Becoming a Real Runner

dublinrunner

Thats great to hear about the course for tom, as i had gotten the impression from other blogs that is was quite uphill! And at least if you know you will be going down after a climb you know you can afford to give it socks!! Thanks for that! looking forward to it alot now!

menoscemo

10k time 43:44
5k- 20:40 (pb by 17 seconds)
5 mile- 34:30 (PB by almost 1 minute)

Basically I went out good and faded big time on the hills , still made under goal time (44 Minutes) but it was hell. No big report, I am too drunk like Rainbow Kirby. Nice to meet loads of boardsies, thanks for RK, RQ and xebec for making me drunk!!

menoscemo

Oh yeah, forgot to mention. I puked when I crossed the finish line, maybe I shouldn't be proud of that but I am

plodder

menoscemo wrote: »

10k time 43:44
5k- 20:40 (pb by 17 seconds)
5 mile- 34:30 (PB by almost 1 minute)

Basically I went out good and faded big time on the hills , still made under goal time (44 Minutes) but it was hell. No big report, I am too drunk like Rainbow Kirby. Nice to meet loads of boardsies, thanks for RK, RQ and xebec for making me drunk!!

We must have been close enough all the way round. If you heard someone gasping loudly for the last 3k, that was me. Would like to have met the gang afterwards, but had to drive out to the sticks.

menoscemo

plodder wrote: »

If you heard someone gasping loudly for the last 3k, that was me.

At that stage I could only hear myself gasping loudly

Sub430

menoscemo wrote: »

10k time 43:44
5k- 20:40 (pb by 17 seconds)
5 mile- 34:30 (PB by almost 1 minute)

Great run, you've set a new target. Well done menoscemo.

menoscemo

May as well throw a race report together.
Up nice and early and had breakfast a good 3 hours before the race. I had eaten well the night before (good clean food) and wanted to avoid the sick feeling I usually get in races when the going gets tough :rolleyes:. I got up to the gates at Phoenix park at about 12.20 and jogged up the two miles or so to the start.
I dropped off the bags and went to see the start of the elite womes. I met Seres who also had Boards Ac vest and wished her luck with the 'Big Girls'. there was a great atmosphere. The women were off and I was straight into the elite/club runner pen. Felt like a bit of an imposter as I did a few warm up sprints up past the start line with the RTE cameras on me!! I quickly spotted another Boards Ac top, it was Sklarker. He was thinking of a similar target to me (44minutes) I though about maybe following him around. Alan Foley (foleyalan!!!) came over to us and introduced himself. The boards tops were proving a hit!
I started about 10 rows back and took 7 seconds to cross the line. My target was 44minutes thats 4:24/km I knew the first half was quick and I was happy to do it in about 21:30. Anyway I thought I was off nice and comfortable but a glance at the garmin showed 5:35/mile pace wtf!! I had to consciously make myself slow down.
Still the first k flew by and the Garmin beeped at 3:57 (t-27seconds). I knew this was way too fast but I felt great. I slowed down even though it felt wrong. Second and third ks went by fine. I wasn't even breathing heavily!! 4:08 and 4:12 (t-55seconds) at km 3 my HR had only reached 172!! this was a doddle. I passed the monument and knew robinph would be there I saw him from a distance and ran up to him and gave him a wave. Trusty as he is he got a snap and shouted Go:boards!


So I was now on the Kyber Rd and the course was downhill for the next 2k (first 3 were dead flat) I knew I was way ahead of schedule here so I held myself back to conserve energy, I let the HR drop back below 170 but the next two splies were 4:11 and 4:08 so I was 1:24 ahead of target and through 5k in a PB (20:40) I thought 44 minutes would be easy.

I was thinking at this stage that 23 mminutes for 5k was all I needed so mentally I let it slip a bit up the first hill after kyber pass. The hill itself wasn't too bad, but he S bends were flat and I was still at my climbing speed. I saw an 8min+/mile av pace on the garmin for the 6th k and had to push muself on to reagin respectability. 6th k 4:35 (t- 1:13) 7th K was pretty flat before the hills at glen rd but now it started to feel tough. Even the flat bits felt uphill 4:26 (t-1:11). The long drag at the upper Glen rd began. Now it's not steep but it is unrelenting the pace had slowed a lot here (4:37 t-57 seconds) I was begining to really puff and the legs were feeling it. I got one of those dark thoughts of quitting at this stage. I remember doing dsome mental maths at the 8k mark Basically I knew I had 9.5 minutes for the last 2k (I was 34:30 for 8k or 5 miles a pb by nearly a minute) so 4:45 would do. The 9th k was the worst, it was the lower Glenn rd and I slowed to what felt like a crawl from the lake up the winiding hill. I remember looking at my watch to see the pace climbing well over 8 min/mile. That would actualy se me fail to meet target. I put the head down and gritted out the hill. I felt sick at this point. Garmin bleeped at 4:49 (t-20sec) I was going backwards was I going to make 44??. At this stage I was on the flat and the end was in sight I regained breath before the final push. At 400m to go I saw I had 2 minutes to beat 44 minutes, I felt for sure I would get it now. Pushed on and did the 10th km in 4:24 and 8 seconds for the little bit extra.
I crossed the line in Bits. bent over a railing to catch my breath. I went to spit up the flem and couldn't help a little bit of puke coming up, I was hoping the cameras wouldn't catch that.
Overall 10k in 43:44, Pace 7 min/mile HR av 172 max 177 (seems a little low but didn't feel it!!)
That was a hell of a tough course. I reckon I could take a minute of the above if it were flat...

After the race I immediately met Afoley who was well finished and changed into a boards Jersey. Sklarker quickly joined us and then Robinph, Racoon queen and Rainbow Kirby, then Magnet an maybe others (sorry if I missed someone). We were to meet in Ryans at 3 so after about 15 minutes chat we all headed down. There we were joined by Seres, Aero 2k, Tunguska and Xebec. Great to meet so many boardsies, we should do this kind of thing more often.
Myself RK, RQ and xebec stayed late into the evening drinking manys the pint, we got so tipsy at one stage we even stopped talking about Running and our conversation turned to all kinds of wonderful things such as football T'was great craic!!!

Anyway summary for the week: 6 runs, 1 race (1pb) 35.8 miles

RacoonQueen

I was the first to arrive in the pub and last to leave. Just like my lost youth.

Great report by the way. I thought it was really unfair that the club runners had go fast stripes on their numbers though. :pac:

menoscemo

Back on the Horse tonight.
6 miles easy in 53 minutes (8:50 pace) AvHR 143

Nothing much to report, legs a little stiff.
Resolution for the next few weeks: must do more hill specific training!!

menoscemo

7 more easy miles tonight. The Garmin battery died halfway through but according to data at the half way point, pace was 8:56 with an av HR of 137 (:eek: lowest ever).
I will maybe try to get a few tempo miles tomorrow or friday.

menoscemo

I have been thinking a bit over hte last few days about my ever recurring problem of not being able to hold pace over a race. I can never make anywhere close to even splits. I obviously have the speed but can't hold it.

With that in mind I went out to do a long tempo session today. This also feeds into the old Tegat 'Big workout' idea. I want to get used to doing these big runs midweek if I am going to build them into a marathon plan in the summer.

Anyway plan today was 2 mile warmup- 2 mile tempo- 1 mile recover- 2 mile tempo- warm down
so warm up: 9.15 (141), 9:15 (141); tempo: 7:17 (162) 7:01 (168); recovery: 9:34 (149); tempo: 7:09 (162) 7:01 (168); warm down: 0.6miles at 9:11 (154)

Total: 7.6 miles in 1:02 pace 8:10 HR 155

Really good session I think, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I was thinking all the way in the tempo's 'about something I read to describe how they should feel: "comfortably hard". I think that sums it up.

menoscemo

Yesterday 3 miles easy om the threadmill after weights.

Today an early morning 10 miler. I never liked these early morning runs, I always thought they were more effort that doing them in the evening. Today was no different, the legs felt stiff and slow from the start and the slow pace felt like it was much more effort than it should be. On top of that I was overdressed, it was overcast when I headed out but he sun was soon splitting the trees and I had no water with me. I think I wa a little dehydrated by the end. Ah weel
10 miles in 1:30 exactly. 9 minute miles and 150 avHR. I think the Hr is about 5 beats mor than it should be.

I am probably not going to run tomorrow due to impending hangover, so the totals for the week are:
5 runs 33.6 miles.

misty floyd

I enjoyed the race report. Well done Menoscemo.

OI

Sub 44 for a 10k, that's mighty impressive pal

tempo

Wel done on the pb.How long have you been running?The reason i ask is that i could never wear a Garmin in a race and find it hard to understand how a runner could wear one in a race unless a Marathon.

menoscemo

OI wrote: »

Sub 44 for a 10k, that's mighty impressive pal

Cheers man, and as Xebec proved today, a flat couse is over a minute faster

menoscemo

tempo wrote: »

Wel done on the pb.How long have you been running?The reason i ask is that i could never wear a Garmin in a race and find it hard to understand how a runner could wear one in a race unless a Marathon.

A garmin is just a watch

menoscemo

I went out with woddle to do some 1k intervals in Marlay park this evening. Its a lovely rolling lap by Marlay house. In between lots of easy miles and chit chat I actually managed to get 5 reps in.
They went: 4:04 (162), 4:16 (167), 4:25 (165), 4:03 (164) 4:08 (164)

The first few were tough, but we went for a two mile jog after the third and amazingly after that I seemed to have warmed up and flew through the last two. I really enjoyed the company tonight it makes a great change to running alone. Hopefully we can make this a regular outing.
Overall 10.2 km in 52 minutes, pace 8:10 HR 154.
Thats about 6.3 miles towards the 100 mile challenge

Woddle

Really enjoyed the run and absolutely I'd be up for making it a habit. You made it look fairly easy, hopefully I didn't disrupt you too much with all my waffle and crap fitness level

menoscemo

I meant to run yesterday but my right knee had a little pain so I had a rest day. Today I had an easy 6 ish miler, the garmin ran out of battery after 2 miles but I was going around 9 minute pace with a HR of 140av.
I think from doing the course last week, it was 6.2 miles.

Gonna try my second long tempo session tomorrow. Thats 2 x 2 miles in total at tempo pace.

Jimh

I got a Garmin 50 for Christmas when I decided I was taking on the Marathon. I had to change the battery at Easter which I thought was a bit poor. I also found that it could only store 7 runs before the memory was full which was awkward when I did 8 runs in France while I was away at Easter with no computer. Final gripe is that the distance varies so much. I did 20 mile on Sat in two 10 mile laps - Lap 2 was 250 metres shorter than lap 1. I changed runners today and the same run was 10.34 miles. Enough griping - I do like ithe Garmin 50 but calibration could be better:D

menoscemo

Jimh wrote: »

I got a Garmin 50 for Christmas when I decided I was taking on the Marathon. I had to change the battery at Easter which I thought was a bit poor. I also found that it could only store 7 runs before the memory was full which was awkward when I did 8 runs in France while I was away at Easter with no computer. Final gripe is that the distance varies so much. I did 20 mile on Sat in two 10 mile laps - Lap 2 was 250 metres shorter than lap 1. I changed runners today and the same run was 10.34 miles. Enough griping - I do like ithe Garmin 50 but calibration could be better:D

Is the garmin 50 a pedometer based one? I had the Nike+ system which is a pedometer and yeah, it is a nightmare as it measures the same course diffrently depending on the speed you run at. Actually 250m over 10miles is nothing, my nike + measured the same 5k course between 4.6 and 5.4 km depending on how fast went. That's when I ditched it.
I have a forerunner 405 now and the distance measurement is perfect, it is a GPS watch and really I have no compliants. It will only last about 50-60 miles before the battery needs recharged, just today I hadn't charged it in over a week- so it's my own fault really.

menoscemo

Tempo run today. 2x 2 mile at tempo pace with 1 mile recovery between.

I have to say I founbd this really tough today, much tougher than last week. I guess it's just that I have had a busy and quite stressful week at work. I am also in the middle of moving house which is never easy. I was all for giving up after the first 2 mile tempo but in the recovery I convinced myself to go again and I'm glad I did now.

Tempos were: 7:25 (159) 7:05 (166), 7:28 (163) 7:08 (168). as before the second mile is always faster though overall the times are a little slower than last week.

Total for the day 7.9 miles in 1hr 05. av Pace 8:15, av Hr 154.

menoscemo

January 112 miles ( 41st overall on the 1000 mile table)
February 73.6 ( 52nd)
March: 117 miles ( 52nd)
April: 141.8 for 444.4 miles total for the year(41st)

A much better month obviously and my biggest in terms of running miles by far in my life!! A little disappointed though as I really wanted to get my LSR in tonight and that would have taken me over 150 miles for the month and 450 for the year, but unfortunately the pressures of moving house have put pay to that. I am just home after moving half the stuff and have to get the other half ready as I am moving in tomorrow. If I don't get out tomorrow that will probably be it for the week as I will no doubt be going out for a few nights with the bank holiday weekend coming up. 3 runs for the week would be crap, I really must get out tomorrow :pac:!!

menoscemo

Managed to make it out today despite last nights pints. I have to say I was spurred on by reading some of the times posted at the RTE 5 mile yesterday. Several people in and around my level from previuos races posted sub 34 times, including Sklarker who was a minute behind me at the GIR a few weeks ago. I guess it goes to show that the GIR was a tough course, I am determined to get back ahead of a few of those who overtook my 5 mile time from Raheny on the 'best of 2010' thread at the sportsworld 5 mile race in a fortnight. That will mean going into the low 33's though :eek:

Anyway I did just over 9 miles in Corkagh park this morning which looks like it will be my new spot for weekend runs. The first 7 were at around 9 minutes with HR low 140's. I decided to do the last 2 at some kind of 'Pace' though. I wasn't sure what pace, just felt I should get the HR into the high 150's and see what happened. I think I will call it Half Marathon pace as the Splits were 7:43 (156) and 7:12 (158). I think I will work half marathon pace as being around 7:30 from now on as that would get me under 100 minutes.

Overall 9.2 miles in 1hr 19, AV Pace 8:39, Av Hr 146

Total for the week: 4 runs 29.6 miles. A bit Crap and next week mightn't be much better as I am playing poker all weekend (hopefully, If I don't get knocked out on friday )

menoscemo

10k easy today around the picturesque surroundings of Cherry Orchard, clondalkin and Parkwest Industrial park :pac: I actually noticed that most of the new canal walkway is opened so tht might become my new regular local run. Most of the course I took today is the same as for the 10k in the area in july. I am glad to report that except for a few short, rolling hill over bridges in the first few km, it is pancake flat and should have great PB potential.

Anyway 6.2 miles in 54:30, 8:51 Av Pace, 142 av HR.

OI

menoscemo wrote: »

10k easy today around the picturesque surroundings of Cherry Orchard, clondalkin and Parkwest Industrial park :pac: I actually noticed that most of the new canal walkway is opened so tht might become my new regular local run. Most of the course I took today is the same as for the 10k in the area in july. I am glad to report that except for a few short, rolling hill over bridges in the first few km, it is pancake flat and should have great PB potential.

Anyway 6.2 miles in 54:30, 8:51 Av Pace, 142 av HR.

nicely scouted sir! Jaysus if I could pb there, I'd be thrilled. 47:07 to beat

menoscemo

OI wrote: »

nicely scouted sir! Jaysus if I could pb there, I'd be thrilled. 47:07 to beat

You don't fancy running a leg in the Cork Relay on the June bank holiday monday? Legs are approx 5 miles long. We are short of number for both the A and B teams have a look: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055819973

OI

No way, I'm at 9 min miles for 5 at the moment. Unbelievably unfit. If you are really stuck and need to make up the numbers, I'd consider it but I'd feel like deadweight.

rainbow kirby

You've still got a month OI, you'll get some of your speed back in that time anyway.