I'll have a BQ please Bob

hot to trot

You SOOO deserve this. Enjoy

PDCAT

The_Boy_Wonder wrote: »

Finished Barca in 1.38.32. Delighted with myself. Thirty odd minutes off DCM in Oct '11. Nice reward for the training. Will give a better spiel on how it went when I get back. Think there's a pint with my name on it!

Congrats man, perfect reward for all the training.

The_Boy_Wonder

menoscemo wrote: »

3:38 i'm guessing?

Well done.

1.38:eek: Not quite!!
Bang on with 3.38

RacoonQueen

Great stuff. Well done.

The_Boy_Wonder

Okay so here it goes. The original plan back in late Dec was to follow 12 week P&D plan with the aim of breaking four hours. Training had gone really well, I'd lost a stone in weight and the only race I managed to squeeze in was a half in Bohermeen in under 1.38. This was translating into a 3.30 marathon but I wasn't hung up on that as I hadn't done intervals or pace work that was giving me any great confidence that was acheivable.

Anyhoo, flew over on Sat morning, picked up the number, tshirt etc and got myself off to the hotel and had the feet up. Hydrate etc

As the hours were changing I decided not to leave anything to chance and put my mobile forward an hour in case it didn't automatically itself. Que me waking up on Sun not really knowing what time it actually was and how long I had to get myself together. TV told me it was 6.15 so drama over.

Breakfast etc done and bathroom visits etc covered before I left the hotel. First time with glasses on (don't run with them on), second time without the Powerade, and third time was a charm!

Got down to the start, decided I was going to go with the 3.30 pacers and just see how it went, how long I could live with them. I was wearing a 3.30 and 3.40 pace band. The start is quiet impressive with the ticker tape, fountains firing behind you and Mr Mercury blasting out on the speakers. Got down to following the pacers and was with them through 10km's. They were spot on through 10kms and at that point I decided to check the HR rate screen. 169... way too high. As we had just gone through a water station, thought it might just have spiked with the scrambling through there. 200 metres later still high 160's. Decided to just ease off the pace and let the balloons go and then keep going at a pace at a level where HR was circa 158/160 until 18 miles or so, as opposed to blowing up at 18 miles. Got the HR rate down to a more sensible level, and the balloons were still only 100/150 metres ahead. To 15km marker and I was 40 seconds off the 3.30 pace band. Unfortunately I needed a toilet break. There was only 2 portaloo's at the 15 km mark and there was 4 waiting already, so nipped in to a tapas bar and made use of the 'servicios'. Break had cost me at least a minute, and balloons were gone. This was no harm really as despite trying to be sesnible with pace and HR, instinct just didn't want to let go of them. At least this way I could concentrate on my own running.

Through half way in 1.47.26

Don't remember a whole lot about the seond half until about 35km marker. There was an up and back section which was boring and it was exposed, so was feeling the sun and heat.
I packed 4 gels in the pouch and I had taken gels at 10km & 20km. In rummaging for one just before 30km I dropped one. Rather than risking getting trampled trying to pick it up, I said I'd get one from the next station handing them out even though they were GU gels and I'd never used before. So took my own power bar @ 30km and tried the GU one around 35km or thereabouts. When I did it was disgusting and I spat as much of it as I could back out. I guessed I should have been okay as I was taking Powerade on board whenever I could.
From 30km onwards I decided to ignore HR and just try and keep the pace at 8.00 minute or as close as possible to that. Got to 35km's and I was still on course for 3.33/4. But that's when the day turned. Stomach was feeling sick, and I was feeling lightheaded. I was still on for a massive PB, so slowed down to a walk for a bit. Wasn't walking for long and got back jogging and just said I'd try and keep jogging between water stations. In the end I walked 5 times in that 35-42 km section. The last 2.5kms were on a long straight with a slight incline. Once I got to the 41km marker I just said I'm not walking again. Pushed on up the rise around the corner. No sprint finish but I was still really happy and proud of myself with the 3.38.32.


Splits were
5km splits 25.13, 24.46, 25.28, 26.25 (toilet stop included!), 24.57, 25.24, 25.17, 27.48, 13.19 (30.20 equiv)

1st half 1.47.26, 2nd 1.51.06

Just reflecting on it since there was two big decisions I made during the run. The one after 10km to ease off... Still think I was right to drop off the pace so as to avoid a blow up
Second one was to walk for the first time with four miles to go. Part of me thinks I just didn't use enough HTFU. HR was 178 just before the first walk. At the Waterford half I ran the full marathon at an average close to that, so it's not like I can't deal with the HR at that level for an extended period. Not beating myself up too much about it though. To go from a previous PB of 4.16, it really didn't make much difference to acheive 3.34 or 3.38.

All in all it was a good day at the office, and the 3.30 might happen later in the year.

Nice to meet the Drogheda crew in George Payne afterwards too!

belcarra

Well done on a super time!

Interesting to read the report and the fact that the 3:30 pace seemed just a tad too quick for you to be comfortable with...I'm sure if you tried Cork in June you'd get over that line without too much extra hassle!
You could take a couple of weeks off and still have enough fitness in you to bridge across to run another good race. Plus there'll be a few of us round here aiming for that target so you'd have plenty of company!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Good to meet you Stephen apologies I was not that talkative as I was fvked:) agree sub 3:30 could be done in Cork. Just build on what you have.

The_Boy_Wonder

belcarra wrote: »

Well done on a super time!

Interesting to read the report and the fact that the 3:30 pace seemed just a tad too quick for you to be comfortable with...I'm sure if you tried Cork in June you'd get over that line without too much extra hassle!
You could take a couple of weeks off and still have enough fitness in you to bridge across to run another good race. Plus there'll be a few of us round here aiming for that target so you'd have plenty of company!

I'll be honest the HR took me by surprise after 10km. I had completed 16 mile run only two weeks ago, at the 3.30 pace of 8 minute miles, and HR averaged 150. So to have been nearly 20 bpm higher was not what I was expecting. I guess some days it's your day and others its not. Maybe the excitment of the day and adrenaline etc wouldn't have helped.

Yeah just trying to consdier when I can give it another stab. The Monday bank holidays don't really suit me with work, so Cork might not be an option. The fact there is yourself and a few others doing it might see if I can look into it further. Kildare is 7 weeks off too so maybe there. As yourself and Jackyback say I'll keep the training topped up til I get a definite destination.

belcarra

Yeah, that seems a strange leap in HR alright. I assume you didn't have any virus or anything...was it a particularly warm day?
Although, as you say sometimes things just happen with no obvious reason!

The_Boy_Wonder

belcarra wrote: »

Yeah, that seems a strange leap in HR alright. I assume you didn't have any virus or anything...was it a particularly warm day?
Although, as you say sometimes things just happen with no obvious reason!

I didn't feel ill so I don't think its a virus and certainly in the first 10k weather wasn't an issue. I know we were climbing for most of the first 10k, but we had been going down hill for about 1k when I checked the HRM, and I never got back down to anything like 150 even with the reduced pace and no uphills.

I just think I need to train faster!!:rolleyes:

The_Boy_Wonder

Legs very stiff all due Tue & not much better on Wed morning
Wed 28th - 9 mile cycle to work, 1.5 miles on threadmill and then a dose of stretching and some foam rolling. 9 mile cycle home. Legs definitely feeling much better after that.

Thu 29th - 7 miles @ 8.38 (avg HR 142) First mile the joints were very stiff but began to loosen up after that. Good to be back in the game!

Sun 1st - 12.2 miles @ 9.25 (no HR) Run with the group in the park. Legs seem fine for this. Wouldn't be capable of much pace wise at the moment, but good to shake the effects of Barca out of the. Good to have the company too as I'm not sure I'd have managed 12 without it.

Really need to set another target race before I just meander through a stage of a run here, a run there. Thinking the Samsung 10k night run in 4 weeks. It'll focus the mind and efforts in the short term. Still undecided on a possible stab at 3.30 in Kildare

jcsmum

Just read your Barcelona race report. Congrats again, great progress since dcm!

The_Boy_Wonder

Tue eve 11 miles @ 7.50 pace (Avg HR 161)
Did about 2/3 minutes warm up an then belted out a 10k in 44.30. This was up the hill from work into the wind and hailstones (nice), so would hope I can take a minute or two off this if racing on a flat track. Did another 4.5 miles at some where around 8.30ish.

Left achiles didn't like the 10k speed... it never does like going quickly

Wed AM 9 miles back into work @8.23
Achiles wasn't the mae west so took things fairly handy. Should have been quicker considering I had a gale behind me! Winter leggings and gloves back on!


I've also decided the plan for the next few months. For one reason or another Limerick, Kildare & Cork are not fitting in with work/life commitments, so next marathon I will being doing is Waterford at the end of June. It's 12 weeks away from this weekend, so will slightly alter the P&D 55 mile plan I used for Barca (I think I can start with higher mileage). And just need to quicken up some of the intervals and faster runs in there to try and improve on the Barca marathon.
I'm also going to do K Club and Samsung night run 10k's in April. I'm sure I'll find one or two other runs during the twelve weeks also to break up the training

The_Boy_Wonder

Achiles been giving trouble since that faster 10k in training in that 11 mile run and running 9 miles on it again within 12 hours. I think I've managed one run on it since. Back to heel lifts several times a day. It's not as painful and appears to be coming along. I'd like to do the 10k in K club at the weekend, but I'm just going to see how things go

hot to trot

The_Boy_Wonder wrote: »

Achiles been giving trouble since that faster 10k in training in that 11 mile run and running 9 miles on it again within 12 hours. I think I've managed one run on it since. Back to heel lifts several times a day. It's not as painful and appears to be coming along. I'd like to do the 10k in K club at the weekend, but I'm just going to see how things go

Make sure you arent doing heel LIFTS!!:eek: Its heel drops you do if you have symptomatic achilles. The action has to be eccentric...ie lengthening while working , not shortening. Makes a huge difference. Might need to ease off on speedwork/hills for a tad as well .
Good luck

The_Boy_Wonder

hot to trot wrote: »

Make sure you arent doing heel LIFTS!!:eek: Its heel drops you do if you have symptomatic achilles. The action has to be eccentric...ie lengthening while working , not shortening. Makes a huge difference. Might need to ease off on speedwork/hills for a tad as well .
Good luck

Sorry just the wrong description.... dropping down over a step. I do know what I'm doing:cool: Honest judge !:cool::D (honestly spent enough on physio last year to show me... shame I can't rem the name of what I'm doing!!

Thanks. As you say I'll have to ease off on the quick stuff. Don't do much hills so that won't be a problem

hot to trot

Glad you are on the mend and have it nailed. Sorry if I came across as bit of a narky physio but having chronic achilles issues myself didnt want to see your agony prolonged any longer than is necessary.
You are having a fab year. Hope you are enjoying it as much as I am following it .

The_Boy_Wonder

hot to trot wrote: »

Glad you are on the mend and have it nailed. Sorry if I came across as bit of a narky physio but having chronic achilles issues myself didnt want to see your agony prolonged any longer than is necessary.
You are having a fab year. Hope you are enjoying it as much as I am following it .

cheers... appreciate the advice. It's probably the only ailment I know how to work on by myself. If I could only stop it recurring I'd be happy. When a professional such as yourself can't stop it recurring I'd gives some comfort that I'm not doing something incorrectly. I wear orthotics and really focus on the stretching so not sure what more I can do.

Still I've had a good run of it this year so I can't complain. Will take my medicine and come out the far side hopefully

The_Boy_Wonder

Sat 21st - K Club 10k 42.57


Had given the achiles a work out on the threadmill on Fri evening. A little comfortable to start with but I didn't feel any after effects later in the evening or this morning, so decided to go ahead with doing this 10k.

Met a few of the boardsie at the start. Needless to say CL had burned me in the first 100 yards! I prob went off a bit too quick myself, as I went through the first mile in 6.45. Settled down to 7 m/m for miles two and three (good pacing!). Found things getting tougher through the next mile with a blustery enough wind out on parts of the loop. Fourth mile was 7.10. KM markers were going by so it was a case of hanging in there and counting the KM's down. Mile 5 was a 7.06. Once I got to 8km I reckoned I could keep the 7 minute miles to the end. Caught a drogheda ac member just after the last km marker as we came back in the gate. He got a boost off a member who was cheering him on, so went away from me again. Managed to catch him again. At this stage I didn't think I'd pass anyone else, so was working up the incline to the finish. Drogheda man went past me again in the last 100 yds as my hammer started to disagree with my pace! My garmin said 42.57 as I went past the clock, with the clock saying 42.59/43.00.
By all accounts Belcarra was stalking me home, but I think I was saved just in time by the line.

Good spread afterwards. Happy enough with the time and I've given myself a target for next week's Samsung 10k.
average HR was 175, with a max of 188 right at the end

belcarra

The_Boy_Wonder wrote: »

By all accounts Belcarra was stalking me home, but I think I was saved just in time by the line.

You were never in danger...I had 10km to catch you so was never vey likely to get you on the uphill finish!!
Great time/run again!

The_Boy_Wonder

Crazy work hours for most of the week. Managed to get out running on thursday

Thursday - 9 miles @ 8.49 (Avg HR 155) Hamstring is not right after the 10k last week. I knew I felt it in the last 100 yards and it was uncomfortable, but hadn't given me any problems walking so was a bit surprised when it was enojying even the slower pace of the jog home from work. Decided to give Samsung a miss on just work on letting the hamstring recover and just doing some slower training rather than racing

Sat - 10 miles @ 8.30 (Avg HR 155) 10 miles in the park. Enjoyable enough. Hamstring not as sore at thursday, but will give it a chance before going under 8 minute miling.
HR is about 10 bpm higher for similar pace/efforts only 5 weeks ago. Lack of miles since the marathon showing already!!

The_Boy_Wonder

Not much logged here for a while as my achiles has been as grumpy as it's owner. Very slow to repsond to treatment and I was getting frustrated with resting and letting it heal. I think like most who post around here, we are used to pushing ourselves in training runs and races, that the mindset required to deal with injuries is almost counter intuitive to how we normally deal with pain.
Anyhoo I've been cycling in an out of work to avoid lashing on the pounds and been a good little fella with not running.

The thing with the achiles is that it doesn't usually bother me when running, but an hour later and not being able to work is the give away that somethings not right!
Things were getting better so I chanced a 4 mile run on Wed (about 8.50 pace). No major after effects.
So did a couple of miles on the threadmill on Thurs just to see if there was any discomfort and to try it at a slightly quicker pace (8.00 m/m).

Got out to the park this afternoon with the aim of getting maybe 10/12 miles, but with the car in the papal cross I was always only a mile back to the car if there was any discomfort. Touch wood, all was good, and completed 12.5 miles @ 8.36. Nice to be back and today was such a nice day for it.

Obviously with the laziness post Barcelona, and the injury break I won't be doing Waterford marathon as originally planned, so the main goal now will be DCM, and I've signed up to the race series too. Going to follow P&D plan again, this time with 18 week 55 mile. Just need to get myself slowly back up to 30+ miles per week before that, and fingers crossed for an injury free summer (should it arrive!) and autumn.

jcsmum

Sorry to hear all about your trials. And you were doing so well....
Hopefully you're back in business again and will stay injury free.

The_Boy_Wonder

Mon - Doms after the M/LSR. Amazing how quickly you lose the strength/fitness

Tue - Docklands 5k - 20.42
Had signed up to this a while back before any injuries as work were doing a fundraising drive and most of the dept and 300/400 in total from the company were doing it. Probably not the most sensible decision to go and race it, but hard to line up for one of these things and not let the competitive spirit take over.
Met Belcarra during the warm up. He was hoping for sub 20, and after a month off, didn't think that was something I'd have been able for but lined up with him nonetheless but let him off once the gun went. I don't think I've ever done a 5k before, so didn't really know what to expect but figured I should have been able for sub 21 and maybe 20.30 ish.
First mile was just too fast (6.26) which was bang on for 20.00 but not something I could sustain. Just tried to hang in there from there on. 6.50 and 6.54 were the next two miles, and finished in 20.42.
Happy to finish under 21mins and not happy in running stupidly, but I guess I'd have taken the time at the start after the month away from it.

Wed - Recovery run missed with late working

Thurs - 8 miles @ 8.07
Super evening for a run. If only all runs were as enjoyable, I'd be running twice a day!

The_Boy_Wonder

Sat 12.5 miles @ 8.17 (Avg HR 165)
Met up with a few boardsies for this. The gang were doing 4 @8.40, then 4 miles @ 7.00 and then another 4 @ 8.40. It didn't quite go like that for me! Uugghhh
First four were fine, but I could only last 1.5 miles @ the 7.00 pace. Just too much effort so dropped off as the rest kept pace. Belcarra dropped off and tried to get me back towards 8.00 miles but struggled at that so stopped for a walk break. Got back to the car after about 7 miles, got some water, and then headed out again at an attempt for more LSR paced stuff. Struggled along as pace gradually dropped to 9 m/m with another walk break in there.
HR went over 180 in the fast 1.5 mile

The_Boy_Wonder

Mon - 9 miles @ 8.40 - I won't lie, this wasn't pretty

Wed - 9 miles @ 8.23 - Temperature dropped since Monday, so not quite as bad!

Thurs - 5.75 miles @ 9.02 - Recovery run without Garmin, so just tried to keep it slow

The_Boy_Wonder

Sun - 13.7 miles @ 8.31
Left the car over in citywest after a wedding so jogged over to collect it. Meant going down Knockmaroon and up the hill out of Chapelizod, through Kylemore, Bluebell areas and out the N7. Never covered that route before. Not much else to say about the run other than it wasn't too bad for a hangover run... last mile was tough.

Total for the week - 37

The_Boy_Wonder

Since I last logged I've had a couple of good weeks of mileage, without any great pace in the runs, and one poor week with just a 15 LSR due to work, travel with work, euros and laziness. With the 18 week plan that I'll be following for DCM starting next week, got a bit of focus back this week.

Mon - 9 miles @ 8.00 (HR 157) This run was supposed to include 3 x 2miles @ 10k pace. Did 2 miles warm up, and the completed the first 2 miles. Found the going to hard after about half the second interval. Bit of a cop out so need to HTFU if I'm going to improve over the next four months

Tue - 9 miles downhill and easy back into work @ 8.41 (HR 146)

Wed - 9 miles @ 8.26 (HR 149)

Fri - Had signed up to the Pride/Front Runners 5k in the park with a couple of work colleagues. This was basically two laps on the foot paths around the playing pitches off acres Rd in the park. Very blustery so knew there was going to be stretches straight into a headwind, so thought a PB might be a tough ask. 5k PB is 20.42 from Docklands a few weeks back. Anyhoo I ran that one poorly as went off to fast and struggled to hang on. I was determined to run the pace a bit more evenly and see what I could acheive.
Finished in 20.48. I actually thought I ran it better than a few weeks back but the time doesn't show it. Much more even paced with the miles splits 6.41, 6.32, 6.40 and averaging 6.22 on the final part mile. Couple of things
- About 1.5km to 2km were straight into a head wind and as hard as I worked with the head down, my lap pace dropped during both so that didn't help
- My garmin says I averaged 6.37 this evening, whereas for the Docklands it says 6.42, yet my overall time is slower, so either Docklands was short or this run was long. Distance on Garmin for this is showing about 60 metres longer, so that's enough to explain that. Not sure which was right.

I just need to make sure over the next few months to try and push the interval runs in the plan to help with the speed on shorter runs, and no doubt it will pay off over the marathon distance.

Next race up is the 5 mile in the race series tomorrow week. Last year's time which is my 5 mile PB is 39.05. I'd be hoping definitely to go under 35 mins, and push for sub 34 mins.

The_Boy_Wonder

Mon - 9 miles @ 7.42 (HR 162)
Plan required this run to have 4 miles @ HM pace, so I was trying to get the pace in the 7.10-7.15 (aspirational pace for HM in sept). Splits for the harder miles were 7.10, 7.12, 7.14, 7.13. Lets just say I have some work to do to be able to sustain this pace for 13.1 miles

Tue - Recovery/easy 9 miles back into work @ 8.45 (HR 147). First couple of miles were up over 9mins and then quickened up in the middle, before slowing again towards the end.

jcsmum

Best of luck on Saturday. I've no doubt that you'll PB it!!