2014: A Pace Odyssey

osnola ibax

Right, gonna give this another bash.

The goal is to get into the 1:30's for a half in 2014. I have the following races planned:

1st December 2013 Waterford Half Marathon
26 Dec Goal Mile
29 Dec Duncannon 5k
12 Jan Ferrycarrig 5m
9 Feb Enniscorthy 10k
23 Mar Wicklow Half
27 Apr Wexford Half
26 May Enniscorthy Half
5 July Clontarf Half

So Waterford gives me a benchmark and then I'll know how far I'll have to go to achieve the goal. Hopefully log all training here aswell.

OI

tang1

Best of luck with it, from experience Wicklow & Enniscorthy halfs are hilly routes and not real PB races unless your in serious shape. Which you may well be.

menoscemo

tang1 wrote: »

Best of luck with it, from experience Wicklow & Enniscorthy halfs are hilly routes and not real PB races unless your in serious shape. Which you may well be.

I like Enniscorthy; I'd take it over Clontarf any day.

Best of luck B; stick with it this time

RacoonQueen

See you on Feb 9th. Don't let me down, I'll be expecting post race tea and cake at your gaff!

Hope to see you stick at it.

osnola ibax

RacoonQueen wrote: »

See you on Feb 9th. Don't let me down, I'll be expecting post race tea and cake at your gaff!

Hope to see you stick at it.

Hey no problem RQ, I'll see you after the race. Believe it or not I've been running since July fairly consistently, was fairly flat after the Barca marathon and had an injury so missed about three months alright.

I'm determined to be consistent this year.

tang1

menoscemo wrote: »

I like Enniscorthy; I'd take it over Clontarf any day.

Agree scenery wise, not PB wise.

menoscemo

tang1 wrote: »

Agree scenery wise, not PB wise.

No, I mean PB wise. I think Enniscorthy is a fair course, plenty of hills but all rollers (no long uphills, just plenty of ups and downs).
9 times out of 10 Clontarf is unfair (winds etc). Even on a pefect day (like today) the 4 miles on sand completely saps your legs. I'd rather race Enniscorthy every time....

osnola ibax

I signed up to the Eoin Ryan special, that's why I'm doing those three. It's reasonably good value I suppose and have no plans for a marathon again for a while so hopefully can afford to do plenty of racing this year and try to improve over 10k / half marathon distance.

My friends is also doing 10k in mount Juliet so might be doing that aswell. Looking forward to them now.

osnola ibax

940 metres in the pool

1 x 200
4 x 100
4 x 60
5 x 20

Not great swim now, felt a bit jaded because ran 18km lsr yesterday. Also was trying to practice some technique that was given to me by colleague I.e. use shoulder as lever, and stretch out in water .

Both those things tired me out aswell so nearly did every second length breast stroke.

osnola ibax

About 5 miles in about 45 minutes at lunchtime today. Needed that run today, had a lot of pent up energy. Feeling a lot more relaxed now.

Probably do two more easy runs between now and the race on Sunday and a couple of swims in between. Rest Saturday, then all out. Not sure what to target, ran 1:55 here last year so a minute better would be ok I think.

osnola ibax

940 metres in the pool

1 x 200
4 x 100
4 x 60
5 x 20

Bit better than Sunday.

osnola ibax

About 7k maybe, not really sure what kind of time not really bothered with that kind of stuff anymore. It was a good run, nice chat with person I was running with, looking forward to running Waterford

BeepBeep67

If you're in Wicklow any weekend give me a shout and I'll take you around the Wicklow route.

osnola ibax

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

If you're in Wicklow any weekend give me a shout and I'll take you around the Wicklow route.

Will do, thanks very much that'd be great

osnola ibax

Just over 4 miles at lunch time about 46 mins, my left calf is a little sore after that, hopefully be alright for Sunday

osnola ibax

Calf wasn't great after Friday, gave the Waterford Half a go but pulled up after a mile to avoid serious injury.

osnola ibax

740 metres in pool today over different intervals. Pool full of lads, bloody weird FAS course or something, not a comfortable swim.

osnola ibax

740 metres in the pool again, felt pretty strong today

osnola ibax

Another 740 in the pool, exciting stuff, back running tomorrow, woohoo.

Luis hat trick, third against Norwich

osnola ibax

About 4 miles at lunch time, calf a bit stuff again but not as bad as it was

osnola ibax

740 metres in the Pool yesterday, wasnt feeling it

osnola ibax

Been on the piss last couple of days, what an absolute waste of time.

osnola ibax

About 5 miles today, calf a bit tight again but not as bad. Silly season has started, but hopefully finished now

osnola ibax

940 metres in the pool

1 x 200
4 x 100
4 x 60
5 x 20

Good oul' swim today now, enjoyed it.

osnola ibax

4 miles tempo today, needed it, calf ok

osnola ibax

940 metres in the pool as above

osnola ibax

8k about, at lunch time, easy

osnola ibax

740 metres in pool intervals blah blah blah, bit of a cold blah blah blah.

Anyone any opinions on the latest season of homeland, tis a bit silly isn't it?

osnola ibax

Woh, been a while since I logged, still training away, doing something most days, rotator cuff a tad sore from swimming, other than that all good, 10k today. Bring on 2014

osnola ibax

Ran the goal mile this morning, think it was around 6.5 minutes

osnola ibax

Ran a 5k race in Duncannon on 29th December, I felt the race went well for me although, I didn't leave it all out there. I ran 23:01 which I thought was ok.

5 mile race in a couple of weeks. Been out for a training run and a bit of swimming since. Thats my first race since the Barcelona Marathon so delighted to get in under the belt.

osnola ibax

Bit. Of running / swimming, grand

osnola ibax

There's a lot of training logs, wow

Run / swim yesterday and today

osnola ibax

5 mile race this morning, 38:15, reflective of consistent training rather than quality training / living

osnola ibax

Ran a training run with a friend of mine in Mount Juliet today, in advance of race next month. Bit quick for me 48:33 for 10k. At least I'm sub 50 for 10k... I hope..

osnola ibax

Good oul swim today, really enjoyed it, about 1000 metres.

RacoonQueen

Doing Enniscorthy 10k still?

Will miss it myself. Not fit enough for that stuff.

osnola ibax

Sorry RQ, missed your post. Pity you couldn't make it down. Yeah I ran, pb in 46:16, a real confidence booster.

RacoonQueen

osnola ibax wrote: »

Sorry RQ, missed your post. Pity you couldn't make it down. Yeah I ran, pb in 46:16, a real confidence booster.

Saw your pic on FB and went stalking yesterday. Nice time for someone who claims to be unfit!

osnola ibax

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Saw your pic on FB and went stalking yesterday. Nice time for someone who claims to be unfit!

I'm getting there now RQ, was really happy to pb yesterday I have to admit. I wasnt expecting it and by almost a minute.

Running is very good for me at the moment, it's fantastic therapy and the only thing that works for me. Yet it's hard for me to get excited about races and put up race reports etc. I'm sure that will change in time, but for the moment it's good to know I'm improving over that distance.

osnola ibax

3 x 8k runs this week, and 1000 metre swim on Tuesday.

Was pretty tired this week, smoked more cigs than I normally would and more than I want to (which is Zero). Dont smoke during the day but back in the habit of having 2 - 4 at night. Have another 10k race tomorrow in Mount Juliet.

Had I looked after myself a little better during the week, I'd be shooting for another PB, but I'm just gonna enjoy it and give it a bash, see how I get on. There is another 10k the week after in Duncannon anyway so will keep that one in mind aswell.

osnola ibax

Mount Juliet 10k this morning, 47:37. Wasn't feeling great about this all week because I was tired after last Sunday's effort. Felt better when I arrived up there though.

Seriously tough course. Km5 was a steep up hill section, people were dying around me like a scene out of a war movie. My pace allowed right down but I kept taking small steps. We got a couple of k respite, then km8 was tough again, km9 was a gimme and I let fly downhill, last 500 metres were back in to the golf course and I finished it out.

I wonder do I push myself hard enough sometimes, was still pleased with result. Rolls and soup after hit the spot.

osnola ibax

Monday 10k
Tuesday 1000 mtr swim
Wednesday 8k

Weight is down to an even 13 st. I'm running well though so all I have to do is loose weight to improve. Another 10k this Sunday, I'll only be happy with pb, finish off this three weeks of racing.

osnola ibax

Have had a pretty clean week this week. Yes, I've eaten a couple of pizzas and a couple of curries but all in all pretty, pretty, pretty good. No drink, no cigarettes.

Been having myself my own little race series see and the last of three ten k's is coming up on Sunday. I pb'd two weeks ago in Enniscorthy and I want to go sub 46 mins and pb again because it could be a while before I do another 10k.

One annoying thing is a thing that won't go away. I have a hard lump of skin on my right foot, if I pick even a tiny bit off, it gets quite sore and can bleed a bit on a run.

Ran 8k today and thats my last bit of exercise before Sunday, be fresh getting to the line. Also my weight has dropped just below the 13 stone mark. Booya for that.

osnola ibax

So as I was saying above, was trying to live cleanly last week because I knew today would be my last race for a month or that, anyway ready happy with another pb 45:08 chip time.

The next quest is to pb at half Mara distance so to better 1:44, I'm doing Wicklow in a month, that might be a difficult race, so really it's down to the wexford half in 9 weeks. So, time to start those long runs again, doh!

osnola ibax

Short recovery run today, around 6k, legs heavy after yesterday's effort

osnola ibax

Longest run in a long time yesterday, 10 miles, it went well, chatted comfortably with my compadre but was still at 8.5 miles, really feel like I'm making progress

osnola ibax

^^^^^ guess what happens when you get cocky - stiff calves have kept me off the roads since this run. A couple of swims but nothing great either.

3 races in three weeks has kinda taken it out of me, all done over a fairly stressful period for me anyway.

osnola ibax

osnola ibax wrote: »

^^^^^ guess what happens when you get cocky - stiff calves have kept me off the roads since this run. A couple of swims but nothing great either.

3 races in three weeks has kinda taken it out of me, all done over a fairly stressful period for me anyway.

Eh that said, just got out for 5 lovely miles, it's a beautiful evening out there

osnola ibax

Running in the Wicklow half marathon in just over two weeks so need to get a couple of long runs in. Have a wedding tomorrow so decided to take the day off today to do it and a few other bits a pieces I need to get done - fake tan, petty manny, hair etc.

Aaaanyways, 11 miles at 8.5 miles, that is 5.5 ks for all the futurists out there.

Tough finish coming up the hill and I'm very tired after it, can rest now until Sunday bar maybe a swim tomorrow, time (wife) permitting.

Oh yeah, packing in smoking for good, all smokables

osnola ibax

So wedding over, I promised myself two things 1. Not to make a second night of it 2. Get back on the horse as quickly as possible.

Bit of a swim yesterday but more of a sauna, and a 5 mile run today.So hopefully that's the wedding out of the system then, apart from the horrific memories of tying a tie around my head and slagging a fella all night for looking like Joseph Gordon Levitt, sorry fella whoever you are.