The main thing is keeping the main thing, the main thing

Murph_D

Congrats again and thanks for the report. Had to laugh at the falling asleep bit - you made it sound easy but that's cos you had the work done, and more.

You really nailed it - how much if any did the advice in the sub-3 thread help?

Kennyg71

Great report, made it sound all to easy which I'm sure it wasn't , hope it's
all sunk in now after bit of anticlimax with no one to savour your success at
finish line brilliant stuff, looking forward to next instalment.

Chartsengrafs

Great report, appreciate the honesty!

FBOT01

Great read, A. As I have said before super result and performance to top off a great training cycle. Only problem I see is that you have made life tougher for me. Now I have to break 2:58 rather than just 3:00

tang1

FBOT01 wrote: »

Now I have to break 2:58 rather than just 3:00

Where?

FBOT01

tang1 wrote: »

Where?

TBC....if I can get through Raheny and Ballycotton pain free then hope to ramp up for Limerick or Cork. Failing that it will be Longford or DCM. And failing that I am taking up cycling

tang1

FBOT01 wrote: »

TBC....if I can get through Raheny and Ballycotton pain free then hope to ramp up for Limerick or Cork. Failing that it will be Longford or DCM. And failing that I am taking up cycling

No foreign excursions this year? Not tempted by Frankfurt in October..... I'll have a word with Mrs Mc if your not!!!

FBOT01

tang1 wrote: »

No foreign excursions this year? Not tempted by Frankfurt in October..... I'll have a word with Mrs Mc if your not!!!

Nope staying at home for 2017. I am not sure Mrs Mc will go to Frankfurt with you but feel free to ask!!!

Annie get your Run

FBOT01 wrote: »

And failing that I am taking up cycling

All joking aside, take it up now, I absolutely recommend.

Great report A & congrats again, super result. So what's up next?

denis b

Congratulations on a superb controlled race and for the the illuminating report. It screams "PREPARATION". Lots to be gained by us learning the trade.

MisterDrak

Well done Again Alan, and great report.

Hopefully I'll see you around the PP at some point !

AuldManKing

Thanks all for the words - greatly appreciated. As Keith Duffy would say "Yissar Grea' ".

Tuesday & Wednesday seen the quads in ribbons, not literally, 'cos that would be stupid, but quite sore.
A lot better today and was able to walk down the stairs and look somewhat normal.

Unsure on the next target - part of me wants to build on the fitness I've gained and do a Marathon - another part wants to race more.

If its a Marathon, I want to do it early Spring - so maybe Manchester rather than Rotterdam (payback) - that still leaves me the whole summer to race.

Not sure - will decide in a couple of weeks.

So - back to the grind today with a slow recovery run around the estate.

3m recovery @ 9:04 pace

adrian522

Delighted the race went well for you, well deserved time. Agree that it makes sense to take some time before deciding on the next target. It's very easy to commit to another one straight away but may be good to give the body a break before making that decision.

Well done anyway!

sideswipe

Just read your race report now- very enjoyable. Well done on an excellent race.

hot buttered scones

Great report and well done.

Back in Black

Nice report - you made it sound effortless!!

AuldManKing

Forgive me father etc etc...............

Following the Marathon in San Seb I done 3 runs the following week - all easy paced and nothing more than 5 miles.
The quads took a few days to restore themselves.
Total mileage was 11.6m

Week: 5th-11th Dec

The next week I went to Singapore for a week with work. Ran 4 days on the treddie over there.
2 easy runs and 2 with a bit of work.
One of the 'harder' ones was 4x1km - I set the pace at about 3:40/KM - between the WU and CD it only took 34 mins (or 4.2 miles) - amazing what you can do on limited time!!

I flew home on Friday and went out on Sat for a session - 10minT 6x1min 10min T.
Tempos were done at 6:20'ish and the 1mins were about 5:30 pace.

Nice session - one I might progress (8.5miles total)

On the sunday I met up for the club run - a nice 10miles around the park @7.38 pace.

Weeks Mileage: 35

Week: 12-18 Dec

Took Monday off and done a nice 6.5m @ 7:57 on the Tuesday.

Wed: 10 minT + 5x2mins.

This nearly killed me. I done them in the evening with the headlamp with the mist rolling in at the Phoenix Park. Pretty murky.
The 10mins @T (6:16 pace) was hard enough but the 5x2mins were cruel.
Paces for the 2 mins ranged from 5:30-5:40.

At the end I was hunched over and breathing so hard that a guy stopped to ask if I was alright!

Friday was 7m with strides and Sat was a gentle 4m easy run.

Sunday was the Club Handicap race - 6mile XC in Porterstown Park.

Weeks Mileage 32.8

AuldManKing

Sunday 18th : MSB Handicap XC race: 6miles.

I didnt run this last year as I was injured, but 2 yrs ago I did it 2 weeks after a 17:38 5k and ran 39:30.
I hadn't high hopes.

After a 1.7m warm up as I ran to the race and done another bit up there - we made our way to the start line, atching some of the juvenile races going on.

I had a pretty bad handicap on the strength of the sub 3 run - and got put with a guy who ran a similar time in Dublin but had 3 weeks more recovery and a M45 who runs XC quite regulary.
But I'm not complaining.....seriously.......well...maybe...

There were a good number ahead of us as we started, I shot off at stupid pace and after a few hundred meters felt goosed already - the regular XC guy was way back.
The course was 4x1.5m laps and was cut up in places. The course layout was designed to maximise every hill in Porterstown.
After the 1st lap I wanted to quit. The thought of doing 3 more laps was making me ill.

I was overtaken by the DCM guy and the XC guy during the 2nd lap and I let them off, thinking they'd come back to me.
I was overtaking others and the longer the race went on, I knew I'd catch more - so the motivation to keep going returned.
I'd stopped looking at the watch ages ago and just raced - picking out people ahead and keeping an eye on those behind.

By lap 3 I was actually feeling ok as there was a good chunk of people just ahead. Coming to start the 4th lap I knew I had a bit more to give, but I was suffering and I knew the lap times were getting increasingly slower - but so were everyone elses.

With about 1km left, I could see the XC guy and the DCM guy just ahead and went after them - they were about 100m ahead. I passed lots of others at this stage as I came into the last field and the home straight. I knew I wouldn't catch them - they obviously had a bit left in the tank as well.

I did catch a couple of others, including Wubble - I couldn't let him have any bragging rights .
A bit of a sprint finish with one of our brightest talents (an U17 female) but she beat me on the line.

A great race but it just reinforced the fact that I hate XC.

My time was 39:21. Miserable.
My splits show how not to run XC;
6:05
6:27
6:37
6:43
6:53
6:34

Finished off with a 1.7m Warm Down before the prize giving.
The DCM guy won 1st Vet :rolleyes:

Wubble Wubble

AuldManKing wrote: »

Sunday 18th : MSB Handicap XC race: 6miles.

I didnt run this last year as I was injured, but 2 yrs ago I did it 2 weeks after a 17:38 5k and ran 39:30.
I hadn't high hopes.

After a 1.7m warm up as I ran to the race and done another bit up there - we made our way to the start line, atching some of the juvenile races going on.

I had a pretty bad handicap on the strength of the sub 3 run - and got put with a guy who ran a similar time in Dublin but had 3 weeks more recovery and a M45 who runs XC quite regulary.
But I'm not complaining.....seriously.......well...maybe...

There were a good number ahead of us as we started, I shot off at stupid pace and after a few hundred meters felt goosed already - the regular XC guy was way back.
The course was 4x1.5m laps and was cut up in places. The course layout was designed to maximise every hill in Porterstown.
After the 1st lap I wanted to quit. The thought of doing 3 more laps was making me ill.

I was overtaken by the DCM guy and the XC guy during the 2nd lap and I let them off, thinking they'd come back to me.
I was overtaking others and the longer the race went on, I knew I'd catch more - so the motivation to keep going returned.
I'd stopped looking at the watch ages ago and just raced - picking out people ahead and keeping an eye on those behind.

By lap 3 I was actually feeling ok as there was a good chunk of people just ahead. Coming to start the 4th lap I knew I had a bit more to give, but I was suffering and I knew the lap times were getting increasingly slower - but so were everyone elses.

With about 1km left, I could see the XC guy and the DCM guy just ahead and went after them - they were about 100m ahead. I passed lots of others at this stage as I came into the last field and the home straight. I knew I wouldn't catch them - they obviously had a bit left in the tank as well.

I did catch a couple of others, including Wubble - I couldn't let him have any bragging rights .
A bit of a sprint finish with one of our brightest talents (an U17 female) but she beat me on the line.

A great race but it just reinforced the fact that I hate XC.

My time was 39:21. Miserable.
My splits show how not to run XC;
6:05
6:27
6:37
6:43
6:53
6:34

Finished off with a 1.7m Warm Down before the prize giving.
The DCM guy won 1st Vet :rolleyes:

Looking back on this, I'd actually quite a favourable handicap overall, being teamed up with GQ and (surprisingly) ahead of SK. I must have started at least four minutes ahead of you. Seriously! The bragging rights were there for me to claim :rolleyes: but I didn't push myself anywhere near hard enough over the 6 miles. Next time!
I won't get away with that carry on in the Masters races.

AuldManKing

Mon 19th - 25th:

35.6m in total with 2 sessions of note:

(1) 3x(30/60/90/120 secs) on the Khyber. I recall it being tough but not as tough as previous times.

(2) 4x30secs / 2x10 mins T / 4x30secs - the paces for the T were 6:12 / 6:20 - tough workout.

Dec 26th - Jan 1st

Mon: 7.5m @ 7:20 pace - nice run to clear the head - last few miles were tough

Tues: 3x(800/400/200/1k)

An extremley tough workout - I had planned only 2 reps - which would give me 4.8k of a workout, I had 3 pre-programmed into the watch and decided to do the last 800 when it flashed up - that turned into the last 400 etc until I was 1k away from my jacket when the 1k rep sounded. Whats a guy to do!!

Happy that I done it - I certainly felt it that evening as I was wiped - 7.2k of hard stuff.

Wed: club run on the Curragh camp. Last year we had 14 turn up, this year was 3 of us. Bad show.
9m@8:15 pace and a wonderful place to run.

Thur: 6xhill sprints down the bottom of the Khyber followed by 6 x strides.
6.1m total

Friday: planned an easy jaunt but met a clubmate and who was edging the pace upwards - went over to the war memorial gardens - another wonderful place to run.
8.6m @ 7:41 pace.

Sat: Went out thinking a tempo was in order, but didn't feel good - should probably have canned the run or just run easy.
After a mile I decided not to do the tempo, but I was down at 2 hill trails in the Furry Glen where we used to do hill work.
I decided to do 16 mins of hills - up&down continous at a steady enough pace.

Felt decidely wiped afterwards and serves me right for not listening to the body. In bed by 8pm on NYE with the beginnings of manflu.

Sun 1st: No running.

47m for the week - not too bad for the week that was in it.

AuldManKing

Mon 2nd: felt a lot better - maybe the feed of pints the night before helped??

Ran from the house with the intention of doing a loop of the park and back - normally about 10-11 miles depending on the route.
From the off, I felt good and kept the pace going.
Longst run in 5-6 weeks so last couple weren't comfortable.

10.4m @ 7.26

Tuesday: Was off work today so went out again for a few miles with strides.
Another loop of the PP - said hello to Emilia who was flying along the OS road.

Added 6x20 sec strides at the end.

7.2@7.54 pace

Wednesday: Back in work today - in a way its good to get back to the routine.
Wasn't too sure what to do this evening as there was no indication that the club track session was on and texts weren't being responded too!
I ended up doing a 3m tempo/threshold in Porterstown.

Actually went ok - I thought I'd struggle a bit more than I did - once I got into it, it became manageable.
For the last 800m or so I pushed on a little bit to something like 5k effort.
Finished knowing I'd done a hard workout - was faster than tempo, but I'll take it.

5.2m with tempo miles being 6:13/6:10/6:05

AuldManKing

* Rev 1

As is customary this time of year, its goal setting time! (Just like being in work I'll focus on the "What" and the "How").

So - I hmmed & hawwed about a spring Marathon and have decided not to do this. I put my heart & soul into training for San Seb and I think I need a different stimulus for a few months.

'The What'

5km / 5m / 10k are the focus until July.
Following this I'd like to do Sub 3 @ DCM.

As for goals, I don't view these as conservative goals - I'd like to get some consistency in my race performances and that for me is 'the main thing' this year.

5km:
I've only ran 2 sub 18 5k's- my PB is 17:38 and I've a 17:55 from MSB race.
So the goal is to run 3 Sub 18 min 5k's - so I can consistently run under 18 in goal race conditions (rather than have 'once off' performances)

5m: I'd like to beat my 29:13 PB - possibly in Dunboyne. This will be a tall order as that was a 'perfect race'.

10k: My PB is 37:03 from Dunshaughlin in '16 is beatable.
I'd like to think that Sub 37 is close and then possibly mid 36'.

'The How'

For the above to happen, I cant train the way I was previously with the club.
I became great at doing fast reps on a track - but my racing stank.

I considered leaving the club and just focusing on my own training - but that may be a leap too far.
So I will become much more selfish with my running.

Tempos & long 'race pace' intervals are great for me and have proven to work in the past.
I'll interweave these with some club training.

By the time my summer hols are over in early Aug - there's exactly 12 weeks to DCM. So - I'll need to be in good shape before the hols and have the long runs creeping up.
I'll use the same plan and strategy I used for San Seb - the Steve Way sessions and using the FD10m - HM - 3/4 Mara, as long runs with MP.

And of course closing out the year with Jingle bells - which will be one of my sub 18 5k's.

Thats the plan for this week - tune in next week as I discuss my strategy to tackle the Cork marathon

Annie get your Run

You could move clubs plenty of tempos and longer intervals in DAC! although there's a few dodgy characters as you know

Duanington

Good luck with the targets A - all very achievable for you now. The club situation is probably similar to many runners out there, there isn't really a one size fits all solution, I'm sure you'll find a happy medium though.

outforarun

AuldManKing wrote: »

I became great at doing fast reps on a track - but my racing stank...... Tempos & long 'race pace' intervals are great for me and have proven to work in the past.

Interesting to see your comment about fast reps versus tempos and long intervals. I've also been seeing some good 400s and 800s but some unsatisfactory races. Could be like you suggest, that tempos are the solution.

Good luck with the plans. I'm especially curious to see how you tackle Cork.

Chartsengrafs

AuldManKing wrote: »

I became great at doing fast reps on a track - but my racing stank.

I considered leaving the club and just focusing on my own training - but that may be a leap too far.
So I will become much more selfish with my running.

Tempos & long 'race pace' intervals are great for me and have proven to work in the past.
I'll interweave these with some club training.

I couldn't relate to this more, if I bothered to do a reflection of 2016 I might just copy this! All the fast reps paid some dividends for 5ks, but I barely improved my 10k times after a year of full club sessions. Others doing the exact same sessions thrived. Funny how we all benefit from slightly different approaches.

AuldManKing

Thursday / Friday: Wiped out with ManFlu. Was touch and go for a while - but I got through Friday night.

Sat: I woke up early on Sat morning and contemplated doing a park run. Yes - i AM that stupid.
Thankfully, sense prevailed - I'm NOT that stupid

Instead I went out later for a easy few miles - 6.7m @ 8:04 - sweating buckets by the end of this.

Sunday:
I had a family event and couldn't run the XC (thankfully ) - I didn't think I'd get out at all.
A small window opened up about 2pm for an hour or so, so I grasped it.

Legs felt ok and lungs were good - the pace crept up and I kept it strong, deciding to turn it into a 'progression run', wanting the next mile to be faster.
Got tough going up the North road, but seen it through.

7:50 / 7:28 / 7:18 / 7:09/ 6:44 / 6:56 / 6:35

It did make me wonder how I could do the sort of sessions i was doing and run 26.2m @ 6:46 pace just a few short weeks ago!!!

7.2m @ 7.08 pace ave


A miserable 37m for the week.

Wubble Wubble

AuldManKing wrote: »

Thursday / Friday: Wiped out with ManFlu. Was touch and go for a while - but I got through Friday night.

Sat: I woke up early on Sat morning and contemplated doing a park run. Yes - i AM that stupid.
Thankfully, sense prevailed - I'm NOT that stupid

Instead I went out later for a easy few miles - 6.7m @ 8:04

Good dodge there. Saturday would have been one of the worst days to do a parkrun, unless you enjoy slaloming your way through dozens of walkers and slow runners. Especially having been ill leading up to it.

AuldManKing

Chartsengrafs wrote: »

I couldn't relate to this more, if I bothered to do a reflection of 2016 I might just copy this! All the fast reps paid some dividends for 5ks, but I barely improved my 10k times after a year of full club sessions. Others doing the exact same sessions thrived. Funny how we all benefit from slightly different approaches.

I think its from doing them too fast - you train a different energy system and then take the wrong recovery as a result - probably negating many of the possible gains from the session.

I was speaking to a guy from our club today, talking about this point. He was saying to me that he can 'beat' our faster female runner on the track at reps - that he 'beats' her every week - but in races, she always finishes ahead of him.

I asked him if she knew that he was racing her! - she's doing her reps at the right pace and obviously reaping the rewards as shes had a very successful '16.
I think he seen the light!

AuldManKing

outforarun wrote: »

Interesting to see your comment about fast reps versus tempos and long intervals. I've also been seeing some good 400s and 800s but some unsatisfactory races. Could be like you suggest, that tempos are the solution.

Good luck with the plans. I'm especially curious to see how you tackle Cork.

for now I've no intention of doing Cork - that was just a joke on my, at times, fickle nature and strong ability to change plan overnight.

:P