Becoming a Real Runner

Oisin11178

Im still grand for the tomorrow bud unless the weather deteriorates badly overnight.

menoscemo

Oisin11178 wrote: »

Im still grand for the tomorrow bud unless the weather deteriorates badly overnight.

Yeah I think it will be fine. The park was beautiful today with a nice little covering of snow. According to forecasts there is not meant to be any more snow tonight anyway. I'll be there at 1 unless I hear something from you to sat you're not going.

Oisin11178

See you there so.

menoscemo

11.8miles a 8:18/min pace in the park with Oisin11178 who had already ran nearly 10 miles to get to the park. Had a fair bit of wine last night so it was a bit of a struggle to get up. Felt fine after a few miles though. Nice to have the company of a faster runner as I was able to push the pace a fair bit more than i normally would. I'd be unlikely to push myself as fast as this on my own. Hard to get a guage on my HR as it looks like a cadiac graph again. maybe the dodgly readings come when I'm wearing extra layers? I think that was suggested to me once before.

Good week of training this week. A couple of speed sessions and a couple of decent paced long runs. Next week is unlikely to be so good with the christamas festivities.

Toal for the week: 6 runs. 50 miles

Oisin11178

Yeah was good crack. Got very cold near the end and there was a few slippy patchs.
21.3 miles for me @ 8.18.

menoscemo

5 miles tonight along the canal at parkwest @ 9:10 pace. I left work early due to about 6 inches of snow falling in Rathfarnham in about20 minutes. My first thought was 'oh great, a chance to try out the yak trax'. I wanted to go to tymon but the traffic was so bad that I thought better off it and headed up the M50 to parkwest.

Surprisingly there was only maybe half an inch of light snow up here. There was probably no real need for the Yak Trax in fact I was worried about doing damage to them as they went straight through the snow and dug into the tarmac. Ah well I'll get plent more chances as this weather looks like it's going to stay around for another while.

menoscemo

Snow day at work today. Only made it to the office briefly this morning. Spent most of the day watching the snow get deeper outside and eating junkfood. I convinced myself (translation, RK convinced me over facebook chat) to test the waters an hour ago and head out for a bit with the yak trax. I Planned only 2 or 3 miles but was loving it so much that I headed on an extended route. the first 3 miles were very heavy and slow in the near knee deep snow. I came off the canal path at mile 3 and hit the footpaths on the nangor road where the snow was a bit more compact so I was able to speed up a bit here thanks to the yaktrax (they aren't really necessary inthe deep stuff). Got loads of stange looks and was shouted at by a few commuters from their traffic queues ("are you taking the pi ss?" roared one man :rolleyes:).

Anyway 5 miles @ 9:56 average pace. (10:11, 10:22, 10:07, 9:33, 9:29)

menoscemo

8.3 miles @8:56 pace.
Long working hours and deep snow combined to not let me out fro the past two days in Dublin :mad:. It was already going to be a step back week this week but I wasn't planning on doing this little. Anyway I made my way up to Tyrone yesterday evening. It is a lot colder up here (-7 at the moment) but a lot less snow. The only snow was a bout 5 days ago and it is now well compacted. Perfect for the Yak Trax. Planned about 4 or 5 miles this morning doing laps of a local walkway. Felt really bad for the first 3 miles but then settled into it and anded up doing a few more laps than planned.

I have a race on sunday so this is probably the LSR for the week :pac:

rainbow kirby

Totally jealous, think the only workouts I'm getting at the moment are walking up from the shops with 24 cans of beer, or shovelling the driveway :mad:

menoscemo

4 miles @9 min/mile
Just a quick run while the aulwans are away to mass.

First person to log a run on christmas day. Woot.:pac:

menoscemo

This is my annual race up home that is not taken too seriously. I am just out to beat a few mates. Obviously with yesterdays festivities I was never gonna be in the best of shape but the course doesn't lend itself for fast times either with over 150m's of climb over the 5 miles (to put it in perspective that's more than the whole Dublin Marathon course).

There is a particularly nasty hill from mile 3.3-4.3 with about 100m climb that really takes the stuffing out of you. Last year I did the race in 40:2x off a 5 mile PB of 37:3x and went on to run 35:2x a month later in Raheny.

This year I was hoping to finish under 36 minutes.

Today the course was covered in sheet ice for the back lanes of the first 1.5 miles, there was driving wind and sleety rain to add to the mix. Still this is a gem of a race if you accept you are not gonna get a PB. Chip timing, t-shirt, goody bag and lots of tea/coffee and buns after the race all for £10. Most of the money goes to charity too. You won't find that down south much.

Anyway today I lined up closer to the front Than I did last year to try to get a decent start. Appreciated that as can be seen in the splits. Set off too fast but reigned it in. You have to keep some juice for the big hill. Mile 1: 6:28 (28m gain, 34m loss- last year was 7:56- lost time due to crowds) Mile 2 6:33 (10m gain, 50m loss- last year6:59) this should be the fastest mile but I really had to watch my step as little tarmac is visible and the rest was sheet ice. Quite a dangerous part of the course- down south this race would no doubt have been cancelled) Picked it up on the second half of this mile as we turned onto the main road. Mile 3 7:21 (34 m gain 1m loss- last year 8:09). This is where I blew it last year. It is a very undulating part of the course (undulating between sharp hills and flat bits). I took the hills too agressively then and burned out. This year i tried to maintain even effort and take the uphill part nice and slow. The next mile is the killer. the first third is flat if a little downhill then you turn onto the big hill. Mile 4: 8:18 (65m gain, 9 m drop- last year 9:46 ) Last year I walked the most of the hill as my HR was maxed out hitting it. This year I kept up little steps most of the way, just taking about a 20 second walk break on the steepest bit. Mile 5: 6:54, Last year 7:17) (20m gain, 45m loss) the first third of the mile is a continuation of the big hill then you turn for home and it's all down hill. I actually held back this year. I was feeling very sick coming off the hill and didn't fancy a parkwest repeat, so I just sauntered home. I realised I was definately on for the time I wanted and didn't want to kill myself as no PB is on. I have to leave a time I can beat next year :pac:

Over all. 5 miles in 35:36. Nearly 5 minutes faster than last year. Quite happy with that given the difficulty of the course.

1 mile warm up and cooldown makes 7 miles for the day.

Weekly total: 5 runs, 29.3 miles a crap week which is likely to continue into the start of next week. I have a good few nights out lined up over the next few days. Hope to get back to doing long runs by the weekend.

menoscemo

Since last sunday I have been boozing, eating junk and (shamed as I am to admit it) even having the odd cigarette . Obviously there has been no running in the middle of all those festivities.

Back on the horse today though. I could really feel all those excesses in the first 3 miles but after that I seemed to be fine again. Legs were a little stiff and heavy but I guess that i to be expected. Took a new route up to corkagh park today, did a lap and headed back.

8 milesat 8:40 pace. HR 146.

Longish run with a group tomorrow and hoping for another long one on saturday. I have another night out tonight before that, I'll try to at least stay away from the cancr sticks :pac:

menoscemo

The festivities continued yesterday as I had a friend from london down in Dublin. Ended up having 3 pints and then a bottle of red wine to accompany a meal in an indian restaurant. Harldy Ideal prep for an LSR!!

Met with the group in the Phoenix Park this morning. there was a good crowd, Myself, RK, Brian, Mr Slow, Digger, Chinguetti, Ral 3 and Clara off a different forum. Most did 10 mile, but myself RK and Brian did a second loop and manager to clock up 20 despite severely tired legs all round for the last few miles.

20 miles 9:40 Pace, 135 Av HR (surprised at how low this is- only 73% of max).

Roll on more pints tonight!!:pac:

Oisin11178

3H13m
long long time to be on your feet. Fair play to you.

donothoponpop

menoscemo wrote: »

The festivities continued yesterday as I had a friend from london down in Dublin. Ended up having 3 pints and then a bottle of red wine to accompany a meal in an indian restaurant. Harldy Ideal prep for an LSR!!

Met with the group in the Phoenix Park this morning. there was a good crowd, Myself, RK, Brian, Mr Slow, Digger, Chinguetti, Ral 3 and Clara off a different forum. Most did 10 mile, but myself RK and Brian did a second loop and manager to clock up 20 despite severely tired legs all round for the last few miles.

20 miles 9:40 Pace, 135 Av HR (surprised at how low this is- only 73% of max).

Roll on more pints tonight!!:pac:

Fair play for getting so many from the forum out running together, much respect for you guys doing the regular meet-ups.

menoscemo

donothoponpop wrote: »

Fair play for getting so many from the forum out running together, much respect for you guys doing the regular meet-ups.

Thanks, though I have to give credit to MrSlow for organising this one.

menoscemo

Legs felt fine today despite yesterdays run and ensuing session with Brianderunner. Last night he proved that not only has he got endurance when it comes to necking pints of guinness but also remarkable pace as well :pac:. Anywayjust did a little 5 mile recovery run at 9 min/ mile pace to keep the streak going and bring the year to a close. Hoping to get another long (15m +) run in tomorrow, so just a few beers tonight

Month|Miles
January|112
February|73.6
March|117
April|141.8
May|155.7
June|152
July|201.1
August|166
September|215.7
October |162.8
November |128.2
December |173.4
Total|1799.5 miles

Didn't realise I was half a mile short of 1800 for the year. If I had known I would have definately tagged on another half mile tonight.

rainbow kirby

menoscemo wrote: »

Didn't realise I was half a mile short of 1800 for the year. If I had known I would have definately tagged on another half mile tonight.

Laps of the car park? :pac:

menoscemo

Let Down by RQ again this morning (she has some nerve calling certain other people 'no shows' :pac:) so I drove up to the park alone for the second long run of the week. Ideally, for Ultra training I should be doing back to back long runs but I was too hungover yesterday and I wanted to get off to a good start in the 1000 mile challenge. Plan was 15+ but I wasn't sure how much. I planned the run to coincide with the finish line of the 5k race in the park. I thought I'd be at that line at 10 miles but actually got there at 11 miles just in time to see the leaders come home. Stopped for 10 minutes here and had a chat with Chinguetti, Misty Floyd, Aero 2k, Mr Slow and a few others who'd been doing the race, then headed off for a lap of the 5 mile course.

Got really tired and hungry coming up the Glenn Rd for the 2nd time but once I was up the hill, picked the pace up again back to the car.

Summary: 16.2 miles At 8:33 av pace. 162m climbing.

Must start getting more hills into my long runs methinks.

metamorphosis

Wow - nice mileage for the year.

Damn RQ - what a no show

menoscemo

6.8 miles @ 8:53 Av Hr 138

Nice easy run round the parkwest 10k course. No hangover today

Weekly total: 5 Runs 56 Miles. Delighted with this. My longest ever week mileage wise despite not getting started until wednesday and being quite hungover for 3 of the runs. Hope to clear 60 for the first time next week.

MTD: 2 Runs, 23 Miles

liamo123

Thats good running M... Go easy on the booze and keep off them fuc!ing cigs until Barca is over:D:D

menoscemo

liamo123 wrote: »

Thats good running M... Go easy on the booze and keep off them fuc!ing cigs until Barca is over:D:D

Haha, the way I see it it's like Oisin's theory on not taking on any water or gels in training. If I can do 20 mile runs with a mega hangover, it will seem a whole lot easier on race day when i don't have one :cool:

liamo123

menoscemo wrote: »

Haha, the way I see it it's like Oisin's theory on not taking on any water or gels in training. If I can do 20 mile runs with a mega hangover, it will seem a whole lot easier on race day when i don't have one :cool:

Thats a very fair point

menoscemo

10.1 miles at 9:07 average (83m climbing)
Mr Slow had a big group out this morning for 10. I ran the first 6.5 miles with the main bunch at about 9:30/mile. At this stage the leaders had broken away so I sprinted ahead to catch up and we did the last 3 miles at about 8:30 pace.

MTD 3 Runs, 33.1 miles

chinguetti

Ah my brother, i was thinking that you were doing a bit of a speed session there alright as you bounded away from us.

digger2d2

chinguetti wrote: »

Ah my brother, i was thinking that you were doing a bit of a speed session there alright as you bounded away from us.

When he left the peleton and joined me in the breakaway I swore it was you chinguetti.....Were you guys born in the same hospital?

RacoonQueen

chinguetti wrote: »

Ah my brother, i was thinking that you were doing a bit of a speed session there alright as you bounded away from us.

Were you wearing a snood? :pac:

I'm not avoiding you guys by the way. Didn't leave the house till 10:30 by the time I saw you I figured yee would be nearly finished and was having a mare so I thought I'd best not join you and have a moan...

chinguetti

Digger, yes we're brothers and i'm the younger one. He got the ability to drink alot and still be fine(ish) for a run while i got the looks, wit, brains etc.:D If we keep this up, people will begin to believe it.

RQ, that was indeed me with a snood. Long before pampered Premiership players had them (Leeds players are all hard working, solid folk who shall beat snood wearing Gunners;)), i've had one for the winter cycling for years and never knew they were called a snood until about 3 weeks ago.

Hope the bro don't mind me hijacking his log!!

menoscemo

I Decided I need to get Hills regularly into my routine so headed to the bottom of the Edmondstown Rd (woddle territory) and did a run up to Rockbrook, round the back of Ballycullen and up to kilakee and back:
7.4 miles @ 8:37 pace (201m climbing including the infamous 'woddle hill at theend of old court rd with 85m climb in about half a mile :eek:).

I am surprised the pace was as good as that. I didn't feel bad at all except towards the end of some of the steeper hills. Got a little niggle in my lower leg (not exactly sure where) after a couple of miles but it went away.

Hopefully I can make hill training a part of my weekly schedule from now on...

MTD: 4 runs 40.5 miles