DCM 2017 Mentored Novices Thread

Damo 2k9

Finding it seriously hard to get out today, legs just dont want to agree with me. Deciding to do the 3m today instead of the 5m and do that tomorrow. Keep an eye on Strava to see if I make it home without the legs giving in :pac:

BrownEyes79

[/quote]My lack of motivation stems from my lack of time. I work 9-6 most nights with 3 hours on top of that commuting. When I get home Im tired and happily fall into the chair and spend time with the family who i miss while I am at work.
I guess I know the answers already, "just get off my hole" but even writing this has helped.[/quote]


Hey, someone on here once made a great suggestion pages ago (sorry I can't remember who but it stuck with me!) anyway they said for days you don't feel like running just get into your running gear anyway and it will urge you to go out for a run.
So maybe when you should change into your running clothes the minute you get home from work and then do your family stuff and just being in you gear might give you a bit of motivation

Mrs Mc

BrownEyes79 wrote: »

My lack of motivation stems from my lack of time. I work 9-6 most nights with 3 hours on top of that commuting. When I get home Im tired and happily fall into the chair and spend time with the family who i miss while I am at work.
I guess I know the answers already, "just get off my hole" but even writing this has helped.[/quote]


Hey, someone on here once made a great suggestion pages ago (sorry I can't remember who but it stuck with me!) anyway they said for days you don't feel like running just get into your running gear anyway and it will urge you to go out for a run.
So maybe when you should change into your running clothes the minute you get home from work and then do your family stuff and just being in you gear might give you a bit of motivation[/quote]

Not sure if this is an option but can you run home from work it's a means to an end and means you're done when you get home ???

scotindublin

If you think you are not feeling like a run throw on the gear and run for a mile....if you are still not feeling it just turn around and head home.....it is still 2 miles in the bag.

Sometimes you just have to listen to your body as well and take a rest day.....The most important runs not to miss are the LSRs. Marathon training as you are all learning is like a battle of wills at times.

If you are feeling down or lacking a bit of motivation just look back at the progress you have made over the last few weeks this is only a fraction of what you are going to achieve over the next couple of months.

beakerjoe

Mrs Mc wrote: »

Hey, someone on here once made a great suggestion pages ago (sorry I can't remember who but it stuck with me!) anyway they said for days you don't feel like running just get into your running gear anyway and it will urge you to go out for a run.
So maybe when you should change into your running clothes the minute you get home from work and then do your family stuff and just being in you gear might give you a bit of motivation

Not sure if this is an option but can you run home from work it's a means to an end and means you're done when you get home ???

No I cant run from work, used to cycle until the baby arrived 2 years ago and now I drive said baby everywhere.

Thank for the suggestion though. Have my running gear in today, my healthy lunch (fruit fruit and more fruit) and deteminded to do 8k if I can.

Thanks for the advice guys, youre all a lovely bunch of lads.

beakerjoe

scotindublin wrote: »

If you think you are not feeling like a run throw on the gear and run for a mile....if you are still not feeling it just turn around and head home.....it is still 2 miles in the bag.

Sometimes you just have to listen to your body as well and take a rest day.....The most important runs not to miss are the LSRs. Marathon training as you are all learning is like a battle of wills at times.

If you are feeling down or lacking a bit of motivation just look back at the progress you have made over the last few weeks this is only a fraction of what you are going to achieve over the next couple of months.

Sorry, Im new to the forum here so not taht up on the abriviations yet. LSR? Is that short for a Long distance run of some kind?

The Davestator

beakerjoe wrote: »

Sorry, Im new to the forum here so not taht up on the abriviations yet. LSR? Is that short for a Long distance run of some kind?

Long slow run

ariana`

Damo 2k9 wrote: »

Finding it seriously hard to get out today, legs just dont want to agree with me. Deciding to do the 3m today instead of the 5m and do that tomorrow. Keep an eye on Strava to see if I make it home without the legs giving in :pac:

Hope you're home by now :pac: Well done on getting out when the going is tough. I often do the 2 easy runs on Mon/Tues and then the longer/pace run on Wed/Thurs. I'm not sure whether it's as a result of the LSR but i never feel quite recovered enough to tackle the medium-long pace run early in the week.

beakerjoe wrote: »

Thanks for the advice guys, youre all a lovely bunch of lads.

and ladies

beakerjoe

The Davestator wrote: »

Long slow run

What would you all consider a decent distance / time for such a run?

Sheep1978

beakerjoe wrote: »

What would you all consider a decent distance / time for such a run?

Distance depends on what week of whatever plan you are on so varies. Distances generally go up as weeks progress.
Time (and pace) is different for everyone dependant on their goals and abilities etc. Best piece of advice which I keep reading, though difficult to adhere to, is to not compare yourself to others - everyone is different.

ariana`

beakerjoe wrote: »

What would you all consider a decent distance / time for such a run?

How long is a piece of string Really depends on your current fitness but there are calculators where you can enter a recent race time and it will suggest paces for different types of runs. McMillan is one such calculator

beakerjoe

ariana` wrote: »

How long is a piece of string Really depends on your current fitness but there are calculators where you can enter a recent race time and it will suggest paces for different types of runs. McMillan is one such calculator

Well so far my most recent park run had me at 21 minutues 31 seconds for roughly 5k.

The most Ive done so far due to time constrictions is 8km, but I can easily do more.

In my last marathon 5 years ago, I generally ran 10k every run until game time with the about 8 LSR's ranging from 12k to 20k in the lead up (taking some pit stops inbetween.)

Id love to get up to that level by Oct regardless of what my times are. I have resigned myself to being too not breaking my 3 hours 42 mins time this year but Id love to keep my time under 5 hours.

ariana`

beakerjoe wrote: »

What would you all consider a decent distance / time for such a run?

Also if you have time it might be valuable to read back through this thread a bit. There was a lot of talk of training paces earlier on when we were all starting out and finding our feet a bit. But the general advice for novices is to run slow and then slow it down more. Because we are novices the increase in mileage is going to tax our bodies, if we try to run fast as well we are risking injury and not making the start line. Also there's more scientific reasoning to do with aerobic fitness which i won't attempt to explain but the gist i got is slow it down and then slow it down more.

ariana`

beakerjoe wrote: »

Well so far my most recent park run had me at 21 minutues 31 seconds for roughly 5k.

The most Ive done so far due to time constrictions is 8km, but I can easily do more.

In my last marathon 5 years ago, I generally ran 10k every run until game time with the about 8 LSR's ranging from 12k to 20k in the lead up (taking some pit stops inbetween.)

Id love to get up to that level by Oct regardless of what my times are. I have resigned myself to being too not breaking my 3 hours 42 mins time this year but Id love to keep my time under 5 hours.

It sounds like speed is not your problem anyhow!

How often were you running 10k last time? If you were running that 5/6 days a week you were probably training your body to run on tired legs so you were consistently simulating the last 10k of the marathon. It's a different training approach to the one we are following and i can't really advise. But if this is your experience and it worked for you before then maybe that is the way to go for you now?

The plans are laid out here that most of us are following but there are a few following other plans as well, all are welcome to post here and get advice from wubble wubble and other more experienced marathon runners and also to share our experiences and learn from/with the other novices.

beakerjoe

ariana` wrote: »

It sounds like speed is not your problem anyhow!

How often were you running 10k last time? If you were running that 5/6 days a week you were probably training your body to run on tired legs so you were consistently simulating the last 10k of the marathon. It's a different training approach to the one we are following and i can't really advise. But if this is your experience and it worked for you before then maybe that is the way to go for you now?

The plans are laid out here that most of us are following but there are a few following other plans as well, all are welcome to post here and get advice from wubble wubble and other more experienced marathon runners and also to share our experiences and learn from/with the other novices.

Speed isnt the problem, but keeping going is.

Last time I ran twice a week usually plus football training (twice a week) and matches. Imnot playing ball now though and my body just isnt at where it was last time out.

I apoloiges if Im posting in the wrong area, just trying to get any advice I can and I feel even sharing with you guys (and girls) here is motivating me.

ariana`

beakerjoe wrote: »

Speed isnt the problem, but keeping going is.

Last time I ran twice a week usually plus football training (twice a week) and matches. Imnot playing ball now though and my body just isnt at where it was last time out.

I apoloiges if Im posting in the wrong area, just trying to get any advice I can and I feel even sharing with you guys (and girls) here is motivating me.

Wow a 3:42:xx marathon on the back of running twice a week :eek: I think you should quit the day job, imagine what you could do if you actually trained for a marathon

beakerjoe

ariana` wrote: »

Wow a 3:42:xx marathon on the back of running twice a week :eek: I think you should quit the day job, imagine what you could do if you actually trained for a marathon

I always wanted to do a marathon and I was always fairly fit thanks to football. I was never a skillful player, but I worked hard up and down the pitch and always ran myself into the ground. That gave me a great platform to begin the training. The most a ran in training was 2 20km runs to Stilorgan and back from town. I really thought I was unprepared.

I rocked up on the day and got talking to a chap while waiting whos goal was under 3 hours and a half. When the race began I tried my best to get my stride and keep up with this lad. He was a gent and we chatted a bit during it. He ended up ahead of me and I was so proud of myself for finishing so close to him and finish so well. I love that my time is still on the website to see and show my family who I hadnt got at the time. It really was a great achievement for me just to finish it. Life goal ticked off.

I regret not keeping it going and If I finish it this year I will be determind to do well and keep going.

beakerjoe

Thats me after the race in 2012. You can see my race number there to check up my time too. I just post this so people know Im not just some spoofer.

beakerjoe

Got out at lunch thanks to the motivation from home and this thread. Did 6.3km in 32 minutes. I feel great and looking at the HHN plan I feel so much better about the up-coming 10miler. Gonna do the 5K Parkrun in Clongriffin on Sat and a late 9-10k run Sunday night.

Thanks to all who have put up with me clogging the thread up the last few days.

ariana`

beakerjoe wrote: »

I always wanted to do a marathon and I was always fairly fit thanks to football. I was never a skillful player, but I worked hard up and down the pitch and always ran myself into the ground. That gave me a great platform to begin the training. The most a ran in training was 2 20km runs to Stilorgan and back from town. I really thought I was unprepared.

I rocked up on the day and got talking to a chap while waiting whos goal was under 3 hours and a half. When the race began I tried my best to get my stride and keep up with this lad. He was a gent and we chatted a bit during it. He ended up ahead of me and I was so proud of myself for finishing so close to him and finish so well. I love that my time is still on the website to see and show my family who I hadnt got at the time. It really was a great achievement for me just to finish it. Life goal ticked off.

I regret not keeping it going and If I finish it this year I will be determind to do well and keep going.

On paper you were unprepared, seriously that's a big leap from 20k to 42.2k :eek:

As i said before, quit the day job you're in the wrong career

I did the 6m PMP run last night, have to say i really enjoy going a little bit faster than normal (and i'm really not worrying that PMP is starting to feel fast ).

I've also realised in the past 3 weeks that LSRs are a bit like childbirth, in the days beforehand i'm excited & looking forward to it and then during it i'm wondering what the hell did i put myself in this position for do i really want another baby to run a marathon and the straight afterwards is the relief that it's over, the pride and all that good stuff :pac:

beakerjoe

ariana` wrote: »

On paper you were unprepared, seriously that's a big leap from 20k to 42.2k :eek:

As i said before, quit the day job you're in the wrong career

I did the 6m PMP run last night, have to say i really enjoy going a little bit faster than normal (and i'm really not worrying that PMP is starting to feel fast ).

I've also realised in the past 3 weeks that LSRs are a bit like childbirth, in the days beforehand i'm excited & looking forward to it and then during it i'm wondering what the hell did i put myself in this position for do i really want another baby to run a marathon and the straight afterwards is the relief that it's over, the pride and all that good stuff :pac:

Well on the advice of a guy from my job, he told me to never go beyond 25 km in my training. I dunno where he got that from but I took it as gospel.

ariana`

beakerjoe wrote: »

Well on the advice of a guy from my job, he told me to never go beyond 25 km in my training. I dunno where he got that from but I took it as gospel.

Maybe he was mixing you full marathon and half marathon training

Still it seemed to work out ok for you.

beakerjoe

ariana` wrote: »

Maybe he was mixing you full marathon and half marathon training

Still it seemed to work out ok for you.

It did. I dreaded doing the actual race. I thought I was never going to get near 30km let alone finish. But I loved the race, the adrenaline on the day, the athmosphere, the helpful folks on the route and to that friendly runner I got talking to got me through.

brownbinman

Just back from my LSR. nice 14km. Was meant to do 16km but time limited (or so I thought, came home to find out it's cancelled). Felt really strong and no major issues with legs apart from milage.

I more or less did the Frank Duffy 10m route and is nice route

Off to the wedding...if I don't make it back from Mayo, best of luck all

Dealerz

Bit of a stupid question, but if I was planning on doing the frank duffy 10 miler route as my LSR on Saturday, if I turn on mapmyrun outside Dublin Zoo (for example!), will the race route load so I know where I am supposed to go?

leesider77

Running can be cruel sometimes. From the euphoria of Sunday to rock bottom yesterday :-( I went for my 5 mile as planned yesterday and it was an awful run in the pouring rain. When I came home my left leg was sore. I stretched and rolled it but this morning it was way worse. My entire leg from hip to foot was sore in different places. Luckily the sports clinic had an appointment this evening available so decided not to waste any time and spent 1 and 3/4 hours with the Physio. Good news is that it doesn't look too serious - a weak hip and glute that needs strengthening. The bad news is that although I can run ( very slowly and building only at a km at a time with step backs if anything hurts afterwards) I need to take a break from the plan for next few weeks.

It would most likely have happened eventually but the exertion of fingal 10km probably brought it on faster. I'm being positive and saying I'll be back to run FD and half but please someone quote me and remind me I need to take these next races easy when I mention the word PB :-) I have one goal and it's to get to end of October and be at the start line.

leesider77

Dealerz wrote: »

Bit of a stupid question, but if I was planning on doing the frank duffy 10 miler route as my LSR on Saturday, if I turn on mapmyrun outside Dublin Zoo (for example!), will the race route load so I know where I am supposed to go?

I asked this exact questions a few weeks back after getting lost in the Phoenix park. I'd love an app that will direct me around a specific route. Anyone?

Unthought Known

leesider77 wrote: »

I asked this exact questions a few weeks back after getting lost in the Phoenix park. I'd love an app that will direct me around a specific route. Anyone?

https://routes.rungoapp.com/route/new

This app is great, I used it quite a few times for DCM 16 when running the route on LSR's. Best to create a free account. You can create a route on the phone or on a pc then use the app when you run.
It will give you turn by turn navigation. You can also add custom notifications, which is handy when you're on a long straight as you can get it to remind you the next turn is in 1 mile or something like that.

Wubble Wubble

leesider77 wrote: »

Running can be cruel sometimes. From the euphoria of Sunday to rock bottom yesterday :-( I went for my 5 mile as planned yesterday and it was an awful run in the pouring rain. When I came home my left leg was sore. I stretched and rolled it but this morning it was way worse. My entire leg from hip to foot was sore in different places. Luckily the sports clinic had an appointment this evening available so decided not to waste any time and spent 1 and 3/4 hours with the Physio. Good news is that it doesn't look too serious - a weak hip and glute that needs strengthening. The bad news is that although I can run ( very slowly and building only at a km at a time with step backs if anything hurts afterwards) I need to take a break from the plan for next few weeks.

It would most likely have happened eventually but the exertion of fingal 10km probably brought it on faster. I'm being positive and saying I'll be back to run FD and half but please someone quote me and remind me I need to take these next races easy when I mention the word PB :-) I have one goal and it's to get to end of October and be at the start line.

Sorry to read of your injury! Best of luck with the recovery, and hopefully you'll be able to run FD. Keep the main thing the main thing though

muddypaws

10 mile LSR done tonight, delighted to have it out of the way. Was tough but ran it with a woman I met at the adventure race on Saturday, who often volunteers at my local park run. We chatted the whole way round, and ran roads that I have never run before so was quite interesting.

I'm flying to London tomorrow and had planned on doing a park run there on Saturday morning, that would mean a 7am alarm call. Have been told that most of Saturday's wedding guests are meeting up for dinner and drinks Friday night, so am thinking of a 3 mile recovery run tomorrow instead, so that I can stay out late if I want to. Or is it completely stupid to run 4 days straight including my longest run to date? I could go for a run on Sunday morning before checking out of the hotel I guess.