The (long ) road to Cork and beyond

elvis jones

Hi all,

About 6 weeks ago i decided to set a goal to run a marathon. Its something i've always wanted to do and decided to aim for Cork in June 2010.

Its a double goal as i want to get my weight down. When i started i weighed 17 stone 4 pounds and am 5'9"

I bought all my gear and the only problem i've had is a few blisters on the inside of my feet but thats about it.

I have a good threadmill and started doing some running on it with the aim of hitting the road. THis went well and i signed up for the Aware run on Dec 12 with is a 10KM.

Anyway the sunday before last i went on the road for the 1st time and my 5KM time was 31min. I did it for a second time yesterday and that was 29.50

I then went out on sunday and did my 1st 10KM......the time for that was 64 min.

I felt great after these runs and i think the threadmill will be used for days when its frosty or the place is covered in snow.

So i aim to keep my times here and am looking at 5KM twice a week and 10KM once a week for the next while until i begin to ramp it up for the marathon in Cork.


So here goes

5KM

31 MIN
29.50 MIN

10KM

64 MIN

bagus

Bets of luck with your training. Must keep an eye on your progress.

I'm thinking of doing the same thing myself. Been toying with the idea of the Cork marathon for a few years. Weddings have got in the way for the past 2 years, so far 2010 is looking like a possibility.

elvis jones

Well went out again yesterday and did roughly 10KM.

My wife is trying to get back to herself after having a baby and i did 2 miles really slow just to help her along.

I then ran off at my own place and she drove home:D

I changed my route and brought some hills into it.

Afterwards i felt very good and legs are holding out well.

I'm doing 5KM tonight and hope to do a PB.

10KM again on Wen night and moving towards Dec 12 and the Aware run !!

elvis jones

Well another 5KM done this evening and a PB:D

5KM

31 MIN
29.50 MIN
28.30 MIN


10KM

64 min

elvis jones

I have two runs to log.

On sat i did 7.5KM in 44 mins, i changed my run and brought in one with a lot of hills in it to bring it up a step.

Last night i did a 5KM with some hills and did another PB.

I have my 1st 10KM on Sat, the aware run and fingers crossed i can beat 64 min below !!

So here are my times so far.

5KM

31 MIN
29.50 MIN
28.30 MIN
26.57 MIN

7.5KM

44.00 MIN


10KM

64 min

elvis jones

With Christmas comingup and it being a busy time for djs i only got one run in last week before the Aware run.

So its was another 5Km and i knocked more time off and you'll see below it came along well.

I did the Awake 10km ( actually 9km ) on Saturday and still waiting on my chip time but i believe it was about 53.30 ???

I was happy with it and glad of the bit of hill work i did in the last few weeks before it.

I'm going to do the Raheny 8KM at the end of Jan and i'd like to do that in sub 48 min.

I'll get out for two 5KM this week and i'll do 8 KM on sat.

Looking forward to a week off at Christmas and i'll do a bit more to get the fitness up to a level that i can train properly come mid Jan and the 18 week plan i'm going to follow for Cork.

But i am very happy as i only stated running on the roads about 7 weeks ago.

5KM

31 MIN
29.50 MIN
28.30 MIN
26.57 MIN
25.55 MIN

7.5KM

44.00 MIN


10KM

64 min

Excaptain

elvis jones wrote: »

With Christmas comingup and it being a busy time for djs i only got one run in last week before the Aware run.

So its was another 5Km and i knocked more time off and you'll see below it came along well.

I did the Awake 10km ( actually 9km ) on Saturday and still waiting on my chip time but i believe it was about 53.30 ???

I was happy with it and glad of the bit of hill work i did in the last few weeks before it.

I'm going to do the Raheny 8KM at the end of Jan and i'd like to do that in sub 48 min.

I'll get out for two 5KM this week and i'll do 8 KM on sat.

Looking forward to a week off at Christmas and i'll do a bit more to get the fitness up to a level that i can train properly come mid Jan and the 18 week plan i'm going to follow for Cork.

But i am very happy as i only stated running on the roads about 7 weeks ago.

5KM

31 MIN
29.50 MIN
28.30 MIN
26.57 MIN
25.55 MIN

7.5KM

44.00 MIN


10KM

64 min

Fair play Elvis. They are pretty good times. I'm in the same boat too, looking to run the Dublin CM next October. It's difficult getting motivation to get out sometimes. The best of luck to you.

Nigel

elvis jones

Thanks Nigel,

Once i was able to run specific times my motivation is to do that distance a little faster each time.

Then once a week to run a little further.

I've always wanted to do a marathon and i'll be 33 when i do it ( fingers crossed ). It also has the added benefit of getting my weight down as it needed to come down a lot.

Excaptain

elvis jones wrote: »

Thanks Nigel,

Once i was able to run specific times my motivation is to do that distance a little faster each time.

Then once a week to run a little further.

I've always wanted to do a marathon and i'll be 33 when i do it ( fingers crossed ). It also has the added benefit of getting my weight down as it needed to come down a lot.

My motivation is just to keep going and not fall down!
Ah no, I'm not that bad. If I could just keep getting out I would be grand. Since I started, about a year ago, I lost over a stone. That in itself I'm happy with.
Likewise on the age. I'll be 33 next year also. Barring injury I'll be there in Oct

elvis jones

I'm aiming for Cork as per the thread, if i make it through that alive i'll look at the next one.......Longford is in my head !!

Excaptain

elvis jones wrote: »

I'm aiming for Cork as per the thread, if i make it through that alive i'll look at the next one.......Longford is in my head !!

Yeah of course, Cork. I just meant our respective marathons. Yeah I'll see how training and DCM goes before committing to another! I think a few shorter races are called for before next Oct.

elvis jones

Excaptain wrote: »

Yeah of course, Cork. I just meant our respective marathons. Yeah I'll see how training and DCM goes before committing to another! I think a few shorter races are called for before next Oct.

Yeah i've lined up a few i saw on runireland

elvis jones

When Christmas is over and i got some running in.

My pace is currently at about 9.42 a mile without a good diet over the last while and a drinkie most nights.

Well Jan is here and i have 10 miles under my belt so far and another 17 played for this week so things are ok even with the weather.

My proper marathon build up begins at the end of Jan so just getting in base miles for the next few weeks.

I got a lovely Polar RS400 for Christmas so thats helping me to keep an eye on my miles and distances ran.

Starting swimming lessons next week for another cardio option to save the legs and cycling to the train station and back for work ( 2 miles a day ) so its all helping.

I'm very positive for 2010 and i just hope i can stay injury free and get this lifetime goal of a marathon under my belt and along the way shed the weight i've been carrying for years.

useurename

what is a polar s400.best of luck with the training and the weight loss.am aiming for the longford marathon in august with the aim of losing weight myself.happy running

elvis jones

Hi Username,

That should be Polar RS400 http://www.polarusa.com/us-en/products/maximize_performance/running_multisport/RS400/

If i can make it to and past Cork i'd love to do Longford. Its where i'm from and doing that marathon would bring a big smile to my face !!

Keep up the work ( hard in this weather )

Oh and now i have a bloody cold or flu or something and am taking two days off to get back to myself !!

elvis jones

Well nothing since the weekend, i have a lovely chest infection and am on tablets. I just want to look after myself and get rid of it so i can get back to training with it gone, planning on a run on the threadmill on monday.....we'll see !

elvis jones

Got out 4 times this week when coming off tablets.

A total of 17.25 miles with 6.75 today as my long run.

Only starting off and very happy with that as my 18 week program doesn't start for antother 3 weeks.

I'm going to increase that again this week to 21 or 22 miles and go from there.

Looking at a long run of about 8 miles next sat and out tues, wen and thurs.

elvis jones

Got out last night for my first of 4 runs this week.

The schedule of this week is

Tues 3 miles
Wen 5 Miles
Thurs 3 miles

Sat 8 miles

Well Tuesday is over and 3M went well in a time of 27.56, for me thats a good time and i was happy with it.

If i can do the 5 miles tonight in less that 50 mins i will be very happy.

I'm eating better and getting more water into me as well.

Its my wedding anniv this weekend so its 8 miles on sat ( longest i've ever run ) and then off to a hotel for the night and a nice dinner.........maybe even a few pints:D

elvis jones

Another week over and it went very well

Tues 3
Wen 4 ( meant to be 5 but felt awful )
Thurs 3
Sat 8.3

The long run was so much easier than the week before and no pain afterwards. My chest held up and i finished with a big smile on my face. My pace for the long run was 9.42 which is roughly what i'm looking for to get it done in about 4.5 hrs !!

So this week i increase slightly again

Mon 3
Wen 5
Thurs 3
Sat 10

My legs are much better this monday, i did a lot the week before last after not having done 10 miles a week for over a month and my legs felt in on the monday morning.

My diet is ok over all but its my wedding anniv today and we went away on sat night so a big 3 course dinner and full irish yesterday morning !!!

Anyways roll on this evening and the start of another week closer to Cork !!

elvis jones

lazy lazy week.

Only got out 3 times this week.

Thursday was a gentle 3 miles with my wife.

Friday was 1.5 miles as fast as i could do it just to really push myself and my legs really felt it.

Yesterday i got out and did 9.1 gentle miles and felt great. Longest run yet.

Off to Lanzarote on wen afternoon so i'll get out tomo evening for 3 and Wen morning for 5.

Then i'll try some nice warm weather training.

Cork is 18 weeks away today and proper training starts now following my 18 week schedule.

elvis jones

Well back from Lanzarote and got some rest and some running in.

Now that we are in actual training time i've started eating ultra until June 7 and the booze is out the window as well.

over the last week its been

7 at pace

3 at pace

3 slow ( followed by 1.5 as fast as i could )

9 yesterday at about 45 sec below pace, i felt great after it. Chest was perfect but legs were heavy. Although i could have done more if needed.

This week is

3 recovery
5 pace
3 almost pace
6 45 sec below pace

Its a low mileage week before it goes up next week with my longest run yet of 11.

So far i'm feeling good and just have to work on my diet and getting the water into me.

Any feedback is always welcome.

RedB

Good man Elvis, great to see you making such fantastic progress. Well done.

I'm not sure if its appropriate to your plan but I try to run at different paces in different sessions. I do a Tues eve track session where its multiple short fast runs, Saturday LSR (Long slow run) where its below pace and I'm just getting used to spending longer time running and then 1-2 'normal' runs where its PMP (planned marathon pace). On the LSR I pick up water+gel if its going to be longer than 90mins. Depending on the distance that could be at the 6 or 9 mile mark. I do the track session with a club and the LSR with a buddy usually as its a help with the motivation. I try to eat as soon as possible after a session and get enough water/sleep the rest of the time.

Hope this helps.

elvis jones

Well that was a long gap !!!

I've had to deal with 2 chest infections and a lower injury that kept me out for a total of 6 weeks so far this yeat. But i've still managed to clock up 180 miles on the road.

I've bought a bike and am getting some cross work in with it.

My weight has dropped slightly but i am still floating around 16 stone BUT i am losing inches. I have a wedding on thursday and took out my suit yesterday, the trousers just fell off me ( closed ) and i am drowning in the jacket. I guess i'm increasing muscle mass, just proves the scales ain't always right.

Anyway with dealing with bad shin splints and the lower leg injury was a suspected stress frauture after an 11 mile run. So i went to see someone and am getting orthotics which i hope will help me.

So Cork is now gone, i am not going to focus on Longford on Aug 29 and see how that goes.

Back training about 3 weeks and building the mileage up slowly.

I've been doing about 20 each week but only 17 last week as i wanted to to do a speed session on Saturday to see could i do a PB over 5km.

Well i did and i cut it from 25.55 to 24.17 which i was very happy with.

I've upped my normal mileage from 3 to 4 miles on most days and my pace has increased. For the 1st time i actually can see my fitness improving and am really enjoying it.

To add also, i've stopped using my ipod while running to build to a normal race sitution.

Any feedback would be great.

Here is this weeks training plan.

Mon 4m run, 20k cycle
Tues 4m run, 20k cycle
Wen 6 mile run
Thurs
Fri 9 mile run
Sat
Sun 50k cycle

RedB

Looks like you're doing very well, all things considered.
Are you working to a particular training plan now for Longford?
Maybe try introduce some speed workand/or join a club or get a training partner?
If you can schedule in a race or two (10ks/HM) in between now and then, it'd be good to have stepping stones.

elvis jones

RedB wrote: »

Looks like you're doing very well, all things considered.
Are you working to a particular training plan now for Longford?
Maybe try introduce some speed workand/or join a club or get a training partner?
If you can schedule in a race or two (10ks/HM) in between now and then, it'd be good to have stepping stones.

Thanks red.

I'm going to do a half marathon on July 4.

Can't find a 10k that suits with work etc.

I was using hal higdon novice but might move up a step as i've got past a lot of the 3M midweek runs so i might use it as a guide and work from there.

I do try to push one session a week with speed ( normally about 4 miles ) and 1 min ahead of my projected marathon pace.

I like the training alone ( clears the head ) but i will be joining a tri club when i get Longford out of the way.

The bike is really helping to save the old joints and helps my fitness levels as well.