Getting Back To My Best

RacoonQueen

Will you have the Garmin back for Barca? I will probably be bringing mine as I will be training on the Saturday and Sunday(most likely) so presuming using a new watch doesn't distract you too much you can use that.*









*for a small fee, of course

Brianderunner

menoscemo wrote: »

Good going Brian, though your peak mileage is still lower than my step back week
unfortunately for me you are still a hell of a lot faster

Hardly a hell of a lot, you're at the same level now as i was this time last year (enjoy the DNF and 3'54 haha).

fiddy3 wrote: »

Thanks, thanks, thanks, and oh did i mention thanks. Thanks from Fiddy3, sincerely, thanks.

I had to thank that just to put you on tilt . No place for cynics on my log, save that for Tunney's posts.

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Will you have the Garmin back for Barca? I will probably be bringing mine as I will be training on the Saturday and Sunday(most likely) so presuming using a new watch doesn't distract you too much you can use that.*



*for a small fee, of course

There had to be some kind of catch. The watch won't be used to such speed though, you sure it will still work? I'll be a little cheeky and say that was my plan all along. I'm talking my way out of it now aren't I?

RacoonQueen

Offer retracted. :P

Brianderunner

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Offer retracted. :P

Thats the RQ we all know and love, i'll get my hands on it yet, mark my words

Brianderunner

Mon 21st Feb, 5.75 mls recovery in 50'39 (8'52). Up towards Hackney and Highbury, new route for a change. Legs were dead all day but felt ok once i started.

Brianderunner

Tues 22nd Feb, 4 mls easy in 34'45 (8'43). Doing a lot of easy runs these days. I love them though, it means i won't be wrecked in work tomorrow like i am after LSR's/ tempo's :pac:

No sign of passport yet, provisional licence came a week ago and driving lessons are underway. they send them back seperately for some reason. It's not funny any more, Barca is days away now not weeks. I'll ring them Thurs if its not there tomorrow.

Brianderunner

Weds 23rd Feb, Club session with Heathside AC this evening. 1.5 ml w/u down to Primrose Hill Park, then 5 x 1km on the "corkscrew" loop. A collective groan ensued when the coach announced the session, knew it was gonna be a toughie from this. I headed out in the top 5/6 as i did before and found myself in the A group, full of 2'40-2'50 marathoners; 1st rep - 4'02, quite a significant net uphill on this one so its much better than it looks, then; 4'05, 4'10, 4'12, 4'00. Recovery was 1 min of jogging which made the session tougher again. Then 2.5 mls w/d (warm down with this lot felt like a tempo session :pac:) 7.5 mls total.

Carb replacement in the form of 3 pints of bitter in the pub across the road and zero food Ryans style. Its a weekly thing in the club, speed session then pints. Suits me fine :pac:

Brianderunner

Thurs 24th Feb, 4mls recovery in 36'56 (9'14). No idea i was going this slow but no biggie. As i stopped i felt quite a lot of pain in the bottom of my shin 2/3 inches above the ankle, the muscle that wraps around the shinbone. Its more muscular than bone. I'd be nearly sure its one of those things that goes away overnight though. Icing it now just in case. I think a rest day may be called for tomorrow.

menoscemo

Any news on the passport?

Brianderunner

menoscemo wrote: »

Any news on the passport?

Yeah i've had that since yesterday.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Good news on the passport front. Looking forward to next week should be a blast.

Brianderunner

Danica Grumpy Duet wrote: »

Good news on the passport front. Looking forward to next week should be a blast.

Yeah should be a good one, i'll be packing the bag this time next week, where did the time go? Dublin only seems like a few weeks ago.

rainbow kirby

Brianderunner wrote: »

where did the time go? Dublin only seems like a few weeks ago.

I keep asking myself exactly the same thing! :eek:

Brianderunner

Rest day yesterday, joints were sore and crying out for a rest. The pain subsided in the ankle area thankfully.

Sat 26th Feb, 5.2 mls easy (44'55 mins, 8'36 pace) up to Finsbury Park for the Parkrun, but didnt race it even though i was tempted to, too much to risk so just jogged it. then 6 x 100m strides afterwards. Right hamstring feels very tight, rolling it now.

25 mins core then after. Thats the last core session before Barca.

Lining up the Donore Summer 5k, Sat 28th May. Bank holiday in the Uk that weekend (so gotta book it fast) and Tipp vs Cork is on the next day in Thurles (a match i never miss). You gotta love saturday races . That may well rule me out of Sportsworld, Kildare and Cork relay i'll have to see. At the mo i'm lined up to fly home for Mallow 10 (Mar 27th), Kilnaboy 10 (Apr 11th), GLR pacing (May 1st) and now the Donore 5k, not to mention the race series and DCM. I may not do them all though, bit of a drain on the system.

menoscemo

I'll be doing that donore 5k, so it could turn into a booze up. We'll be looking for an early house :pac:

Brianderunner

menoscemo wrote: »

I'll be doing that donore 5k, so it could turn into a booze up. We'll be looking for an early house :pac:

Ha yeah that was in the back of my mind alright. The usual midday to midnight with no food is it then?

Brianderunner

Sun 27th Feb, 10 mls in 83'42 (8'22) mostly around Regents Park. Pissing down most of the way. Not exactly great preparation for the barca weather. Felt good throughout though. Easy week on the way before the sh*t hits the fan this time next week.

Weekly Review, 36.75 miles and 6 runs. Another good week.

Yearly Mileage, 308.75

pgmcpq

Brianderunner wrote: »

Easy week on the way before the sh*t hits the fan I tear up the course this time next week.

Fixed it up

thirstywork2

Im glad I missed that shower today.good luck in Barca and keep up the good training.
What time you aiming for?

Brianderunner

pgmcpq wrote: »

Fixed it up

Thats what i meant to say of course

thirstywork2 wrote: »

Im glad I missed that shower today.good luck in Barca and keep up the good training.
What time you aiming for?

Cheers, i'm gonna say 3'10 but it's a tentative prediction.

Brianderunner

Mon 28th Feb, 4 mls moderate in 32'30 (8'08). I've felt better i'll be honest, only felt ok, legs a bit dead.

Somehow managed to burn one of my toes yesterday (don't ask) and its bloody sore now and it was quite uncomfortable on the run, no reason to think it will have any influence on Sunday. Also my flatmate has a bad cold, come on now ffs!

February Review, so that ends the fastest month of my life. 165.75 miles in total, one of my highest mileage months i've done. The tempo's stand out as the highlight, lack of a tune up race a slight concern but i never found a suitable one.

Brianderunner

Rest day yesterday, had a 2hr driving lesson after work and i just couldnt fit a run in. rest is best at this stage anyway.

Weds 2nd March, 8 km's (metric system for the next few days) with 3k at mp. I'm gonna say it's 4:30 per km pace for a 3:10 target. 3k w/u then did the mp stuff on the usual triangle, which was littered with gooners, arsenal seem to be playing at home every wednesday :rolleyes:. Felt only ok the first 2 then felt quite good the last one. 2k warm down then. 41'14 total for 8k or 5 miles (8'15)

People in work keep asking me if i'm running for charity in barca, and i always respond with; "no i am a real runner, real runners don't run for charity". maybe i should start a collection tomorrow, say i'm running for the george payne centre for alcoholism and score a free night on the booze :pac:

menoscemo

Brianderunner wrote: »

People in work keep asking me if i'm running for charity in barca, and i always respond with; "no i am a real runner, real runners don't run for charity". maybe i should start a collection tomorrow so I can pay back menoscemo all the money I owe him

FYP:pac:

pgmcpq

Good luck Sunday. Hope to meet you (again!). Good luck with the 3.10... I hope not to be too far behind you.

kennyb3

Good luck at the weekend Brian. I reckon your on for a savage PB

Brianderunner

Thurs 3rd Mar, 4 mls slow in 35'51 (8'58) jentle jog around the locality. Feeling pretty good.

Today marked a milestone for me. The 3 month point of my job over here (end of probation). I didnt hear anything about being let go so i guess i'm hanging around. It only seems like last week when i had the "will i, wont i emigrate" debate on here.

Right on to the important stuff :pac:, Its time to start getting a race plan into my head. The goal is definitely 3'10, why not, the speed session since the 1'26 half all point to sub 3'10 or faster. My only achilles heel is the lack of distance stuff, average mileage has only been in the 40 mpw region, something i will rectify for Berlin. I've learned my lesson from Rotterdam and i'm gonna line up closer to the front of my pen. Run the first 5k slightly below target is the plan then speed up. After 32-35k if its still on i'll make a run for the finish. I'll make sure of a pb (3'22). Anything less is a disaster i'll be honest. Either way its been an enjoyable journey. Que sera sera!

Brianderunner

Sat 5th March, 2 mls very easy around Barcelona in 18 mins (9'00) Legs feeling ok for tomorrow. No nerves yet, unusual for me. The barca game tonight will be a nice distraction too.

cwgatling

Best of luck Brian. You have the hard work done. Enjoy the race.

Brianderunner

cwgatling wrote: »

Best of luck Brian. You have the hard work done. Enjoy the race.

Thanks. Nerves have just hit home in the last hour.

Pisco Sour

Best of luck tomorrow!