Winter update

goofygirl

So this isn't the start of a training log so much as a general update, but thought I'd put it in here instead of the main forum because this is where I used to hang out in Amadeus' DCM novice thread.

Anyway! Ran the DCM, my first marathon, this year in 4:19:42 which I was absolutely delighted with. Living in Canada at the moment, was meant to be coming home this month but this has been pushed back until the springtime. Just left the city and moved back to the mountains to spend the winter as an unfettered ski-bum.

Where I'm living is incredibly hilly and also on the chilly side: it's minus 12 today and has been minus 15 the past couple of days. Everytime I step outside the door it becomes a hill training session. Also the streets are icy and snowy but I've bought of pair of these traction things to go over shoes so that's not so bad.

Not sure how much running I'm going to get in over the winter: ski-hill opens this weekend so I'll be skiing or snowboarding every day. However, lift-accessed skiing doesn't actually do much for aerobic fitness. You need to do something on top of that like going to gym, cross-country skiing, swimming etc.

So I'm looking upon this winter as more "damage limitation" than anything else! Not running with the Garmin, when it's this cold I'm considering getting into my running tights and out the door a victory in itself! Was going to do the Conn full but might have to drop down to the half because in these conditions I'm not sure how or where I'd get the long runs in. Also because skiing will be taking priority

Just thought I'd say hey to the other Amadeus Allstars and see how everyone is getting on?

rainbow kirby

Nice to hear from ya, being a ski bum sounds fun!

I'm currently using exam stress as an excuse to run MORE miles... :pac:

xebec

So the decision has been made? Enjoy your ski-bumming and we'll expect to see a bit more of you around Dublin races next year...

BTW, been reading your blog, great stuff

Sub430

Hi goofygirl,

currently weighing up my options, even though I said that I was done with marathons, some crazy part of me wants to do another one. How quickly you forget! I have heard Limerick in the Spring is only beautiful

goofygirl

RK - I've been reading your log your times are great at the moment. Well done!

Xebec - why thank you Didn't know if anyone bothered reading the blog. Will update it again today or tomorrow.

Sub 430 - I know! It's an addiction isn't it! I'd love to do a springtime one but like I said I just don't know how feasible it is to train over winter here.

menoscemo

HEY GG I am going grand, training regualrly but not as intensely as for Dublin. I have completely changed my mind and decided to definately run another marathon. Probably Dublin again next year.

goofygirl

A note: I would not recommend going from marathon training into ski-boots without a CONSIDERABLE amount of stretching in between. Youch!

goofygirl

Right well I'm now up to three black toenails (one from the DCM, two from ski-boots), lots of bruises and general ski-season wear and tear. I now feel guilty everytime I visit this site and see how consistent everyone has been in maintaining their mileage. I've abandoned any notion of running outside and am doing a few dreadmill sessions a week (30mins at 9min/miles) and that's the height of my running activity. Skiing and snowboarding most days but that's not really aerobic exercise unless you're hiking or going through deep powder or something.

Back home in a month or two though and let the training recommence! Going to do the Conn half, with no time targets or anything, just to finish and enjoy the day.

goofygirl

So....there's been powder day upon powder day here and running has completely fallen by the wayside. Even marathon running isn't adequate preparation for the quads you need for endless powder turns, apparently. Had to take a day off skiing today because my legs are about to explode.

This weekend, however, there's a 5 person relay race on in town: downhill skiing, biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and running. We're trying to put a team together - plenty of volunteers for the downhill section but only myself for the running:) Should be fun. It's pretty icy out there though so the yak traks will be coming in handy and we need to find someone with studded tyres for the biking leg!

(Oh yeah have been blogging about the winter but don't want this to seem like self-promotion so if anyone wants the link just let me know!)

earnyourturns

I'm back!

Different username because when Boards crashed I realised that I must have opened the Goofygirl account with a long defunct email address.

Anyway, I arrived back in Ireland yesterday after a great winter of snowsports Running fell a little bit by the wayside but I got into ski-touring instead which is basically where you slog up mountains on your skis then ski down. Holy moley, is it hard work. Good cross training though. I should attach a picture of me on top of a mountain we'd climbed up wearing my Dublin Marathon finishers t-shirt.

Doing the Connemarathon Half in April but no lofty time goals, just want to enjoy the day. Moving out to NZ towards the end of April to do my PhD so I'll be there for the next three years for plenty more running and outdoor adventures. I'd love to do the Dublin Marathon this year but won't be able to afford the flight home so I'm looking at the Dunedin or Auckland Marathon instead.

First run at home today: 6 miles in about 58 mins. I might have kept the endurance over the winter but any semblance of speed has disappeared!

misty floyd

I'm dead jealous of your life, that sounds great. Best of luck with training for Connemara.

xebec

Welcome back to Eire! Have really enjoyed reading your blog over the last few months, some of the stories from the Kootenay's (sp?) have been hilarious!

Best of luck with training for Connemara

earnyourturns

Thanks guys! Yeah this isn't intended to be a plug but I've written a book all about my adventures skiing and snowboarding and running - including training for the DCM - and it's going to published next January. Hooray!

earnyourturns

Still groggy and insensible with jetlag. Go to bed at 9pm, wake up at 2am, read trashy novels and eat Dairy Milk till 5am, fall back asleep till noon.

4.67 miles in 43:18. Nice not to have to layer up as much as I did in the mountains! Also, where's the ice and snow underfoot?

Right, time to get back into my pyjamas for some more sleep I think.

earnyourturns

Oh yeah - does anyone have any suggestions about any sort of training plan to follow between now and the Connemarathon? Like I said before, no time goal for this one. (Well, I say that, but I mean I bloody better get around in 2hrs 15 or less. Slowest half to date is 2hrs 9.) My second last weekend in Ireland for a very long time so want to enjoy the scenery, soak up the Wesht etc.

Sub430

earnyourturns wrote: »

Thanks guys! Yeah this isn't intended to be a plug but I've written a book all about my adventures skiing and snowboarding and running - including training for the DCM - and it's going to published next January. Hooray!

Welcome back GG...more importantly do The Allstars get a mention?

rainbow kirby

earnyourturns wrote: »

Oh yeah - does anyone have any suggestions about any sort of training plan to follow between now and the Connemarathon? Like I said before, no time goal for this one. (Well, I say that, but I mean I bloody better get around in 2hrs 15 or less. Slowest half to date is 2hrs 9.) My second last weekend in Ireland for a very long time so want to enjoy the scenery, soak up the Wesht etc.

Depending where your current mileage is at, you could probably try hopping into the middle of the 1:50+ Runner's World UK program.

I'm a bit jealous, would love to be doing Conn but it's a bit expensive for a half! :eek:

earnyourturns

RK: yeah I registered for it way before Xmas when I was still in a nicely-paying job...I did it two years ago though and it was such a good experience.

Six VERY hilly and muddy miles in 59:45. I'm embarrassed posting these times after how speedy everyone around here has become over the winter! Oh well, skiing is the bomb-diggity, I needed the insulation against the cold and it's a well recognised phenomenon that skiers and snowboarders have distinct summer and winter weights

racheljev

Welcome back GG (sorry, EYT just doesn't sound the same). Looking forward to the book, congratulations!

earnyourturns

A friend's sister from New Zealand is visiting and today has been earmarked as the city centre tourist attraction day.

So! Took a leaf from Racheljev's book and got up at ridiciulous o'clock this morning before hitting the tourist trail. 5 miles in 48:50. Let my times be warning to us all not to take the winter off running - minus sporadic dreadmill sessions - then expect to maintain any semblance of speed.

racheljev

earnyourturns wrote: »

So! Took a leaf from Racheljev's book and got up at ridiciulous o'clock this morning before hitting the tourist trail. 5 miles in 48:50.

Ah you see, bet you feel all fresh and lively and ready to hit the day (and you'll be unconscious by 9.30 p.m.......)

earnyourturns

9 miles in 1:31:18 which felt a lot more gruelling than it should have. Forgot to bring any water with me though...

earnyourturns

4.94 miles in 46:50.

You know those days where the air feels crisp, your feet feel light and it's feel like a joy to be alive and out running?

Haven't had one of those in a while.

Felt heavy and lumpen again today. Also have been feeling really queasy after my runs. I was used to that after the long runs training for the DCM - the thought of eating after 16+ miles was about as appetising a prospect as stuffing an old sports-sock into my mouth. I'm not used to it over the shorter distances though.

I'm also going back to living the 9 to 5 dream next Monday for 5 weeks before taking off for New Zealand. Reckon I'll continue to take inspiration from racheljev to do my weekday runs first thing rather than after I've faced the commuter slog home.

earnyourturns

My God you're some active bunch on this board. Had to rummage around through three pages of threads to find this one which was only updated 24 hours ago!

3 short sweet miles in 26:28.

Oh yeah - another thought. Between snowboarding, ski-touring and running I've realised that I now look quite terrifying in a dress or skirt. I don't have toned legs so much as bulging quads and bunched up calves. Hmmm.

earnyourturns

Ah, that's more like it.

Friday: 5.02 miles in 46:37
Saturday: 10.33 miles in 1:47:37 (taking it nice and handy)

Legs have finally accepted that it's running rather than skiing for the next while. Is there something in the air though that everyone is crazing sweetness and carbs? Last night alone I baked two loaves of cinnamon-raisin bread, a tray of peanut butter-chocolate chip squares and a New York Cheesecake. Then this afternoon I made caramel sauce and mixed berry coulis to go with the aforementioned cheesecake.

It's a good thing I like running so much...

earnyourturns

Happy *that* day everyone!

So this week I started back at my old job for a few weeks to earn some moolah before taking off again. It's about a 40 min train ride into de city from where my parents live (and where I'm staying at the moment) so I know from experience that after getting home in the evening there's scant chance of me dragging myself out the door again.

So! Up at 6am it's been instead. I'm very much a morning person, annoyingly so in fact because I'm happy to launch into animated conversations dissecting Ireland's cultural condition, the economy or any other topic you might suggest when everyone else is still growling over their coffee. My legs, however, do NOT feel the same way and I run sloooooooooowly first thing in the morning.

Monday: 4.68 miles in 45:19
Tuesday: 4.70 miles in 45:46 (I know, I know)
Wednesday: no work, a lie-on then left the watch at home and about 5.5 hilly miles in an undetermined time. Need to get the hills in ahead of the Connemarathon Half!

Also trying to suss out a Southern Hemisphere marathon for their spring (our autumn), ie; Sept/Oct. Any suggestions anyone? I'm thinking maybe just do the Dunedin one because I'll be living there and I'll be a skint student so that avoids any travel costs.

Similarly, at some point over the next three years (not next year though, just too soon) I'm looking at www.challenge-wanaka.com. Hmmm.

earnyourturns

In the meantime, however, trying to ignore the clicking, swelling and pain in my right knee. Tore my meniscus 9 years ago break-dancing (no, really) so it feels all too familiar...Oh well, skiing and marathon running, it was only a matter of time.

racheljev

Ah the morning run, doncha just love them? Fair play GG, it gets easier in the mornings, honest!

earnyourturns

Boooo for knees I'm still sort of in denial about how sore mine is, hoping that if I take a day or two off running it will just sort itself out....Went for a swim before work this morning instead so.

It's horrible though it feels all swollen and hot. God bless ice and ibuprofen.

Oh well, it's only inevitable I suppose. My only injury training for the DCM was one blister on my toe and I skied HARD this winter as well.

littlebug

Oh no not you too EYT I hope a few days rest will sort it and you'll be back in action for Connemara.

Blueskye

earnyourturns wrote: »

In the meantime, however, trying to ignore the clicking, swelling and pain in my right knee. Tore my meniscus 9 years ago break-dancing (no, really) so it feels all too familiar...Oh well, skiing and marathon running, it was only a matter of time.

Ooh mind your knee, I had a painful session with the physio this morning as I have a knee problem. Might be worth getting it checked out...

earnyourturns

I know, I'm still sort of in denial about it and hoping the power of ibuprofen and RICE will work their charms. Not going to run tomorrow, going to go for a swim instead.

I've been stricken by the Curse of Connemarathon 2010 though! Honestly, the winner this year of the half-marathon is probably going to hobble past the post at the 2hr 30 point but they'll still be the fastest person out there on the day given the bunch of crocks we all are at the moment! I have this image of a host of ailing invalids propped up on sticks all trying to limp around Leenane.

Blueskye

Great image I can't see myself there to be honest. Barely ran 2 miles today. The thought of a hilly 13 is near impossible at the moment.

earnyourturns

Well whatever was the matter with the knee seemed to have settled down in a day or two. I wouldn't say it's 100% now, more like 98%. Very odd altogether.

Didn't update this log for a while though because I'm now firmly in the early-morning runner camp and when I get back from my run I just have time to have breakfast and a shower then get on the train to work. My God this commuter belt thing sucks. Oh well only three more weeks!

Saturday after a leisurely lie-on and PB and banana on toast: 10.36 miles in 1:44:58
Monday wet and early: 4.7 miles in 45:23
Tuesday up and at it again: 4.7 miles in 44:29
Thursday. Once more with feeling!: 4.72 miles in 43:35

Also going swimming a bit as well.

earnyourturns

Well it seems to have been the weekend for LSRs! Went out for 12.79 miles yesterday in 2:11:48 including three VERY hilly hills. Felt a bit ugh at the start - possibly a bit too soon after breakfast - but improved as the run went on. I found a bottle of Club Energise Sport in a cupboard in my parents' kitchen, possibly race swag from the DCM last October and used that for fuel.

A group of us went over to a friend's house last night then for wine and dips and girly chat. We'd been planning on getting take-away then some of the girls didn't want to because they said they'd been picking all day. I hadn't had dinner yet so made it clear that I really, really needed to eat. So we got take-away after all

littlebug

Nice run there EYT . What time are you aiming for in Connemara? You've gone sub 2 before haven't you?

Bally8

Glad to hear your knee is much better goofygirl, some great running from you recently

earnyourturns

Aww thanks ladies! Actually I feel like I haven't got my mojo back at all this spring yet - still trying to catch up to where I was at last autumn. I really miss not training with a club at the moment as well (used to train with Calgary Road Runners every Tuesday when I was across the pond) but there's hardly any point trying to find a Dublin club when I'm out of here again in a few weeks.

Littlebug - yup, I ran 1:57:59 last summer but I haven't got a hope in HELL of getting under 2 hours in Connemara! Anything under 2 hrs 5 mins I'd be satisfied with but really I'm just looking forward to it cause it's such a beautiful course.

earnyourturns

Remind me again what motivates a seemingly sane person to voluntarily get out of bed at 6am on a Monday morning when it's pitch black and lashing rain?

Garmin was taking too long to pick up a reception so left it home and belted out the usual 4.7 mile lap around the town. I'd gone through my old CDs the other day and uploaded a terrible, terrible, so-bad-it's-great trance CD from about 10 years ago (Gatecrasher National Anthems) onto my iPod. It dates from the days when if I was awake at 6am it was far more likely to be because I was still wide-eyed and clench-jawed from the night before than because I was up for a brisk pre-breakfast jog. Nonetheless, though I've traded glowsticks and Vicks Vaporub for lyrca and wicking gear, it still did the job on keeping going

Then a big bowl of porridge and now off to work!

earnyourturns

Tuesday morning, no rest for the wicked so up and out for the morning shuffle. 4.69 miles in 43:46. Can't remember absolutely anything about it of note though.

Wednesday morning, once again sprung from my bed at 6am but this time went for a swim before work. Maybe it was the fact that it was a chilly and miserable morning, maybe everyone was off on their Easter holliers already but the pool was blessedly quieter than normal and I even had a lane to myself. Yay! I love swimming. I'm sure at some point in the not-too-distant future I'll do a triathlon but the only thing putting me off is the cycling. Don't get me wrong - I love being able to get from place to place on my bike but I'm not sure I'm into the speedy side of it.

Thursday morning, simply wasn't able to drag myself up at 6am, hit the snooze button and got an extra hour's sleep instead. So ran when I got home from work instead, 4.73 miles in 42.13 mines. Got a bit of a surprise when I checked the pace! I'm a bit daunted by the whole moving-to-NZ-starting-a-PhD thing so I think the run must have been fuelled by stress. Well, that and a blackcurrant-oat square.

earnyourturns

Oh yeah what's with this love-heart match-making thing? Boards keeps trying to pair me off with all the ART ladies - evidently it must know something about my sexuality that I don't!!

littlebug

earnyourturns wrote: »

Oh yeah what's with this love-heart match-making thing? Boards keeps trying to pair me off with all the ART ladies - evidently it must know something about my sexuality that I don't!!

Don't panic It's boards effort at an april fools day thing :rolleyes: I think it's based on either people who have thanked you recently or that you have thanked... or thanked you most. Boards.ie doesn't have any insight into your subconscious desires really :D

Read the thread on the main page..."now ye're lovin" or something like that.

rainbow kirby

earnyourturns wrote: »

Oh yeah what's with this love-heart match-making thing? Boards keeps trying to pair me off with all the ART ladies - evidently it must know something about my sexuality that I don't!!

How you doin' :pac:

earnyourturns

Friday: day off work. Hooray! Went down to Glendalough with one of my friends and we went for a big hike up and down and around. Weather was awful but I've spent four of past five winters as a ski-bum in Canada and she just got back from a month in the Antarctic so between us we were well equipped for the elements. Rain-trousers, anoraks, gaiters: we had all the bases covered. Then a nice sangwich and a flask of soup afterwards.

Saturday: 12.83 hilly, hilly miles in 2:14:58. Man I'm really not going to be pulling anything spectacular out of the bag next week in Connemara. Might even be going for a Personal Worst. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the run this morning, managed to get out and home before the hailstones started. Fuelled midway by a chocolate flavour Clif Bar Shot.

earnyourturns

Monday: two hilly, muddy laps of a local parkland. Didn't bring the watch with me, about 5.5 miles I think

Tuesday: holy moley was it windy out there. Running along the seafront could have doubled as resistance training - I felt like I was being blown backwards. 4.69 miles in 45:42.

Wednesday: how about a swim? Why not!

Thursday: I don't know if I'd say I was passionate about running but getting up at 6am again this morning definitely aroused some sort of strong emotion. The final run before heading off to the Wesht for the Connemarathon Half, a perfunctory 3 miles in 27:02.

I'm really not too optimistic about how this weekend will go. I feel like I'm running slooooowly at the moment and my knee still isn't quite 100%. There's no pain but whenever it goes from bent to straight it makes this ungodly crunching and clicking sound. I really should go to a physio next week....

racheljev

Good luck missus, hope you run well and your knee stops making those ominous noises...

earnyourturns

There are hot runs. Then there are hilly runs. Then there are hot, hilly runs. Then there was the Connemarathon 2010.

My God.

Ran in 2:05:35 which is alright for me but not stellar (PB is 1;57;59). However, given how warm it was out there I can sleep happy tonight (having driven back across the country this afternoon) knowing that I gave it everything.

More details to follorw.

littlebug

Ah so you were there! That's great running considering the conditions.

Well done

your report is slightly shorter than mine

racheljev

Fair play GG, glad to hear it went well. Did the noisy knee quieten down a bit?

earnyourturns

Well...no...the knee is still rightly fecked! Really must go and see someone about it this week.

Littlebug: I'll be writing a looong report tomorrow but right now I'm frazzled. Drove from Dublin to Galway yesterday, did the half this morning, then drove back from Galway this afternoon, Dublin Bus driver pulled out ahead of me so I couldn't get onto the M50 so I had to go on a magical mystery tour around Chapelizod, the Phoenix Park, the North Circular Road and the Navan Road to finally get home. AND I'm back to work tomorrow morning aargh!!

earnyourturns

Still too tired to write proper race report ugh. This morning, however, I did not get up at 6am to go running and it was delightful. For lunch I had sushi and chocolate mousse and those too were delightful. Tomorrow morning I will once again not be running and staying in bed until 7am. Wednesday it will be business as usual. Trying to decide whether to do the Dunedin or Auckland Marathon in the autumn (well, Northern Hemisphere autumn, it'll be spring down there.) I'm tending towards Dunedin. www.moromarathon.co.nz. By any slim chance has anyone on here ever run that?

Also please reassure me that other people found the heat as draining yesterday in Connemarathon as I did and that I shouldn't be too hard on myself for "only" running in 2 hrs 5. I have never been so close in my life to stopping in the middle of a race and sitting down on the sit of the road as I did half-way up the Hell of the West. Definite case of mind-over-body to get through miles 9 to 11.