1 PhD and 2 Marathons in next 8 months pretty please!!

MarieC

Mon Nov 9th

3.24 miles in the bucketing rain. I actually like running in the rain, it keeps you cool, hydrated and adds another dimension to the run.

Felt like I was really pushing myself so was a little disappointed I didnt cut some few seconds off my time. Took me 27:35, 8.5min/mile pace. Still felt good after it.

MarieC

Tue Nov 10th

Weather is fab yesterday and today for running. Hopefully it will stay like this for the race series tomorrow night. Did my 3.24 mile route in 26:52 - took 43 seconds off the previous nights time so not too bad, has me down to 8.3min/mile. I want to be running comfortably at 8min/mile, at the most. Keep getting stitches though in the last few runs, costing me a few seconds.......

MarieC

Nov 12th, Thur

Second night of this series, 5km on UL campus. Perfect night for it, not very cold and miraculously no rain! I managed this last week in 24:53 which was by a long way a PB for me, so the hope this week was to try and shave it some bit, and at least enjoy the race.

I did the first half in 12:05 so was v.happy with that. Slowed a little in the second half but was happy to see that no-one was overtaking me, and it was me doing all the overtaking. With 1km to go I passed a guy and he was on my neck for all of that last km. I really had to push it to stay ahead and was convinced he was going to pass me on the home stretch. Managed to stay ahead of him and finished (somehow) in 24:25!! So a new PB for me so happy days!! I dont think I will be able to keep up this level of improvement but sure one week at a time eh? :rolleyes:

rainbow kirby

Well done Marie, great running

metamorphosis

Wow well done Marie.

littlebug

Well done MarieC. That's crackin' running esp having been out of action for a while.
How in the world do you get lost "at home"... there again Clare is a strange place (joking)

MarieC

littlebug wrote: »

How in the world do you get lost "at home"... there again Clare is a strange place (joking)

How you get lost is determined by ones level of stubborness in my case! Ah sure there's so many backward roads in the coutryside every run is like a little adventure!

Bally8

Well done Marie another great run. I hope to make it along to one of the 7ks before Christmas, that's if my ITB behaves itself

MarieC

missed my monday evening run last night for first time since started back running. want to go this evening, hope im up to it.

Exhaustion of juggling way too many things at once is not pretty. Any advice anyone????

MCOS

MarieC wrote: »

missed my monday evening run last night for first time since started back running. want to go this evening, hope im up to it.

Exhaustion of juggling way too many things at once is not pretty. Any advice anyone????

The thing about juggling lots of things in Life is to find a balance. What we tend to do is take more and more on but simultaneously don't let anything go. Hence we squash it all in, become busier and crankier, stressed about tiny things and the peaks and troughs of the days are more pronounced. E.g a new 5km pb hi followed by a tight deadline lo and a friend wanting to meet you for drinks hi and having to organise the xmas turkey because your OH will forget lo....

The trick is to size up your life when you introduce something new (and regular) and decide what in your life must move to accomodate the new thing. How important is the thing that needs to move....

Perhaps list all of the things you regularly do, prioritise them in order of importance, necessity, fulfillment etc.. and ensure there is a healthy spread of your energy. Boring task maybe but a half an hour of deep value

It just means getting more organised and disciplined, even if you have to 'schedule' your time to unwind

MarieC

Tue Nov 17th

Tired and frustrated I went off for my 3.24miler around the block. Lovely night for a run, decided not to push myself, just get a good solid steady run.

Really enjoyed it and was v.surprised that my slow steady run resulted in a time of 26:26, which was 26seconds faster than last week! Im a bit puzzled by my times improving so much, that run now has me at a steady slow pace of 8.15min/mile! I wont complain :rolleyes:

littlebug

MarieC wrote: »

Tue Nov 17th

! Im a bit puzzled by my times improving so much, that run now has me at a steady slow pace of 8.15min/mile! I wont complain :rolleyes:

How often do you train? any change in the type of training ie speedwork etc? Any change in diet ?

i'd love to get my times down similarly.

MarieC

littlebug wrote: »

How often do you train? any change in the type of training ie speedwork etc? Any change in diet ?

i'd love to get my times down similarly.

I train max of 4 times a week - distances of only 3 - 3.5 miles. I have not got time at the moment to do any other type of training, e.g core strengthening, conditioning etc.

what I do try on runs is to be v.conscious of whether or not Im pushing myself, and to make sure that when going up the hills, I really push myself up them, but then when I get to the top, there is no easing off, and I power down the hill. I try to keep a close eye on posture breathing throughout runs. Even if a route is mainly flat, I will try to do intervals, even just 10seconds long where I run flat out, and then back to a good pace, no slacking.

In terms of diet, Im quiet happy with that at the moment, I might be even losing a pound a week. Im reading a very interesting and east ot read book - The runners diet. So Im trying to make a conscious effort to get my carbs early in the day and not at dinner when my run is done and Im not using any more energy that evening. Im eating a lot of fresh fruit and veg (homemade soup for dinner every night). Saying that, Im still having the odd square of choc here and there but other than that, there is v.little processed crap in my diet. I dont feel sluggish or heavy at all when running these days so its a welcome change.

Only other thing it could be is, I couldnt run for 2 months beacuse of work committments but Im back running now because I want to and I love it so much. Im not training for anythin in particular so there is no pressure on me, running is not a chore or something I have to do. I am doing the Limerick Race Series which is fantastic enjoyment and a great motivator. I guess running for the right reasons has helped me relax and subsequently improve my performance! As well as that, I have a lot of stress and frustration and impatience in me so its like a fire under me when I go running, that could be helping too!

littlebug

Thanks Marie,
Good to know you're not doing anymore than 4 sessions! I did an 8k in august and a 5 mile in Sept and while there was little difference in times I really struggled with the 5 mile. Digesting it I think the difference lay in the very things you mentioned... e.g I had dropped from 2-3 runs per week rather than 3-4 and had been doing little speedwork in the intervening month but had been trying to build up to longer runs. anyway I ended up injured so I'm just back in action now and hope to get back to where I was and improve! I've really got to work on the diet it's always motivating to see someone elses' improvement so keep up the good work!

MarieC

Wed 18th Nov

Tiredness was not good last night - took me an hour to muster up energy for the 20min walk home! Still I said I would go for the run and off I did. It was fine until about the last 3rd and this wave of tiredness came over me, found it really hard to keep going. That coupled with the last section being against a very strong wind caused me finish the run in a time of 27:42. I wasn't surprised at all, just tired and glad to be home.

Race # 3 tonight of limerick race series, not holding out much hope to be honest of doing as well as the previous 2 weeks but sure tis all a bit of fun yeah? :rolleyes:

MarieC

MarieC wrote: »

Wed 18th Nov
Race # 3 tonight of limerick race series, not holding out much hope to be honest of doing as well as the previous 2 weeks but sure tis all a bit of fun yeah? :rolleyes:

Well that 4pm bowl of porridge has alot to answer for! Like Id said yesterday I wasnt holding out much hope for this 5km as knackered this week. I set off at my usual pace and was amazed by the amount of people that bolted off. Last week I wasn't passing anyone til after half way but this week by the first bridge by drumroe i was passing people, seems alot were running faster than they could sustain.

Lovely run, didnt feel like I was killing myself. First half was 25sec faster than the same distance last week so it bode well for a new PB. Kept going as I was and finished in 23:49 which was 36seconds faster than last week and brings me down to 7.5min/miles. Mad ted!

metamorphosis

MarieC wrote: »

Well that 4pm bowl of porridge has alot to answer for! Like Id said yesterday I wasnt holding out much hope for this 5km as knackered this week. I set off at my usual pace and was amazed by the amount of people that bolted off. Last week I wasn't passing anyone til after half way but this week by the first bridge by drumroe i was passing people, seems alot were running faster than they could sustain.

Lovely run, didnt feel like I was killing myself. First half was 25sec faster than the same distance last week so it bode well for a new PB. Kept going as I was and finished in 23:49 which was 36seconds faster than last week and brings me down to 7.5min/miles. Mad ted!

Jaysus - some great pbs there over the last 3 weeks marie! You must hae some grin on your face this morning. I would.

MarieC

ULstudent wrote: »

Jaysus - some great pbs there over the last 3 weeks marie! You must have some grin on your face this morning. I would.

Thanks ULStudent... Delighted with it yeah. Even tho Im knackered all week Id say the running is helping with stress management (sort of). I still grind my teeth every night in my sleep and my chest is tight since tuesday so cant breathe proper so imagine what way Id be if I didnt have the running!

MarieC

Nov 25th, Tuesday

Did my 3.24miler and felt great and really strong from the first stride. perfect night for it and had had a couple of figrolls so there was plenty fuel in the tank. Managed it in 26:03, which is 23seconds than my previous fastest time for this route. It brings me down to 8.04min/mile pace which Im v.v.happy about.

MarieC

Thur Nov 26th

Had got so used to the 5k route and routine of it that this one kind of threw me. I had no clue of whether I was going fast, slow or anything so I just bopped along. I did the first half in 17:02 which I didnt know whether or not to be happy with. What I like about the bit of extra distance is you meet more people on the overlap section and everyone is throwing support back and forth to one another so lots good encouragement. Had a brutal stitch after half way so that definitely knocked a minute on to my time Id say. Some forced deep breathing helped sort it but it definitely took from me.

Two lads had passed me, and after the living bridge I managed to nab them. I always wonder if fellas mind being passed by a girl? Anyway one of them caught me again after we turned in by the last roundabout, I gave it socks but couldnt catch, but did keep my position.

Finished in 34:17, 7.85min/mile pace so not too shabby I guess. Something to work on thats for sure.

MarieC

Thur Nov 26th

Had got so used to the 5k route and routine of it that this one kind of threw me (it was 7k). I had no clue of whether I was going fast, slow or anything so I just bopped along. I did the first half in 17:02 which I didnt know whether or not to be happy with. What I like about the bit of extra distance is you meet more people on the overlap section and everyone is throwing support back and forth to one another so lots good encouragement. Had a brutal stitch after half way so that definitely knocked a minute on to my time Id say. Some forced deep breathing helped sort it but it definitely took from me.

Two lads had passed me, and after the living bridge I managed to nab them. I always wonder if fellas mind being passed by a girl? Anyway one of them caught me again after we turned in by the last roundabout, I gave it socks but couldnt catch, but did keep my position.

Finished in 34:17, 7.85min/mile pace so not too shabby I guess. Something to work on thats for sure.

metamorphosis

Congrats Marie.

Any plans on doing any of the races here on the may bank hol weekend?

MarieC

If Im about I will definitely do some bit of it. Gonna do the Connemara half so Limerick a couple of weeks later will tie in nicely with that.

Bally8

Hi MarieC, some excellent times there. Just wanted to say thanks a million as I finally got round to having a sports massage with the girl you recommended. It was SORE, the sorest massage I've ever had but boy was I impressed by her. Im filled with renewed hope that I will be back on track soon and might even be able to do at least 1 of the 10ks in January.

MarieC

Dec 2nd Wed

Cant believe its December! Anyway, I've moved my run to lunchtime as of today, less tired and can work away then in the evenings. Also should help on those icey days!

So 3.82miles today in 31:46, 8.31min/mile. Not too bad but not great either. I think I may need a snack/some porridge maybe an hour before I go. Didnt feel the usual horsepower as other recent runs.

Lovely feeling though having it done early in the day though

MarieC

Was exhausted going down to the run last night but I knew Id be kicking myself if I didnt go. Headed off and felt good, not great but sure at least I was doing it. Was delighted at the half way mark that I was there at 16:48, 14seconds earlier than the previous week. Felt like I was doing a good steady pace that I could maintain, no stitch like last week so happy days. Was deffo tiring tho - other weeks if I heard someone behind me Id kick it up another gear and try to stay ahead, this week a fella passed me not far from the finish and I had nothing to fight back with.

Was really annoyed to finish bang on the same time as last week. Its the first week that I haven't improved on my previous time so was slightly ticked off with myself.

Sick of being tired, sick of talking about being tired. Im getting close to being an emotional/mental/physical exhausted wreck and it isn't fun.:(

Rant over I hope.

MarieC

Well maybe my watch was a little wrong cos my official finishing time for last night was 34:11 so I will take that thank you very much! :-) Puts me at 7.81min/mile pace. In fairness the extra 6seconds was only bringing that up to 7.83min/mile - its amazing how tiredness can make me so cranky!

Fri (TGIF) Dec 4th
Well anyway, today was the annual 5miler organised by staff/porters/technicians from the college. Theres a lovely bunch of runners across the campus and this is an event that happens every year around this time, and some money is raised for charity. My first year of doing it. Again was tempted to not go due to tiredness but sure feck it, couldnt say no.

Got a lovely mild lunch time so it was ideal. We all ran wearing Santa hats which did make for quite a hot head a while in but sure it doesnt happen every day!

Man was I tired. I felt so leaden and heavy. Was so so tempted to walk but kept plodding along. Felt so slow. It was approximately 5miles so I was v.surprised to do it in 40:56, 8.18min/mile. Ferlt more like 10min/miles.

Glad I did it, but janeys I need to get some sleep!

MarieC

Thursday Dec 17th

I haven't ran in 2 weeks but given the title of my thread, I thought I could enter this as part of my log. I submitted my PhD thesis to my supervisor yesterday so I am ecstatic, exhausted and very delighted with myself. It was my birthday also yesterday so definitely made for a memorable day for me this God foresaken thing might actually end soon..............

back to the running now. great limerick run 18wk programme starts on the 28th! bring it on!!!

littlebug

Congrats Marie and Happy Birthday yesterday. What a lovely birthday and Christmas present. I've half arsed notions of going down the PhD route myself but I'm kind of afraid of what it might do to my life :eek::p
Well done.... now you relax and enjoy Christmas guilt free and start into your marathon training.
great stuff!