Go now before its too late

youngrun

May as well get right up to date...!
Thursday, about 7.75miles, first two dry then wet wet wet, heavens opened . Ran with two other lads and had planned a tempo type run but the trails and grass circuit we were on was a mudbath in no time. Ended up running about 5 miles of it at 6.20 pace which felt comfortable despite the conditions so a good run out. Probably need to do some sharp intervals tomorrow like 8*100m , another XC race Sunday so not going to do much

youngrun

Friday, 5 miles with 5*30 second strides at end flat out,
Sat, 5 miles am at a good clipmaybe too good with race tomorrow
I am struggling for long runs and am not getting miles up to anywhere near where i want, 50 miles odd as opposed to high 60s /70, will have to run a long one midweek ,with all the races on sundays ,
Sunday - Connacht XC Westport. Headed up with one of the club lads on a showery day . Lovely setting Westport House, but what a course! Probably toughest I have ran , very technical , sheer downhills and cambers and sharp turns at the ends of hills. And a mudbath at the end of each lap. A real test. Ran with juniors and they and a Mayo lad ran away from field. Picked my way through field, tired from lap 6 on ( of 8). Could nt take the turns at all. Fell twice, lap 5 went straight downhill and over the white tape /fence posts marking the course!. Lap 6 came down muddy hill and straight into a mudbath.. A bit dazed for a few seconds and got up and kept going . Lost 4 places and got 3 back by last lap but again slipped on last few bends and one came past me. A good run I felt improved but am not fit or strong enough to last the course or have any impact, probably finished mid teens place out of 40 odd when should be 5/6 place in that field.
Crocked after could hardly move 500 m warm down and am crippled since!

youngrun

Monday
Badly crocked after cross country, Glutes and hammer left really tight, ran 5k in 30 + mins unable to stride out left leg more than half usual length. Loads of stretching
Tues , the same problem . Ran 4.5 miles at a crawl. Stretching,
Need physio but will be end week before I can get to one with work
Thoughts of intercounties now might be in vain and not a good idea given current fitness levels?

youngrun

Wed,
Not much improvement, 30 min jog at a 10 min pace . 30 mins of stretching, quite sore! Physio this am

youngrun

Thurs
More of the same, cant really run right , 4.5 miles . One leg moves normally the other cant stride properly half normal pace.
Fri, ditto, 3 miles at a crawl, limited movement in left leg with glutes/hammer tight, eased out a bit
Lot of stretching and deep heat
Sat . Well we had a team XC session planned, so went down and warmed up. Didnt plan on running hard, but ended up sitting in behind thee group, and running fairly steady on the 5 reps of a 1500 circuit - had to short cut parts to get back, but felt fairly ok , pushed it a bit on the last one. very surprised at how well i could run . Still way way off being right or fit though, hitting 5.57 on best rep for 1500 the rest 6.20 pace, so no use for national cross country

Sun - Long run. Might be a misnomer. 70 min am barely 8.5 miles. hardly moving, crocked from yesterday. Lunatic runner as usual cant stop . Ran 20 mins pm
Would love to run intercounties but at this stage I should just leave it and fix injury as would be right out the back of it bottom ten lads at current fitness.

youngrun

Mon

About 6 miles. Dug out the Garmin . 9.61 km ! Pace 5min kms on grass

Tues 5 miles even slower . Physio then . Jesus! Agony . Aagh .
Hope it works

Think I will make an executive decision not to run Sunday, will head up with team , not fit enough and injury has me crippled yet the mind and heart is willing. Hate missing this race but objectively will be badly wanting in race , not that would even feature, but a target any year is inside top 100 out of 150 in a given field say, no great shakes but its all relative. Could only see myself at 130-140 this year so what is the use?! Cursing my luck but plenty after Xmas to do.

youngrun

Wed,

Felt half normal from a running point of view post physio, so headed out before dark for a quick run. Planned to test the water with a session on grass, so 2km warm up, then launched into 5 by 1km. Had to pull up after 900m of the first one blown up, then got going again... hitting 4min kms on rep 2, down to about 3.40 by last one when i added on the missing 100!. Good to do, but just shows the shape, was thinking of I could somehow run 3.35 average would be of some use , average around 350 so a long way off fitness. 5km in around 19 mins across the reps, just over. 1 mile warmdown. Still not running pain free and limited in left leg stride so there you go.

Writing this thurs and fairly sore since!

youngrun

Thurs , six miles, with an attempted steady run, but could not get going , really hampered with left leg and probably yesterdays session, 2.5 miles at a faster pace than the rest but couldnt call it a session , left trailing in the wake of two other lads. it was so foggy couldnt even see them as they pulled away! . No way running Sunday now, would be last or drop after lap one.
Time to get fixed and fit , have a base and some good races, just bad timing with injury. The older you get the harder it is to miss the big ones, cant expect to make it much longer at that level.

youngrun

Friday, 5 miles easy
Sat, 30 mins am and 40 mins pm, easy,
Gave up the ghost on XC and am just going to run easy a week and physio to fix the damned injury
Sun 15 mins and off to Dundalk bring a few to XC , great day out

youngrun

After a few easy days, 5 miles with 2 miles of it at 6.20 pace with a couple of fast lads. Not too bad .Lots of stretching etc , still not quite right though the 600km round trip drive to Dundalk had me in bits when I got back, plus more driving Monday with work, 250 k, not ideal for injury recovery/....!

youngrun

Tuesday, 5.2 miles pm just before dark , one of the benefits of an early start is getting out when theres light .Albeit a dark and dank day, always easier with some good company with another lad. No great pace, 5 min ks but running on trails and muck will never be quick. Injury improving, still tight though, And worse a flu coming on, painful!> On the lemsip.
Would hope to run a session the weekend, think I need to wrap up a bit better.

youngrun

A few days to catch up on. Some improvement in injury, this is a long time for me to be out, ok still running but 8/9 min miles is not worth much to me bar getting out and ticking over ...
Wed, 5 miles
Thurs 7 miles, with 2.5 at a steady pace, with a buddy of mine, who has come back to form with a vengeance, hard to stay with him, 6.15 pace for the 2.5miles
Fri, 5 mile easy
Sat - 6km am and 6 miles pm, with 3 miles at 6.20-6.30 pace steady, felt okay , but couldn't push anymore as the hammer is really under strain now on both sides, like its ready to rip .
Sun 35 min am and 50+ pm, late night minding baby so had to get some sleep and no early start as planned. Usually run club long run but no confidence in body to get an 11 miler so just did what I could, 8.30 pace am, 8 min mile pm, an improvement !
All the runs on trails or grass so I guess a bit slower than road pace but
Down to run novice next week but will see, no preparation whatsoever .!

youngrun

Mon - late at work, only out after an 11 hour day, not much interest in running then...! 4km in pitch dark
Tues, longest run in over a month, a massive 1hr! . Finally running okay, stopped twice to stretch. Going to get physio Fri again to fix it up once and for all. The comeback may be on. Wont do Novice too risky to get another injury , 3 weeks of it is enough

youngrun

A few days to catch up

Wed , 10k easy,
Thurs, 5.5 miles with 2.5 at a good 6.25 pace, all on grass and muddy trails
Fri, 4 miles easy, some physio and stretching
Sat am 15 mins, Pm , an attempted session to see how I was. First real blowout in a month. 10 min warm up, 20 mins of fartlek but more stop start intervals of between 1-3 mins hard effort, had to stop after some I was blowing so much,light jog after others, quite wet and windy , 10 min warm down,
Some hamstring trouble remains
Sunday 4km early and off to the Novice bringing a couple up and a great day watching athletics, happy enough not to run would not have managed a decent place given fitness, some very good runs espc from the womens team.

Monday, a new dawn hopefully can run today pain free for the first time in a month, will see. !

youngrun

Monday, ran 10k including about 7k of that with 2/3 fast lads met up with so 6.10-15 pace on trails and grass. Very sore after, left leg really strained . Loads of stretching.just under 44 mins
Tues , 5 miles pm in rough weather, again a few quickish miles in middle, held up well , 37 mins

Will try to get a steady week in and see how I go, 50 miles plus this weeks aim, only 30 odd last week

youngrun

Wed , 4.5 miles in bad weather, nothing to report
Thurs , 6 miles In atrocious conditions, rain, wind , cold, muddy trails and grass. Tried to pick it up but could not hang to other lad training with, did manage one km pickup at end
Fri, 10k again on the trails 50 mins
Sat , 10 min jog am after work Xmas party - no booze but no sleep till 4 am plus, up at 9, in bits, Pm did 6 miles with 8*100m strideouts good workout though very sore still left hammer/glute when the pace /strain is on, not able to give it socks
Sunday, watched Euro XC , pm did 10.25 miles with another lad, all bar the first two were sub 7 so a good run, felt ok, 1 mile later on jog to ease out soreness,
46 mile week , steady running best I got to , but at last I can run with little pain

youngrun

Bad weather out West ! And working all week crazy hours , 40 hours in 3 days so far ! 4 to go!

Monday 5 mile late at night slow. I detest running n the dark! .
Tues am, 5 miles steady ish with a few quick kms that felt faster than the watch...Enjoyable run bit disappointed with the pace though.
Wed, again late run , 4 miles and cut short by two dogs jumping me, heard them racing at me and owner miles away. A bit wary of dogs even though they were not barking mad just jumping around me a bit disconcerting and couldn't run away..! . Took a few mins for them to go away and I just walked away back to car and stopped , very annoying way to end a run.

youngrun

Thurs... Another long long day at work, 12 hours plus, so a late run of 6 miles at 8 pm, not bad pace at end, still not breaking 7min miles though. I think the first day I ran with no bother in 5 weeks from injury so I will take that !

youngrun

Fri , Managed 5 miles post work and pre an Xmas party , not too sore

Sat am 20 mins 4km before work, then went out late evening for a further 7km with some strides

Sun , Longest run in two months or more, 12 miles in 1.33 or so, slow but happy to get around without injury troubling me, hills were a bit iffy , bad weather and just getting used to being out time wise for a long spin was the hardest. 45 mile week . Working most of day, close on a 70 hour week fairly shattered, and another 3 days of the same ...

youngrun

Might try to start back to sessions later this week, long time without 2 months of enforced very easy running some goals need to be aimed for 2015 ..

I think the aims would be the remaining National cross country events and hopefully a half marathon by April with a view to a late year marathon

youngrun

Monday, what a day out one of the worst all year , 5 miles at 4 pm in near dark, lashing rain, wind and mud /trails . Rough conditions ..Got out with another lad, easy pace but good to get it done. Muck everywhere, car, shower, house, gear all destroyed with it!

youngrun

Tues

Another 5 miles after another 12 hr plus day at work
Wed
Xmas eve, again working till 6pm, then met a few lads for drinks, great to catch up..No booze so went for a 20min run around 9pm , magic to get out

youngrun

Xmas Day...frosty one ...did 4 miles easy then ran to do the Goal mile. No great expectations, was just going to jog round and then they called next race, so hopped in. One lad went off like a shot, went easy enough first 2 laps 3 mins, then finished off fast 5.34. Winner 5.25. Lots of traffic on the track. After Lungs burning, first hard mile since 9 Nov . Next race was won in 516.
Did 20 mins after dinner also

youngrun

Stephens Day what a morning, the deluge ... Did ten min am indoors in a car park lot...Then pm did 10k or so
Sat , 4 mile am , 5 mile pm, all slow ,

Sun pulled the plug on doing a road run way too slippy . Ran around the local college grounds, 65 mins easy , met a couple of quick lads so ten mins was a 4 min k pace but they were then going on road and was too wimpy to risk it!

youngrun

Since the last day..
Week up to New years I got about 50 miles done, despite a dose of flu, all late evening runs , and did a first session last saturday in 2 months, 6*3 mins off 1, very rusty early on but down to about 5.30 miling pace by end , on thegrass . Sunday 12 miles fairly quick at the end.
This week
monday - late run with 2 of the quick girls in the club, 7 miles with the last two full tilt steady pace end, 6.15 pace , enjoyable run
Tues, 5.5 miles with about 4k of that at 6 min mile, with another lad who was going even faster
Wed, 5 miles late on on road, knee bothering me at end not a fan of too much road.
I am too weak I reckon and keep getting injured, am being told in no uncertain terms to do pilates or conditioning work . Lost a good three months last year with injury and as Im gone well into the V35 category I would want to start heeding advice I think

youngrun

Terribly bad at this updating due to way too much work on. Finally have strung two weeks of decent training together 55 mile odd with a session and a 15-20 min tempo each week. Dreading to race again , 4 months since the last one in cross country which crocked me for 2 months completely with a hammer/glutes combo injury. Will aim to run National ten k ,
I guess I will have to suffer a 5k or something in next week or so before hitting the curse that is the second half of the phoenix park course??!

youngrun

Better start this again ... Time is of the essence, another year on the clock ...
Have got involved heavily in event organising and coaching /team managing with club so training time was eaten into over summer, ticking over 40-50 miles a week .
Will aim for a good cross country season. Then a spring marathon. aim for 100k a week next 4

Last week about 56 miles, 2 sessions incl 4*5 mins on grass, hard, and a 5k tempo on trails and turny circuit. 19 mins v poor .
Long run 13 miles too easy I think

Will have to add in a threshold 45 min - 1 hr run to my easy stuff and up my game .

youngrun

And so it begins,

10k yesterday in a gap in the rain all off road, v easy 4miles, last 2.2 at a decent clip Maybe 8 min miles early, 6.40 later in run. Havent got a garmin might be worth investing in. I have a tendency to run too easy I think , lazy runner, I need a push. How do you solve that...

Outside

youngrun wrote: »

And so it begins,

10k yesterday in a gap in the rain all off road, v easy 4miles, last 2.2 at a decent clip Maybe 8 min miles early, 6.40 later in run. Havent got a garmin might be worth investing in. I have a tendency to run too easy I think , lazy runner, I need a push. How do you solve that...

Motivation for sessions can be a tough one. I was in the same situation. Your goal of "cross country season" is fairly vague so probably need to work towards a more specific goal?

For me, it took a specific plan. My goal of DCM this year is a very specific short-term goal which gives a very real and important reason for every single session. Reading Jack Daniels book explains exactly the reason behind each session and the physiological adaptions taking place so going into each session I think back on why exactly I'm doing this run and why it's of benefit to me for DCM. I find if I'm "tipping away", doing sessions for no apparent reason other then "to get faster", I'll loose interest fast and skip important sessions because I don't fully understand them and I think it won't be any big deal.

As for "running too slow", I'm not sure that's possible. As far as i'm concerned, easy days are for recovery only, you probably have an already good enough aerobic base. I keep the easy days easy and ignore pace completely. Sessions are a different story where I find it good to track pace and times very closely (so yes a GPS could be a help but not totally necessary if you have a good idea of the area) so I can look back a month/2 months and compare and get a feel of how the plan is going. I'm finding my new log invaluable for this reason at the moment. This gives extra motivation when I can see these improvements.

Good luck!

youngrun

Outside wrote: »

Motivation for sessions can be a tough one. I was in the same situation. Your goal of "cross country season" is fairly vague so probably need to work towards a more specific goal?

For me, it took a specific plan. My goal of DCM this year is a very specific short-term goal which gives a very real and important reason for every single session. Reading Jack Daniels book explains exactly the reason behind each session and the physiological adaptions taking place so going into each session I think back on why exactly I'm doing this run and why it's of benefit to me for DCM. I find if I'm "tipping away", doing sessions for no apparent reason other then "to get faster", I'll loose interest fast and skip important sessions because I don't fully understand them and I think it won't be any big deal.

As for "running too slow", I'm not sure that's possible. As far as i'm concerned, easy days are for recovery only, you probably have an already good enough aerobic base. I keep the easy days easy and ignore pace completely. Sessions are a different story where I find it good to track pace and times very closely (so yes a GPS could be a help but not totally necessary if you have a good idea of the area) so I can look back a month/2 months and compare and get a feel of how the plan is going. I'm finding my new log invaluable for this reason at the moment. This gives extra motivation when I can see these improvements.

Good luck!

Yes I tend to drift along and never really hit the gas or potential I think.
Plan would involve running Masters trial /Gerry farnan race in mid Oct. County race before that I think . Time not relevant just decent race v competitors.
After that may do the National senior if fit enough . Cross country aim to get fit enough to be in 34 min or just under shape for 10k which will take a stack of work given pb is 34.20 .
I reckon at minute I would run 3650 . so a ten k needed as well i guess.