Becoming a Real Runner

This weeks Plan:
Monday: rest
Tuesday: 8 miles with 5 x600m @ 5 k pace
Wednesday/ Thursday: 12 miles GA
Thursday/Friday: 5 mile recover with 6 x 100m Strides
Saturday: 10k race (BHAA Firhouse) 10-12 miles total
Sunday: 17m long run

Tonight:
8 Miles seems a long way when I am effectively only doing 3km of intervals, Anyway I did 3miles warm up @ 8:25 pace (143)
Intervals: I found a stretch of Tymon that was around 0.38 miles. I calculated it to be about 600m, but it must be a bit more, about 610-620m judging by the fact that the pace is faster than the time would suggest. I must remember to change the units to km before these sessions :rolleyes: 600m at 5k pace (20 minutes or 4min/km) should take 2:24 or 6:26/mile pace.
I did the intervals as follows:

1. 2:21 (6:15/mile pace) Av HR162 (max (169)
2. 2:18 (6:08/mile pace) Av HR 169 (max 176)
3. 2:14 (5:57/mile pace:eek:) Av HR 169 (max 176)
4. 2:25 (6:20/mile pace) Av HR 172 (max 184)
5. 2:20 (6:09/mile pace) Av Hr 167 (max 174)

Recoveries were 1:30-1:50
Lap 4 nearly killed me as it was severely uphill, I think that equals my record Max HR.

Recovery was a mile @ 8:35 pace (157). I couldn't be bothered doing a 2.5 mile recovery as it started lashing and I wanted to get home for the match. I'll add an extra mile and half to the recovery run later in the week.

Total today: 6.5 miles in 52 minutes. Pace 7:58, Av HR 153.

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Mulling over wether running long with you tomorrow would be a wise idea, trying desperately to take it easy!

Leave it to the weekend I reckon. It would be nice to do the full course at pacing pace (don't you think?). I am planning doing the weekend LSR in the park with Chingetti on sunday if you want to join us, we can do the course as 13 of those miles. I can also give you a lift up and down if you want.

Met RQ on the way up to Phoenix park to practise a bit for pacing next weeks Half marathon. In the park we did approximately the last 6 miles of the course (including both 'hills') at bang on goal pace.
That's two people I have run with in two days who ran the Dingle Ultra at the weekend. Both looked remarkaly comfortable running a good pace. These Ultra Runners are definately one tough bunch.

11.2 miles @ 9:06 pace, HR 141.

Probabaly a little slow for a GA run and also 0.8 miles short of planned distance but Meh....... to Compensate for my slackness I sprinted up The Chapelizod hill Rd.

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Then he 'waited' for me at the top of Chapelizod hill, but, I think he just needed a rest.

Ta' for the company I'd probably not have pushed to 9 if I'd been on my own

Cough. cough. I was just examining some flowers at the side of the road.

You probably shouldn't have 'pushed to 9' at all. I'm afraid you are the definition of the word 'runaholic' :pac:

pgmcpq wrote: »

Good luck Saturday - but take it easy on the injury. Your pacing 2.00 in the Dublin HM ? You might just meet my nephew (I don't know it he's running - he's being coy about his plans !) but 2.00 would be a PMP for him I think.

No worries PG, Injury should be fine. I'll wear the compression shorts and if it feels tight I'll slow down, it is not a target Race. TBH I don't expect to beat my 10k PB.
Are you doing any tune up races?
I have just signed up to the three tune up races prescribed by P&D
10k Saturday, 5 k on the 26th September and a 5 miler on the 3rd October, hoping for PBs in the second two.

Yep I'm pacing 2 hrs at the half next weekend. If your Nephew is following, tell him to come up and say hello. I'll be dressed all in black (got lovely pacemakers gear sent out in the post today )

osnola ivax wrote: »

Question is are you going to barca

Fancy it?
If DCM goes well, I'll definately go for it as training for the connemarra ultra. If it doesn't go well, I'll probably go for it as an attempt to run a good marathon.

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Simon 5 mile is actually the week after I thought it was http://www.funrun.ie/

It's on a Saturday though which is good.

Thanks for that, I acyually registered lasy night
It actually fits perfectly into my training plan.

That's the first time I have had the misfortune of using those three letters. I am not overly disappointed though as I was really only running this race because the Programme said to, not a s a particular target race.
I Got to Firhouse early and I was registered by 9:30 so i decided to do a lap of the course (it was a 2 lap course) nice and easy. I could see it was a really diffcult course with the uphill drag along the firhouse rd also into a stiff wind.

Anyway Warmup 4 miles 9:00 pace.

Onto the race itself: met a good few boardsies before the race. I wasn't really in PB mood so I decided to head out with Aimman (who was targetting 45 minutes) for the first few miles to see how it was going. We started out too fast, doing the first half mile under 6:30 pace. At about this point I could feel my groin pull again. I said to Aimman I wasn't going to finish, and I dropped out at the first opportunity- around 1.5 miles, and jogged back to the race HQ.

I don't think the injury is too serious- rather the same as I had 2 weeks ago. I felt it after my speed session in the midweek. It only seems to go when I dip under 7 minute mile pace. Anyway I'll go to the physio again next week and see what happens. Talking to a few lads after (thanks ecoli), they advised me to replace VO2 max sessions with tempo sessions- I think this may be a good Idea. I also was advised to get a pair of proper compression shorts for speed sessions (cheers Tunguska). It is looking like I may not be able to run the Rathfarnham 5k though, I will be really disappointed if that's the case. Sub 20 was a real target for me round there.

I will do my LSR tomorrow- as I say the injury only flairs when I go really fast. I will staill be able to get the long mileage in.

anyway 6 miles for the day. Unsure of overall pace.

Nice to meet a few new faces: plodder, ecoli, Liamo, Shels4ever, the Roadrunner etc. (sorry if I forgot anyone).


I have a funny story actually. After I pulled out I met a guy who had obviously done the same in the car park and got talking to him (he had pulled out due to shinsplints). I thought I recognised his face. We went down to see the leaders finish. Anyway after talking races, targets etc, he mentioned he did the Parkwest race in July. I asked him what time he got and he said 42:08- 1 second behind me!! Then it all clicked, I recognised him form the finish line photos of that race. He was the guy I was working hard to hold off in the last 200m of that race, the effort of which caused me to puke all over the place at the finish line. Funnily enough he said he had been too wrecked to see my 'incident'.

Anyway It all give me a bit of confidence as he is a 3:22 marathon runner targetting 3:15 in this years DCM, and I managed to beat him (albeit by 1 second and at the cost of my entire breakfast )

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

If the speed sessions are causing injuries you should consider dropping them. I ran close to a marathon pb in April running slow miles exclusively. P&D might be telling you to run fast but P&D needs to be altered I'd need be. Any decent coach would reassess the program you are on. No use flogging a dead horse or knackered muscle !

Thanks RR. I Intend following that advice and replace speed sessions with tempos. I would still really like to race the Rathfarnham 5k though

plodder wrote: »

Nice to meet you as well on Saturday Meno! Funny, I've been thinking about switching the VO2 max sessions with tempos as well. I don't have the book with me right now. So, I don't know what's scheduled for this week. But, I'd be interested to see what others might suggest instead of this weeks session (assuming there is one).

This weeks session is 9 miles incl 5x 1000m at 5k pace (w 50-90% interval time recovery). I am thinking of doing something like:
(1 mile easy, 2 mile tempo) x 3 instead. (Tempo here being somewhere north of 10k pace but south of HM pace).

Nice to see you yesterday too, you ran a great time in tough conditions. Most of the top lads reckoned they would have got a minute faster on an easier course.

I forgot to say, I went back to the Physio yesterday and the basic conclusion is it is the same injury as a few weeks ago- a slight groin tear. It would probably have cleared up by now but for the heavy mileage I am doing. It should get a chance to heal up during the taper. Anyway I had a good session with him and am having another on friday evening (hopefully having me nice and fresh for pacing the half on Saturday).

The order is no speed work (i.e. 5k-10k pace) for this week or next but he told me I will probably be ok to at least try the Rathfarnham 5k*

I Bought an expensive pair of compression shorts which I wore out today and will hopefully help the injury.

I have a big session looming this week- 18 miles w 14@PMP- probably the toughest session of the whole programme. I will not get to do it at the weekend, cos of pacing the half on saturday and then drinking afterwards. I am in two minds as to whether to do it on Thursday after work or replace one of the Planned LSR's in the following few weekends.

*Obviously if I feel anything on the day I will slow down and run it easy.