Getting Back To My Best

Brianderunner

Mon 6th June,

After bombing out of a 5k here 2 weeks ago i was determined to run a good race here to get it out of my system (despite the 18'00 in Donore since). Headed down after work, yes work, on Cork marathon day. Felt really odd that all the other boardsies were running today while i was sitting at the desk but for some reason UK and irish bank holidays do not link up :rolleyes:

Left my house giving myself plenty of time but 3 delays on my 2 tubes and one overground train had me at race HQ 4 mins before the start and my warm up consisted of a dash from the station, just like 2 weeks ago. Had 11'20 as a rough goal but since i havent raced this in 5 years (in Maynooth at the universities road relays where the distance was out making my time irrelevant) I didnt know what to expect really. Under 12 of course though, if i cant run 2 of them i can hardly run 5 of them now can I.

Headed out relatively conservatively and settled into around 5'30-5'35 pace which felt quite comfortable for the first half mile. But the garmin was giving erratic readings (see link) and i stopped looking at it shortly after i hit 1 mile in 5'37. The garmin was measuring it short but it clearly has me cutting several corners which explains the erratic pace on it. After halfway it began to hurt, and i mean really hurt. Never quite felt pain like that before. I passed one or 2 here and held the pace as much as i could. The usual negative thoughts were replaced by the "come on its only an 11 minute race" thoughts. I had a runner in my sights the last 400 metres but i couldnt close the gap. I was exuding Nadal like grunts the last 200 yards and almost collapsed over the line in an official time of 11'17 (5'39) for 12th place. Happy enough with that if not delighted. Good to knock out a time like that with the rushed prep, Fridays LSR and very little short stuff done (all my speedwork is very 10k/half marathon orientated).

1 ml w/u and 2 mls easy w/d along the Thames after. 5 mls total.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/90678313

Brianderunner

Tues 7th June, 7 mls easy/recovery in 60'16 (8'37) down to Regents and back. Not totally beaten up from last night's race and felt ok. Trying to add a couple of miles onto some of my runs to up the weekly mileage its been too low for too long. 20 mins core after. Good that i'm doing this consistently now.

Results are up from last night, turns out i finished 11th, not bad. I'd like to break 11'10 (for 2 mls) 18 (for 5k) later in the summer in these races. They'll serve as my time trials to see where i'm at i think. They're short enough not to take too much out of me.

http://uk.srichinmoyraces.org/files/uk/2%20Miles%206%3A6%3A11%20Final%20Results.pdf

Booked my flights for the race series today. Glorified training runs is all they're gonna be.

Gonna try a 13.1 ml MP run on Sunday in the Southend Half marathon, same shoes, gels as Berlin. Not gonna be easy but it should be no problem.

Brianderunner

Weds 8th June, Headed down to the club session in the heath. B!tch of a session on the cards for tonight. 2 mls w/u then 1 min, 2 min, 1 min, 3 min, 1 min, 4 min, 1 min, 5 min. All with 1 minute recovery in between. I did ok considering the race on Monday and i've seemed to have recovered from it. 1.5 mls w/d for 6.5 mls total.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/91091855

2 regular runners left us tonight to head back to their home countries, including the best looking woman at the club , who am i gonna do my w/d jog behind now . It got me thinking about when (if ever) my farewell from London will be. I'll be honest, the olympics was a big factor in my wanting to stay here. Now that the athletics tickets are gone, well...........

Brianderunner

Thurs 9th June, 5 mls easy/recovery from my driving lesson in Finchley back to my house through the north end off the heath. Missed the torrential rain thankfully. Felt a bit dead today after Monday and last night. Another easyish lunchtime run tomorrow and that will do until Southend on Sea on Sunday. That one will tell me a lot about where i'm at. I don't expect to cruise round but it shouldnt be all out effort either.

Gave my leg muscles a shazkea type pounding with "the stick" after, twas badly needed.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/91271426

Brianderunner

Fri 10th June, 3.5 mls lunchtime run in the heath in 26'50 (7'40). Felt super throughout. Slow at first but picked up it the last 2 mls. Lucky to avoid the thunder and lightening, amazingly it was sunny for the duration of the run and it lashed down as soon as i got back into work

Entertaining my dad for the weekend so no more running till Sunday and my beer fueled MP run in Southend.

Brianderunner

Sun 12th June, This was the first of my 3/4 planned half marathons at PMP for sub 3 in Berlin (6'51 pace). After a 7am start :eek:, headed down after a weekend on the booze to Southend-on-Sea in Essex. Ran it in the racers i plan on doing Berlin in. I knew i was well able on running under 1'30 for a half, i've done it several times, the key was doing it semi comfortably.

The gun went and 2,500 or so of us were on our way. I eased into the planned pace and felt super. The whole race is pretty much pancake flat and perfect for maintaining even pace. At no stage did it feel tough, bar the little hill leaving the seafront at 11mls and finished in 1'29'23 (6'48) with quite a bit in the tank. The right hamstring had the telltale electric charge buildup, which i felt in Barca at mile 17 but didnt hit me until 7 mls later, after the finish which was the only downer. I felt it would have cramped after another 3/4 mls, but the 22 milers and the electolyte tablets should see to that.

Overall i'm fairly happy with the run. Well capable of running 18/20 mls at this pace i'd say at the moment. It was a great race and the perfect course for a pb, flat as a pancake, bar the small hill. I could have set a pb here today i feel, but that can wait for another day.

Garmin link, no HR unfortunately, its on the blink.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/91947320

Of course the jammy gits Waterford had to go and ruin my day afterwards , respectability back to Limerick hurling at least.

Weekly Review, 39 mls. I WILL run 50 miles this week, sure i will :rolleyes:

Yearly Mileage, 807 mls.

chinguetti

Well done on that outing Brian, sounds like a comfortable run to focus for Berlin.

I'ld say if you were in Thurles, the whole body would have cramped at 69 mins. Lucky ain't the word.

Brianderunner

Mon 13th June, 5 mls recovery in 45'08 (9'02). Didnt feel too beat up this evening, but 5 was far enough i think. Tough day tomorrow, 800m on the track at my club's track meet. Not sure how to approach it. No chance if running a pb (2'08). Thats so damn fast when you think about it, 2 x 64 second laps :eek:, how did i ever run that time?

shels4ever

Brianderunner wrote: »

Mon 13th June, 5 mls recovery in 45'08 (9'02). Didnt feel too beat up this evening, but 5 was far enough i think. Tough day tomorrow, 800m on the track at my club's track meet. Not sure how to approach it. No chance if running a pb (2'08). Thats so damn fast when you think about it, 2 x 64 second laps :eek:, how did i ever run that time?

Try 1:41 .. now thats fast

Brianderunner

shels4ever wrote: »

Try 1:41 .. now thats fast

I've done sub 1'41 for 800m...... as part of a 4 x 200m relay team

Pisco Sour

Brianderunner wrote: »

I've done sub 1'41 for 800m...... as part of a 4 x 200m relay team

I've done 1'41 for 800m........... on Nintendo Wii

shels4ever

Brianderunner wrote: »

I've done sub 1'41 for 800m...... as part of a 4 x 200m relay team

Thats good going too, i'd never get close to low 25 for a 200m .

Brianderunner

shels4ever wrote: »

Thats good going too, i'd never get close to low 25 for a 200m .

Yeah but you have a faster 800m than me. Surprised your not knocking quicker road times tbh.

shels4ever

Brianderunner wrote: »

Yeah but you have a faster 800m than me. Surprised your not knocking quicker road times tbh.

All from 1993/4 when i was skinnier than my brother.. But another year injury free and who knows . Have my targets for next year all going well.

Brianderunner

shels4ever wrote: »

All from 1993/4 when i was skinnier than my brother.. But another year injury free and who knows . Have my targets for next year all going well.

All mine were nearly 10 years ago too, that's no excuse, get the finger out will you

shels4ever

Brianderunner wrote: »

All mine were nearly 10 years ago too, that's no excuse, get the finger out will you

Will get the finger out when I kick past you for the first time in a race

Pisco Sour

Disgustingly jealous of the both of you getting to run track races at the moment. I have to wait until November here in upsidedownland to have a crack at my favourite events

Not feeling the love of 5K's and 10K's being honest. Give me a 100/200/400/800 and (some horizontal jumps thrown in for good measure) any day of the week. I find it so much easier to get motivated to train for track stuff.

Brianderunner

2 days to catch up on;

Tues 14th June, Headed down to the club for the track meet. Decided i'd do the 800m instead of the 5k, as it was only 2 days since the MP run at Southend. After a couple of laps warm up and a few strides i was put into the A race, as i put down 2'20 as my estimated time, despite my 2'08 PB. Knew i was gonna be up against it big time in this race.

The gun went and they shot off ahead of me, i just couldnt go with the leaders, the legs didnt seem to remember how to run fast. I was done in after 200m (strange) and it was a struggle after that, reached the bell at 67 seconds. Caught one of them up the home straight to finish in 2'22. Disappointing but i think its indicative of the training i've done over the last 4 years since i ran my last track race. I've no anaerobic speed endurance, simple as that. All the mileage i've done mattered little in a race so short. Southend is a valid excuse alright, but only for a couple of seconds i'd say. Also i have to accept that i'm older now (albeit only 26), i'm not the speedy teenager i once was (broke 25 secs for 200m aged 15). It would come back to me if i went back to speed endurance training i know but that won't happen as long as i'm trying to break 3 hrs and that remains the priority for the next 3 months.

Unfortunately i just didnt enjoy the whole experience and it may have turned me off running track for life (again) May have been a different story if i was in the B race (that was won in 2'21)

Did 4 mls easy after in 34'00 (8'30) in the Heath, back to what makes sense

Weds 15th June, medium long runs have been notably absent since Barca so headed out for 10mls in 83'31 (8'21) it wasnt too bad except for the last 2/3 miles where last nights 800m may have had a say.

Did 20 mins core beforehand cause i end up not doing it all too often after runs.

Gonna try a tempo run or a 10k specific workout Friday and miss the big drinking session planned at work. I'll use the "i'm heading home for the weekend" excuse (works a charm). Gonna have to be unsociable for the next 3 months if sub 3 is gonna happen. May take today off depending on the rain.

Apologies for the long post but i'm sure i killed 10 mins or so of your working day

Pisco Sour

Brianderunner wrote: »

it may have turned me off running track for life (again) May have been a different story if i was in the B race (that was won in 2'21)

Ah don't say that. It's just you went for a race too fast. Obviously it's far more fun going toe to toe with somebody down the home straight to win than it is coming a distant 7th or 8th.

For interest sake could you post a link to the results. Would be interesting to see how it compares to the standard down here.

shels4ever

You can't expect to jump from Marathons right back into 800m running that easy , I'd beter if you decieded to actually train for an 800m you would be in the 2:10/14 ballpark in a matter of months.
Wouldnt let that put you off but depends on what you want to focus on.

Brianderunner

04072511 wrote: »

Ah don't say that. It's just you went for a race too fast. Obviously it's far more fun going toe to toe with somebody down the home straight to win than it is coming a distant 7th or 8th.

For interest sake could you post a link to the results. Would be interesting to see how it compares to the standard down here.

It was just an informal club night only for club members, nothing like what you were competing in.

shels4ever wrote: »

You can't expect to jump from Marathons right back into 800m running that easy , I'd beter if you decieded to actually train for an 800m you would be in the 2:10/14 ballpark in a matter of months.
Wouldnt let that put you off but depends on what you want to focus on.

I know yeah. I'm not ready to focus on track for another year or 2. When the sub 3 is broken i'll re-assess whenever that is.

Fri 17th June, Decided on a 10k specific workout and went for the mcmillan 2,2,1,1 one to see what all the fuss was about Target pace for Dunshaughlin is about 6'00-6'06 i guess, for a sub 38 min finish.

Headed out quite late (8.30pm) as i was waiting for the rain to stop. 2 mls easy warm up to The Regents Park outer circle, a few strides and i was away. First 2 mls in 12'06 (6'03) felt controlled bar the last half mile. 5 min recovery jog then quite slowly. Then 12'00 (6'00) for the second 2mls, again the end was tough but not murder. 3 mins very slow recovery then before the first 1 ml, which i did in 6'02. This one was quite tough, tougher than either of the 2 milers. Final one then in 6'04 but i turned around half way through this one to finish closer to home which killed my pace and i had to push hard to get back towards 6'00 pace. The last 400m of this one was murder, slightly uphill, driving rain, dark and hundreds of people streaming out of London Zoo.

Happy to finish that one, it was a tough but enjoyable session. Good to mix things up a bit, even if it was only a once off as it'll be mostly tempo's before Berlin. Bit of a downer though; on the last rep i felt the front of my right shin become sore and it was seriously painful afterwards and prevented me from doing the warm down. Felt like someone had hit me with a hammer. I had this 2 weeks before Barca last February so i didnt panic. 9 mls total.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/93036155

Sat 18th June, Shin was still quite sore but i chanced a 3 mls recovery in the heath in 25'45 (8'35). I felt it slightly but it didnt stop me running. Doing last nights session in racers not the best idea. I've been racing a lot recently too. 32 mls now for the week, 18 ml LSR planned for tomorrow, assuming the shin is ok.

Brianderunner

Sun 19th June, 18 ml LSR in 2'31'xx (8'24) Down to Hyde Park and 2 laps (usual route) and back up through Regents. This was quite tough today, especially the last 4-5 mls. Felt like stopping and getting the bus back but ploughed on. Friday nights session still in the legs probably.

Weekly Review, 50 mls and 6 runs, got there finally, its gonna have to be commonplace most weeks from here to Berlin. Despite missing my pb by 14 seconds over 800m i'm happy with the week. Good that the shin injury petered out.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/93537485

Yearly Mileage, 857 mls.

Brianderunner

Email from the coach at the club

"Hi All, We need as many athletes as possible at Finsbury Park this Monday 20th June, from 7pm, to be “training as usual – preferably in club vest” ready for the start of Sky News’ “Special Report” show, which will be aired LIVE from 7:30pm – until 8pm.The “Special Report” Show is a documentary designed to highlight the 2012 Olympics’ lack of “Sporting Legacy” for Olympic Sports, with Finsbury Park Athletic Track currently being one of the main losers, and hence the main case study for the programme.Many of our coaches will be on hand on Monday to run real training sessions, so that you won’t just be standing around – we need to look busy and organised. To highlight our cause, we need lots of people, to show to the British public how popular the track and gym is to our club members".

It's just gonna some easy jogging and a few strides for the camera, which suits me fine as my legs are fairly beat up from yesterdays LSR. Make sure you are all watching!

Edit; it's on sky sports news at 7.30pm

Oisin11178

Brianderunner wrote: »

Email from the coach at the club

"Hi All, We need as many athletes as possible at Finsbury Park this Monday 20th June, from 7pm, to be “training as usual – preferably in club vest” ready for the start of Sky News’ “Special Report” show, which will be aired LIVE from 7:30pm – until 8pm.The “Special Report” Show is a documentary designed to highlight the 2012 Olympics’ lack of “Sporting Legacy” for Olympic Sports, with Finsbury Park Athletic Track currently being one of the main losers, and hence the main case study for the programme.Many of our coaches will be on hand on Monday to run real training sessions, so that you won’t just be standing around – we need to look busy and organised. To highlight our cause, we need lots of people, to show to the British public how popular the track and gym is to our club members".

It's just gonna some easy jogging and a few strides for the camera, which suits me fine as my legs are fairly beat up from yesterdays LSR. Make sure you are all watching!

Edit; it's on sky sports news at 7.30pm

which one:)

Brianderunner

Oisin11178 wrote: »

which one:)

Sky sports news, channel 408 if i remember correctly on ntl.

http://www.skysports.com/skysportsnews/story/0,28679,19501_6993971,00.html

Brianderunner

Mon 20th June, Headed down to the club training at Finsbury Park for the filming of the Sky Sports News "Special Report" about the olympic legacy and how it is not benefiting local tracks in London and our track was chosen for a case study and a live broadcast. With the camera's at the 200m mark the coach said a session like 30 mins of every 2nd 200m striding (past the camera) with 200m jogging in between would look best on tv. If you were watching Wimbledon this evening you'll know what the weather was like over here. The roof was built there for a reason :rolleyes:

So we were split up into groups of 4, with me getting stuck in with the 2'45 marathoners :rolleyes:. We took turns leading it out and it wasnt too bad actually despite yesterdays tough LSR. Averaged about 38 secs for each rep which we were happy with and did 16 laps in total. 2 laps w/u and 2 laps w/d for 5 mls total. Funny moment on the last 200 stride. Myself and another irish lad were leading it out and the 2 english lads behind us said to each other "come on we're not losing to a couple of paddy's" and they tried to close on us, we then pushed on and pulled away again followed by "ok maybe we are"

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/93767256

Not sure how much i was in the camera shot, if at all. Got my sisters to sky plus it and i'll see it at the weekend in Dublin. Highlight of the night though was my discovery of the vanilla yop, which has finally made its way over from mainland europe. I always drink bottle after bottle of this stuff when i'm in Paris and i could never find it in Ireland or here. Odds on to become my new recovery drink

Brianderunner

This is about as good as i could find, better than nothing

fiddy3

Fame academy.

rainbow kirby

They wouldn't even give you 15 seconds of fame. :pac:

Brianderunner

rainbow kirby wrote: »

They wouldn't even give you 15 seconds of fame. :pac:

Well if you add up all the bits of me running in the background over the half hour, you might just get 15 seconds worth. Don't see you on sky sports, marathon talk, pah!

Tues 21st June, longest day of the year and todays recovery run (4 mls in 36'24) felt like the longest run of the year. No energy and legs fairly dead from the last 2 days (Friday too i suppose). It'll do me the world of good though. 20 mins core after, the exercises are definitely getting easier and i can hold the plank for a minute now before i start shaking .

2 easy days then rest day/travel friday before Dunshaughlin Saturday. Honestly, not building it up too much in my head like i normally do. I have no pb to speak of (40'38 through 10k in Reading half i think is my pb). As long as i go close to 38 min i'll be happy enough. Looking forward to the weekend as a whole more so than the race i think.