Running for fun, running for sanity

Blueskye

Ok, well I've been posting on here for a few months and found it a great support for my training for DCM (first marathon) and it's really encouraging to read how everyone else is getting on. So now that I've a few new goals I figure a log might be a good idea.

I've always run a little bit, off and on, but never more than 5 miles and decided to train properly in January of this year in preparation for the Berlin half in April. My sister's suggestion. She never wanted to run again after it whereas I was totally hooked! I'm pretty slow but I'm improving all the time and I am totally mad about running. What I have learned this year is humility and that you can only compete against yourself, I like that.
This year I've run:
Ballycotton 10 mile: 96.30
Berlin Half Marathon: 2.16.22
Burren Half Marathon: 2.30 (ish) difficult one to run but such a laugh!
Cappamore 10km: 56.39
Adidas Dublin Half Marathon: 2.04
Claregalway 10km: 55.59
Dublin Marathon: 5.06.55 - this was a total disaster for me. I had planned to do 4.30 or 4.40 and followed Hal Higdon Intermediate 1. Training went pretty well, I had a few problems with glutes and got some physio which sorted it out. But my long runs were mostly great. Unfortunately things went horribly wrong on the day, I got some serious tummy problems from mile 3, then really bad nausea, became almost delirious, had to walk a lot and well, let's just say, it was awful. I almost quit at mile 15 because I felt so bad but I managed to reach the finish line. I think it was down to the gels I used early on, I had used them several times in training with no problems but they didn't seem to agree with me on the day and made me feel really ill. Plus there were a few other issues but lots of lessons learned.

So, I've signed up for the Connemara full and Edinburgh. I'm also thinking of doing the Puck Warriors 10k on the 28th in Kerry. I'm taking it easy at the moment, running and cross-training. In a couple of weeks I'll pick it up. I want to do more speedwork this time around, will be focusing on hill training also, as well as strength training and I wouldn't mind getting some swimming in, as I'm not a great swimmer and would like to improve. So, lots of lovely goals.

Today:
5M run in the wind and rain. The temperature is really getting cooler. Furthest distance since the marathon. Lovely run, felt strong.
9.35/mi
Upper body strength training plus core work

RacoonQueen

Good luck with the log. I'll be in Connemara and Edinburgh too, post race alcohol for all.

Bally8

Best of luck with the training bluesky. Im still not back running after DCM, it took a lot more out of me than I expected. I need to plan another race like you have, I bet it make you much more focused.

Blueskye

Thanks RQ and Bally8.

Post race alcohol sounds great RacoonQueen:D

Bally8, yes, I think it's nice to have a goal rather than just training, helps to get me out there. But, there's no rush getting going again, if you don't feel fully recovered, take the time. There's no rush

RacoonQueen

Blueskye wrote: »

Thanks RQ and Bally8.

Post race alcohol sounds great RacoonQueen:D

Bally8, yes, I think it's nice to have a goal rather than just training, helps to get me out there. But, there's no rush getting going again, if you don't feel fully recovered, take the time. There's no rush

I'll see you in peacockes hotel post race then, first one there buys the beers.

goofygirl

I've signed up for Connemara as well. Drinks all round!

rainbow kirby

Think I'll sign up for Connemara too. Should be fun

Blueskye

Cool, we can all meet up after so

metamorphosis

Girls boards night out ... beware :D

Best of luck in 2010 Blueskye and best of luck with your goals

Blueskye

Had planned to get out yesterday but ran out of time and just felt jaded by the end of the day so unplanned rest. No harm at the moment.

Today:
5.53M run in the rain (again)although there were a few bursts of sunshine which was nice. Running tights were dug out of the cupboard for the first time in many months. Feels great to be out on the roads again. Loving it.
9.51/mi
Upper body strength work and abs.

DustyBin

Good luck with the log Bluesky - see you in connemara
Would be interested to see what plan you intend to follow (if any) after the Puck Warriors race?
I'm doing the Waterford Half on 12th Dec, and need to find something to follow after that for Connemara, will let you know what I dig up if you want? Waiting for Advanced Marathoning to wing it's way to me so may find some bolt of inspiration there
Connemara will be my first marathon

(sorry for crashing the girly party btw )

Blueskye

Thanks Dusty. Looking forward to meeting lots of faces at connemara (boys also welcome ).

I'm considering using P&D's up to 55mpw programme from Advanced Marathoning. I started off with it for my first marathon but it was too much too soon so I changed down to HH. But definitely considering giving it another go. It's a great read, really useful stuff in there. But I'm reading around at the moment and haven't completely decided yet. Will keep you posted. Thanks would be great to hear what you decide to use also.

Blueskye

3.96M tempo run (sort of): 36.28 mins
10 min warm up: 9.33/mi, 142 bpm
10 mins faster pace (mainly uphill): 8.47/mi, 164 bpm
20 mins cool down: 9.13/mi, 163 bpm (obviously didn't really cool down then!)
9.18/mi: 161 bpm

A mixture of sunshine, rain, and seriously blustery wind.

Blueskye

07/11/09
7.22 miles: 1.10.38
9.47/mi
160 bpm

08/11/09
nada

09/11/09
planned a swim but didn't get there

10/110/09
ok feeling guilty after yesterday's laziness.
4M
9.19/mi
161bpm

RedB

Good luck with the training and the log Blueskye.

I'm also on the Connemarathon bandwagon after a disappointing DCM. Have you a target time yet or will you see how it goes with the training first?

Blueskye

Thanks RedB.
I've no idea how I'll get on in connemara, too soon to tell, as long as it's better than DCM it'll be an improvement!! Which wouldn't be hard. Looking forward to getting into some proper training again though.

What plan are you following?

RedB

I'm planning on following a 15 wk plan from Run Republic that I got here http://www.runrepublic.ie/training/marathon.htm. I don't have any strong reason for chosing it rather than others apart from the 15 weeks allows me to start straight after Xmas (w/c 28/12) and hits Connemara spot on plus its got a 22miler in it which I think I'd need to do. I struggled to get a 20miler done for Dublin due to undertraining. I got round Dublin in 4:50 and am hoping to do Connemara under 4:15 . God loves an optimist! I hope he/she also likes a crazy optimist as I plan on following the sub 4 plan rather than the sub 4:30 one :rolleyes:.

Following the bones of a 10k plan until Xmas so hopefully down to the track this evening for a speed session.

Blueskye

Best of luck with it.

Blueskye

Ok, well Wednesday and Thursday were a write-off. Sore throat, tired, and just not in the humour to run AT ALL. Which isn't really like me but I'm still on a go slow since the marathon so I won't get too upset about it. But come next month I need to be a bit more disciplined.

13th November
4.06miles - 37.11
9.10/mi
167 bpm
Supposed to be an easy run but felt like I was going too fast up hills, getting out of breath and then walking for 30-40 seconds. Anyway, at least I got out there. Tomorrow will be better hopefully.

Blueskye

Tempo run
4.62 miles - 45.49
10 min easy
12 mins tempo (should have been 15)
23 mins easy

Blueskye

9.36miles
9.56/mi

Lovely long easy run, longest since DCM. Started off in daylight, then got dark. Nice few hills towards the end. I'd been avoiding hills for about 3 months before DCM so time to start loving them again. Christmas lights up in town. Lovely lovely run.

Blueskye

Should have done 5miles yesterday but am in the process of moving and spent most of the day lugging belongings up and down stairs and in and out of cars. Will make it up on Friday hopefully.

5M run today. Talk about blustery. Wasn't in the humour at all, sinuses acting up majorly, probably due to unearthing lots of dust yesterday. Garmin not charged so just ran a regular route without watch. Felt sluggish but got it done.

DustyBin

Well done on the 1000 miles!!

Blueskye

19th Nov
I'm following HH's post marathon training guide and today he recommended 1 mile warm up followed by 3 miles at 5k pace, with 3-5 mins walking inbetween each mile, followed by 1 mile warm down. Weather lovely and dry despite flooding around the country. Now, I don't really know what my 5k time is, my last 10k was 56.30 on a hilly route so I just decided to go hell for leather for the faster miles. Of course, I went off too fast on the first mile (8.18/mi) and nearly died. My legs were like jelly for the second fast mile, only did 0.8mile and the third mile I did about 0.92mile I think. Both of those were closer to 9.10/mi pace.
5.35miles
154 bpm which is misleading really but I couldn't work out my hrm for each mile as I had it set to mile autolap as was walking for part of each mile. But it was a tough session for me and gave me a real wake up to just how unfit I am.

20th Nov
5M easy. I could feel yesterday in my legs alright but it was a lovely lunchtime run in the sun!!! Sinuses still acting up, felt wheezy for the first 3 miles but still enjoyable.
5.07miles
09.57/mi
154 bpm

Blueskye

21st Nov
10.25 miles
154 bpm
10.04/mi
Felt like I was running backwards for the last 3 miles, the wind was so strong!!! But felt great to be out in the elements. Longest run post DCM.

Blueskye

40 min tempo run scheduled. Despite little sleep and a slight hangover when I got up, I did plan to get out and run this afternoon, but fell asleep on the sofa and lost all desire to get out in that weather when I woke up. Ugh, not good.

metamorphosis

I bet we are paying form the nice weather we had in sept and half of oct now.

It's friggin hard to get out in this weather.

In other news lazyness related i got a slanket.

It's a wolly blanket ... with ... wait for it ... SLEEVES. It rocks.:D

rainbow kirby

ULstudent wrote: »

In other news lazyness related i got a slanket.

It's a wolly blanket ... with ... wait for it ... SLEEVES. It rocks.:D

I want one of those!!!

metamorphosis

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I want one of those!!!

It can be yours for 4 million dollars ... or a hot chocolate

rainbow kirby

ULstudent wrote: »

or a hot chocolate

There?

*apologises to Blueskye for messing up this log*

Blueskye

Wow, I think if I had a slanket I'd probably never leave the house!!! :eek:

littlebug

Blueskye did you go to Killaloe?

Blueskye

No, I went nowhere yesterday apart from my couch!! How about you, did you get there?

littlebug

God no.... even getting down there would have turned it into the ultimate adventure challenge! I wonder did it go ahead at all.


eta. oh look it did go ahead! http://www.imra.ie/events/view/tab/details/id/716/

I was hoping it would be rescheduled. Oh well... I'll keep an eye out for other events in the west.

Blueskye

Ok, feeling really guilty as I haven't run since Saturday and today is Wednesday :mad: But life has seriously gotten in the way and hopefully after today my life should be significantly less demanding. No more excuses!!

7 lovely lovely miles in the afternoon sun.
66.36 mins
9.31/mi
164 bpm

Blueskye

Hmm, it''s all gone a bit patchy. No excuses but moving house, birthday celebrations, thesis corrections have all contributed to a crappy few weeks of running. Plus I'm on hols next week in the Lebanon where there won't be any running for safety reasons. Hmm, holidays and safety in the same sentence...:eek: But I'll be starting the connemarathon training in earnest as soon as I get back. In the meantime I'll update the sorry state of affairs. In fairness, the runs I've done have been ok, there just haven't been enough of them:

Saturday 28th Nov
12miles
9.49/mi
156 bpm
Lovely run, if a bit cold. Felt shattered after the 10miler last week whereas I felt great after this run, spent the next 6 hours moving home and went out on the tear so all good.

Monday 30th Nov
6.28miles.
9.44/mi (factored in a few new hills, new route)
Icey in patches so had to tread carefully. Plus slid down a hill on my ass towards the end of the run but no harm done.
135 bpm

Blueskye

Thursday
Hill sprints. It's been months since I've done these but I love them once they're finished. Today was a session of all seasons, starting off dark but dry and very windy, followed by sleet/huge hailstones, followed by sunshine. Crazy weather.
1 mile warm up
8 hill sprints - 0.23miles (370metres): 7.20/mi - 7.50/mi
jogging down hill between each sprint
1 mile cool down
just over 5 miles

Blueskye

Friday
5 miles easy pace
9.49/mi
153 bpm
What a pleasure to be out running in a light fresh drizzle while everyone else is sitting in traffic

Blueskye

No training here as I've been away in the Lebanon and Syria. Fantastic time but no running at all. Didn't even bring my trainers. Lots of eating and drinking. On my last day I got a lovely bout of gastritis, had to get a jab from the doc to stop me throwing up while on the plane home. I ate something dodgy no doubt and am still recovering. But I am going to head out for a run at lunchtime today and see how I get on.

The plan was to start training for Connemara Monday just gone and so I'm already behind before I've even started. Plus I'm heading to Brighton tomorrow for the weekend but the runners are coming with me this time. See if I can get at least 2 runs in.

Blueskye

Thursday 17th December
Got out finally - 9miles with 5 strides thrown in of 0.23miles each
Lovely to be out running but not 100% yet.

Blueskye

Despite bringing my running gear to Brighton it was impossible to run. Snow Thursday night meant lots of delays Friday and a weekend of hilarious attempts to walk around Brighton. Streets were sheets of ice and it didn't improve. So lots of cautiousu walking but zero running. Lovely 8 hour wait in Gatwick airport on the way home on Monday as a snowstorm meant the runway had to be closed. But on the plus side, totally recovered post Lebanon food poisoning or whatever that was.

Back in the game today 23rd December:
10miles general aerobic. Roads were fairly quiet and the sky was amazing, loads of different shades of blue. Bit icey here and there but mainly it was fine. Beautiful day to be out for a run.

Blueskye

24th December
4 miles recovery run. Visibility was pretty poor, some serious fog out there so had to pull in out of the way of cars a fair bit which was annoying but beautiful out there. So quiet and white. Lovely snooze in the afternoon watching movies. I love Christmas

Blueskye

25th December 2009
8miles with 4miles at half-marathon pace: 1.16.33
1: 10.32
2: 9.47
3: 9.15
4: 9.02
5: 8.52
6: 8.46
7: 10.03
8: 10.09

Fantastic run, really enjoyed it. Had to turn back on the first few roads as it was really icey but once I got going on the busier roads it was fine, the cars had removed the ice. No slipping. And chuffed with myself for managing to stick with the running the whole year. I'm miles ahead of where I was this time last year and hopefully will keep on improving if I just keep it up. I'm no speedy gonzales but I'm only competing with myself. Running is the business

Blueskye

Saturday 26th December
P&D had a 4 mile recovery run scheduled for today and 14 miles tomorrow. Well I hope to have a few drinks tonight so decided to flip the runs and do 14 today. The first 7 were full of christmas joy, easy pace, sunshine and birds in the trees and then something happened...it wasn't fun anymore, my legs were tired...I was hungry...why were cars flying past me at 100 miles an hour instead of their lovely cautious pace of the past few days...why didn't I bring water to drink...the surface of this road is ****e...I feel ****e...what's with the negativity Blueskye...why did you think chocolate and a banana was enough to eat before a long run? I stopped my garmin a couple of times when I pulled in for a car and forgot to turn it on again...more swearing...a few walk breaks...I'm bored...why am I so far from home...ok enough, cop the f^ck on...That was the lovely ****e going on in my head today! Anyway, I made it home and ran about 14.5miles I'd say. But it's done.

Blueskye

Sunday 27th December
Sore throat so skipped today's 4M recovery run.
36miles this week

Monday 28th December
Rest

Tuesday 29th December
8miles scheduled with 10 100m strides thrown in.
8.27miles including 10x100m strides plus a very cold additional 1.09miles
Tonight was the coldest run of 2009. It was freezing, far colder than last week. The first mile I was thinking how cold my face and hands were, despite gloves. Do runners ever wear balaclavas? That would have been the business. Serious wind and rain and the rain was sore on the face. But a lovely run, feeling good tonight. At 8miles I got back to my starting point and well, got locked out...through no fault of my own, so I had an extra run to find a phone at which stage I had cooled significantly...there weas a bit of a wait...so fingers crossed no chill tomorrow.

Blueskye

Wednesday 30th December
4.6miles recovery run. It is cold out there!!

Blueskye

Thursday 31st December
Last run of 2009 - 10 miles followed by lots of alcohol!!
10.02/mi
162 bpm
1136.63 miles for 2009, I actually cannot believe I ran that much, that consistently with finishing a Phd at the same time. What a year it has been!! Here's hoping for a fantastic 2010 full of more running, faster times and a bit more mileage. And thanks to all on boards for giving me that push to go out when I was feeling lazy. The site is a great motivator. Happy new year all, here's to a fantastic 2010 :-)

Blueskye

Friday 1st January 2010
Scheduled rest day

Saturday 2nd January
4mile recovery planned. Didn't happen.

Sunday 3rd January
15miles. Was not in the humour to go out in the cold today plus my garmin has jammed, it won't respond at all so did 3 laps of a familiar 5 mile route. Bumped into two friends randomly and stopped for brief chats which broke the tedium, also had a few bits of a banana at mile 10 plus water at mile 5 and 10 which seemed to help. To be honest, could have done another 5 at 15 but equally glad to have it done.

39.96miles this week

Blueskye

Well training has been patchy, missed a whole week - Jan 4th to 10th due to ****ty weather, trying to find somewhere to live in a new city, started a new job and moved house. Diet and training went right out the window. This past week has been a little better but I still missed a couple of runs between weather and tiredness. I'm getting a little anxious about Connemara training as it's all out of whack.

Wednesday 13th January
8.10miles with some 100m strides thrown in.
78.37 mins
164 bpm

Saturday 16th January
7 miles
148 bpm

16miler planned for tomorrow morning.

Blueskye

Sunday 17th January
16miles. P&D said to do 10miles at marathon race pace. Now, this is a first for me, in the past my long runs have just been long slow runs, with the main aim just to finish. I'm not really sure what my marathon race pace should be...but I aimed for 9.30min miles which is me working hard. Fairly hilly route and the legs were wrecked after mile 12 but a decent run. Just had water and a few bites of banana and that seemed to do the trick.

31miles this week

Blueskye

Tuesday 19th January
10miler planned but had to drive up to Limerick after work, plus the wind and rain were desperate. So 6 very wet miles up a massive hill, good bit of stopping and starting with traffic lights, not the most enjoyable run but at least I got out. Absolutely soaking afterwards.