If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me.

aquinn

Good for you K. All the very best with the coach and plan.

Murph_D

Kellygirl wrote: »

LOL - I was wondering myself to be honest. Maybe he’s just seeing how I handle them first. Saturday and today were fine anyway. Tough but I didn’t have to stop or anything. Will see what happens as the distances increase.

Could be right. I’d be delighted to have 8 @ MP done at this stage of any cycle, so it looks like he’s starting you out at sub-4 alright.

Kellygirl

DCM Training

Was a bit nervous heading into my first full week of my new training plan. It consists of 3 sessions and 2 easy runs and the sessions put the fear of God into me. Anyway, they were great. This plan is going to be a rollercoaster of emotions going by the amount of times I went from nerves to buzzing this week alone.

Monday: Planned 2x2 miles @ 8:25 pace with .25 mile @ 12min mile in between
Actual: 1 mile WU; Splits (8:23; 8:33) (8:27; 8:32); CD; 5.54 miles in total

Got up at 6 and went into the park for this one. Ran my WarmUp at an 11 min mile and started into the session then doing figure of 8s of the two pitches. One figure of 8 is just over a mile which is handy. I thought I’d really struggle to keep up the speed but it was fine. Heart rate was climbing quite high but again it was all doable. Needed a pit stop so ran to the public loo and timed it during my recovery and off I went again. I was fairly wrecked after the second two miles and walked initially and then jogged slowly back to the car. Got home and everybody still in bed. Really glad I did it in the morning as I was so nervous and it would have been on my mind all day otherwise.

Tuesday: Planned 6 miles easy
Actual 6:2 miles @ 10:03
Left this until the evening as had run the previous three mornings in a row and staying in bed until 7:45am was more appealing.

Nothing too major about the run. Did it a bit fast as I misread what my easy pace was supposed to be and for some reason thought I should be doing my easy runs at 9:30/9:40 - basically MP. Anyway, I didn’t run at that pace as it didn’t feel right but thought I was wrong until I copped on! Listened to two more episodes of West Cork as I ran. It is brilliant.

Wednesday: Planned: Rest Day
Actual: Physio/Torture

I’d this physio booked for weeks as my achilles was giving me trouble and then I’d hurt my lower back somehow the previous week too. It was one massive session with my upper back causing the trouble in my lower back and the ball and socket joint jammed again in my hip causing trouble in my lower leg with everything pulling right down to my toes. Was sheer agony getting sorted. Then an hour or so later I hurt my shoulder and got shooting pains down my arm. Could barely change gears in the car. Texted the physio and she got onto me and gave me some stretches which have helped but still a little sore whatever I did.

Thursday: Planned: 6x(1m @ 8:05; 2 min Recovery)
Actual: 10 min WU; 8:20; 8:20; 8:16; 8:25; 8:14; 8:19; 10 min CD

Had been living in fear of this session since I’d read the plan. I didn’t think I had hope but as with Monday’s it was just about doable. Did it in the evening as needed my niece to babysit. Was hot starting off at 8pm but the sun set quite soon and cooled a bit. Went in to do my figure of 8s again! Turned on my West Cork podcast and was glad as couldn’t hear my heavy breathing but others certainly could as people would turn or move as I approached from behind!!

I couldn’t hit the prescribed 8:05 but I’m very pleased with the consistency. The 8:25 slower one was purely as I was trying to stuff my phone back into my belt after changing podcast and started slightly late. Every mile was tough and I was very out of breath but I walked the two minute recoveries and was ready to start again at the end of each one. To be honest if I’d have needed to do a 7th I wouldn’t have been scared if it. I was buzzing after it. Theses sessions are just great.

Passed the 800 miles mark for the year in this session.

Friday: rest

Saturday: Planned 11.5 miles (10 @ 9:10; 1.5 @ 9min mile
Actual: 9:06; 9:12; 8:52; 8:56; 9:04; 9:11; 9:12; 9:13; 9:11; 9:06; 8:47; 8:41

Nervous yet again but less so as this was going to be slower than the previous few days. Once again it took me a bit of time to try and get the effort right though to be honest I was trotting along quite nicely in the early miles but conscious I was too fast and wondered was I going to pay for it. Managed to start getting a more correct pace for the next 5 and definitely felt tired every now and then but that would go away again. Was nervous of the hill as my pace dropped by 23 seconds last week there but unconsciously picked up the pace a bit there this week. Was a bit surprised when I saw 9:06 after it and knew I’d barely any time to recover before picking up the pace for the last 1.5 miles. Somehow I managed it and again the effort was too high at 8:47. My legs were like jelly and I was so happy to stop at 11.5 miles and walk the last little bit to the car then! Yet another day of buzzing after a session!

Sunday: Planned 5 miles easy
Actual 5 miles not so easy!

Decided to give hubby a lie in so didn’t get out running until 11am. I didn’t want to wait until this evening as hadn’t decided if I’d do tomorrow’s session at 6am or what. It was so hot and so humid. Was with a friend and we really felt it. The sweat was dropping off us. I didn’t bother worrying about pace and just went slowly. My legs were tired anyway for the first mile or two. My friend stopped twice and I’d run on and do a lap and she’d join in again. We got back to our cars and just flopped onto the ground. I’d honestly say it was my hardest run all week just trudging along in the heat.

New shoes for this run too - switched from Saucony Hurricane to Mizuno Wave Insoire 14s. So far so good.

So, 36.8 miles done and a successful week. Not sure what to expect this week. The sessions are tempo runs so slower paces but don’t have the recoveries in there. Still though, everything so far is just about achievable. Having runs up on Strava keeps me going too as I hate saying I failed at something. Hopefully that won’t happen this week.

OOnegative

Trust your Coach, most important thing, he knows what he’s talking about. Second thing, trust yourself if he doesn’t think you’re up to the sessions he’s giving you he wouldn’t give you them. Your well able.

Kellygirl

OOnegative wrote: »

Trust your Coach, most important thing, he knows what he’s talking about. Second thing, trust yourself if he doesn’t you’re up to the sessions he’s giving you he wouldn’t give you them. Your well able.

Thank you! I’m currently surprising myself at every session!

Swashbuckler

Kellygirl wrote:

This plan is going to be a rollercoaster of emotions going by the amount of times I went from nerves to buzzing this week alone.

It's great to see your progress but the main thing is your comment above. If running does that to you then you cant go wrong.

Kellygirl

Swashbuckler wrote: »

It's great to see your progress but the main thing is your comment above. If running does that to you then you cant go wrong.

Haha! Yeah it’s gas. My poor husband has to listen to me breaking my runs down mile by mile telling him my paces and how I felt - and he’s politely feigning interest :-)

Swashbuckler

Kellygirl wrote:

Haha! Yeah it’s gas. My poor husband has to listen to me breaking my runs down mile by mile telling him my paces and how I felt - and he’s politely feigning interest :-)

Yeah I know what that feels like. We're at the point now where I get asked "how was your Run?" haha

Huzzah!

Kellygirl wrote: »

DCM Training

Was a bit nervous heading into my first full week of my new training plan. It consists of 3 sessions and 2 easy runs and the sessions put the fear of God into me. Anyway, they were great. This plan is going to be a rollercoaster of emotions going by the amount of times I went from nerves to buzzing this week alone.

This is standard for me!

Fantastic week. It's been really interesting to see your runs pop up on Strava. I love reading your log now to put them all into context.

ariana`

Super week. I think the new training plan will bring you on in leaps and bounds, you already have the endurance, this training plan will give you icing on the cake - a pinch of speed and a good dollop of confidence. It's going to be great to follow too

OOnegative wrote: »

Trust your Coach, most important thing, he knows what he’s talking about. Second thing, trust yourself if he doesn’t think you’re up to the sessions he’s giving you he wouldn’t give you them. Your well able.

I would take this advice a small step further and say also to trust yourself to know when to pull back a little bit too! Like yesterday where you ran the easy run a bit slower than prescribed, you have a lot of experience of marathon training now so trust yourself to know when you need to step off the gas a small bit and mind the body

Kellygirl

ariana` wrote: »

Super week. I think the new training plan will bring you on in leaps and bounds, you already have the endurance, this training plan will give you icing on the cake - a pinch of speed and a good dollop of confidence. It's going to be great to follow too



I would take this advice a small step further and say also to trust yourself to know when to pull back a little bit too! Like yesterday where you ran the easy run a bit slower than prescribed, you have a lot of experience of marathon training now so trust yourself to know when you need to step off the gas a small bit and mind the body

Funnily enough I had to listen to my body this morning and call it a day 4 miles into a 6 mile tempo run. I really struggled. I knew the humidity was going to cause me problems so got up at 6 and was running by 6:30. The sweat was pouring off me and I paused at nearly 3 miles to catch my breath and have a drink. When I started again I just felt weird and that my legs were going through the motions but I wasn’t in control. I kept going to the 4 miles to see if I’d start feeling better and stopped then and walked back to the car. I was terrified of feeling faint. Funnily enough when I checked my email then there was one from the coach saying all going well so far and not to be worried if I had a hard day as it would be normal starting off heavy training and that it takes a couple of months for the training to kick in too. Was good timing as needless to say I was a bit deflated after having to give up.

eyrie

It's really interesting reading about your training KG. It sounds intense having 3 hard days like that but you seem to be handling it really well! I'd say it's fun (well ok, fun and terrifying) to have a whole new set of workouts like that to do too.
Sorry you had a tough one this morning but that humidity is totally brutal at the moment, nothing feels like it should!

Kellygirl

eyrie wrote: »

It's really interesting reading about your training KG. It sounds intense having 3 hard days like that but you seem to be handling it really well! I'd say it's fun (well ok, fun and terrifying) to have a whole new set of workouts like that to do too.
Sorry you had a tough one this morning but that humidity is totally brutal at the moment, nothing feels like it should!

Thanks Eyrie. It is fun and I have my plan posted on the fridge and enjoying ticking off the sessions. I love having a focus and really see what I was missing last time round. Each session is tough but invigorating too in a way - well not this morning’s ;-) I just wanted to go to sleep after that

Swashbuckler

Don't be afraid to pull back on paces if the effort level feels high. There's a tendency for all of us to be militant with the pace prescribed but remember those paces are chosen to target something physiological. They don't take into account the conditions or how you feel on any given day. For example my threshold pace would be somewhere in or around 6.10. If I'm struggling some day with heat or humidity or whatever and I dial that back to 6.20 it's still a threshold effort. So after my long winded ramble basically what I'm saying is not only to tune I to the pace but also the effort level and adjust accordingly.

Kellygirl

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Don't be afraid to pull back on paces if the effort level feels high. There's a tendency for all of us to be militant with the pace prescribed but remember those paces are chosen to target something physiological. They don't take into account the conditions or how you feel on any given day. For example my threshold pace would be somewhere in or around 6.10. If I'm struggling some day with heat or humidity or whatever and I dial that back to 6.20 it's still a threshold effort. So after my long winded ramble basically what I'm saying is not only to tune I to the pace but also the effort level and adjust accordingly.

Thanks. That makes sense. I think I am going to learn a serious amount of stuff this training cycle. Are you looking forward to Killarney? Just got my number in the post earlier.

Swashbuckler

Kellygirl wrote: »

Thanks. That makes sense. I think I am going to learn a serious amount of stuff this training cycle. Are you looking forward to Killarney? Just got my number in the post earlier.

Very much looking forward to it. Coach has sent down one of his lads from Tallaght to make a show of me so the pressure's on haha. I'll keep an eye out for you during the run. I'm pretty sure the 10k links in with the half marathon. What's yer start time again?

Kellygirl

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Very much looking forward to it. Coach has sent down one of his lads from Tallaght to make a show of me so the pressure's on haha. I'll keep an eye out for you during the run. I'm pretty sure the 10k links in with the half marathon. What's yer start time again?

We start at 8. I thought it was 8:30 but pack says 8 today so hopefully I’ll be finished by 10!! Am I right in saying you don’t start until 10:30? Sure you’ll be finished in 30 mins or so, won’t you? ;-) Plan on hanging around for a bit afterwards so hopefully will get to say hello. I’ll let you know my race number when I look at it again!

Swashbuckler

Kellygirl wrote:

We start at 8. I thought it was 8:30 but pack says 8 today so hopefully I’ll be finished by 10!! Am I right in saying you don’t start until 10:30? Sure you’ll be finished in 30 mins or so, won’t you? ;-) Plan on hanging around for a bit afterwards so hopefully will get to say hello. I’ll let you know my race number when I look at it again!

We start at 9.30. So you'll be finished before me I'd say! I'll be number 2440 in the Limerick AC singlet. I'll keep an eye out for you.

Kellygirl

Swashbuckler wrote: »

We start at 9.30. So you'll be finished before me I'd say! I'll be number 2440 in the Limerick AC singlet. I'll keep an eye out for you.

Just checked and I’m number 359. Will have a grey running skirt on and not sure what colour top yet - grey or yellow I’d say.

Baby75

Swashbuckler that makes so sense! I will remember that when I have to do pace/ interval runs in a week or two

every day is a school day on boards

Swashbuckler

Baby75 wrote:

Swashbuckler that makes so sense! I will remember that when I have to do pace/ interval runs in a week or two

It makes sense but it's so hard to do. I'm guilty of over effort just to meet prescribed pace a lot.

Murph_D

Great week. Those are tough sessions and I like how you are positive about the results, even when the prescribed pace proves elusive. The effort levels are clearly on the mark. Nice going.

Kellygirl

Thank you. Nailed tonight’s session which was slightly faster and half a mile longer than Monday’s so feeling better about not completing that one now. Amazing how these sessions are effecting my mood so much though. Happy camper again now.

Baby75

Swashbuckler wrote: »

It makes sense but it's so hard to do. I'm guilty of over effort just to meet prescribed pace a lot.

for me at the minute it's all about effort this heat has me running a lot slower so easy is more like my LSR pace. lol I'm just hoping it will stand to me eventually. but it's also a good to know that when I do pace runs or intervals the effort counts as well even if the pace is off a little

aquinn

That's some first week K. Ensure you have enough rest in the plan too.

I started to fall apart a few weeks into training. Apparently it is completely natural so let him know all your woes if they start to come on. I was given foam roller exercises and was v brave and did them. Stopped of course the minute the aches eased. It is your body adjusting to the routine.

All the very best with the HM at the weekend.

Plently of fluids, it think may be due to rain actually? Oh the joy.

Kellygirl

aquinn wrote: »

That's some first week K. Ensure you have enough rest in the plan too.

I started to fall apart a few weeks into training. Apparently it is completely natural so let him know all your woes if they start to come on. I was given foam roller exercises and was v brave and did them. Stopped of course the minute the aches eased. It is your body adjusting to the routine.

All the very best with the HM at the weekend.

Plently of fluids, it think may be due to rain actually? Oh the joy.

Thanks A. Thanks for the heads up. I need to do some flexibility work I think. I’m quite stiff in the mornings when I get up first and definitely my calves need fairly constant foam rolling.

Yep rain due for the weekend. Will be fun waiting around up in Molls Gap but bringing clothes I can dump and a poncho so should be fine.

Swashbuckler

Kellygirl wrote:

Yep rain due for the weekend. Will be fun waiting around up in Molls Gap but bringing clothes I can dump and a poncho so should be fine.

Seen a lot of people with bin liners with a hole opened for the head. Save you wasting a poncho

Kellygirl

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Seen a lot of people with bin liners with a hole opened for the head. Save you wasting a poncho

I stocked up on 99cent ponchos in Lidl before Cork in case it was raining that morning. Only itching to give one a wear

Mind you the rain here right now is seriously heavy. Don’t want that either. A light mist would be grand!!

skyblue46

Kellygirl wrote: »

I stocked up on 99cent ponchos in Lidl before Cork in case it was raining that morning. Only itching to give one a wear

Mind you the rain here right now is seriously heavy. Don’t want that either. A light mist would be grand!!

That's what's coming our way so! Still a clear blue sky evening here with temps holding at 24. I think it's to change overnight.

eyrie

Good luck tomorrow K! Hope you have a great race. Hopefully the rain isn't too bad but at least it should be a bit cooler which is definitely welcome for racing!