2012 4 Races for 4 PBs

outforarun

Changed my mind at the last moment this morning and packed running gear. Ran home after work. Lots of stops for traffic. I'm not looking at my watch on these runs and just tip along at whatever feels easy. Something satisfying about running home from work. That's me done until the weekend when I finally start pushing under 8:00 minute miles again.

M01 9:37
M02 9:16

Total 2.30M @ 9:21

Aware 5M. Week 2 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.16|8:51
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00|5.07|8:10
Easy work to home 2M+ |2.30|9:21
Tempo 6M @ 8:00 to max 7:45||
LSR 10M @ 8:45 to max 8:30||

outforarun

Trotted over to the Park yesterday morning. I'd been looking forward to this run, it's been a while since I tried to run at under 8:00 pace. Started too fast and spent the first mile trying to gradually drop the pace. Knee support on. Legs felt grand during the run. I'm still not back to where I was say the weekend before Cork to Cobh, but getting there.

Warm-up 1.29M @ 8:49

M01 7:45
M02 7:51
M03 7:45
M04 7:47
M05 7:51
M06 7:48

Total 6.00M @ 7:48

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/129713258

Warm-down 1.18M @ 8:56

Aware 5M. Week 2 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.16|8:51
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00|5.07|8:10
Easy work to home 2M+ |2.30|9:21
Tempo 6M @ 8:00 to max 7:45|6.00|7:48
LSR 10M @ 8:45 to max 8:30||

outforarun

Happy to have completed all training sessions for two consecutive weeks now. Both legs feel ok. I was a little apprehensive before this morning's 10 miler, because I didn't get to sleep until just after 5:00am this morning. The last time I ran this session on so little sleep was when I'd just got off an overnight flight (from South Africa - no jet lag) in the summer, and I remember being wrecked and struggling to finish. This morning instead energy levels were fine. Beautiful morning for a run. Deer clattering antlers against tree branches.

M01 8:34
M02 8:28
M03 8:27
M04 8:32
M05 8:32
M06 8:43
M07 8:34
M08 8:39
M09 8:42
M10 8:37

Total 10.21M @ 8:35

Aware 5M. Week 2 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.16|8:51
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00|5.07|8:10
Easy work to home 2M+ |2.30|9:21
Tempo 6M @ 8:00 to max 7:45|6.00|7:48
LSR 10M @ 8:45 to max 8:30|10.21|8:35

outforarun

Gloves and long-sleeve hi-vis top were back on this morning. No frost that I could see but it was cold. I've been spoiled with the recent mild mornings. Start run at 6:11. I knew on the first mile that the Garmin was skewed again, it beeped maybe 200ms to soon for the first mile, giving me a 8:25. The remaining miles were easy to keep slow. This hour of the morning suits plodding along.

Focus is on the Aware 5M. That said I'm starting to devise a plan already for Cork. Could be a 24 week plan with 5 runs a week (one of which is the 2.3 mile trot home from work).

I'm thinking:

- Tuesdays 5M recovery run
- Wednesdays - steady run building from 5 up to 10 miles
- Thursdays - recovery trot home from work
- Saturdays - alternating 800m intervals, tempo runs (7:30 pace is the new 7:45), and steady runs if on the Sunday I have PMP miles.
- Sundays - mostly regular LSRs, but some with PMP miles included.

this morning's not very accurate Garmin stats read:

M01 8:25
M02 8:48
M03 9:02
M04 8:55
M05 8:52

Total 5.23M @ 8:50

Aware 5M. Week 3 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.23|8:50
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00||
Easy work to home 2M+ ||
Tempo 6M @ 7:45 to max 7:30||
LSR 10M @ 8:45 to max 8:30||

outforarun

Deep sleep when the alarm went off yesterday morning. Uhhh that time already. Don't think about it. Shorts on, t-shirt on, runners on, hi-vis on, Garmin on, knee support on, bottle of water, no need for gloves. Right off we go. Another 6:11 start. Steady pace, doesn't feel as easy as I'd like it to feel. Right knee, right leg feels grand now. Instead for about 2 minutes on mile 2 I feel a tweak on left knee. Passes. Get my 5 miles and stretches done all before 7:00. Nice to start the day with that accomplishment.

Today I was due to run home from work. Went to change in the office toilets only to realise I'd forgotten shorts :mad:. I'm not up for running in jeans, I'll run home tomorrow.

M01 8:14
M02 8:09
M03 8:03
M04 8:15
M05 8:12

Total 5.05M @ 8:11

Aware 5M. Week 3 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.23|8:50
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00|5.05|8:11
Easy work to home 2M+ ||
Tempo 6M @ 7:45 to max 7:30||
LSR 10M @ 8:45 to max 8:30||

outforarun

Thursday I forgot my shorts. Friday I forgot my Garmin. Too many things to remember. Trotted home from work yesterday and timed myself with phone. Covered 2.3 miles at 9:09 pace. Not crazy about the amount of pavement involved in running home.

Cranked the pace up once more for this morning's 6 miler. Target pace today anything between 7:45 and 7:30. Calves were stiff during my warm-up. Usual route. The first 3 miles are always the toughest, the majority of the three miles are spent ascending Chesterfield (I cover some of Chesterfield twice because I loop back down past the Papal Cross). I slowed down from 7:13 pace to 7:38 pace for mile one. I felt tired at end of mile 2 (7:42) and worried for a while that I was maybe about to run a fail. Tell myself to get to the top of Chesterfield and after that the run should look after itself. That's exactly what happened. The hard work was done over the first half of the run, then the last three miles were relaxed and enjoyable, knowing that I was fine for target pace.

Heading into this session I knew it wouldn't be easy but was confident of hitting target pace. Next Saturday I crank up the pace another notch and will aim for 7:15 to 7:30 pace. I'm not so confident of hitting target. If I do, then I'll consider myself back on track.

Checking the Garmin after today's run shows a net elevation gain of 22m over the first three miles and a net elevation loss of 24m over the last three miles. Mile 1 is the most uphill (+17), mile 4 the most downhill (-20).

Warm-up 1.29M @ 9:23

M01 7:38
M02 7:42
M03 7:32
M04 7:29
M05 7:31
M06 7:39

Total 6.01M @ 7:36

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/131077788

Warm-down 1.21M @ 8:59

Aware 5M. Week 3 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.23|8:50
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00|5.05|8:11
Easy work to home 2M+ |2.30|9:09
Tempo 6M @ 7:45 to max 7:30|6.01|7:36
LSR 10M @ 8:45 to max 8:30||

outforarun

Seem to be busy round the clock these days. Only managing to log Sunday's run tonight.

Left house before 9, long sleeve top on, decided not to bring gloves. The first 3 miles I felt tired, cold and flat-footed and wasn't enjoying the run. Then I finally warmed up and the sun had risen high enough to make a difference and I started feeling more comfortable tipping round my usual 10 miler. Lots of deer about this morning. Last three miles I felt fresher than first three miles.

This morning my alarm never went off, I woke up when it was too late to go for a run, secretly happy to roll over and grab another 30 minutes sleep. Have to head to bed now if I'm to get out tomorrow morning, have a feeling it'll be a cold one.

M01 8:56
M02 8:40
M03 8:32
M04 8:28
M05 8:33
M06 8:37
M07 8:32
M08 8:41
M09 8:30
M10 8:39

Total 10.18M @ 8:37

Aware 5M. Week 3 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.23|8:50
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00|5.05|8:11
Easy work to home 2M+ |2.30|9:09
Tempo 6M @ 7:45 to max 7:30|6.01|7:36
LSR 10M @ 8:45 to max 8:30|10.18|8:37

ManFromAtlantis

keep up the good work.

outforarun

Up early yesterday and out into a surprisingly mild morning. Windy though. Enjoyed this run, no aches, no stiffness, felt I had a nice cadence throughout. First mile was slower than it felt at 9:10. Deliberately picked up the pace after date (tight schedule in the morning can't afford to take it too handy).

Week's not going to schedule, I'm dropping my trot home from work. Tomorrow morning I've 5 steady miles planned and I think this one really will be a cold one. Frost on roofs outside as I write.

M01 9:10
M02 8:34
M03 8:43
M04 8:38
M05 8:46

Total 5.17M @ 8:47

Aware 5M. Week 4 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.17|8:47
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00||
Easy work to home 2M+ |didn't run|didn't run
Tempo 6M @ 7:30 to max 7:15||
LSR 10M @ 8:45 to max 8:30||

outforarun

I worried that the Running Gods would conspire against me this morning. I was lazy (and a bit jaded) during the week and skipped two runs. Then I expect to just stroll over to the park and run 6 miles at 7:30 to 7:15 pace. Worried that I might be taught a lesson.

As always the first three miles are the tough three miles. In a way this is convenient because when it does feel tough I can convince myself that after 3 miles I'll have broken the back of the run and things will get easier. Mile 1 today 7:20. I'd have been happy with a low 7:3X on the opening miles and then plan to push the average pace down over the closing miles. Mile two is 7:15. I'm working for these times, it's nearly all uphill. Turn onto Ordenance Road and start to let gravity do its thing over the end of mile 3 and the full mile 4: 7:29 and 7:19. Asking myself will I be able to run faster this day next week. Progression over the last few Saturday's has been good so hopefully I can extend this for one more weekend. Saw people heading for Jingle Bells. Mile 5 is 7:25, and me being me I push to keep all miles under 7:30, succeed with a 7:26. Happy with the run. Feel I'm more or less back to where I was pre Cork to Cobh

Was this easy? No. Was this very difficult? No. So definitely <7:30 will replace <7:45 as my general target tempo pace for my next training plans. The only way I'll get used to running <7:30, is by running at that pace.

In other news: went to bring my shorts and t-shirt in from the balcony during the week. They were gone! That was some wind we had. Spotted them in a neighbours and collected them today.

Also, I've applied for Ballycotton.

Warm-up 1.26M @ 9:24

M01 7:20
M02 7:15
M03 7:29
M04 7:19
M05 7:25
M06 7:26

Total 6.01M @ 7:23

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/132472711

Warm-down 1.24 @ 9:29

Aware 5M. Week 4 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.17|8:47
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00|didn't run|didn't run
Easy work to home 2M+ |didn't run|didn't run
Tempo 6M @ 7:30 to max 7:15|6.01|7:23
LSR 10M @ 8:45 to max 8:30||

outforarun

House woke up later than usual this morning. Headed out for today's 10 miler gone 9:00. Winter's day. Cold, happy I decided to put gloves on. Take it easy on first mile. Mr.Slow mentioned a while back that I'm too focused on running each individual mile at overall target pace. He's right. I'm trying to worry a little bit less about each mile split. So mile one today acts as a gentle warm-up and clocks at 9:02. I naturally speed up over the next few miles and hover just under 8:30 miles. Cold rain showers roll in. I always like running in these conditions. As I leave the Park there's a light hail shower. Finish the run with an 8:34 pace average. Legs could feel yesterday's run. Still finished feeling I could have continued this pace for a good while longer.

I think when I retire my Forerunner 110 I'll be looking for a Garmin that shows overall pace and not pace of current mile.

Weekend sessions put a gloss on a lazy week's running. Must commit to getting both early morning runs in this coming week. Also have to keep an eye on the Aware site, bit of a mystery how I'm going to get my number and chip.

M01 9:02
M02 8:26
M03 8:26
M04 8:29
M05 8:33
M06 8:34
M07 8:27
M08 8:33
M09 8:30
M10 8:32

Total 10.17M @ 8:34

Aware 5M. Week 4 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.17|8:47
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00|didn't run|didn't run
Easy work to home 2M+ |didn't run|didn't run
Tempo 6M @ 7:30 to max 7:15|6.01|7:23
LSR 10M @ 8:45 to max 8:30|10.17|8:34

outforarun

Garmin was well skewed for the first mile this morning. I lost reception (first time this ever happened) and I was placed around 600ms directly south of where I should have been. Was running 35 second miles for a while. Strange this only seems to happen on early weekday morning runs.

Wasn't as cold as I feared it would be. Some stiffness in both calves/heels. Paced this well, I'm ignoring the first mile and I'm taking my average pace from the other 4 miles.

Got my number in the post today. Was starting to worry. Nothing like receiving your number to get you excited about a race.

M01 8:05
M02 8:42
M03 8:45
M04 8:46
M05 8:50

Total 5.22M @ 8:46 (excludes mile 1)

Aware 5M. Week 5 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.22|8:46
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00||
Easy work to home 2M+ ||
Aware 5 Mile @ 7:11||

outforarun

:) On Garmin 5.02 miles in 34:45 :)

I didn't expect and I don't feel I deserved this time. But I'm thrilled with it!!!
3 weeks out injured, 3 weeks of decent gradual recovery training, then 2 weeks of lazy slacking off training. Wasn't sure how today was going to go.

Never thought to put on two layers this morning and headed out the door in t-shirt and shorts. Doubled straight back in to pick up a pair of gloves. Wisest move of the morning. I also had a bowl of porridge about an hour before leaving home, something I never do.

Trot from Parkgate up to start area. Man it's cold. I was looking for somebody else in just a t-shirt but couldn't spot anybody. The starting line took some work to find. Hmmm, just shy of 2000 people and we're going to start on a 3m wide path, this will be interesting. Still the timing is all by chip so shouldn't really matter. After being told for the 200th time that we were about to run 5 miles on a glacier we finally get underway.

Target time 35:59.

Mile 1
I start fast overtaking scores of people as we head up along the path by Acres Road. I glance at the Garmin and see 7:08 pace, pleasantly surprised, it doesn't feel that fast and we're running uphill. Turn down Kyber. The road seems fine. I'm still overtaking lots of people. I'm running at 6:4X pace but I'm not going to put the brakes on on the downhill, I know that it's mostly uphill after the the Kyber. Garmin beeps mile one at 6:47. I feel ok. I'm slightly worried that I may have started too fast but tell myself it's only a 5 mile race, can't blow-up surely; right?

Mile 2
Turn up Military hill. Field is much sparser now and I'm finished with the multiple overtakes. Guy with what I think is a very neat running style passes me and goes maybe 5 ms ahead of me. I overtake some more runners who clearly aren't comfortable on the uphill. I catch up with neat-running-run at the s-bends. I'm at 6:58 pace. Can I run two consecutive sub 7:00 minute miles for the first time ever? Yes I can. Mile 2 is 6:59.

Mile 3
This is unknown territory for me now. How are the legs and lungs going to react over the next three miles? Neat-running-guy is again about 5ms ahead of me as we start up Upper Glen Road. I know the pace will drop here. It doesn't feel as difficult as I'd feared though. We pass a few more struggling runners. Mile three clocks at 7:08. Another 3" up on target pace.

Mile 4
I pull up to neat-running-guy again we run more or less together for a while, I check watch and see 7:23 pace, so I speed up and pull ahead. Onto Furze Road. I have run hundreds of miles in the Park, but I've never run along Furze Road. I reckoned it would be a slight incline, and that's what it mostly felt like. Mile 4 is 7:06. And yes, now I'm tired.

Mile 5
There's a group of three runners around 10m ahead and even though I feel I'm slowing I'm gradually gradually pulling them in. Then there he is neat-running-guy back alongside me. We're racing. I've realised that when one of us catches the other up we tend to drop the pace and run together until one of us decides to push on. I can see Chesterfield up ahead and that gives me new energy, it'll be downhill from there. I pick up the pace. Neat-running-guy doesn't come with me. Have I gone too soon? This is fun. I catch up the group of three runners and move ahead of them. Turn down Chesterfield. Everytime I check the Garmin I see a 6:4X pace. Ok I'm pretty sure 35:59 is in the bag. But now there's a bigger prize. C'mon it doesn't feel that bad. I was convinced we would turn right at the Phoenix but we don't we run down further and turn right onto the bicycle path. The finishing line is probably less than 400ms away. I think I'm going to do it. I pick up the pace some more, not quite a sprint. Finger to watch. Over the mat. Beep. 34:45. A sub-7:00 pace for the distance. 6:56 minute miles.

Really pleased. And a medal, I like medals. Then someone from behind asks how I got on? It's neat-running-guy. We thank each other for the race, he said he hung on my coat-tails over the last mile. Congratulate each other.

My first short race and I really enjoyed it. I got a since of racing that I didn't get over the longer distances (bar sprint finishes). Think I'll have to pencil in more races like this. Will buy the Indo on Monday. It will feel a bit like checking exam-results, I hope the chip worked and I hope it has be under 35:00 like my Garmin.

I'm taking a break now for a week and a weekend. I'll be travelling for work so that works out well. Time to start drafting a plan for the first half of 2012.

M01 6:47
M02 6:59
M03 7:08
M04 7:06
M05 6:38 (my fastest mile ever)

Total 5.02M @ 6:56

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/133741379

Aware 5M. Week 5 of 5|Actual Distance|Actual Pace
Easy 5M @ 9:00 to max 8:45|5.22|8:46
Steady 5M @ 8:15 to max 8:00|didn't run|didn't run
Easy work to home 2M+ |didn't run|didn't run
Aware 5 Mile @ 7:11|5.02|6:56

slowsteady

outforarun wrote: »

:) On Garmin 5.02 miles in 34:45 :)

I didn't expect and I don't feel I deserved this time. But I'm thrilled with it!!!

M05 6:38 (my fastest mile ever)

Total 5.02M @ 6:56

Great to finish the year on a high. Congrats, onwards and upwards for 2012;)

outforarun

No way was my Garmin 41" out! Any race I've done to date it has been at most 5" off chip time. I'm not happy that my official Aware 5M time has been recorded as 35:26. I am happy though to have snuck (just 99th) into the top 100 out of 1400+ finishers. Might have to think about doing the Raheny 5M in January just to put the record straight re official 5m time.

Haven't run or logged since the Aware 5M. I think I needed some time off, I was struggling to do all my training sessions coming up to the Aware race, kept finding excuses not to run and was prefering my bed in the mornings. Now I've got the itch to put the runners on again.

I was away in Moscow last week - not a place for road-runners, at least not where I was staying. I've come back to a busy work schedule and the little one has blocked nose and nasty cough. Come Friday though I should be putting the runners on again. Plan over Christmas is:

23 - 05miles at 8:45 to 9:00
24 - 05miles at 8:00 to 8:15
25 - 10miles at 8:30 to 8:45

27 - 05miles at 8:45 to 9:00
28 - 05miles at 7:15 to 7:30
29 - 10miles at 8:30 to 8:45

And I need to build a marathon plan for Cork, to kick off in the first week of January. 4 runs a week, incorporate races (I've got my place in Ballycotton), 800ms intervals, LSRs with PMP miles. Can't wait.

outforarun

Really happy to put on runners today and go for my first run in almost 2 weeks. Within 100ms I realised how much I'd missed running. It's been a busy 2 weeks of work and travel and blocked noses and nasty coughs but finally holidays have started and I could just feel the stress evaporating with every stride on this afternoon's run.

Target: 5M @ 9:00 to 8:45

Did five lovely easy miles round Parco Trenno by San Siro. It was chilly enough. Tomorrow morning I'll do the same run and I reckon gloves and long sleeves will be on. Legs felt grand and I barely broke a sweat. Had to concentrate on keeping the speed down and wasn't very successful doing so. Speed kept creeping up to 8:3X pace. It felt really comfortable though so I wasn't overly concerned. I was treated to a fabolous sunset. A huge bloated red sun dropping below the horizon. I really enjoyed this one.

M01 8:32
M02 8:46
M03 8:35
M04 8:46
M05 8:44

Total 5.04M @ 8:41

outforarun

Choose to lounge about and take it easy this morning and postponed run until the afternoon. Another chilly sunset run. This was mostly an exercise in slowing down. Happy though that for today and yesterday target pace felt easy. Looking forward to starting Christmas Day with a 10 miler in the morning.

M01 7:46
M02 7:57
M03 8:00
M04 8:10
M05 8:04

Total 5.04M @ 8:00

outforarun

I was far from being the only runner out on a crisp and sunny Christmas morning. I reckon there was at least another 30 people out burning calories before Christmas lunch. Really nice morning for a run. Depending on where I was on my 2.25 mile loop I had a choice of either San Siro or distant snowcapped Alps as backdrop. I reckon my endurance has suffered more than my speed during this low-mileage, stop-start December. Miles 8, 9 and 10 felt less easy than they should have.

This was a session of 2 halves: the first 5 miles (average pace 8:19) I really wasn't trying very hard to stay on target pace. the second 5 miles (average pace 8:33) I made an effort.

Great way to start Christmas Day and over 1300 calories in credit before some serious eating.

Target: 10M @ 8:45 to 8:30

M01 8:12
M02 8:20
M03 8:12
M04 8:29
M05 8:23
M06 8:36
M07 8:32
M08 8:30
M09 8:34
M10 8:34

Total 10.07 @ 8:27

outforarun

The weather here has been great. Crisp sunny mornings, you feel a bit of a bite in the air at first but after a mile or two in the sun you're nice and cosy.

Ran with the OH's sister yesterday morning. Now she goes to gym around 4 or 5 times a week but doesn't run. Doesn't like running. All the same I said if you fancy going for a run I'm doing 5 easy in the morning. She says ok.

This felt like a pacing gig and I really enjoyed it. I thought ok she goes to the gym she should at least manage a mile. Maybe she can manage one of the 2+ laps I'm doing (lap = 2.25M).

Target 5M @ 8:45 to 9:00

We start running, she starts too fast and I put brakes on. Tell her when we've done half a mile and she says is that all! I reassure her that we're just warming up and it will feel easier soon. We do a mile at target pace, 8:51. How are your legs? 'Grand'. Breathing? 'Ok'. She'll definitely complete a lap. Mile two is completed in target time 8:54. Breathing sounds fine. And we finish first lap. She likes a challenge so I know she'll try for two laps, and if she manages 2 laps then she'll have to try for the full 5 miles. Mile three is also logged in target time 8:54. Then things start to slow. But not by a lot. Mile 4 is slightly slightly uphill. I'm chatting away but responses have become abrupt and monosyllabic. Ok she's getting her challenge now. Pace drops to over 9:00 min miles. I'm not pushed about staying on target, it's more fun encouraging her to stay with it and giving her positive feedback from the Garmin. Mile 4 completed in 9:06 and course levels out. Tell her she's already more than completed a couch to 5K in one session. Finish line in sight. Last push and done, mile 5 logs at 9:22.

Well done. She doesn't appear to out of breathe and claims that legs feel ok. Total time 45:10, only 10 seconds slower than target pace. Not shabby for someone who doesn't run.

M01 8:51
M02 8:54
M03 8:54
M04 9:06
M05 9:22

Total 5.00M @ 9:02

outforarun

OH's sister could barely walk this morning.

She's enthusiastic though and joined me for this morning's warm-up and managed some light jogging.

Warm-up 1.19M at 10:01

Target 5M at <7:30.

I start this fast session thinking I'd be happy with anything from 7:15 to 7:30 pace. Clip into mile one and after 400ms or so check the Garmin, I'm travelling at 6:2X pace. Doesn't feel like it. I ease up. Tell myself not to get carried away. All the same I still log mile one at 6:48. My normal 6 mile tempo route in Phoenix starts with a run up Chesterfield so I guess starting this morning on a slight downhill with the same effort as I start in Phoenix explains this speedy mile one. I gradually drop the pace but find I'm comfortable at 7:0X pace so decide to stay there or thereabouts.
Overtake a runner dressed in what looked like a club top. Few minutes later he shoots past me at what must have been 5:XX pace.

Mile 2 7:08. Pace drops a little further on mile three and it logs at 7:12. Still though I feel mostly ok. Breathing is controlled, legs feel a bit tired but are responding well. Mile four is another 7:12. Last mile I pick up the pace again. Clip-clip-clip-clip, nice cadence. Mile 5 is 6:55.

That's 5 miles in 35:19. A whole seven seconds faster than my 'official' 5M PB (or 34" slower than my 'real' 5M PB). I felt good at the finish so I'm really happy with this run .

I really do think that nothing brings you on like running a race. Before a race you train hard but hold back, saving your best performance for race-day. Then after race-day the next time you pick up the pace it suddenly seems easier. At least that has mostly been my experience to date. The sense of progress is great. If I can stay injury free I'm feeling very confident already of beating my 5 and 10 mile PBs in 2012.

M01 6:48
M02 7:08
M03 7:12
M04 7:12
M05 6:55

Total 5.00 @ 7:04

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/137064193

outforarun

So my last run of 2011 is a casual 10 miler round Parco Trenno in Milan. That was Thursday morning and it brings total mileage for the year up to 1280+ miles. Cannot properly access garmin-connect at the moment so will have to confirm figures tomorrow and do a mini recap of 2011.

Started this last 10 miler a bit to fast but gradually dropped the pace to complete 10.04 miles at 8:32 pace. Didn't feel as tired at the end as I did on Christmas day over the same distance. Happy that legs feel good after 6 days running across 7 days.

Next few days I'll finalize training plan leading up to Cork in June. Whatever plan I build, I'll try build it around Ballycotton on 4 March, the Milan Half-Marathon on 25 of March and maybe the Bupa Great Run on 15 April.

If someone reading this has the power, could they change the title of this log to read 2012 instead of 2011. Thanks.

A Happy New Running Year to all on here.

RayCun

outforarun wrote: »

If someone reading this has the power, could they change the title of this log to read 2012 instead of 2011. Thanks.

Done. just four races planned this year?

outforarun

RayCun wrote: »

Done. just four races planned this year?

Thanks for that. I'm looking at 8 races:

Ballycotton 10
Milan 10K or Half-Marathon
Great Run Ireland 10K
Cork City Marathon
Race Series 5M
Frank Duffy 10
Dublin Half Marathon
Aware 10K

If I pick up 4 PBs across these I'll be happy.

outforarun

Right, I've drafted a 21 week plan to bring me up to the Cork City Marathon in June.

Week one commencing next Monday 9 January.

The plan is based on 4 runs a week and is divided into 7 blocks of 3 weeks.
Each 3 week block consists of 2 progression weeks and one step back week.

I'll run twice during the weekdays. The first weekday run will always be a 5 miler at recovery pace. The second week day run will be at steady pace and will build from 6 miles up to 10 miles. I will have four 10 mile steady runs in total.

Saturdays will be all about speedwork. I'll alternate 800m interval sessions with tempo sessions. There are three races (Ballycotton 10, Great Run Ireland and Milan 10K) which I may run. These would substitute my speed sessions on those weeks, but as they all fall on Sundays I'd look at taking a long weekend in each case and doing my long run on the Monday.

Sunday runs will be long runs, building from 10 miles up to 22 miles. I'll do two 20 mile runs plus one 22 mile run. Three of my Sunday long runs will incorporate PMP miles.

I have a three week taper.

My planned paces are:

Recovery [8:45 to 9:15]
Steady [8:00 to 8:15]
Interval [6:5X]
Interval recovery [no slower than 8:30]
Tempo [no slower than 7:30]
PMP [7:45 to 8:00]

Any runs longer than Half-Marathon distance I'll incorporate gels.

menoscemo

outforarun wrote: »

My planned paces are:

Recovery [8:45 to 9:15]
Steady [8:00 to 8:15]
Interval [6:5X]
Interval recovery [no slower than 8:30]
Tempo [no slower than 7:30]
PMP [7:45 to 8:00]

Great to see your recovery run times get slower, but your interval recoveries should be a lot slower than 8:30. They should be no faster than 9 min/mil IMO.

I think you would be wise to get a HRM, work out your max and just keep your recovery runs below 75% max HR. You'll be surprised how slow this feels, but once you get used to it you'll love it.

RayCun

Speedwork and long runs are two tough sessions, having them on successive days is going to hurt. Why not do the speed session during the week?

outforarun

menoscemo wrote: »

Great to see your recovery run times get slower, but your interval recoveries should be a lot slower than 8:30. They should be no faster than 9 min/mil IMO.

I think you would be wise to get a HRM, work out your max and just keep your recovery runs below 75% max HR. You'll be surprised how slow this feels, but once you get used to it you'll love it.

Thanks for the feedback. The way I run intervals is 800ms fast then 800ms recovery (easy to manage on forerunner 110). So I'm not running a short recovery period of say 90 seconds, instead I'm running 4mins+ of recovery. Do you still reckon I should slow my recovery times?

outforarun

RayCun wrote: »

Speedwork and long runs are two tough sessions, having them on successive days is going to hurt. Why not do the speed session during the week?

Logistics. If I could I would have the speed session during the week like you are suggesting. Thing is the only guaranteed window I have to run is early in the morning. Sessions will be starting between 5:30am and 6:15am. I'm not good with speed at that hour. Plus it's tough enough to get up for a recovery run at that time, I'd be finding all kinds of excuses to stay in bed if I had to run fast. Also, I do intervals in Phoenix and I wouldn't want to head there so early.

For the last two marathons I've followed Hal Higdon and always run fast on Saturdays, long and slow on Sundays. Provided my midweek was relatively easy I never really struggled with this format.

But - what I am thinking of doing is on the weeks where I plan to run LSR with some PMP miles, I might change the Saturday speed session to a steady pace session instead.

outforarun

outforarun wrote: »

My planned paces are:

Recovery [8:45 to 9:15]
Steady [8:00 to 8:15]
Interval [6:5X]
Interval recovery [no slower than 8:30]
Tempo [no slower than 7:30]
PMP [7:45 to 8:00]

forgot my LSR pace:

LSR [8:45 to 9:00]

menoscemo

outforarun wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback. The way I run intervals is 800ms fast then 800ms recovery (easy to manage on forerunner 110). So I'm not running a short recovery period of say 90 seconds, instead I'm running 4mins+ of recovery. Do you still reckon I should slow my recovery times?

Sorry Boss, I thought you were referring to the recovery run the day after doing intervals. That brings up Ray's point though.