Random Running Questions

The race is actually on a Wednesday - so would you do a session next week - would Thursday be too late?

So 6 days before the race? You could certainly do a session but there's no point in doing anything too intense as you're not going to gain any fitness in that short a time. I think the consensus is that during race week it's best to do a short, sharp session focused on leg speed. 6x400 with plenty of recovery would be perfect.

I wouldn't recommend doing the alternations or the sessions suggested by @Wottle@Wottle during race week. They're all testing workouts that would take several days to fully recover from.

Thanks - we seemed to overlap there . I had planned to do some Mc millan type workouts in the last few weeks but under the weather so it didn’t work out . Your session sounds interesting - maybe I could do this tomorrow and sone 400s next week .

Yeah you’re right my maths is just bad today . I’m trying to work backwards from a half time so I’m hoping I’m better at shorter lol . I might do Mac millan light tomorrow . Thanks

There are no shortcuts, but enjoy the run and it may motivate you to come back.

Edit: On reflection, the classic 'half the distance at race pace' session is a good confidence builder that I've used once or twice when not sure how to treat a race I might not have specifically trained for (and I'm not au fait with your own particular training history).

So... 5k at 10k pace about a week out might give you a good idea of where you are. Or if you prefer, more volume with a bit of recovery - say 3 x 2k or 4 x 1 mile with appropriate recovery (50-75% of the interval time maybe)

A confidence booster I suppose is what I was after - I’m just out of half training and I think I should have the fitness to pb - I had to planned to do 10k specific training in the last three weeks but had a chest infection so took it handy

I realized this week that I'm just under 16 weeks out from my half marathon.

I have been running minimum 3 times a week for the last 8 weeks, steadily increasing my weekly kms, but I haven't really been following a plan. So decided to do one with my Garmin watch

My issue is that some of the runs it's giving me seems a bit too easy? For example Saturday is my long run day and it's saying to:

• Warm up for 5 mins
• Run slow for 30 mins
• Optional additional 10 mins slow run if your feeling good
• Warm down for 5 mins

My typical long run would typically be in the 60-75 mins kind of category.

Next Tuesday it's giving me:

• 5 min warm up
• 10 min easy run
• Optional 10 mins
• 5 min cool down

Thursday is the same as Tuesday.

Prior to this if I was doing an easy midweek run I'd probably do 7k, which is about 45 mins of running for me at an easy pace

This routine only has activities on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, all other days are rest.

If I run these at an "easy" pace, this feels a bit easy for going for me. I'm not sure if I just keep running with these sessions will the auto adjusting aspect of it figure that out , or I'm not sure if I can extend it even.

Anyone experience similar? I don't want to just blindly follow the watch. I felt like what I was doing was prior to this was completely manageable, so it seems these kind of runs seems like a step backwards.

Today it did get me to do stride intervals, and I can completely see the value in them, so its not all bad or anything!

EDIT: OK I found my mistake. I told Garmin I didn't have a time in mind for finishing the race (because I don't really!) And that explains the easier load. I've entered a finishing time and it had increased the intensity a good bit!

Not a lot before hand unfortunately, maybe 1 or two times a week from Christmas to the start of February, and basically nothing for the 3 months before that.

Before that was a couch to 5k, where I was the definition of "couch" having done next to nothing over covid. I'm also quite a bit over weight, I'm 5'9 and at the start of February at 103.5kg, I'm 94.5kg today though so things going in the right direction.

Cheers for the suggestion, I think I'm going to stick with the Garmin one this time around, now that I set the time it looks like the right intensity for my current level.

As I was saying in the earlier post, I don't really have any goals for a finishing time for the half marathon, but I just want to keep pushing myself. My race is against last week me! And pushing myself isn't bursting a gut to run as fast as I can or anything, it's just to build up the amount of KM I can comfortably do.

Does Dunshaughlin 10k sell out early ?

I've just signed up and I'm number 567.

Not sure what it's capped at but hopefully that's some help.

If you like the padding then Feetures and Hilly socks are good. I also love Steigen socks though. You can buy them online. One size and stretchy. They are brilliant.

1000 Mile

Oh I actually have a pair I bought for racing. They are class

I wish I could say that it was only socks I invested in since starting this running lark... I have individual plastic containers now for my hats, socks and underwear, sunglasses, shorts, t-shirts and then there's the winter stuff 🤣. Don't mention the shoe rack with 20 pairs of runners on it 🤑

Well my children are grown up so its me time now lol. I keep on telling myself enough is enough, I only started couch to 5k this time two years ago and found the bug. My intention after the weight loss was to cycle, I bought a second hand bike and loved it. Then I splashed out on a new racer but started the running lark at the same time. I have only done 200km on it in a year and a half according to Strava.... My wife is kind of over it now....