The Hundred mile week dream.

dacam

Thats a coincidence ok
I've recently just started training for a Marathon, was wondering if anyone else on this thread was starting out, I see a good few are experienced runners.
I retired from GAA last year age 38, started to put the belly and weight on, not good. So before Xmas I started running, was up to 8mile 1 day a week and averaging 3-5 mile runs 4 days a week.

Got an injury plus the snow, so I have been set back a good bit, this week I have done 3 mile twice and 5 mile once which shattered me. Done the 5 mile in 47 minutes
Now my question is: how do I get back up to my comfortable 8 mile, and kick on from there. What would be good advice. do I dive in a nd just go for it, or start at scratch again?
Thanks

sarsfieldsrock

Tempo Run

This was a good session for me. I didn't feel up to doing 10 miles tempo yet so I cut it to 8. I think that I would have been able for the 10 but I could still feel the track session last night in the legs.
It was also bloody freezing as well! There was some patches of footpath that were properly iced up and it was a good job that it was dry.
The other reason for the 8 miles was that I hate to stop when on a tempo run. This was really the best route with the least encounters with traffic lights and traffic. It has a few hills in it but it is more or less out and back so ups and downs balance each other out.
I feel a lot better about targeting the 15 miles at 8:20 pace next Sunday now. I think that I will be wearing the same gear for that as I did today. I have been wearing the same waterproof jacket that I bought for the Art O'Neill but I think that I have been overheating in it. Tonight I just had a long sleeve underarmour top with the Tipp shirt over it and it felt a lot lighter and more comfortable.

sarsfieldsrock

dacam wrote: »

Thats a coincidence ok
I've recently just started training for a Marathon, was wondering if anyone else on this thread was starting out, I see a good few are experienced runners.
I retired from GAA last year age 38, started to put the belly and weight on, not good. So before Xmas I started running, was up to 8mile 1 day a week and averaging 3-5 mile runs 4 days a week.

Got an injury plus the snow, so I have been set back a good bit, this week I have done 3 mile twice and 5 mile once which shattered me. Done the 5 mile in 47 minutes
Now my question is: how do I get back up to my comfortable 8 mile, and kick on from there. What would be good advice. do I dive in a nd just go for it, or start at scratch again?
Thanks

You seemed to be making good progress before the break so just build back up again would be my advice.
I am not a coach so I am a bit loath to give advice to someone but you could start your own log here and you will get a lot of advice from some very experienced people. It also helps you to review your progress.
What I would say is that you should pick and target a half marathon before you go for the marathon. The Kildare half is on in May and that should give you time to get properly trained up for it.
When I started I found the Hal Higdon plans gave me a great guide.
Here is the one for the half;
http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/

The one I am currently following is the FIRST Run Less, Run Faster plan.
They have various ones for runners of different experience that can be viewed here;
http://www2.furman.edu/sites/first/Pages/FirstTrainingPrograms.aspx

There are loads of plans out there. These are just two that I have used.

Also I should be up at the Newbridge track most Wednesday nights from now on. They turn on the lights around 6 now and anyone can come and run on the track. I will be the lad in the Tipperary shirt.

Best of luck with the running and the marathon attempt.

sarsfieldsrock

Long Run

I had visitors all weekend and couldn't get out for a run. This was in place of the 15 mile at 8:20 that I was supposed to do yesterday.
I hope to have no more distractions now for the next few weeks.

sarsfieldsrock

Wed Track

Putting the Sunday long run back to Monday didn't do me any good here even if I did drop a few miles off it.
It was supposed to be 1000m, 2000m and 1000m with 400m RI but just couldn't do the 2000m. Instead I did 4x1000m and none of them were particularly quick either. I now have to fit in a 5 mile tempo run, a 20 mile long run and the Raheny 5 along with a leaving do tomorrow night. And I have to get them all done by Sunday obviously.
It looks like my debut in the Raheny 5 will not be an attempt at a PB on the 5 mile distance but hopefully I should be able to get under the 40 min mark.

sarsfieldsrock

This is a pain. I picked up some sort of bug and was laid low yesterday. Still feel crap today and the LSR planned for tomorrow doesn't look likely now.
I really hope I am okay by Sunday as I missed the Raheny 5 last year through injury. Be a bit of a pain to miss it again.
I am not having much luck with training for Barcelona. I have given up all hope of a PB there now and will just be running it for the craic! as they say.
There are worse things that could happen I suppose.

sarsfieldsrock

Sat Long Run

Not exactly a long slow run the average pace was 8:22 and it was only 17 miles. The plan called for 20 @ 8:30 pace but I am still playing catch up with that training plan.
I was actually delighted with the run as I had some bug on Thursday and Friday so I wasn't sure what sort of running state I would be in. Luckily enough it was a grand day for a run with no wind or rain and a clear blue sky.
Looking at the garmin map shows a bit of a criss cross through Newbridge as I wanted to be close enought to home in case I bonked.
So I should be okay to do the Raheny 5 tomorrow and I will be happy with a sub 40 there. No chance of breaking my old pb of 37:28 is there?

I was really helped with the run today by listening to the new Joan As Police Woman album "The Deep Field". Brilliant stuff and I will probably use her as my soundtrack to the next few races.

Aimman

Good Luck in the Raheny 5M

Oisin11178

You should deffo go for a pb eddie. You would well be able for the pace. Its a grand course to.

sarsfieldsrock

Raheny 5

Well at the last moment I decided to go for it in this race. Literally at the starting line I was just going to run a comfortable sub 40 and not strain too much. Then as soon as the race started I decided to run at 7:30 pace for a while.
I did the first lap in 7:19 so I decided to stick with that pace and try for the PB. As the previous PB was 37:28 I knew that 7:30's from then on would do the trick.
I managed to find a few paces from Drogheda and District A.C. and even though one of them passed me on the home straight I managed a respectable 36:23 according to the Garmin. The results added 1 second to that but no matter. I was disappointed enough with a final mile of 7:20 after doing 2,3 and 4 in 7:11, 7:12 and 7:11. I had hoped that I sould be able to push for a sub 7 in the final mile to get under 36 min but the legs just didn't have it or I didn't really push on with a half mile left.
Well organised race though and a nice flat, well most of it anyway, course.
I met the remnants of the Boardies get together in the pub afterwards and had a good run through of preparations for Connemara there.
Suffice to say that I think I will be €50 richer on the day after listening to some of the plans!

chinguetti

Good man on the pb. Hope the training goes well for Conn and that your wallet won't be weighed down with your winnings!

menoscemo

sarsfieldsrock wrote: »

Suffice to say that I think I will be €50 richer on the day after listening to some of the plans!

What's the problem? the mega meanies or the breakfast sandwich?

sarsfieldsrock

Recovery Run

This is not a recovery from the Raheny 5 but from the 17 miler on Sat and the fast (for me) 5 on Sunday.
I thought that it would be easier but it was tough enough on the legs so it was probably badly needed.


Meanies are never a good idea and breakfast rolls are something a young man can eat without it affecting him. You aren't referred to as menopause for nothing you know.:D

Oisin11178

Nice one on the pb eddie. We should all run conn holding hands like the women in the mini marathon:D

sarsfieldsrock

Wed Speed Session

3x1600m with 400m RI

I was on my warm up run down to the track when I realised that I had forgotten my head torch. Instead of going back for it I decided to give the track a miss and to do the runs on the road instead.
During the warm up I realised that I wasn't exactly going to be burning up the road. I was trying for 7 min miles and I did 7:10, 6:59 and 7:10 so it wasn't too bad.

The footpaths are mostly cement around Newbridge though so I will be glad when the evenings brighten up and I can run around the back roads safely again.

sarsfieldsrock

Tempo Run

This was meant to be 9 miles at 8 min pace with a mile warm up and down and it very nearly was. The wind made a mess of the pacing but I was happy enough with a slowest mile of 8:14. There are a few hills on the route I took as well so it was a good enough run for me.
Sundays run should have me back to on track with the training plan as it calls for 15 miles at 8:10 pace. I am not sure whether to go for a flat route or with 3 laps of my hilly course. Keeping the pace on the hilly course might be a tad ambithous. So long as it isn't windy I will be happy enough.

sarsfieldsrock

Long Run

This was actually the planned Sunday run but I couldn't get out to run yesterday. I only did 14.5 of the 15 miles set by the training plan as I don't want to get back to 100% of the plan until next week.
The plan called for 15 miles at 8:20 pace but I think only 1 mile was very close to that pace. Is 10 secs out a lot or is it an acceptable margin?
The route I ran isn't flat so that might explain the variances but overall I was happy with it.
I started feeling the pace in the last 2.5 miles. I think that is was because of the lateness fo the run, I had had a very full day by this time, and the fact that I had no water or nuitrition on the run. The distance is probably just at the limit of what I should be doing without these.

menoscemo

There's definately at least a PB in you in barca at the very least. I'd say you'll get very close to 3:30 if you don't break it.

sarsfieldsrock

menoscemo wrote: »

There's definately at least a PB in you in barca at the very least. I'd say you'll get very close to 3:30 if you don't break it.

Thanks. I think I will only have a real cut at 3:30 if I an break 1:40 in the half on Sunday week. If I can't then I will go for a sub 3:40 as I reckon I should be able for that.

hot to trot

I cant remember if it is you or running coach who does the barefoot running.
Thought you might like this.. apologies if it is not you and this is boring for you .
Keep up the super running

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=theHXQP9Bo0&playnext=1&list=PLC7D4F55CD1A329F7

sarsfieldsrock

Wed Track

10x400m with 400m jog rest intervals.
It was drizzling rain but it was not cold and there was no wind. When I got to the track I thought that there was a very good turn out from the Newbridge club and very enthusiastic as well as there was about 30 26 people there.
It was only as I ran around the track that I realise that it was the Kildare football squad doing 250m sprints. I ignored them as I did my track intervals and was happy that they finished before me.
What they thought of the auld lad in Tipperary shirt at what must have seemed like a jogging pace to them I don't know.

HTT I do a bit of runing in the Vibram fivefingers when I get the chance.
I will sign up for the Clontarf half and run in them again this year. You can run a fair bit of it on on the sand and grass.

On that link, hilarious. I am now to be known as Barefoot Guy in Tipperary shirt!

sarsfieldsrock

10 Miles +

I couldn't get my long run of 20 miles done this weekend for one reason and another. I didn't really feel like doing it this evening but I decided to do some sort of a run. It turned into a 10 mile run with a 1/4 mile warm down jog at the end of it. I managed the 10 mile in just over 79 minutes so i was satisfied with that.
I now have the track session on Wednesday and a tempo run on Thursday or Friday with an attempt at a sub 1:40 half marathon at Eton on Sunday.

sarsfieldsrock

5 Mile Run

This was not part of any plan. I just decided to run 5 miles and just let the pace set itself.
Each mile I did progressively quicker and it was a nice run thats all. Its good to enjoy it instead of it being a slog.

sarsfieldsrock

Wed Interval Session

When I jogged up to the track there were no lights on and I hadn't got my head torch with me so I had to do the 8x800m intervals around the town on the footpaths.
I was aiming for around 3:30-3:40 splits and I hit them more or less. The first one or two were a bit awkward with the turns and pedestrians on the footpaths but it went well enough.

Aimman

sarsfieldsrock wrote: »

Wed Interval Session

When I jogged up to the track there were no lights on and I hadn't got my head torch with me so I had to do the 8x800m intervals around the town on the footpaths.

That's a couple of times you've forgotten your head torch for the track, you'll have to have it surgically mounted on your forehead so you dont leave it behind. :-)

sarsfieldsrock

Eton Half Marathon

This is the flattest half that I have ever done. It was basically a time trial half consisting of 3 laps of the rowing lake at Eton College. Flat, flat, flat with no wind and temperature of around 6 degrees. In other words perfect conditions for going for a PB.
There were two races organised. One half at 10am for those who wanted to run 1:45 or better and then one at 12:30 for those who weren't bothered about a time. This meant that there was none of the usual time wasted overtaking slower runners at the start. There were pacers for 1:30 and 1:45 but none for my 1:40 target time.
I will post a more detailed race report later but this is an ideal race to go for a half marathon PB.

menoscemo

sarsfieldsrock wrote: »

Eton Half Marathon

This is the flattest half that I have ever done. It was basically a time trial half consisting of 3 laps of the rowing lake at Eton College. Flat, flat, flat with no wind and temperature of around 6 degrees. In other words perfect conditions for going for a PB.
There were two races organised. One half at 10am for those who wanted to run 1:45 or better and then one at 12:30 for those who weren't bothered about a time. This meant that there was none of the usual time wasted overtaking slower runners at the start. There were pacers for 1:30 and 1:45 but none for my 1:40 target time.
I will post a more detailed race report later but this is an ideal race to go for a half marathon PB.

Those mile splits look excellent, no fading at all, very consistent. With your endurance base 3:30 in Barca should be no problem. That also looks like an excellent HM for a PB attempt. Is it easy to get to?

sarsfieldsrock

menoscemo wrote: »

Those mile splits look excellent, no fading at all, very consistent. With your endurance base 3:30 in Barca should be no problem. That also looks like an excellent HM for a PB attempt. Is it easy to get to?

Easy enough if you have somebody to drive you from London as I did.
Here are the directions from below. You could probably also get the train and taxi but how would you get back again?
Basically you need to drive.

http://www.dorneylake.co.uk/directions.html

hot to trot

Congratulations. Super run.:D

sarsfieldsrock

Eton Half Marathon. PB of 1:38:25.

This was advertised as a very flat half marathon and it lived up to its description.
It is basically 3 laps of a man built lake which is used as the British Olympic rowing teams training venue.
While the race website gave details of how to get there by train or car the train option does involve a 15 minute taxi ride
at the end of it. I was lucky enough to get my brother to drive me out to the race.
We got there just before 8:30 which is when registration opened. They had changing rooms for men and women with portaloos all set up.
The car parks were supervised and there was a 10 minute walk from the car park to the registration with a further 10 minute
walk to the race start.
I had not received my race number in the post but they gave me a new one at the registraion without any hassle. I jogged up to the start for the 10am race start.
There were actually 2 races on with the 10am start for those people who were trying to do better than 1:45. There were pacers for 1:30, 1:45 and 1:20 but they had no balloons. There were over 300 people lined up for the 10 am start.
There was a second start at 12:30pm for those runners who were not bothered about a time but wanted to run at their leisure.
This meant that the start was smooth without much of the usual hassle caused by slower runners starting too far up the pack.
Or indeed by quicker runners starting too far down the pack!
I had set my garmin to a training opion of a half marathon with a target time of 1:39 which gave me 1 min leeway for that extra distance the not running the exact racing line usually gives you.
The temperature was about 6 degrees and it was overcast so the conditions were perfect weather wise.
The laps were just over 3 miles each with a turn off on the last to the finish in front of the Rowing Centre. There were 2 bridges on the one side of the lake and these were the only noticable climbs and you can see from the Garmin connect map that these were not very steep. There was one water stop with cups of water and 330ml sports bottles of Lucozade sport. After the first lap there was plenty of spacing between the runners so that there was no pausing there. The cups were not ideal but the bottles were and I didn't find any problems with hydration.
The surface was all tarmac path that weren't very wide but there was no crowding due to the numbers. They have a limit of 1000 and that is the total entry for both races. They could probably cope with double those numbers for the race but they might not have the parking for that.
Anyway I went out at 7:30 pace and tried to keep myself at a steady pace for the 1st half of the race and then see how I felt for the second half.
I was using the garmin as a pacer and was about 120ft ahead of myself after the first lap. I was able to build this with each lap until it changed to 0.1 miles ahead of my garmin pacer on the last lap.
I used various other runners to pace myself and as the race went on and I didn't blow up I got more confident that I would achieve my target time.
The garmin was also quite accurate as I tried to keep a good racing line and at the 10 mile mark I was almost spot on with the course mile markers as the garmin showed 9.98 at that point.
I tried to push on for the last 3 miles and I did do my 3 quickest miles for miles 11-13 but I didn't push on for the 2nd half of the 13th mile.
Instead I just ensured that nobody passed me. This usually means that you have to up your pace to hold somebody off but there seemed to be a gap behind me to the next runner and they was nobody trying to close the gap. When I turned off for the finish line after the mile 13 marker I did up the pace but I had left it too late to catch the runners in front of me.
I crossed the line at a sprint and thought that I had hit stop on the garmin but after a minute or so I realised that the clock was still ticking on the garmin.
I quickly stopped it and in a fit of frustration at not turning it off on time I deleted the 15th lap on it. This then gave me a 1:37:44 time but I knew that the garmins 13.1 miles were not an exact match. I had seen it register 12:98 at the 13 mile mark so I was not that far behind but the race results have just given me a 1:38:25 time which I think is incorrect. They gave me the same chip time as finish time and I was at least 10 seconds going over the start line so there is some error there but not a lot to be honest. It would have been nice to run under 1:38 but now I have a target for the Dublin half later on in the year.
Maybe the later results will correct the time a little but for now the official time is 1:38:44 and I cannot but be happy with that time.
At the finish line we got our medal but no goodie bag or technical shirt. I was not bothered about this as there was none advertised but the medal was a little disappointing. It was fairly small and had no year number on it so it looked like a generic batch that will be used over a number of years.
Other than that this was a very well run, well organised race but it would not appeal to most runners as the route is very boring. It is the best place that you can go to if you want to set a half marathon pb though.
My brother me me at the end and as we walked back to the car it was a little strange to meet the 12:30 race runners just arriving in to start their race.
There were no problems getting out of the car park and we were away quickly. There was a massage tent (£10 charge) and I think that they had some talks as well by the likes of Liz Yelling and others but I wasn't interested in those.
So the splits for my race from the Garmin were;
7:22, 7:34, 7:31, 7:32, 7:33, 7:34, 7:28, 7:27, 7:32, 7:33, 7:20, 7:19, 7:12 and 00:40 for the last 0.1.
This was a trial for Barcelona as I was not going to try for a 3:30 there if I could not break 1:40 here so it is now all systems go for continuous 8 minute miles there. My longest run has only been 18 miles so the last 8 miles could get fairly interesting but my pace does seem to have picked up considerably in the last year.