The Next Step

claralara

PaulieYifter wrote: »

Well done Neil - that Warriors Run sounds great fun altogether :eek:

+1... when you have a sadistic idea of fun... Which us runners typically do!

That's a great weeks training all told!

neilc

What a week, ran a lot of it with trashed quads from last weeks Warriors Run. Tuesday's plan called for 9 miles GA, I actually ran it at more like recovery pace. Considerable pain with each footfall, magnified by ten on the downhills :eek:.
Wednesday was the first session of the week, 9 miles w/ 6 x 800m (actually 0.5 mile). These were meant to be done @ 5k pace but didn't even make 10k pace in the end 6:26, 6:34, 6:36, 6:32, 6:49 & 6:47. Not really too concerned with the pace, quads were still in bits so I was quite surprised I was even able to make that pace.
Following Thursday's recovery run I was able to pick up the pace a bit for Fridays 11 miler, still a bit of ache in the quads but much more tolerable.
Nothing to note really from Saturdays run only that there was 10 x 100m strides at the end.
Having missed last weeks 16 miler w/ 12@MP I decided to do it this week instead of the prescribed 15 miler. Sitting on the couch playing with my son before hand my expectations weren't very high, he was giggling his little head off at all the yawning I was doing. It funny how it goes sometimes in these situations, the run went fantastic. Deleting the first four warm-up miles and the roughly half mile cool down in Garmin Connect (learnt from Krusty's log) this gave me an average pace for the marathon miles of 7:12. Absolutely delighted, just where I want to be.

neilc

Another decent training week and with it coming in at 71.15 my biggest ever.
Tuesday called for a double with 6 in the morning a 4 in the evening but I couldn't drag my lazy a$$ out of bed in time for the 6 so I did it the other way around.
Felt great for Wednesday's 15 miler. I don't really use the HRM anymore, my one is just too unrealiable but based on perceived effert I was surprised that the overall pace was 7:58, it felt very easy. Went out too late though, loads of cars flashing me for the last couple of miles in the DARK :eek:.
Thursday met up with a buddy in the park for an nice recovery one after work. Was disappointed it was over after 6 as the chat was good.
Friday was the first big test of the week with a 12 miler with 7@LT pace. Had a bit of a snooze on the couch after work and headed out. Last year I used to do all the LT and interval sessions on flat roads, over and back, over and back etc but this year I've decided to do them on my normal routes. My normal 12 mile route is tough enough. Still managed to hold good enough pace, 6:53 overall with the slowest being 7:12 where there's a hard hill just after crossing the boyne.
Today's long run was my longest ever training run at 22 miles. Again I picked a tough enough route, no point fooling myself with easy one. It took in both the hill of Tara and Skryne hill. Overall elevation gain was 822 ft. At the 19.5 mile point it was physiologically tough where I was only a mile from home but had to turn right in the other direction in order to bring the distance up to over 22. It felt tough enough but nowhere near as bad as my 21 miler a few weeks ago. Rest day tomorrow:D.

tang1

neilc wrote: »

It took in both the hill of Tara

Great running i cycled up there twice on a loop yesterday & it was tough, doesn't come close to running up it i'd say.

Younganne

I was out running at the same time as you yesterday. didn't it get very hot and sunny for a while and then lovely cooling showers!!
great running Neil, well done.

neilc

tang1 wrote: »

Great running i cycled up there twice on a loop yesterday & it was tough, doesn't come close to running up it i'd say.

Yeah it's a tough one alright, I find the road from the golf club side the best challenge. Fair play cycling up there twice. Skryne hill is rough enough too, not as long but very steep!!

neilc

Younganne wrote: »

I was out running at the same time as you yesterday. didn't it get very hot and sunny for a while and then lovely cooling showers!!
great running Neil, well done.

Yeah got pretty hot alright but unfortunately only got a 5 second shower coming into Johnstown.
Great 18 miler from you, must be a great boost after the few weeks you've had.

Younganne

neilc wrote: »

Yeah got pretty hot alright but unfortunately only got a 5 second shower coming into Johnstown.
Great 18 miler from you, must be a great boost after the few weeks you've had.

ye, just what i need to get me back on track....heres hoping there'll be no more setback!!

beeduybe

Best of luck with the pacing tomorrow!

neilc

beeduybe wrote: »

Best of luck with the pacing tomorrow!

Thanks Barry, planking it really but hopefully it'll be ok!!

belcarra

Best of Luck tomorrow Neil!

PaulieYifter

Good luck with the pacing tomorrow - hope the race goes off well.

Marthastew

You will be a super pacer and you'll really enjoy it Neil, best of luck

Younganne

Best of Luck pacing tomorrow Neil, It'll be extra nice to be pacing the home field!! Enjoy:D

neilc

Weekly Update
Hard start to the week with 5 x 600m @5k pace. Again I did this on my usual 9 mile route with its normal ups and downs. My target was 2:15 reps w/ 1:40 recoveries. Actual was 2:18.9, 2:17.2, 2:14.5, 2:16.9 & 2:17.6. Was happy when they were done. For next weeks 6 x 1000m I think I'll revert back to the flat course over and back method.
Nothing to report on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, one long run and three recoveries.
Saturday I had my first pacing gig down home in Sligo in the half marathon. When I got down to collect my number Friday night and seen where the start/finish line was I knew the course was going to be long. Our instructions were to pace it as if it wasn't and just inform people when we were going through what should have been the finish. The pacing experience was good overall, had a nice little group up to the 7 mile mark, a few just ahead, a couple with me and a couple behind. Then we hit The Squirrel which just blew the group apart. From there I was pretty much on my own for the next few miles just passing a few runners on the way. I actually felt cat passing them knowing what it feels like to be passed by pacers in a race myself. Just before 13 miles a couple of lads that had been with me earlier reappeared which was great, gave a bit of encouragement and told them to push on. Eventually we got to the finish with 13.88 miles registering on my garmin. Have to say it was annoying to pass under the clock in 1:48:xx with a 1:45 balloon on your back, while all the runners around knew the story the spectators probably didn't.
Today's long run called for 18, but I just never got into it today and had no bother persuading myself to ditch the last mile and a bit. Finished up with 16.79 in the pi$$ing rain to bring the weekly miles to 69.44.
I have a bit of a dilemma about next weeks training. For the last couple of weeks I have been having ITB issues, nothing major but there all the same. I'm putting it down to old runners, have been a bit greedy lately rotating two pairs, one well over 600 miles and the other pair close to 600. So I picked up a pair of Triumph 9's a couple of weeks ago in BtoR (couldn't resist a pair of kinvara's aswell *) I also picked up a foam roller, who knew foam could be so painful . Anyway even with all that there seems to be no improvement so I think I just may have to skip a few days :mad:

* fantastic value, nearly 40 squids cheaper than I could get both pairs in wiggle.

theboyblunder

Sorry to hear about the injury neil, hopefully the rest day tmrw will help. Well done on the pacing, sounds frustrating on a long course! Main thing is that you got some runners over.

Younganne

Well done on the pacing Neil, so annoying for it to be long and even worse that they knew it too and didn't try and rectify it!!
You probably helped more people than you realise.
I hope the few rest days and a bag of froazen peas sorts out the leg. you have been doing great mileage so a few days off will probably do you the world of good!:D

neilc

theboyblunder wrote: »

Sorry to hear about the injury neil, hopefully the rest day tmrw will help.

Younganne wrote: »

I hope the few rest days and a bag of froazen peas sorts out the leg. you have been doing great mileage so a few days off will probably do you the world of good!:D

it's nothing too major, I can run on it but it's not improving either so a couple of days off might be needed alright.

neilc

I’ve had a bit of an up and down week, some good training but only a little improvement with the knee.
After Mondays rest day it was a 10 miler on Tuesday w/ 6 x 1000m intervals. Done these on flat roads so didn’t find them too bad. With 2:30 recoveries they came in at 3:52, 3:46, 3:46, 3:47, 3:48 & 3:49.
Wednesday was meant to be 15 but skipped it and went to the physio instead. He confirmed the knee issue was ITB alright, worked on it for an hour and gave me some exercises. He never told me to stop running so I didn’t ask . Had a double on Thursday, 4 on the treadmill in the morning and 6 in the park after work. Friday called for 12, another battle against daylight. These after work longer runs are becoming an issue, really enjoyed the run though. Easy recovery run Saturday followed by 18 miles Sunday w/ 14m at MP. The 14 at marathon pace came in at 7:15 pace, slightly slower than planned (3 seconds). Happy enough with that, don’t remember MP miles going so well in previous training cycles. Knee pretty sore after though.

neilc

Tuesday was 9 miles with 5 x 600m. Felt very sluggish for this, only hit target pace on one rep. Headwind on 1,3,5.
Wednesday was 14 miles. Woke up in the morning and could barely walk with a sore left achilles. Over to course of the day it eased off considerably. The run itself went good, avg pace 7:55. It was dark getting home but had my headtorch with me, I’d say the neighbours think I’m mad!
Thursday was a 6 mile recovery. Nearly had to abandon this one after a mile with the pain in my achilles but as I was about to turn around it started to ease so kept going.
Friday easy 5 miles.
Saturday 10k handicapped time trial. Met up with beeduybe, theboyblunder and bigbadtom for this in Marley Park. After a few laps warm up I was second to head off after beeduybe. Found the going tough on the day and when bigbadtom passed me on the 6k mark the head dropped and when theboyblunder passed a lap or two later it was a slog to the end. Was a bit disappointed with the time of 41:23 but the craic was good and the experience was an enjoyable one, would definitely do one again. Niggles felt okay on the day.
Sunday was 17 mile long run. Felt surprisingly good on this run following Saturday’s exploits. Did my hilly route taking in the hill of Tara and Skryne.

Younganne

i hope the achilles is ok again. Mind it, great mileage going on there.

Do you reckon the neighbours don't think you're mad before now........;)

neilc

Got off to a bit of a dodgy start last week, Tuesday was meant to be a double but couldn’t get out of the leaba in the morning so it became a single. Six an a half uneventful miles in the park.
Wednesday was the tough session of the week, 1110 miles with 5 x 1200m. I’ve given up trying to do these longer runs from home, so drove to Navan for this. Not quite as fast as I would have liked but happy enough with 4:44, 4:39, 4:43, 4:41 & 4:43. Had to dig deep to maintain the pace towards to end of each one.
Thursday was another Navan run, 14.75 miles around lit up roads. Average pace of 7:56 felt comfortable throughout.
Friday and Saturday were two handy runs of 8 & 5 miles respectively.
Sunday’s long run was great, 20 miles at just less under 8 minute miles. A nice little confidence booster. The only real negative of the week is more feckin niggles. I now have a sore lower right shin to add to the sore left achilles and right ITB. I’m not majorly concerned about any of them; hopefully the step back in miles over the next three weeks should sort them out. Actually heading to the Park after work today so will be interesting to see how they are then after yesterdays rest day.

neilc

Ah $hite, official results out for Donadea 10k today. Had a 4 second PB by the garmin of 40:40 but seems to be just gun time so missed out on PB by 2 seconds for an official time of 40:46. Suppose using the garmin time is out of the question

theboyblunder

neilc wrote: »

Ah $hite, official results out for Donadea 10k today. Had a 4 second PB by the garmin of 40:40 but seems to be just gun time so missed out on PB by 2 seconds for an official time of 40:46. Suppose using the garmin time is out of the question

I was 4 secs slower as well. If you started the watch on the start mat i think watch time has got to be ok. Congrats again

PaulieYifter

Same issue for me so take the PB Neil.
Sorry I missed you at the start or I would have said hello.

neilc

Didn't realise you were running Paulie, very well organised race wasn't it. See ya next time.

TRR

neilc wrote: »

Ah $hite, official results out for Donadea 10k today. Had a 4 second PB by the garmin of 40:40 but seems to be just gun time so missed out on PB by 2 seconds for an official time of 40:46. Suppose using the garmin time is out of the question

Regardless of what your watch or chip said that was a 'hore of a race and in a faster 10k your effort was worth an additional 40-60 seconds in my opinion, so consider it as the most effort you've ever put into a 10k. Looking good for DCM

neilc

TRR wrote: »

Regardless of what your watch or chip said that was a 'hore of a race and in a faster 10k your effort was worth an additional 40-60 seconds in my opinion, so consider it as the most effort you've ever put into a 10k. Looking good for DCM

Thanks Dave, good to meet you Saturday, was a tough course alright so happy enough. A fantastic time from yourself btw.

neilc

Had a decent week of running last week, until Sunday that is. I did the Donadea Forest 10k on Saturday, on a tough course just missed out on my PB by 2 seconds so had to be happy enough. All niggles seemed to disappear during the week too so was feeling good.
Then Sunday called for a seventeen mile long run. Everything started off fine, until around mile six when I started to feel the same discomfort on the outside of my lower right shin that I did the previous Sunday. It started out mild enough and I didn’t get too alarmed because it cleared up straight away last week. This time though it seemed to get gradually worse over the course of the run. Have to say still wasn’t too concerned though.
On Monday I woke up and was surprised to find that it was still sore. Unfortunately it got a lot worse over the course of the day and by lunchtime I was limping badly around work. As it happened I had an appointment on Monday night for a final rub down before the marathon so instead of that he worked on the problem area for a full hour and a half.
Things felt a bit better after that but woke up again yesterday morning still really sore and pretty swollen. Brought the icepack to work with me and took plenty of ibuprofen over the course of the day. Tried to stay behind the desk most of the day but when I had to go out and about was still limping quite badly. Going to bed last night it was still fairly swollen.
The swelling isn’t as bad today. Have already iced it a couple of times and taken a couple of ibuprofen. So didn’t run yesterday and won’t run today but am meant to be doing a 3 x 1600m session tomorrow which I don’t want to miss. Fingers crossed.

Younganne

Neil, hope its ok, you have great training done so you really can afford to miss a few days and give it a chance to recover, no point risking it getting worse.....think you told me something similar recently;)