Running in the Real World

tang1

If it persists, get your ass to the Doc. A combination of the heat & running on the beach saps the legs big style so hopefully thats all it was, lack of food no doubt added to it.

Firedance

+1 to tang & BG's advice especially the hunger bit, I've recently started eating half a banana with peanut butter an hour before a session or longer run and am noticing a massive difference in energy levels. Hopefully you'll figure out whatever it is soon.

aquinn

You ok, need some aquinn time to put a pep back into your step?

laura_ac3

Maybe you're fighting a bit of a bug unknown to yourself at this stage? Eat well, try get an early night or two!

FBOT01

Hi A, my experience has been when you start marathon training and upping the mileage it always take a few weeks for the system to adjust. Remember that the Meno plan is a step up in intensity from your previous marathon plans. Also why did you do 1k @ 10K pace on the beach of all places? I presume the plan was for a long slow run. Even at slow pace the beach would take a little extra out of the legs.

Hopefully it was just one of "those" runs and you can leave it behind you......

annapr

Bungy Girl wrote: »

I had a similar run last week Anna, and I'm pretty sure it was down to being hungry starting off. Definitely need to up the calorie intake along with the mileage. I think you get away with it on the shorter runs but on the longer ones you need to be well fed

tang1 wrote: »

If it persists, get your ass to the Doc. A combination of the heat & running on the beach saps the legs big style so hopefully thats all it was, lack of food no doubt added to it.

Firedance wrote: »

+1 to tang & BG's advice especially the hunger bit, I've recently started eating half a banana with peanut butter an hour before a session or longer run and am noticing a massive difference in energy levels. Hopefully you'll figure out whatever it is soon.

laura_ac3 wrote: »

Maybe you're fighting a bit of a bug unknown to yourself at this stage? Eat well, try get an early night or two!

Thanks all the internet mammies , I'm hoping it was just a combination of those factors, I feel a lot better today so no lasting ill effects! Dare I say it, maybe need to slow down more on long runs when it's hotter too.

annapr

FBOT01 wrote: »

Hi A, my experience has been when you start marathon training and upping the mileage it always take a few weeks for the system to adjust. Remember that the Meno plan is a step up in intensity from your previous marathon plans. Also why did you do 1k @ 10K pace on the beach of all places? I presume the plan was for a long slow run. Even at slow pace the beach would take a little extra out of the legs.

Hopefully it was just one of "those" runs and you can leave it behind you......

ha, guess who else said exactly the same things!!!! almost word for word... freaky

as for the 10k pace on the beach, the plan did actually call for strides so I kind of thought of that as a series of strides :cool: and it was on very hard sand so not too bad... ok, I'll stop now, I agree, it was dumb...

annapr

aquinn wrote: »

You ok, need some aquinn time to put a pep back into your step?

Does this mean I'm off the sh*t list? clearly, that's what was getting me down

Neady83

Nice long run Anna. I hope you're feeling more energetic today. Fingers crossed it's just the combination of this heat and increase in intensity Tang is right though, if it persists, it'd be no harm getting your bloods done. It happened me last year, I left it on the long finger to get my bloods checked and it turned out my iron levels were way way down - the doc is a runner and she said the increase in intensity was most likely the cause. It put paid to any aspirations of doing DCM

Mrs Mc

annapr wrote: »

Wednesday, July 16: 10 Miles (16.1 Km) 'Lsr'
1:42; 10:15/mi; 6:22/Km

The plan incorporates the Fingal 10k and so the longer run was prescribed for Wednesday -- LSR, but suggesting to include some strides. Did this at lunchtime, headed out the sea front to stay on grass and from there onto Dollymount strand... the tide was in, there was a lovely cooling breeze, perfect running conditions, kids diving off the wooden bridge, people were swimming in the bay (intentionally, unlike aquinn at the weekend), the yacht club juniors were out, lots of people on the Bull Wall and beach. I noticed several examples of a traditional Irish seaside practice, sometimes described as 'going for a walk': sitting in your car reading the paper, sitting beside your car on a pull out chair smoking and blocking the path... :rolleyes:

Back to the run -- not feeling great this week still, very little energy, but for the first 7-8k (i.e., on the way out into the breeze), I felt very good, comfortable, energetic, turned the podcast off to listen to the waves. I did 1k on the beach at approximately 10k pace, which felt challenging but fine.

Then I turned around and by the 10th Km, I was just wiped out again... no energy in the legs at all. Just like in the park on Sunday, I really struggled home, the last 4-5k felt like the second half of the marathon. There was no way I could do strides at the end. When I eventually hit the 10 miles and walked the 500m home, my legs were like jelly again.

It was hotter on the way back, but I had water... I was a bit hungry setting out, but that shouldn't have done it. Anyway, I was fine on Tuesday doing a shorter run, so not sure what's going on.

Taking a break today, and I'll see how I feel ahead of Fingal 10k, rapidly revising targets downwards for that.

Hope you're feeling better Anna, this heavy weather probably not helping.

hillsiderunner

Good luck Anna and Murph and anyone else racing on Sunday!

I'm going to have to let this one slide unfortunately but there will be other races (and things look promising for the toes now ) ...

aquinn

hillsiderunner wrote: »

Good luck Anna and Murph and anyone else racing on Sunday!

I'm going to have to let this one slide unfortunately but there will be other races (and things look promising for the toes now ) ...

COUGH!

Toes ok but not great? What advice was given (not from google)

hillsiderunner

aquinn wrote: »

COUGH!

Oh yes, I forgot .... BG, good luck with making the sign!

aquinn wrote: »

Toes ok but not great? What advice was given (not from google)

Nothing bone related for the toes. Physio this lunchtime, and she says the nerve/muscle bundle between toe 2 and 3 has become irritated (I suspected something like that as there was pain pressing down, but seemed not directly on the bone). The toes are better but not perfect yet ... think they will be 100% tomorrow and I have permission for 5miles Saturday (if they are good), then a day off, then I'll try 10miles Monday. Will back off if I have to... did a cycle yesterday evening and if I can find time I'll do another this evening.

aquinn

hillsiderunner wrote: »

Oh yes, I forgot .... BG, good luck with making the sign!

Making? The sign is made?

Nothing bone related for the toes. Physio this lunchtime, and she says the nerve/muscle bundle between toe 2 and 3 has become irritated (I suspected something like that as there was pain pressing down, but seemed not directly on the bone). The toes are better but not perfect yet ... think they will be 100% tomorrow and I have permission for 5miles Saturday (if they are good), then a day off, then I'll try 10miles Monday. Will back off if I have to... did a cycle yesterday evening and if I can find time I'll do another this evening.

This is from the runners too tight or it is caused by something else?

hillsiderunner

aquinn wrote: »

This is from the runners too tight or it is caused by something else?

From the left runner being tied tight, and then running the descent at an angle which pushed my foot into an awkward position in the shoe. The toes will have become a bit crushed I think.

(the shoes themselves are great fit and I have had no problems with this model over more than a year)

Firedance

hillsiderunner wrote: »

From the left runner being tied tight, and then running the descent at an angle which pushed my foot into an awkward position in the shoe. The toes will have become a bit crushed I think.

(the shoes themselves are great fit and I have had no problems with this model over more than a year)

that's mental that we could do that amount of damage from a tight lace :eek: we will all be extra careful! Are you around on Sunday even if not racing for screaming at supporting boardsies?

hillsiderunner

Firedance wrote: »

that's mental that we could do that amount of damage from a tight lace :eek: we will all be extra careful! Are you around on Sunday even if not racing for screaming at supporting boardsies?

Not sure which of laces/angled-descent was the bigger factor. Yeah, it is scary. Could feel both tightness-of-laces and later-discomfort so mainly it's a demonstration of the old listening-to-body stuff.

Would *love* to come and shout. And apart from Anna and Murph (and someone else I can't remember ...) I have other friends doing Fingal to cheer. But going to run it by my folks tomorrow first.

aquinn

hillsiderunner wrote: »

Not sure which of laces/angled-descent was the bigger factor. Yeah, it is scary. Could feel both tightness-of-laces and later-discomfort so mainly it's a demonstration of the old listening-to-body stuff.

Would *love* to come and shout. And apart from Anna and Murph (and someone else I can't remember ...) I have other friends doing Fingal to cheer. But going to run it by my folks tomorrow first.

huh? I'm right here!

hillsiderunner

aquinn wrote: »

huh? I'm right here!

Ah, good luck to you as well

aquinn

hillsiderunner wrote: »

Ah, good luck to you as well

Whatever

annapr

Neady83 wrote: »

Nice long run Anna. I hope you're feeling more energetic today. Fingers crossed it's just the combination of this heat and increase in intensity Tang is right though, if it persists, it'd be no harm getting your bloods done. It happened me last year, I left it on the long finger to get my bloods checked and it turned out my iron levels were way way down - the doc is a runner and she said the increase in intensity was most likely the cause. It put paid to any aspirations of doing DCM

Thanks Neady, I have been seeing a lot of mention of iron deficiencies around various logs so probably something to keep an eye on. Bummer for you last year. Although you seem to be flying now ! (flying is about the only activity you're not doing )

annapr

aquinn wrote: »

Whatever

Now girls, no bickering on my log

annapr

hillsiderunner wrote: »

From the left runner being tied tight, and then running the descent at an angle which pushed my foot into an awkward position in the shoe. The toes will have become a bit crushed I think.

(the shoes themselves are great fit and I have had no problems with this model over more than a year)

just shows you how little things can trip you up (sorry, bad pun). Glad you have it figured out though.

Sorry we won't see you at Fingal, M!

annapr

Friday, July 17: 5 Miles Easy
5.1 mi @ 10:13; 8.2 K @ 6:21

Really enjoyed this run, felt much stronger today (then again I did stop after 5 miles so didn't push it). Kept it slow on the way out the sea front and was basically blown backwards on the way home*... so had no choice but to slow down. I even enjoyed the wind, at least it kept things cool. Finished off with about 3 short sets of strides when I got back to the shelter of Fairview Park.

Legs felt fine, endorphins seem to be reaching their target today, that's more like it!


*passed a few runners as I was coming back, doing strides/intervals with the wind at their backs, looking all fast and comfortable... I shot them an evil grin, thinking just wait till you turn around... hehehe...

laura_ac3

annapr wrote: »

Friday, July 17: 5 Miles Easy
5.1 mi @ 10:13; 8.2 K @ 6:21



*passed a few runners as I was coming back, doing strides/intervals with the wind at their backs, looking all fast and comfortable... I shot them an evil grin, thinking just wait till you turn around... hehehe...

Thanks for the encouragement

annapr

laura_ac3 wrote: »

Thanks for the encouragement

well I did warn you already, you know what you're getting into!! :P

tang1

Good luck tomorrow on both running and GAA fronts Anna.

FBOT01

Best of luck tomorrow, Anna. ENJOY!!

annapr

Sunday, 19th July

This has been a funny old running week, haven't been feeling energetic and didn't get much sleep the last couple of nights -- even had a race anxiety dream last night, where I couldn't find the start of the race! So I decided to play this one by ear, not to push it too hard. My 10K PB was 53:25 from Bundoran in March, so I reckoned I would be happy enough to go sub-53, given how I've been feeling. I decided to try for about 5:10/km and adjust if necessary.

We were picked up bright and early by aquinn, with Bungy along as chief supporter, complete with balloon and sign . Arrived in good time to the lovely sight of runners converging on Main St, Swords. The wind was much less than earlier this week, it was cloudy, so the conditions looked good.

We offloaded everything we could to Bungy, our mobile bag drop, and did a short warmup with aquinn, before going to the start. D & A headed into the sub-50 pen and I stayed back a bit. The race started about 4 mins late, no idea why.

Anyhow, off we went... in the first Km, I felt like I did earlier in the week, no energy, legs weak... wondered a bit whether I would be able to finish this, but if nothing else, I would be able to jog around and get the damn t-shirt, not going to DNF.

It was congested as usual, but not too bad as it opened out onto the dual carriageway there was plenty of room. Settled into it a bit, kept an eye on the pace on the watch and realised I was doing fine, exactly where I wanted to be, maybe a little fast.

The dual carriageway had a nice downhill drag up to about 4K. I spotted Hillside Runner on a roundabout and got a nice shout out from her (even if I had to shout first ), then BG with her balloon at about 4K.

After that we turned off the dual carriageway, onto a lovely country road... I had no clue about the course, so it was a nice surprise to find ourselves in the country! The first water station was here and very welcome.... although it got congested again here, with people strung across the road, walking after the water station! :rolleyes: .... Coming through, coming through, excuse me... that scattered them

I was tracking the Km markers all the way, my garmin was a bit ahead of them... hit 5k in about 25:17, so I was still well on track. And I was feeling fine, it was a bit warm, I knew I was working, but I was delighted to see I was feeling ok.

The firemen at 7K with the water hoses were great... by the time I got to 8K, I was able to tell myself -- do the last 2k at 6min/k and you still have a PB... I always find that so liberating, giving myself permission to slow down

I did the DG pain check... my legs felt great, not a niggle to be found... my breathing was a bit laboured, so I concentrated on that for a bit... kept telling myself run tall, relax... and what was the third thing DG said?? Breathe maybe? couldn't remember...

It was feeling hot now, and I was feeling tired, but 2k, that's grand, even though I knew I was slowing. Passed the 9k marker going round the corner back towards the town, then saw Hillside Runner again... and heard a slightly delayed chorus of 'Come on Anna'... found out later that Firedance, Bungy and Laura were also there but I didn't see them at all. But the shouts were appreciated, thanks gang!

Before I knew it the Finish was in sight with a lovely downhill sprint into it. I passed a few runners in the final 100m, really enjoyed that.

Delighted crossing the line and stopping the garmin at 51:22. Official chip time of 51:18 So more than a 2 minute PB since March, very happy with that.

Hung around in the castle yard, catching up with everyone, lots of Boardsies and parkrunners ... met Singer outside the gate who provided very welcome flapjacks (DG recipe). And then realised that we had lost our number 1 supporter and headed back to the car to find her waiting patiently.

Very enjoyable run and morning! Stuffing my face with jellies and danishes since

6.27 mi in 51:22
splits: 5:08, 4:57; 5:01, 4:59, 5:10, 5:02, 5:02, 5:07, 5:10, 5:22
or /mi: 8:05, 8:02, 8:19, 8:06, 8:07, 8:15, 8:20, 8:39, (5:51)

Now to watch the Ulster Final... hoping for an equally satisfying result

tang1

Bravo Anna, very well done & some nice progress time wise.