Just 1 more trying to go sub 4

Beef

No update in a week, but I have been running!

Smashing weather for running 9 miles yesterday (step-back) so I did these at about 8:50 pace and felt quite good. Few pints afterwards too, which felt even better... Increase in mileage this week so I might be getting up early again in order to facilitate watching football in the evenings

I'm reckoning I'd burn more fat than glycogen running on empty in the mornings too?

Oooh - another thing, I had some back pain last week (2.5 hours commuting weekdays + all day at desk = weak core).
What exercises do people here do for core strength?

ncmc

How’s the training going now Beef? Did you get over your back pain?

I’m not much use when it comes to recommending core exercises as I’m not a great one for core strength, stretching, foam rolling or basically anything that is good for me! I’m more one for doing nothing for months, going to the phsyio and complaining how painful it it! However, I know Career Move and Blockic are fans of pilates for core strength, so maybe one of them can advise you.

Have you a ten mile or half marathon planned before the marathon? They are a great confidence boost if you get a good time and they are the best indicator of what kind of time you can aim for on the big day. The Great Island 10 is on in Cobh on April 21st and the Wexford HM is the same day. Maybe one of those would be an option for you?

Beef

Hi ncmc,

I'm useless at keeping this updated. I must add a table and stick in my weekly milage.

Training is going well enough I think. I sorted out my back (in the short term at least) by adjusting the seat in work and also in the car. I'm like a meerkat sitting up now but the pain is gone. I really need to get a race in, I couldn't get in to Ballycotton... Going by the plan, I'm supposed to do a half marathon race next weekend. I think I'm just gonna go and run to beat my last half marathon time (i.e. race myself). Not ideal but it will be at a quicker pace at least. The Wexford one looks interesting though - cos I have a couple of spare weeks in the plan...

Beef

Hal Higdon Novice II
Week 8

Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Tues|4miles|8:10|felt horrible - 4hrs sleep
Weds|7miles|8:08|felt much better - nice new route!
Thurs|4miles||
Sat|15miles||

ncmc

Glad the back is semi sorted, hopefully it's nothing serious.

There is a table on this thread for a few of us that are doing Cork

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056883025

The more the merrier if you want to join!

Mallow 10 is on next weekend if that would suit you? Think it is filling up fast though. While not a half, it's not that far off and would give you a good indication of where you're at.

I would really recommend you try and get a race in before the marathon, you will be so much faster in a race situation than just running yourself. Plus, it gives you a chance to have a 'dry run' for the main event, things like what clothes you are going to wear, what you are going to carry and how, taking gels etc. It's a good idea to try all this stuff out in a race.

Beef

Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Tues|4miles|8:10|felt horrible - 4hrs sleep
Weds|7miles|8:08|felt much better - nice new route!
Thurs|4.25miles|8:24|Rain rain go away - miserable morning for running
Sat|15miles||


I've been running in the mornings mainly for the last couple of weeks. It's tough but its getting a bit easier. 2 months ago running in the morning killed me. Supposedly burning more fat this way but the real reason is that when I get home in the evenings I can properly relax. Work is very tough at the moment so I drive to Cork, run and then go in with a clear head. If only I wasn't so hungry after 2 miles...

Beef

Beef wrote: »

Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Tues|4miles|8:10|felt horrible - 4hrs sleep
Weds|7miles|8:08|felt much better - nice new route!
Thurs|4.25miles|8:24|Rain rain go away - miserable morning for running
Sat|15miles|9:22|Felt not so good doing this run|


After 2 miles I knew this was going to be tough. My breathing was off and I couldn't settle into a comfortable pace. I went to a table quiz thursday night and had a few pints - I think these defo caught up with me after a long week. First 6 miles ranged between steadyish pulls to sharp climbs and I felt every step. I met my sister at 6.5 mile stage. She had some water and a gel for me and we did the last 8.5 together which made things easier as we chatted away the miles. Last mile was probably around 8:30 I think, but I need to check the watch. Lesson learned: no more pints the Thursday before a long run. Even now - I feel a lot more tired than I did after 14.3 last week. :rolleyes: But hey - who said marathon training would be easy all the time... I need to get to bed earlier during the week and probably eat a bit better. Onwards and upwards.

scriba

Nice work Beef, they can't all be smooth perfect runs.

RunningKing

Good running Beef. Need to plan your drinking sessions!

Good distance today, well done.

Beef

I've been neglecting the log again - but have been running.
Week 9
Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Tues|5miles|8:24|Slowed this down a bit
Weds|7miles|8:13|Early morning in Cork
Thurs|4miles|8:41|Running with my sister for company
Sun|4 mile race|7:17|Felt grand - didn't kill myself


Last week was a step back week and instead of doing 12 miles on Sunday I did a 4 mile race which my sister roped me into. For this week, it will be 4/8/4 midweek and then a 17 mile LSR on Saturday. I will not be going to any table quizzes on Thursday night.

Week 10
Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Tues|4miles|8:34|New runners - I'm not convinced
Weds|8miles||
Thurs|4miles||
Sat|17 LSR||


More about the new runners. I ordered them online and they arrived yesterday. I'm normally an asics man and decided I'd give in to the gadgety hype and buy the new adidas boost ones. I'm not at all convinced. I will try them again this evening for an 8 miler but last nights 4 miles did not feel too good. Very tight around the toes and not as much support as I would be used to. I may be back buying asics sooner than I thought. €130... :mad:

Beef

Week 10
Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Tues|4miles|8:34|New runners - I'm not convinced
Weds|8miles|8:24|Old runners - much happier
Thurs|4miles||
Sat|17 LSR||


I'm going to go in to lifestyle and get a different pair of runners this evening before my 4 miler (maybe 5). The adidas ones are just too tight.

ncmc

I’ve been wondering about the new Addidas trainers, they advertising bumpf makes them sound like the be all and end all. But I am trying to train myself to need less cushioning in a trainer, so avoided the temptation. Maybe don’t give up on them totally though, they might just need a bit of breaking in. You could always keep them as a second pair and alternate.

Beef

Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Tues|4miles|8:34|New runners - I'm not convinced
Weds|8miles|8:24|Old runners - much happier
Thurs|4miles2.5miles|8:47|Never felt wind & rain like it
Sat|17 LSR||


I had to cut last nights run short - the wind was so strong and cold that I got a pain in my face during the first mile.
I'm claiming that in my defence I did try and do the 4 miles but it was horrible and I couldn't enjoy it. People were looking out of their cars like I had escaped from someplace.

Ncmc - I bit the bullet and got another pair of asics (cumulus), and even in the short space of time I wore them last night, I felt far more comfortable in them. I have a heel spur on my right foot because I used to wear my football boots very tight when I was younger and this causes me horrible pain when I wear shoes too tight now. I reckon if I wore the adidas runners for anything substantial I would end up losing 2 weeks training through injury.

17 miles tomorrow - I hope it goes better than my last LSR.

Beef

I just signed up for the wexford half. I needed something sooner than Cork to keep me focused I felt. Hopefully I can beat that bloody 1:50 this time. It was over HM distance back in September that I last spectacularly blew up after 10 miles.

ncmc

Beef wrote: »

I had to cut last nights run short - the wind was so strong and cold that I got a pain in my face during the first mile.
I'm claiming that in my defence I did try and do the 4 miles but it was horrible and I couldn't enjoy it. People were looking out of their cars like I had escaped from someplace.

Fair play to you for even attempting to go out in that weather, that is serious HTFU right there! I absolutely refused to step outside the door, even the dog wouldn’t go out for a pee!

Beef wrote: »

I just signed up for the wexford half. I needed something sooner than Cork to keep me focused I felt. Hopefully I can beat that bloody 1:50 this time. It was over HM distance back in September that I last spectacularly blew up after 10 miles.

Good call on doing the Wexford Half, it’s perfect timing for Cork, it will give you a much better idea of what time you should be aiming for than LSR’s would and it’s nice to have something to break up the monotony of training. There are a few of us planning to run it, hopefully I’ll get to put a few more faces to Boardsie names!

Beef

Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Tues|4miles|8:34|New runners - I'm not convinced
Weds|8miles|8:24|Old runners - much happier
Thurs|4miles2.5miles|8:47|Never felt wind & rain like it
Sat|17 LSR|9:17|Felt much better today!


I'm sore after the LSR but not too bad. Today's run was much more comfortable than the last LSR... I even broke conventional wisdom and wore the new runners with only a few miles in them before today. They were spot on and I'm much happier in them. I do have very tight hamstrings though - so back for a rub down during the week is in order.

Good call on doing the Wexford Half, it’s perfect timing for Cork, it will give you a much better idea of what time you should be aiming for than LSR’s would and it’s nice to have something to break up the monotony of training. There are a few of us planning to run it, hopefully I’ll get to put a few more faces to Boardsie names!

Defo! I'm really hoping with the extra training I've been doing (albeit slower) that I can beat my PB of 1:50:XX. It's driving me nuts at this stage.

Beef

For some reason today I feel like going to the track. Maybe it's the monotony of running at similar paces for the last 2 months with little variation, or maybe it's guilt from drinking over the weekend after my LSR :rolleyes:
Would it be suicide to do a track session this week with an 18 mile LSR next Saturday? I was thinking of 2 sets of 5X400m.
Just for a change...

ncmc

Beef wrote: »

For some reason today I feel like going to the track. Maybe it's the monotony of running at similar paces for the last 2 months with little variation, or maybe it's guilt from drinking over the weekend after my LSR :rolleyes:
Would it be suicide to do a track session this week with an 18 mile LSR next Saturday? I was thinking of 2 sets of 5X400m.
Just for a change...

I can't see any harm in that Beef, it's nice to mix things up a bit. Just don't increase your mileage too much this week and maybe do a recovery run at a really slow pace tomorrow. But your legs should be well recovered by the weekends LSR.

Fair play to you, it's a cold, windy one to be hitting the track!

Beef

Oh it's cold out there alright! Working from my parents house today and it's around the corner from the club so I dagged down to do my run at lunch time.
2 sets of 5X400m with 100m recovery between each 400m lap. Found it tough enough but really enjoyable. I would have stayed to do another set but by the time you'd get home and have a shower it's your lunch break nearly gone.
Lap times were:

1:28|1:33|1:31|1:29|1:31
1:40|1:35|1:33|1:34|1:36

Not exactly Michael Johnson out there - and there was a proper runner on the track too but I didn't care, I loved it.
It's a long time since I did anything down on the track so it was great to do something different!

Beef

Ok - the training is going okay (drove to Cork early and did 4 miles) but my diet was chronic and it sort of hit me like a bullet yesterday. I had dropped a few pounds when I started training for the marathon initially, but I think I somehow managed to convince myself that I could eat what I liked because I was training more. So from yesterday I'm no longer eating 'whatever I like'...

Stupid porridge is stupid.

Beef

Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Mon|2X5X400m|100mRecovery|?
Tues|4miles|8:xx|Nearer 9mpm I think
Weds|8miles|8:22|HMP in very cold conditions
Thurs|5miles|8:50/9:00|Will take it easy
Sat|18 LSR||


Did this mornings run at HMP and I hope to keep this Wednesday run as a practice for the Wexford Half Marathon coming up next month. Left the house just after 6 and drove to Cork to do the run before work. It was bitterly cold running down by the marina and I had pain on and off in my heel again. I had to stop a few times to strech it out and it felt okay for the last 3-4 miles. It's just a pain in the arse stopping and starting trying to find a rhythm. Gonna take it very easy during tomorrows run and I was booked in for a rub out on Friday anyway, prior to the LSR. I really hope it's something that doesn't flare up. Might try moving back to the old runners again.

ncmc

I feel your pain with the new trainers; I’m having hassle with my new pair as well. It’s so disappointing when you spend so much money on a new pair for them not to suit. Hopefully a good rub down will sort you out.

I know I am always bleating on about this, but you really need to slow down your recovery runs. If you HMP is 8:22 and your PMP is 9:00, then you should be doing your recovery runs at 10:00 or slower. Even the super fast guys do their recovery runs 90 seconds or more slower than their PMP. The point of a recovery run is to get the blood pumping to damaged muscles, without going fast enough to cause further damage to already tender muscles.

After a HMP run today, tomorrows run should be done at a slow, slow pace. Especially since you are carrying a little niggle. It can take practise to run so much slower than you are used to, but it really does aid muscle recovery.

Beef

Thanks ncmc - I know you're right and I do tell myself my slow runs are not slow enough. I find it uncomfortable running at that pace though if you know what I mean? It's like I'm slapping my feet off the road or something. I suppose it's just something I need to improve on.
I'm gonna try new insoles in the runners and see how I get on. I can't be getting a third pair of trainers in 2 weeks... :eek:

Steroo

Beef wrote: »

Thanks ncmc - I know you're right and I do tell myself my slow runs are not slow enough. I find it uncomfortable running at that pace though if you know what I mean? It's like I'm slapping my feet off the road or something. I suppose it's just something I need to improve on.
I'm gonna try new insoles in the runners and see how I get on. I can't be getting a third pair of trainers in 2 weeks... :eek:

Hey Beef, I know what you mean.. I was the same.. I solved this by taking smaller steps... little shimmy steps and you can't really go fast! Pace & Stride length are tied together... cadence should remain fairly consistant & the variationin pace shoudl come from stride length. I think. See if that helps?

Beef

I had to skip my Thursday night session as my foot was acting up and I was afraid to do any more damage to it. My sports injury man has diagnosed plantar fasciitis but reckons I caught it early enough... Lots of icing and stretching is on the horizon for the foreseeable future.
I did 18 miles this morning and got through it okay - and fair play to him he brought me down again today on his lunchbreak to put the laser on it and strap it up to take the pressure of the plantar. Back down Thursday to get it seen to again. This will turn out to be the most expensive pair of trainers I ever bought.

Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Mon|2X5X400m|100mRecovery|?
Tues|4miles|8:xx|Nearer 9mpm I think
Weds|8miles|8:22|HMP in very cold conditions
Thurs|5miles|8:50/9:00|Will take it easy Skipped - injured
Sat|18 LSR|9:24|Sore and strapped up after it!

Beef

Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Mon|off - foot strapped up||
Tues|5miles|9:20|Took it slow - left foot is now at me :eek:
Weds|8miles|HMP planned|Hope this goes okay
Thurs|5miles|9:30|will take this easy (after physio thurs)
Sat|13 LSR step-back|9:45-10|Gonna slow right down


So I went for my run last night after having 2 days off (and had my foot strapped in place) and threw on the old runners so that my injury wouldn't get any worse. I'm now beginning to think that the new runners were not in fact the cause as my feet felt the exact same in the old ones. I think I'm losing my marbles. They're not so bad that they will stop me running - just very uncomfortable at times.
I've a pair of new insoles in my shoes today and might try them later in my runners for the 8mile HMP run. I think I'll do this on the racecourse in Clonmel. It's very up and down and a great test of stamina. It also means I can run on grass. Back with physio tomorrow so at least I'll get an update then.

Beef

After I got home from work the wee lad wanted to go for a spin so by the time I had him loaded up,entertained,unloaded and happy it was too late and getting too dark to go up to the racecourse.

This evenings run went grand and I'm happier with my foot too.

Split times on a lovely flat run were:
08:20,8:08,7:57,7:58,7:53,7:44,7:56,7:47.
Then a cool down of about half a mile back home at a slow trot.

Foot is a bit sore but the new insoles seem to be doing a better job. No pain at all in my left foot. Happy days!

Day|Distance|Pace|Comments
Mon|off - foot strapped up||
Tues|5miles|9:20|Took it slow - left foot is now at me :eek:
Weds|8miles|7:58|Went well - left foot fine again
Thurs|5miles|9:30|will take this easy (after physio thurs)
Sat|13 LSR step-back|9:45-10|Gonna slow right down

Beef

Neglecting the log again but I've been training away. Deviated a small bit from the plan this weekend and did my first ever 20+ mile run. Had ncmc's advice in my ear all the way around and kept it slow (9:50 mpm) and have no ill affects after it. I was a little bit stiff yesterday but could have done a run if I felt like it (which I didn't ).
Gonna have an easy week I think and head to Wexford like something caged.

ncmc

Beef wrote: »

Neglecting the log again but I've been training away. Deviated a small bit from the plan this weekend and did my first ever 20+ mile run. Had ncmc's advice in my ear all the way around and kept it slow (9:50 mpm) and have no ill affects after it. I was a little bit stiff yesterday but could have done a run if I felt like it (which I didn't ).
Gonna have an easy week I think and head to Wexford like something caged.

I am texting my husband as we speak to tell him that at least one person listens to me!

Well done on gettinng a 20 mile in already. It sounds like you are in great shape. The best thing about running the LRS's slow, is that it takes less out of you and speeds up recovery.

Best of luck in Wexford! I am doing a bit of a mini taper myself this week, not feeling as confident about my time as I was, so want to give myself the best possible shot.

Beef

I'm looking forward to Wexford now, going to have a bit of a mini-taper myself - although I do hope to do a track session tomorrow night. Would that be crazy? It's a mental thing - I feel I need to get some quicker stuff in after doing a LSR on Saturday and more slow miles tonight. Also, best of luck to you in Wexford too - you'll smash 1:40 after all your hard work and a step back in training this week.