Keep Improving

PDCAT

Thursday 27/09/12

4.00 - 36.34 - (9.08) Easy

Around Hurling Pitch. Nice morning and found it easy enough. Plan for weekend has changed. Because i'm up in Croke Park Sunday at hurling replay, i'm moving 17Miles to Saturday and 8Mile MP run from Saturday to Friday. Hoping the legs are up to these two runs.

PDCAT

Friday 28/09/12

8.00 - 1.07.38 - (8.27) MP

This run was supposed to be completed on Saturday, but as I'm travelling to Croker on Sunday for the hurling, had to rejig the plan. Mad rush this morning to get this done. Home from work last night at 2.30am. Up at 9.30am, down to the hurling field to do this as early into work this afternoon. Not looking forward to this as i've never done 8 miles at MP before. It was ok. First 4 miles went by fairly easily holding the pace. Last 4 miles a little harder. Now just a 17miler tomorrow morning to worry about.

PDCAT

Saturday 29/09/12

17.00 - 2.38.11 - (9.18) LSR

Wasn't looking forward to this as it was my third longest run ever and my longest run since DCM 11. Also had ran the last three days in a row and thought the legs would be tired. However, it wasn't too bad. First 10 miles went very well. Miles 11- 15 felt like i was running on tired legs. Last mile was the toughest. Managed to hold my pace throughout run so wasn't as bad as expected.

Off to Croker on Sunday for the hurling and celebrations late Sunday night and all day monday have left me wrecked. Am going to change around my run's this week and take my rest days earlier in the week and run on some of my normal rest days to catch up with missed sessions.

PDCAT

Wednesday 03/10/12

8.00 - 1.13.37 - (9.12) Easy

Due to my boldness, two days celebrating All Ireland Final Victory for the cat's, i was too sick/depressed to do anything Tuesday. Pushed Tuesday's run to last night. Don't know how i summoned up the energy to go out and run this. I actually kept to the pace and reached the distance i wanted. Legs were a little heavy, body a little tired. Little sore this morning. Another 5 miles planned for tonight.

PDCAT

Thursday 04/10/12

5.00 - 46.10 - (9.14) Easy

Found this tough. My legs feel sore and tired. Not sure how much of this muscle soreness is due to increase in mileage recently and how much is due to my weekend of celebrating the all ireland. Have a rest day on Friday. 8 miler due on Saturday and 18 miles (dreading it) on Sunday. Hopefully the legs will recover for Sunday.

PDCAT

Saturday 06/10/12

8.00 - 1.13.40 - (9.12) Easy

Have been doing quiet a few of these Saturday morning runs at MP. Wasn't in the plan for this Saturday so i took it easy. Ran around GAA Pitch. Felt good and more positive about Sunday's run.

Sunday 07/10/12

18.00 - 2.47.11 - (9.17) LSR

Similiar to last week. Found first ten miles comfortable, miles 10 - 16 ok, felt like running on tired legs. Last two miles tougher. However, always felt like i could hold the pace. Delighted when this was finished.

Monday 08/10/12

5.00 - 50.34 - (10.06) Recovery

Have missed a few of these Monday recovery runs recently and wanted to get back on track. Ran around GAA Pitch in the teems of rain this morning. Legs stiff/sore the first two miles but loosened out. They feel a lot better now. All in all happy with the weekends running. Much improved on last weekends drinking sessions.

PDCAT

Tuesday 09/10/12

5.00 - 45.40 - (9.08) Easy

Around Hurling pitch this morning. Felt ok. Front of right leg between knee & groin area is a bit tight/sore at the moment. Loosen's out after a couple of miles. Will keep an eye on this.

PDCAT

Wednesday 10/10/12

5.00 - 43.39 - (8.44) Easy

Legs felt great this morning considering this was my fifth day of running in a row (not normal for me). Ran around the GAA Pitch again this morning. Feeling positive at the moment apart from a sore muscle to the front of my upper right leg. It's not stopping me from running, just a niggle.
Done a couple of strides in the last mile to speed things up a little.

PDCAT

Saturday 13/10/12

8.00 - 1.07.12 - (8.23) - MP

Biggest issue here was my sore thigh/groin area. Ran this around GAA Pitch and held the pace ok.

Sunday 14/10/12

13.00 - 2.00.11 - (9.14) - LSR

Very comfortable LSR this sunday. Step back week. Legs felt good. Didn't bother bringing gels or water. Problem still persists with upper thigh/groin ache/strain. I can run through it and after a few miles, will barely notice the strain. Also don't notice it when sitting or lying down, but when walking will definitely feel it. If it's no better by Friday, i will go to the physio to get it looked at.

PDCAT

Monday 15/10/12

5.00 - 49.55 - (9.59) - Recovery

Ran around GAA Pitch yesterday evening. As it's getting dark early these days, i'm going to have to do all my evening run's around the Pitch when working on day shift. Option is also there to drive into town and run on the track. Groin/Thigh area still sore. When i run, it doesn't feel any worse. In fact when i've covered a couple of miles, i barely notice it. Is sore once the muscle stiffen's up. Am going to do 8 miles tonight. I might drop Thursday's run and go to physio on Friday evening. That would give me three days rest. Have a 20 miler on Sunday and really want to do that.

PDCAT

Tuesday 16/10/12

8.00 - 1.12.21 - (9.02) - Easy

Around GAA Pitch yesterday evening. Local Hurling players came out to train and i moved onto ajoining pitch to complete. Leg still sore to start off with but never really noticed it after about 20 minutes. Am going to rest it now until i see the physio on Friday.

PDCAT

Went to Physio on Friday afternoon. He said the leg injury is a strained abductor muscle. He worked on it for about 10 minutes (painful), gave me a stretch to do five times per day. Told me i could continue running.

Saturday 20/10/12

5.00 - 41.36 - (8.19) - MP

Around GAA Pitch early in the morning. Run went fairly well, apart from the sore leg for the first two miles.

Sunday 21/10/12

20.00 - 3.05.26 - (9.12) - LSR

My longest run since DCM11. Had 4 pints on Saturday evening and in bed by 10pm. Run went well. Found it relatively comfortable for 18 miles. Last two miles were tough and found it hard to hold pace. Nevertheless, when i last ran this route (pre DCM11), I struggled to hold 10 minute miles. Shows the improvement over the past 12 months.

Noticed over the last couple of miles, my knee was slightly sore on the already injured leg. Will rest up for most of this week and see will this help. This is a step back week, so won't be missing any long runs until the weekend.

PDCAT

Monday 29/10/12

5.00 - 48.31 - (9.42) - Very Easy

Took 8 days off running due to abductor muscle strain on right leg. It was a step back week so thought it might help. Done lots of stretching to help recovery. Back running yesterday, running around hurling pitch. First two miles, leg sore, after than no problems. Leg still seems to feel the same as before. Plan now is to just get to the marathon on Nov 25th and then rest the leg for a few weeks to recover.

PDCAT

Tuesday 30/10/12

8.00 - 1.12.25 - (9.02) - Easy

Again around pitch last night in the dark. Leg felt ok after couple of miles. Another 5 miles planned for tonight, then couple of days off until Saturday.

PDCAT

Wednesday 31/10/12

5.00 - 45.33 - (9.06) - Easy

Took this handly last night around Hurling pitch. Managed to get it in before it got pitch dark. Leg a little sore for first couple of miles, then ok. Rest now and plan is 5 mile MP on Saturday, followed by 20 miles on Sunday. Also completed 1,000 miles for the year. Since i started running 3 years ago, first time i've ever reached it.

PDCAT

Saturday 03/11/12

5.00 - 40.00 - (8.00) - MP

Supposed to run this as 8.20 pace, but ran it too fast around GAA Pitch as hurlers were getting togged out to use the pitch i was running on. Felt ok.
Had a wedding later on in the day. Managed to behave. Drank three pints and left at 10.30pm.

Sunday 04/11/12

20.00 - 3.05.41 - (9.15) - LSR

Was looking for a confidence boost for marathon. Didn't get it. First 10 miles were ok apart from the usual niggle from the groin area. However on mile 10 started to get a pain in my Knee. Had previously got this pain at mile 18 of my last 20 miler (two weeks previously). Had forgotten about it since as had no issues with it. Ran the last ten miles with this slight pain in the inside of my right knee. It's the same leg that i have the abductor muscle strain on and i'm not sure if it's related to this or a totally different injury. Pi**ed off with this. Stretched the leg a few times during the day and had a hot bath on Sunday night. Inside of the knee is a little sore to touch.

Monday 05/11/12

5.00 - 48.28 - (9.41) - Recovery

Went down to the hurling pitch early this morning for this recovery run. Right knee was giving a slight pain all the way through. Sometimes not too bad, sometimes fairly sore. Hardly noticed the abductor muscle injury at all. Aim is to try and get through this week of marathon training plan, see a physio at the weekend and probably rest up for the last two weeks of the taper, in order to help legs recover.

PDCAT

Tuesday 06/11/12

6.00 - 53.57 - (8.59) - Easy

On grass again today. Seem to be running on grass a little too often lately. Probably need to get out on the road more. Right Knee gave no trouble today for some reason. Niggle still there on the abductor muscle. However, still getting the run's completed. Hopefully it will continue for another week or so.

menoscemo

What is your target marathon PDCAT?

PDCAT

menoscemo wrote: »

What is your target marathon PDCAT?

Well Menoscemo. I'm not totally decided yet. At the start of the year, i would have been happy with a sub 4, but as the year has went on, i lowered the target to sub 3.45, then 3.40.
Ran 1.37 half in Athlone and looked at possibly 3.35.

Plan i'm using is HH Intermediate 1. It is really a low mileage with peak weekly mileage at approx 43/44 miles. Ran two 20 milers, 18miler & 17miler, so more LSR's than last year's DCM. However, i'm conscious of the fact that i blew up big time at mile 18 in my only other marathon (DCM 11). Also due to the fact that it's a low mileage plan, i'm thinking of being a bit cautious and trying to target sub 3.40. Not sure, i'm even capable of this. Based on my half time, i should be, just concerns about stamina.

Have ran LSR's at approx 9.15 pace, most weeks ran approx 5 - 8 miles MP runs at 8.20 pace. But haven't ran any MP miles on tired legs, so not sure how i'll go.

menoscemo

Thanks for the detailed answer, but I was actually asking which marathon you were doing

PDCAT

menoscemo wrote: »

Thanks for the detailed answer, but I was actually asking which marathon you were doing

I'm sorry, have marathon paces/times in my head all the time at the minute. Saw your question and went off in a tangent :rolleyes:.
I've entered the Florence Marathon on November 25th. Have booked flights and accomadation. Going for a week hols with herself. Don't think there's anyone else on boards doing it this year.

menoscemo

PDCAT wrote: »

I'm sorry, have marathon paces/times in my head all the time at the minute. Saw your question and went off in a tangent :rolleyes:.
I've entered the Florence Marathon on November 25th. Have booked flights and accomadation. Going for a week hols with herself. Don't think there's anyone else on boards doing it this year.

Great, I heard it's a lovely flat one.
Great part of the world to spend a week in. Make sure to visit Bologna as well, it's a lovely city and very underrated.
Random Fact: Bologna has a tower that is taller and more 'leaning' than the one in Pisa (a hell of a lot more to do in the city as well).

PDCAT

menoscemo wrote: »

Great, I heard it's a lovely flat one.
Great part of the world to spend a week in. Make sure to visit Bologna as well, it's a lovely city and very underrated.
Random Fact: Bologna has a tower that is taller and more 'leaning' than the one in Pisa (a hell of a lot more to do in the city as well).

Cheers, might check it out. As i'm going to be there for seven days, i should have some time to get out of the city for a while.

PDCAT

Wednesday 07/11/12

5.00 - 45.14 - (9.02) - Easy

No real problems here. Legs a little tired (5 days in a row). No problems with the knee. The groin strain still niggling away though. Resting until Saturday. Hopefully couple of days rest will help.

PDCAT

Saturday 10/11/12

4.00 - 32.10 - (8.10) - MP

Again slightly faster than i wanted to run, but went ok.

Sunday 11/11/12

12.00 - 1.49.15 - (9.06) - LSR

This was a lovely run and legs felt really comfortable through out. Groin strain still there but ignoring it at the moment. Started to get knee issue again at around 9.5 miles in. Knee problem is the most worrying as it doesn't seem to kick in until 9/10 miles. i believe it may be related to the abductor muscle strain. Plan is to run for next two evenings (monday/tuesday) and then rest up until the marathon (13 days time). Going to try and get an appointment with physio/ sports massage therapist later on this week to look at the leg.

PDCAT

Monday 12/11/12

4.00 - 37.44 - (9.25) - Recovery

Faster than planned. Ran around GAA Pitch in the dark, hard to get motivated for this. Looking into getting a treadmill to use during winter nights.

PDCAT

Tuesday 13/11/12

5.00 - 44.52 - (8.58) - Easy

In the dark again tonight, last run possibly before the marathon. Am going to see physio tonight to get leg looked at. Hopefully he'll be able to do something with it and with some rest, hoping that it will improve.

PDCAT

Went to physio last Wednesday so he'd have a look at abductor muscle. Said that the niggle i'm getting in the knee after 10 miles approx of running is related to the groin/abductor strain. Worked on it for half an hour (really sore). Gave me stretches to do and to get a stress band and use it. Told me i could run this week, just have warm baths, continue doing stretches and use the band to strengthen the muscle. He said i'd get through the marathon but afterwards i'd have to strenghen my glutes as he believes this to be the cause of the problem.

Monday 19/11/12

3.00 - 28.59 - (9.39) - Very Easy

Hadn't run since last Tuesday so took it very easy this morning. Legs a little stiff to start off with but were fine then. Can still feel the Abductor muscle strain very slightly. No real bother. Will run couple of very short runs this week, continue to stretch and strenghen upper leg area.

PDCAT

Tuesday 20/11/12

4.00 - 35.31 - (8.53) - Easy

Legs still felt a little stiff/tired for the first couple of miles, but felt ok once they got used to the pace. Not long to go now. Definitely experiencing taper madness this week.

PDCAT

Thursday 22/11/12

2.00 - 17.55 - (8.58) - Easy

Well the last run before Florence Marathon on Sunday. Fly out tomorrow morning. Saturday will collect number/chip etc at the expo. Taper madness/nerves hit me this week (reminding me this is what i've been training for the last 18 weeks) Usual doubts in the mind about injuries, whether i'll finish the marathon etc...

Plan is to run at approx 8.15 - 8.20 per mile (between 3.35 - 3.40 pace) and see how long i'll hold on. Hoping the muscle injury i've had the last few weeks will hold off. Previous marathon DCM 11 - PB of 4.13 so if i finish at all i should beat that.

Half Marathon in Athlone 1.37 gives me a chance of sub 3.45 but concerned about stamina due to my collapse in DCM 11. Am going to Florence for a week. Will be hobbling around tourist's sites for a few days after the marathon. Will update when i get home.