Running mad in 2010

Slogger Jogger

Was tempted to hang on and meet up with BB67 for a run, but decided to avoid the wait and head straight home. Did the exact same run on the local trail as last week. 6 hill repeats... straight up, straight down, turn around and same again.. 6 times. No stops. Running steady. Started to feel tired from 3 onwards but battled on. Last week it was raining and a bit muddy underfoot. This evening it was cool and drier underfoot. Wasn't aware that I was pushing it but the avg pace was looking better I thought from last week. Finished with an avg pace of 4:38 per kilometre whereas last week it was 4:53 with the exact same 357m of climb. Pretty tired finishing off but very happy with the improvement (wish I knew where that came from).

Krusty_Clown

Another solid session. Glad I wont be lining up beside you in the hills for a while. Are you suffering from IMRA withdrawal yet?

Slogger Jogger

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Another solid session. Glad I wont be lining up beside you in the hills for a while. Are you suffering from IMRA withdrawal yet?

Season has sort of run its course anyway. Next highlight (recommended!) is Powerscourt Ridge towards the end of the year. Mind you I wouldn't fancy my chances against you the way you are running

Krusty_Clown

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Season has sort of run its course anyway. Next highlight (recommended!) is Powerscourt Ridge towards the end of the year. Mind you I wouldn't fancy my chances against you the way you are running

Do you think it's a coincidence that I only compete in the flattest races in the world?!

RacoonQueen

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Do you think it's a coincidence that I only compete in the flattest races in the world?!

At your age you're going to have to start looking for some downhill ones! :pac:

Slogger Jogger

Rested yesterday.

Today, 30.91k, 4:47 pace, 287m of climb.
Lovely morning heading out. Out backroads to the bridge over the River Ow at Aughavannagh and up the trail here. Turning around having ran 14k. Ran back the same way. Weather changed and rain came, but it was welcome. Pace was steady and it felt comfortable. Got back to Annacurra and did a couple of loops of the forest trail on tiring legs to bring me over 30k. Home just as the coffee was brewing. Happy days.

Got a txt from the mate Ian who had just run 1:17:xx in the HM in the park :eek: And to think I used to be able to run faster than him

Slogger Jogger

It was great to read all the accounts of the half marathon yesterday.. between the pacing stories and other tales of PBs etc.

Body was tired and sore this morning but I was determined to get out and do something even with the rain pouring down. Got into the running early and the pace was reasonable. A few hills around the loop I ran and offroad sections slowed me down but no harm. A bitch of a hill up around Macreddin had me focusing on the next few steps each time but battled through it. The downhill after that was steep but couldn't run it fast as the quads were aching. Still, happy to be able to pick the pace up after that and finished in good knick.

21.66k, 5:04 pace, 307m climb.

Total for week: 97.6k (60.6 miles).

Slogger Jogger

Run 1: Around Foxrock early this morning. Very pleasant conditions. Body very much in recovery mode. Pace was ponderous to start with but got going towards the end. 8.3k, 4:48 min/k pace.

Run 2: Back home this evening. Headed out to Aughrim and back with an excursion into the local playing fields for 2 laps. A bit like this morning. Took a while to get going but loosened up in the end. Just the tonic to start the week. 7.16k, 4:50 pace

Total for day: 15.47. Total Miles YTD is 1975. Nearly at the 2K mark.

Slogger Jogger

Just as well I ran twice yesterday as today became a no run (no fun) day. Between feeling a tiny niggle and being on carer duty this evening it was a case of taking it easy. Better a rest than pushing the body sometimes.

Slogger Jogger

Caught up on yesterday by doing 15k split between 2 runs. 10k at lunchtime with 2 colleagues which flew by as we were chatting away. An easy 4:39 pace. This evening eased out another 5k, the 1st 2 of which were very slow as I trotted along with my 10 year old along the forest trails.

Slogger Jogger

Family stuff took over yesterday so no run.

That worked out well for today as I felt fresh heading out and got my LSR in before the weekend for a change. Ran this:-
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/50292193

Same run as I ran in recent weeks with donothoponpop, with an added 2.5k today. Conditions were tough at times with a brutal head wind which often coincided with the hillier bits. Still, very happy with the session. The loop itself gives some spectacular views of the countryside of Wicklow and Wexford which helps pass the time. Was particularly happy with the last section when I was able to pick up the speed for reasonably consistent splits.

Total: 33.5k, 4:56 min/k, 450m climb

I see there too, that my mile counter for the year reads: 2,005.52

donothoponpop

Nice run, kept at a sensible pace too. Great to have it out of the way (I have three tough training runs over the weekend to look forward to!).

What's the training plan from here on in?

Slogger Jogger

donothoponpop wrote: »

Nice run, kept at a sensible pace too. Great to have it out of the way (I have three tough training runs over the weekend to look forward to!).

What's the training plan from here on in?

3! Go easy.. You've done the hard work at this stage.

Nearly time to ease off. Last big LSR next weekend. Then its time to start stockpiling food

Slogger Jogger

Yesterday's training consisted of standing on top of Croaghanmoira for much of the day marshalling runners in the Glenmalure Adventure Race. Fabulous day for it. Cold standing around though. Part of me was happy not to be taking part (a lot of people were suffering). But part of me secretly wished I could run the hill. Whatever about the cycling bits

Today, got out before breakfast with the dog and headed up the trails for an honest to goodness hilly trail run. Something I've missed in recent weeks. Really enjoyed this, except for the running through the stingy gorse bits. Ran pretty strongly on the hills. Again a benefit of not running yesterday.
18.26k, 5:08 pace, 500m climb.

donothoponpop

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Today, got out before breakfast with the dog and headed up the trails for an honest to goodness hilly trail run. Something I've missed in recent weeks. Really enjoyed this, except for the running through the stingy gorse bits. Ran pretty strongly on the hills. Again a benefit of not running yesterday.
18.26k, 5:08 pace, 500m climb.

That's something I've missed lately as well. After all this marathon malarky is done and dusted, I'm looking forward to hitting the hills again, far nicer doing that than eyeballing a garmin for pace every ten strides on a flat road. Will get out with you during the taper.

Want to try and narrow the M40 gap in imra next year:D although you'll probably just up your game again;)

Slogger Jogger

Followed up yesterday morning's hill run with an afternoon's cycle around some of the WAR route. 28.4k, with 317m of hard earned climb. Nice downhills though and some reward along the way stopping off in Brooklodge for coffee and apple pie.

2 runs today. Lunchtime, started slowly and got progressively faster. 8.57k in 4:25 pace. Evening, trail run, 6.6k. Nice and easy. 4.47 pace. Total for day: Just over 15k. A good start to the week.

Slogger Jogger

Tuesday: No run. No time, but a good rest is not wasted.

Wednesday: Cinder track in Arklow was the venue for hooking up with d'pop. 3 x 3 miles was his idea. At half marathon pace. Whose pace though? If you ran at your last half marathon pace that could be slower than you could run if you ran one tomorrow :rolleyes:

The setting was perfect. Setting sun. Calm evening. Cool, but no wind to speak of. 3 x 12.5 laps of the track or thereabouts.

D'pop obviously had very fast half marathon ambitions as he hared out on the first interval set. I stayed in his wake, yelling avg pace splits on each 400 loop. Deliberately slowed as the set went on. Pace for first set 3:51 / km.

A further discussion about pace took place while we did a walk recovery. I was elected to lead out the next set. 6 laps of leading or so my friend got impatient and like the duracel bunny started to stretch out a lead. I was happy to keep the steady pace. Pace for second set 3:53 / km.

Another discussion about pace. Yeah, yeah.. 3:55 is what we should aim for... we're going to fast.. yeah, you lead again. So I led again and kept it steady. Pace felt comfortable. Half way through I could hear the impatience gathering behind me but hung in there and the pace lifted, imperceptibly each lap til the end. Led til the last lap. The 'bell' range and my 400m runner friend took off past me for a strong finish. I was content to run steady til the end. Last set, 3:53 / km

At some point during the 3rd set of intervals I was in the 'zone'. Probably experiencing the runner's high. Felt brilliant. A great session and great to have company. Brilliant to do something like this instead of something ordinary. Thanks dpop. You're flying.

15k, avg pace 3:52. dpop - take a sec or 2 off that for each of your finish leads

donothoponpop

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

At some point during the 3rd set of intervals I was in the 'zone'. Probably experiencing the runner's high. Felt brilliant. A great session and great to have company. Brilliant to do something like this instead of something ordinary. Thanks dpop. You're flying.

15k, avg pace 3:52. dpop - take a sec or 2 off that for each of your finish leads

You're flying yourself! Great run all right, and I know what you mean about the runners high. I'm still stoked about it, if you could bottle that feeling... Brilliant fun tonight.:D

Krusty_Clown

Lol. Thanks for the cracking race report SJ! Sneaky of D'pope not letting you know it was a race.

donothoponpop

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Lol. Thanks for the cracking race report SJ! Sneaky of D'pope not letting you know it was a race.

It was three races. Three! I'm sure I mentioned it to SJ beforehand...;)

Krusty_Clown

donothoponpop wrote: »

It was three races. Three! I'm sure I mentioned it to SJ beforehand...;)

So, which was better, winning the race or getting the PB?

Slogger Jogger

donothoponpop wrote: »

It was three races. Three! I'm sure I mentioned it to SJ beforehand...;)

I must have missed that bit. I'm thinking long term Anyways, I probably realise I can't outkick you so I'd have to work up the pace earlier to try establish a lead. Either that or do wickedly inconsistent paced laps to throw off your metronome like stride.

Slogger Jogger

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

So, which was better, winning the race or getting the PB?

Didn't we have that thread before.. whether you can get a PB in training or not? It wasn't an accredited distance and he wasn't wearing a chip

donothoponpop

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Didn't we have that thread before.. whether you can get a PB in training or not? It wasn't an accredited distance and he wasn't wearing a chip

LOL, I'm backing down now, lest I give you a head of steam for next years imra races!

Tell you what though, that Tinahely Bridge to Bridge record will be getting a testing next week...

Slogger Jogger

A drudge of a filler run today to keep the legs loose. All over soreness after the reps yesterday evening. Never really got into this but glad to have done it all the same. Perfect conditions at lunchtime too.

8.58k, 4:38 pace. In retrospect the pace was much to fast. Started at 5 min k pace and should have tried to stay at that for the full loop around Kill Of the Grange.

Slogger Jogger

Half way through this run which brought me from Annacurra around backroads and linking onto a bit of the Wicklow way near Moyne I had a near magical moment of running towards a full rainbow which was almost close enough to touch. In Rainbows by Radiohead sprung to mind and that was going to be the title of todays entry. All changed with the downpour that came down soon after. The first 16k or so were net uphill and I reached a turn point on roads looking down onto Aughavannagh. From here the rains came and I speeded up. Ran fairly steadily and fairly within myself for the most part. When the rain became torrential a few k from home the thoughts of adding a few k on to bring it past 30 for the day were quickly dispatched. Getting home and getting warm and dry was the priority. Happy enough with the morning's efforts.
28.6k, 386m climb, 4:54 pace.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/51330786

Slogger Jogger

No Ryder cup earlier to while away a few hours so headed out after 9 and up along the trails. Body felt good and the very pleasant morning helped. The running was comfortable and the kilometres ticked by. Had to do a U-turn at one point on my trail as guys were out shooting (I presume deer) up ahead. You think you'd have better things to be doing on a Sunday morning. Anyway, diverted back and headed up the hill on a separate higher trail which took me all the way to the top. Handy enough pace on the downhill too. Didn't need to push it. Home to make breakfast for the hungry masses.
16.47k, 394m climb, 5:01 pace. 83.5k for the week.

Slogger Jogger

Monday:
9.42k run around Cabinteely at lunchtime, at a steady 4:40 pace.

Tuesday:
9.6k run around Kill O The Grange / N11, with a pace pick-up in the middle with some sub 4 min kilometres in there. 4.27 pace avg.

Wednesday:
Hit the trails again. A welcome distraction from the suburban pavements. Light was closing in, but I took a longer way around and really enjoyed this one, even if the running towards the end was taking a chance as regards where you were putting your foot - I need to develop night-vision.
12.24k, 4:37 pace, 238m of climb. Give me one of these runs to a run in the suburbs any day. Can't wait for marathon to be over so I can just enjoy doing these type of runs for the hell of it.

Slogger Jogger

Thursday: Running for the 6th consecutive day probably wasn't the best day for pushing the pace a bit but I'm a bit weird like that. Maybe it was the short window I had with the fading light that made me push it but in any event it worked. Headed out the backroads staying wholly on tarmac road for a change. Clad in my fluroescent yellow top to stay visible to the rare motorist I might meet. The idea was to do 10k distance. There wasn't a pace plan.. that just evolved as I ran. It was reasonably flat until 3.5k out and I ran that fairly strongly, not far off marathon pace. A blustery wind didn't help and it seemed to be more against me than not. Then the turn brought me up a hilly road, for some 80m of straight climb in just over a k. Kept the effort even and felt the burn but kept it going, head down, small steps. Levelled out a bit and turned around at the 5k point. Back down and used gravity for the next k or so... 3:49, 3:27 splits followed. Onto the level road again. Didn't notice the wind this time. Getting hard.. quads having suffered on the way up and down. Chest burning too. 3:45 and 3:48 and 3:50 kilometres followed nonetheless. 4:10 avg pace all in which is pretty good for a tough hilly 10k. Faster than the required marathon pace. Endorphins running through system now.. and a glass of wine.

donothoponpop

Sounds like a good run, blustery conditions out there! Just keep ticking over this week and you're in good shape. What's the plan for weekends LSR?

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Endorphins running through system now.. and a glass of wine.

Bang goes my five-day-old dry run, I'm uncorking. If it works for SJ...:)