Middle-Aged Ambitions

belcarra wrote: »

...and what would you settle for with Ireland??

Best of luck with the training and you never know what may happen...(You, that is, 'cos Ireland got no chance!!)

At this point I think a gallant, narrow defeat to South Africa in the QF. It would be nice to think they have got all the hangups out of the system now and that we could get back to the confident rugby of 2009 but somehow I think over-coaching and confirmity to 'the plan' will win out.

Regarding the training, it can hopefully only get better from here.

Easy 5.3 miles, 42:52, 8:06 pace

Still not happy with left achilles in particular but both are touchy. Running more on fore/mid-foot to try to ease the pressure on the achilles/calves, consequence is the pace tends to increase.

Did same loop as been doing all week but have gone progressively faster which is both a good and a bad thing. Good because I'm running at all and bad because whatever is wrong is not getting a chance to settle.

Beginning to suspect it might have something to do with the runners as they have a highish heel and the new ones are even stiffer than the older version. Might dig out old,old runners for a blast

If get out tomorrow must make it a RECOVERY run, something I am not good at:D. Recovery run after 5miler?? Dublin looks a long way away:eek:

LSR 11.5 miles, 1:44:01, 9:03 pace

Went out early this morning, overcast but no rain, good running weather.

Had Garmin set for 9:20 pace but, once warmed up, gained time on the run on all the downhills. Concious again the whole time of the achilles, was able to run comfortably enough but unable to put any pressure on it for the uphill stretches. Also felt the pull when put the pace much above 8:45 so relaxed and worked with it for the run.

Happy enough overall. Slowly, slowly is the watchword.

Great result for Dublin and even better for Tipperary - be some happy souls at work tomorrow (if they turn in:)).

Easy 5.3 miles, 45:08, 8:32 pace

No run yesterday as went to the funeral of a close neighbour, mother of two, 47, didn't get the liver transplant needed, very sad.

Arrived home from work and dinner was on the table so sat down and tucked in - creamy chicken with rice, extra cream, extra cheese, man-sized portion (i.e. too big) followed by a couple of buckets of tea (we drink from buckets outside the Pale;)).

Gave it all an hour and headed of on an easy run. Needless to say I spent most of the run deciding whether to keep the dinner or share it with the local wildlife. One good thing, it took my mind off my achilles which (whisper it) seems to be getting better.

All things considered a good run.

Easy 8.3 miles, 1:10:50, 8.30 pace

Didn't really feel like this but put on the gear and got out the door. Current plan is time on the feet and nothing too strenuous till leg is better - great excuse to avoid tempos, intervals, strides etc:p

Sun was setting as I set out and it was almost pitch black when I got back. No idea what the pace was but kept it comfortable without being too easy. Found still could not push the hills without a twinge in the achilles.

Glad I did it as tomorrow could be a push to get done.

average_runner wrote: »

Hope you make the marathon.

Your starting to get the long runs in which will stand to you on the day.

Long runs - I wish - worried particularly on that score as have nothing over a half done yet. Still it could be a lot worse, staying injury free is the current priority

LSR 18.1 miles, 2:46:13, 9:11 pace

A real make-it-up-as-you-go-along LSR, didn't have a particular distance or pace in mind, just went with the flow on the basis of how I felt.

Legs felt sore after past couple of days but loosened up after 4/5 miles, got tired again after about 10 miles and it was then a slog to the finish.

Still, done now and legs don't feel too bad and only an odd twinge from achilles so all good. 45-mile week, beginning to resemble marathon training for once. Just realised only 3 more LSRs before Dublin and this was my first one :eek:

Watched the Berlin run on good old Sky+ this evening, coverage was very poor given they had sold it on internationally, didn't get any real sense of the pace the runners were travelling, World record pace too! Well done to all the Boardsies who took part, I'd say the experience was something else.:)

Highlight of the day - getting home from the run 10 minutes before the heavens opened;)

Medium run, 10.87 miles, 1:34:04, 8:50 pace

P&D pace was 8.50 so spot on but real story was somewhat different.

Legs felt sore after yesterday, particularly achilles, rolled along for 4 miles, felt better, but by 6 miles felt like quitting. Dug in and kept going, sore calves, knees hamstrings and eventually in last half mile - achilles. Not good, iced when got home and remains to be seen what it will be like in the morning.

Run was much harder than it should have been, maybe it is simply the lack of miles in the legs as the shorter runs are fine.

Still, look on the bright side, at least I am out running:)

Recovery, 5.3 miles, 46:00, 8:41 pace

Took it easy after last night, no Garmin, legs felt tired but turned them over at a comfortable pace.

Next run will be Saturday pm as appointment book filled that morning:p. Rest should do them good.

LSR 20.11 miles, 3:09:15, 9:25 pace

Given I kicked this off just over 12 hours after yesterday's run this was always likely to be hard and so it proved.

Lovely morning but started out in the near-dark at 7.15am with safety jacket, at halfway lost the jacket and put on the shades (have to look the part, despite the beetroot red face:P)

I did it in two 10 miles loops, stopping for a bar and drink mid-run. The legs were stiff starting out but settled down and knocked out the first loop at 9:12 pace. Felt very reluctant to go out on the second loop as I could feel the cumulative effect of 20 miles in 14 hours but knuckled down and rolled out again (it was helpful that the first mile was downhill:)). Was a hard slog at 9:42 but it is done and two days off for the legs to recover as will leave next run to Tues night.

Not the most sensible planning but the good news is that the legs held up and, barring further injury, should be good for the run in to the DCM.

Tempo 8.83 miles, 1:10:48, 8:01 pace

Decided to go into town (where there are a few lights!) to do tonight's run. Did most of the 10 mile route in the Run for Life this weekend but starting and finishing at Superquinn.

Nice evening for it, calm and warm, legs felt a bit heavy but pushed it out to see what happened. Kept up a brisk pace as still have no real idea what I should aim for in the DCM as have done no hard runs in some time.

Didn't follow Garmin but ran on feel. Noticed that when I tried to push hard on the hills the achilles immediately kicked so had to drop back to a steady tempo.

Happy with the pace, slightly surprised to be honest, didn't think I could hold that but there you are - if I could do it again on the weekend I would be twice as happy - might do the race after all:)

10 mile race, 75 minutes, 7:30 pace

RubyK wrote: »

Eyes on the prize - DCM'11!

Plan was to run on feel but as I had done most of the route earlier in the week at around 8:00 pace I wanted to do it at that or slightly better. Purpose was to try and find where I was at for pacing Dublin because with the disruption I have had in training I have no real idea what to aim for (heart says 3:30, head says 3:45, legs say 4:00:confused:).

After yesterday when the mist and drizzle never lifted, today was dry, bright, sunny, slight breeze, ideal running weather. Kids and OH were off to Irish dancing competition and by the time I had the eldest sorted (20 questions just as you are leaving:mad:) I was chasing into town. Intended to spend 10/15 minutes warming up/stretching but got to assemby area to find everyone lining up for the off:eek:. Started early by the Garmin and at least 3 runners passed me saying they had missed the start.

Had started well back as there was no chance of getting up the field, there were well over a thousand entered, so spent the first half mile running down the pavement to avoid colliding with the aspiring Kate Veale types (only slower:p). Still beat out mile 1 in 7:16, eased out the next in 7:33 and for the two uphill miles averaged 7:50, mile 5 was downhill so back up to 7:15 - so much for the slightly better than 8:00.

I did a mental inventory at that point, legs felt OK after yesterday so no issue there, breathing was OK, could I keep it up (the running, the running:D)? If so, one of my big targets for the year, which had gone by the wayside, 75 minutes for 10 miles, was on.

Mile 6 is downhill, 7:20, but 7 and 8 are up again, 7:42 and 7.47. Picked off runners as a way of holding the pace because if I don't I find myself settling back into something more comfortable. Following Raycun's philosophy of finding a reason why I should be ahead of them I decided all those in dayglow orange tops deserved to be passed for showing off - only problem was 75% of everybody was wearing them:) - ambitious huh!

On mile 8 hill I began to feel the left calf start to tighten so consciously eased off the pace and it went away after a while. Downhill for most of the rest so kept the legs turning and picked off a few more tops on mile 9, 7:20.

Last mile, now was the time to behave, settle for 75 something or 76 something, don't go mad, no sprints, place doesn't matter, time doesn't really matter, staying fit does. In the previous 6 miles only 3 had passed me but with half a mile to go another 3 swept by in a couple of seconds, let them go! I was very good, picked off one more runner, wearing a yellow top, but it was dayglow:p, and kept the pace steady to the final turn.

Last 80 yards and clock read 1:14:4x, what?, I can beat 75 min or can I?, by the time the message got from brain to legs another 50 yards was gone and as I came in it was 1:14:59 or maybe one more. the Garmin read 1:15:04 but I started that before the line with all the crowd. Either way I am taking 75 dead:rolleyes:

Very pleased as I would have settled for anything below 80 minutes but it now gives me a base to do some planning from.

Had planned to go on and do another few miles to make a LSR out of it but as I ran it harder than planned and I could feel a small blister on one foot it was enough of an excuse to call it a day and enjoy one target achieved - all be it, unexpectedly.

Changed into the dayglow orange now I was finished:P

Recovery 5.17 miles, 46:35, 9:01 pace

RubyK wrote: »

Nice running slowsteady! You must be delighted with that preformance. It's a tough route. Confidence must be boosted for DCM after that.

Thanks for that RK, second best run of the year for me, timing is good. Dilemma now is to settle on a target time for DCM.

Legs were stiff enough for the past couple of days, sure sign I stressed them on Sunday:p. Felt the shoulder for the first time in a while:( settled down today but one to watch.

Cool night for a run went out in the usual gear but never broke sweat, knees and arms felt the slight breeze - need to christen the gear picked up in Aldi last week tomorrow, due to be colder again. Legs felt heavy tonight combination of the race and the slow pace - after misbehaving on Sunday need to follow the taper and avoid injury - again:o.

As I have done since the start of this log, did things the wrong way around. Got home from work, had a porksteak dinner, followed by regulation teapot of tea and half pack of biscuits:o and then went running.

Recovery 5.3 miles, 47:03, 8:53 pace

Knees ached after yesterday so as this was a recovery run had no problem keeping the pace down. Wore the new compression gear from Aldi as it felt cold enough, not sure how I will go with it as it felt very constricting towards what I have been used to - kept me warm though:).

Felt in need of a rest even more than yesterday - taper time!

Recovery 5.3 miles, 43:49, 8:16 pace

Recovery? - oops, I did it again:o

First run since early Sunday, nearly 2 and half days. Started out with feet and achilles fairly stiff and spent so much time concentrating on the feel of each step I forgot the pace, now it is downhill but 7:16 is a touch too fast and that included a stand-off with my two favourite terriers:rolleyes:. I wore my newly acquired day-glow orange top, so bright I'd say you could see me coming around corners:D, so the dogs got plenty of notice of my arrival. These were the pair that helped aggravate my original achilles problem so we have history. This time they stood down but it always adds a bit of excitement to the run.

Relaxed the pace as the run went on and could feel the benefit of the extra rest, just need to give myself a bit more of it:) - no more sub-8:30 mileage and ideally 9:00 plus for the rest of the week.

Recovery 3.39 miles, 28:43, 8:28 pace

This last run was originally to be tomorrow morning but as it is likely to be raining I decided to do it tonight in the dry - getting soaked once over the weekend will be enough - I saw the forecast!:)

Left achilles started stiff and finished much the same way, has not improved or got worse for a couple of weeks now, worked with it and it worked with me, so happy enough. I am hoping that, like the 10-mile race I did a couple of weeks ago, it will be alright on the day.

Am I ready? Does it matter? I am committed anyway:D

Good luck to everyone running and may you all get the result you want - and enjoy it!!:p

Snailsong, I think you have summed it up fairly well and your point about a half time is very valid. The 1:43 half was fairly comfortable, I was pacing with another runner and slipped back trying to help them but was able to pick it up in the last few miles. However my recent 10-miler only translates to a 1:40 half - I was fitter back in the Spring.

I'd like to think I could re-assess if things were not going to plan but by that time it might be too late and the whole thing could end up as a soggy mess somewhere in Dublin 2 (or worse, Dublin 4:o).

The options are play safe or gamble on a win or burn strategy.

Good luck yourself, it will be interesting to compare the reality with the plan afterwards.

Can I do a late edit on the title of the log to read Sub-3:40? Didn’t hit the magic 3:29:xx but it was a good enough day.

Am I disappointed – yes. Am I happy with the time – in the circumstances, absolutely.

Past few days did not bode well, legs felt stiff and heavy, worse than if I wasn’t on taper. At the Expo yesterday I could feel the achilles just walking around and started telling myself who was I fooling with this orange number - swop for a blue anyone?

Got back to the hotel and put the feet up but the legs didn’t get any better as the evening went on. To stop driving myself insane, stoked up on pasta, fig rolls and water and hit the sack early. Had the first pitstop at 3am, topped up the liquids and had a further broken four hours.

Breakfast and off to the start, debating the strategy on the way (said I’d leave it to the last minute). Met Eireann were wrong again, wind was not bad and the rain was holding off so, as anyone who has followed this log may have guessed, I lined up behind the 3:30 pacers. Thinking was - get to half way and try and hang on.

From the off I could feel the left achilles, but nothing new in that, kept relaxed and eventually it faded after about 4 miles.

Just after the first turn into Leeson St, not half a mile gone, I saw someone’s nutrition plan go up in smoke as a bag of Jelly Babies hit the deck to be immediately trampled to death by the following herd.

Sat in the middle between the 3 pacers for most of the first 10 miles but the legs never lost the heaviness. Through Dolphins Barn went to the back of the group and on the Crumlin Road slipped another 50 yards with the congestion. At halfway knew I was struggling with the pace but dug in and tried to close on the pace group. At this point my form started to slip because the shoulder started to shout for attention, straightened up as best I could but from here on it niggled away.

Held the distance to the pacers for miles 14 and 15 but slipped to 100-150 yards on mile 16. Gritted the teeth again and held the margin for 17 and 18 but it was taking its toll. The beginning of the end was on the hill at Milltown when just as I got to the crest the left calf gave a twinge of cramp, eased back immediately and nursed it along but lost another 50 yards on mile 19. Roebuck was the end of the pacers as I had to stop with cramp in the left and twinges in the right, got going again slowly but mile 20 was a 8:47 and 21 a 9:38 - 3:30 was a goner.

The next 6 miles were hard work to put it mildly, Fosters Avenue was a welcome downhill till halfway down my quads started to cramp, quads:eek: – they never gave trouble, until now. By this stage I was nursing both calves and both quads and re-assessing. Re-assessing as in – do I quit now or later – Belcarra’s advice came to mind

belcarra wrote: »

I think you should opt for option 2.b - stick with the 3:45 Pacers until 20/22 miles and then aim to kick on for the last few miles. This way you should hopefully have a positive attitude for the race (rather than a worrisome alternative if you go at a dangerously quick pace) and at a pace that will avoid you blowing up. Remember that if you go a little too fast at the beginning you'll go lots too slow at the end!

This option would give you a pb of 15-20mins which would be a great performance given the nature of your interrupted training.

Best of luck anyways with whichever strategy you decide on!

Menoscemo and Snailsong’s advice now also seemed very sensible – in hindsight - but my decision had been based on the premise that if the worse was to happen I could still do well on 9 minute miles to the finish.

What I hadn’t anticipated was cramp so I teased my legs along the next few miles at 8:40, 8:56 and 9:08. I remember looking at the mile marker on the Merrion Road to see it said 23, I had expected it to say 21, I had obviously lost a few miles somewhere (delirious with the pain:rolleyes:). This was an unexpected boost, but the wheels fell off shortly afterwards. I had to stop with cramp again on Shelbourne Road and then three times up along Grand Canal and Westland Row. Stumbled/shuffled along Pearse Street and came around by the college wanting only two things - not to be caught by the 3:45 pacers and to beat 3:40 so that it read 3:39:xx. Despite the stopping I managed two 9:32s for the last couple of miles so I must have been going OK when I was moving:P

Dread to think what I looked like down the finishing stretch but I avoided the embarrassment of walking and got 3:39:34, a 20 minute PB:D - so I got there, the hard way.

Thanks to the pacers, didn't talk to them much as I knew deep down I was unlikely to be there at the end - but you got me to mile 18 so - Happy days.

Will look back on where it went wrong later, but the one issue that didn’t really bother me was the achilles

belcarra wrote: »

Now if I can get near matching you next week in New York I'll be a very happy camper!!

Your training has been far better than mine so everything being equal you should be able to show me what might have been.

The best aspect of yesterday was proving to myself that I could dig in and keep going when the whole thing was falling apart, mind over matter.

A conservative strategy is probably the best, especially for somewhere like New York where you want to enjoy the atmosphere. Dublin you can do again, but New York is a once in a lifetime, I jealous already:).

Hope that snow goes away!!