Be still my beating heart

Monday 15 December
am: 38 mins easy
Nice easy mid-morning leg losener. AIS and Lunge Matrix pre run.
9:58 avg pace

pm: 45 mins easy
AIS, LM
Had one of those 'cheeky little' mid-afternoon naps that are so popular in some circles. It did feel very cheeky in a self-indulgent kinda way:D Well I felt horrible when I woke up! Felt really sluggish and more tiredererer than before it. It certainly didn't rejuvenate me!
Took a while to wake up on the run but felt grand after 10 mins or so. Left out the strides though as wanna be super fresh for my 3 x 8 mins @ 5k (ish pace) tomorrow! Can't wait!
Myrtl post run
9:48 avg pace

8.5 daily total

Tuesday 16 December
AIS pre run
3 x 8 mins @ 5k-4 mile race effort off 5 min jog recoveries
warm up: 9:43, 9:49
Lovely day in the Phoenix Park. Weather was sublime, but I was fecking freezing on my warm up.. It normally doesn't bother me too much but it bothered me greatly this morning! I had a teeshirt on but was sorry I didn't wear long sleeves. Later on in the run however, I was delighted I had short sleeves:)

First 8 mins: 7:45 pace (one of the bloody ribbons/laces on my ST5s untied 5 mins in so had to stop very briefly but the disruption to the session probably means I didn't get the full benefit. Tried not to hammer the remainder of the rep after the little break to make it unrealistically "fast".
Since I bought those runners 2 years ago I've been meaning to replace the ribbons/laces with proper laces but too lazy to get around to it. I normally tie them about 6 times to ensure they won't come undone but only had them tied 3 times today! Lesson learned...

Second 8 mins: 7:48 (slight incline but effort was the same) Was working hard but it was enjoyable and I got into a nice rhythm.

Third 8 mins: 7:44 (Still working but enjoyable at the same time and could have extended the rep if called for)

Was to do these at a little slower than 5k race effort so think I judged it fairly well. Pity the disruption had to happen on the first one
Recoveries were ample and I definitely felt best on the last rep and could have done another rep if called for. Happy enough with that.
The good news is that I did this exact session on the 4th November and the paces were 7:56, 7:58, 7:58 so that shows a decent improvement.

8 miles total
AIS post run

Was a big struggle to refrain from going out for a little potter around the streets this evening as my favourite running is easy effort running in the rain but I think this is where my weaknesses as a "runner" lie. I want to do too much and can't get enough. This is when healthy addiction crosses over to potentially unhealthy obsession and I need to be more careful not overdo things. How times have changed... My kicks used to be cigarettes, alcohol and other substances. Now they come from running:). How bad you might ask! But still too much of a good thing and all that....
However, the night is young... but I won't go out again! Promise!:cool:
I want to be really on top of my game for Thursday's session so that's motivation enough not to run again today. I hope!

hillsiderunner wrote: »

Those are nice paces on the 8min sections!

Warm/mild rain, sure, *cold* rain, yeuch :mad: .... but I'm psyching myself up and since I'm posting this I guess I have to do it now!

thanks!

good luck with getting out there! you won't regret it:)

Friday 17 December
AIS and Lunge Matrix pre run
6 miles (not as easy as it should have been!)
I haven't run with another human being for about 8/9 months I'd say so this was a novelty!
This was with my brother who's idea of easy would be 8 min/mile or less so I bartered with him to about 9. Still much too fast for me especially when I was expected to chat too!
Nice to run with someone for a change though!
6 miles @ 9 avg pace

Saturday 18 December
No warm up exercises.
Again with my brother along the Barrow trail starting at Goresbridge. I managed to slow him down another little bit today and the trial automatically slowed him down another bit:) Fab run along the river bank heading northwards. Most enjoyable. Conditions perfect and beautiful scenery. The trail is really easy to run on with only a few mucky bits but all in all it's very well maintained and pleasant to run on.
Will be adding this run to my repertoire most certainly when down this direction over the holidays.
6.5 miles @ 9:31avg pace

Sunday 19 December
10 miles with 60 mins at HEAE
AIS, LM pre run
Back running solo again! I realised recently that the word 'solo' is contained within the name 'Ososlo'. fitting really

Oh dear what can I say about this one.
A struggle to say the least. I didn't drink THAT much last night and I wasn't up THAT late and I didn't eat THAT many bad things and I didn't sleep THAT badly but this was much harder than it should have been. Paces a lot slower than last week and I wasn't enjoying it that much which is unusual for me. I had to do it straight after my drive up from Kilkenny and I was very thirsty from the start so I knew it wasn't going to be one of my finer moment. It was quite windy also and I really struggled in parts but held back the effort into the wind to ensure I maintained some kind of decent running form and tried my best to stay relaxed.
Paces for the 60 mins are a bit embarrassing as they're so slow, but that's all I could manage today. Effort level was correct I think as I could have continued for another hour but I mightn't have been very happy to do so:)
8:47, 8:59, 8:56, 8:46, 8:57, 8:41, 8:55
10 miles @ 9:12 avg pace

50 miles weekly total
Missed a few doubles and took Wednesday off completely so mileage a bit low but what you gonna do!

Next week will be fine until about Thursday but I might have to go 'off plan' for a few days and just fit in a few runs when I can but with my sister's wedding after xmas it might mean I'll take 2 or 3 days off completely:eek: Stranger things have happened:D
I hate being out of my routine. I really am a creature of habit. I hate when I can't sleep in my own bed and eat my usual food and do my own thang every day so roll on 2015 when life is back to normal!

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Haha "only 50 miles"??!! Love it
There are going to be days when 'the love' is not there for whatever combination of reasons, luckily you don't have too many of them!

lol:) 'only 50 miles' and skipping days (one!) and not doing my doubles (two!) is seen as slacking in some circles
And I may have penance to pay tomorrow!

pistol_75 wrote: »

I'm not sure of this guilty by association thing. I'm afraid to post my training ;-)

I thought you'd be used to the 'guilty by association' label by now P

Monday 22 December
am: 40 min recovery
AIS pre run
Woke with alcohol and sleeping tablet hangover. I never hardly take them anymore but was given one recently for emergencies and in my drunken state at 2am I stupidly popped it as I knew I wouldn't sleep and didn't fancy another night of tossing and turning while the rest of the world is asleep. I did sleep but I felt very groggy and a little sick when I awoke but the little run really helped clear the head. This was a really proper recovery run.
AIS & Myrtl routine post run
4 miles @ 10 avg pace

pm: 5 miles easy
AIS pre run
Felt a lot better later in the day. Very windy but still a pleasant little run. Would have liked to go a bit longer/further but we have serious work to do tomorrow!
AIS post run (had lots of time to myself today so no harm to do a little bit extra stretching!)
5 + miles @ 9:39 avg pace

9+ daily total

Right... hic... I'm back with a bang whimper...hic....

The boss is wondering where I am and what I'm up to so I better get logging before he thinks I've packed in the running altogether!
Firstly...
Happy Anniversary to my log. A year today I started this running diary. We've been through some tough times, me and my log but mainly it's been all good and positive and I don't regret starting one. On a few occasions I considered pulling the plug on it during some 'episodes';) that occurred on my log since J took over my training which actually stressed me out more than I let on but I'm glad I stuck with it now. I love reading back on my running endeavours and to see the progress in narrative form along with the progress in numbers form from the Garmin. Here's to another year of logging in 2015!

Catch up time:
I've been a little bit sick but nothing major but with a family wedding and Christmas, it wasn't a bad time to step back a bit as I'm pretty bad at taking time off running under normal circumstances. I didn't have much of an internet connect either in the past week so had a little Boards break too! I haven't been AISsssssing or any kind of stretching or lunging and Myrtl won't know me when she sees me next:D! Diet has been terrible and hydration of the non-alcoholic version has been poor. Everything's gone to pot temporarily!

Thursday 25 December
35 mins easy
Local roads in Kilkenny. Hungover and a little bit sick with swollen tonsils and a cold but pleasant enough when I got into it.
9:48 avg pace

Friday 26 December
Stoneyford 5k
Had to drive my brother to do it anyways so agreed to do it too as I thought it'd replace any kind of session before the wedding.
Like most of the rest of the county I was feeling 100% shight and still a little sick that morning. I almost cried when I looked out the window and saw the wind and the rain and really regretted agreeing to do this but said I'd suck it up and it would be the best opportunity I'd get that day to get any kind of run in.
We got lost on the way to the race so no time for a decent warm up. Very wet and windy from the start and my runners were soaked before the gun went off.
I didn't know the course beforehand, but if I had known the elevation gain I would definitely not have run it as a session, let alone a race! The first 1.6 miles were up a fairly steep hill and the rest of the race was mostly downhill so it really was a race of 2 halves. I haven't run any kind of hills in months. Nightmare. Reiterated to myself again at the start that this was just a training run so no point in stressing. Just try to enjoy it.
Highlight of the race was the starting gun. This auld farmer dude - the real deal with bailin' twine tied around his waist and looked like he'd be dragged head first straight from the mucky depths of the nearest bog was holding this massive big shotgun pointed into the air to start the race for us. He could have even had a dead pheasant or peasant:D slung over his shoulder but I think I was still a bit drunk so might have imagined that bit. It was a very funny sight and I certainly started the race with a big smile but it wasn't to last very long when I saw the mountain of a hill ahead of me. Amazingly, even though I was struggling to do 8:30 pace going up the first hill, I was passing people the whole way. I picked them off one by one and no one passed me until the very end of the race when a whipper snapper who looked about 6 sprinted past me and made me feel like a slow old fool:o
I came in at 24:53 so only 5 seconds slower than my pb and as this was a very tough course and I wasn't really racing as such I was happy enough with that result. I also ran my fastest mile ever in a race at 7:11 pace (mile 3 which was net downhill nice! )
I did the last .11 at 6:47 pace on the flat. A fairly good workout in the end.
Gowran AC were talent spotting desperately looking for female members to join so tried to recruit me after the race. Seem like a nice bunch but a bit far for me.
A very short cool down back to the car and then went back on the bottle for the day.
Hot port, followed by Baileys, followed by Sherry, followed by sparkling wine, followed by white wine, followed by oodles and oodles of more sparkling wine.

Saturday 27 December
5 miles easy
Was feeling a little worse for wear that morning (combo of sickness and hangover) but wanted to get a little run in before the mayhem of the wedding. Legs felt perfect from previous day despite the hills in the race but I guess I hadn't run them hard so no ill-effects.
Freezing cold in Kilkenny on the Ring Road with not a sinner out. My throat felt really bad after this and thought I might have made my self really ill but wasn't too bad the following day but did develop bit of a cough that is still lingering today.
9:25 avg pace

Sunday 28, Monday 29, Tuesday 30
No running
Could have, and wanted to run on the 28th but the roads were lethal around my parents' place so I decided not to chance it. I'll run in any kind of gale force winds or torrential rain but I just can't run on icy roads. I can barely maintain balance whilst walking so running is out of the question for me. It's just not worth it to risk falling and injuring myself.

Eating drinking and general wedding merriment on the 29th and 30th. Still a tiny bit sick with a cough and a bit of a cold but not developing into anything worse. Drank a ridiculous amount over 2 days. My capacity for alcohol amazes even myself at times. I don't think I ever want to see a glass of prosseco or cava again in my life...

Wednesday 31 December
35 mins easy
Back in Dublin. Attempted a few strides. Not gonna happen. I felt horrible when I increased the effort so it was pointless forcing it.

December total: 195 miles (highest ever monthly total)

Yearly total: 1819
highest yearly mileage yet despite only training up to 10k distance.

to be continued.... later.. after a nap! Oh and, Happy New Running Year!

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Fantastic way (for me!) to start the year! Your log always makes me smile (smiling WITH you, not AT you). And apart from that some impressive bloody mileage there, not to mention the stamina required for copious drinking and running. Kudos. Here's to 2015, PBs and tequila (wasn't going to suggest Prosecco or cava )

Cheers Dubgal. Yeah the old running and drinking does require a lot of stamina alright! Great to get out the other end in one piece!
I think tequila is the only drink I didn't have over the last week!

Back to business...

Thursday 1 January
3 x (6x40 sec strides @ 1 mile effort off jog back recoveries) 4 mins jog between sets and then 4mins @ 2 mile race effort.
Feeling a lot better today but still a bit of a cough. Didn't overdo things too much last night so decided to give the session a go but revert to an easy run if not feeling it as I still have a bit of a cough and sore throat but not feeling too bad really.

Set 1: 6.53, 6.59, 6.37, 6.43, 6.55, 7.14
Set 2: 6.50, 6.48, 6.18, 6.46, 6.33, 6.54
Set 3: 7.09, 7.02, 7.06, 7.13, 6.54, 7.04 (had to do the third set on a different path as the one I was using for previous reps on got too busy with kids on bikes and trikes so I lost momentum. The wind was hitting a bit from the side so was been thrown about a bit, hence the slightly slower pace. Maybe the tiredness and lack of running recently was starting to kick in too at this point. Not sure... but effort was the same.
4 mins jog recovery after the 3 sets and then 4 mins @ 7.18

I wasn't feeling too bad for this session and it all felt ok until I had to change paths. To be honest, the wind was so severe than the jog back recoveries were almost harder than the strides themselves!
Happy enough with the session all things considered. It's going to take a few more days for me to feel totally back to normal so that effort will do for today.
9 miles total

The party is ALMOST over. I still have family around that I won't see for at least another year so my New Year healthy living won't start in ernest for another few days as sometimes one has just got to go with the flow and prioritise the things in life that are ever so slightly more important than running! I know no one is holding a gun to my head to drink alcohol while hanging out in pubs and clubs but I don't think I could enjoy myself much at all without it and I wouldn't be much fun. How Irish...:rolleyes: eh?
I'll be giving up alcohol completely for the rest of January once the visitors have gone back next week

2015 Highlights

• Getting a super new coach (aka The Elephant In The Room/aka TEITR ) I've gained a lot of confidence in the past months. I love love LOVE my training and as I've said before, I'm never bored and I'm always challenged and I've learned so much from him.

• Having an almost injury and niggle free 2014 since I got my new coach. Thanks to TEITR and his immense knowledge in the areas of stretching and strengthening, I've remained injury and niggle free since February when I was introduced to AIS which I've done on a daily basis since March. I am just SO thankful and grateful that I've been injury free for so long. That means so much to me My heart goes out to my friends on Boards who've been plagued with running injuries during 2014. May the running gods cast a spell of complete injury free running on you all for 2015.

• My 4 x 1 mile session in the summer where I ran 4 x 1 mile off 90 seconds in sub 7:50 avg pace. Hardest thing I've ever done physically. It didn't translate into an equivalent 5k race time a few weeks afterwards, but I'm still very proud of that training session. I'll never forget the pain!

• Dipping under 7 min for a mile time trial. Awesome. Never thought I could do it. Now I know it's only the beginning of what I'm capable of.

• My monthly average pace going from 10:51min/mile at the start of the year to 9:31min/mile for December while remaining injury and illness free. I've never felt better and have been able to run 3 x sessions weekly since September with no negative effects. I'm getting much quicker overall so it's all going in the right direction.

• And of course, mentoring the Novices this year for DCM. If someone had told me 3 years ago when I was smoking heavily and drinking way too much and hadn't ever run in my life before or done any exercise since I was in primary school, that I would be helping people prepare for a marathon in 3 years' time, I would have thought that the most ridiculous thing I ever heard in my life and laughed in their face whilst blowing smoke rings
  What an experience the whole thing was! And how super to meet so many after the marathon - novices and other Boardsies alike both new faces and ones I met previously.

Goals for 2015

• Run a low 22.xx 5k by the end of the year

• Run a 1:4x half marathon in the Autumn (****main goal for 2015****)

• Improve my mile time

• Run a sub 3 min 800m

• Remain injury free

• Race a lot more (I will try to include a race a month, or at least a Parkrun as part of a tempo session each month)

• Maintain mileage around 60 mpw all year round

• Try to Drink less

• Be less Garmin dependent. I'm really good now at ignoring it and just hitting lap on sessions and not looking at the screen at all but I ideally I'd like to be able to do the odd run and race without it at all. I wanna be like Dubgal and be a completely 'feely runner':)

I'm very excited to see what 2015 will bring.

pistol_75 wrote: »

Happy New Year A and thanks for the update. Mightn't make mine seem as bad ;-)

ha ha:D There's always someone worse:D

pistol_75 wrote: »

I suppose I should get back into the sessions as well, although I did the Goal mile today.

Good luck with all your goals.

Hope the Goal Mile went well for you! and thanks! Happy NY:)

Friday 2nd January
am: 4.4 miles easy
AIS pre run
Legs started feeling a bit achy last night. Calves and quads especially. I guess it was from the session yesterday and maybe it was too much too soon after the 3 days of no running and nothing fast since the 26th. Probably should have eased myself back in more gradually and done another day of easy running before tackling the session.
Felt a lot better this morning but not perfect so a recovery run was just the ticket. Started out at a recovery crawl on trail and grass, moved up to easy effort for 2 miles and did the last mile a tiny bit faster at about marathon effort
Felt great at the end and legs much improved

pm: 5.10 miles easy
AIS pre run. Skipped the other exercises and just ran this very easy. Lovely night, feelin' good! Legs recuperated fully!
9:46 avg pace

9.5 total

I'll do the long run tomorrow if feeling good. Otherwise it'll have to wait until Monday as I have a tiny bit more partying to do on Saturday night so Sunday won't really be a goer:o

Wednesday 7 January
4.5 miles easy
AIS and Lunge Matrix pre run
Feeling pretty crap all day with stomach pains...
Was going to take a rest day completely and probably should have but once again my addiction took over. Lots of splishing and splashing around the roads of Santry. Kept it all at recovery effort. Watch playing up and paces skewed so no point in recording them.

Thursday 8 January
3 x 6 x 40 sec @ 1mile effort off jog back recovery & 5 mins @ 2mile effort
AIS, LM pre run
Feeling yukky all day with stomach cramps and on was on fairly heavy painkillers last night and today. Was falling asleep in work this afternoon and did actually nod off for a few mins in the office:o Should have just gone to bed when I got home but me being me decided to do the session as was feeling ok(ish) at the time:rolleyes:. It went fairly well but I was feeling a bit lightheaded at times. I won't record the paces as they're all over the shop as there is definitely something wrong with the watch. It's spouting out ridiculous paces that are crazily fast or stupidly slow. Nothing really different from last few strides sessions I've done to note. I put in a good effort for the 5 minute section at the end and stayed relaxed and focused on good running form. However, when I stopped after the 5 min effort I felt absolutely dreadful and like fainting. My head was spinning and I had to hunch down as I was gonna fall over. I rested completely for a few minutes but I got really cold and was shivering so had to attempt some kind of very slow jog/slog back up the hill home for the 2.5 mile cool down. I almost collapsed again outside Morton Stadium just before home.
Feel grand now after my Kinetica recovery drink.
Note to self: don't do a session on strong painkillers again!
I shall be back to normality tomorrow:)
10.5 miles total

Murph_D wrote: »

Ah now, what were you thinking running a session feeling like that? Do you not follow your own advice?

Too true D too true... defo better at giving it than taking it. Advice that is