Running in the Real World

annapr

February is the new January. I'm starting this log to help get me back on track after a very low mileage January, caused by an unexpected health issue, not running related. It's time to get back in the running habit, instead of just lurking on logs here and admiring the fortitude of everyone running in wind and hail.

Running History:
Feeling confident after months of treadmill running, I did my first run outside ‘in the real world’ on January 1st... 2012. My OH ran ‘with me’ in St Anne’s Park, but actually took off like a hare and made a show of me… or so it seemed at the time as I struggled to get over my embarrassment and self consciousness. He wisely went on ahead and I struggled through a slow and painful 3k or so.

… my running and our relationship somehow survived that first run... He still claims he was being motivational ). By May 2012, I was confident enough to attempt my first race -- the Docklands 5k, the time was something like 31:30, which I was delighted with as my main goal was to finish it. The buzz of the race got me completely hooked.

Since then, through some serious life events, running has kept me (relatively) sane. 2014 was the first year I trained consistently and I really enjoyed the progress I made.

I had no interest in EVER trying a marathon, right up to the moment when I started the novice marathon training plan in June or July... Then I found the novice thread here and I was hooked, thanks to Ososlo and the merry band of novices. DCM 2014 was a nightmare, but I finished it, swearing never again (report here:http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=92808536[/URL]) About 2 days later, I realised I will have to do it again, because I have to do it better :rolleyes:.

PB’s and tentative targets for 2015:

Distance|2013|2014|2015 target
5K|26:24|24:53|<25
5Mile|n/a|43:37|42:xx
10K|60:00 Dec 2012|n/a|<55?
10Mile|99:26|90:53|<90
Half Marathon|2h:19m:24|2h:01:39|1h:59m:xx
Marathon|n/a|4h:43m|<4h:30m

My training has been very basic to date but I plan to try adding some sessions to the base of steady running... some from the Clearlier plan on the DCM2014 grads thread and maybe some of Ecoli’s easier ones. I’m hoping the log here will help keep me motivated and honest! Sadly, I don’t think it will make me faster

I’ve been lucky so far to avoid running injuries (probably not doing enough running!) but am prone to clumsy ‘real world’ injuries (e.g, stabbed myself in the toe with the point of an iron…painful and bloody!).

I love running, I love being outside in the air and looking at the sky, in all weathers, puffing up hills, cursing the wind, dodging dogs, the buzz of racing, the community spirit of parkrun… and of course the treasure trove of information and support and laughs on this forum.

As I said to Ososlo, I’m superstitious about starting a log — as soon as I do, something is bound to go wrong. Gulp!:eek:

annapr

Sunday 25th Jan

4.64 mi in 51:21,
very slow average pace of 11:04min/mile... easy run in Edinburgh through the Meadows park down to Holyrood park before breakfast. There's no wind said the OH on the way DOWN. Wrong! On the way back up there was plenty. Although easy pace, felt like work... Effort offset by the drama of the holyrood crags and navigating the steps up and down.

Tuesday 27th Jan
5.06 miles; 10:12 min/mile

Easy 5 miles out the seafront to the wooden bridge and back, not too much wind. Felt good all the way. Last mile slowest because was chatting on the phone for it, probably looked ridiculous running along talking to myself. Slowing down to talk gave me a good excuse not to push myself too much.

Splits clearly show where I turned back into the wind and started talking!

Thursday 29 Jan
4.02 miles, 9:40/mile avg
Splits:
10:09
9:33
9:11
9:46

Went out in the morning in case the blizzards arrived to give me an excuse in the afternoon. Stayed inland to avoid the worst of the breeze. A bit of a progression run, mainly because it was so cold that I skipped my normal walking warmup and jogged from the front door. Well wrapped up, the snow shower found me anyway, loved it.

Sunday 2 Feb
this was my longest run since December -- 1:02 mins; 6.10 miles; fastest mile was 9:36, otherwise slow, slow.

A beautiful day on the seafront, first half an hour with Murph who kept going when I turned back.

I felt it in my legs, quite sluggish and can feel them today.

I know I am claiming 8 days in my first week, but delighted to be back up to 3-4 runs per week and aiming to do 4 this week... starting tomorrow of course.

And I am switching back to Km too, I can't think in miles. :P

adrian522

Congrats on starting the log. I think I ran that 5K in 2012 as my first race too...

hillsiderunner

annapr wrote: »

Sunday 25th Jan

4.64 mi in 51:21,
very slow average pace of 11:04min/mile... easy run in Edinburgh through the Meadows park down to Holyrood park before breakfast.

My routes! Might have bumped into you except that there's no "before breakfast" in my running world .

There's no wind said the OH on the way DOWN. Wrong! On the way back up there was plenty. Although easy pace, felt like work... Effort offset by the drama of the holyrood crags and navigating the steps up and down.

There is nearly always wind in Holyrood Park, and *always* in-the-face for the uphill direction. Got a pleasant surprise yesterday going up that hill and not feeling any wind tunnel effect at all...

Stick to the miles. We won't have a clue how you're doing if you write in metric.

annapr

hillsiderunner wrote: »

My routes! Might have bumped into you except that there's no "before breakfast" in my running world .



There is nearly always wind in Holyrood Park, and *always* in-the-face for the uphill direction. Got a pleasant surprise yesterday going up that hill and not feeling any wind tunnel effect at all...

Stick to the miles. We won't have a clue how you're doing if you write in metric.

Hillside runner, You are lucky to have such a great place to run in the city centre. We saw some hardcore people running up the crags at pace... are you one of those??? Edinburgh is such a beautiful city.

You might think I'm faster if I stick to metric :P

hillsiderunner

annapr wrote: »

Hillside runner, You are lucky to have such a great place to run in the city centre. We saw some hardcore people running up the crags at pace... are you one of those???

Nope! Tried that a couple of times last summer and ended up with a bunch of tourists (I hope!) standing at the bottom shouting at me to go faster . In fairness I was struggling ...

Am usually just doing laps of the road, but am hoping to start going onto the trails (and a bit higher) when the right leg is perfect.

You might think I'm faster if I stick to metric :P

True but then we won't notice the improvements!

Mimojo

Well done on starting your log, looking forward to reading all about your running endeavours Your times & targets are similar to my own so will be looking out for good tips!!

Ososlo

About time:D
Delighted to see you start this annapr! Please please PLEASE stick to miles:) I'll be lost if you don't! Or both is ok too!!!!

ps: you'll go WELL under 4:30 this year! No doubt about that in the world!
Best of luck with it all.

annapr

Mimojo wrote: »

Well done on starting your log, looking forward to reading all about your running endeavours Your times & targets are similar to my own so will be looking out for good tips!!

Thanks Mimojo, you have been doing great training since starting your log... I'm hoping it has a similar effect on me!

annapr

Ososlo wrote: »

About time:D
Delighted to see you start this annapr! Please please PLEASE stick to miles:) I'll be lost if you don't! Or both is ok too!!!!

ps: you'll go WELL under 4:30 this year! No doubt about that in the world!
Best of luck with it all.

Oh you old-fashioned imperialists I'll do my best to be bilingual...
As for 4:30, who knows... it's a long road... but thanks for the encouragement!

chickey2

Best of luck with the log. I'm with you in kilometres! I've no idea of paces in miles which makes me feel a lot better when I read most of the logs on here!

laura_ac3

Ge

laura_ac3

Great to see this log Anna! Good luck with it

FBOT01

Welcome Anna:)

Looking forward to following your progress. Logging here will certainly help keep you "honest", focused and motivated.

Best of luck with hitting those targets......I think Murph hit all his last years;) No pressure:D

annapr

FBOT01 wrote: »

Welcome Anna:)

Looking forward to following your progress. Logging here will certainly help keep you "honest", focused and motivated.

Best of luck with hitting those targets......I think Murph hit all his last years;) No pressure:D

Thanks M! What can I say, behind every successful man, there's a...... running widow :pac::pac: I'm sure Mrs FBOT knows what I mean

but we're not competitive... ahem!

annapr

This was one of those days (at least in Dublin) where it was just fantastic to be outside...

8.01km in 46:20 (Avg 5:47/km)
Oh ok, 4.97 miles (avg 9:19/mi)... see now if I had done that in miles I would have wanted to hit 5!!

I am aiming to get myself back up to a base of approx 20 miles per week of steady/easy running, starting this week.

The first 2-3k felt great, energetic, loving being outside... the seafront was beautiful, sky blue, all good. I was even too warm with a base layer under short sleeve shirt and leggings. I was glad of the inevitable breeze when I turned round at the wooden bridge, cooled me down.

The last 4k really showed me that I am nowhere near pre-marathon fitness -- laboured breathing, feeling tired and sluggish (probably went out too fast at first which didn't help). The second half was almost 2 mins slower... definitely work to be done.

Still, felt great overall... got my endorphins and my vitamin D!

In other news: there was some sort of avian carnage in our back yard this morning... white feathers everywhere and blood and guts :eek:. What's worse, the guts were gone when I got back from my run... ewww...

Dubgal72

You've done it, well done! Following for sure

Mrs Mc

annapr wrote: »

Thanks M! What can I say, behind every successful man, there's a...... running widow :pac::pac: I'm sure Mrs FBOT knows what I mean

but we're not competitive... ahem!

Anna how true this is and the main reason us running widows start running !!!! I'm looking forward to following your log and will be trying to catch you in 2015 !!! .... Best of luck !

annapr

Mrs Mc wrote: »

Anna how true this is and the main reason us running widows start running !!!! I'm looking forward to following your log and will be trying to catch you in 2015 !!! .... Best of luck !

Hello Mrs Mc!!! More like you'll be leaving me in the dust! Have you come to terms with DCM being in your future yet?

Mrs Mc

annapr wrote: »

Hello Mrs Mc!!! More like you'll be leaving me in the dust! Have you come to terms with DCM being in your future yet?

Ha ha not committing to anything just yet !!!

Murph_D

Is it just me or is there some sort of parallel universe being created here?

annapr

Set out today to do a very easy 8k, hoping that it wouldn't feel as hard as Tuesday. I wasn't inspired to vary my route so headed out the sea front again and was rewarded by another glorious day for running. My head told me to slow down and don't overdo it, but my legs insisted on going out 5k... I just couldn't resist going further out the bull wall. I reasoned that I could always walk home the final 2k if necessary.

But, whether the joys of the sea and sunshine helped, I felt much better today and completed the 10k, nice and steady 5.57min/k average.

I know it's only the Tolka Estuary and I'm more of a Wild Atlantic Way girl, but I LOVE the sea front.

On track for my whopping 20 mile (32.2km) week! I will really have to add some hills.

10.02km; 5:57min/k
6.22 mi; 9:34 min/mi

Bungy Girl

annapr wrote: »

I will really have to add some hills.

There's this nice little hill in Fairview Park....;)

annapr

Bungy Girl wrote: »

There's this nice little hill in Fairview Park....;)

I actually looked across at it this morning on the way home from the school run and there is a steep incline up to the back of the park! Quickly back pedalling in case I have to sprint up it!

Bungy Girl

annapr wrote: »

Quickly back pedalling in case I have to sprint up it!

Only 5 or 6 times. Be grand.

Mimojo

annapr wrote: »

I will really have to add some hills

Snap! Need to add some hills myself, to date all of my running is on the lovely lovely flat roads, need to find a good hill or two. I am hoping the thoughts of it is worse than the reality....right??!

annapr

Headed out to the best Parkrun anywhere this morning (St Anne's of course) -- wanted to do this as a training run... decided to go at HM/10 mile pace -- around 5:30-5:40/km. Took it nice and easy, promised myself I wouldn't be tempted into 'racing' the home straight, but as usual my competitive nature kicked in, ony for the last 100m or so... there was a young wan in front of me wearing a coat (!) and carrying a bottle of water so no way was I coming in after her... ended up with about 5 of us within a second of each other!

Got the parkrun email... and I was first... in my age category. this is a first in my life!!! unfortunately it's because a recent birthday catapulted me into a new and ancient age group... hopefully no fast 49-year-olds have birthdays soon and I can maintain my position...

never mind fbot getting his sub-18 pb, he's only a young fella....clearly my achievement is the highlight of today's parkrun! now, when do i qualify for the free travel pass...?

5K: 26:58; 41st woman, 1st in age category (still chuckling at that)

Dubgal72

That's fantastic news, well done! Now I hope you are putting your feet up for the rest of the day and being waited on hand and foot?!

annapr

Dubgal72 wrote: »

That's fantastic news, well done! Now I hope you are putting your feet up for the rest of the day and being waited on hand and foot?!

haha, I'm chuckling even more at that idea :rolleyes:

...and I'm not -quite- that ancient!!!! off for my nap now....

adrian522

Very good running today...a win is a win after all

ThebitterLemon

Nicely done, make sure you get that nap or you mightn't make the Bingo tonight

TbL