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Nothing much to update this week, mainly about progressing from the ankle injury.
Attended the Physio on Tuesday and she was surprised that I had been running, let alone that recovery had progressed so quickly. Still very tender in spots and a bunch of additional exercises to add to the routine. A simple taping added to give the ankle a little additional protection on the injured side and some additional tape so I can do this myself if needed.
Week went well in general, still need to be careful on the ankle turning left and running downhill, but nothing stopping me running. Was at a customer event on Thursday and standing all day didn't do it any favours, so I changed the plan to an easy run afterwards.
Similar enough week next week in advance of pacing Dublin, with a trip to the UK meaning I'll miss 1 or 2 days running.
Running Totals
WTD: 45.2 [72.8]
MTD: 121.9 [196.2]
YTD: 2,285.7 [3,677.7]
Races YTD: 22 [7 x Master's PB's]0 -
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BeepBeep67 wrote: »London of course
Oh great Not sure how I missed that; gonna be great (the beers I mean 
). 0 -
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5 weeks since my last update:
Wk48:
A reduced week with 60.6 miles, finished off with the Wicklow Senior XC Champs, ran to expectation, ahead of who I needed to be ahead of, not behind anyone I shouldn't. Ran strongly and came through to take a handful of places in the last couple of laps, non scorer on the successful Bray team.
Wk49:
Business trip to the UK and meetings in the county of my birth (Kent), kept my discipline although it meant a few pre 6am runs, back loaded the week to finish at 73 miles including a 16.
Wk50:
3 doubles this week and a return to the track where I joined a session which was 10 x 400 cruise intervals (77-78) with a reverse pyramid recovery 75secs down to 15secs and back up. Ended the week with the club Christmas handicap, 5k in Shanganagh. Ran within myself with the 1st 4k in around 3:36-3:40 pace, before knocking out a sub 3:20 as the handicaps unravelled for 3rd place and 17:49. 71.1 miles for the week.
Wk51:
The mileage week @ 92.2 but due to volume rather than any particular long run, longest was about 13 and 6 doubles. Short track session of 2 x (400+300+200+100).
Wk52:
Another solid week although back ended with Christmas and the Streets of Wicklow 5k.
A good crowd, helped by the good weather gathered for this one.
The plan was to get a decent start without going into the red so I positioned myself near the front and just concentrated on road positioned until we hit the main road after about 400mts. Lots of eager juniors to get around and I'm very happy with what feels like a comfortable 3:25.
There's a nice climb of about 500mts towards the 2nd half of the 2nd k and I really just concentrate on my own race here, working the arms and getting a nice rhythmic breathing, reckon I pass about 4 or 5 for a decent 3:41 in the this section which tees me up nicely.
In a nice battle now with a fellow Slí Cualann runner and someone called Brian (who is a local I guess from the on course support) and this ebbs and flows as we hit a 3:26.
I don't know what it is about the 4th k on this course, it's the flatest, although has quite a few turns, but always turns out to be my slowest. I'm running hard and battling with those around me, but a 3:35 was disappointing.
I shake myself out of that disappointment as I'm still trying to shake my companions while slowly reeling in one of the Greystones juniors and a Parnell runner. I get pretty close with 400 to go which is a drag up to the finish, but both of their younger legs have the speed that I'm currently lacking. Hold it together for a 3:24 and a bang on 17:30 for 6th place and only 32 seconds behind the winner.
In reflection I was very happy with this, bagged a few scalps, on the back of a 92 mile week, 4 seconds off my PB the day after Christmas, on a course that wouldn't be described a PB fodder and 27 seconds faster than last year.
Following day was the almost aborted Boards run, a 21 + 6 got me 27 for the day with no reaction, 1 hr easy yesterday and a nice 13.4 variable paced run this morning (ave 7:06) topped off an 83.3 mile week.
So a nice training block, I've just stitched together 69 consecutive days and 698 miles, plus a nice 4 week average of 80 which matches my peak marathon weeks earlier in the year. Body apart from a few tight spots is in great shape and I've only 16 miles left to hit 3k for 2013.
Next week is a well earned recovery week, with a session, some strides and the County Masters on Sunday, then training starts!0 -
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theboyblunder wrote: »+1
Was pleased with my 70 mile week until I read that. Youve just pi $$ ed all over my christmas
Well I'm pissed at both of you after my miserable 49 miles. 0 -
AuldManKing wrote: »Well I'm pissed at both of you after my miserable 49 miles.
Ya but you're an auld one so ...0 -
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So a step back week last week, mileage ended up just shy of 50.
This was purposely done, 1) I had ran an average of 74 miles pw over the previous 9 weeks and while not showing any signs it was best to be cautious, 2) Master's XC was yesterday and 3) today is day 1 of the London Marathon schedule.
Wicklow Master's XC
5th overall, 1st M45, Bray 2nd
A decent turnout of almost 40 toed the line in a damp, soggy and windy Shanganagh, but really once you got going it wasn't too bad. I'm accompanied on the Bray team by KC and Abhainn.
Made sure I got a decent start with a sweeping bend coming up shortly after the start, race favorite Damien Lawless sprinted to the front before settle back as the lead group bunched up. I'm sitting off the back in 7th - 8th place.
We come through the start with 3 full laps to go and the race is starting to take shape, Damien at the front closely followed by Gary, a group of 3 including Joe and then me trying to stay in touch.
I run well on this lap using the downhill stretch by the cliff to stride out and recover before working the arms hard on incline against the wind. Get within touching distance of Cormac as we complete lap 2 and put in some effort to get ahead.
I feel Cormac getting closer as we run down by the cliff for the 3rd time, but I don't panic, I let him get close before really working the incline again, I chance a little look over my shoulder on a tight corner and see I have 10 mts, this allows me to concentrate on my race so.
There's a good battle up ahead between Joe and a Parnell runner, so I just focus on pushing and trying to close the gap. The lap is going by quickly and I get within 3 secs of Joe with a sprint finish.
Happy with the performance and the consistency of the pace over the turf.
3.9M @ 5:53 pace
Gary went on to take 2nd, with Joe 4th and myself 5th, unfortunately we missed team gold by 1 pt
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Do you have a target time in mind?
Colours to the mast - sub 2:55.
Pre Marathon form is where it needs to be.
2.4% faster in the SoW 5k, puts me at 2:53:34 off last years 2:57:50. So it's not nailed on, need to do the training, get to the start line healthy and hope the weather plays ball.0 -
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Good start to training, with focus this week being, recover from the XC and slide into a specific training plan for the 1st time in too long.
Mon/Tues: Kept the running easy and thankfully no reaction from the XC, bumped into a few from the local club Mon evening and it suited me to just tag along and catch up. Tues was a 4 + 10 doubleday.
Weds: An attempt to introduce some faster running with 4 miles steady as part of a 10. Was planning for these to be about 6:24, but was more concerned with the effort, factor in the rain, the wind and being overdressed I was happy with the 6:29 average, which in reality was a progression from 6:40 tro to 6:20ish.
Thu/Fri: Easy running, clocking up 18.5 miles over 3 runs.
Sat: Needed to get the long run out of the way early on Sat, with a promised trip to the flicks for Luke and I planned Sat lunchtime and a football match to attend Sun morning.
Mentally I'm in a better place when it comes to long runs now, I used to dread them. I'm still not quite there physically, but a after a few marathons cycles it is becoming easier.
The plan was 18 with 8 @ PMP, PMP is 6:40 bringing training PMP to 6:36 to allow for the Garmin and a buffer.
The first 9 miles were a breeze (apart from making use of the facilities in Mount Usher after 4 miles), couldn't find my headphones in the rush out the door so it was just me alone with my thoughts working through some work and life issues. As I neared my PMP section I was actually looking forward to it, so as I exited the N11 I increased the pace and it felt ok, checked the Garmin after a few mins and was sub 6:20, so had to ease off a bit.
The was the order of the day for the remaining PMP miles, trying to ease off rather than struggling to hit the pace. This section ended after 8 miles at an average of 6:33, with only a 5 sec spread between the fastest and slowest.
Finished of with an easy mile back up to the house for 18 @ 7:04 pace.
Sun: Easy 10, bumped into a few of the club speedsters (Gary, Joe and Neil) and joined them for an easy mile or so, would have been nice to continue with them, but I had a hard stop time wise.
In summary a very satisfactory 1st week, I won't get carried away as it was on the back of a reduced mileage week and those PMP miles will feel a lot tougher when done on tired legs. But I feel I have the ingredients, there's a bit of mixing to be done over the next 6-8 weeks and I just need to make sure I don't burn the cake!
Running Totals
WTD: 78.8 [126.8]
MTD: 111.2 [179.0]
Races YTD: 10
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