Speedy Gonzales or Slowpoke Rodriguez?

Cool Running wrote: »

Best of luck with the log T Runner.
Sub 2.45 in Paris would be serious running, would set ya up for a great warriors run which I presume ya will be doing.

Good luck

I was doing marathon training for Dublin during last years Warriors run and the strenght gained was a huge help. I did a lot of 2k reps during this training and a lot of long tempos (up to 49 mins continous before WR).

Did you run last year/ Are you running this year?

13 Feb 2010

AM Cupids 10k. 34.15 Will follow with report. Tot. 9.6 m

PM 6.5m recovery pace

Total 16.1m

Thanks Slogger. Was very surprised with it. Did first interval session on tuesday. On top of the strenght from high mileage and cross country races it seems to have done thr trick somehow. Last kilometer 100-200m short.


Sunday Feb 14th 2010

LSR: 25k 2h 15

Very sluggish today, well over 5 min Ks off road in Phoenix Park.
Race took more out of me yesterday than I thought.

Total 15.5m

Mon Feb 15 2010

Recovery Day:

Lunchtime 4.4m recovery pace

P.M 6.5m recovery pace

Schedule calls for recovery day tommorrow. May do a 20 mile run on Wednesday to free weekend up for Masters/Intermediate CC.

Wed Feb 17th 2910

Lunch 4.4 recovery pace.

PM 7.75 easy run inc 8 by 100m strides at 5k pace.

Still feeling a bit tired but recovering OK. Planned a single long run today but had to change due to visitors. Will probably keep it easy until the Cross Country on Sunday.

Shamefully I must cross my name off the lent list. Now for another cup of sugary tea!

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Fair play to ya. Sure you nearly lasted the whole day.

Bought canderel and everything but couldnt find teh stuff for teh life of me last night.
I took not finding it as some kind of sign and proceeded to have 5 cups of sugary tea to cal the nerves.
Im alarmed at how easily I caved in.

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Well, if it helps, there are more calories in a banana, than there are in 5 spoons of sugar. Maybe you should give up bananas?!

Are you going to give up the hill races as it gets closer to your marathon? I was toying with the idea of doing Tibradden on Saturday, but with only two weeks to go to Barcelona marathon, I'm thinking of airing on the side of caution.

No hill races for me before marathon. If its your first hill race of the year you will get extreme soreness for a good view days after it from the downhill. I wouldnt recommend it so close.

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I did Annacurra two weeks ago, but was sore for about three days afterwards (including some unwelcome ankle pain), so I'll probably stick with the plan, and do a flat time-trial on Saturday instead (yawn).

You wont ahve as much pain if youve a race under your belt but you will have some.

I heard there is a new trail on tibradden but it used to be a a good course for an ankle twist on the descent near the end.

Is there any flat race at the weekend you could tempo through?

Thurs 18th Feb 2010

AM 7.75m recovery pace. Felt very sluggish. Decided to start very slow. Didnt force it but started to feel good halfway through for the first time this week. Wearing the compression tights is a huge help and im finding these recovery runs take a bit of learning. Kept it easy till the end.

PM 6.7m easy run from work to circuits with club: Circuits 45 mins.

6.9m easy run home after circuits.

Total for day: 21.35

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

A quiet running day then :rolleyes:

Yep, I saw a lot of Dublin today: A big triangle between Ballybough, Kill O and Ballinteer. The middle run was nice but I was getting a bit weary running across the city in the cold on the way home. No long run this W-end with cross country in Boyle on Sunday.

Tue Feb 23rd

PM easy run to training 6.3 miles
training 4 * 1k with 2 min rest: conditions cold, windy wet horrible. Small session due to CC on Sun. Mainly tarmac-some grass
3.40
3.35
3.39
3.43 (fell)

Felt hard-went at tempo pace but couldnt have gone much faster. initially planned 14.5 mile run brisk or easy depending on how I was feeling. Should have stuck to plan. Am short of continuous runs.

Ran home 6.9m

Total for day 15.7
Total for year 509.5 - halfway on the 1000 mile-lucky with injury and illness so far touch wood.

I have to be careful now. 7 lbs max swing in weight last week. Must keep restraint and train within myself.

Thurs 25/2/2010

Medium long run 14.5 miles

Good run. The route was from my work in Lill O Grange around Killiney Hill and back to Ballybough via Dalkey, coast and toll bridge. Trying to incorporate a few P and D runs so started briskish. Felt strong but kept it controlled. Picked it up with 6 to go. Initially tried to push it and struggled but realised it was better just to keep it at a fast cadence and managed the same speed by doing this. Havent been able to do many of these runs recently so it was tough enough. A few more of these runs and ill hopefully have that cadence ingrained in me.

Mon 1/3/2010

6.5 recovery pace. Expected to be more tired after weekend but not feeling too bad.

No hard sessions this week. A few strides and the Carlingford half marathon on saturday. There is a couple of lads doing Rotterdam also looking for sub 2.45 coming up which is great news.

Im worried about my lack of long runs of any description. (19 miles is longest yet.) I may do an extra 5 miles after the half at 30 secs per mile slower than marathon pace.

I have only the 2 weekends after for big runs. 20 and 22 mile for those. Might chance a midweek 12 and 15 mile pace runs those 2 weeks. Only BIG specific sessions from now on. I may do one or 2 VO2 max but only 6 by 1k no more.

Wed 3/3/2010

Medium Long run 15.2 miles. 6.42 ave

Extended my usual ML run slightly (from Kill O Grange around Killiney Hill to Ballybough via coast and Toll) to bring it over 15m.

Very encouraging run. Slightly too fast in that the latter third must have been around PMP (6.18). It will take something from my half marathon on saturday but I needed it to prepare for the more extensive 20-23m runs Ill be cramming in the next few weeks at this pace.


M Pace may not kill me but the 26.2 might. I have made a blunder in having my longest run to date of only 19 miles a few weeks ago given the mileage Ive been doing lately.

Will force myself to do 5-7 miles easy after the half.

Total for day 15.2 miles

Thurs 4/3/2010

Lunch: 3.6 miles recovery
PM: Run home easy 7.75 miles.

A bit tired but should be OK for saturday.

Fri 5/3/10

3.5 miles easy inc 7 by 100 strides

Sat 6/3/10

Carlingford half marathon 15m total.

Not pretty: report will follow

Sun 7/3/10

Rest day

Mon 8/3/10

LSR

2h59m easy. Picked it up for last 20.

Encoraging run. Didnt need to take any gels. Fat burning must be better developed than I thought.

22.75m total

Carlingford Half report:

Myself and the GF picked up a couple of friends from ouside Connolly at 8.30 and we were off.

This one had an 11 o'clock kick off and we got there at 10 in plenty of time.
Myself and one of the lads J were of similar standard and J had suggested a pace of 3.40 per k. This pace would probably give us a good chance of winning. I knew there was another strong runner that usually showed for this race and I suggested that if he started no faster than 3.30 we should stay with him.

The GF's (now fiancee!) plan was an even steady pace to help her marathon preparation for Paris. One of us has sense at least.

I hindsight it is now clear that I was only interested in the win and pacing was of secondary concern which can be a dangerous attitude for a long race.

I did a 15 mile run at 6.40 per mile average 2 days before and felt slight tiredness in my legs so I downed a strong coffee for numbness and courage.

Off we went from teh four seasons heading down the flat main road towards Greenore/Dundalk with a nice breeze at our backs. The pace was OK (lead out by the strong lad S, had showed). I felt my legs groaning slightly through the coffee buzz but nothing serious. Wasnt suprised to hear J call 3.31 after the first K. I was right behind S listening to his breathing and convinced myself that he was working a bit harder than I was. We did the second k in 3.30. The legs were clearing nicely still felt a bit fatigued but I figured in aanother couple of K I'd be flying. I had moved up to S's shoulder and this caused the pace to increase to about 3.25. J wisely kept at 3.30.

S commented that it looked like it was just the two of us. I should have struck up a bit of a conversation which would have probably resulted in a mutually beneficial working together/ceasefire until later in the race. However, I was there to win and I sensed that his reply was an effort to talk his way out of a duel with a stronger opponent. Ahem, I really amen't wise sometimes, honestly. We turned left off the main road heading south/soukt east towards the coasr via small country roads. We encountered a small climb. With my hillruning background I usually make a few metres on the descent. I found myself with a gap of 4 metres and immediatly put the foot down which put the pace towards 3.20 k's. I felt OK: I would kill this guy off and win the race at my leisure. I got to 10-15 metres ahead but he was hanging on....... and hanging on. We were following the coast south at this stage. I heard a beep from his garmin which told me we were through 4 miles in 22.10 (Im garmin'less at the mo). I pushed on hitting 27.40 for 5.
He was still there (10-15 behind) but now I had doubt with me. I saw a turn ahead which which followed the coast west and meant we were turning into a headwind. I would have to lose him before that and recover into a wind or else abort the break and run with him. He caught up about 100 metres after this corner. And took the lead. I wasnt feeling too bad while leading but I underwent a huge psychological transformation once he went in front. From feeling relatively strong mentally I was immediately a sitting duck and was struggling to keep the (slower) pace with him. I felt that he sensed this but suprisingly he didnt leave me. I barely noticed at the time: my mind was concentrating solely on the long way left to go and the pain I would have to endure. If he would just drop me I could ease off a bit and call it a bad day but he wouldnt. I took the lead for a while as the pace dropped slightly with him leading into the wind. Got through 7 miles,we were going maybe 5-55 pace here max. I fell behind again and suddenly got the urge to stop I actually slowed for a few steps before catching myself on and catching up again. I couldnt take a positive out of it and returned to my brooding which was overwhelming me again. we came to a fork and I just stopped stepped off the course and walked up the wrong branch and rested against a wall. After a while J passed, he didnt see me. I started walking up this fork as I reckoned it would be a shortcup back as there was still nearly 6 miles to go.

I then got angry with myself and decided to run the course back and bring the run up to 20 miles. I ran back but couldnt go on after the finish.

Total time 92 (running time 85, stopped for 7).

My OH ran a great steady race and finished strong. J averaged 3.40 finishing second.

Back at the changing room S enquired about the disappearing. He said I had left him in an awful state. He stopped for a low numeral pitt stop and ended up having a higher numeral one. He said he slowed right down once my disappearance was noted. He ended with 77.xx but I think a sub 76 atleast was on for him had I not forced that mental pace early on. Hes going for a sub 2.40 in Connemara. Hes probably not far off it and he has the experience and mental toughness for it, no doubt.

There was a leprechaun festival being advertised in Carlingford. My GF accused me of being a leprechaun hired to feck up the front of the race and then dissappearing over a wall half way through.

I was extremely worried about my mental weakness during the race, but a lot of strenght can be garnered by having a decent plan for a long race.

Heres a clip from Youtube about Rod Dixons famous win in New York in 1983 from J.

I will be Rod dixon in Paris! (pacing only not winning BTW)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llfcZUyTJGA

BTW Would thoroughly recommend this race!

dermCu wrote: »

Its a fine line isn't it? Not that I'll ever know but I guess its even finer at the front of the pack.
Fair play on your honesty, better to learn your lesson in Carlingford rather than in Paris.

Are you going to race again before Paris?

Im not decided yet.

Theres a 10k in Tubbercurry on Patricks day or a farly flat 5 miler in Ballivor.

Ive done a good few races recently but wouldnt mind another just to get feedback on my condition. Maybe I might be better doing a MP run though instead.

I feel I will be in about 2.41-42 shape come paris but I want to make sure.

The plan at this stage may be to go through half in 82. This will be right for 2.45 and also give me a chance to knock off a few minutes in the last 10k if I have it in me.

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

A rivetting race report. Not a happy ending but I'm sure you'll learn from this. Lets face it.. a tough run 2 days beforehand wasn't ideal preparation.

You've done the work. With a decent taper and your head right (a visit to a head shop perhaps?) you'll do a fine job in Paris.

I'm in good form I think. Not ideal preparation: I should have done the thursday evening run on wednesday, at a slower pace. Now that I think of it, it was only 38 hours before.

Will work on the psychological part before Paris. Ill have to make sure my experience in Carlingford is a benefit not a liability there. I may have done too many races recently. I dont think its done harm physically but I cant tolerate too much sustained racing from the mental viewpoint. It was definately the head that said no rather than the body.

misty floyd wrote: »

Yeah the race report was very interesting even though it ended badly. Thanks for posting that. Very brave stuff going for it. Enjoyed the link too. What a great way to win a race....brilliant. Best of luck in Paris.

.

Thanks a million, The difference between the two runners at the end couldn't be different.
Once the guy who finished second was passed his legs buckled and he had to be carried away from the finish area in distress. Dixon was walking about hugging people looking strong. He said he wanted to pass the guy at speed to devastate him (to increase his chances of winning). Looks like he succeeded. Once the mind goes the body seems to follow pretty quick based on that (obviously more so right at the end of the marathon). I need to learn the lesson and pace it evenly and at correct pace so the really difficult stuff only comes after mile 20 when the finish is psychologically more attainable. Thanks for the good wishes.

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Great report and thanks for sharing the disappointment. Do you think if you could have paced it better, you would have won it? Despite the setback, it sounds like you're in very good form. Just don't go trying to win in Paris!

Must have been difficult for the eventual winner, wondering where the hell you had gone, and wondering if you'd resurface at any moment.

Thanks Krusty and congratulations on your great run in Barcelona. It was a great lesson in pacing for anyone reading and Im starting to get the benefits of these logs now.

I doubt I would have won it. I could have held back with J and tried to come through hard in the second half which would have been perfect for the marathon. S may not have risked going it alone so early in that case either.
I could also have just tucked in behind S and worked with him. I may have finished within 15 secs of him in that scenario and we might have gone lower in time.
I felt I had a slight advantage in average speed on the flat where as he was stronger.
It would have required a major mental effort to beat him and not sure I was up to that.
So the best I could have done was an even effort and a fast time. Don't think I would have beaten him on the day.

My best chance was the hopping over the wall and accuse him of cheating option .
He was sound but I never met him before so good chance of avoiding him in future.

Fri/Sat 12-13/3/10

Rest: Head cold

Sun 14/3/10

AM 3.65 easy

PM Fitness maintenance run. 8.4 miles---7.22 pace.

Feeling a lot better after the PM run, cold nearly gone. Will do a twenty mile session on wednesday hopefully and a 22 mile one on saturday with plenty of rest between. Touch wood but i may have been lucky with this cold. Recovery days were poor last week.