Things will come to those who wait...

pconn062

I've have decided to jump in at the deep end here and start a training log. I have been lurking here for a while reading all the logs and they are full of great reading. A bit about myself, I am a 24 year old male, been running for about 2 1/2 years after a 9 year gap and I am a sort of member of Dunleer AC. I was a decent runner as a kid and won All Ireland medals at different distances. My PB's are:

Mile: 5:34
5k: 19:42
6k cross country: 24:50
4 mile 26:32
5 mile: 36:50 (haven't raced a 5 miler since 2010)
10k: 43:54, 41:10, Emyvale 10k 01/01/12
10 mile: 1:13
Half marathon: 1:37:30
Marathon: 3:56

The plan for the year is to concentrate on the shorter distances up to half marathon. I have run 3 marathons and have struggled in them all so I really want to get the shorter distances down before I attempt another marathon, which probably means no marathon this year (at coaches advice!), and I also prefer the shorter distances especially cross country.
My goals for the year are: sub 5 minute mile (this could be tough), sub 19 5k, sub 40 10k and sub 1:30 half marathon. My two key races are the Dundalk half marathon in May and Dublin half marathon in September. In the mean time I am racing a 10k on New years day in Emyvale looking for a new PB if the weather behaves. Then the next big target is a 3k cross country race at the Rás Na hEireann in February in memory of Larry McGuill, who founded the Rás. I will use this log to keep track of the training, and any advice would be appreciated!

Day 1: Rest day! Just a short run planned for tomorrow to loosen the legs before the race on Sunday.

pconn062

3.2 miles, 24:42, 7.43 avg pace including 1 mile @ 6.50 pace

Just a few miles to shake up the legs before the race tomorrow. Threw in 1 mile at intended 10k pace, which felt pretty easy. This would give me a finishing time of around 42:30. I'm not sure what to expect from this race. My 5k PB which I ran at the start of December would suggest I could run a bit quicker, but I haven't got the optimal training done and the weather is giving strong westerly winds. The info about the race describes the course as fast with only 2 moderate climbs, which in Monaghan could be mountains!:D Anyway looking forward to it, I'm racing with my brother so as long as I beat him I'll be happy!

Happy New Year to all.

pconn062

I had been planning on doing this race for a few weeks as I have some relatives up here so I knew the village fairly well. Me and the brother travelled up, me with the intention of aiming for around 42 mins, and he was just happy to get around. Registration was smooth and after some light jogging and a bit stretching we were off at 12.
As usual at the start everyone took off (there was a 6k at the same time) and I had to throw the brakes on when I seen the pave at 6.13! Over the next few miles the pace settled down and I kept passing runners. I felt very strong the whole way through and was always way ahead of the my target pace (6.50). After the initial surge at the start I was not passed once but kept passing runner after runner which felt great!
The course was relatively easy except for two kickers of hills in a row around the 5 mile mark which accounts for a drop in pace. Had to push hard at the 9k mark to stay on pace but came over the line in 40:27. Was very happy with that but the course was a little short unfortunately so the equivalent time is 41:10, which is what I will go by. Not to sure of results, will get them tomorrow I'd say, but i'd put myself in the top 15, judging by the runners I could see in front of me. This is a great race, I love local races like this, 10 euro fee, no messing, and great tea and cakes afterwards! All in all not a bad day at the office!

6.1 miles, 40:27, avg pace 6.38
Splits: 6.46, 6.48, 6.30, 6.30, 6.49, 6.32, and 6.03 for the last 0.1

Also gonna keep track of my miles for the year which I never done before.

Miles year to date: 7 (including a short warm up and cool down)

pconn062

Still no results from yesterdays race, but I'm not too bothered about positions, I was pleased with the performance and should set me in good shape to break 40 minutes this year.
No running today with everything going on but I normally use Monday as a rest day anyway, legs feel fine after the race. Going to hit the track in the morning for an interval session, probably 10x400. Going to concentrate on short interval work and tempo runs for the next few weeks in preparation for the next goal race which is the 3k cross country next month.

pconn062

5.5 miles including 1 mile WU, 10x400 @6.00 pace + 90 secs recovery, 2 laps cool down.

Man that was tough. There was a gale force wind blowing at the track which made life extremely difficult. I actually considered dropping out after the seventh rep (which I would never normally do), but the eight one went better and I pushed onto the end. I walked some of the recovery time after the last three intervals which helped, but I'm glad that's done. Just a recovery run planned for tomorrow.

MYTD: 12.5

DogSlySmile

Best of luck with your log and achieving your goal times. Should be no bother to you considering your running background!

Oh and I like your "Miles Year to date" idea... I might nick that!

pconn062

DogSlySmile wrote: »

Best of luck with your log and achieving your goal times. Should be no bother to you considering your running background!

Oh and I like your "Miles Year to date" idea... I might nick that!

Ha, that's fine I think I robbed it off someone elses log I was reading!

Thanks DSS!

bart simpson

good luck with the log:) ease into it, and you will have a year of PBs

topday

pconn062 wrote: »

Ha, that's fine I think I robbed it off someone elses log I was reading!

Thanks DSS!

I think I will do the same :-) Good Idea!

pconn062

bart simpson wrote: »

good luck with the log:) ease into it, and you will have a year of PBs

Cheers bart, really enjoying your log, your getting some savage training done, sub 60 should be no problem and you're getting some great advice off Larry which helps!

bart simpson

pconn062 wrote: »

Cheers bart, really enjoying your log, your getting some savage training done, sub 60 should be no problem and you're getting some great advice off Larry which helps!

yeah he is great in fairness, an awful lot of work for me to do to even have a chance, but the fun is in pushing the limits and not knowing
have you read any books? i really do think its worth reading a good running book from front to back, i read p&d advanced marathoning last year and it helped me a lot. you can then understand the methodology behind posts from lads like larry.

pconn062

bart simpson wrote: »

yeah he is great in fairness, an awful lot of work for me to do to even have a chance, but the fun is in pushing the limits and not knowing
have you read any books? i really do think its worth reading a good running book from front to back, i read p&d advanced marathoning last year and it helped me a lot. you can then understand the methodology behind posts from lads like larry.

Yeah I have P+D ordered, gonna give it a read even though I don't intend on running a marathon this year, just to get up on the terms and methodology as you say. Half the fun in picking a goal is pushing the limits and seeing what you're really capable of!

pconn062

5.5 miles, 46:27, 8.21 avg. pace

Just an easy recovery run today, although the wind made it a bit tougher than it should have been. It really is wild out there and I live right beside the coastline which leaves it very exposed. The pace might seem a little fast but I had a massive tailwind literally pushing me down the road for the last two miles! The plan for tomorrow is a 40 minute or so tempo run, hope the wind eases a little bit.

MYTD: 18

pconn062

5.5 mile tempo run, including 1 mile WU, 4 mile in 27:47 avg pace 6:57, 0.5 mile cool down.

Tough but good run. The plan was to start the 4 tempo miles @ 7.30 pace and work up to 6.30 but the wind ended up dictating the run (again!:mad:). So I ended up ignoring the Garmin and just running by effort. Glad it's done. I always feel runs like this will stand to you, but I'm tired of the wind at this stage. Probably a rest day tomorrow, the legs are a bit heavy after the race and the two hard sessions this week.
Was thinking of racing the SDCC cross country race on Saturday but I don't think that's going to happen because I can't rope anyone into doing it and it's a bit of a trek for me, it's shame, I love cross country. Think Raheny might be on the cards though, a few of the lads I train with are talking about it.

MYTD: 23.5

pconn062

Might be a slight change of plan with the SDCC race tomorrow, got a text off the coach to see if anyone was going so think me and a friend are going to head up and race. Not too optimistic about a good time after last weekends effort but looking forward to it all the same, you can't beat a bit of fun in the mud! Rest day today, which is just as well I suppose seen as it looks like I will be racing tomorrow.

pconn062

Headed up to this with the coach and a few very fast lads from the club, so no confusing who would be finishing last out of our group! I found the course tough, 3 laps and I was wrecked by the end of the first one. Picked it up over the second lap and felt much better from here to the end. Was boggy in places which really drained the energy out of the legs but kept going and had a good sprint finish, crossed the line in 27:36, 77th I think out of about 250 or so. Course was a bit long, between 4.15 to 4.25 on the Garmins in my group but that doesn't really matter with cross country. I'm very happy with this considering the conditions and this was never a goal race for me, just a good workout. Long slow run planned for tomorrow I think.

7 miles total incl. 1.5 mile WU, 4.15 miles in 27:36 Avg pace 6.42, 1.5 mile WD

YMTD: 30.5

pconn062

9 miles in 1:14:59, 8.19 avg. pace

"Long run" this morning over a hilly enough route, ran this with a friend of mine, the legs felt heavy at the start after yesterdays race but the easy pace and the conversation made it an enjoyable outing. Nice day for running too, warm but with enough of a breeze to keep you cool (but I was probably slightly overdressed in my under layer, t shirt, tights and gloves! ) .

MYTD: 39.5

pconn062

Rest day today although I did head down to the track to do week one:day one of C25k with my girlfriend whose decided out of the blue that she wants to do a bit of running! Going to hit the track again tomorrow for some intervals, maybe 5-6x800m but I'll see if there's anyone else there and play it by ear.

pconn062

5.5 miles including 6x800 @5k pace (6.20)

Good session this morning, tough one the last repeat but it's another session in the bag. Raheny is the next target, going to get my entry in this week so might do a few mile repeats on Thursday maybe, aiming for somewhere in the region of 32-33 minutes on the day, Mcmillan gives me 32.50 based on my recent 10k and I'd be very happy with that. Just a recovery run planned for tomorrow.

MYTD: 45

pconn062

6.5 miles, 53:47, 8.19 avg pace

Just a recovery run this morning, didn't look at the garmin at all during this one, just ran by feel and I felt very relaxed the entire way. I have a very long day at work/college tomorrow but I'm hoping to sneak out for a run at some point. Will probably do another session on Friday then.

MYTD: 51.5

pconn062

4 miles, 30:36, 7:39 avg. pace

Just time for a short four mile dash this evening. Picked up the pace a bit, the only reason being that I wanted to get home quicker, it was getting dark and there's no street lamps out here in the sticks! Felt good to pick up the pace and the miles went easily enough. Session tomorrow hopefully.

MYTD: 55.5

pconn062

8 miles including 7 @6.53 pace, 48:09

All my training since the start on January has been aimed at the Raheny 5 mile and the session I did today was suggested by T-runner (thanks T-runner if you're reading this, hope I got it right) on this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056459296&page=3.

It involved running 7 miles at 5% slower that 5 mile race pace, starting slower and gradually building up towards close to race pace. My target pace for Raheny is around 6.35 so the pace to aim for today was around 6.55 or so. The plan was to start at around 7.10 pace and speed up during the workout leaving an average of around 6.55. The session went great, splits were 7.09. 7.04, 7.00, 6.53, 6.43, 6.40,6.43 to give me a 6.53 average pace overall, felt strong the whole way through and when ever I needed an bit more pace it came very easily, very happy with that and a great confidence booster at how easy it felt. Just a recovery run planned for tomorrow.

MYTD: 63.5

pconn062

5.5 miles, 46.13, 8.19 avg. pace

Nice easy recovery run today, was a bit harder than it should have been because I forgot to eat something before I left and I was starving the whole way round! Still another session in the bag, onwards and upwards. Longish run planned for tomorrow.

MYTD: 69

pconn062

10 miles including 8 in 1:06:38: 8.20 avg. pace, 2 miles in 13:04: 6.32 avg. pace

Long run today, ran the first 8 miles very easy, well apart from when I turned onto the coast road around mile 4 and got absolutely hammered by the wind for the next three miles. The wind coming off the sea was horrific so the pace suffered a bit to keep the effort the same. Threw in 2 miles at 5 mile pace at the end for a bit of fun and to see how it felt, went very well and the pace felt tough but manageable, good days running.
I spent a lot of the run thinking about the whole Martin Fagan thing, the whole thing is a complete mess. I'm a big Fagan fan (still am) and I'm disappointed that he felt that it had to come to that, disappointed that I won't get to see him run at the Olympics and disappointed for him on a personal level on what impact this going to have on his career in general. If the findings are confirmed it will count him out of athletics for good, coaching, punditry, competition. And for a guy with all that talent I think it's a real shame, that we will probably never see what he could really do at the marathon distance, and that he was that desperate that he felt he needed to do this.

MYTD: 79

pconn062

Week 2, day 1 of C25k with my girlfriend, I was struggling a bit on the last jog!:D If my girlfriend seen this she would murder me!

pconn062

6.5 miles, 53.07, 8.10 avg pace

Nice run this morning, stupid wind still kicking the crap out of me along the coast road again, ah well it's worth it for the views! Session planned for tomorrow.

MYTD: 85.5

pconn062

Met up with a friend of mine who wanted to go for a jog after 5 weeks off, very short and easy, still a double run is a double run! 2 miles 18:08, 9:04 avg pace

MYTD: 87.5

pconn062

4 miles

Well there are good days and bad days and I've been having a lot of good days recently so I was overdue a bad day, and it landed today! The plan was a pyramid session, 400-800-1200-1600-1200-800-400 @ 1mile, 3k, 5k, 10k pace and back down again off 2 minutes recovery.
The 400 @ 1 mile (5.40) pace was OK, but the trouble started on the 800m. I was huffing and puffing after it and the recovery time just didn't seem to be ong enough. I launched into the 1200m @ 5k pace (6.20) and by the end of it I was a puffing out of breath mess. I walked for a few minutes to try and get my breath back but it wasn't working, after 5 minutes or so I decided to try the 1600m a bit slower around 7 minute mile pace but it wasn't working and I bailed after two laps. I decided to call it a day and warm down but even on a cool down jog at nine minute mile pace I was still breathing hard.
I don't know what was wrong but I think it was the fast mile pace at the start that got me or maybe I was just having a bad day. Normally I really enjoy interval sessions and get through them fine but anyway, I won't dwell on it. Just a recovery jog planned for tomorrow and another session on Friday which hopefully goes better.

MYTD: 91.5

pconn062

5.5 miles

Out the door at ridiculous o'clock this morning in the pitch black to get this run done as I have a mad day today. Didn't bother with the Garmin because it was too cold to stand around waiting for it to link up. Nice and easy pace overall though but I'm just not an early morning runner, the legs take too long to wake up!

MYTD: 97

pconn062

7.5 miles including 5x1 miles @ 5 mile pace, 32:36 (6.31 avg. pace)

The plan today was to aim for 5x1 miles intervals at somewhere between 6.30-6.35. This is my planned race pace for Raheny next Sunday which will give me a finish time (hopefully!) of between 32.30 and 32:55. The session went well, pace felt fast but manageable, very windy at the track so I hope it's not that windy on race day as I have a feeling I will need near perfect conditions to break 33 minutes. Took a lap recovery between each interval which worked out at about 2.30-3.00 mins which worked fine.
I love these type of sessions, they are a real confidence booster for me and I did the same one before my 10k PB on New Years Day. Probably do a few mile at some stage tomorrow. Not going to hit the Eircom BHAA cross country unfortunately I don't think, too close to Raheny and a bit of spin, will be at the next one in Swords though.

MYTD: 104.5

pconn062

Eircom X-country 5 mile

It's amazing how quickly things can change, this time yesterday I was planning to do a short recovery run today until I got a phone call off the coach last night basically telling me to get my ass in gear and do the race, a lift was provided and all! A warm up lap confirmed that the conditions underfoot were good and that the wind would be a factor. The plan was to go out easy and then just see how I get on as I did not want a full on effort before Raheny. But of course all of that went out the window when the race started and I went out like a mad man like everyone else!
The pace was steady the whole way until the start of the 3rd lap where the wind and fatigue cost me a bit of time but I made up for that on the last mile. Passed at least ten people over the last mile which is always a huge confidence booster and crossed the line in 32.36. I was very happy with that, in fact that's the time I was targeting for Raheny next week so it will be interesting to see what a road and less wind could lead to next week.

8 mile including 5 mile in 32:36
Splits: 6.34, 6.32, 6.36, 6.47, 6.11

MYTD: 112.5

belcarra

Hey Pconn062,

Just saw your log for the first time now. Best of luck with it.
From your PB list you appear to have a fair degree of potential for improving this year with structured training. Some of the PBs are quite soft when compared to your faster PBs and you seem to be tearing up the courses in the cross-country races.
I predict a very successful Raheny 5 miler for you!

pconn062

belcarra wrote: »

Hey Pconn062,

Just saw your log for the first time now. Best of luck with it.
From your PB list you appear to have a fair degree of potential for improving this year with structured training. Some of the PBs are quite soft when compared to your faster PBs and you seem to be tearing up the courses in the cross-country races.
I predict a very successful Raheny 5 miler for you!

Hi Belcarra, thanks very much for the comments, and I totally agree with you on the softer PB's, especially the obvious one, the marathon! And some of the longer ones like the 10 mile and half marathon were raced during marathon training so no specific training. I hope to correct those this year and the cross country is helping I have been reading your log and 3.30 should be no problem to you, your training seems to be going really well, and the Ultra training will benefit.

pconn062

10 mile, 1:27:59, 8.48 avg. pace

This was just a slog, I wanted it to be over after the first mile. The legs just felt dead with no bounce after yesterdays race and the wind wasn't helping my mood. Anyway done and dusted, looking forward to a rest day tomorrow and an easy week to bring me up to Raheny.

MYTD: 122.5

pconn062

6.5 miles, 54:17, 8.21 avg. pace

Just an easy enough run this morning on what is going to be a very easy week in general. Got some advice off the coach to take it very easy this week as the cross country probably took it's toll, might do some sort of an easy fartlek session tomorrow just to mix things up a bit, nothing too hard or intense. Looking forward to Raheny, one or two friends are racing so there will be some (not so) friendly rivalry!

MYTD: 129

pconn062

5.5 miles, 42.29, 7.40 avg. pace

Had intended on doing a fartlek session today but the wind put a big dampener on that. It's getting really annoying the constant wind so just went out for a normal run instead. The pace is a bit quicker cause the wind was literally pushing me at points. and also cause I was a bit annoyed about the wind so I just pushed on! But to counter this it actually ground me to a dead stop as I crested the top of a hill so I just stopped and walked the last twenty feet, no point flogging a dead horse.

MYTD: 134.5

pconn062

4.5 miles, 41.32, 9.04 avg. pace

Just a slow recovery run today, not too sure what I was recovering from as yesterdays run was fairly easy but it can't do any harm with the race on Sunday. It's the slowest I've run in a long time, since before the Dublin marathon. Might do a short fartlek session at the track tomorrow.

MYTD: 139

pconn062

5.1 miles, including 10x 2mins hard with 1 min easy, 39.41, 7.44 avg. pace

Good session today, didn't push too hard. The hard sections ranged from 6.10-7.00, mostly around the 6.30 mark. Got soaked in the rain to top it off! Just a few easy miles planned for tomorrow.

MYTD: 144

ThePiedPiper

Well Pconn062,
Your year is going well so far. Doing some very good sessions in there, mixing it up a lot.
What are your target races for the year? Are you keeping to the shorter stuff for the time being or have you any goal half marathons coming up? Is Dundalk happening this year? There's nothing yet on the website. You giving the one in Bohermeen a bash or is out of sync with the training you're doing?
There's definitely a couple of races where you've some unfinished business. But I definitely agree that you need to tackle your basic speed before going back to the marathon.
Congrats on the great time in the Emyvale 10k by the way. I'll need to up my game with ye lot snapping at my heels by the looks of things!!!
Chat to you soon.

pconn062

RunForestRun wrote: »

Well Pconn062,
Your year is going well so far. Doing some very good sessions in there, mixing it up a lot.
What are your target races for the year? Are you keeping to the shorter stuff for the time being or have you any goal half marathons coming up? Is Dundalk happening this year? There's nothing yet on the website. You giving the one in Bohermeen a bash or is out of sync with the training you're doing?
There's definitely a couple of races where you've some unfinished business. But I definitely agree that you need to tackle your basic speed before going back to the marathon.
Congrats on the great time in the Emyvale 10k by the way. I'll need to up my game with ye lot snapping at my heels by the looks of things!!!
Chat to you soon.

Ah well Aonghus, how's life? I don't think you have anything to worry about yet, I have a way to go before I catch you! Yeah plan is to focus on the shorter stuff for the year, up to half marathon. Spend on year to see what I can do and use the aul log here to try and keep me on track. Think Dundalk is on this year all right, 9th on May according to the facebook page so that will be the main target for the first half of the year, probably the half in the park for the second half of the year. Don't think I'll do Bohermeen, not the half anyway, is that a target race for you on your build up to London? Getting close! :pac:

ThePiedPiper

Yeah, I registered for Bohermeen half. It's 5 or 6 weeks out from London so perfect timing. I haven't been doing much volume of miles since November, but trying to maintain quality in whatever I'm doing. You're taking a great approach to the year so far. I'm a firm believer in doing 400s, 800s and mile intervals and in improving in these, ulitmately improving your speed over the longer distances. For example, you'll probably be able to maintain your 10k speed over the half distance in Dundalk.
Is your programme taking in anything over 10 miles at the moment or is it mostly up to 8 or so? I must catch up with ya for a run at some stage, I suppose the Rás is only around the corner anyway. Chat to ya soon.

pconn062

RunForestRun wrote: »

Yeah, I registered for Bohermeen half. It's 5 or 6 weeks out from London so perfect timing. I haven't been doing much volume of miles since November, but trying to maintain quality in whatever I'm doing. You're taking a great approach to the year so far. I'm a firm believer in doing 400s, 800s and mile intervals and in improving in these, ulitmately improving your speed over the longer distances. For example, you'll probably be able to maintain your 10k speed over the half distance in Dundalk.
Is your programme taking in anything over 10 miles at the moment or is it mostly up to 8 or so? I must catch up with ya for a run at some stage, I suppose the Rás is only around the corner anyway. Chat to ya soon.

Yeah ten is the longest I'm getting up to at the minute, I'll be starting half marathon specific training in a few weeks so the long runs will increase then. I'd say London will be a good race for you, and a good bounce back from Dublin. We should definitely get out for a run soon, and the Rás will be a good day to catch up with everyone, see you there.

pconn062

4 miles

Didn't bother with the Garmin on this one, nice and easy before tomorrow's race. It's given a wet day day according to Met Eireann but if it is as calm a day wind wise as today there should be good racing conditions. Ideally the goal would be to break 32, I think my time last week at the cross country -30 seconds for the wind would be a great achievement, but I would be equally happy to equal last weeks time as well, will just have to see what the day brings! So long as I beat one of my two mates I'll be happy! Good luck to all racing.

MYTD: 148

pconn062

Traveled up to this one with a two of my mates, one who was a much better runner than me (sub 3.20 marathon runner), but I thought I might have a chance against him today given my solid training over the last while.
Arrived in plenty of time, got number and a good soaking during the warm up. We made the rookie mistake of getting to the start too late, but I still couldn't believe the amount of slower people in front of us, were weren't that far back. First half a mile was spent dodging people which was the slowest of the day 6.35, and that kind of killed my chances for sub 32.
Me and my friend were shoulder to shoulder for a lot of the race, sharing pacing duties and the first two miles went easily enough. He told me he was getting a stitch around mile 3 so I knew a scalp could be on the cards! I pushed on slightly up the hill and he fell about 2-3 meters behind me, we passed the coach about half a mile from the finish and I knew from him shouting he was closing the gap so I put in a little surge, I really wanted to beat him now and I really thought I had him bet until the finishing straight I caught a glance of him make a sprint so I pulled a balls down effort and floored it and crossed the line about 2 seconds ahead of him in 32.11, 6.25 avg. pace. Happy with that, slightly disappointed not to get sub 32 but a good days racing anyway. Great race all round despite the weather and a truly epic goody bag!

Splits: 6.35, 6.26, 6.25, 6.22, 6.20

MYTD: 154

pconn062

Monday: Rest day

Today 5.5 miles, 48.29, 8.42 avg. pace

Just a short, slow recovery run after work today in the dark. It's OK running in the town or city in the dark with all the street lights but out here in the country on small, quiet, country roads it's a bit spooky! So January is over with just short of 160 miles done, two PB's: 40.27 for 10k (well 41.10 on a short course) and 32.11 for 5 mile last weekend, not a bad month, half marathon specific training for Dundalk half marathon starts in about two weeks so looking forward to that. Might do a bit of a session tomorrow, will see what the day brings.

MYTD: 159.5

pconn062

6 miles, including 10x400 @ 6.00 min pace with 90 secs recovery

Good session this morning, had company for this session which makes a change and seems to make the session easier. Felt very strong throughout and the 90 secs recovery always seemed to be enough. Also got to try out my brand new Adidas Adizero Adios 2 runners which arrived yesterday. They are horribly bright and vulgar and I love them! They are also super light and I am looking forward to racing in them if I can find a road race soon, all my planned races for the next while are cross country. Will do a recovery run at some stage tomorrow.

MYTD: 165.5

pconn062

4 miles, 30:47, 7.42 avg. pace

Just a short run today as I'm doing a circuit training session tonight at the club. Ran this a bit too fast because it was short which probably wasn't a great idea, effort felt a bit harder than it should have been. I'll learn some day! Think I'm gonna do the BHAA cross country on Saturday so will probably just do a few easy miles tomorrow.

MYTD: 169.5

pconn062

5.5 miles, 46.22, 8.20 avg. pace

Just an easy run this evening, took a while to settle in but was grand after 2 mile or so. The plan is to head to this race tomorrow, the cross country in Swords, hopefully that won't change. I wasn't going to go to this race but my girlfriend is off work tomorrow, she never has a Saturday off so she wants to come up to the race. I might not race this full out and just use it as a tempo, I'll see what the conditions are like when I get up there.

MYTD: 175

Stazza

Good luck for tomorrow's X/C race. Don't wear your pulchritudinous flats - you'll destroy their beautiful vulgarity and probably end up skating rather than running:).

pconn062

Stazza wrote: »

Good luck for tomorrow's X/C race. Don't wear your pulchritudinous flats - you'll destroy their beautiful vulgarity and probably end up skating rather than running:).

Ha cheers, no I'll leave the flats at home tomorrow and bring the spikes instead!

pconn062

Headed up to this race, a warm up lap of the course told me that conditions were bad in some areas, real slippy and sticky which would only get worse as the day went on. Decided to just treat this as a tempo run as I didn't think really fast times would be possible and it wasn't a goal race.
Off we went and I settled into the race at a comfortable pace, the first mile went in 6.37, a bit fast. The second one felt slower but passed in 6.37 again. The next two miles were slower, which was partly due to the tough conditions in the second field, the part along the river was getting very sticky which took it out of the legs. Felt OK on the last lap and had a good bit left at then end, crossed the line in 32.06, but the course was short, 4.88 according to my watch, works out at about 33.10 or something like that over 5 mile. I enjoyed the race, was a good training session if nothing else but not as nice a course as SDCC or the Eircom race. Will do a longer run tomorrow.

7 miles in total including 4.88 miles- 32.06

Splits: 6.37, 6.37, 6.48, 6.45, 5.19 for the last bit (6.32 pace)

MYTD: 182