The Running Master

Stazza

W.B. Yeats wrote: »

"And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew
That one small head could carry all he knew"



I love it- but you're stretching me now I told you I am a dilettante- only a passing, superficial knowledge of such things. However I do know that the learning about the cycle of life and carbon cycle is much less interesting than the poetry of Keats

What I really like about the OG couplet you've quoted is the rhyme, grew/knew:

Knowledge grows. Smart stuff, ay?

Also, leaving 'grew' at the end of the line with the panoramic white space of the page for the word to grow into enacts the growing act as our eyes travel out beyond the white field of the page.

Then, the weight of the mainly monosyllabic second line enacts/mimics the weight of knowledge gained once the full weight of the couplet is comprehended.

Jakers, I'm good.

Edit: make that Fooking good. :D

W.B. Yeats

Stazza wrote: »

What I really like about the OG couplet you've quoted is the rhyme, grew/knew:

Knowledge grows. Smart stuff, ay?

Also, leaving 'grew' at the end of the line with the panoramic white space of the page for the word to grow into enacts the growing act as our eyes travel out beyond the white field of the page.

Then, the weight of the mainly monosyllabic second line enacts/mimics the weight of knowledge gained once the full weight of the couplet is comprehended.

Jakers, I'm good.

You're wasted here!

(btw- delete some of your PMs, your inbox is full!)

jakek

Stazza wrote: »

...to reinforce the neuralocitinessification of the aerobic strides from this morning’s session.

My brain hurts now :-)

Stazza

Week 4 - Gen Prep

Monday 15th September

a.m. 8 miles(ish) with Paddy the Kenyan. Nice run in the sunshine with all the usual jocularity.

p.m. 6 miles easy. Felt pretty tired heading out but after a few miles the old legs wanted to go.

14

Tuesday 16th September

a.m. 11 miles, incl 16x1 min off a 30 sec jog rec. Followed by 8 mins easy and 6x35 sec uphill repeats.

Because of the short recovery, the reps were tough to gauge. They started out ok but towards the end it was clear that the undulating nature of the route, the effort that I was putting in, and the short recovery, meant that I probably got this slightly wrong. Next time, when I extend these to 20x1min, I’ll find a better route or a flat stretch and go a bit easier.

The hill repeats went well. Felt strong and seemed to have a bit more pop.


p.m. 4 miles shakeout. Nice little pootle along the canal.

15

Wednesday 17th September

a.m. 8 miles recovery run. Kept this nice and easy and just enjoyed the scenery. Legs felt heavy enough.

p.m. 6 miles easy, picking it up over the final two miles. Started out feeling tired but after a couple of miles the legs wanted to go. In the back of my mind was tomorrow’s session, so I held back and just opened it up a touch over the final two miles.

14

Thursday 18th September

a.m. 13 miles incl 3x(6x200m+ strides off jog back rec) 400 jog rec b/ween sets. Followed by 0.75 mile jog and then 0.75 mile @ 5k effort.

The strides went great and loaded the legs with an appropriate dose of fatigue, which was noticeable for the 0.75 mile rep in and around 5k effort. Did the 1200 @ 5:20 pace; could defo feel the strides in the legs.

p.m. no run – had to go teaching and didn’t have time.

13

Friday 19th September

a.m. 7.5 miles easy with Paddy the Kenyan. He’s in great condition now and is all set to have a good couple of runs before taking a well earned break.

p.m. 6.5 miles easy. Nice run out along the canal.

14

Saturday 20th September

a.m. 16 miles relaxed. Just went out and ran by feel. No idea of the pace. Wanted to finish the run feeling sprightly and that’s exactly what happened.

16

Sunday 21st September

a.m. 8 miles easy. Beautiful morning. A little tired but nothing worth whining about.

p.m. 6 miles easy in the evening sunshine. Along the banks of the canal, old fogies pottered and stood in dog crap without a care in the world, young lovers held hands and ate the faces off each other, the sun drenched the green fields with gold, and Stazza glided along wondering wtf was going on in the Kingdom tonight.

14

100 miles for the week. Two sessions and a 16 miler. Happy enough. Ready for next week…

Stazza

Week 5 - Gen Prep

Monday 22nd September

a.m. 8 miles(ish) with Paddy the Kenyan. He turned up doffed out in a blinkin’ Hanson’s vest; he’s gone from a GAA look-a-like to the real deal. He’s getting a bit serious about this running lark. I’m worried he might be turning into a one-dimensional weirdo runner type thingymajiggymawotsit.

p.m. 6 miles easy. Legs were heavy enough.

14

Tuesday 23rd September

a.m. 12 miles, incl 8x3 min off a 30 sec jog rec. 5 min jog to my new hill and 6x35 sec uphill repeats.

Changed the route for these so that it was flat enough for all the reps. All the reps were in and around 5:40-5:50, which surprised me as I thought they felt slower. Changed my hill from the start of Small Mountain to Ballyard. The new hill is steeper and although the reps were probably slower, I think I was getting more out of the steeper incline.

Shuffled home like the old man I am.


p.m. 6 miles easy. Felt a lot better than expected.

18

Wednesday 24th September

a.m. 8 miles recovery run. Felt tired and just did this at a gentle canter.

p.m. 6 miles easy. Still tired when I started out but after 2 miles or so things began to improve and by the 5th mile I had to give the legs a yellow card for naughtiness.

14

Thursday 25th September

a.m. 11 miles incl 3x(6x200m+ strides off jog back rec) 400 jog rec b/ween sets.

During the warm up, the old legs felt a touch heavy and I kinda lumped along but by the time I arrived at the boreen where I now do these, I was ready to go. Great session and pleased with how these are coming along. Very addictive.

p.m. 7 miles with a serious 5 mile spin. Wow. Headed out feeling a touch tired but after a mile or so the legs said, come on gramps, here we go. Best run since starting back. Coincidently, this seems to have coincided with the digital scales starting to tell something resembling the truth.

18
Friday 26th September

a.m. 8 miles easy with Paddy the Kenyan. Nice little pootle. Looking forward to seeing the wildebeest in action next weekend. He dropped out 4x1 mile off 90 sec in 4:55’s!

p.m. 6 miles easy. Felt pretty tired on the first half but things picked up towards the end.

14

Saturday 27th September

a.m. 16 miles easy. Just wanted to get this one out of the way. Loads on today. Felt fine up until about the 14th mile. But 15 and 16 were harder than they should’ve been. Nothing too hard but I was working a bit.

p.m. 4 miles shakeout. Felt fine and dandy. Good stuff. Some pilgrim stole and ate my chocolate and caramel muffin – if I find out who it was, Zeus help them.

20

Sunday 28th September

a.m. 6 miles way too fast. Blinkin’ wife couldn’t get out of bed so she pushed everything back 10 mins, which screwed-up my run. Was meant to do 8 easy and ended up banging out 6 like Steve Austin. Left 5 mins to shower, change, bagel and coffee, before hitting the old place of worship for something to do with youngest daughter’s communion thingy. If Zeus finds out I was in a church, I’m sure it won’t be nice. I doubt he’ll buy my excuse: the wife told me I had to go. Anyway, the blinkin’ wife isn’t getting any dinner tonight – she owes me for two lost miles. Even though it would be nice to finish the week on 112, I’ll keep it sensible and just drop out the planned 6 tonight.

p.m. 6 miles relaxed – plenty of snap, crackle, and pop in the legs tonight; had to force myself from blasting off.

12

110 miles for the week (thanks a lot wifeybum) with a nice peppering of work. Happy enough. Next…

DarByrne1980

wow just wow. 110 miles in a week, respect!

Ososlo

yer inbox is full yet again sir. DELETE yer messages!

Stazza

Ososlo wrote: »

yer inbox is full yet again sir. DELETE yer messages!

Sorted.

Stazza

Ososlo wrote: »

yer inbox is full yet again sir. DELETE yer messages!

Sorted.

Stazza

NEWSFLASH

Paddy the Kenyan obliterates Krusty's Course Record - PtK takes over 90 seconds off Krusty's course record.

This morning, in blustery conditions, PtK ran 33:16 to win the Tralee Red Cross 10k. PtK's record busting romp was all the more remarkable given that he has now taken over 5 mins off his 10k pb from last year.

Straight after the race PtK said, "It's all down to the Stazza System."

More to follow...:pac::pac:

Edit: time rounded down to 33:22

Krusty_Clown

Ehm, not sure why you're making it about me, but pass on my congrats to PTK for running a great time.
I actually watched that race passing by the Blennerville Windmill.

ecoli

Well done to PtK. Always good to see an athlete rewarded for hard work.

Stazza

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Ehm, not sure why you're making it about me, but pass on my congrats to PTK for running a great time.
I actually watched that race passing by the Blennerville Windmill.

Relax, it's just a little joke - that's meant with respect; we actually call it the Krusty course: it's a reverence thing.

Did I look lean as I flew by on my wife's pink bike?

Stazza

Monday 29th September

a.m. 8 miles(ish) with Paddy the Kenyan.
p.m. 6 miles easy.

14

Tuesday 30th September

a.m. 12 miles, incl 3x8 mins off a 5 min jog rec. 5 min jog to Ballyard Hill and 6x35 sec uphill repeats.

The average pace for the first 8 min rep was 5:32. Felt very relaxed and comfortable. Was ready to go after a couple of minutes but kept the recovery to 5 mins and then dropped out the second 8 min rep in an average pace of 5:31. Again this felt easy enough and nothing was forced. Took the 5 mins recovery and then headed off for the final 8 min rep and banged it out in an average pace of 5:33. Was working a bit in the final minute but nothing like the intensity of a full blown workout. Looking back to when I last did this little session, three weeks ago, I’ve taken 21 secs off the overall time for the three reps, without forcing it. Can’t complain with that sort of progress.

Jogged over to Ballyard Hill and did 6x35 sec hill repeats. Hard enough.

p.m. 6 miles easy. Felt a lot better than expected.

18

Wednesday 1st October

a.m. 8 miles recovery run. Felt like a cart horse.

p.m. 6 miles easy. Felt like an abused cart horse.

14

Thursday 2nd October

a.m. 11 miles incl 3x(6x200m+ strides off jog back rec) 400 jog rec b/ween sets.

This didn’t go as well as expected. Like last week, I felt tired warming up. But unlike last week, the tiredness filtered into the session. TBH, the session was cruddy. No rhythm – seemed to be a grind. A number of times I thought about canning it and just doing an easy run. I was lucky to get away with this one.


p.m. 6 miles easy. Blah.

17
Friday 3rd October

a.m. 8 miles easy, incl 5 or so with the man of the moment, Paddy the Kenyan. Felt a good bit better.

p.m. 6 miles easy. Much improved.

14

Saturday 4th October

a.m. 16 miles. Yes. Enjoyed this. Felt great the whole way around and the run was over in no time.

p.m. 4 miles shakeout.

20

Sunday 5th October

a.m 8 miles easy. Headed out for an easy 8 but I was up against the clock as I needed to get home, get showered and changed, bang in the vitals, and then head out on the pink princess to follow Paddy the Kenyan around Krusty’s course. Nothing to report, apart from, when I came off the canal and into the final mile of my run a rank smell filled my nostrils, a sort of Big City Boy smell. And then, sure enough, as I zipped along in my blue Kinvara 5’s, black Ron Hills, and blue windproof, I was met by the troublesome sight of a lump of a man pounding the pavement. Sure he was a bit of giant but the lad showed severe disrespect. As I glided closer to him, I picked up the sickly scent that city slickers give off. The lad didn’t know the rules of engagement: when you’re running in Kerry and I’m coming the other way, you step off the pavement and bow as I move on; you humbly salute me with something along the lines of, ‘I’m not worthy Stazza.’

But this lad just plodded along and said, ’How’s it going?’

Shocked, I replied, ‘All right,’ or something like that. It then dawned on me that maybe this city slicker was down for the big race: Paddy the Kenyan v Krusty’s Course Record. Nah, I thought, that lump of a lad looks more like tri-guy.

After I got home, still in shock about the disrespect. I told my wife that I was gonna put in a few calls to have this lump picked up.

‘Leave it,’ she said. ‘Sometimes people just don’t get things. Let it go.’

‘Ok,’ I said, leaving on the pink princess.*

What a run by PtK. His training’s been going well and I told him he was in 33:17 shape – that’s on my wife’s life. So when he crossed the line and the clock read 33:16, I wasn’t surprised – I’m rarely wrong; I’m great.

The boy’s racing again next week and then it’s time for a break. PtK’s at a crucial point in his running ‘career’. He could flounder in the Wasteland of 33 mins or he could move on next year to 31 mins and from there, anywhere. Plenty of thought needs to go into how he now progresses.


p.m. 6 miles in a storm. Great fun.

14

111 miles for the week. Decent week. Felt flat in the middle of the week. Think that was down to going out for my second runs two hours earlier – will revert back this week.

* When I realised it was you, I nearly stopped and turned around to go after you but I thought you might be at the race.

pa4

The mileage is really coming along nicely. Would you do much stretching and stuff after your runs?

Stazza

pa4 wrote: »

The mileage is really coming along nicely. Would you do much stretching and stuff after your runs?

Thanks. The mileage isn't a problem and, at the moment, nor is the intensity. It's all coming along nicely.

I do AIS before most runs and a lunge matrix. After easy runs I have a routine : myrtl - leg abductions with a 3 sec hold - 80 clams - single leg dead lifts into a crane - step ups - and another thing I call sofa raises. Always followed by static stretching - unless I forget or I'm very hungry.

You showed some stones in the last 400m - it's hard to dig in at the end of cross country. How are you going to approach this winter?

pa4

Stazza wrote: »

Thanks. The mileage isn't a problem and, at the moment, nor is the intensity. It's all coming along nicely.

I do AIS before most runs and a lunge matrix. After easy runs I have a routine : myrtl - leg abductions with a 3 sec hold - 80 clams - single leg dead lifts into a crane - step ups - and another thing I call sofa raises. Always followed by static stretching - unless I forget or I'm very hungry.

You showed some stones in the last 400m - it's hard to dig in at the end of cross country. How are you going to approach this winter?

Thanks, I'm very happy with the finish I honestly don't know where it came from. When I thought I had nothing left I managed to find the 6th gear. Just goes to show your never truly f*cked at the end of a race, it's all in the head! I guess the speed never fully goes away!

At the moment I'm mainly doing tempos and long intervals just to get back the fitness. I haven't ran on the track since the end of June but I plan on getting back doing strides in my runs and I think I'm doing a session of 400s next Friday on the track to start back some speed. I have a love hate relationship with cross country so I'll just take each race as it comes. The plan is to do the county and munster novice and intermediate and in mid November I have the IUAA road relays which I'm doing the 2 mile leg in. I'll see about the All Irelands, their at a very bad time of year for me with exams and studying but I'd like to do at least one of them.

thewolf_ie

What was PTK 10k PB at the start of 2014? How long is he running?

Stazza

thewolf_ie wrote: »

What was PTK 10k PB at the start of 2014? How long is he running?

At the start of 2014 his pb was 36:XX - this time last year his pb was 38:XX. He progressed down to 34:52. (That was the race against Krusty). He then ran 34:20 in August at the Banna 10k, which was a good bit short. Two weeks later he ran 35:09 at The Rose of Tralee 10k - stomach problems. Today 33:16-22, on a course that is honest - undulating. All being well, he should run well next week.

He started training 'properly' last November. That said, he only trains once a day and does 70-80 miles a week. He only does one session a week and either a 22 min Lactate threshold run or 3x8 mins at Crest Load Effort off 3 mins rec. Prior to this, he'd been 'bouncing' around the streets of Tralee for a couple of years. He'd run a few marathons 3:30 ish. He ran 3:12(?) in Tralee this year - after getting sick the night before the race and dropping 2-3lbs.

He's never done a hill session, never run on a track, never done any ancillary work, and never really had any structure to his training. He's 33 or 34 and has a great attitude. If he takes his time and stays healthy, I think he'll be running... well we'll see.

thewolf_ie

Stazza wrote: »

At the start of 2014 his pb was 36:XX - this time last year his pb was 38:XX. He progressed down to 34:52. (That was the race against Krusty). He then ran 34:20 in August at the Banna 10k, which was a good bit short. Two weeks later he ran 35:09 at The Rose of Tralee 10k - stomach problems. Today 33:16-22, on a course that is honest - undulating. All being well, he should run well next week.

He started training 'properly' last November. That said, he only trains once a day and does 70-80 miles a week. He only does one session a week and either a 22 min Lactate threshold run or 3x8 mins at Crest Load Effort off 3 mins rec. Prior to this, he'd been 'bouncing' around the streets of Tralee for a couple of years. He'd run a few marathons 3:30 ish. He ran 3:12(?) in Tralee this year - after getting sick the night before the race and dropping 2-3lbs.

He's never done a hill session, never run on a track, never done any ancillary work, and never really had any structure to his training. He's 33 or 34 and has a great attitude. If he takes his time and stays healthy, I think he'll be running... well we'll see.

Good stuff always good to see results from hard work!

Krusty_Clown

Stazza wrote: »

Did I look lean as I flew by on my wife's pink bike?

I don't think I saw you, or PTK (unless he's changed pretty dramatically). I was actually in a car travelling back from Dingle, so was held up on the bridge, while the runners went by. The first couple of runners had gone by before I realized it was a race. A really cracking time for him. I'd imagine he could take another 20+ seconds off, on a flatter course.

Stazza

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I don't think I saw you, or PTK (unless he's changed pretty dramatically). I was actually in a car travelling back from Dingle, so was held up on the bridge, while the runners went by. The first couple of runners had gone by before I realized it was a race. A really cracking time for him. I'd imagine he could take another 20+ seconds off, on a flatter course.

Haha - I'll have to go to Specsavers: I thought the person that didn't step off the pavement was you; that's why I used the Krusty headline.:o Oops. Ah well, the geezer should've moved.

Yeah , it was a great run and hopefully there's some more to come off next week. Although, there is a decent hill in next week's race....

JohnDozer

Is that a Tralee 10k your talking about? The one from Rock Street? Do you know the route...

Stazza

JohnDozer wrote: »

Is that a Tralee 10k your talking about? The one from Rock Street? Do you know the route...

Hey John, yeah it's a Tralee 10k and it does start down near Rock Street. It starts opposite Dunnes car park - up to the church turn right passed the greyhound track and on down to the T junction. From there, turn left and go straight up until you get to a set of lights and a little gatepost thing (2.5k?) - turn left and head all the way along the fat mile. At the Mounthawk roundabout (5k) you go straight over and keep going until you hit the first left up into the Kerries (nice hill, which carries on around the corner -left turn - at the top). From the top of the hill you drop down towards Caherslee and passed Scoil Eoin and on to the finish, which is near the start. It's a good course - honest - with a slight drag up to about 3k then 3k slightly dropping, then 1.5k uphill before a nice drop down to the finish. By Kerry standards, it's a fast course; by Dublin standards, it would be deemed unrunnable - how's that for a semicolon, PtK?

JohnDozer

Nice one. Thank you very much for that. Had seen it advertised, just wasn't sure of the route. Might pop down for a sharpener before DCM. Cant enter too many that finish less than 1/2 mile from the house!

Stazza

JohnDozer wrote: »

Nice one. Thank you very much for that. Had seen it advertised, just wasn't sure of the route. Might pop down for a sharpener before DCM. Cant enter too many that finish less than 1/2 mile from the house!

We must be neighbours.

JohnDozer

I think I've encountered you on the green Mile/ Skinny mile once or twice! Not sure if its you or not, moreso the GAA type person accompanying 'you' seems to fit PtK's description, although I believe that image has changed.

jakek

pa4 wrote: »

Just goes to show your never truly f*cked at the end of a race, it's all in the head!

Well said and very true!

Stazza

jakek wrote: »

Well said and very true!

...or at the start of a 20 miler :D

Stazza

JohnDozer wrote: »

I think I've encountered you on the green Mile/ Skinny mile once or twice! Not sure if its you or not, moreso the GAA type person accompanying 'you' seems to fit PtK's description, although I believe that image has changed.

I doubt it was me, I think I've only been on there once or twice - running. I normally run along the canal and up around the Kerries and Ballyard-Blennerville.

If you're running on the weekend, come and introduce yourself - don't be shy - I'll be on my wife's pink bike; I look dead hard - don't let put you off, too much.