Things will come to those who wait...

pconn062

5 and a bit miles including 6x800 @ 5k (6.15) pace off 2.30 recovery

So yesterdays missed session was on the cards today. I'm really on the top of my head at the minute with everything so I didn't even have time to get into the track, just did these on the road in front of my house. Didn't even have time for much of a warm up so half a mile of jogging later and a bit of stretching and I was off. I was actually aiming for 6.20 pace but I just fell into a rhythm at 6.15 pace so who am I to argue. Took 2.30 recovery instead of 3 mins and it seemed to be OK (just!). But I really took it easy in the recovery, 12/13 mile pace and walked a bit after the second last one to prepare for the last one. Tough on the last two repeats but got through it and after a mile warm down I was done. Good session, just easy, short runs for tomorrow and Saturday before the race on Sunday.

MYTD: 207

pconn062

5.5 miles, 46:01, 8.19 avg. pace

Nice easy jog this evening before it got dark. Nothing to report, was a nice head clearing run to shake off the stresses of the week. Going to do 3 or 4 easy miles tomorrow to shake the legs up before Sunday and we will be ready to go!

MYTD: 212.5

pconn062

4 miles

Nice, easy, short run this evening to loosen up the legs before the race tomorrow. Didn't bother with the Garmin, just ran by feel. Really looking forward to the race tomorrow, it will be great to have a day to remember Larry McGuill and all the work he put in to set up this great day of running for all those years. This will be my first Rás na hEireann in almost 12 years and I remember from my junior years running this race and Larry standing on the sideline cheering on anybody in a Dunleer AC singlet, especially the year I came third in one of the junior races, no chance of a result like that tomorrow! Time wise, 24:50 is my PB for 6k cross country so better than that would be nice but I just want to enjoy the day and see what happens. Good luck to all running.

MYTD: 216.5

pconn062

7 miles including 6k in 24:15, 6.34 avg. pace

Arrived up in Oldbridge in time to see some of the junior races and the ladies race which was a quality affair with Lizzie Adams front running for most of it and demolishing the rest of the field. After a warm up lap, all the senior men were called to the start and we were off. The pace from the start was ferocious and after a quarter mile we were running 5.48 pace!! Crazy, but you had to go with it or you would be left behind. By the time we hit the first hill it slowed down, but overall the first mile passed in 6.11, it was way too fast and proved to be a bit damaging. The pace of the lead runners was seriously staggering.
The course had one hill but it was a monster, sucking the energy out of the legs and we had to tackle it four times (was a 1.5km, 4 laps). The second mile was a bit slower and I was shoulder to shoulder with my friend who I bet in Raheny a few weeks ago.
Disaster struck on the third lap where my spike lace came loose and in a muddy part of the course my damn spike started to come off! Had no choice but to stop and tie it, cost me 30 seconds or so and my friend got a got gap on me. Only got another 1/4 of a mile or so and the damn lace came loose again but I just soldiered on. The hill and the early fast pace was really doing damage and the last lap was a real slog, just wanted to get home. Crossed the line in 24.15, with my mate maintaining the 30 second lead he got, but I think he would have bet me anyway, he had a great day. A new PB but slightly disappointed with the result, the early pace did the damage and I got my tactics wrong, even though I couldn't have predicted the spike incident!
Warmed down with the Larry McGuill 3k, a tribute fun run for all abilities in memory of Larry and the day was done. Great day, great event and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though the senior race was a toughie.

MYTD: 223.5

ThePiedPiper

Well done yesterday pconn. Good running on what was a difficult, energy sapping course. I don't know much about cross country so wouldn't be a good yardstick, but my first mile was 15 seconds faster than the rest. The pace was right for a road 6k and possibly even a Darver x-country but this was proper slow ground. Taking that, and your hold-up with the spikes into account, it was a damn good performance from you. Position, not time, is what matters in x-country they say and we were firmly in the mid-field of a very high quality field so that must mean we're doing alright!!
See you in a couple of weeks. Keep up the good work.

pconn062

RunForestRun wrote: »

Well done yesterday pconn. Good running on what was a difficult, energy sapping course. I don't know much about cross country so wouldn't be a good yardstick, but my first mile was 15 seconds faster than the rest. The pace was right for a road 6k and possibly even a Darver x-country but this was proper slow ground. Taking that, and your hold-up with the spikes into account, it was a damn good performance from you. Position, not time, is what matters in x-country they say and we were firmly in the mid-field of a very high quality field so that must mean we're doing alright!!
See you in a couple of weeks. Keep up the good work.

Cheers RFR, was happy with the run overall, and mid field for a race of that quality is nothing to complain about. And as for a fellow who doesn't like cross country or short distance races you tore up that course like a pro, maybe you missed your true calling! Chat to you soon.

pconn062

Rest day today, well apart from week 5, day 1 of C25K, progress is going well and we should be ready for a 5k at the beginning of March!

Half marathon training for Dundalk officially starts tomorrow. I'm following this plan: http://www.runningplanet.com/training/half-marathon-training-program-advanced.html

If anyone has any comments on it, that would be great but it looks good. I will make a few changes to it, the main one being that I plan to race a fair bit which means I might have to move a few sessions around to fit it in. Looking forward to it.

I'm also going to try and lose a bit of weight between now and the race. I'm not overweight, 5'10" and I always weigh about two pounds either side of 11 stone. But I'm going to try and lose half a stone to get down to 10 1/2 stone for the race and see if it makes any difference. I'm not really going to be logging diet stuff or anything here, just going to record weight once a week.

Current weight: 11 stone and 3/4 of a pound

pconn062

5.5 miles fartlek session, 5 mins easy/1 min hard, 45:41, 8.13 avg. pace

So first session of the programme was this morning, and I was out nice and early for it. It called for a 45 minute structures fartlek session with 5 mins easy followed by 1 min hard. Seemed to go fine although it took a while to get comfortable due to the wind and the fact that I never run fast in the morning so it's always more of a strain on the body. The fast section were all run at quicker than 6.30 pace but I didn't run by the watch, just ran purely by feel. But not too challenging of a session and a good way to kick off the week.

MYTD: 229

pconn062

6 miles, 46:04, 7.41 avg. pace

Went into the track for this one as my girlfriend wanted to do her C25K in there. This was meant to be an easy run but the plan describes an easy run as one where you should be able to talk but not able to sing! I think that is a great description, and I decided I am going to up the pace of one or two of these easy runs as I think I have been running them a bit easy. The schedule normally has three easy runs a week, two sessions and a long run so I might run one or two of the easy runs a bit quicker. Not real quick but somewhere in the region of 7.50 pace. Today's run was a bit quicker because it called for 5 "acceleration strides" so that brought down the avg pace a bit. Most of the easy runs include these strides but I don't think I will do them in all of the runs because it upsets my rhythm a bit but will include them in some of them. Another session for tomorrow.

MYTD: 235

pconn062

5.2 miles including 6x800 @ 5k pace -5 secs (6.13) off 2.30 recovery

So the session today called for 6x800 at 5k pace -5 secs. Taking my 5k pace as 6.20 that left me with 6.15 pace as the target. I was slightly ahead of that (6.13) and it was a good session. Was just doing this on the road so half of the repeats were done into the wind which was tough but I really like this session, really feels like its working. During the first four repeats I felt pretty strong, it started to bite a bit in the fifth and I was hanging on for dear life in the sixth one!
I think I'm probably racing the Garda BHAA cross country on Saturday so will probably just run a few easy miles tomorrow. But it's not set in stone yet so will play it by ear tomorrow.

MYTD: 240

ThePiedPiper

PConn,

Those look like great 800m sessions. You'll get enormous benefit from those, it'll make your 10k pace seem like a gentle stroll after a while.

I'm just wondering what is the basis for taking 2 and a half minute recovery? I know that my 1 minute recovery a couple of weeks ago on 10 repeats of 800m was way too difficult, but 2 and a half minutes seems like a lot to me if there's only 5 repeats. I think 2 minutes would be more than enough. Or maybe I just like a bit of suffering!!

Best of luck in the race Saturday if you do it.. Make sure to tighten those spikes!!!

pconn062

RunForestRun wrote: »

PConn,

Those look like great 800m sessions. You'll get enormous benefit from those, it'll make your 10k pace seem like a gentle stroll after a while.

I'm just wondering what is the basis for taking 2 and a half minute recovery? I know that my 1 minute recovery a couple of weeks ago on 10 repeats of 800m was way too difficult, but 2 and a half minutes seems like a lot to me if there's only 5 repeats. I think 2 minutes would be more than enough. Or maybe I just like a bit of suffering!!

Best of luck in the race Saturday if you do it.. Make sure to tighten those spikes!!!

I think you just like a bit of suffering! I got this figure from a few places. The plan I am following says recover between the repeats with 400m easy jogging, I always jog the recovery real slowly 10 min mile or so, so 1/4 of 10 minutes is 2.30. Also from reading a few logs here of people doing similar sessions thats the kind of recovery they seem to be taking. Eugene also told me that the aim is to reduce the recovery time as you get more used to the sessions but only when you feel ready. So I started @ 3.00 min recovery and now I'm down to 2.30 and maybe over the next few weeks will lower that to 2 mins, but only when I feel that 2.30 is too much and at the minute I don't!

pconn062

4 miles, 35.08, 8.47 avg pace

Nice easy run this evening to give the legs a bit of a break. Still not sure about the race tomorrow, will either decide tonight or tomorrow. I want to do it but at the moment no one is going up and it's a bit of a trek to travel on my own, so if I hear from anybody else going up then I will too. I'm as organised as ever!

MYTD: 244

drquirky

Hey Pconn- if you end up racing tomorrow- good luck!

pconn062

Cheers drquirky, hopefully I'll get up to race. Have a good one yourself, hope the weather is kind to us.

pconn062

7.5 miles including 4 miles in 26.27, 6.37 avg. pace

Tough day at the office, even the warm up lap was a bit tough with the strong headwind. The combined start made the start a little hectic as everyone tried to find their place but after the small lap it thinned out. I settled into a nice pace around 6.40 and felt good after the first lap.
This was never a goal race for me so I was really only treating is as a good training session. The climb after the stretch in the forest on the two big laps was taking its toll and the legs started to get a bit fatigued, I lost a bit of time on this section but always made up for it on the straight with the wind behind your back. On the final lap I was counting down the minutes as it was beginning to be hard work but I still had enough for a sprint finish when some other runner had the audacity to try and scalp me at the finish line, how dare he!:D Crossed the line in 26.27 and the course was bang on four miles by my watch, 93rd overall which I was a bit disappointed with, normally in the 70's or so, but the coach who raced too said that overall the quality of the field was much stronger.
Overall it was a good race and good training if nothing else, and I beat a few guys that bet me in Swords a few weeks ago.
One thing I did learn is that I am quite weak on the hills and it's something I need to work on. I don't have the strength to attack them and always lose time and have to try and make it up, might introduce a hill session every two weeks to try and make some improvement.

MYTD: 251.5

pconn062

10 mile, 1:22:57, 8.17 avg. pace

The plan today called for 8 miles with the last two at planned race pace. But a few of my friends were meeting up for a ten miler this morning so I thought I would go with them instead for the company. I know these race pace runs are important and I don't intend to miss anymore but the legs were a bit dead this morning after the race and I figure the extra two miles I did made up for the missing race pace miles. A lovely morning for running and the miles flew by.

MYTD: 261.5

pconn062

Rest day today, just a quick weigh in, down a pound from last week which is perfect, hopefully I can keep it up and I hope it helps with the racing.

Starting weight: 11 stone and 3/4 of a pound
Current: 10 st 13 3/4 pounds

pconn062

7 miles including 4x1 mile @ 10k pace (6.37) off 500m recovery

Splits: 6.41, 6.39, 6.35, 6.33

Headed into the club for this one as it was late before I got out and I knew the lights would be on. I was looking forward to this, I like sessions like this. The aim was 6.40 pace or so going by my last 10k and it went fairly straightforward hitting the pace easily enough, and I pushed a bit on the last one (I know, not smart, but that's me). The plan said 800m recovery between the repeats but the track at our club is around 500m long so I just used one lap as a recovery and it seemed to be loads. Very happy with that, just an easy run planned for tomorrow and another session on Thursday.

MYTD: 268.5

pconn062

6.5 miles, 50:54, 7.50 avg. pace

The programme today called for a 6 mile easy run with 5 acceleration strides. Headed out for on my 6.5 mile route and it was windy as fluck out there. As I decided last week I ran this a little quicker, aiming for sub 8 minute pace. The strides brought the avg. pace down a bit but I only did 4 as the fifth one would have been straight into the headwind and I wasn't bothered. Miserable evening and I'm a specs wearer so had to carry them for the last 2 miles. Savage session planned for tomorrow, 7x800 @ 5k pace -5 secs followed by 6x400 @ 5k pace -20 secs! :eek: That's gonna hurt!

MYTD: 275

pconn062

9 miles including: 1m WU, 7x800@ 5k pace -5secs (6.13 avg. pace) off 2.30 recovery, 6x400@ 5k pace -20secs (5.59 avg. pace) off 90 secs recovery, 1 mile WD

I wasn't looking forward to this, on paper it looked pure scary! Into the club I went and after a mile warm up and a bit of stretching I was off. The 800's went fine, hitting the target easily enough and I felt strong. Even the 400's weren't as bad as I thought they would be, although the legs were like jelly on the last two and I really was working but I still had enough to push on the last one and get the pace down under 6.00. The legs continued to feel like lead on the warm down lap and I'm feeling the effect of the session now. It's the biggest session I've ever done and it feels good to had got through it but it was tough and will take a day or two to recover, just going to do a few mile @ recovery pace tomorrow, think I'm gonna need it!

MYTD: 284

pconn062

AM: 2 miles real easy as part of C25K training!
PM: 5.5 miles, 49.31, 8.54 avg. pace

I really needed this run this evening, the legs were hurting a bit all last night and on my morning jog with the OH I could feel the effect of the session so took it real easy this evening to try and recover. It's the OHs birthday on Sunday so we're heading up to her parents house tomorrow and will be staying over so I think a run on Sunday is off the table, so I think I will do my Sunday session tomorrow morning and if I can squeeze a few easy miles in on Sunday as well it will be all the better.

MYTD: 291.5

pconn062

7.5 miles including 45 mins @ 10k pace +20 secs

Moved tomorrows session to today as I don't think I'll be getting out tomorrow. Called for 45 mins @ 10k pace + 20 secs. 10k pace is 6.38 from my most recent race so target pace was around 6.58 pace. This was a toughie, I did a mile warm up and a bit of stretching but I was working the whole time and I'm glad it's done, averaged 6.59 pace overall. Covered just under 6.5 miles in the forty five mins and hit 10k in 43.18 which is not bad for a training run. Also 7 minute mile pace is roughly my target pace for the half marathon in Dundalk so it feels good to able to do 6.5 miles at race pace 10 weeks out. Now I'm going to enjoy a birthday party and have a few beers and lots of sweets and crap!

MYTD: 299

pconn062

Sunday: Rest Day, didn't get home from the OH's parents house till very late so a run was off the cards. Glad I got my session done on Saturday.

Monday: Seen as I was off yesterday I decided to go out and do a run today with a view of maybe taking Friday off instead to give me a chance to recover from the sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. Headed out for my usual 5.5 mile loop and included 4 acceleration strides. Felt fine but the wind was savage in places, a real pain in the tits. Session at the club tomorrow.

5.5 miles, 43.44, 7.51 avg. pace

MYTD: 304.5

pconn062

A.M: 2 miles easy with the OH

P.M: Session: 5.5 mile incl. 1 mile WU 2x(400, 800, 1200) off 800m recovery, 1 mile WD

So this session involved running two of the above sets with no break between the distances and 800m jogging between the sets. Paces were 400 @ 5k-20 secs (6.00), 800 @5k pace (6.20) and 1200 @ half marathon pace (7.00). Went pretty well, the 400's were at 6.04 pace so a wee bit off because the lights on the track were off when I started and I couldn't see the damn Garmin, the 800's were bang on and 1200's were grand but a bit quick, around 6.50 avg. It was a nice evening for running, good session.

MYTD: 312

pconn062

6.5 miles, 49.33, 7.38 avg pace including 4 acceleration strides

Nice run this evening, the pace was a bit faster that planned but I ran purely by feel and didn't look at the Garmin really at all. It was one of those good days where I felt I could have run at this pace forever and I felt comfortable the whole way round. Another session planned for tomorrow.

MYTD: 318.5

pconn062

Robbed this off Racoon Queens log, if you see this, thanks! Hope you don't mind! :-)

Month|No. of Runs|Miles Run
January|25|159.5
February|25|158.5
Total|50|318

belcarra

pconn062 wrote: »

Robbed this off Racoon Queens log, if you see this, thanks! Hope you don't mind! :-)

Month|No. of Runs|Miles Run
January|25|159.5
February|25|158.5
Total|50|318

She is quite the benefactor...I also robbed it off her for my log!
And she gives out free home baked cake also I see...

pconn062

belcarra wrote: »

She is quite the benefactor...I also robbed it off her for my log!
And she gives out free home baked cake also I see...

I have to rob these tables because there's not a chance in hell I could figure out to make one!

pconn062

Thursday: Rest day, I took today's scheduled rest day yesterday due to work commitments.

Friday: 6 and a bit miles including 8x800 @ 5k pace -20 secs (6.13 avg. pace) off 2.30 recovery

So yesterdays session was on the cards for today. It was damn hard to find time to fit it in as I was getting calls from work and I had to squeeze it in at a free hour I had this afternoon and I was as stressed as hell starting it. Both warm up and warm down were cut short but the session actually went fine. Was doing it on an out and back route so all the odd number ones were into a strong wind which was tough at time. Wore my new racers today and it definitely made a difference and I felt good on the last repeat. Doing a 5k on the 18th of March in Drogheda so these sessions should be good prep, might switch one of my sessions next week and do a 3x1 mile @ 5k pace, these are real confidence building sessions if they go well. The target is as close to 19:00 as I can get but I don't think sub 19 is on the cards just yet.

No BHAA race for me tomorrow I don't think, but I think I am heading up to the Carlingford half marathon to watch a few of my friends race and take a few photos (and laugh at their struggle!).

MYTD: 324.5