Up the road!

libelula

So here I am.
Inspired by advice in this thread, I think a log might give me a bit of accountability and something to ground myself on.

My current goals, no matter how long they'll take, are a 23 min 5k and a -50min 10k.
Right now I'd be approx 27 mins for 5k and 58 for 10k. Approx.

Where I'm at training wise, has been a mess. So for the time being, I've dropped the garmin, stopped biting my nails over my pathetic times, changed my mental approach from 'training' to 'running', and it has already made a difference.
Today was day one of 'falling in love with running again', and I did enjoy it. I set off after work with some music and my casio watch, and went for a 20 min jog. I didn't push it, didn't take it slow, I just ran. And I liked it.

And for the first time in a long time, I'm looking forward to doing the same thing tomorrow.

Dubgal72

Hey, welcome! Delighted to see this log and looking forward to seeing a love story unfold Great start!

libelula

Thanks Dubgal!

Another 20 mins today. Both with and against the lovely westerly atlantic winds. Didn't push it, again just enjoyed the trot. I focused on how my body felt, and it felt strong. Well, the lower half of it anyway!

It's amazing what you notice when you're not caught up in how fast/slow you're going.

libelula

It's proper raining out there. Hammering down it is. And I'm gonna run for 30 minutes cos I feel like it.
So I do
>.>.
<.<.

libelula

Done.
30 mins of wind, rain, puddles, and singing "if all the raindrops were lemon drops and gum drops..."
I get extra points cos of the wind too, don't I?

I think I might fancy a small bit of speedwork this week.
What would be best for someone who hasn't done fast stuff properly in a few months? Short intervals (200m) or longer ones (800m or 1k)?

Dubgal72

If you are really feeling the need for speed...have you done any fartlek (literally, speed play) before? It's perfect to do without a watch and you can do it completely by what mood you're in: short bursts from lamp post to lamp post or 'here' to 'there', speed determined by how long the distance is. Recovery is whatever pace feels comfortable and for how long too. You up the intensity waaaay down the road. It's something that you can pre-plan or make up on the hoof. It's a great intro to speed. Enjoy

ps nice rain running

libelula

I have, way back when I started running first. Great idea. I'm mad to do a bit now, but it could be a whole different story tomorrow morning!
Thanks missus

annapr

+1 on the Fartlek, really enjoyable and you end up pushing yourself more than you expect!

Welcome to world of logging, delighted to see you getting your grá for running back. Will follow with interest.

libelula

Did an odd version of fartlek this morning-

10 mins out the road with the wind at my back. Thought I was a right wee Derval O'Rourke so I did.
Then I turned for home. That was gas craic- 11:30 it took to do the same distance into driving wind and hailstones hopping off my cheeks. That'll save me a bit on exfoliation this week.

"Always look on the bright side of life...do do...do do do do do do"

annapr

libelula wrote: »

Did an odd version of fartlek this morning-

10 mins out the road with the wind at my back. Thought I was a right wee Derval O'Rourke so I did.
Then I turned for home. That was gas craic- 11:30 it took to do the same distance into driving wind and hailstones hopping off my cheeks. That'll save me a bit on exfoliation this week.

"Always look on the bright side of life...do do...do do do do do do"

just think of it as resistance training thrown in for free

libelula

A lovely, head-clearing slow trot in the woods after a mental day in work. I think I'm a bit dehydrated though, I was tired and my body wasn't up for much.
Still though, my head had a grand aul time

You're such a nutcase Lula



:pac:

libelula

libelula

Went out to do 20 mins today. Came home after 40, just cos that's the why.
I was slow, but feckin delighted with meself
Six months ago 40 mins would have been a short run, it's mad how it feels like such an achievement now. Small steps.

libelula

Another 20 min jog with a wee bit of fartlek thrown in for the craic. Felt tired and sluggish after a busy day yesterday and a bad sleep, but I'm awake now!

What an absolutely gorgeous morning it is out there

libelula

My car's in the hospital today, so instead of accepting a lift home from Mr lula, I decided to run home from work.
Took a nice slow 50 mins, and it's not a half bad way at all to get a run in. I'm only out of work an hour, and I'm home and have a good run under the belt.
I can't run in, because we've no shower in work but I might try and work something like run home one evening and cycle in the following morning or something....

I've also tentatively agreed to do the An Post cycle next month. Not sure if it'll be the 60k or 100k yet but either way I'm gonna have to get a move on with training for that too :eek:

Going to start doing that myself now that my leg seems much improved. Run in some days and home others (I have a shower in work!). 10km done just getting before work or before dinner seems like a great idea.

libelula

60 mins done. I'd guess it was somewhere around 9/9.5k, handy enough pace for me.
Felt good and strong, probably due to the fact that I only ran three times this week as I'm planning on cycling tomorrow.
I wasn't bollixed when I finished, I felt could have carried on for another few km's. This makes me happy

libelula

30k cycle this morning. Felt good, but the hills killed me, I need to work on that. It'll only help with running too I suppose.
I've 3 weeks to prepare for this 100k, so running won't be a priority until that's done. I'll still get minimum 3 runs in per week as well as a couple of cycles.

libelula

Guess who's back....garmin's back!

Today was -

1k slow warm up
10 x 200m reps at +- 4:30/km (with a 1min recovery, is that too long? I waited until I fully had my breath back)
1k cool down

I loved every minute of it. Yeeeaaooowwww

Too long for what?!!!!

libelula

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Too long for what?!!!!

I dunno, I don't think your recovery between reps is supposed to be much, as in you shouldn't start to cool down!

It's your first day back to timing yourself, relax missus and do what feels good for now

libelula

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It's your first day back to timing yourself, relax missus and do what feels good for now

*Sits on couch with seven Terrys chocolate oranges being fcuking fabulous*

:pac:

OK and then you should probably go out for another run :P

annapr

libelula wrote: »

I dunno, I don't think your recovery between reps is supposed to be much, as in you shouldn't start to cool down!

I haven't done 200m reps, but the plan i'm doing had 1m @ 5k pace with 3min recovery... so a minute doesn't sound bad to me. Also have done hill sprints (all of 8-9 secs running) with 3 minute standing recovery! I don't know all the science but recovery is essential... not to mention helps you catch your breath

libelula

annapr wrote: »

I haven't done 200m reps, but the plan i'm doing had 1m @ 5k pace with 3min recovery... so a minute doesn't sound bad to me. Also have done hill sprints (all of 8-9 secs running) with 3 minute standing recovery! I don't know all the science but recovery is essential... not to mention helps you catch your breath

Sounds kinda like what I was thinking- thanks
I was going at about 80-90% so if I hadn't caught my breath I wouldn't have finished out the 10.

libelula

43k cycle.
I'm absolutely bayte.
The end.

libelula

Went out to jog 5k, was home before I got 3 done.
I think the cycling is really taking it out of me, either that or there's something else going on because I've been like the walking dead for the past few days.

Oh well, tomorrow will be a better day

libelula

70k covered on the bike in 3:21
Going great up until 60k and we just slowed right down and pissed about.
Laughed my way around, really enjoyed the evening

libelula

5k at an average of 6:07/km
Happy enough overall, my legs had nothing in them after Tuesdays cycle but around 3.5k into it they warmed up/loosened out and I picked up the pace a fair bit.
The foam roller will be my friend tonight

libelula

25k ish cycle this morning.
Fell off twice.
That is all.


/scuttles away all embarassed.

annapr

libelula wrote: »

25k ish cycle this morning.
Fell off twice.
That is all.


/scuttles away all embarassed.

ouch. any bruises?

libelula

annapr wrote: »

ouch. any bruises?

Yeah, my left knee is bruised and scraped and the back of my right leg is scraped up fairly badly from the chain ring teeth. Nothing a spray of savlon and a choccie biccie won't cure!

libelula

20k cycle, there's something wrong with my knee. Was close to tears with the pain of it coming home
One week to go to the 100k, I'm going to get fitted on the bike and see if my cleats need to be adjusted or anything obvious like that. If not, I'm out I'm afraid

Dubgal72

Oh dear, sorry to hear this will you have the knee looked at? Might not be a bad idea....

libelula

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Oh dear, sorry to hear this will you have the knee looked at? Might not be a bad idea....

Thank you lady
I posted that while still all upset, it's looking a lot more positive now! My brother knows bikes and got at mine with a measuring tape and it seems I've been cycling in an atrocious position all along. Going to get a shorter stem to help with that and get my pedals adjusted too.
I had a go just there on a friends' bike who is the same height as me, and the difference was unreal in how comfortable hers is!

Running is much simpler :pac:

annapr

It's nothing to do with the bruising, is it? Hopefully the bike adjustments work for you.

Dubgal72

Ah good hopefully that clears it up, like Anna, I was wondering if it is the bruised knee...

libelula

Thanks, sorry only saw yer posts now. Seems it was the bike being made for someone 3in taller than me
After the few adjustments today I did 30 min on a turbo trainer and all is well again. Delirah!
I'll do a proper road spin tomorrow before I make a call on Sunday.

My head is ready for a new running plan next week once this is over. More excited about getting at that with me colourdey pens than anything else :pac:

libelula

5k run - 28:41

Grand aul steady run, twas hot out! Wasn't far off race effort, might have knocked another 30 sec off if flat out.

Slow but steady.

5:42
5:52
5:43
5:43
5:38

libelula

32k cycle- slightest wee niggle in my knee, but not enough to make me not give Sunday a shot.
If I've to cut it short then so be it, but I had a wee chat with it there and it's gonna pull up it's big girl pants and keep its shït together
Time will tell...

annapr

Good luck tomorrow, hope the weather improves a bit!

libelula

annapr wrote: »

Good luck tomorrow, hope the weather improves a bit!

Thanks Anna! It's not looking good for tomorrow but sure we'll plough on regardless. If it gets that bad I'll chuck the bike in a ditch and run home :pac:

libelula

Done. Home, and halfway through my second dinner!
Got 93k into it, flat tyre, rescue lad pulled in a minute behind me and fixed it. Faulty tube. Then same again. Then same again. Got going then and 500m down the road, that tube blew out. Yer man appeared again and threw the bike on the roof and drove me to 100m from the end where I rolled over the finish
Was on line for a 4:40ish finish I reckon.

Happy out with that performance after only 4 weeks training and had a mixture of good laughs and horrifically hard bits. All in a good days outing, and the legs don't feel too bad so far. Tomorrow morning could be a different story

annapr

You sure you weren't puncturing that tyre?

Really well done, that's some going, good for you.

libelula

annapr wrote: »

You sure you weren't puncturing that tyre?

Really well done, that's some going, good for you.

I promise >.>.

Nah there must be something in the tyre that was bursting it- I'll have a proper look at it when my brain works again.

Thanks

libelula

Right. I'm here on the couch surrounded by colourdey markers and happy as a pig in shít. I've the years races picked out, and I'll do up a training plan tomorrow for them. The rest of this week is going to be a couple of easy recovery runs and topped off with the Darkness into Light, but I won't race it.
Then from Monday, we begin

2015 races -

May 23rd - Parkrun

June 14th - Streets of Sligo 5k

June 27th - Irish Runner 5 mile

July 19th - Fingal 10k

August 22nd - Warriors Run, Sligo (10mile road & mountain)

September 13th - Great North Run, Newcastle. (HM)

annapr

libelula wrote: »

Right. I'm here on the couch surrounded by colourdey markers and happy as a pig in shít. I've the years races picked out, and I'll do up a training plan tomorrow for them. The rest of this week is going to be a couple of easy recovery runs and topped off with the Darkness into Light, but I won't race it.
Then from Monday, we begin

2015 races -

May 23rd - Parkrun

June 14th - Streets of Sligo 5k

June 27th - Irish Runner 5 mile

July 19th - Fingal 10k

August 22nd - Warriors Run, Sligo (10mile road & mountain)

September 13th - Great North Run, Newcastle. (HM)

You're so low tech with your markers

I like the plan, I've been eyeing that Warriors run for a while, looks tough enough. Beautiful terrain though.

Dubgal72

Just catching up, well done and bad luck on Sunday. Love the colouredy marker plan

libelula

annapr wrote: »

You're so low tech with your markers

I like the plan, I've been eyeing that Warriors run for a while, looks tough enough. Beautiful terrain though.

It's tough, but so worth it. Unless you're in the top 20, you'll walk/hike the steep bits, so it's graaand. This will be my 5th year to do it. Jesus I've been running five years :eek:
Can't recommend it highly enough, but you'd need to be on the ball with sign-up. Last year it was gone in 40ish mins