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Recovery 4 Miles

The weekend’s running began with a really enjoyable 4 mile recovery trot. Did this at lunchtime taking in laps through the Royal Hospital. I have a loop that is pretty much exactly a mile and cuts through the RHK. Four of these loops completed. Sun was out for most of the 4 miles. Legs felt good before the run and better after the run. I think missing Friday’s 11 miler may have been beneficial.

M01 9:11
M02 9:24
M03 9:12
M04 9:18

Total 4.02M @ 9:16

Week 15 Session Targets	Actual Distance	Actual Pace
Recovery 7M @ 9:15 to 9:30 (skipping 6x100m strides)	7.08	9:17
PMP 10M with 6M @ 7:55 (replacing VO2max 10M with 4 x 1200)	10.23	8:14 (with 6.01M @ 7:53)
MLR 11M @ 8:45 to 9:00	DNS	DNS
Recovery 4M @ 9:15 to 9:30	4.02	9:16
LSR 20M @ 8:45 to 9:00

Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining	Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
65 / 64 / 07 / 00 / 14	21.33 / 63.70 / 644.95

[outforarun]

LSR 20 Miles

Wet and breezy when I headed out at 8:45 yesterday morning for the last big run before Cork. Ran my standard 20 mile route – over to Park, three laps of Park, then back from Park. Went into this one undaunted, my thinking was that if I was undaunted by last week’s 17 miler, then why should worry about just three more miles. Easy.

This one flew by. I met a mate halfway through lap 1 who cycled with me to the end of lap 1, ran with me for the full lap 2 and cycled half of lap 3 with me. The chat really helped the miles to tick over quickly. The distraction of watching the City Series 10K also helped break up any monotony.

This I think was the easiest 20 miler I’ve ever done.

The legs behaved really well the whole way round: glute, groin, Achilles, not a whimper from any of these. I didn’t feel any noticeable energy-fade in the later miles. Reviewing my mile-splits later I was surprised and pleased to see mile 17 was my fastest of the day, it didn’t feel any different to other miles effort wise. I wasn’t checking mile splits as I was running, I just kept an eye on average overall pace. Gels on mile 7 and 14.

The legs in the afternoon were a bit tired but already today they feel near back to normal.

So all in all a very encouraging run to bring Meso-cycle 3 to a close.

Mesocycle 1 went like clockwork.
Mesocycle 2 nearly broke me.
Mesocycle 3 got me back on track (I think).

Cannot believe it’s taper time (ok so P&D taper isn’t a walk in the park, but still).
I think my speed has improved in these 15 weeks. However having missed an 18 and 20 miler in Mesocycle 2, I don’t know about endurance but yesterday’s run has me feeling more optimistic.

Only 13 runs to go (maybe 14)!!!

M01 8:58
M02 8:45
M03 8:47
M04 8:39
M05 8:50
M06 9:30
M07 9:17
M08 8:50
M09 8:55
M10 8:42
M11 8:29
M12 9:05
M13 9:05
M14 8:44
M15 9:04
M16 8:28
M17 8:13
M18 8:36
M19 8:45
M20 9:01

Total 20.01M @8:50

Week 15 Session Targets	Actual Distance	Actual Pace
Recovery 7M @ 9:15 to 9:30 (skipping 6x100m strides)	7.08	9:17
PMP 10M with 6M @ 7:55 (replacing VO2max 10M with 4 x 1200)	10.23	8:14 (with 6.01M @ 7:53)
MLR 11M @ 8:45 to 9:00	DNS	DNS
Recovery 4M @ 9:15 to 9:30	4.02	9:16
LSR 20M @ 8:45 to 9:00	20.01	8:50

Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining	Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
66 / 65 / 07 / 00 / 13	41.34 / 83.71 / 664.96

[outforarun]

8M with 4M at PMP

Taper started at 5:47 this morning. Fully bright outside. Another run with PMP miles replacing a VO2max session. Laps of the block for this one. Didn’t look at the Garmin for the first two miles and just ran at what felt like a gentle warm up pace; it’s too risky to push too soon on these just out of bed runs. Upped the pace after 2 miles to PMP pace. I’m still running PMP pace as if training for sub 3:30. This felt fine and settled around 7:53. A cool-down just shy of 2 miles completes 8 miles exact for the morning.

Have to go to Belgium tonight. I’ve packed runners and will need to find 6 miles in the morning. Where I’m staying looks promising though, a hotel set in a forest clearing with lots of running/walking trails.

2.04M @ 9:27
4.02M @ 7:53
1.94M @ 8:43

Total 8.00M @ 8:29

Week 16 Session Targets	Actual Distance	Actual Pace
PMP 8M with 4M @ 7:55 (replacing VO2max 8M with 5 x 600)	8.00	8:29 with 4.02 @ 7:53)
Recovery 6M @ 9:15 to 9:30
Recovery 4M @ 9:15 to 9:30 (skipping strides)
10K Time Trial targetting < 42:03
LSR 16M @ 8:45 to 9:00

Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining	Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
67 / 66 / 07 / 00 / 12	8.00 / 91.71 / 672.96

[outforarun]

Belgium was a disaster for running. Arrived in late Wednesday evening to discover that my hotel room had been given to someone else who had extended their stay due as a result of a baggage handling strike in Brussels. My the time I was re-accommodated in another hotel I was too tired to head out for a run. I also now had extra distance to travel Thursday morning so didn't fit in a morning run. Dinner straight after work and I was wondering why I bothered to pack my runners. Next week is a 4 run week so I'll make it a 5 run week by adding this week's 4 mile recovery.

Got back to Dublin Friday evening and couldn't wait to head out for a sunny, short-sleeved 6 mile recovery run over to and back from the Park. Achilles were a little unhappy, I'm putting it down to office and flights. Run was enjoyable and exactly what the doctor ordered.

M01 9:03
M02 9:23
M03 9:31
M04 9:02
M05 9:25
M06 9:24

Total 6.01M @ 9:18

Week 16 Session Targets	Actual Distance	Actual Pace
PMP 8M with 4M @ 7:55 (replacing VO2max 8M with 5 x 600)	8.00	8:29 with 4.02 @ 7:53)
Recovery 6M @ 9:15 to 9:30	6.01	9:18
Recovery 4M @ 9:15 to 9:30 (skipping strides)	next week	next week
10K Time Trial targetting < 42:03
LSR 16M @ 8:45 to 9:00

Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining	Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
68 / 67 / 07 / 00 / 11	14.01 / 97.72 / 678.97

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10K Time Trial

New Garmin 10K PB - 41:21

There's a routine developing around these: I do my warm-up and feel sluggish and dread the task ahead. I aim to run at a particular pace and end up running at a pace a few seconds faster but the effort feels about right. I hold the faster pace and after 7K or 8K I know I've improved my time. The effort feels hard but not as hard as the previous time-trial. These are getting easier. All the same each time-trial feels more intimidating than the last.

Goal was to aim for 4:12 pace and push over the last 2K to come in under 42:03. I'd be disappointed if I didn't record a 41:XX. There's a detour at the Phoenix and cars are driving up the normally closed to traffic start of North Road, luckily this didn't interfere with any of my laps.

I start out as always a little too fast and gradually drop back the pace to what I feel is an equivalent effort to last time out, this settles down as 4:08 pace. I don't check the Garmin too often on this run, but everytime I do its holding at 4:07 or 4:08. It's windy as always heading up the North Road but not as strong as two weeks ago and I think this helps gain me some seconds.

Lap 1 sets the pace. Lap 2 the breathing becomes difficult, but the legs are ok. I love these runs where I'm overtaking everybody. Lap 3 is the hang on lap. Tell myself that the final push up the North Road is the last tough task until marathon day. Enjoy the descent down Chesterfield and back onto North Road knowing I was going to hit my target with some seconds to spare. Don't put in a sprint finish today.

Delighted to see a 41:21 time that's 4:08 min/KM or 6:39 min/mile. I'm still unaccustomed to the fact that I'm running at 6:XX pace. Definitely for the Irish Runner 5 Miler, I'll run with the Garmin at metric, I'm too familiar with mile pace and I would have backed off if I saw 6:39 pace showing.

Very very happy with how these three 10K Time Trials worked out. Steady improvement: 42:29 to 42:03 to 41:21. Over a minute improvement in 4 weeks. I definitely want to target some 10K races in the second half of the year and set an official time. And I think a sub 40:00 10K will become a target, have to find another 82 seconds.

Warm-up 3.20KM @ 5:57
(1.99M @ 9:34)

KM01 4:10
KM02 4:05
KM03 4:03
KM04 4:09
KM05 4:14
KM06 4:06
KM07 4:09
KM08 4:16
KM09 4:05
KM10 4:03

Total 10.01 @ 4:08

Cool Down 3.11K @ 5:47
(1.93M @ 9:18)

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/314832689

Week 16 Session Targets	Actual Distance	Actual Pace
PMP 8M with 4M @ 7:55 (replacing VO2max 8M with 5 x 600)	8.00	8:29 with 4.02 @ 7:53)
Recovery 6M @ 9:15 to 9:30	6.01	9:18
Recovery 4M @ 9:15 to 9:30 (skipping strides)	next week	next week
10K Time Trial targetting < 42:03	10.01K	41:21 (4:08 min/KM, 6:39 min/Mile
LSR 16M @ 8:45 to 9:00

Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining	Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
69 / 68 / 07 / 00 / 10	14.15 / 107.86 / 689.11

[outforarun]

LSR 16 Miles

Legs were tired at the start of this 16 mile meander in the Park. Overcast and warm Sunday morning and it stayed that way for the first 10 miles, sun coming out for the end of the run. It took maybe 4 miles to feel warmed up and from then the pace felt very comfortable. It happens often of late that I hit my overall target pace but some of the mile splits are much faster than intended, on this run I logged a few 8:2X miles, might try keep the mile splits a little more uniform next time out.

Took one gel after 10 miles. After 12 miles I diverted up Acres Road as far as the Kyber, happy that this ascent felt ok. This week and last week I take huge encouragement from the fact that the last 4 or 5 miles of the run don't feel all that more difficult than the first 4 or 5 miles.

Legs were tired in the afternoon for sure, but good tired after a good weekend's running.

(Late now, was in London today and got back late enough so I definitely won't be heading out tomorrow morning - sleep on the menu, time to log-off)

M01 9:33
M02 8:55
M03 8:48
M04 8:40
M05 8:42
M06 8:29
M07 8:48
M08 9:08
M09 8:36
M10 8:33
M11 8:37 (700 miles for the year)
M12 8:38
M13 8:50
M14 8:29
M15 8:53
M16 8:53

Total 16.00M @ 8:47

Week 16 Session Targets	Actual Distance	Actual Pace
PMP 8M with 4M @ 7:55 (replacing VO2max 8M with 5 x 600)	8.00	8:29 with 4.02 @ 7:53)
Recovery 6M @ 9:15 to 9:30	6.01	9:18
Recovery 4M @ 9:15 to 9:30 (skipping strides)	next week	next week
10K Time Trial targetting < 42:03	10.01K	41:21 (4:08 min/KM, 6:39 min/Mile
LSR 16M @ 8:45 to 9:00	16.00	8:47

Sessions Completed / On Target / DNS / DNF / Remaining	Miles WTD / MTD / YTD
70 / 69 / 07 / 00 / 09	40.14 / 123.85 / 705.10