first and last kilometres there. Nice PB that!!

Swashbuckler

Lovely stuff J. Really strong running. Very consistent splits and very strong start and finish

AuldManKing

Well done J - I asked them to make the course slightly long, so I could have at least 1 PB over you

Great run - super last KM - a good spring/summer ahead.

Duanington

Well done J - no doubt you’ll get a bit more joy over 5k as you get a bit sharper etc. Strong looking finish there, fair play
I’d a similar experience to yours with the watch the last time I ran that race, the building cover plays havoc with it
Way more to come this year from you

healy1835

AuldManKing wrote: »

Well done J - I asked them to make the course slightly long, so I could have at least 1 PB over you

Great run - super last KM - a good spring/summer ahead.

You do have the BIG PB over me by one second remember and you'll be stretching that lead in a couple of weeks too.......