How long does it take for a plodder to get to Boston?

Running Bing

tisnotover wrote: »

Well impressed by your training log RunningBing, especially the way your doing the tempo+interval work week2week.
Got the "Daniels" running book in post yesterday, a lot to take in, but hope to do the red intermediate phase training, have been running two years+never done any tempo work so it'll be interesting!

Good luck in your race on sunday, is it a track race?

Thanks tisnotover.

To be honest for the level I'm at the plan is probably a bit overkill but Im loving it and its an experience. A lot of weeks there are three fast sessions and a long run...Id have no qualms about dropping the third session but most weeks I feel up to it so have done most of them (plus Im not doing monster mileage, around 40mpw).

I really rate Daniels though. I think he spells out things really well and I like his plans, lots of variety and interesting workouts so Id defo recommend. Red plan looks very good and when you start doing tempo stuff Im sure you'll see a big improvement pretty quick.


Did the Tom Byrne 5k today, report to follow (might take a while though because the computer is acting up:rolleyes:).

Running Bing

Saturday: Easy Run. 4 miles. 9:24 pace. Av HR 74%.

This is a funny one. I came in from this run and got a bit worried, I mean on Thursday I did over 10 miles at 8:36 pace at the same HR:eek:

So I looked back at the run I did the day before my last race (which I was very happy with)...9:21 pace, Av HR 74%.

I found this funny as it seems my HR is very high for the pace Im doing. On these runs the race is obviously very large in my mind and I often think about running different parts of the race, I wonder could this be elevating my HR because its pretty inconsistent with my training of late. Nothing major just found it interesting.

Running Bing

There was a thread a while back which posed the question "what is the toughest Race?". The Marathon? A fast jog, 800m? Pfft it lasts 2 minutes! The mile? Its only 4 bloody laps of the track and dont get me started on those Prima Donna sprinters:p No, I have come to the conclusion that the toughest race distance is the 5k, short enough to be lung searingly fast and long enough to make your legs feel like they have been bashed by sledgehammers, it truly is a horrible little race:D

It was probably for that reason that I was a little more nervous than usual as I lined up at the start of the Tom Byrne memorial 5k today. I knew what I was letting myself in for. But there was also the lingering memory of my last 5k, the MSB race last march which I ran pretty badly (21:54) and which dented my confidence for a while. Im in much better shape now though so I felt I could improve on that time by a fair bit.

I made sure not to repeat the mistakes I made on that day so I started out aggressively. I ran the first k in 3:38 which is fast for me. I felt good though and that gave me a bit of a boost. I settled into a more relaxed pace for the second kilometre and came through in 3:54.

When I got the the 2.5 mark I made a conscious effort to go faster and tried to pass a few people. It worked and I managed to hold onto the pace completing the third kilometre in 3:52. It was around this point that I start hurting, badly! That 4th kilometre really was hellish and by now I was gasping for air. The pace dropped, 4:01 for the fourth k.

I knew I needed to pick it up a bit, by this stage I could only focus on the next lamppost trying to push myself to it as fast as I could. A girl I had been running with for the past couple of K's past me. I made it my goal to stick with her. I managed to keep the gap pretty constant and I was'nt that far behind coming onto the track for the final 300m (it finished on Lucan Harriers track). As we approached the 200m mark I was overtaken by another runner, but all those track workouts served me well and I kicked hard and managed to pass him and a couple of others to cross the line in 19:14, a new pb.:D (last k split was 3:43).

I was absolutely exhausted afterwards and could barely stay on my feet (I tried a warm down jog and it was'nt happening;)) but I was delighted with the result. This race was'nt really a priority for me, more of a test of where my endurance is at. As I expected I have come a long way but still lots of room for improvement.


OK I have been rambling on here for way way too long but I have to give massive credit to Lucan Harriers for organising the race. It was a lovely course, very well organised and the track finish really added to the atmosphere. And for €10, with a free T-shirt and a bottle of water at the finish, it was great value as well.

Woddle

Can you not leave me with sth, first you beat me in the 1500, then the 800 and now you've gone 11 seconds faster than me for the 5k
Only messing, congrats an and its a credit to all the hard work and dedication your putting in.Fair play

ecoli

Congrats on the new PB it always good to get your training rewarded like that keep up the good work

tisnotover

Great pb for the 5k!!

Just shows that ure training is going nicely + pb will give you boost in training for next while!

Running Bing

Woddle wrote: »

Can you not leave me with sth, first you beat me in the 1500, then the 800 and now you've gone 11 seconds faster than me for the 5k
Only messing, congrats an and its a credit to all the hard work and dedication your putting in.Fair play

Might'nt last long though.

Who has a 5k coming up this week?;)

Running Bing

Laptop has gone a bit haywire lately which makes a bit award to post training but I have been plugging away:D

Monday: 5 miles, easy. Raining and so my Garmin went haywire and I have no data for this run (doesnt matter it was an easy run after a race). Got home and my Ipod decided to go haywire on me too freezing up. Technology hates me lately:(

Tuesday: Lol as I attempt to write this I get this message from Garmin connect "The server is temporarily unable to service your request. Please try again later."

Like I said technology hates me lately. Ill try again later:mad:

Running Bing

OK lets try this again:P

Tuesday:5 miles, a little faster than my usual easy pace. 8:02 min/mile. Av HR 80%.

Wednesday: 5 miles, same as yesterday. 7:47 min/mile. Av HR 78%.

Thursday:

1 mile warm up
6x800m with 2 minute recovery jog
1 mile warm down

1. 3:00
2. 3:01
3. 3:01
4. 3:03
5. 2:59
6. 2:58

Good workout, stiff breeze down the back straight made it tough but felt great afterwards.

Friday: Long run. 10.3 miles. 8:29 min/mile. Av HR 76%.

tisnotover

Running Bing wrote: »

OK lets try this again:P
Thursday:

1 mile warm up
6x800m with 2 minute recovery jog
1 mile warm down

1. 3:00
2. 3:01
3. 3:01
4. 3:03
5. 2:59
6. 2:58

Good workout, stiff breeze down the back straight made it tough but felt great afterwards.

nice workout, really even splits! how was the hr?

shels4ever

Running Bing wrote: »

OK lets try this again:P

Tuesday:5 miles, a little faster than my usual easy pace. 8:02 min/mile. Av HR 80%.

Wednesday: 5 miles, same as yesterday. 7:47 min/mile. Av HR 78%.

Thursday:

1 mile warm up
6x800m with 2 minute recovery jog
1 mile warm down

1. 3:00
2. 3:01
3. 3:01
4. 3:03
5. 2:59
6. 2:58

Good workout, stiff breeze down the back straight made it tough but felt great afterwards.

Friday: Long run. 10.3 miles. 8:29 min/mile. Av HR 76%.

Good running there, but would you not take an easy day between the session and the long run? or how do you feel the body holds up to that?

Running Bing

tisnotover wrote: »

nice workout, really even splits! how was the hr?

Heart Rate is actually a bit of a funny one here (I was actually going to post about this).

The idea of this work out is to get some time running at VO2max. The thing is I always see people say that at VO2max heart rate is between 95%-100% of maximum. Now the problem is I can never seem to get my HR that high.

For example in this workout my max hr was 92% and this was only achieved at the very end of the last rep! My average HR on the intervals fell between 81-88% of max which seems very low.

So basically the effort feels spot on (its a hard effort), the pace is spot on going by my race times but my HR never seems high enough to be running at VO2max.

It could be just down to the fact that I am relatively new to this kind of thing and my body has not developed yet to a level where I can run at 95-100% of my max HR for any significant length of time (although this still seems strange given that I am running at the correct pace relative to my ability).

Running Bing

shels4ever wrote: »

Good running there, but would you not take an easy day between the session and the long run? or how do you feel the body holds up to that?

I dont think it makes a huge difference Shels given that my long run is nothing major at the moment (I imagine if it was over 12 miles it could be an issue).

Daniels doesnt seem to place much emphasis on the long run. As most weeks I am doing three faster days its inevitable that the long run will take a back seat. I dont kill it either on my long runs, I generally take it nice and easy.

Having said that I have taken to hopping into an ice bath after some of my tough sessions and although a lot of people say it does nothing I feel it makes a big difference. Legs felt fine today.


During the winter Ill place much more emphasis on building my aerobic endurance and so the long run will be much more important and Ill plan my week more around it (hopefully eventually getting it up to 15 miles).

cfitz

Running Bing wrote: »

I dont think it makes a huge difference Shels given that my long run is nothing major at the moment (I imagine if it was over 12 miles it could be an issue).

Daniels doesnt seem to place much emphasis on the long run. As most weeks I am doing three faster days its inevitable that the long run will take a back seat. I dont kill it either on my long runs, I generally take it nice and easy.

Having said that I have taken to hopping into an ice bath after some of my tough sessions and although a lot of people say it does nothing I feel it makes a big difference. Legs felt fine today.


During the winter Ill place much more emphasis on building my aerobic endurance and so the long run will be much more important and Ill plan my week more around it (hopefully eventually getting it up to 15 miles).

I wouldn't consider a long run a hard workout for middle-distance training in the way that it is for marathon training. I wouldn't worry about putting hard sessions before or after it.

tisnotover

Running Bing wrote: »

Heart Rate is actually a bit of a funny one here (I was actually going to post about this).

The idea of this work out is to get some time running at VO2max. The thing is I always see people say that at VO2max heart rate is between 95%-100% of maximum. Now the problem is I can never seem to get my HR that high.

For example in this workout my max hr was 92% and this was only achieved at the very end of the last rep! My average HR on the intervals fell between 81-88% of max which seems very low.

So basically the effort feels spot on (its a hard effort), the pace is spot on going by my race times but my HR never seems high enough to be running at VO2max.

It could be just down to the fact that I am relatively new to this kind of thing and my body has not developed yet to a level where I can run at 95-100% of my max HR for any significant length of time (although this still seems strange given that I am running at the correct pace relative to my ability).

81%-88% of max looks fine, you say that the effort felt fine (though it was hard as is meant to be) and you kept hr within range and keeping lovely even splits for each interval.

Will try that workout myself at some stage, doing tempo stuff at moment.

Running Bing

Saturday:Slane. 346 miles. 56 min/mile pace. At least thats what it felt like...music was good though:P

Sunday:

1.5 mile warm-up
10x400m with 1 minute recovery
1.5 mile warm down

Did the same workout three weeks back so I thought it would be a good way of measuring my progression. Was tired after yesterdays travails so I was a bit worried I would'nt be up to it but it turned out well. Splits were:

1. 1.23
2. 1.18
3. 1.21
4. 1.24
5. 1.24
6. 1.22
7. 1.20
8. 1.20
9. 1.20
10. 1.14

After the 1.18 on the second rep I reeled myself in a bit and got a little too conservative. I was actually surprised that the last few felt pretty relaxed. The last time I did this it felt very tough so that was an encouraging sign. Really like this workout though. Average time was a bit faster than the previous one as well so very happy with that. For comparison this was the previous workout:

1. 1:22
2. 1:23
3. 1:23
4. 1:25
5. 1:26
6. 1:23
7. 1:23
8. 1:24
9. 1:22
10. 1:19

Running Bing

So onto the final phase of the programme now. The last phase was the toughest one and it featured a lot of hard interval sessions aimed at improving VO2 max. I feel I have really improved over the last six weeks and Im getting more comfortable at doing the speedwork and also pushing myself that bit harder.

On week 4 of this phase I felt really really tired and for a couple of days I was worried I had overtrained or I was ill but luckily this passed and I imagine it was just down to a stressful couple of weeks in college.

The next six weeks is all about peaking and putting in some good performances in races. I wont get too many opportunities to race the mile so Ill have to make the most of them. I wont cut mileage much but it will fall naturally from the racing and shorter workouts.

Feeling very good right now and confident after some good workouts so hopefully I have a few good races in me before the summer ends:D

Running Bing

Monday:Schools out and my track has turned into a public walkway/playground. Disaster! I was late getting out today so that did'nt help either. I got asked by one kid was I in the army which I thought was a bit random until I remembered I recently got the head shaved:D Thought that was quite funny. Anyway:

1 mile warm up
3x(2x200m with 200m jog+400m with 600m jog)
1 mile warm down

200: .39
200: .37
400: 1.17


200: .34
200: .36
400: 1.16


200: .37
200: .36
400: 1.13

Normally would'nt do two tough workouts back to back but as Im racing on Thursday and have Camp Tingle on Saturday it was the only chance to fit it in. Happy with that but found it hard to concentrate and get into the flow with so many people around so the times were not as consistent as I would've liked.

Still good workout and looking forward to racing on Thursday.

Running Bing

Did the 1 mile race at the BHAA Trinity track meet tonight and it was a learning experience more so than anything else.

At sign-up I was asked what time I expected to run it in and I said 5:30. He said I was borderline but he put me in the top group. I was'nt to happy with that and felt a bit apprehensive about going in with the faster guys but I didnt put up much of a fight because I remembered looking at last years results and there was a good spread in the top group (I was wrong about this btw:P).


As the race approached I was getting more nervous but then I heard the fantastic news that my group was being merged with the lower grade race. Happy days! So I stood at the start line with a good sized group of runners for what felt like an eternity, all set to go, when all of a sudden they realised the race was too big and the races we're split again. Shi1te!:(

So back to the start line with six or seven very serious looking runners ready to go. The gun went and I sprinted immediately into the lead. I dont know why I keep doing this. I always feel the race is going to start fast with lots of elbows and jostling and I always end up out on my own:o. I settled down and was joined by two other runners who I knew would pass me shortly. I went through the first lap in 1.17.

At the start of the second lap I tried to relax into a good rhythm. I didnt feel too bad but the pace definitely dropped and by the end of the second lap I might as well have been wearing a sign on my back that said "runners pass on the right". I went through the 2nd lap in 1:23 which I was not very happy with and to make it worse one by one the field rolled by me. All of a sudden there was no more panting at my back, no more clicking of shoes, I was dead last!

Fvck me it was lonely back there with nothing but a head full of negative thoughts. The head dropped and the only thing I could think of was keeping the gap so as not to embarrass myself. I came through the third lap in 1:23.

The guy in front was a fair bit ahead but I knew I could catch him and I vowed to myself I was not finishing last. I managed to pass him on the final bend and crossed the line in a time of 5:26 by the watch.

Now I should be happy with that but I was disappointed with how the race went. My first lap was probably too fast, second was too slow and I was very disappointed with my final lap. I think I got too down in myself when I was in last place and just let it get to me too much. I never really felt like I got into a good solid rhythm.

Anyway I've mellowed a bit on it now but I was pretty down after the race and on my warm-down got stung in the leg by a bloody bee to make things worse:D

Finished off with 6x200m with 200m jog (40, 41, 40, 40, 40, 39).

Conditions we're absolutely perfect tonight and its a really great event. One bad point though was the price as I thought €15 for a mile race was a bit steep (although in fairness I could've raced in all three for that if I wanted).

stmochtas

I was wondering who the Boards vest was out there. I was being lazy and sitting with some friends on the grass minding a few other mates gear bags.

Will say hello next time. The race you were in was very fast and was great to see you give it everything on the last bend.

cfitz

Well done in your race - if you compare that time to where you were in the not too distant past it looks fairly good. You can only run your own race. I think my 1500m, 3000m, and 5000m PBs are all from races that I finished 2nd-last in.

Woddle

Very enjoyable race report. Well done on the race and I wouldn't be too hard on yourself, your still going in the right direction and it was a great time. If I was to guess I would say your negativity is coming from not sticking to your pre race plan. Which I would imagine takes a long time to learn.
Congrats on the PB

Running Bing

stmochtas wrote: »

I was wondering who the Boards vest was out there. I was being lazy and sitting with some friends on the grass minding a few other mates gear bags.

Will say hello next time. The race you were in was very fast and was great to see you give it everything on the last bend.

You should've said hello stmochthas (might've taking my mind off the race;)).

Was a fast race but I think I actually slowed it down a bit. The two lads at the front hung with me for a good while on the first lap trying to see what the story was and then when they realised I was going nowhere they were gone:D

Just as I started to pick it up on the final bend some fella shouted a bit of support to us which really helped tbh, so if your reading thanks.:D

Well done in your race - if you compare that time to where you were in the not too distant past it looks fairly good. You can only run your own race. I think my 1500m, 3000m, and 5000m PBs are all from races that I finished 2nd-last in.

Yeah the thing is Im going to be in the same group for the other BHAA races and Ill be in a similar position at the graded meets so I'll have to try and focus hard on running my own race and not getting too down if Im out on my own.

Running Bing

Friday:6 miles easy. Very sluggish today, 9:36 min/mile. Av HR 73%. Beautiful day out.

Woddle

Running Bing wrote: »

Yeah the thing is Im going to be in the same group for the other BHAA races and Ill be in a similar position at the graded meets so I'll have to try and focus hard on running my own race and not getting too down if Im out on my own.

Which and what distance in the graded meet you thinking of, might join you and at least that way you know you won't be last

Running Bing

Woddle wrote: »

Which and what distance in the graded meet you thinking of, might join you and at least that way you know you won't be last

There's three left now Woddle and Im doing all of them.

So Ill be doing the 1 mile on the 1st of July, the 800m on the 15th July and the 1500m on 5th of August in Irishtown.

Here's the programme http://www.dublinathletics.com/resFix/fixture.asp?id=266

Interestingly it says on the BHAA website they have a 1 mile race on the 5th of August in Irishtown as well. Is that correct? I had a feeling it was a misprint or a cock-up.

Running Bing

Saturday:Did the speed session with Tingle and a few fellow boardsies yesterday and I must say it was a fantastic day. It was great to see the drills,core work and plyos in action and to be given real instruction. I learned a lot but the four main things I took from the session were:

1. The importance of a coach. I think when you start to improve you get to a point where you no longer assume everything you are doing is wrong and you start to assume everything you do is right. I know I can often take things for granted and assume Im doing something, be it a drill, a particular exercise or even an element of running form, correctly when this might not be the case. It was great to have somebody there analysing and really picking up on weaknesses you might not notice yourself and it really drove home to me how important a coach could potentially be.

2. The benefits of working with a group. I do most of my running on my own and it was great to do a bit with a group. There was a really good atmosphere and it really makes the hard work seem less of a drudgery.

3. More specifically I learned that I run with what Tingle described as "Late arse":D Basically I run with my arse trailing too low behind me rather than tucked up under me. Now I was looking at some photos from recent races and I knew something didnt look right. It was great to have somebody actually pinpoint where I was going wrong and it means I can now work more actively to improve that (and if anybody has any tips on improving that please share).

4. Mental scarring. Thats right, those of us who were there that day will never be the same again after Woddles antics. I didnt think Boards AC was that sort of club:P

Great day though and thanks to Tingle and everybody else who participated.

Running Bing

Sunday: Had an absolutely horrible Long run today. 10.3 miles. 9.24 min/mile pace. Av HR 71%.

Honestly felt like I was running 11 minute miles. I knew the second I went out the door it was going to be a struggle and it felt like I was running in wet cement the whole way.

Legs were particularly sore after yesterday. I was a bit surprised by this as although we did 8x200 at a high effort Im pretty used to fast workouts by now (I often do the long run the day after a tough workout). My quads feel like cinder blocks right now. Was a really awful run.

Maybe it was just the combination of racing on Thursday night and putting some high effort stuff yesterday but I've been feeling a bit flat all week tbh. I suppose this is natural just after finishing the toughest phase of my training so hopefully its just a bit of lag from that and I'll feel a bit fresher in the coming weeks.

Woddle

I didn't even do the 8x200m but I am so stiff today, my hamstrings and groin and shoulders, I know we didn't do much yesterday (more learning) but we were def using different muscle groups than what we're used to, you did well to even get out, I postponed my lsr and will get out for 4 or 5 in a little while.

Running Bing

Woddle wrote: »

I didn't even do the 8x200m but I am so stiff today, my hamstrings and groin and shoulders, I know we didn't do much yesterday (more learning) but we were def using different muscle groups than what we're used to, you did well to even get out, I postponed my lsr and will get out for 4 or 5 in a little while.

Yeah I think that could be it. I actually woke a couple of times during the night my legs were so sore:eek:


I'd say your wheeling Kevinkilbane around in a wheelchair today after him doing the 200's and a 10k race:D