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Training sessions for Cross Country

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    #122
    pconn062
    Registered Users Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭pconn062


    davemcmahon wrote: »
    For some reason the novices and masters were only 3k, the intermediate 6k and the senior race 10k.

    Jammy gits! :)


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    #123
    KielyUnusual
    Registered Users Posts: 1,900 ✭✭✭KielyUnusual


    pconn062 wrote: »
    Jammy gits! :)

    Lets set up a Sallins AC and run our cross country down there. The idea of a 3k cross country sounds heavenly to me.:rolleyes:

    I've raced the last two weekends so i'm out for the Gerry Farnan. Will be away in any case.

    Can't say either of the races went very well. My pace for the BHAA was half a minute slower per mile than last year so its given me some idea of the work I'm going to have to do to get back to where I want to be.

    Seems to be a lot of races between now and Christmas. Every weekend basically. Do people like to run as many as possible but focus on a few, race them all as fast as they can or be selective in the races they choose?

    Think I will race a lot but maybe focus on the Novice races. The other races will probably be somewhere between tough session and hard race effort.


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    #124
    pconn062
    Registered Users Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭pconn062


    KielyUnusual wrote: »
    Lets set up a Sallins AC and run our cross country down there. The idea of a 3k cross country sounds heavenly to me.:rolleyes:

    I've raced the last two weekends so i'm out for the Gerry Farnan. Will be away in any case.

    Can't say either of the races went very well. My pace for the BHAA was half a minute slower per mile than last year so its given me some idea of the work I'm going to have to do to get back to where I want to be.

    Seems to be a lot of races between now and Christmas. Every weekend basically. Do people like to run as many as possible but focus on a few, race them all as fast as they can or be selective in the races they choose?

    Think I will race a lot but maybe focus on the Novice races. The other races will probably be somewhere between tough session and hard race effort.

    I think it is very easy to over-race at this time of year, there are just so many races. I would tend to only the three county races and then maybe the Leinster novice, will also throw in some BHAA races after Christmas. Nothing wrong with using a race as a training session either though, so long as you only treat it as that. I intend on doing one or two Odbridge parkruns which are all on grass and treat them as tempo runs.


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    #125
    Sacksian
    Registered Users Posts: 1,895 ✭✭✭Sacksian


    Think it'll just be leinster masters and national novice for me, can't see myself managing any of the intermediates, although I might take in the BHAA Irish Life as it's on the same course as the novice. Even with those few races, there'll only be three or four race-free weeks left until the national novice. Seems like it's almost over already!

    I will definitely try the racing instead of tempo strategy at some point, possibly next year between indoor and outdoor track seasons, even if it's just weekly parkruns.

    As I contemplate going up to the park, I can't believe I said a couple of weeks ago that I was looking forward to the rain.


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    #126
    davemcmahon
    Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭davemcmahon


    At the moment I'm pretty much using the races to regain fitness. I've dropped the club sessions bar the hill work. I may do a couple of the bhaa races just to keep up the momentum.


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    #127
    davemcmahon
    Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭davemcmahon


    pconn062 wrote: »
    Jammy gits! :)

    Not to mention the races have been down around the curragh and Kildare town, not renowned for their hills.


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    #128
    pconn062
    Registered Users Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭pconn062


    davemcmahon wrote: »
    Not to mention the races have been down around the curragh and Kildare town, not renowned for their hills.

    Big jump in distance between the intermediate and senior, even going the traditional route from 8-10k is pretty tough.


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    #129
    RacoonQueen
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 20,364 Mod ✭✭✭✭RacoonQueen


    How on earth do people race XC two weekends in a row. I was in no state for racing at the weekend after Dublin Novice....I was in a heap most of the week!!!

    Perhaps I'm just as unfit as I've been claiming :D


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    #130
    Timmaay
    Registered Users Posts: 11,394 ✭✭✭✭Timmaay


    How long is GF? And can ya enter on the day?


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    #131
    davemcmahon
    Registered Users Posts: 676 ✭✭✭davemcmahon


    pconn062 wrote: »
    Big jump in distance between the intermediate and senior, even going the traditional route from 8-10k is pretty tough.

    Yeah. I'm hoping my fitness improves between now and then, I struggled a bit on the 6k so the 10k may not be fun. The intermediates was 6 laps of a 1k course which I found tough going by the 4th and 5th laps. One of the lads had mentioned the senior was 4 laps of 2.5k so hopefully it'll be a little easier mentally.


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    #132
    RacoonQueen
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 20,364 Mod ✭✭✭✭RacoonQueen


    Timmaay wrote: »
    How long is GF? And can ya enter on the day?

    8K and yep, entries from Donore clubhouse


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    #133
    Irving Washington
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭Irving Washington


    RacoonQueen wrote: »
    8K and yep, entries from Donore clubhouse

    ...or... 5k if you like, no?


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    #134
    RacoonQueen
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 20,364 Mod ✭✭✭✭RacoonQueen


    Irving Washington wrote: »
    ...or... 5k if you like, no?

    Yes, but he won't find many senior men to race against in the 5K. :)


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    #135
    Irving Washington
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭Irving Washington


    RacoonQueen wrote: »
    Yes, but he won't find many senior men to race against in the 5K. :)

    You're probably right but I bet there are plenty who'd prefer the shorter distance if they knew they'd have some competition

    I think they're afraid of being called girls

    Well screw it, I don't mind! I'll race anyone.

    OAPs, young children, you name it


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    #136
    ronnie085
    Registered Users Posts: 1,003 ✭✭✭ronnie085


    davemcmahon wrote: »
    Not to mention the races have been down around the curragh and Kildare town, not renowned for their hills.

    Oh wait till you see the course for the country senior, it a little cruel ;-)


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    #137
    HelenAnne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,035 ✭✭✭HelenAnne


    RacoonQueen wrote: »
    How on earth do people race XC two weekends in a row. I was in no state for racing at the weekend after Dublin Novice....I was in a heap most of the week!!!

    Perhaps I'm just as unfit as I've been claiming :D

    I did another cross country the week after the novice. Whatever about my body, my brain wasn't fit for it as I went the wrong way and missed the turn to the women's finish ...


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    #138
    Wubble Wubble
    Registered Users Posts: 2,600 ✭✭✭Wubble Wubble


    What's the course in ALSAA like? I hadn't considered it before, but am thinking of entering now, even though my performance in last week's BHAA was wojus :o


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    #139
    KielyUnusual
    Registered Users Posts: 1,900 ✭✭✭KielyUnusual


    Wubble Wubble wrote: »
    What's the course in ALSAA like? I hadn't considered it before, but am thinking of entering now, even though my performance in last week's BHAA was wojus :o

    Course in ALSAA is possibly even easier than the Castelknock one but the after spread isn't as good. Tough decision for you.


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    #140
    Wubble Wubble
    Registered Users Posts: 2,600 ✭✭✭Wubble Wubble


    Yes indeed! I'm running the Clontarf HM at the end of November (last "goal race" of the year) but there is a stag thrown in two weeks before (i.e. the week after ALSAA). I'll have to come up with some kind of a "training plan" - for want of a better phrase - to cover the next 6 weeks. Not sure if ALSAA will feature, but it certainly has a chance :)


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    #141
    Timmaay
    Registered Users Posts: 11,394 ✭✭✭✭Timmaay


    Anyone got a timetable for tomorrow? 10mins wasted browsing Athletics Irelands absolutely clusterfcuk of a "mobile friendly" website revealed nothing :(


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    #142
    RacoonQueen
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 20,364 Mod ✭✭✭✭RacoonQueen


    Timmaay wrote: »
    Anyone got a timetable for tomorrow? 10mins wasted browsing Athletics Irelands absolutely clusterfcuk of a "mobile friendly" website revealed nothing :(

    2:15 for the '5K' 3pm for the '8k'


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    #143
    RacoonQueen
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 20,364 Mod ✭✭✭✭RacoonQueen


    I see the girls (Britton, Mulligan etc) are doing the 8k...
    http://www.athleticsireland.ie/news/autumn-open-cross-country-preview


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    #144
    Cooldog
    Registered Users Posts: 83 ✭✭Cooldog


    Hi all, doing a few XC races at the minute, did an 8KM last Sunday (not today),doing a 6KM next week and another 8KM 2 weeks after that.
    My question is what quantity of running and sessions to do in between these races.
    I ran easy all this week after the race last Sunday and did a fartlek session on grass today 20 x 1 min at 5K pace with 1 min easy, but now I am not sure what to do this week and the weeks in between the races, any advice would be greatly appreciated...Thanks.


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    #145
    pconn062
    Registered Users Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭pconn062


    Cooldog wrote: »
    Hi all, doing a few XC races at the minute, did an 8KM last Sunday (not today),doing a 6KM next week and another 8KM 2 weeks after that.
    My question is what quantity of running and sessions to do in between these races.
    I ran easy all this week after the race last Sunday and did a fartlek session on grass today 20 x 1 min at 5K pace with 1 min easy, but now I am not sure what to do this week and the weeks in between the races, any advice would be greatly appreciated...Thanks.

    How often are you running at the minute (how many times per week?). Also, do you usually do a hard session every week?


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    #146
    Cooldog
    Registered Users Posts: 83 ✭✭Cooldog


    pconn062 wrote: »
    How often are you running at the minute (how many times per week?). Also, do you usually do a hard session every week?

    Thanks pconn062. I run 55-60MPW over 6 days usually with a session on tue and sat and a long run on thur (1.45-2.00hrs), usually target a race for 6-8 weeks and get ready for that, but this is the first time I have taken XC seriously and usually don't race as regular as this...


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    #147
    pconn062
    Registered Users Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭pconn062


    Cooldog wrote: »
    Thanks pconn062. I run 55-60MPW over 6 days usually with a session on tue and sat and a long run on thur (1.45-2.00hrs), usually target a race for 6-8 weeks and get ready for that, but this is the first time I have taken XC seriously and usually don't race as regular as this...

    Fartlek would be very useful alright, especially if you could get them done on grass to make them more specific. Also long reps like kilometers/miles on a cross country course would be good for strength. Not sure where you're based but a lot of people in Dublin use the Munich lap in the Phoenix Park, heard it's really good but any rolling grass loop would do. What do your sessions look like at the minute? Your mileage is good and you're getting a good long run in which will really help as well. Specificity is the important thing now, get on the grass as much as possible.


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    #148
    Cooldog
    Registered Users Posts: 83 ✭✭Cooldog


    pconn062 wrote: »
    Fartlek would be very useful alright, especially if you could get them done on grass to make them more specific. Also long reps like kilometers/miles on a cross country course would be good for strength. Not sure where you're based but a lot of people in Dublin use the Munich lap in the Phoenix Park, heard it's really good but any rolling grass loop would do. What do your sessions look like at the minute? Your mileage is good and you're getting a good long run in which will really help as well. Specificity is the important thing now, get on the grass as much as possible.

    Sessions were based around a HM I did at the end of Sept, 4 x 5 min, 5 x 5 min, 5 x mile repeats at around 5.00 - 6.00 pace, and long tempos at 6.10's if broke into 2 x 20 min or 6.20's if 30-40 mins.
    Because I am racing 2 out of the next 3 weeks I am stuck to what to do in terms of weekly mileage, sessions, long run etc.


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    #149
    pconn062
    Registered Users Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭pconn062


    Cooldog wrote: »
    Sessions were based around a HM I did at the end of Sept, 4 x 5 min, 5 x 5 min, 5 x mile repeats at around 5.00 - 6.00 pace, and long tempos at 6.10's if broke into 2 x 20 min or 6.20's if 30-40 mins.
    Because I am racing 2 out of the next 3 weeks I am stuck to what to do in terms of weekly mileage, sessions, long run etc.

    Those sessions are all really good and will help you for x-country. Are any of these races goal races? If not you could keep the mileage roughly the same and just do a shorter run on the day before the race. If I am racing at the weekend I would only do one session a week, usually midweek (Wednesday) so the legs are fresh for the weekend. And personally I would drop the long run for the weeks that you are racing, you seem to have plenty of them done and two weeks without a long run won't hurt. If you have a big race coming up you could taper down a little more towards the end of the week so your are really fresh. The week you are not racing, just treat it like a normal week, 2 sessions and long run if that's what you are used to doing.


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    #150
    Sacksian
    Registered Users Posts: 1,895 ✭✭✭Sacksian


    http://www.athleticsleinster.org/images/entry_forms/avondale_map_2014.jpg

    Deadly map for Leinster Novice/Masters on Sunday!


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    #151
    KielyUnusual
    Registered Users Posts: 1,900 ✭✭✭KielyUnusual


    Sacksian wrote: »
    http://www.athleticsleinster.org/images/entry_forms/avondale_map_2014.jpg

    Deadly map for Leinster Novice/Masters on Sunday!

    Its pretty good but where's the elevation profile.

    Had hoped to be running this but the coach never entered a team so I'm out. Pity, as I'm just starting to regain some form and it would be nice to know where I stand.


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