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Man! I feel like a runner

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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,458 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Nice work. Hope you’re doing a good warmup before these sessions - really important to have the muscles warmed up and a few strides to get the blood pumping!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Murph_D wrote: »
    Nice work. Hope you’re doing a good warmup before these sessions - really important to have the muscles warmed up and a few strides to get the blood pumping!


    Emmm it varies, some days I am more disciplined than others with a good warm-up. I did throw a few short strides before the 200s on Sat alright but not much more in the way of activating what needs to be ready to go. There's my improvement point for this week anyway :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Mon 17th
    No run, just some mobility stuff in the evening. Was feeling pretty stiff.

    Tues 18th
    Morning S&C, 45 mins.
    400s in the evening. Made sure to do a few drills / strides before starting. Target pace was 90 seconds, recovery was also 90 seconds. Really struggled in the 2nd half of the session... 90, 92, 89, 92, 93, 94, 95, 98.. It was all tiredness in the legs, no breathing issues but dunno what relevance that is really. I was in a funny mood doing it anyway so just happy to get it done and no cheating on recoveries or skimping on reps. 4.2 miles total.

    Weds 19th
    Had been signed up for the IMRA but it was cancelled following the govt announcements on Tuesday, so ended up arranging for a lunchtime run with a clubmate. 5 miles @ avg 10.08/m. Got absolutely soaked to the bone but it was kinda fun.

    Thurs 20th
    More easy miles, 6 @ 9.26/m avg.Can't find my HRM all week.

    Fri 21st
    Morning S&C, 40 mins.
    It had been both the best ever and worst ever week in work for me, somehow, so by the time Friday evening came around I was mentally exhausted and had no interest in going outside.

    Sat 22nd
    Headed to visit my bro and his crew down in Kilkenny and he'd suggested bringing my runners.. even though he is ridiculously quicker than me! He hasn't been training all that much lately but still the run had me wrecked and him barely breaking a sweat. I think it was heading up a hill at just under 8 min mile pace that got me.. it didn't last! 6.3 miles @ 8.33/m.

    Sun 23rd
    Didn't get up as early as intended but forced myself out to do 10 miles. I came up with a loop so I couldn't cut it short. The motivation is leaning towards the low side currently but I think I started to enjoy it about 3 miles in. 10 miles @ 9.23/m avg.

    Total: 31.7


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,301 ✭✭✭ariana`


    Tough seeing the imra being cancelled now too :( it's hard to keep the motivation going consistently with so little to aim for race wise and now the signs of Autumn/Winter setting in as well. I think we're all mighty for doing any bit at all really, we'll come out the other side in better shape that many! That's the hope anyhow, we'll keep on truckin' :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Mon 24th Aug
    Lunchtime recovery run, including a short stop for a phonecall. 3.4 miles @ 10.13/m avg.

    Tues 25th Aug
    Morning S&C, 40 mins.
    Evening 200s in very stormy weather :) Weirdly enjoyable though.3 sets of 4x200, with 45 seconds between the 200s and 6 minutes between the sets. I had to cower under some trees for the longer recoveries as it wasn't too pleasant to be standing around in the heavy rain! Target time 43 seconds but the wind was hard to tackle in one direction, and it blew me along in the other:
    47, 42, 45, 41. 45, 40, 42, 41. 42, 42, 43, 41.
    4 miles total for the evening.

    Weds 26th Aug
    Easy 5 miles in the evening @9.16/m avg. Felt good, just the now-usual stiffness after Tuesday's session. Nice to get a dry evening.

    Thurs 27th Aug
    Out at lunchtime as I had actual social plans that evening! Back to the rain so the pace got a bit quicker as I ran with the rain getting heavier. 5 miles @ 8.59/m avg.

    Fri 28th Aug
    Had the day off work but still made it to S&C, just booked a later slot. 40 mins sweating wine out of me :-/
    Down to Offaly where the weather was actually grand for my planned 400s. I headed to the newest of the GAA pitches up the road. The grass was a bit long, and a bit wet but just tried my best anyway. I'm really finding 400s the hardest of any sessions. I seem to run out of steam by the end of it quite a bit. 2 sets of 4 x 400, 75 seconds between the 400s and 3 minutes between the sets. Target time 90 seconds: 87, 89, 93, 91. 92, 92, 93, 95. There was a bit of a wind but definitely the main issue was me getting tired.
    4.2 miles total for the afternoon.

    Sat 29th Aug
    Met a couple of friends out at the wind farm for our own very easy (not) parkrun. 3.3 miles @ 9.39/m and great chats.

    Sun 30th Aug
    My brother was over from Galway again, fresh from his 5k PB at that East Galway race that managed to go ahead. We headed up to the canal harbour with our dad and ran the first mile with him, then said we'd crack on a bit and collect him on the way back. Pace kept picking up as seems to happen with my brothers :rolleyes: The canal bank surface isn't the easiest to run along in parts either, fairly boggy and overgrown but nice for a change all the same. Never found our dad on the way back - he'd ended up doing some other loop! There was a heron we kept seeing again also. I jogged the last bit home myself to bring me up past 8 miles for the day. 9.26/m avg.

    33.1 miles for the week.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Mon 31st Aug
    Easy/recovery lunch run. 3.4 miles @ 10.03/m avg. Legs felt good.
    157.5 miles for August

    Tues 1st Sept
    Morning S&C, 45 mins. I've noticed the short speed sessions have made my hips a little 'pinchy'. Need to get back into the mobility exercises at home, they've fallen by the wayside the last few weeks.
    The plan had 12x 400s @3k pace off 30 seconds. 4 reps in and I knew that was never going to happen. I paused the watch, sat on a little wall in UCD near where I've been doing all my sessions and contemplated life a while :pac: Got up and did another set of 4 x 400s off 30 seconds and called it a day after another little sit-down as I felt completely done. When you think about it though, the full session would have been about 5k at quicker than 5k pace which seems completely unrealistic, even with the 30s breaks? Anyway, target pace 94s:
    96, 92, 93, 93. 93, 94, 93, 95.
    4 miles total for the afternoon.

    Weds 2nd Sept
    I was feeling the effects of the session, and found my HRM, so decided to try stay in zone 1. It was very slow :o 5 miles @ 10.36/m avg, HR 136. Felt very sluggish.

    Thurs 3rd Sept
    Didn't bother with the HRM and just ran. I was feeling fairly strong, 5 miles @ 9.02/m avg. Enjoyable run.

    Fri 4th Sept
    Morning S&C, 45 mins.
    My fave session of this little plan Murph_D shared with me; 3 sets of 4x 200 off 45s. Maybe I just really enjoy the 6 minutes between the sets though :) Did them on the now-usual spot in UCD. Target pace 43s:
    46,44,42,43. 43,43,42,41. 41,41,41,40.
    Went a bit fast in the last reps but the whole session was fueled by anger if I'm honest.
    4 miles total.

    Sat 5th Sept
    Poor sleep Friday night so kept my run until evening, and then had plans for a hike of sorts Sunday so made it my long run. 8 miles @ 9.03/m. I felt good but probably pushed a bit beyond easy at times.

    Sun 6th Sept
    Headed out to Glendalough for a walk up Spinc. Lovely morning for it, and it was busy enough out there. I don't think I've been to Glendalough since I was a child which is a bit disgraceful! Passed Clara Lara which we used to head to in our family minibus as well :pac:
    Got myself out for a little run this evening between packing many, many t-shirts and medals into bags for the virtual mini-marathon. Plenty left to pack too :o
    5 miles @ 9.17/m. Felt grand after this morning's walk thankfully.

    Total miles: 34.7

    This week is the last week of the 6 week mile plan, so I should try run a mile TT next weekend. Not sure if I should.. my head is all over the place. But if I do attempt one, the other matter is where to try it? Kilbogget track might be good but I'm not sure if it's a properly measured track.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,458 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    That 12x400 looks tough alright. I see from my own records I don’t seem to have done it myself! :pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭Lambay island


    It won't help you for this weekend but possibly for future attempts. DLRCC are currently erecting a 3 lane rubber crumb track up in Fernhill(Stepaside). It is 400 metres, although I believe it will be more velodrome shape than a standard track(I.e. bended 100 metres). Due to be open in October.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,473 ✭✭✭Comic Book Guy


    That 400m interval session is a monster session V, extremely tough.
    I remember doing a 10 repeat version few weeks before the mile TT and had to skip the 7th to try and recover.
    How about using the same route ya used for that Mile TT and measure how ya have progressed?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,205 ✭✭✭crisco10


    It won't help you for this weekend but possibly for future attempts. DLRCC are currently erecting a 3 lane rubber crumb track up in Fernhill(Stepaside). It is 400 metres, although I believe it will be more velodrome shape than a standard track(I.e. bended 100 metres). Due to be open in October.

    Didn't know that, interesting! Can't imagine it would be all that flat up there....


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭Lambay island


    crisco10 wrote: »
    Didn't know that, interesting! Can't imagine it would be all that flat up there....

    I would have thought the same but I was up there the other day checking out the park. Its starting to come together.They have flattened a big area for pitch and track. Its basically up on a mound of considerable height. The drainage wil be superb. Due to the height, it will prob be more exposed to winds etc.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Murph_D wrote: »
    That 12x400 looks tough alright. I see from my own records I don’t seem to have done it myself! :pac:


    Probably the smart choice!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    It won't help you for this weekend but possibly for future attempts. DLRCC are currently erecting a 3 lane rubber crumb track up in Fernhill(Stepaside). It is 400 metres, although I believe it will be more velodrome shape than a standard track(I.e. bended 100 metres). Due to be open in October.


    And will that be open to the public??


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    That 400m interval session is a monster session V, extremely tough.
    I remember doing a 10 repeat version few weeks before the mile TT and had to skip the 7th to try and recover.
    How about using the same route ya used for that Mile TT and measure how ya have progressed?


    Yeah I had considered that too.. I'll stew over it the next couple of days anyway!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭Lambay island


    ReeReeG wrote: »
    And will that be open to the public??

    Yeh, free of charge for the public.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,458 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    If I’m struggling in a session, I’d never feel bad about increasing the recoveries, by the way, or sitting out a rep as suggested above (the Raheny coaches often advise runners to sit one out, and I’ve had the quiet word in the ear myself at least once). It’s also OK to stop early, as you did, if it’s not happening. You still have the benefit of the 8 reps. Keep the faith!


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,208 ✭✭✭shotgunmcos


    400s off 30secs... you are mad!

    Agree in general here. Across different sports where I've had a coach on reps, sitting one out is always acceptable. Whether its a stich, a niggle, fatigue or just a breath to get your head right its worth it. Usually it was the case of faster folk getting the full rest and me getting less and less.

    But 12x400 off 30s is brutal. Maybe if you were running 60s laps.. 50% recovery time is normal (but still brutal). Your rest time was 30%... that will catch up with you pretty quickly!

    Yet you still did 4 more after stepping off. You are tougher than you give yourself credit for!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Murph_D wrote: »
    If I’m struggling in a session, I’d never feel bad about increasing the recoveries, by the way, or sitting out a rep as suggested above (the Raheny coaches often advise runners to sit one out, and I’ve had the quiet word in the ear myself at least once). It’s also OK to stop early, as you did, if it’s not happening. You still have the benefit of the 8 reps. Keep the faith!
    400s off 30secs... you are mad!

    Agree in general here. Across different sports where I've had a coach on reps, sitting one out is always acceptable. Whether its a stich, a niggle, fatigue or just a breath to get your head right its worth it. Usually it was the case of faster folk getting the full rest and me getting less and less.

    But 12x400 off 30s is brutal. Maybe if you were running 60s laps.. 50% recovery time is normal (but still brutal). Your rest time was 30%... that will catch up with you pretty quickly!

    Yet you still did 4 more after stepping off. You are tougher than you give yourself credit for!


    I have a lot of learning to do when it comes to sessions like this, that's for sure. Thanks for the input :) As awful as these sessions feel, I have actually been enjoying them as something different than my usual training, although most enjoyment only comes when I am finished!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,896 ✭✭✭Sacksian


    More mile stuff - great!

    I agree with you that 12 x 400 off 30s @3k pace doesn't make much sense!! Typically 3k pace intervals should be an equal work to rest ratio. That means you rest for as long as you run. So, giving the same length of recovery to someone running 400m in 90s as you do to someone running 400m in 62s is obviously a bit silly - especially as the person running 400m in 90s is likely to be a less experienced athlete.

    Generally, if you're doing fast stuff, you want decent recoveries as you're more likely to be working on speed/coordination than fitness. And doing them tired defeats the purpose. Your ability to hold that speed over a mile or longer will probably depend more on your endurance than simply speed.

    If I'm doing any interval distance (whether it's 200m, 400m or longer) with short recoveries, I always adjust the pace accordingly. I'm not sure I've ever managed the 'classic' 10 x 400m at mile pace off 60s or 90s - which if you're running 6mins is actual 1:1 recovery at 90s but if you're faster involves MORE recovery!! And if you're not a professional runner or have responsibilities in life beyond running, you've got to recover from your training while doing loads of other stuff too!

    So, sometimes, I'd rather run each interval slower than race pace and keep the recovery more active. I love doing lots of 200s (maybe 16-20) in around mile pace like your other session but very slowly jogging the recoveries (100m maybe) so you're just rolling through them. That's the sort of thing that helps build the endurance side of mile training. For middle-distance / fast-twitch runners, you can always break any session up into sets.

    Workouts are a piece in a puzzle but no single session is THE missing piece. Perfectly fine to can a workout halfway through if you've overcooked it at the start, as long as you remember next time to try and pace it so that you finish stronger than you started. You want to develop good patterns in training - a pattern of consistent, modest sessions for a sustained period is very underrated preparation for a race!

    There was a quote on letsrun from way back that I always liked:
    Just remember WHY you're doing a certain workout. The point of a workout is not just to get tired. You can do that by running with a backpack loaded with bricks.

    There are very, very few - if any - workouts where you want to be peeling yourself off the ground.

    You've got good speed so, for the long term, it's just a question of sustainably adding some endurance to it (and I recommend xc as a way to develop that!). Good luck with the TT!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Sacksian wrote: »
    More mile stuff - great!

    I agree with you that 12 x 400 off 30s @3k pace doesn't make much sense!! Typically 3k pace intervals should be an equal work to rest ratio. That means you rest for as long as you run. So, giving the same length of recovery to someone running 400m in 90s as you do to someone running 400m in 62s is obviously a bit silly - especially as the person running 400m in 90s is likely to be a less experienced athlete.

    Generally, if you're doing fast stuff, you want decent recoveries as you're more likely to be working on speed/coordination than fitness. And doing them tired defeats the purpose. Your ability to hold that speed over a mile or longer will probably depend more on your endurance than simply speed.

    If I'm doing any interval distance (whether it's 200m, 400m or longer) with short recoveries, I always adjust the pace accordingly. I'm not sure I've ever managed the 'classic' 10 x 400m at mile pace off 60s or 90s - which if you're running 6mins is actual 1:1 recovery at 90s but if you're faster involves MORE recovery!! And if you're not a professional runner or have responsibilities in life beyond running, you've got to recover from your training while doing loads of other stuff too!

    So, sometimes, I'd rather run each interval slower than race pace and keep the recovery more active. I love doing lots of 200s (maybe 16-20) in around mile pace like your other session but very slowly jogging the recoveries (100m maybe) so you're just rolling through them. That's the sort of thing that helps build the endurance side of mile training. For middle-distance / fast-twitch runners, you can always break any session up into sets.

    Workouts are a piece in a puzzle but no single session is THE missing piece. Perfectly fine to can a workout halfway through if you've overcooked it at the start, as long as you remember next time to try and pace it so that you finish stronger than you started. You want to develop good patterns in training - a pattern of consistent, modest sessions for a sustained period is very underrated preparation for a race!

    There was a quote on letsrun from way back that I always liked:



    There are very, very few - if any - workouts where you want to be peeling yourself off the ground.

    You've got good speed so, for the long term, it's just a question of sustainably adding some endurance to it (and I recommend xc as a way to develop that!). Good luck with the TT!


    Thanks for taking the time to write this.. will take a few reads to get some of it into my head! Good to know I wasn't just being a wimp with that 400m session :) I can see myself trying more of this training, especially given the lack of races still.

    One thing I will not be doing though is xc - I've tried it a few times and can safely say there's nothing I've enjoyed less running-wise!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,458 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Not V's mistake - have to hold my hand up here as I gave her the schedule with that 12x400 on it, based on a loose plan I'd followed for a sub-6 mile attempt. I put the schedule together from sessions suggested by a club coach but I don't think he specifically mentioned that one. When I was following the schedule myself I was being loose about subbing in whatever session was happening on the track at the club so I hadn't actually done that session myself or paid any attention to what it said. I'm sure if I had I'd have either blown up or changed it - maybe it's a 'typo'. Normally I'd be taking at least a 60-75s recovery for a 400 rep (at any pace!)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,896 ✭✭✭Sacksian


    Murph_D wrote: »
    Not V's mistake - have to hold my hand up here as I gave her the schedule with that 12x400 on it, based on a loose plan I'd followed for a sub-6 mile attempt. I put the schedule together from sessions suggested by a club coach but I don't think he specifically mentioned that one. When I was following the schedule myself I was being loose about subbing in whatever session was happening on the track at the club so I hadn't actually done that session myself or paid any attention to what it said. I'm sure if I had I'd have either blown up or changed it - maybe it's a 'typo'. Normally I'd be taking at least a 60-75s recovery for a 400 rep (at any pace!)

    Sorry, I wasn't aware of the background - it was just a general comment on sessions! Very short recoveries definitely have their place, but it all depends on the purpose of the session and where it fits in the overall scheme of things.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,896 ✭✭✭Sacksian


    ReeReeG wrote: »
    Thanks for taking the time to write this.. will take a few reads to get some of it into my head! Good to know I wasn't just being a wimp with that 400m session :) I can see myself trying more of this training, especially given the lack of races still.

    One thing I will not be doing though is xc - I've tried it a few times and can safely say there's nothing I've enjoyed less running-wise!

    Never say never!!

    That was my initial experience of xc too...two of my most miserable race memories are xc. My coping trick was to start slow and just speed up and up as the race went on. It means that, while you may not extract your absolute maximum potential performance, you get to spend the second half passing people, which is good for confidence! And you can figure out where your threshold is in subsequent races.

    The universal truth about xc racing is that 90% of the field will have misjudged their starting pace. Of those, 70% will spend the entire race slowing down, while 26% will limit their losses after the first mile and maybe speed up at the end. No one knows what happens the other 4%.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    Sacksian wrote: »
    The universal truth about xc racing is that 90% of the field will have misjudged their starting pace. Of those, 70% will spend the entire race slowing down, while 26% will limit their losses after the first mile and maybe speed up at the end. No one knows what happens the other 4%.

    I suspect they find a ditch and jump into it. A bit like the bauld Brendan.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Have 2 weeks to catch up on.. oops

    7th-13th Sept

    Mon 7th
    Just a short walk.

    Tues 8th
    Morning S&C, 45 mins.
    Thinking I would try the mile TT at the weekend, I just did a 4x400 session thinking it wouldn't be taking too much out of me. 89, 86, 87 and 88 so pretty ok for me. 4 miles total.

    Weds 9th
    Easy run, 5.3 miles @ 9.17/m avg.

    Thurs 10th
    Another 5 miles, 9.18/m avg.

    Fri 11th
    Morning S&C, 45 mins.
    Easy 4 miles, 9.10/m. Tried to go slower, but just couldn't.

    Sat 12th
    Decided to head to kilbogget to try the mile TT. Wasn't sure how I was feeling really! Had the zoom elites on and to be honest that was a mistake, they're way too flat for warm-up etc and annoyed my calves more than I liked. Mile warm-up and some drills, strides and then I just got to it. Was suffering about 600m in however and said I'd just do an 800?! (3.06) Gave up too easily I know but my headspace has been funny recently :o When I finished that, I spied a clubmate warming up for his own session so had a good chat with him and decided to just do another 800 for the fun of it and make my morning less pathetic (3.03). With the runners I wasn't at all tempted to do a proper cool down even.

    Sun 13th
    I had absolutely no inclination to do a long run so I didn't do one.. or any run for that matter. Spent the day in Offaly drinking tea, reading and chatting with my mother. Lovely.

    Total 20.6, lowest in a good while!

    14th - 20th Sept

    Mon 14th
    Headed up to Marlay Park to run the parkrun route, 9.04/m. Enjoyable.

    Tues 15th
    Morning S&C, 45 mins.
    Just kept all my midweek runs easy-ish this week. 5 miles @ 8.56/m.

    Weds 16th
    5.3 miles, 8.54/m. Not sure these are properly easy, but honestly getting out is the main thing.

    Thurs 17th
    Morning S&C, 40 mins.
    6 miles, 8.52/m.

    Fri 18th
    Rest.. well, hungover rest.

    Sat 19th
    Lazy enough in the morning but then persuaded myself to head up to Kilbogget again. Brought the flat runners with me to change into this time. Warm up and drills again, then changed and set out before I could overthink it. Felt better than last week, and 2 laps in I knew I would keep going at least - even though my lace opened :rolleyes: There was a strong breeze that I was facing into on the 2nd bend each time, and it just got me bad on the 3rd lap. I think I had lost some pace already and that got me more. Looking at Garmin connect, I can see after 1km or so I just lost it. I did make a conscious effort to pick it up again for lap 4, and again looking at GC, I did actually get back to 6 min pace but it was too late. Hard to judge the full mile on the unmarked track but I would think the 6.15/16 is where I was.
    I'm not disappointed though. I find it harder on my own, and I kept going. Judging by my breathing and the coughing for a good hour afterwards, I did give it an honest effort. I don't think I'm at sub-6 level (yet) but maybe 6.05 is possible.
    Mile cooldown back in my Vomeros.

    Sun 20th
    Out for a nice 10 miler around South Dublin, 9.25/m.

    Total miles: 33.3


    No clue what to do next.. (and not just in running!) I finished up work on Thursday, not by choice sadly, so I have a lot of free time (for now) and somehow I fear this could lead to less running if I'm not careful. Contemplating starting to run every day again just to keep myself going, both physically and mentally.
    The club had planned on running a 10k in groups to coincide with the Women's mini-marathon, so might dig out a couple of 10k sessions in advance of that to throw in over the next few weeks.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,799 ✭✭✭Huzzah!


    ReeReeG wrote: »

    No clue what to do next.. (and not just in running!) I finished up work on Thursday, not by choice sadly, so I have a lot of free time (for now) and somehow I fear this could lead to less running if I'm not careful. Contemplating starting to run every day again just to keep myself going, both physically and mentally.
    The club had planned on running a 10k in groups to coincide with the Women's mini-marathon, so might dig out a couple of 10k sessions in advance of that to throw in over the next few weeks.

    Sh1t, really sorry to hear this, V. Running every day seems like a good plan but be kind to yourself, too.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Huzzah! wrote:
    Sh1t, really sorry to hear this, V. Running every day seems like a good plan but be kind to yourself, too.

    It's ok and I'll be ok :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,458 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Hard luck V - as I mentioned on your Strava I think Kilbogget is a good track for beer miling but maybe a bit sapping for a mile PB attempt (although it’s a good while since I’ve been on it). But anyway a 6-min mile is a tough target and it’s great that you’re even attempting it. The ambition counts for a lot and I really think you’ll get there when the time is right. You’re certainly ready for a sub-3 800!

    Sorry about the job news - hopefully the enforced change will ultimately lead somewhere interesting.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,501 ✭✭✭Laineyfrecks


    Really sorry to hear about your job V, hopefully something turns up soon...

    Well done on not giving up on the mile TT, it's certainly not an easy target! Sometimes it just doesn't happen the way we think or want it to! Keep going with the running & the targets...defo keeps me motivated:)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,236 ✭✭✭AuldManKing


    Sacksian wrote: »
    More mile stuff - great!

    I agree with you that 12 x 400 off 30s @3k pace doesn't make much sense!! Typically 3k pace intervals should be an equal work to rest ratio. That means you rest for as long as you run. So, giving the same length of recovery to someone running 400m in 90s as you do to someone running 400m in 62s is obviously a bit silly - especially as the person running 400m in 90s is likely to be a less experienced athlete.

    Generally, if you're doing fast stuff, you want decent recoveries as you're more likely to be working on speed/coordination than fitness. And doing them tired defeats the purpose. Your ability to hold that speed over a mile or longer will probably depend more on your endurance than simply speed.

    If I'm doing any interval distance (whether it's 200m, 400m or longer) with short recoveries, I always adjust the pace accordingly. I'm not sure I've ever managed the 'classic' 10 x 400m at mile pace off 60s or 90s - which if you're running 6mins is actual 1:1 recovery at 90s but if you're faster involves MORE recovery!! And if you're not a professional runner or have responsibilities in life beyond running, you've got to recover from your training while doing loads of other stuff too!

    So, sometimes, I'd rather run each interval slower than race pace and keep the recovery more active. I love doing lots of 200s (maybe 16-20) in around mile pace like your other session but very slowly jogging the recoveries (100m maybe) so you're just rolling through them. That's the sort of thing that helps build the endurance side of mile training. For middle-distance / fast-twitch runners, you can always break any session up into sets.

    Workouts are a piece in a puzzle but no single session is THE missing piece. Perfectly fine to can a workout halfway through if you've overcooked it at the start, as long as you remember next time to try and pace it so that you finish stronger than you started. You want to develop good patterns in training - a pattern of consistent, modest sessions for a sustained period is very underrated preparation for a race!

    There was a quote on letsrun from way back that I always liked:



    There are very, very few - if any - workouts where you want to be peeling yourself off the ground.

    You've got good speed so, for the long term, it's just a question of sustainably adding some endurance to it (and I recommend xc as a way to develop that!). Good luck with the TT!


    That's a super and informative post.


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