Is it Now?

donothoponpop · 02-01-2009 3:40pm

13 wtg day 2

After general sloth over the past few days, I got in a great run with Slogger Jogger, running over 13 miles of the Wicklow Way from Aughavannagh to Tinahely, in about 1hr 50 mins. He was coming off a 26k run yesterday, and I was quite happy to keep at a reasonably moderate pace, so we got in some great views, and kept up the conversation all the way round. The terrain varied from forest trail to country roads to grassy fields, not too sloppy anywhere, so made for a good feeling underfoot.

Coming up one narrow path, I startled a group of cows, who took off running ahead of me- all the way following the trail I needed to run, so they got in a nice mile jog, most of which was uphill.
So in the spirit of Xmas cracker jokes:
Qs. What bovine won the inaugural 2009 WW 1500m?
Ans. Sebastian Cow.

Rusty Cogs 08 · 02-01-2009 5:39pm

Well for you lads having the time & company to run :P. On a rest day today (which works as I'm stuck in work). 5 mile recovery tomorrow then 17 on Sunday :eek:

Whatever happened to Sumac, have we lost one of our famours Rotterdam 5 ???

Slogger Jogger · 02-01-2009 5:59pm

Indeed. I suppose its to be expected but the lack of activity on the logs compared to say a month ago is interesting. The new year will bring a burst of enthusiasm from people no doubt.

Donothoponpop - you're useless at herding cows. Stick with the running

donothoponpop · 02-01-2009 6:21pm

Rusty Cogs 08 wrote: »

Well for you lads having the time & company to run :P. On a rest day today (which works as I'm stuck in work). 5 mile recovery tomorrow then 17 on Sunday :eek:

Whatever happened to Sumac, have we lost one of our famours Rotterdam 5 ???

Yeah, the company makes a great difference all right. I'm very lucky in that I live in the middle of nowhere, but SJ (and some great runs) are just up the road.

And yeah, Sumac, what gives? Still plenty of time to get with the programme.:)

donothoponpop · 05-01-2009 4:34pm

13 Weeks to go, day 1 (rescheduled!)

I prefer to run in the evening, when I can de-stress from the days work, but with the dark nights this has been impossible, and the upshot is I've missed quite a few training sessions over the busy (for me) Xmas period. So I've jigged the schedule about a bit, and I managed to "re-set" it a few days back. I'm not too worried about what I've missed at this early stage, but I don't want it to become a habit. I'll have to set some mid-term goals to break up the next fourteen weeks run-up to Rotterdam, and the upcoming IMRA season will provide the necessary momentum.

Today I got in 13 miles at 7:29min pace, on a hillish course, running it four and a half minutes faster than I had done a few days previous. This run was a way for me to test out the legs a bit, and although I was glad of the end, I'm happy with how I felt during the run, and that running at 7:30 pace feels as comfortable as 8:30 pace felt at this stage of my last marathon plan. I'm ready to up the milage again, so looking for close to 60 miles this week.

Slogger Jogger · 05-01-2009 9:37pm

Good running. I'll happily take a back seat while you rack up the mileage this week.

donothoponpop · 07-01-2009 1:02pm

13 wtg day 2

7.2 miles in 67 mins, hill run.
I couldn't get out during the day, so by 9pm I was itching to get a good run in. The moon was bright, not a cloud in the sky, and well wrapped up from the -4c frozen air, headtorch on, the route followed most of the course of the upcoming IMRA Annacurragh hill race. Took it handy enough when going off trail, as the frozen mud made it tricky underfoot. Managed to switch off the headtorch for the downhill trail, and ran by moonlight towards Orion.

Running in the moonlight is magical.

13 wtg day 3

11 miles, 7:40 pace.
After last nights climb, the legs were tired this morning, but I set off intending to do at least 6 miles, and then see how I felt. The ground was still frozen, but I was mainly on trail, so no real slipping worries. Feet felt very heavy, but I just kept going, doing loops and trails until I had done 7 miles, and was 4 miles from my house. The last two of these felt very leaden, and I was glad to hit "stop" on the garmin after 11. Pace was steady enough, this was one of those runs where you just put the head down and persevere at it, the accumulated reward for these type of runs will come in Rotterdam.

MCOS · 07-01-2009 2:05pm

donothoponpop wrote: »

Running in the moonlight is magical.

Sure is

shels4ever · 07-01-2009 2:09pm

MCOS wrote: »

Sure is

+1
Had a great run in the park yesterday evening the late 3 mile under moonlight .

Rusty Cogs 08 · 07-01-2009 2:18pm

dp, although we are following the same schedules, there seems to be a marked difference to our logs. I think the accountant in me makes me stick more rigourously to P&D where as road running doesn't seem to always be an option for you where as trail running is (and isn't for me). So we're on different paths to the same goal (no pun intended). I'd like to do a few IMRA races also, it will be interesting to see how those go, will our times be similar, will your experience off road tell. Hmmm

donothoponpop · 07-01-2009 2:49pm

Rusty Cogs 08 wrote: »

dp, although we are following the same schedules, there seems to be a marked difference to our logs. I think the accountant in me makes me stick more rigourously to P&D where as road running doesn't seem to always be an option for you where as trail running is (and isn't for me). So we're on different paths to the same goal (no pun intended). I'd like to do a few IMRA races also, it will be interesting to see how those go, will our times be similar, will your experience off road tell. Hmmm

Hi Rusty,

while I'm ostensibly following the P&D 18week <70miles/week program, I've certainly wobbled from it over the Xmas. I'm somewhat back on track now, but at a lower milage. (For instance today called for 14 miles, while I only ran 11). Either way, I'm in the "endurance" phase, and I feel I'm building up my endurance (and lowering my long run times). I'm also skipping many of the strides sessions, as I don't really get great benefit from them (I'd be more of a natural strider build than marathoner build), but speedwork will certainly play a part in my program from 12 weeks in, from when I'll be following the program more closely.

On your other point, hills vs. roads, I'd only do 15% or so of my training on roads, and even then its usually a hilly course (there's no escaping hills where I live!). Without a shadow of a doubt, I've gained a lot from there being a lot of uphills in my training runs. I don't run a lot of road races, but when I do, my pace is signifigantly faster than what it would be on a hilly trail course. "Advanced Marathoning" mentions something about the resistance benefit of hill running, and while its hard to put a quantative figure on it, I'd say a fast hilly 10 is worth at least a fast flat 12.

Having said all that, your pace times are very impressive, so it will be interesting to see how we fare on the IMRA races! By the way, experience counts for a lot on these races, so footware (grip in mud), letting off the brakes on downhills, and whacking low lying branches back in the face of the runner behind you, all come into play!

hunnymonster · 07-01-2009 2:59pm

donothoponpop wrote: »

... whacking low lying branches back in the face of the runner behind you, all come into play!

lovely!

Have to say I agree with you on the hills. I was up and down non-stop in Massachusetts last week and even after such a short time, I felt a difference when I got home.

donothoponpop · 08-01-2009 2:47pm

13 wtg day 4

8 miles in 1 hour, including 10x100m strides.

I was in Arklow this morning, buying cheepo Aldi compression underwear, so I decided to do a slow 5 mile recovery run. As mentioned on a post above, I run faster on the flat roads, so was cruising along at about 7:15 pace, and was surprised at how easy it felt. Remembering there is a cinder 400m track in Arklow, I ran to it, and did my first track session over twenty years, bashing out 10x 100m strides, with 100m jog recovery in between.

Memories came flooding back of my glory days, of pushing hard on the final bend in a 400m, of sprinting all out in a 100m dash, of finding an extra gear on the backstraight in a 1500m; but today I had to make do with my session, and only a woman walking her dog for company. Managed the strides handy enough, got up to top speed of 17mph during them, according to Garmin.

donothoponpop · 10-01-2009 1:28pm

13 wtg Day 5

5 miles recovery at nightime, nice'n'easy at 8:45 pace. The Aldi compression underwear aren't up to much, besides making me look a bit gay, they're not tight enough to be compression clothes (and I dropped down a size too).
They do feel good against the skin, although I can get a better feeling from robbing my wife's undergarments.

13wtg Day 6

Bit of a mash-up today, a brisk 5 miler on back roads at about 6:45 pace, followed by a slower hill run of the Annaghcurragh circuit, about another 7 miles. I changed shoes for this, and needed the Inov-8's for the muddier trails. Didn't run this too quick, the legs are starting to feel tired at the end of a tough week (about 57miles in 6 days).

--amadeus-- · 10-01-2009 2:23pm

donothoponpop wrote: »

I can get a better feeling from robbing my wife's undergarments.

:eek:

Krusty_Clown · 10-01-2009 3:21pm

donothoponpop wrote: »

I can get a better feeling from robbing my wife's undergarments.

donothoponpop · 11-01-2009 6:34pm

13wtg day 7

6 miles recovery in 45 mins. I was sat at home waiting for the stormy, dank, rain to pass, but in the end just had to go out and brave the elements (and after reading the reports from the Art O'Neill runners, How Brave I Was Indeed:o), so managed to bring the weeks milage up to 63. I got some good runs in doing this, and am happy with how I feel now after the first good week in a while.

And from reading other logs this week, it seems that a lot of others are having a good time of it at the moment. Certainly a new year can renew good intentions.

donothoponpop · 13-01-2009 9:30pm

12 wtg Day 1
Rest. Glorious rest.

12 wtg Day 2

7.6 miles in 1:08, hill run, including 2x200m, 1x270m, 1x350m uphill strides. Headlight came out again tonight, beautiful starry night, so SJ and I ran Annacurra, intending to do 5x400m uphill repeats at the top. However, in the dark it was hard to judge distance, so we ended up doing the above. The annoying part is that although I flew the two shorter strides (first and last), I had real trouble on anything longer, indeed I even stopped during both of them. This put paid to any notion of 5x400 tonight, and I am :mad:really:mad: piffed off with myself for stopping. My only excuse is that the legs felt like lead, but right now I'm so annoyed that I gave up.

However, this annoyance will abate, you can't win 'em all, it beats sitting at home drinking beer, and I'll be determined next time to do the uphills properly, so in that sense it was a useful training run. Sometimes you need a kick up the ar$e to move you forward:pac:

donothoponpop · 14-01-2009 1:44pm

12 wtg day 3

17 miles in 2:20, avg pace 8:14/mi., hilly trail run.

today is a miserable day for running: cold, windy, and wet. I sat down for a moment to ponder if I should truncate a long run to a 6-miler, (owing to the conditions), and for a moment convinced myself not to run at all. Remembering last nights' capitulation on the uphill strides, I quickly scotched this thought and laced up my shoes. Even if it was only to be six miles, I was going to do something, and as soon as I was running 300 meters from my house, I took a turn that I knew was the start of a 15 mile run. Proof that, no matter what stage of this running game you are at, the hardest thing is often getting out the door. Once you do this, you'll prosper.

As i started notching up the first few miles, the wind and rain intensified, as they would continue to do throughout the run. At times the rain was lashing into my face, and as I scaled the hills, a gale seemed to be forever against me, especially on exposed ground. Nevertheless, I thought about the 1000 mile challenge, and how I needed to get in 16 miles to break 100 for the year so far, and started throwing in larger loops and extra hills to add on a few more miles to the run. On the return I tried to quicken the pace to 7:40 or so, but found this to hard to maintain today. By the last couple of miles I was really feeling it, and probably needed a gel or something at the stage, but kept it up, and was happier to end this run than any others recently.

Peckham · 14-01-2009 2:05pm

Can identify with all of the above. Great run.

Sosa · 14-01-2009 2:06pm

donothoponpop wrote: »

I thought about the 1000 mile challenge

SUNGOD · 14-01-2009 2:20pm

donothoponpop wrote: »

12 wtg day 3

17 miles in 2:20, avg pace 8:14/mi., hilly trail run.

today is a miserable day for running: cold, windy, and wet. I sat down for a moment to ponder if I should truncate a long run to a 6-miler, (owing to the conditions), and for a moment convinced myself not to run at all. Remembering last nights' capitulation on the uphill strides, I quickly scotched this thought and laced up my shoes. Even if it was only to be six miles, I was going to do something, and as soon as I was running 300 meters from my house, I took a turn that I knew was the start of a 15 mile run. Proof that, no matter what stage of this running game you are at, the hardest thing is often getting out the door. Once you do this, you'll prosper.

As i started notching up the first few miles, the wind and rain intensified, as they would continue to do throughout the run. At times the rain was lashing into my face, and as I scaled the hills, a gale seemed to be forever against me, especially on exposed ground. Nevertheless, I thought about the 1000 mile challenge, and how I needed to get in 16 miles to break 100 for the year so far, and started throwing in larger loops and extra hills to add on a few more miles to the run. On the return I tried to quicken the pace to 7:40 or so, but found this to hard to maintain today. By the last couple of miles I was really feeling it, and probably needed a gel or something at the stage, but kept it up, and was happier to end this run than any others recently.

great run DP, and it shows that no matter how much you train having a positive attitude "i am going to do something" is half the battle.
the biggest obstacle in any run is usually the front door
once your through that its not too bad

donothoponpop · 14-01-2009 2:21pm

Sosa wrote: »

Bet I'm not the only one

--amadeus-- · 15-01-2009 12:30am

Great run in tough conditions. It's runs like those that will get you through the 3 hour barrier. You're an inspiration (a crossdressing inspiration but an inspiration non the less!)

Slogger Jogger · 15-01-2009 9:09pm

Smashing running pops

donothoponpop · 15-01-2009 9:21pm

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Smashing running pops

Cheers SJ. You know the course, its the Annagh Hill run, and I threw in the steep uphill at the end, the one that brings you back over the crest of the hill and backroads. This was my "catholic guilt" penance for stopping on the previous nights strides:)

Oh, the joy of having a clean, pure, soul again!:D

TheRoadRunner · 15-01-2009 9:34pm

donothoponpop wrote: »

Bet I'm not the only one

I'm not even logging my miles on that challenge but is still getting me out the door when I see what you guys are doing

donothoponpop · 15-01-2009 10:03pm

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

I'm not even logging my miles on that challenge but is still getting me out the door when I see what you guys are doing

You've really got to hand it to Woddle, he knows how to get people out and running! A virtual AAI, only difference is he's good at what he does:)

donothoponpop · 17-01-2009 1:28pm

12 wtg day5

5 miles in 38 mins, including strides uphill. Finally got in some decent uphills (cut down on both distance and speed from Tue night), in the course of this run around town. Didn't do much stretching though, and later in the evening my calf was tightening up something rotten.

12 wtg day6

8 miles in 61mins. Set out this morning to do an easy run to loosen up that calf muscle, and happened to meet up with some friends by chance, so got in a very pleasant run with good chat, at an ideal pace. For the last few miles we were picking up the pace despite ourselves, c'est la vie. It did a world of good to the leg, feel fine now, and IMRA Howth to look forward to tomorrow.

Rusty Cogs 08 · 17-01-2009 2:18pm

Dp, after this mornings 18.2m I believe I've prepped myself for a pile of shambollicks in tomorrow's Howth run but I'm still up for the mud bath it will most probably be. Would be good to say hi (at the start mind

)

Is it Now?

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