Plans for next year

Cabaal

So, I'm sitting here deciding just where I want to go with my running,

At the moment I'm training for Dublin and based on my 20mile training runs I'll very comfortable hit my initial goal of 3:45 (improved from 3:58) but in reality I'd say I should be well able to hit 3:3x on the day.

Anyway after that I'm not 100% sure where to go,

I did put in a entry for London and I'll know sometime in October if thats a go or not. If I get it obviously my aim would be to have all systems go for that in April 2013 to really blow whatever my time in the DCM is out of the water.

However my alternative plan is to go ultra, aim would be my second 50km in Feb at Donadea, Connemara Ultra in April and perhaps if I'm just dumb enough Portumna 100km next June.

Ultra experience is pretty small as my first one was Portumna 50km in June of this year which I finished in 4:52, felt I held back for alot of it because it was somewhat uncharted territory but felt pretty good after it with no niggles or even blisters.

Is this plan for Ultra's too ambitious in what is relatively a short period of time?

TFBubendorfer

Cabaal wrote: »

However my alternative plan is to go ultra, aim would be my second 50km in Feb at Donadea, Connemara Ultra in April and perhaps if I'm just dumb enough Portumna 100km next June.

Is this plan for Ultra's too ambitious in what is relatively a short period of time?

Doing Donadea first (as a training run, really) and then Connemara is sound. I did exactly that this year, as did several others.

After that you will have a much better idea if you want to give Portumna a go. No need to decide just yet.

Micilin Muc

I'm in the same boat as you Cabaal.

Going for sub-3:30 Dublin Marathon this October, Donadea 50km in February, Connemarathon Ultra 63km in April and Dingle Ultra 80km in September.

I wouldn't be as ambitious as you in doing the Portumna 100km so soon, but you have already done a 50km so you have a better idea of what you're capable of.

belcarra

Same as the pair of you!
I'm thinking if I manage to go sub 3:30 this year I might go long next year.
I've done the Donadea and Conn Ultra and would hope to do both again next year.
I was also thinking of doing Comrades 89km (Very hilly!) in South Africa next Summer but that being such a huge financial outlay means I'll just continue to mull it over another while. If not that though I think I'd love to give Portumna and/or the Bangor 24hr race (Or at least the 12hr version) a go.

PaulieC

+1 although as I hauled my weary self out of bed at 5.30 this morning to do 8 miles before getting the kids up for school, I was thinking how much I hate training for a marathon. However, I would think that about 2 weeks into November I'll get the mojo back and go the ultra route...

pconn062

Maybe instead of going longer, go shorter and faster.



/Runs away.

Cabaal

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Doing Donadea first (as a training run, really) and then Connemara is sound. I did exactly that this year, as did several others.

Yeah thats what I'm thinking, atleast after doing Portumna 50km I have a better idea of what to expect at Donadea but i can still use it as a training run of sorts. Play it by year then after Connemara for the Portumna 100km then I guess.

Makes alot more sense then trying to commit across the board, thinking even if i did get London I'd still do Donadea in Feb

pconn062 wrote: »

Maybe instead of going longer, go shorter and faster.
/Runs away.

haha, was waiting on that,
Sure I could do shorter and faster but I like the sheer insanity and challenge of the longer distances.

Did Connemara Marathon last April and the hills made bits of me, real learning experience for me but at the end I said to my wife that i wanted to be back next year to do the ultra.....she thinks I've gone insane :pac:

I won't even say what she's said to me when i said i wanted to do a 100km :eek::)

rom

Spend less time here and more time running :P

thebouldwhacker

When do you get the chance to train for a 100 km event, between work, food and sleep.....?

Cabaal

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

When do you get the chance to train for a 100 km event, between work, food and sleep.....?

Well, at present I haven't worked that one out yet

Considering I don't have kids yet and there's people on this forum that do more then 100km runs and they have kids I'm sure its very very do-able

JosDel

I just want an injury free year, This year was a disaster with groin and hip problem

rom

Cabaal wrote: »

Well, at present I haven't worked that one out yet

Considering I don't have kids yet and there's people on this forum that do more then 100km runs and they have kids I'm sure its very very do-able

Maybe having kids is more motivator to get out and run rather than watch tv etc with free time.

TFBubendorfer

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

When do you get the chance to train for a 100 km event, between work, food and sleep.....?

Actually, if you're doing it right then preparing for an ultra takes the same amount of time as does preparing for a marathon. There is a limit on how much running you can do without getting injured; it doesn't matter what distance you are training for, you cannot exceed that.

tang1

JosDel wrote: »

I just want an injury free year, This year was a disaster with groin and hip problem

+1 to this, next year hopefully i'll get through a full marathon training programme and run a marathon.

corny

tang1 wrote: »

+1 to this, next year hopefully i'll get through a full marathon training programme and run a marathon.

+another1;)

Not sure whether to go for spring marathon or focus on the shorter stuff as i originally intended though.

opus

My goal for next year is run the Comrades marathon in South Africa in June so that forced me to plan the build up to it, currently this is the agenda:

Oct - Dublin marathon
Dec - Waterford half marathon
Feb - Donadea 50k
April - Connemara ultra
April - Leipzig marathon
June - Comrades

Might add to this as the advice I got from the Irish Comrade's ambassador was to get three marathons & two ultra distances in the legs before Comrades. Needless to say they will be training runs rather than big efforts.

belcarra

opus wrote: »

My goal for next year is run the Comrades marathon in South Africa in June so that forced me to plan the build up to it, currently this is the agenda:

Oct - Dublin marathon
Dec - Waterford half marathon
Feb - Donadea 50k
April - Connemara ultra
April - Leipzig marathon
June - Comrades

Might add to this as the advice I got from the Irish Comrade's ambassador was to get three marathons & two ultra distances in the legs before Comrades. Needless to say they will be training runs rather than big efforts.

Something similar to my planning Opus. Tralee Marathon is on March 16th so that might fit in nicely between Donadea and Connemara?
I see Comrades reg is open since the weekend. Will have to decide one way or another before reg closes in November anyways.

opus

belcarra wrote: »

Something similar to my planning Opus. Tralee Marathon is on March 16th so that might fit in nicely between Donadea and Connemara?
I see Comrades reg is open since the weekend. Will have to decide one way or another before reg closes in November anyways.

Great suggestion especially as I'm from the Kingdom Think I'll go for that.

My Comrades entry is already done and dusted as I'm the sort of person who needs the bit of a deadline to make me get the training in.

Enduro

Cabaal wrote: »

However my alternative plan is to go ultra, aim would be my second 50km in Feb at Donadea, Connemara Ultra in April and perhaps if I'm just dumb enough Portumna 100km next June.

Ultra experience is pretty small as my first one was Portumna 50km in June of this year which I finished in 4:52, felt I held back for alot of it because it was somewhat uncharted territory but felt pretty good after it with no niggles or even blisters.

Is this plan for Ultra's too ambitious in what is relatively a short period of time?

I think you'd be better off targeting one race in particular and aiming for that, given your lack of ultra experience. Then re-asses as you go. Just decide what you'd most like to do and go for it. I wouldn't be too worried about "building up" towards longer distances like 100k though. It'll be a big jump whether its from a marathon or a 1.5 marathon. That's the nature of ultra-running, and if you ever want to give the more classic longer ultra distance a go, you just have to make the jump.

Mint Sauce

PBs at distances between 5km and Half Marathon. An overseas Marathon. Warriors Run and PB. Getting back on the bike and doing the Gael Force.

Its not alot to ask for.

Outside

I have two points for UTMB from this year so maybe try get another 5 next year and try qualify for 2014. One 2 pointer race in Lesotho hopefully, with a bit of a holiday too. Then find a 3 pointer somewhere...hmmm...I think the only one in Ireland that offers 3 points is the Wicklow Round?