A Slow Journey to Faster Times

outforarun

That Kilkeel/Crossmaglen thing is a bit mad alright. I'm running in Milan at the moment and all mine have been coming through as Figino Running, that's a small village not too far from where I am. Bit mad.

yaboya1

Monday 29th December - 75 minutes Easy (including 6 x 100m Strides)
8 miles @ 8:50min/mile average (135bpm avg)

Decided to try and sweat some of the junk I've been living on for the past week out of my system. A great night out there for a run if you can avoid the icy patches. Funnily enough I do feel a lot lighter, but I think that's more down to my empty pockets from doing my absolute b*ll*x on the horses over the last few days than anything to do with my calorie loving body. Threw a few strides in at the end. Pity some of the nags I backed couldn't accelerate like that in the closing stages of their races......:rolleyes:


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:17
Mile 2 - 8:51
Mile 3 - 8:53
Mile 4 - 9:00
Mile 5 - 9:03
Mile 6 - 8:56
Mile 7 - 8:49
Mile 8 - 8:49
*0.65 - 4:26

*Strides

RacoonQueen

I profited by €27.50 on the races. :cool:

Some of us, are just good at everything...

yaboya1

Tuesday 30th December - 75 minutes Steady
11m @ 6:58p/m average (151bpm avg)

To say I'm delighted with this would be a massive understatement. I've been eating like a pig and drinking like a fish all week, so I wasn't exactly expecting much from tonight. However, I knew the most important thing was to run at the same Steady HR for the entire session regardless of the split times and I wasn't going to let a slow average get me down. I did feel great today though and couldn't wait to get out when I got home from work. It's a perfect night out there and milder than last night, so no ice to worry about. Consistent HR all the way and splits I'd be expecting to see if I was close to full fitness, and there's no way I'm there as I've definitely put on a few pounds over Christmas. I haven't weighed myself, but I can feel it on me. Anyway as I said, really over the moon with this. The pace did drop a little towards the end, but much later and by far less than I would have expected. Really excited about my running for 2015


Splits:

Warm up mile - 8:04 (133pm)

Mile 1 - 6:46
Mile 2 - 6:47
Mile 3 - 6:53
Mile 4 - 6:56
Mile 5 - 6:58
Mile 6 - 6:58
Mile 7 - 7:02
Mile 8 - 7:07
Mile 9 - 7:00
Mile 10 -7:01
Mile 11 - 7:12

Cool down mile - 8:46 (134bpm)


I think I spotted laura_ac3 towards the end of my run? I said hello and she said hello back, but still not certain it was her. I think it must have been as randomers normally ignore me :pac:

tang1

Any nice beers to comment on over the festive season?

ThebitterLemon

yaboya1 wrote: »

Tuesday 30th December - 75 minutes Steady
11m @ 6:58p/m average (151bpm avg)

To say I'm delighted with this would be a massive understatement. I've been eating like a pig and drinking like a fish all week, so I wasn't exactly expecting much from tonight. However, I knew the most important thing was to run at the same Steady HR for the entire session regardless of the split times and I wasn't going to let a slow average get me down. I did feel great today though and couldn't wait to get out when I got home from work. It's a perfect night out there and milder than last night, so no ice to worry about. Consistent HR all the way and splits I'd be expecting to see if I was close to full fitness, and there's no way I'm there as I've definitely put on a few pounds over Christmas. I haven't weighed myself, but I can feel it on me. Anyway as I said, really over the moon with this. The pace did drop a little towards the end, but much later and by far less than I would have expected. Really excited about my running for 2015


Splits:

Warm up mile - 8:04 (133pm)

Mile 1 - 6:46
Mile 2 - 6:47
Mile 3 - 6:53
Mile 4 - 6:56
Mile 5 - 6:58
Mile 6 - 6:58
Mile 7 - 7:02
Mile 8 - 7:07
Mile 9 - 7:00
Mile 10 -7:01
Mile 11 - 7:12

Cool down mile - 8:46 (134bpm)


I think I spotted laura_ac3 towards the end of my run? I said hello and she said hello back, but still not certain it was her. I think it must have been as randomers normally ignore me :pac:

Nice session after the Xmas P.

TbL

laura_ac3

That was me! I thought it was you but without my glasses in the dark I'm not always great at identifying people, buses etc until they're nearly past me. And I've embarrassingly said hello, by name, to the wrong people before hence my general greeting

RacoonQueen

yaboya1 wrote: »

I think it must have been as randomers normally ignore me :pac:

Don't blame them..

Murph_D

I see from GC that you were out same time as me, but must have missed you when I headed over the wooden bridge before turning back. Missed a chance to get a wave!

yaboya1

Saturday 3rd January - 75 minutes Steady
11m @ 7:21p/m average (151bpm avg)

Back in Crossmaglen Clondalkin for this. Pretty consistent splits, but the average pace is more than twenty seconds per mile slower from the same session last Tuesday. Maybe that's because I've done no running since then, maybe it's because I've been out drinking on two of the last three nights or maybe it's because conditions aren't as ideal today as they were then. I won't stress regardless, particularly given the week that's in it. Back to the normal routine from Monday.


Splits:

Warm up mile - 8:22 (129pm)

Mile 1 - 7:07
Mile 2 - 7:20
Mile 3 - 7:19
Mile 4 - 7:13
Mile 5 - 7:17
Mile 6 - 7:31
Mile 7 - 7:23
Mile 8 - 7:24
Mile 9 - 7:26
Mile 10 -7:25
Mile 11 - 7:25

Cool down mile - 8:32 (139bpm)

yaboya1

tang1 wrote: »

Any nice beers to comment on over the festive season?

Nah, just what I normally drink. Stayed away from that posh Kinnegar stuff :pac:

yaboya1

Monday 5th January - 75 minutes Easy
8.05m @ 9:20p/m average (135bpm avg)

My first attempt of 2015 at a week of reasonable mileage. I wasn't really looking forward to this as I was tired after a busy day, so brought the phone with me (for the first time in a long time) to allow myself to listen to the radio. My friend called me about 2-3 miles in and I decided to take it. I finished out the run nattering away, obviously going at a much slower pace than I would have been otherwise. No harm done.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:31
Mile 2 - 8:31
Mile 3 - 9:40
Mile 4 - 9:12
Mile 5 - 9:31
Mile 6 - 9:48
Mile 7 - 9:43
Mile 8 - 9:42
0.05 - 0:30

adrian522

yaboya1 wrote: »

My first attempt of 2015 at a week of reasonable mileage.

Well technically this is the first full week of 2015 so there is that.

yaboya1

Tuesday 6th January - 60 minutes Steady
8m @ 7:30p/m average (151bpm avg)

I was supposed to be out of the country today, so getting any miles in looked unlikely. However a change of plan meant I was able to squeeze the session in before work, albeit slightly shorter than normal. Splits were slower than I would have expected, but I'm feeling a bit under the weather in the last couple of days and had a strong wind in my face for the last three miles. The main thing was getting the hour completed at the required heart rate. Splits are not that important at the moment and I won't move off 150bpm until I feel I've mastered it. Only managed a half mile cool down due to said time restrictions.


Splits:

Warm up mile - 7:26 (135pm)

Mile 1 - 7:20
Mile 2 - 7:11
Mile 3 - 7:30
Mile 4 - 7:20
Mile 5 - 7:19
Mile 6 - 7:41
Mile 7 - 7:58
Mile 8 - 7:41

Cool down 0.5 mile - 4:19 (145bpm)

yaboya1

Wednesday 7th January - 90 minutes Easy
10.45m @ 8:37p/m average (136bpm avg)

Not a huge amount to say about this. I should get up above 60 miles this week, which is a big improvement on last week's 30 (not to be recommended though! :eek:).


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:13
Mile 2 - 8:21
Mile 3 - 8:35
Mile 4 - 8:38
Mile 5 - 8:37
Mile 6 - 8:24
Mile 7 - 9:00
Mile 8 - 8:45
Mile 9 - 8:35
Mile 10 -8:49
0.45 - 4:03

Calvin Johnson

What are you hoping to run in Rahney?

Sub 29?

yaboya1

Calvin Johnson wrote: »

What are you hoping to run in Rahney?

Sub 29?

Yes

Calvin Johnson

That's good.

Duanington

You seem to be getting back into a good routine Yaboya1 - fair play to you

yaboya1

Thursday 8th January - 45 minutes Easy, 60 minutes Easy

I'm going to try and incorporate more double days where possible to help me steadily increase my mileage.


A.M.
45 minutes Easy
5.33m @ 8:27p/m average (135bpm avg)

I decided to do the shorter of the two runs in the morning, as it suited me best and seems to be more common around here than the other way around.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:20
Mile 2 - 8:18
Mile 3 - 8:35
Mile 4 - 8:26
Mile 5 - 8:34
0.33 - 2:49


P.M.
60 minutes Easy
7.35m @ 8:11p/m average (133bpm avg)

This was pretty effortless and almost 20 seconds per mile quicker than the morning session with a lower average heart rate. I've explained why I think this is below.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:03
Mile 2 - 8:11
Mile 3 - 8:13
Mile 4 - 8:08
Mile 5 - 8:13
Mile 6 - 8:18
Mile 7 - 8:13
0.35 - 2:50


My Steady session last Tuesday was much faster than the two I've run since then. This had been confusing me a little bit. I was also curious as to why people around here tend to run the shorter runs on double days in the morning. So, I asked the resident expert and he gave me an answer which now seems plain and simple (and very, very true!). It's no wonder he was voted Poster of the Year . Like most people, it seems I'm a far better runner in the afternoon/evening than the morning. The body doesn't seem to be fully ready to go first thing, hence the much faster splits/lower heart rate tonight in almost identical conditions. I ran late in the evening last Tuesday, while the same two sessions since then have both been done in the early morning. I feel a bit silly now, but you learn something new (and sometimes blatantly obvious) every day. I'm on a day off work tomorrow, so will probably leave my Steady session until the afternoon. This also augurs well for the Raheny 5 Mile with it's 3pm start time. However, I'm going to have to think of some new tactic for my marathons........

MKDTH

Maybe the more your body gets used to a run in the morning, the more it will be prepared to race at this time of day? Otherwise people who may train more in the later part of the day may find that their bodies are not feeling 100% on race day mornings?

Maybe I watch to much Cycling as Team Sky made giant strides in the space of a few years with having attention to minor detail adding up to a large gain overall........then again, I could be over thinking things again

Calvin Johnson

Marginal gains

yaboya1

MKDTH wrote: »

Maybe the more your body gets used to a run in the morning, the more it will be prepared to race at this time of day? Otherwise people who may train more in the later part of the day may find that their bodies are not feeling 100% on race day mornings?

Maybe I watch to much Cycling as Team Sky made giant strides in the space of a few years with having attention to minor detail adding up to a large gain overall........then again, I could be over thinking things again

I do a lot of early morning running already though. I've completed six marathons with none starting later than 9am. I think it's more down to the time between getting up out of bed and running/racing. Some of my best runs (Longford last year comes to mind) have come after a long drive. This is probably because by the the time I get there my mind & body are fully awake?

yaboya1

Friday 9th January - 75 minutes Steady
11m @ 7:11p/m average (151bpm avg)

I'm very happy with this. Maintaining a steady heart rate in the hurricane like conditions outside today is tough to say the least, but needs must and I got on with it. Left it until the afternoon as mentioned yesterday. I knew it would be impossible to completely avoid running against the wind, so I decided to face up to it early. I ran uphill & into the wind with the rain pelting against my face for the first five miles. From North Strand to the Castleknock Gate (via the canal towpath) it felt like hell, and the splits are slower than I would normally expect at this HR. However, I did a pretty good job at maintaining the correct bpm and looked forward to the prospect of freewheeling back downhill with the gale behind on Chesterfield Avenue. The splits really picked up then as you'd expect, and it also felt so much easier despite the HR being almost identical. I'm going to stay at this HR for another week at least, but I feel I'm pretty close to moving up again. On a calmer day I feel like I'd have averaged below 7 minute miles for the entire session.


Splits:

Warm up mile - 8:14 (135pm)

Mile 1 - 7:25
Mile 2 - 7:15
Mile 3 - 7:27
Mile 4 - 7:42
Mile 5 - 7:21
Mile 6 - 6:56
Mile 7 - 6:48
Mile 8 - 6:45
Mile 9 - 7:10
Mile 10 -7:04
Mile 11 - 7:13

Cool down mile - 8:36 (139bpm)

Dubgal72

Sounds like this approach takes a lot of discipline. Fair play!

Calvin Johnson

Must be time for a nursing home special soon?

yaboya1

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Sounds like this approach takes a lot of discipline. Fair play!

Who'd have thought a bousy like me had discipline? :pac:

Calvin Johnson wrote: »

Must be time for a nursing home special soon?

Probably tomorrow, but I'm toying with the idea of a parkrun. How many pints I consume when I'm out tonight will be the deciding factor

Dubgal72

Haha I didn't say you were using any discipline....just that it TAKES discipline bousy boy

FBOT01

yaboya1 wrote: »

Who'd have thought a bousy like me had discipline? :pac:



Probably tomorrow, but I'm toying with the idea of a parkrun. How many pints I consume when I'm out tonight will be the deciding factor

See you at 9:20 in the morning if St Anne's if your chosen venue!



PS.....nice steady session. Looks like this year will be no different than last. I think I have banked a few reasonable runs and then I read your log:P

yaboya1

Saturday 10th January - 60 minutes Easy
7.62m @ 7:52p/m average (134bpm avg)

First things first. I managed to avoid consuming any alcohol last night but I was still out pretty late, so when I awoke at 8:52am this morning I decided against the parkrun. I had 38 minutes to get from my bed to the start line and then would have had a mad rush back home to shower and change before heading straight into work. An extra hour in bed seemed more appealing .

A run didn't seem the most attractive option this evening as I walked home from work with numbing hands and frozen to the bone. However, I decided just to get an easy 45 minutes in, knowing I'd be happier with myself if I did that rather than nothing at all. So I forced myself out the door, but just one mile in I knew I was enjoying myself too much to stop that soon and adjusted my route accordingly to add another quarter of an hour. It seems the later I go out, the faster I go. I am absolutely psyched by this run. I felt fantastic from start to finish and could have run all night if I wanted to. A decent length run tomorrow evening will wrap up a good week for me. If I can back that up with something similar next week, I'll really start getting confident about Raheny. I know it probably seems silly to be so excited by such a run of the mill workout, but the whole thing felt so effortless. It seemed the less I tried, the quicker I moved. My last five miles almost tie my Raheny time from 2 years ago when I was flat out racing, even though today I was actually almost trying to go slow. I'm going to stop typing now, but I could keep going on about this all night..........:pac:


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:01
Mile 2 - 8:08
Mile 3 - 7:45
Mile 4 - 7:41
Mile 5 - 7:48
Mile 6 - 8:10
Mile 7 - 7:38
0.62 - 4:51