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The Four Year Plan
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Far from an expert so I could have picked it up wrong but people would often do 5/6 at the end of the run as you say, for about 100 metres or counting to 10 if you're not sure of reference point. Not running as fast as you possible can, maybe about 85/90% of a sprint, build up the pace for the first bit of the stride, hold that for the middle part and then easing down for the rest. Make sure you're recovered from each before starting the next one. Don't have a chance to do it now but if you do a search on the forum there is a thread about how to do them.
Thanks Laura, yeah that was more or less what I did - was sure to recover between the three - I'll increase it to 6 in the coming week or so. I find it really hard to judge the auld pace, if something is 100 % or 80 % or whatever...but I wasn't dead after them and managed to cover the same distance in the same 10 count for each one so think I might be on the right track. Will do a search for that thread all the same
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Thanks Laura, yeah that was more or less what I did - was sure to recover between the three - I'll increase it to 6 in the coming week or so. I find it really hard to judge the auld pace, if something is 100 % or 80 % or whatever...but I wasn't dead after them and managed to cover the same distance in the same 10 count for each one so think I might be on the right track. Will do a search for that thread all the same
In terms of pace you should feel controlled, watching form and like you could do more, not totally dead on your feet. I think 0 -
Tuesday 9
Busy day today - did some stretching in the morning followed by silly drive to work as I had meeting outside Dublin in the afternoon - driving is such a pain! Am feeling quite stiff at the moment.
Happily fitted a pilates class in between things in the evening - not my usual class and I wasn't overly impressed at the time, feeling it today though so guess it wasn't so bad.
Wednesday 10
Super stiff this morning and slept it out so no stretching
Tut tut tut
Ran home from work again today - still not sure if I am a fan of the runmute. Aim was 45 min running and I did 7.5 k in 47 min at avg pace of 6:16 min/k. Tried to keep it easy but wasn't as easy as Monday - think the heat played a factor and I am also tired today. Last few k of both today and Monday were slower then the first half - think the running on grass slows me down as well as perhaps being a bit more fatigued towards the end of run.
Stretching and foam rolling this evening - am very very stiff - stretching needs to be given priority next few days - that and sleep cause I am wrecked...and on that note....I am outta here!0 -
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Thursday 11
Unscheduled Rest. Plan said 30 min run in morning; Body said no fecking way!
Did stretch though and by lunchtime I decided legs were fine and went to the pool - 300 m*, all back stroke to loosen out the shoulders etc and undo the effects of desk work.
No chance to squeeze in run later as was after 9 before I got home, still had to eat dinner and then I just went to bed - out like a light!
*I realise that this is a tiny amount of swimming and I am not counting it as a workout, more of a stretch out. My plan is to build up gradually, concentrating on form, and when I can do 500 m backstroke easily, to start including front stroke and build that distance gradually as well, physio says no worry about breast stroke as it will serve to aggravate rather than strengthen back etc. Not a fish so breathing is where I always get stuck, will look into lessons in September to help work on this.
Friday 12
Planned rest day - should be going to pilates at lunch but still feel exhausted so going to skip, take shorter lunch and depart the office as early as possible and relax for evening - long run scheduled in the morning and I would rather be fresh for that.
Happy Weekend Everyone
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Saturday 13
Plan was 75 min of running this morning but also had some houses to view so rather than waste time between then decided to take a very in-direct route from house A to house B where OH was meeting me with water, choc milk and a hoodie.
As I have the waterford HM coming up sooner than I would like, I have been thinking about strategy and am planning on walking through the water stations so practiced doing this on today's run - and running super easy round the course - goal is to finish and run entire thing.
Between not starting from home (and the usual immediate pre-departure visit to the loo) and possibly drinking more than I needed in order to practice drinking water - I was dying for a pee for much of the second half of this run. Not fun!
Felt okay at the end - ran past very bemused looking OH as I declared 50 metres to even number!
Ran 11.5 k in 1 hour 15 min - unlike other runs I didn't pause the garmin at lights etc as I knew I only had 75 min between appointments. Second house was very nice btw - maybe I will be running there more often in the future!
Sunday 14
Plan for today was easy run 20 - 30 k, again I didn't start from home but ran home from the bike shop. Ran 4 k in 24 min - somewhat faster than 'recovery' pace but I really had to pee! Stupid tiny bladder!
Total for week 30.75 k (Last week was 25.88)0 -
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Monday 15
Woke up few seconds before alarm this morning which is not bad - up, potter about to make sure I am awake, stretchy routine and out for a 45 min run. Not sure if I ran too fast or if easier is just getting faster. Any time I checked I passed the conversation test - or as I was on my own 'the saying a full sentence out loud like a weirdo' test but according to the watch was a little faster than previous weeks. Which meant I arrived back at house earlier than expected so to make up the time I:- ran past house
- turned up to short hill into church I have been eyeing up* and powered up it
- did a lap of car park and ran back down hill
- up the hill again and round the car park
- ran towards house, realised I was less than 400m away from hitting 7k so continued past house further into estate and did a mini loop
- watch beeped 7k complete, pressed pause and then realised I couldn't come on here a mere 2 min short of my aim
- went for loop of the tiny park beside the house
Total running 7.43 k (was so tempted to keep going to hit 7.5 k) in 45 min
Meant to swim at 12:30 but was working on something and didn't realise the time until after 1 at which point the swimming window was gone! Opps
*I have been eyeing up the short hill not the church. It is about 100 and deceptively steep but not a killer either if that makes sense.0 -
Tuesday 16
No running today but Pilates class at lunch - was tough, arms really felt it! I like these classes, she always pushes us and switches stuff around all the time so you never get used to the routine.
Wednesday 17
No running - unscheduled rest day. Wrecked again today. I know it was partly because I had a meeting last night that ran late and I was much later to bed than normal but still - one shortened night's sleep shouldn't leave me like a zombie for the day! Ended up having a nap after work for an hour and still being in bed before 10 pm.
On a brighter note - did collect my shiny new bike today
Thursday 18
Feeling more rested this morning but was super lazy and didn't get up in time to run. Did stretch though which was needed. And cycle to work - I had forgotten how scary rush hour traffic is on a bike! :eek:
Lunchtime run - 7k loop from trinity, out ballsbridge, back along dodder, over to grand canal dock, to the liffey, along the liffey for a bit and then back to the gym for a shower via a lap of the grass track - twas lovely and had a few short sharp inclines which my normal routes are missing.0 -
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Conferencing for the first half of the week so just gonna try and stretch a lot, avoid having to sit at every possible opportunity and go for a couple of 30 - 40 min maintenance runs and see how it goes.
Back to Ireland on Thursday but will be a full day and late home so doubt I will get a run in; Friday off to Waterford to see the folks, collect race number and drive the course of half marathon...Saturday half marathon - eeck!!
Back still not 100 per cent (it maybe 95), probably shouldn't be doing the race, definitely shouldn't race it - don't think I can to be honest so plan is to treat it like an LSR on the road to the Dublin half. If I can keep at 6:30/k I will still shave a chunk off last year's time and depending on how I feel at 18 / 19 k I can push it a bit with the end in sight. It will take a lot of discipline to keep it slow at the start and there is one section I know of that is serious downhill so gonna concentrate on good form there, and try not fly away. Mentally last year the hardest part was the Tramore road (it felt soooo long) and then the drag coming up from the lacken road towards the RSC, but I have run more of the Tramore Road in training this year, and have practiced similar but longer and steeper drags, occasionally even towards the end of runs so feel more ready for it this year!
I also have at my disposal this year a DG wand inspired blue light ball (bit like Sooky's fairy light for any True Blood Fans). Am too clumsy for a wand, even an imaginary one - just feels more like something I would trip over or hit myself with by accident so I have a blue light ball that does the same job! Haha On that crazy note, I am signing off for the evening - happy summer solstice to all. 0 -
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Preparation
The past week has been a wash out training wise, at conference and meetings in Geneva so sitting all day every day and eating too much, crappy sleep most nights and two shockingly awful runs where I struggled to come near my normal easy pace. Eventually got home on Thursday, got a super night sleep, stretched and foam rolled a lot on Friday morning before heading home to mum in Waterford to pick up number, drive route etc.
I was not feeling overly confident between such a shocking week and the injury set back in May I figured that it wasn't going to be a great day, and I just had to get round and keep smiling - could collapse at the end and re-assess plans to start into 12 week programme for Dublin half.
Pre-Race
Up bright and early, breakfast, stretch, walked into start with OH, took about 35 min and was a nice way to ease into warm up. Final visit to the loo, hand over bag to himself, some strides, some stretches, 8:55 now, line up with the other folk. Plan was to run a conservative race, try and hit a pace of 6:15 - 6:30 /km and see what I had left for the final km. 'If all else fails' goal was not to walk anywhere other than a water station; 'realistic goal' <2:14:59.9; 'gosh it would be great' goal; <2:09:59.9.
Race
1 - 4 k
The gun went, we didn't move (I was fairly far back)...took what felt like an age, probably about 3 - 5 minutes to pass through the starting zone. Saw some poor woman had fallen about 100 m after the start line, lots of people were helping her - poor thing, not the best start to a race ever! First k was the longest (6:38), the streets around town are just so narrow and everyone was in together and trying to get around walkers etc. It probably suited me though cause I have a bad habit of going off too fast. Nothing else major to report along here, field started to space out a bit on the quays and lots of support on the streets. Had to reign it back in a bit coming up beside the park and ran 4th k in 5:58 - was very concerned with not overdoing it in the first half. On the bright side, because we looped back and forth so much, OH was able to pop up at every second corner to cheer me on.
5 - 8
As we left the park there was an up-hill section that I had utterly forgotten about until I drove the route last night. Concentrated on keeping form, keeping effort but not necessarily pace, another turn, another bit of an incline, kept it going and met the first water station. Mouth was really dry at this stage and I walked the length of the station drinking water - knew almost immediately I had drunk too fast, tummy not loving me about here. Into fairly steep downhill next, kept thinking of article in Indo during the week about the damage we do to ourselves, decided feck it at this stage, damage is done and went with it! This k (7th) was faster than the others 5:45. Left town for the last time somewhere before the 8 k mark.
9 - 12 k
Fairly uneventful section here, out through houses and past some sports pitches, water station was here, made sure to drink less and more slowly - wasn't thirsty as such more a dry mouth so mostly swilled it around my mouth before swallowing it. Out to the ring road, think there was about a k out there - fairly dull although the odd motorist did beep for encouragement which was nice. Pace was fairly even long here and I was beginning to realise that if I kelp going as was and nothing went wrong I'd be home before 2:15, didn't want to ginx it though. Somewhere around here I remember some steward telling us we were half way for the half - did the math and realised we were over half way - I smiled - a nice change from the well meaning, 'you are nearly there' when you have oddles to go
13 - 16 k
Turned back towards town, people out from their houses cheering us on, that was nice. Another water station, much welcomed, fairly steep down hill here again which cancelled any time I lost walking at water. Started to notice as well that even though I was walking for water, I wasn't loosing any places as anyone who passed me, I was well able to pass again when I got going. Also passed the 4:30 pacers for the marathon round here. Bottom of the hill, along the inner ring road, this is home territory, often run this way when in mums so had to keep reminding myself of this. Turned onto the cycle track out the tramore road, my stepdad was here with some others cheering people on - was great to see him. Out the track, the long long long track. Last year this was where it all fell apart so I really concentrated on form, keep running, did a body check, bit of pain in my left foot but ache more than pain really, everything else okay, keep going.
17 - 20 k
Off the track, onto the road proper, something had happened some runner, and one of the ambulances was turning with sirens going, meant I nearly missed the turn where they separated half from full. Was very very very happy at that stage not to be running a full marathon and fair play to anyone that does - really admire you crazy folk! Back in the tramore road, soul destroying, everyone is suffering at this point, long straight road, no supporters to speak of, passed a guy who was really struggling, I am pretty crap and being supportive but someone else offered him jellies. Somewhere along here I remember thinking was less than 5 k to go and I do that all the time, not a bother. Back near civilization, into the Eco Park, small water station, even worse than the tramore road though, so quiet, every one tired, no supporters and I never really know where I am in there. Eventually out the other side, though the bring centre and on to the very last up-hill bit where OH was strategically placed with more water in case I needed it. Kept it fairly steady throughout this section despite the suffering although did slow to the maximum of my planned pace 6:30/km.
Final Section
Got to top of the wee hill, like it not a big hill but just at that stage it is tough, for me anyway. Around the corner, knew I didn't have far to go and no more hills of any description so dug deep and pushed. Turned onto the Cork Road approaching the sports centre and started picking off people in front of me one by one...got a group of three as we approached, another woman who had passed me in the eco-park just as we entered the sports centre, on to the track, really determined to push harder, passed a few more, opened up my stride further for the last 200 metres, really trying to sprint and made it over the line very happy! Final full k was 5:34 and last 200 m in 51.39.
Still awaiting chip time but according to the watch I did it in 2:10:47 a massive improvement on last year's time of 2:23:05 0 -
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So according to vDot Calculator based on Saturday's performance my vDot is a measly 32.9 and these should be my training paces...
Type| Pace/Km
Easy| 07:06 - 07:31
Marathon| 6:22
Threshold| 5:57
Interval| 05:30
Repetition| 05:15
Which means I need to slow the heck down! Wondering however if anyone has any idea of I should run tempo runs at marathon pace or threshold pace?
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Well done in Waterford, Spaceylou, that's a great PB!
I don't know what threshold pace is but the answer I've been given about tempo is a pace you can sustain for an hour... (or was that 2 hours?
)... anyway, faster than MP, more like HMP or 10k pace I think. 0 -
Well done in Waterford, Spaceylou, that's a great PB!
I don't know what threshold pace is but the answer I've been given about tempo is a pace you can sustain for an hour... (or was that 2 hours?)... anyway, faster than MP, more like HMP or 10k pace I think.
Thanks for that Anna, I don't have a tempo run planned until next week but figured I'd ask while the info was fresh. I'll go with something I can sustain for an hour and take it from there.0 -
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Oh holy crap* just got the news that have been offered full scholarship for PhD, life is gonna change in September - running will be for keeping sane as much as healthy living then!
Sitting in office. Cannot. Stop. Smiling.:D Work colleagues probably think I've finally lost the plot! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
*Really hope none of you work same place as me0 -
Oh holy crap* just got the news that have been offered full scholarship for PhD, life is gonna change in September - running will be for keeping sane as much as healthy living then!
Sitting in office. Cannot. Stop. Smiling.:D Work colleagues probably think I've finally lost the plot! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
*Really hope none of you work same place as me
Congratulations!!!! Now that's the equivalent of an ultra-marathon!!! 0 -
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