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Berlin Q or Bust: Road to sub 2:45
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Thu: AM 10k: 48:33 @4:51/km
Laps around the school while I waited for a skip to be delivered. Grim enough.
AM 2.5k: Trip up and down the Sugarloaf with the two lads after said skip was delivered. Great craic. I don't know how mountain runners do it though. I don't think i could do it due to my paranoia about ACL tears and the like.
PM: 5k: 23:53 @4:56/km
Little trot before the United game to flush out the legs after the little climb.
Fri: 12.3k: 59:32 @4:49/km
Easy miles with a buddy.
Sat: 15.6k: 1:11:30 @4:35/km
Enjoyable run, felt great so went a bit steadier.
Sun: LR 32k: 2:18:01 @4:19/km
Plan was for 16k @4:30/km and 16k @4:15/km, ended up going a little quicker (4:26/4:11) as the sun was shining, i was eating up road and everything just seemed to be in place
122k for the week. Nice and solid. Would fear for the second wave of entries in Ratoath with the new regulations. There's a small HM down these parts on that day too, The Medic HM in Monasterevin, might throw an entry into that, cover a few bases.0 -
Amsterdam Marathon Week 4 of 16 (this shall remain the case until I am informed otherwise)
Mon: 13k Recovery: 1:05:06 @5:00/km
Brought up the 3000km for the year on this one.
Tue: 10k Easy: 45:34 @4:33/km
Had planned on this being the first part of a double, and did it down on the track with the two boys cycling around on their bikes/wrestling in the long jump pit. Evening run didn't pan out.
Wed: Session: 20.7k: 1:29:05 @4:18/km inc 6 Mile Tempo @6:10, 5mins jog, 2 x 1 Mile @5:50 off 2 mins.
Juicy enough session, and between one thing and another didn't get out until late afternoon which i hadn't planned on. The plus side of this was that my New Balance Fuel Cell TC had arrived in the post that afternoon and, like a child with a new toy, I whipped them out and threw them straight on for this.
Shoes felt great. Not dissimilar to the Next% but not quite the same pop. They're bottom heavy on the sole, which made them appealing for their durability, and while they are heavy in comparison to the Next%, they still felt light enough. I'd say they probably have even more bounce than the aforementioned 'cheat boots' and took a little getting used to during the warm up. However once the clip was quickened they felt great
As for the session, I nipped down to the Lidl loop, warmed up, little stretch and off I set. Having the couple of faster reps after the tempo is great for making sure you treat it as a tempo effort and not something else. I know tempo is a term that can have various connotations depending on the coach/plan but I see loads of people race these and call them 'tempos'.
Anyway, ended up completing the 6 miles in 36:40, slightly quicker than planned but effort felt spot on. 5 mins walk/jog and then straight into the 2 x 1 mile. Felt better on these than expected, particularly the 2nd one which was into a bit of a head wind. (5:46, 5:47)
Jogged home, just a touch under 21k for the day.
Thu: Did these even happen.......?
PM (1) 10k: 51:12 @5:07/km
PM (2) 10.1k: @5:04/km
Amsterdam is not looking great atm. Listen, it was always a bit of a long shot, but i think doing a marathon block is only going to make me stronger and it's what I need to keep my head in a good spot. I'm still hopeful that some smaller marathons will be viable by the end of the year, whether they're at home or further afield, and if they are then I'll be ready.
I also can see the potential negatives; I could be training for shorter distances and using the lack of racing to make gains over those distances.... the possibility of going through a second marathon block with no marathon to show for it....but the positives outweight these negatives for me.0 -
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Fri: 12.2k: 59:48 @4:55/km inc a 19:30 5k.
Mate was doing a session and asked for a bit of pacing help for a 5k tempo he was doing. Couldn't really say no, even if I wasn't really in the humour pissed rain the entire time but was a bit of craic nonetheless.
Sat: 12.4k: 1:03:14 @5:06/km
Very easy around the bog.
Sun: 20 Miles: 2:23:48 @4:28/km
I just had an easy 20 miler down on the plan, around 4:30-4:20 pace. But my two buddies were doing a 16 mile alternating tempo type LR down Monasterevin direction so I joined them for a bit of company and to help them out with some pacing duties.
Splits for the efforts were
6:53, 7:33
6:47, 7:25
6:49, 7:59,
6:49, 7:20,
6:39, 7:38,
6:32, 7:21,
6:46, 7:22,
6:46, 7:27
The efforts just felt really really easy today! I know they probably shoyld as they're a good bit slower than MP, but i was really happy with how easy the run felt. The Fuelcell TC's felt amazing today btw
121k for the week.0 -
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Not sure the do you mean the Flyknit Vaporfly 4%'s or the Zoom Fly FK's? I have both so i can compare
They're a lot closer to the Vaporfly/Next %' s of this world than the Zoom Flys. Whatever foam NewBalance have come up with, it's the good stuff. The outer sole seems very durable which is a big plus. I'd be very interested in the Fuelcell RC (racing + competition as opposed to TC trainging + competition) which are due out later in the year0 -
Not sure the do you mean the Flyknit Vaporfly 4%'s or the Zoom Fly FK's? I have both so i can compare
They're a lot closer to the Vaporfly/Next %' s of this world than the Zoom Flys. Whatever foam NewBalance have come up with, it's the good stuff. The outer sole seems very durable which is a big plus. I'd be very interested in the Fuelcell RC (racing + competition as opposed to TC trainging + competition) which are due out later in the year
The Zoom Flyknit FK’s, the cheap mans cheat shoe.0 -
Amsterdam Week 5
Mon: 10 Miles Easy: 1:19:11 @4:55/km
Tue: 17.3k Easy: 1:23:44 @4:51/km
Wed: Session: 5x2k off 2 mins. 7:20 target
Had a busy day and evening in work but got out in the afternoon for this one in the absolute lashings of rain. Target was in and around the pace i was hoping to hit for 8 Mile TT and 10 Mile race in a few weeks. Felt strong on these but was happy to be wrapping up after 5 reps
Splits: 7:18, 7:17, 7:15, 7:18, 7:16
Just over 10 miles for the day.
Thu: 10k: 49:59 @5:00/km
Rough one! Was tight for time and probably headed out a little too soon after a feed of roast chicken for the dinner! Met my buddy who was running in Leixlip the following evening and was out for a shakeout, so ran a few km with him but once i left him my stomach was doing somersaults and i was feeling pretty ropey. Canned the 10 mile and shuffled home with 10k on the watch.
Fri: 14.15k: 1:05:17 @4:37/km
After a morning chasing a 2 year old around the Zoo, i went on my second steady run of the day around the town during an absolute downpour. It was an enjoyable sort of rain though, if you know what I mean
Sat: 10 Miles Easy: 1:16:52 @4:42/km
Sun: 8 Mile Time Trial: 46:43 @3:37/km
Well.......
As this came closer I started to think more along the lines of having a good rattle at it rather than a hard tempo. My tentative plan of starting at 6 min miles and throwing in a few quicker ones in the second half was met with a 'Remember, it's a time trial not a tempo' response from the man in charge. This, added to all the race results I'm seeing lately and my own relatively disappointing race perfomances this year, just made my mind up. I was still going to wind things up (if possible) but there would be no 6 min miles in there!
Tool myself up to the camp and onto my regular loop that i use for sessions, just shy of a mile, but it's closed off and onna Sunday morning would be pretty much traffic free.
The run itself was just one of those mornings when it felt very straight forward. Going through the first mile in 5:56, I felt really relaxed and ready to push the pace and this just sort of continued mile on mile.
Splits were:
5:56
5:54
5:53
5:51
5:51
5:47
5:46
5:44
Really delighted to come through that run averaging 5:50's. I put in a big effort but I was in no way maxed out or had emptied the tank. I'd like to think i could at least hold that pace for 10 Miles in a race envrionment. But that's for another day....maybe in Mondello in a couple of weeks, but that looks like a tricky enough route. Either way I'm probably gonna enter it and hopefully do some damage to my underwhelming PB from Trim in Feb.
Great day today, it's good to put in perfomances like this to rubber stamp gains you think you've made. Anyway, onwards and upwards
110k for the week.0 -
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Thank you gentlemen. A good morning on the roads to be sure
Sean, yeah i had it in mind to gradually wind it up. Most of my best race results have come from that approach and it's something I'm gonna have to think about in the future, esp in the Marathon. Do I stick with it or look for even splits. It'll depend i suppose, but that approach seems to suit. But today just happened really organically, and as i upped it things didn't seem seem to be getting a whole lot harder. Just one of those days
Derek, yeah i think I'm in sub 58min shape or close to it for 10 miles. Hopefully i might make a bit of a breakthrough over that distance soon. I was pretty disappointed after Trim earlier in the year, but with a bit of hindsight I'm able to recognise the benefit that a 5 Mile race, 6 x1 Mile hard session and a 10 mile race in the space of a week had as regards my marathon preparation. Just a pity there was no marathon at the end
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Amsterdam Week 6 (I'll label these posts thus until I'm told otherwise. But you wouldn't be hopeful...)
Mon: 14.2k: 1:07:11 @4:44/km
Nice morning down in Emo Court with the gang followed by an easy run in the afternoon while listening to the Runner Beans podcast. Triathlete guy was a good listen. Highlight was, of course, our own social influencer AMK getting a shout out.
Tue: 15k: 1:11:00 @4:44/km
Approximate pace for this one as I managed to leave my watch charging at my desk in work. Brain is particularly addled at the moment trying to get all my ducks in a row for September, so left said watch in work. Decided that evening that I'd run back into school and get the watch and run back home.... Got to the school and realised that I'd left the key to the entrance at home. This is my life now. Run was ok though.
Wed: Session: 6x1 Mile off 2 mins
5:36, 5:33, 5:34, 5:37, 5:36, 5:36
Aim was 5:40's but i miscalculated the km pace needed for those. Of course i only realised after 3rd rep when I'm thinking 'Jaysus, this is quick today...might just check those paces again'. Of course then some kind of ego/logic kicks in where i decide that i can't throw in a rep at 5:40 as that's too slow. Finished off slightly less agressive. Good session, was working hard on the last couple.
Just over 17k for the day.
Have entered that 10 mile in Mondello in a couple of weeks. Will be good to get in before (whichever) HM i end up running in September Prob Monasterevin rather than Ratoath after announcement on Monday.
LR Session this weekend, 16k@4:20 +16k@MP. Prob won't give AMK a shout this time as I doubt he has the time for me anymore 0 -
Highlight was, of course, our own social influencer AMK getting a shout out.
LR Session this weekend, 16k@4:20 +16k@MP. Prob won't give AMK a shout this time as I doubt he has the time for me anymore I'm up there with Donal Coakley
Thank God your not giving me a shout. Don't think I could do the 1st 16k never mind the 2nd!0 -
Thu: 15.1k: 1:13:00 @4:50/km
Got it in early and then brought the two lads up to the Imax in Blanchardstown for their first cinema trip since February. Great fun and glad I brought them on Thursday.....
Fri: 10k: 48:25 @4:50/km
.... As Friday was pretty grim. News came through about the lockdown in these here parts and it's just really frustrating. Not going to dwell on it but i was pretty deflated. 10 mile race scrapped, HMs will follow, Amsterdam is just drawing things out and even if it does go ahead, I'm hardly going to swan off over there and then try and explain to my school why I'm quarantining for 2 weeks. Scratched my planned10 miles, cracked open a beer and drank it... Then decided to run10k before the City Madrid game! Felt better....
Sat: 13.2k: 1:02:01 @4:42/km
Easy around the town in the sunshine.
Sun: 20 Miles including 10 miles @MP(ave 3:59)
2:14:42 @4:11/km
GPS was a bit off on my watch, but luckily enough i had the company of a club mate for this one and he very kindly brought along a 2:27 marathoner to help us along/be mined for information averaged about 3:59 for the MP stuff which wasn't exactly easy in the humidity but I felt pretty strong. Club mate dropped back early on, so did two Lidl loops (10k) with my new speedy friend, then told him to have a rattle at the last loop if he wanted to. Shouldn't have done that as i could have done with some company for the last one which saw MP section average drop to 3:59 from 3:57.....great morning though.
Around 118k for the week.
I'm just gonna keep training hard and see what happens. Thankfully I enjoy this running business so it's all good in this little part of Kildare anway!0 -
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Amsterdam Week 7
Mon: 'Rest'
Headed over to a mate's for a BBQ Sun afternoon. Brought 6 bottles of beer and told my beloved wife I'd be home around 8 or 9 o'clock....Needless to say that this didn't happen, and a great old hootenanny was had. Unfortunately I was in sole charge of 3 kids for the day on Monday....so by the evening I was just about in shape to keep eyes open for the United game.
Tue: 10 Miles Easy: 1:17:31 @4:49/km
Wed: AM: 10k: 46:54 @4:41/km
PM: 10k: 46:22 @4:38/km
Before and after work. Same route. Same de-stressing effect
Thu: 9 Miles Easy: 1:10:14 @4:51/km
Mooched out across the plains on a glorious afternoon. Really enjoyed this one.
Fri: Session: 4 Mile Tempo @ 10 Mile race pace/6 mins recovery/8x400m off 60 secs.
Tight for time with this one, only had about an hour to play with. Changed session slightly from 10x400 to 8x400 plus shortened warm up and cool down. Kept the 4 Mile Tempo but moved it to the track. Original plan was to do tempo on the Lidl loop and then jog back to track for the 400's.
As i was on the track rather than the road i decided to push the tempo a little harder, depending on how I felt....which was pretty good original plan was to run tempo at 10 mile race pace on the road. I was hoping to hit 58:30 or below in Mondello, and still plan on running that in a TT next weekend.
Got into a nice rhythm early, it's a different feeling when you're motoring along in a non-carbon plated shoe. The streak 6's were out for this one and as each lap passed I felt nice and in tune with the effort. 5:42,5:45,5:45,5:43 gave me a time of 22:55 for the tempo.
400's followed and they felt quite straightforward after the tempo effort and the 60 seconds rest involved.
77,77,76,75,76,74,74,71
Not 100% sure of plan for next week now that there's no race on Thursday. Gonna push 10 Mile TT to the weekend most likely, will go a little harder and longer than planned tomorrow and will do a smaller session midweek. Then again if United get to Europa league final I might do the TT Friday....we'll see.0 -
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AMSTERDAM MARATHON WEEK 8!!!!
The above shoutiness is in jest, but fair play to Amsterdam for still not making a decision!
Monday: 9 Miles Recovery: 1:14:36 @5:09/km
Tuesday: 12km Easy: 58:02 @4:50/km
Wednesday: 7 Miles Easy: 52:37 @4:40/km
Thursday: 6 Mile Tempo: 35:09 @3:38/km
Running has been happening this week partly down to training for a marathon but primarily to keep my mental health in check. I'm trying to open a school next week against the backdrop of a Department of Education that is somehow continuing to make things more difficult. To go all Blade Runner here, I've done some things this week you people wouldn't believe But to cut a very long story inolving TD's, roof leaks, the angriest phonecall I've ever made and many other settings short, sufficient PPE equipment has been procured for us to open and the building will be ready for next Friday. Oh yeah and I went to the track yesterday evening and belted out the above tempo @ 10 Mile race pace-ish. 0 -
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