Is it Now?

PositiveNegativ

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Its okay. Its only white wine. Thats allowed isn't it.

I was on the point of PM'ing Dpop to find out.

donothoponpop

Last years intervals wrote:

donothoponpop wrote: »

Thurs 5x500m steepish intervals

First four were 1:50 for me, last one I tried to pace better, and ended up with a 2:00, go figure. 1.5 miles WU, 1.5 mile cool down. Felt like proper training, and its a base to build from.

donothoponpop wrote: »

Fri 10k including 6x475m uphill intervals
(all six around 1:52, into the wind, so overall I'd say a greater intensity than last week). Jogged back 2k.

donothoponpop wrote: »

Thurs 11k including 7x 475m uphill intervals

Slow jog down to the start to warm up, then blast into these- uphill into a fierce headwind, the resistance element of these sessions was to the fore today. First one done in 1:50, jog back down. Second, 1:52, felt harder. The third was a similar time, and I was starting to feel it. Time to bring out the porkies. Just one more and call it quits- 1:55, into a gale. Number five, take this one easy if you need to- 1:57. Right, just squeeze out number six, its harder than last week because of the gale, so do six and let the extra wind be your resistance- 1:59.
Feck it, turn to make the required seven, start striding up the hill again. Into a fierce headwind. Keep up the effort, don't leave anything out there. 200m to go, dig deep, up the pace slightly, fight into the wind. There's the tree finish in the distance, pick up the knees, swing the arms, tree getting closer, fight the wind, tree nearly here, last bit of effort, pass the tree, 1:51.

Tonights intervals wrote:

Fri 8k including 3x400m 475m uphill intervals.

1st) got into a rice rhythm early, by halfway a wave of pain covered me, so I fought against it till the end. Into a breeze at the top, 1:45 for just short of last years marker. Hands on knees, dead at the end. Jogged to start.

2nd) this time the pain came earlier, and I was fighting against it right till the end. Felt like the mile race I ran at Xmas, very intense, but these intervals are all about learning to push the pain aside. Wrecked at the end. 1:42, jogged back down.

3rd) before the first bend I was fighting stopping. Its amazing the mental battles you can have with yourself! Pushed harder and gritted my teeth, this really was a matter of swimming in pain. The wind at the top was against me, but it just added to what had to be dealt with. Finished in 1:40, shattered, doubt I could have given these much more effort. 5k warm down.

Thank god for that!

I did a bit of digging, and found the intervals I did tonight, last May's versions. Its about 475m, and I was doing them between 1:50-2:00. So tonights were faster. I'm very relieved at this, as I gave it 95% tonight, and I was worried if it meant my residual fitness and speed had been that shot to pieces. Very happy that those numbers mean I was running well tonight. A decent marker, one extra interval each week.:)

donothoponpop

Sat 10k easy

And just to emphasize how tough yesterday was (and why I'm so happy to see the correct numbers!), my legs were wrecked today. Youngster was at rugby training, so I had a scout around SJ's forest, up the new boardwalk, along the top trail. Nice facility to have on your doorstep.
Finished off with 3k barefoot around the rugby pitches, to give the legs a good stretch.

Slogger Jogger

Ran the self same trail about an hour after you. Managed about 14k but legs are tired after back to back days. Nice work. I like that boardwalk. Its a tough little uphill.

donothoponpop

Sun 29k LSR 2:45

Up and out early, into and around the mist-covered Annagh Hill, mainly by the back roads. Over the high pass, and then along the eastern side, with only milking farmers for company. That's one industry that's flourishing, and with the imminent demise of EU milk quotas, why wouldn't the dairy farmer be a chirpy early bird?

The pace throughout was slow, and I felt a bit of jarring on my knees from the road downhills. This weeks higher kilometerage (does someone know of a better word? I likes me progress, but I also likes me poetry) comes at a minor price. Along the more familiar Annagh trails for the return, home in an appropriately slow 2hrs 45 mins.

Weekly Summary|Session|Comment

Monday|12k fartlek|pushed the uphills
Tuesday|7k easy|
Wednesday|25k hilly LSR| 2 hrs
Thursday|8k recovery|
Friday|8k w 3x475m uphill intervals|Forest, hard effort
Saturday|10k easy|w 3k barefoot
Sunday|29k LSR|Slow 2:45

2012 km|109

Slogger Jogger

Great run and a brilliant start to the year. Listen to the body though. Rest if you need it.

donothoponpop

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Great run and a brilliant start to the year. Listen to the body though. Rest if you need it.

Yeah, I'll certainly watch out for any niggles, and ease off if necessary. Right now its all about fitting each run to its purpose. This long one was meant to be slow, so I made sure to keep it slow. There can be a false sense of "achievement" with distance, so I'm not getting carried away by my kilomerama. I found the 3 intervals a few days back a much tougher session.

PS when are you starting a log again?

Slogger Jogger

Not sure about my own log this year. I think posting details of the odd training run here will be fine Sure I must have squatters rights at this stage.

donothoponpop

Mon 9th Jan 10k recovery

My new Cree handtorch, meant to accompany my AON run, arrived. 230 lumens, twice the power of my headtorch, what a stud. I ran along the Railway Walk tonight, and the flood light was impressive, it lit up everything ahead on the trail. The hot spot is a bit too bright for the forest though, blinding when it reflects off the trees. Ideal for open mountain, I'd say.

Anyways, this run was meant to take the tightness out of my calfs, so was a slow trot. The full moon came up over the horizon after a couple of km, so I ran by its light, magical. On the return I had to keep slowing down, temptation was to up the pace. 10k done, the legs feel looser right now.

Dory Dory

Why does the story "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss come to mind where you are concerned??? Nice few runs you've had.

ocnoc

donothoponpop wrote: »

new Cree handtorch

Shiny

PositiveNegativ

donothoponpop wrote: »

Mon 9th Jan 10k recovery

My new Cree handtorch, meant to accompany my AON run, arrived. 230 lumens, twice the power of my headtorch, what a stud. I ran along the Railway Walk tonight, and the flood light was impressive, it lit up everything ahead on the trail. The hot spot is a bit too bright for the forest though, blinding when it reflects off the trees. Ideal for open mountain, I'd say.

Anyways, this run was meant to take the tightness out of my calfs, so was a slow trot. The full moon came up over the horizon after a couple of km, so I ran by its light, magical. On the return I had to keep slowing down, temptation was to up the pace. 10k done, the legs feel looser right now.

Yes, finally a 'mine is bigger than yours' opening.
I've a 5 LED 1200 lumen version of that torch on test at the moment.

Judging from the picture, mine is longer too;)

donothoponpop

PositiveNegativ wrote: »

Yes, finally a 'mine is bigger than yours' opening.
I've a 5 LED 1200 lumen version of that torch on test at the moment.

Judging from the picture, mine is longer too;)

A man with the moniker PositiveNegative should know that its all about staying power. Yours will discharge prematurely, while I'm strongly radiant long into the night.

So how does that one handle make out test? I fired mine from the wooden bridge back along to Kilcommon bridge- lit up trees about 2/3 of the way. You'd notice it when running weight wise, but nothing too bad. Your one must be heavy for running?

PositiveNegativ

donothoponpop wrote: »

So how does that one handle make out test?

Dropped on concrete from 2 metres a couple of times, still holds it's end up.

donothoponpop wrote: »

Your one must be heavy for running?

900g. Purely for walking.

4:43am? Another Maxi Jazz phase.

donothoponpop

wed 10k easy

my calfs and knees were hurting after last weeks heavy kilometrix, and I almost went out on Tuesday anyway, to keep up a 9 day streak, and a top 10 place in the 1000 mile challenge. .. Stupid way to be thinking, that's gonna lead to injury again. So sense prevailed, day off.
Met PN for an easy 10k, new runners, brooks beast.

donothoponpop

Friday, 9k, incl 4x475m uphill intervals.

Took thurs off, legs felt good for it today. Ran to the forest uphills, dreading the start of them. Good, that's how it should be.
First one, ran hard, the pain only came after half way. Blitzed this one, 1:36.
Second, ran hard, pain came earlier, legs started tying up, hard effort. 1:39.
Third, paced a little slower at start, but I was fighting the "STOP!!!" from halfway. Took a lot of mental effort to run to the line. 1:44.
The last one really hurt, physical pain started early, followed by mental pain. At halfway my legs felt icy, but I fought to the end. 1:45. Almost puked!
So thats the intervals done for another week, and good honest hard effort again. One more next week.
"Pop!" to celebrate, another dangerous streak broken.

donothoponpop

Sat 11k easy incl 2k barefoot

Met Mick in his forest, attempted to show him what 5:xx pace was. It's a tough job to teach, especially when he has some local GAA lads doing their circuits around the same loops. My legs were shattered at first (from yesterday), they feel better after some motion. Finished up with barefoot laps of the Rugby pitch. Junior's coach approached me after my laps; would I commit to doing some running training to the rugby kids? Y'know, seeing as I was going to be running around anyway? How could I say no:D Although a phone call yesterday told me I'll be training XC to kids for the next nth Saturday afternoons. No Saturday races for me, for some time...

donothoponpop

Touch of flu for a few days, so no running. I think I may have overdid my first week of 2012 (equaled my highest distance ever, off little training).

Wed 20k hilly 1:53

Left the car for a service the far side of Tinahely, and ran towards the Kyle Loop. Initially up the WW leg 7 end (pre 2009), and across muddy lanes and trails, traverse some fields, before hitting the first climb. There's a myriad of ways up BallyCumber from this side, which are all new to me. My path was steep and muddy, so any effort was to keep the engine running while not slipping back. After a while I hit forest trail, and took it to the traverse of the summit. It's a very long hill on top, just a matter of running along in the cloud. When I hit the stile, a brilliant boggy section could be run with speed and a smile. Back down via Mangon's, into the forest, and then home.

ultraman1

donothoponpop wrote: »

Sat 11k easy incl 2k barefoot

Met Mick in his forest, attempted to show him what 5:xx pace was..

are ye doing 5hrs in DCM next year:D

donothoponpop

ultraman1 wrote: »

are ye doing 5hrs in DCM next year:D

Will pace the new 10 hour March of Champions category

Dory Dory

Glad you are feeling better....had missed your clever tongue. Seems a bit of a correlation between sobriety and sickness. Perhaps there really are medicinal qualities to the corked ones.

donothoponpop

Dory Dory wrote: »

Glad you are feeling better....had missed your clever tongue. Seems a bit of a correlation between sobriety and sickness. Perhaps there really are medicinal qualities to the corked ones.

:oBlushing to admit it, but I fell off the wagon on Saturday night, dying on Sunday, ditto Monday, Tuesday... any pattern?

But I prefer your correlation, Professer Dory, no doubt I'll put it to the test again soon:D

donothoponpop

Thurs 1 hour hill night hike

Crappy long day at work meant I wasn't looking forward to my prescribed easy 5 miler. Boring road, surely there has to be something better to lift the soul? What haven't I done in a while?...

An hour later I was at the base of a freezing, windy, pitch dark, Tonelagee, with PosNeg, for a "recce" by torchlight. It was very wet at the base, and the track has become a path for streams. Hope the race isn't using this route! Upwards, comparing torch strength, into the cloud. The wind was really picking up here, but we managed to follow the trail. The top third of the mountain featured sleet and icy pools, in a gale that would blow the head off ya. Hit the trig point, no stars to be seen, mores the pity.

Heading back down we lost the track, and PN suggested we needed to go more to the right. My own inner sense was telling me we needed to head left, but I held my tongue. Crossing over grikes and streams for quite a bit, I was sure I'd be proven right in the end, but he seemed confident in what he was doing. With no features to nav by, and the dark and wind cutting a sharp cold, I have to admit to being very impressed with PN's nav skills when we came right onto the wooden steak that marks the bottom third. Well done, sir. Back to the car through the remaining slop, and a cheery drive home in good spirits.

Beats a plodding road run any day of the week!

donothoponpop

Fri 8k, with 3 steady, 3 tempo, 2 warm down

I felt weak today, kids have colds coming on, so that explains the lack of energy. The initial steady kilos were tough to stay on pace. Started to get into it a bit for the tempo, these were tempo by effort rather than pace, I didn't have the watch but I doubt the pace was anything to write home about.

donothoponpop

Sat 10k easy

Junior was playing rugger in New Ross, so I ran around town, before watching his matches. Past the famine ship, over the bridge, out of town, before turning back. There was a huge fire last night in some riverfront apartments, had a look at the building. Up into town, there's some severe hills to conquer, and back in 50 mins.

Not much energy today either, I'll just keep logging a few easy runs until this bug subsides.

donothoponpop

Tue 1k swim

I was run-down the past few days, little energy. Thankfully, whatever bug I had seems a bit better today. In all honesty, running 105k in 7 days recently, probably set me back, and its put me thinking. My knees are shot, its a matter of ignoring the almost constant pain. Joints are clicking throughout the day, and I need to get proactive- I can't pretend high milage and daily pounding is going to suit me anymore. So I'm going to take a leaf out of one of the best posters here (that's you Dory;)), and follow a three or four key days a week running, the other days will consist of low-impact activity such as swimming or biking. The running days will be a long run, a McMillan "Best 10k workout", and intervals/fartlek/hills. Plan is to tick a 5k, 10k, time off the Big10 within 2 months, and then try for the mile and summer track races, before aiming for the Dingle Marathon in Sept. Leinster Champs races when I can get to them.

Today's swim was the first in a while, went back to the Arklow pool. 4xsets of 10 lengths, FC. Difficult to get the breathing coordinated at first, but got into the stride. Had a little rest after each set, felt great afterwards, the knee etc. has a lot more flexibility now.

Dory Dory

+1, dpop. :):D

shotgunmcos

Fair play, a km in the pool after howeverlong since you last swam is a tidy indicator that you are no stranger to such environments

RacoonQueen

donothoponpop wrote: »

My knees are shot, its a matter of ignoring the almost constant pain. Joints are clicking throughout the day, and I need to get proactive- I can't pretend high milage and daily pounding is going to suit me anymore.

Would you stop. Sure aren't you only in your early 50's?!

What triathlon are you planning on doing?

donothoponpop

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Fair play, a km in the pool after howeverlong since you last swam is a tidy indicator that you are no stranger to such environments

Cheers! I'll admit I had a look at your SBR Challenge and considered swapping to it from the 1000 mile one... yesterday I looked at prices of Tacx Turbo's... but I'd look too funny in a Tri suit to take it any further

I realized today I have no idea what is a decent length to swim. Ok, its all relative, but for the basics- should I be swimming 10x25m lengths, and taking a break, or swimming longer before breaking? Should I be kicking off the ends or is that cheating? Should I be aiming for 60mins per session??? Is it ok to breath every 4th stroke (think 5th is better for symmetry?) So many questions, and I'm not even sure how far down this rabbit hole I can afford go:pac: