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Once in a Lifetime....for now
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Tuesday 19th-Sunday 24th
Tuesday 19th: Planned rest day.
Wednesday 20th: Raheny Winter League 2 Mile Race. After running the MSB 5k a couple of days previously I decided to make this a good workout effort rather than a flat out race... All went to plan until D firstly came up on my shoulder and then moved past me. I just had to follow! :pac: After that I ran uncomfortably hard without going to the pain zone. First mile 6:25 and second was 6:02. Finished strongly without the pain of doing the same time last month. Definite progress. Got back to the car after cooldown to find a slow puncture so headed for the Applegreen rather than tea and cake
Total for the evening was 5.1 miles.
Thursday 21st: My regular local loop. 6.5 miles @ 8:57 HR 132. Nothing much to report other than it was really mild for a change
Friday 22nd: Planned rest day.
Saturday 23rd: 25 min tempo (20 @ 7.20, 5 min @ 7.00) 3 min jog, 5x30 sec @ 6.15 pace (90 sec jog). I loved this. Paces were hard to judge as my local park has some GPS black spots that cause the average pace to jump around a bit. Paces were 7:16 and 6:56 for the tempo. It took me a couple of tries to get close to the target for the 30's which ended up being 5:54, 6:06, 6:12, 6:18 and 6:11. Another smashing morning. Total miles incl WU and cd was 9.7
Sunday 24th: 13.3 miles @ 8:52 HR 128. Legs were a bit heavy for this early morning run. I did a loop from home down through Phibsboro to the quays, back up the DCM route of Manor Street and Chesterfield in a surprisingly stiff breeze, out Ashtown Gate and onto the Canal back to the Ratoath Road before heading up the drag of the Finglas Road and home. Beautiful morning, the Park its usual radiant self, Phibsboro filthy, the Canal with a lovely tailwind. Perfect!
So that was the week that was. 2 races, a good session and my highest mileage for a while. I have a feeling it will bring me on a bit in a few weeks. Happy!
On another note I'm delighted to see PBs tumbling left right and centre. Eyrie, ReeReeG, Mr Guappa, Healy, WW, Hobbyjogger, Browneyes, Coogy, scotindublin and tbukela in MSB, Bohermeen, Mallow, KClub and Ardfinnan over the past couple of weeks. Just rewards for great training. Personally seeing Swashbuckler get back to form is every bit as heart warming. He's a great support to many on here and it's just fantastic to see the pieces falling into place again.
Week|Total Mins|Easy Mins|Easy as %|Session| Session %|Racing Mins|Racing%
1|332|293|88.3%|39|11.7%
2|327|290|88.8%|24|7.3%|13|3.9%
3|357|320|89.6%|37|10.4%
4|355|311|87.8%|24|6.6%|20|5.6%
5|361|342|94.7%|19|5.3%
6|329|311|94.4%|6|1.8%|12|3.8%
7|350|310|88.6%|40|11.4%
8|291|182|72.5%|14|4.8%|95|32.7%
9|295|277|93.5%|18|6.5%
10|362|302|83.6%|28|7.6|32|8.8%
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I'm really regretting doing my list of PBs...not wanting to leave anyone out but remembering different PBs every so often, Dealerz and denisb being the latest. If I forgot anyone else....I'm sorry...mea culpa
I am blushing (not raging) Sean
. Your description of Sunday's run will have me back out there as soon as my legs allow. Keep up the great work on all fronts. 0 -
I am blushing (not raging) Sean. Your description of Sunday's run will have me back out there as soon as my legs allow. Keep up the great work on all fronts.
It was a lovely run. You know when the first hum of human life stirs on the city streets on a bright morning and you feel that you're getting the best part of the day? This was one of those mornings. As I said the only downside was Phibsboro...all the chip and takeaway bags, both empty and those with their contents strewn across the footpaths.0 -
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Swashbuckler wrote: »Dedicating April to solid training so?
There will be one mile races for 3 Wednesday's in April. New experiences!
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March 25th-31st
Monday 25th: Planned rest day.
Tuesday 26th: 6.3 miles @ 8:57. A lovely leisurely run around the Phoenix Park all on trails and grass.
Wednesday 27th: Session day. 5x3 min @6.40 (1 min jog rec) 5 min jog, 5x30 sec hard (1 min jog rec). Absolutely loved this early morning session. Paces for the 3 min repeats were 6:36, 6:38, 6:40, 6:34 and 6:37. After that I probably overdid a couple of the 'hard' repeats as they came in at 5:35, 5:37, 5:17, 5:43 and 5:17. It was invigorating to have this done by 8am. Total incl w/u and c/d was 8.9 miles
Thursday 28th: 6.2 miles @ 8:54 HR 128. Morning run again but this was so much harder than the day before. The legs were zapped after my few over enthusiastic sprints. It is probably fairest to say I dragged myself around!
Friday 29th: Planned rest day
Saturday 30th: Session day again...3x45 sec @6.15 (90) 5x5 min @7 min pace (90) 3x1 min @6.40 (60). Over to the Park again on another glorious morning. The place was packed with runners, more than I had seen to date this year. Messed up the first 3 repeats by not looking at my watch and misjudging them totally, 6:29, 6:25 and 6:19. I started where Jingle Bells starts and ran around by the Papal Cross, up Chesterfield then back around by the OS, across the fields towards Mary's Hospital before crossing back over and doing a lap of the acres. The last little bit uphill and into the wind was the only time that effort levels might have been a bit too high. Paces were 7:00, 6:55, 6:57, 6:53, 6:57. The one minute repeats were 6:33, 6:34 and 6:36. Warmup and cooldown brought the mileage to 11.2
Sunday 31st: Up at silly o clock for this one as I had to head to work afterwards. 13.2 miles @ 8:39 HR 132. Another most enjoyable run in a week of good ones. Drove down to Marino so I could get as much done along the coast as possible. Out to the Star of the Sea, back to the coast road and then down the Causeway and onto the beach for a mile or two before turning and heading straight back to Marino. I don't think I will ever manage to run on more different surfaces in one run with bits on wood, sand, grass, tarmac and concrete. It's just lovely out there when the place isn't jammed with people. As an aside I had never really noticed before the huge population of sand pipers and other waders at the waters edge...they definitely had their Sunday breakfast sorted!
Week|Total Mins|Easy Mins|Easy as %|Session| Session %|Racing Mins|Racing%
1|332|293|88.3%|39|11.7%
2|327|290|88.8%|24|7.3%|13|3.9%
3|357|320|89.6%|37|10.4%
4|355|311|87.8%|24|6.6%|20|5.6%
5|361|342|94.7%|19|5.3%
6|329|311|94.4%|6|1.8%|12|3.8%
7|350|310|88.6%|40|11.4%
8|291|182|72.5%|14|4.8%|95|32.7%
9|295|277|93.5%|18|6.5%
10|362|302|83.6%|28|7.6%|32|8.8%
11|388|340|87.6%|48|12.4%
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April 8th-14th
Monday 8th: Planned rest day.
Tuesday 9th: 6.56 miles @ 9:00 HR 132. A gorgeous hour on my usual loop in the PP, entirely on grass. A mild day and the sun very kindly came out for the hour I was running.
Wednesday 10th: Plan had me doing the club 1 mile league race. I didn't go. To be honest I'm still trying to figure out the reason why. Logical reasons are easy to find. I had done a 4am to 4pm shift and was wrecked. I needed to get to bed early in order to be up at 2.30am to do the same shift the following day. However I still can't shake the feeling that I just didn't want to do it, that I hadn't enjoyed the first one and that I would never look forward to doing another one. It just doesn't suit the way I normally settle and work my way into a race. Time will tell I guess. Anyway I decided to do a few easy miles. After half a mile of feeling that I might be missing out on the session affect by not racing I forced myself to do a type of Fartlek run. Distances at pace were anything from 70 to 800 metres with decisions made on the spur of the moment and based on corners, cars or bins I could see ahead. Ended up doing 6.7 miles @ 7:43 HR 146.
Thursday 11th: A recovery run of sorts on local roads. 6.9 miles @ 9:10 HR 120
Friday 12th: 4 miles and 5 strides.
Saturday 13th: Session day. 3 x 8 mins @ 7:00 minute pace off 3 mins jog recovery. On paper all looks good. Paces were 6:57, 6:57 and 6:55. In reality it was a bit tougher. I did it in Johnstown Park. The first two of the repeats were done in a clockwise direction and a combination of the strong wind, the length of the lap and one side of the park being more sheltered than the other meant that I was running the headwind side twice and the sheltered downwind side once. I worked far too hard to maintain the pace. Did the final repeat in the opposite direction and found it quite a bit easier. 9.1 miles in total
Sunday 14th: 13.7 miles @ 8.43 HR 134. Another windy day and this one was properly Baltic. I ran down to the coast road at Raheny and back. The downhill first half was into the breeze and the uphill return was wind assisted. This was a case of getting it done, getting more miles in on tired legs and trying to get a bit of toughness back
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I don’t get it.
Your first mile was a terrific result. It’s a learning experience anyway - I’ve only raced a handful of miles - four or five, and every one has been better than the previous one, mainly because the more used to the distance you are - and this is probably the same for any distance - the calmer your mind and the better you can think your way through it.
I didn’t want to do it either - like HelenAnne. I had a queasy feeling before the race. Most of the day in fact. I always feel this way about track races too. It’s just a different aspect of the sport. Anyway maybe you WERE just bunched from work. That’s Ok.
Anyway you know when (and what) the next one is.
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I don’t get it.
Your first mile was a terrific result. It’s a learning experience anyway - I’ve only raced a handful of miles - four or five, and every one has been better than the previous one, mainly because the more used to the distance you are - and this is probably the same for any distance - the calmer your mind and the better you can think your way through it.
I didn’t want to do it either - like HelenAnne. I had a queasy feeling before the race. Most of the day in fact. I always feel this way about track races too. It’s just a different aspect of the sport. Anyway maybe you WERE just bunched from work. That’s Ok.
Anyway you know when (and what) the next one is.
Yes D, I know when the next one is...Wednesday 23rd! What it is? A round of the winter league :pac: Thanks for the comments. It was reassuring to read both your own and Helananne's comments about mile racing. I also noted Sacksian's comments on the best of 2019 thread and took them on board.0 -
April 15th-21st
Monday 15th: Planned rest day.
Tuesday 16th: 6.45 miles @ 9:08 HR 125. A very enjoyable few laps around Johnstown Park which was jammed with kids playing soccer. The pitches are used by Tolka Rovers and there must have been 5 or 6 games ongoing and the park was buzzing.
Wednesday 17th: Brian Holland Cup. This Raheny club race is a handicap race with sealed handicaps. The race is run as any usual race and the handicaps deducted afterwards. As nobody knows their handicaps you cannot have any idea of how the final results might shake out. The lap is a 2.7-2.8 mile loop (depending on whose Garmin you believe). My motivation levels were quite low as I really feel I haven't got a handle on racing the shorter distances yet. I had to do a couple of warm ups as the 7:30 start was changed to 8pm. During the warmup with C I said that I didn't feel like racing it and that I'd run the first mile with him and then see how I felt. Most of the first mile was downhill but even at what should have been a comfortable pace I felt like I was pushing too hard...a relatively pedestrian 6:25 for this mile. The mostly flat 2nd mile involved a slight increase of effort while ironically feeling like I was moving easier. Plenty of targets from the faster starters were now being picked off. This mile clocked in at 6:15. We then turned off the Coast Road and onto the Howth Road, ahead about 0.75 mile of a gradual drag back to Raheny Village. I don't know how or why but I began to really fight to pick off runners ahead. By 100m from the end I had passed 6 but the legs were totally shot...the last 50m was a prolonged fall over the line. I was delighted to see afterwards that I covered the Howth Road stretch at 6:02 pace. Total time 17:08 and 12th over the line.
After a cooldown we headed back to the clubhouse for a much needed cuppa, cake and biscuits. Brian Holland(who donated the Cup to Shamrocks when he emigrated shortly after being one of the first runners in the club)was there to present the prizes after returning to be at the 60th running of the race. At 76 years of age he also ran it. He entertained us with stories of the first runs they went on, inner city Dublin in the 50's, being moved out to Raheny, house prices then and now and some critical commentary on the present Governments attempts at a housing plan....very very interesting man who I could have listened to for hours.
The presentation then began with 3rd and 2nd places being taken by the first two over the finish line on the night. Then to my utter astonishment I was called out as the winner!!! Thrilled to bits and proud as punch, I was delighted. Yes it was a handicap race but I beat the handicapper! :pac: As 00Negative says elsewhere it is something that might never happen me again so I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thursday 18th: 6.78 miles @ 8:58 HR 128. A cracking afternoon in the Phoenix Park. It's just an amazing place to run at any time but on a sunny day it's simply unbeatable.
Friday 19th: Marlay Park in unseasonably warm temperatures. Routine 4 miles very easy followed by a few strides.
Saturday 20th: I was working without a plan this week so looked back on some of P's sessions for inspiration. After a brief text chat with him I decided to try a 5 * 5 mins/90 secs alternating tempo. Decided on paces of 7:25 for the 5 mins and 7 mins for the 90 seconds. The idea was to do a continuous run. From that point nothing much went right. In the mid afternoon sun I was soon working too hard. First two reps were 7:22/6:54 and 7:16/7:04 but I knew I wouldn't be able to complete it in the heat. I had a choice of whether to reduce paces or insert a rest between each of the next 3 reps. I decided on the latter and to increase to pace of the 90 second bits. Paces from then were 7:10/6:38, 7:11/6:42 and 7:14/6:40. It was screwed up but surely and hard run is a good one!
Sunday 21st: 14 miles at 8:43 HR 139. Another mid afternoon scorcher! I ran down to Phibsboro and then out the Royal Canal to just beyond Castleknock train station before turning and retracing my steps. There was great life along the canal many of them lying by the banks with Tesco bags full of cans of Cider! :pac: I reckon the heat caused the HR to be a bit higher than I would normally expect at this pace and distance. Tough uphill last 1.5 miles to finish.
A great week with the club race being the obvious high. There's a mile club race on Wednesday again....time to dust down the excuses book! :rolleyes:0 -
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