Bliain Faoi Thrí

ronanmac

pgmcpq wrote: »

You're not just setting PBs your crushing your old times. That's a pretty amazing step up and it's clearly not a once off.

Are you doing something different in training now ? Surely this cannot just be the result of no beer ! Certainly you're a great endorsement of the FURMAN(?) - that's the run three days a week with lot of cross training - program.

I'm not sure if I'm much of an endorsement for the FURMAN program as although I do most of the runs, I do very little of the cross-training (despite spending a lot of money on a bike for precisely that purpose ). The program definitely works for me, though, as it focuses my running with a prescribed pace and I tend not to be injured as often with just the three days of running. I've lost weight over the past year so that helps, but it's the mix of interval running, tempo runs and long runs that has me moving a bit faster than before. Prior to this, every run was done at pretty much the same pace... And, of course, not postponing runs due to hangovers helps!

ronanmac

A pretty poor week training-wise with just two runs and no cycling. I'm taking next week off to do some work around the house so I should have the opportunity to start putting in some proper training.

A rare weekend at work, and yesterday's planned run was postponed until today due to general work craziness. Thirteen miles at 7:45 miles was the prescription, and as an experiment, I changed my primary data field on the Garmin from actual pace to average pace. Although it did help in me not constantly glancing at my watch, I found that I relaxed a bit too much and had to speed up in the end to get back near pace. I think I'll return to what I'm used to.

Today felt tough, it being so warm, but anytime I thought I was suffering, all I could think of was Hunnymonster's endeavors. That brought me back to reality :eek::eek:. I went a bit astray trying to find a new loop and ended up running a mixture of trails and shore, the light runners definitely unsuitable for running on shingle.

All in all, a tougher run than I had expected. I've been thinking about my plans to start my marathon training plan now, and might instead follow Krusty's advice from another thread, and fill the gap between now and July with 10k training to try and put some pace in the legs, but with LSR's of 13-15 miles.

Distance: 13.2 miles
Weather: hot, HOT, HOT
Surface: Road, trails, shoreline
Time: 1:42:36 (average pace 7:46)

catweazle

Was that you Ronan that got a podium finish in the Lough Allen Triathlon

ronanmac

Absolutely not :eek:! Double his swim time and I'd still come out of the water behind him. Was toying with doing the tri in Galway on Saturday by getting through the swim with the breast-stroke but the young lad's christening put paid to that. Half-thinking of doing the Croi tri just to see what it would be like.

ronanmac

A belated update to the log following a busy week. It always seems to be the case that you have the least free time when you take time off work, and that was the case this week. I had loads of work to do outside the house, so when I saw the weather forecast, I took the week off.

Tuesday
This was supposed to be an interval run, but following a day on scaffolding painting the shed, I switched it to a tempo run, which turned out to be as miserable a run as I’ve been on for a long time. Once I started running, I could feel the shock of every step running up through my legs, and I couldn’t get anywhere near my prescribed pace. I wasn’t too concerned as I had the excuse of being on my feet all day. Still though, an unenjoyable run. Run was five miles, 3 x 6:30 tempo, the three miles were way off, though, at 6:55, 7:13 and 7:04.

Distance: 5 miles
Weather: Warm evening
Surface: Main road
Time: 36:31 (average pace 7:18)

Thursday
Interval run. A mixture of rain and babysitting meant I was inside most of the day, so heading out for a run felt great. Found the intervals tough but enjoyable. 8 x 400 metre intervals, I forget what the exact target times were but I wasn’t too far off the mark with 5:41, 5:57, 5:30, 5:51, 5:46, 5:40, 5:34, 5:27. Very inconsistent intervals though!

Distance: 7.25 miles
Weather: Drizzly but a nice evening
Surface: Grass football pitch and road
Time: 59:08 (average pace 8:09)

Sunday
Saturday was a big day in the ronanmac household with the younger lad being christened, and his parents “renouncing Satan.” My first big challenge in the Bliain gan Beoir. Started the day with coffee and went on to Beck NA. Non-alcoholic beer makes abstention much easier, and the placebo effect of feeling tipsy helps! There is no way I’d be able to go for a run the following day if I was drinking, let alone 15 miles, so the year without drink is serving its purpose, I suppose. LSR to be done at 8 pace, which I did, but felt the whole thing a bit tougher than I should. Was even suffering a bit after three miles , but felt better by the last three miles...

Distance: 15 miles
Weather: Overcast but muggy
Surface: Pavement
Time: 1:59:49 (average pace 7:59)

catweazle

I think there was the option of canoing the swim section so i thought that might have been you then. Am doing Croi myself so I might see you there

ronanmac

As nice a day for running as there has been all year. A lovely warm breeze off the sea eased the pain of intervals...

Intervals were 5 x 800m: 5:55, 6:04, 5:59, 5:54, 6:09. Spot the downhill intervals!!

Distance: 5.9 miles
Weather: Warm breeze, really nice
Surface: Highways and byways
Time: 45:03 (average pace 7:38)

ronanmac

A tempo run that felt tough from the word "go" today (I have to stop saying "go" everytime I go out for a run ). As previously posted, I'm doing a kind of hybrid programme at the moment, 10k training during the week, and an LSR of 13-15 miles at the weekend.
My 10k training paces are based on my best 5k time, and seeing as I've never run a 5k, I optimistically picked a time of 19 minutes flat :eek::o. I suspect the time is over-ambitious as I'm really struggling to meet my prescribed paces these days. As it happens, there's a 5k in Salthill next Tuesday so I hope to give that a lash to see what my actual 5k time is.

For example, today's run was 1 mile warmup, 2 miles at 6:24 pace, 1 mile easy, 2 miles at 6:24 pace and 1 mile cooldown. The tempo miles were never near 6:24 though, they were 6:32, 6:38, 6:58 and 6:35. On the one side, setting tough targets is bound to help my running, on the down side, I'm wrecked half way through them and can't make the pace! Plus, for some reason, I felt my legs really heavy and strained after today. Oh well... I'm doing Catherina McKiernan's chi-running workshop on Sunday, so perhaps Cavan's finest can set me right!

Distance: 7 miles
Weather: Warm and overcast, stiff breeze on the way home
Surface: Pavement and road
Time: 50:53 (average pace 7:16)

ronanmac

Another tough run, my running feels very laboured these past three weeks. I suspect it's a combination of returning to poor eating habits, and fast midweek 10k training coupled with longer runs on the weekend. Left the house, ran to the pier in Ros a Mhíl and back, but really didn't feel up to today's run from the start and was feeling sluggish from four miles on. Aiming to do 7:30 pace, fell apart totally at the end. The last four miles were 7:56, 7:49, 7:57, 8:11.

I'm doing Catherina McKiernan's chi running workshop tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it, and hoping it can do something for my running. Plus I get to collect one of Ireland's greatest marathon runners from her hotel in the morning!


Distance: 13 miles
Weather: Overcast, but very muggy
Surface: Road
Time: 1:39:54 (average pace 7:41)

ronanmac

Sunday saw Catherina McKiernan come down to Conamara for a chi-running workshop, which I couldn’t recommend highly enough. It was a long day but I finished the day, for the first time ever, being able to run on my midfoot as opposed to heel-striking. There’s a lot to take in regarding getting the technique right, but it’s a case of doing the drills we were shown on the day.

Tuesday evening was the first opportunity to put the chi-running into action, with the Salthill 5k. There were four of us there from the “tri club/loose alliance of multi-eventers”, and Padraic from Velotec turned up with a new set of tri-suits which he insisted we wore. Yikes! Strange looks from the rest of the field, skin-tight one piece lycra looks more in place at a triathlon event than a Tuesday evening 5k!

Registration was on the Prom and one of the organisers took it upon herself to describe the route to me beforehand. Run along the prom, she said, and then turn up Threadneedle Road. "What?" says I, "organise a 5k along the flattest section of county Galway but send us up the only hill in the area?" "We wanted to make it a bit of a challenge," she said back to me. I was about to answer with a series of profanities when I remembered that the 5k was organised as a fund-raising event for a Christian summer camp, so I decided to keep my swear words to myself!

It wasn’t a big race (a bit over 150 entrants) and I found myself up front at the start line. The run started and I began focussing on my new technique. I normally keep a close eye on the Garmin to see what pace I’m doing but I was so busy concentrating on Catherina McKiernan’s lessons that I was a few minutes into the run when I noticed that I was going way too quick for my lungs. When I noticed that I was in second place, I realised that I had really misjudged things. There’s nothing worse than being somewhere where you are not supposed to be and I began wondering (a) would I be able to keep going without stopping as my lungs were on fire, (b) would everyone pass by me in a flash when I started to fall back, (c) was sprinting out at the start going to end up being really embarrasing?

At about half a mile, just before turning up Threadneedle Road, I was passed by a group of three runners who evidently had a better pacing strategy than the “hell for leather at the start and hang on for dear life” strategy. Going up the hill, all chi running technique was forgotten, and the sub-6 pace was dropping to sub-7, sub-8 and finally, at the very top of Threadneedle Road (passed by another two runners meanwhile), a pace of 9:49. To be honest, at this stage, I was just glad to have gotten to the top of the hill and not to have stopped. The gradual slope from Threadneedle Road towards Knocknacarra helped me in getting my brain and form together again, and I got the pace back up again. Anytime I focussed properly on the running technique, my pace increased, but my lungs were often struggling with this pace, though. We were told that the finish was at the Salthill Hotel, and I was passed coming up to the turn for the hotel. It turned out that the finish was at the turn, but this was unclear and most people kept running before noticing the race was actually over.

In the end, I finished ninth with a time of 18:39. It was always going to be a PB as I had never run a 5k before, but I was delighted with the time and really enjoyed it as an event. As for the chi running, I think that it definitely has positive implications for my running but that I need to practise the various drills more (my calves were killing me after the race, and I never feel anything in my calves normally).

A nice Tuesday evening diversion, and a well-organised race.

Distance: 5k
Weather: Breezy and overcast
Surface: Concrete pavement and tar road
Time: 18:39 (6:01 average pace)

catweazle

18.39 going up Threadneedle road..........thats incredible.

Was it the whole road, starting from the prom up to the traffic lights at the top??

Christ thats great running

ronanmac

catweazle wrote: »

18.39 going up Threadneedle road..........thats incredible.

Was it the whole road, starting from the prom up to the traffic lights at the top??

Christ thats great running

The route started across from the aquarium, along the prom until the Blackrock roundabout, up Threadneedle Road to the top of the hill and left at the lights, along the main road towards Joyce's, turning left at Kingston just before Joyce's, coming out onto the Salthill Road at the Spinnaker, left again and finishing at Salthill Hotel. As I said, there are flatter routes around there, Threadneedle Road seemed a bit of unnecessary cruelty!

catweazle

They made a tough route out of an area that could have been super fast. 17.xx looks easily within your scope on a flat course

DustyBin

Jaysus that's another superfast time!!
You're really on fire these day's, is it the 10k training kicking in do you think? If you can carry that pace through your marathon training you should be capable of a stonking time
Fair play

littlebug

Well done Rónan. Jeez my car even groans going up threadneedle road!

pgmcpq

By any standards a great result - on that course, with dicey pacing - it's fantastic. That really confirms your step up toa whole new level since the beginning of the log.

ronanmac

DustyBin wrote: »

is it the 10k training kicking in do you think?

I don't know if it's the 10k training, probably. But my long running on the weekends is really suffering as the short runs during the week get quicker.

ronanmac

FRIDAY:

Missed Thursday's run as was working away from home, and didn't get the time to go out, so moved Saturday's LSR to Friday. Another 13 miler, another slow tough run, with a big slowdown over the last two miles. I hope, when I start the actual marathon training, and dump the midweek 10k training, that the legs feel fresher for the LSRs. At the moment, my endurance definitely doesn't inspire confidence . I'm doing the same route for a while now the long runs, over to the pier and Ros a'Mhíl and back to the house, so maybe a new route might be a bit more inspiring.

Distance: 13.3 miles
Weather: Dry and warm
Surface: Road
Time: 1:42:33 (average pace 7:43)

SUNDAY:
Headed off to Delphi Mountain Lodge in the morning as a group of five of us went to do the cycling/Croagh Patrick legs of Gaelforce. The new off-road cycling section is a bit nasty and adds a fair amount of work and time to last year's course. It didn't help that I clipped the back tyre of one of the lads while trying to hide behind him from the wind, and came a cropper. Knee says ouch.
The reek was its usual toughness, didn't take a watch with me so don't have a time. Walked most of it up (I have a lot of hill work to do), and pelted down. Overall, it was enjoyable but the leg hurts today!

catweazle

ronanmac wrote: »

SUNDAY:
Headed off to Delphi Mountain Lodge in the morning as a group of five of us went to do the cycling/Croagh Patrick legs of Gaelforce.

We were there on the friday and saturday for a stag, 20 lads waiting around to go surfing for the day and then they come down and tell us the muppet groom had booked us in for next weekend by mistake and they had no availability. Longest day of my life drinking at 1, We were staying In the Leenane of two pubs, what an inappropriate place the only people in both pubs were us for the night. Thank god I was only doing the friday.

Are you doing Annaghdown or Milltown 10k next week, I might do the Annaghdown one myself

ronanmac

catweazle wrote: »

We were there on the friday and saturday for a stag, 20 lads waiting around to go surfing for the day and then they come down and tell us the muppet groom had booked us in for next weekend by mistake and they had no availability. Longest day of my life drinking at 1, We were staying In the Leenane of two pubs, what an inappropriate place the only people in both pubs were us for the night. Thank god I was only doing the friday.

Are you doing Annaghdown or Milltown 10k next week, I might do the Annaghdown one myself

I'd say that any sheep farmer heading down to Gaynor's for a quiet Friday night pint got a bit of land alright!

I was really looking forward to Annaghdown as I've only ever done one 10k before this, but for the second week in row, I'm working in Dublin on Monday and Tuesday. F*ckin' typical!

ronanmac

Postponed yesterday's run to today, knee still felt a bit sore after coming off the bike. Today's run was an interval run, 1600m x 2 and 800m. As ever, the intervals were run slower than prescribed, pace run was 6:07, 6:24 and 5:42. One of those runs where I went out reluctantly, didn't enjoy the run itself, but felt better afterwards...

In Dublin from Thursday to Tuesday so I have to figure out where I'm going to do my long run. Staying in Castleknock so some loops of Phoenix Park is probably the best bet.

Distance: 5.8 miles
Weather: Overcast and warm
Surface: Road
Time: 44.22 (average pace 7:39)

littlebug

Cá bhfuil Rónan

I hope you're ok and not injured (or lost in a sea of beer :P).

catweazle

littlebug wrote: »

Cá bhfuil Rónan

I hope you're ok and not injured (or lost in a sea of beer :P).

He is in a strop from not being voted Boards Athlete of the Year

ronanmac

No, I wasn’t injured, I’m not in a strop and didn’t go on the drink (although I am now an expert on Croatian non-alcoholic beers!):D. Between a pretty busy week of work and personal stuff followed by two and a half weeks of holidays, I haven’t had a chance to log anything in a while. I slacked off a bit before holidays, skipping a long run as I was feeling a bit run-down and weary from the training so far this year.

Runs not logged prior to holidays:
6 mile tempo @44:31 (7:25 avg pace)
6:22 mile recovery @ 53:15 (8:33 avg pace)

Total: 12:22 miles

Runs on holidays
1:38 miles (run/walk with my wife who had started the Zero to Hero / Couch to 5k programme @ 13:27 avg

1st day of marathon training
Intervals
Time: 45:12
5:87 miles

Tempo
6:87 miles

Long
13 miles
1:41:37
Avg 7:48

Intervals
4:62 miles
Time: 38:12

Tempo
7:02 miles
Time: 54:22

Long
15 miles
Time: 1:59:27
Avg 7:57

Intervals
5:16 miles
Time: 40:05

Tempo
7 miles
Time: 51:27

Total: 65.92 miles

ronanmac

Okay, so a proper start to the log again. I registered for DCM 2010 just before going on holidays, and even booked the hotel room nice and close to the finish! I’ve decided to change a few things in the log, keeping track of running surface when I run on roads pretty much all the time is pointless! I’ve added perceived exertion and satisfaction with the run. These might turn out to be pointless entries also, but I’ll see how it goes.

Anyway, this is the first marathon programme where I’m over three weeks in and still haven’t missed a run. I have my wife to thank for this, as she has taken to the Couch to 5k programme with an enviable fervour, and her doing her runs in the morning has now got me out running in the mornings.

My target for Dublin is pretty ambitious by my standards. I’m following a 3:10 training programme, so that I can aim to follow the 3:15 pace group. I tend to always fade at the end of a race, regardless of length, so hopefully training for the faster time will help me in staying with the 3:15 group. I sure hope so!

Anyway, we arrived back from Croatia early Saturday morning, and I’ve two runs to log since.

Sunday
Sunday saw the first run I’ve done longer than 15 miles since I did DCM 09. It was 17 miles, and although the run itself wasn’t too bad, it was first run in a long time that I felt battered afterwards, and that I felt in the body the following day. I’ve decided this year to stick religiously to the prescribed pace instead of going faster when feeling good, only to be punished by falling apart at the end of a training run. I struggled through mile 4, which seems to be a recurring event, but managed to keep just under the prescibed pace for most of the remaining 13 miles. I was being particularily conscious about keeping at pace for the last few miles, as I always fade at the end of long runs and I need to put that right! When I got home, I had a sausage pasta pesto dinner waiting for me, followed by a bath. Heaven!

Route: Home to Leitir Móir and back
Distance: 17 miles
Time: 2:15:03
Target Pace / Achieved Pace: 8:00 / 7:56
Perceived Exertion (out of 10): 8
Personal Satisfaction: 8 (3 miles run slower than pace)
Weather: Muggy

Today
An interval run (5 x 1000m), and the first run so far this marathon training cycle that I really struggled with. For the first time, I didn’t come near hitting my intervals targets. The fact that it was a morning run would have been my usual excuse but I’ve been able to hit the targets while in Croatia so I’ll have to look at what I’m doing differently.

Route: Home to Cladhnach and back
Distance: 6 miles
Time: 45:13
Target Interval Pace / Achieved Pace: 5:49 / 5:57, 6:08, 6:04, 6:27, 6:26
Perceived Exertion (out of 10): 9
Personal Satisfaction: 5
Weather: Drizzly but warm

littlebug

Welcome back Rónan. I forget sometimes that other people actually go on holidays :rolleyes:
Best of luck to MrsMac with C25k.

ronanmac

First cycle this morning in about a month, and I felt it in the quads right from the start. It'll probably take a while to get back into it, but overall it was grand. I took the first half handy enough, and used much of the second half to get down on the aero bars.

After landing back home, I pulled on the runners for a mile, to try and get used to that weird cycle/run sensation. It was interesting, the legs felt like jelly straightaway, but I was running at a quickish pace straightaway. I had a shortness of breath that didn't go away for the mile that I ran, and numb toes from the cycling, but was coming too near the end of that mile.

Route: Loop from home around Muicineach, Casla and home
Distance: 15.14 miles
Time: 53:17
Average MPH / Max MPH: 17 / 28.7
Perceived Exertion (out of 10): 6.5
Personal Satisfaction: 8 (nice to be back on the bike)
Weather: Rain

followed by 1 mile run at 6:44

ronanmac

For some reason, I'm finding it very difficult to get the time to keep this log updated these days. I guess I'm not getting many days in the office, and am on the road more often. Still, the running is going well, even if the cycling has been badly neglected (which will haunt me shortly with Gaelforce just around the corner). I hadn't missed a run in the marathon schedule until this week, where cramming too much training together in order to catch up with missed days has resulted in tenderness at the back of the knee. Nothing to be too worried about, I hope, but yesterday's run has been abandoned and today's 20 miler postponed until (hopefully) tomorrow.

Here's a round-up of runs completed since the last log:

July 22
Route: Home to Cladhnach and back
Distance: 6 miles (4 miles tempo)
Time: 42:14
Target Pace / Achieved Pace: 6:49 / 6:51, 7:02, 6:40, 6:39
Perceived Exertion (out of 10): 7
Personal Satisfaction: 6 (struggled to get into it)
Weather: Warm, drizzly

July 25
Route: Dalkey to Bull Wall via Dun Laoghaire pier and back
Distance: 20 miles
Time: 02:44:27
Target Pace / Achieved Pace: 8:15 / 8:13
Perceived Exertion (out of 10): 8
Personal Satisfaction: 9 (felt strong right through, delighted with run, and really nice to be running somewhere new)
Weather: Cool, early morning

+ .52 miles cooldown

July 27
Route: Home to Páirc Uí Cháthanaigh and back
Distance: 5.2 miles (3 x 1600 m interval)
Time: 39.27
Target Interval Pace / Achieved Pace: 6:01 / 6:12, 6:16, 6:16
Perceived Exertion (out of 10): 7
Personal Satisfaction: 7 (well off pace, but a nice morning, and lovely to see other people running on the pitch)
Weather: Warm

July 29
Route: Home to Cladhnach and back
Distance: 6 miles (3 miles tempo)
Time: 44:45
Target Pace / Achieved Pace: 6:34 / 6:54, 6:44, 6:54
Perceived Exertion (out of 10): 7
Personal Satisfaction: 5 (horrible run, seemed straightforward, but never got into it, struggling against legs and lungs from the start)
Weather: Wet

July 31
Route: Black Park forest, Slough
Distance: 5k race
Time: 35:30
My wife started on a Couch to 5k programme about 10 weeks ago, and culminated in taking on a 5k race near my sister in law's house in High Wycombe. Not alone did she complete it, she did it by running further and faster than she had ever done before. I really, really enjoyed this run, being able to appreciate running as a thing to do rather than training, and being able to enjoy M's achievement. She has the bug now, and is already looking at taking on a programme to bring her 5k time down. A great morning's run!
Weather: Close

August 02
Route: High Wycombe to Princes Rissborough
Distance: 18 miles
Time: 02:21:00
Target Pace / Achieved Pace: 8:00 / 7:50
Perceived Exertion (out of 10): 7.5
Personal Satisfaction: 10! (great run in the English countryside, and another strong run. Felt good with three miles to go so picked up the pace. Two good long runs in a row, the common denominator being chia seeds and new running routes)
Weather: Pretty warm by run's end

August 03
Cycle
Route: Loop from home around Baile na hAbhann, Ros a Mhíl and home
Distance: 17:03 miles
Time: ??
Average MPH / Max MPH: 18.5 / ??
Perceived Exertion (out of 10): 8
Personal Satisfaction: 7 (felt tough, no surprise considering it was my second cycle in six weeks. Quads felt the work)

August 05
Route: Work to Bóthar Nua and back
Distance: 6.25 miles (2 x 12000m, 4 x 800m intervals)
Time: 47:10
Target Pace / Achieved Pace: 5:56; 5:44 / 6:00, 6:08; 5:48, 5:50, 5:47, 6:01
Perceived Exertion (out of 10): 9
Personal Satisfaction: 5 (Crap. No excuse either of a morning run. Midday and still slow, plus finishing up with an injury. Glum after this one)
Weather: Breezy and damp

ronanmac

Back after first injury layoff of this year's marathon programme. A tenderness at the back of the knee which is now finally gone, I decided to start back with a cycle rather than a run, seeing as Gaelforce West is just around the corner and my bike doesn't recognise me anymore!

During the layoff, I've missed a tempo run, a 20 LSR, and an interval session. I was going to catch up with the 20 miler but at this stage, with GFW, it's too late I reckon. I guess GFW will do as a replacement for it. The plan now is to do tomorrow's tempo run, followed by a 13 miler on Saturday. I started the plan a week early so that I could taper for GFW, so I'll stick a light run or two and some cycling in there.

Anyhow, a beautiful morning to be on the bike. Was half a mile from home when I remembered that I wasn't wearing a helmet, but kept going. Funnily enough, the back of the bike went out coming around a corner half way through the cycle, but I managed to stay upright. Only on the morning when I had left the helmet at home!

Route: Loop from home around Muicineach, Casla and home
Distance: 15.11 miles
Time: 50:28
Average MPH / Max MPH: 18 / 29.3
Perceived Exertion (out of 10): 7
Personal Satisfaction: 7 (a pleasant spin, but a reminder of how weak the quads are)
Weather: Sunny

24pintsman

never mind those helmets, you should wear one of those cloth caps that the cyclists of the 60s and 70s wore...