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Micilín's Mucky Miles

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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Monday
    Cycling: 12km commuting
    Running: 13km General Aerobic with 10 x 100m strides. Strides felt great, lots more speed in my legs now. Unfortunately I had no cool-down and didn't stretch.

    Tuesday
    Running: 19km Medium-Long commute. Both hamstrings very tight - probably because I didn't stretch or cool down last night.
    Cycling: 12km commuting.

    Wednesday
    Cycling: 12km commuting
    Running: 8km Recovery
    Yoga: 90-minute class.

    Thursday
    Running: 16km General Aerobic
    Cycling: 12km commuting

    Friday
    Cycling: 16km commuting
    Running: 8km "Recovery" around Killiney, Dalkey and Roche's hills. Very stiff and slow.

    Saturday
    Rest. Still not recovered from the mountain runs, so I used one of my two rest days' allowance.

    Sunday
    Running: 24km Medium-Long to the Phoenix Park, around part of the perimeter and back. Heart rate was high from the beginning, so the last few kms were quite hard. A bit dehydrated and the sun was quite strong. Glad to have finished it.

    I did the mileage and the targets this week, but wasn't feeling the love. Nothing to worry about, just recovering still I think.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    The plan for this week is to follow Week 18 in the P&D plan. Not much running involved so hopefully it will be enough to let me get around DCM in under 4 hours.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    The plan for this week is to follow Week 18 in the P&D plan. Not much running involved so hopefully it will be enough to let me get around DCM in under 4 hours.

    ...almost! If it wasn't for those dodgy calf muscles!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Taper week

    Monday
    Running: Rest
    Cycling: 24km commuting

    Tuesday
    Cycling: 12km
    Running: 11km General Aerobic

    Wednesday
    Running: 11.6km General Aerobic
    Cycling: 12km

    Thursday
    Cycling: 12km
    Running:
    8km recovery, with 2km walk warm-up and cool-down either end.

    Friday
    Running: same as Thursday. Still quicker than the bus!

    Some hydration in the evening ;)

    Saturday
    Hydration

    Sunday
    Further hydration, and chocolate


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    What did you think of the goodie bag??;)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Breakfast: Half a bowl of porridge and blueberries. Felt nauseous, not from nerves though.

    0-10km
    Ran with Belcarra from the start. The pace felt easy enough. I noticed quite early on that my HR was high. I put it down to my super-duper running top which I picked up the previous day. It heats up when wet, which sounded great when I was buying it and thinking of my mountain runs, but not so good for today's weather. I used the time to plan a run with Belcarra for next Saturday.

    10-21km
    Still quite easy, apart from my neck getting sore from looking back to see if Belcarra was going to hurry up ;) This was just after I mentioned to him my plan to do the race Tour de France-style with a King of the Hills section and a Sprint section.

    21-32km
    I pushed on a bit as I was feeling quite good now with the 22km warm-up ;) Met some family members along this section. Fantastic support from the crowds in Terenure and Rathgar. Just after Rathgar I had nearly caught up with the 3:50 pacers as they were only about 20m ahead of me. I decided not to pass them and to be a bit conservative.

    33km-finish
    My pace slowed a bit on the road towards Clonskeagh despite feeling very strong. Just at the bottom of Heartbreak Hill I twisted my ankle on a water bottle :mad: I limped up my favourite part of the course and down the other side for a minute or two :(

    By the bottom of Nutley Lane my calf seized up, probably because of the limping a few minutes beforehand. I stopped and stretched it with calf-raises on the kerb. A physio spectator came over and stretched it for me before I jogged on a little bit before resigning to a walk. Another few minutes later I jogged and felt it seize up again. This time an acupuncturist from Raheny Shamrocks came over and gave my calf and foot a massage. From here on I just did a run/walk strategy the rest of the way for damage limitation purposes, crossing the line in 4:04, still running :). A good result for a marathon I wasn't even targeting :)

    Not too sure what I'm going to do next. My calf is still sore and tight and I don't fancy having even a week off running. Obviously my priority is to get that sorted, but will I bother with Art O'Neill? After January I won't have a chance to train properly for anything until next autumn so I've got a decision to make.

    Garmin Link


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    So the Art O'Neill has now been confirmed for January 10th but registration not open yet.

    Calf still not 100%. I hate this kind of pressure!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    A no running week, but RICE on the calf every evening.

    Tuesday
    Legs felt grand the day after the marathon, no muscle soreness. Calf was a little sore so I decided to take the rest of the week off.

    Cycling: 12km

    Wednesday
    Cycling: 24km

    Thursday
    Cycling: 24km

    Friday
    Cycling: 12km
    I woke up in the middle of the night with my calf seizing up. I think I have a lot of involuntary leg twitching at night, this has happened a good few times in the past few years. It's all in my log - could be useful to find a pattern if I find the time to go back over it.

    Saturday
    Lots of rehydration. Lots.

    Sunday
    Rest and stretching.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Monday
    Cycling: 12km

    Tuesday
    Cycling: 24km

    Wednesday
    Cycling: 12km
    Running: 9.73km. Supposed to be a recovery run, but I was late for my yoga class.
    Yoga: 90-minute class.

    Thursday
    Running: 11.6km Recovery pace. No issues again :)

    Back on track I think!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    A mental 7 days for me, hardly any running or any other exercise. Unexpectantly lost my job in Dublin last Friday, moved to Galway on Wednesday, did a few interviews, got a new job there yesterday starting this Monday :eek:

    I ran 19km up to Fairy Castle last Saturday morning, my head reeling from the bad news the previous day. My heart rate was sky high so I took it relatively handy, walking the steeper sections. Perfect antidote to stress :pac:

    Back in Dublin on Tuesday, did a 13km-run by headtorch with Belcarra on open mountain, trails and an army firing range :o, taking in Seefin, Seefingan, Corrig and Seehan. I tried out a pair of trail shoes I have hardly worn - I was very impressed with them. (Inov-8 Roclite 285) Not one ankle twist, except when we were safely back at the car :o

    Will try and get a few runs in over the next few days. Unfortunately my new office is 25km away from home, and has no showering facilities. I'll have to work something out but it'll be messy.

    A bad week training wise, a great week otherwise :D


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    Back in Dublin on Tuesday, did a 13km-run by headtorch with Belcarra on open mountain, trails and an army firing range :o, taking in Seefin, Seefingan, Corrig and Seehan. I tried out a pair of trail shoes I have hardly worn - I was very impressed with them. (Inov-8 Roclite 285) Not one ankle twist, except when we were safely back at the car :o

    :D Still laughing at that!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Still not doing much. Since my last update, I bought a decent road bike, was offered a better job (starting tomorrow), ran the inaugural run of a 'hill run by headtorch' group in the Galway area, and went on two 30km+ bike spins :-) I have my name entered for the Art O'Neill lottery for entries, but still no word on that.

    My new commute is going to be 'fun' :-)


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    Well done on the 'new' new job!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Got registered for the Art O'Neill!

    Monday
    Running: 25km home from first day at work.

    Tuesday
    Cycling: 50km commuting

    Wednesday
    Cycling: 50km commuting
    Running: 9.26km hill run by headtorch in Derroura Woods.

    Thursday
    Cycling: 50km commuting

    Friday
    Rest

    Saturday
    Running: 25.2km - Run the Line race. No race report, too far in the past. Suffice to say it was one hell of a race. Took days to recover!

    Sunday
    Rest

    Monday
    Cycling: 44km commuting

    Tuesday
    Cycling: 40km commuting
    Running: 5.32km :eek: recovery

    Wednesday
    Cycling: 50km commuting
    Running: 10.5km hill run by headtorch in New Village. Tough!

    Thursday
    Cycling: 50km commuting

    Friday
    Running: 15.47km exploring the area around my office.

    Saturday
    I moved the bulk of my stuff from Dublin to Galway. I walked and ran 30ft of stairs at least 20 times on Friday and Saturday and 40ft stairs around 15 times on Saturday. Works out at around 1200ft of climbing. It definitely counts!

    Sunday
    Rest

    Monday
    Cycling: 12.78km commuting
    Running: 25km home from work. Felt awful.

    Tuesday
    Running: 10km recovery to work. Was the slowest run in years, no exaggeration.
    Cycling: 8.37km commuting

    Wednesday
    Rest & Christmas party

    Thursday
    Cycling: 25km commutingRunning: 19km home from work. Felt great!!

    Friday
    Cycling: 30km home from work via hills.

    Things are going well. Doing lots of cycling, but not much running until this week. Doing yoga every morning. Stress at work is very low :D

    Routes for running aren't great. There's a footpath all the way out to my village, but no streetlights for the last 11km or so. The same road is nearly too busy and narrow for the bike, but I do it anyway. I found some backroads this evening which are so much quieter, hillier, better surface and more enjoyable, although it adds 20 minutes to the commute!

    Preparation for Art O'Neill hasn't been the best, but another 2.5 weeks of training and I'll be right - I hope!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Saturday
    Chickened out of a long run due to the horrendous weather :o

    Sunday
    Running: 26.6km long run. Meant to do 32km, but got talked into going home for some food. Felt very tired and sore in the shoulders towards the end. I'm going to blame it on my crap diet the past two days.

    A good week's training:
    Cycling: 76km
    Running: 80km over just four runs.

    Next week's goal is 100km+ including two 25kms back-to-back, and a minimum 34km run next weekend.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Have bailed on the AON. My training hasn't been just good enough and my heart isn't 100% in it. Other people want to do it ... Will post again over Christmas. Will continue with long-ish training for a while anyway until things settle down with the move to Galway etc. Will have other goals for 2014 :-)


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,236 ✭✭✭AuldManKing


    Good call. Another chapter in the Muc life story :)

    Get the important stuff right and the running will look after itself........or something wise like that :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Will 'explain myself' another day, just a log update for now.

    Monday
    Cycling: 25km to work
    Running: 25km home from work

    Tuesday
    Cycling: 8km home from work

    Wednesday
    Rest

    Thursday
    Running: 18.8km to Galway city in the snow and howling winds, took a bus to work from the city and jumped off a mile from the office because of bad traffic. Caught up with the earlier bus :cool:

    Cycling:
    25km home from work. Found a fixed a puncture just before I left :mad: Only took me 20 minutes to fit a new tube etc.

    Friday
    Running: 14km to work. Had planned to run only as far as Knocknacarra and take a city bus service the rest of the way. Just missed the bus and chased it for another 2km before it sped away.

    Bus stops are further apart in Galway frown.png Also, interesting to see Bus Éireann wishing their customers "Merry Christmas your sh1t" in Irish on the real-time displays.

    Saturday to Tuesday: rest

    St. Stephen's Day:
    Running: 19km up to Fairy Castle and back. Trails were busy! A good bit of ice up there.

    Just ran a Garmin Connect report on my running mileage for the year. 1,548km as of today. Needless to say, I have a new challenge for the rest of the year!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Friday
    Stiff from yesterday's jaunt up to Fairy Castle, I opted to spend the day resting and eating. Logged into My Fitness Pal for the first time in a while - was disgusted by the ridiculuous number of calories consumed having had two pints of Bulmers and half a tub of Pringles. That was a good kick up the ass!

    Running:13.9km slow run.
    Ran into (Dublin) city centre and back. I kept the pace at the slower end of the heart rate scale for recovery runs (P&D). I am way too slow these days. Just below 10 minutes/mile.

    One idea for next year - focus on consistency and routine. This year has been a real hotch potch of training, too many peaks and troughs. I'll probably focus on my half marathon time until April, take a month off around my honeymoon, and then start doing something else again. Just a few thoughts for my next manifesto ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Saturday

    Running: 13km slow, taking in Marlay Park and St. Enda's Park. Very slow.

    Out on the beer tonight and then back to Galway first thing in the morning for some mountain biking with my brother out in Derroura. I like holidays!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Back home now in Galway for the next few weeks.

    Sunday

    Mountain Biking: 1.5 hours and 17km around Derroura, nice and easy.

    Monday

    Running: 10km up the local bog road and back. A bit faster than the past few runs. Ran too soon after eating though, got three debilitating cramps in my stomach, couldn't even walk until they passed.

    25kms left to complete 1000 miles for the year. Will run to work in the morning :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    Hope you are making the most of my gloves that you nicked a few weeks back!!;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    belcarra wrote: »
    Hope you are making the most of my gloves that you nicked a few weeks back!!;)

    You'll just have to face the Twelve Pins here if you want them ;-)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Tuesday

    Running: 25.1km home from work, bringing my yearly mileage to 1000.70 miles, 4.5 hours before the deadline :cool:

    A different (better) headtorch and a pair of earphones made a big difference to the run, was in great form. A rest from running tomorrow, maybe a spin on the road bike would be good, but weather isn't looking promising.

    Not my best year's running, but a few surprises nonetheless - a fast-ish 8km back in April, a nice day out on the Wicklow Way with the boards crew in July, another great day out on my own in the Twelve Pins in October, a decent (by my standards) marathon in Dublin without the best preparation, and an extremely enjoyable Run the Line being the highlights. I'm not in too bad shape either. Good times :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Wednesday

    Rest

    Thursday
    Cycling: 21km to work. Was doing record time until I got a puncture. Luckily I was in the city and only 4km from work.

    Friday
    No cycling. Lots of storm damage caused to the road out of my village, so the only way by car to the city was by a long detour on back roads, guided by my knowledge from long runs in the area :) Who says running is a waste of time?!

    8.30am
    Before.jpg


    8.30pm

    20140103_203102.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Saturday - Tuesday
    Rest

    Wednesday
    Cycling: 51km commuting

    Thursday
    Cycling: 55km commuting

    Friday

    Cycling: 51km commuting

    Saturday
    Rest and cleaning up the bike.

    I need ideas for my running for 2014:
    • I can't really target any races until after May due to wedding preparations.
    • I want to run long on hills, trails and open mountain (none of which are too accessible to me until I learn to drive :rolleyes:).
    • There is a quiet enough 10km route at my disposal from my home up to the bog roads with about 90 metres of climbing and a bit rough underfoot (nothing road shoes can't handle though).
    • Despite not running yet in 2014, I'm probably in the base mileage area of about 30 miles/50km per week.
    • I will be cycling around 250km per week for the next several weeks and months.
    Any ideas?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,802 ✭✭✭statss


    how bout following HADD for 6 months until the wedding is out of the way?


    edit: might not suit with all the mountain miles actually


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,236 ✭✭✭AuldManKing


    I think you are answering your own questions.

    Keep the cycling going, build a good base - maybe a couple of races to keep the interest up (not 'A' races).
    The Bitter Lemon is out your neck of the woods, might help if you need company.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Thanks for the suggestions. Building up the base mileage consistently sounds like the way to go until the summer. Does this mean all runs are recovery-pace runs?


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