Phoenix Nights

Chartsengrafs

It's time for a new log. I'm always keen to hear the thoughts of others regarding training so perhaps this log will be an opportunity for some discussion! I hope to populate weekly. I tend to run five days a week throughout the year, though sometimes four is all I squeeze in.
I missed a few weeks in November through holidays and sickness but was pretty consistent prior to that. Have also been reasonably consistent since so hopefully this will help to keep me on the straight and narrow I'll backfill with the past week or so that I have data for.

Wed 23 Dec 9km 4:57/km. Can't really remember this, but it's on my watch so I must have done it...

Thurs 24 Dec 7km 4:49 /km. Battery died but think I did a 7km loop.

Fri 25 Dec 8.07km 4:38 /km. Traditional Christmas Day run. Got pretty cold and wet

Sun 27 Dec 16.34km. 5.22 /km. Very easy pace run around a waterlogged trail route. Heavy on the legs all the same.

Tues 29 Dec Hills. 10km or so (not sure what I was doing to the Garmin). Main set was 4*1.4km laps with recovery - laps were a slight variation of the Munich Mile in the Phoenix Park. 3:58, 3:58, 4:00, 4:02 /km pace for each 1.4km of the main set. Very wet ground, but lovely morning and good fun.

I've a wedding on tomorrow but hope to get a few easy miles in beforehand.

tang1

What's the goals & pbs Basster? Best of luck with your log.

Chartsengrafs

Thanks Tang. Goals aren't set in stone but Dunshaughlin 10k will likely be a target, K Club 10k also. A few 5ks also but that will likely be based on whatever races the club targets - joined a new one in June this year following a few years messing about in triathlon. Came into that from jogging/running and it's back I go . From memory:

5k 18:38 (2015)
5m 30:4X (2015)
10k: 38.21 (2015)
HM: 1:27 (2013)
Mar: 3:18 (2013 also. Bad day at the office, like everyone else I'm sure!)

During the tri years I was often only running 2/3 times a week. Finished two seasons with a sole running focus however - in 2011 and 2013 and upped the miles accordingly from June. To be clear though - for any of those PBs I was running quite consistently at the time (no biking or swimming).

tang1

Was thinking I recognised your Boards name from the Darkside alright, nice PB's, no doubt with more running focus you'll take strips off them.

Chartsengrafs

Basster wrote: »

HM: 1:27 (2013)
Mar: 3:18 (2013 also. Bad day at the office, like everyone else I'm sure!)

It occurred to me today that both of these results were from 2014, not 2013. Not quite sure what I was thinking!

Wed 30 Dec 6.06km. 4:57 /km Short one as planned. Still pretty windy out

Fri 1 Jan 11.0km 4:52 /km. Two late nights following the wedding and New Year's but got a few miles in. Home in Dunshaughlin for a few days so popped out to Kiltale GAA. My runner mother informed me that there is a 750m trail around the grounds. So I did many laps of that. Tried to keep to 5min/km but did the second last km in 4:07, for no apparent reason other than boredom from going around in circles. Nice and flat, back to hills tomorrow.

tang1

If your ever around Kiltale way and need a running partner give me a holler, I only live around the corner. Happy New Year to you.

Chartsengrafs

tang1 wrote: »

If your ever around Kiltale way and need a running partner give me a holler, I only live around the corner. Happy New Year to you.

I'll keep that in mind, thanks. And likewise, happy new year to you and all the Tangs.

Chartsengrafs

Sat 2 Jan 6.54km. Main part was a mile time trial (but we did two of them). Mile 1: 5:39 (lost a few secs with a wrong turn ), Mile 2: 5:44. But a short session overall and the mile paces were a bit off for a time trial.

Sun 3 Jan 16.21km. 4:56 min/km. Nice morning for this.

Tues 5 Jan 9 km, intervals. Held up in work so didn't make the track. Went to an alternate session, 6*800m intervals in the Park, in the dark. Bit of a hilly loop, good drag on it so a nice workout. Did them as 3 mins on, 2 off.
Paces between 3:40 and 3:48 min/km for the 3 minute parts.

Wed 6 Jan 6km easy at 5:08min/km
Soon as I stood up from my desk at 6pm my legs started to give out a bit. I felt a 30 minute recovery run would be beneficial so did that. Found a totally new loop too. Got very windy and frankly yuck at the end.

Thurs 7 Jan 11.1km. Tempo. 9.5km in 40:40. 1.6km slow recovery.

Weird session. Usually do 20-30 mins, and I would aim to hold a faster pace than this. But because it was 6-odd miles I held back a bit, despite the lads I'm usually close to taking off like hares. Very cold out, but lovely too in a way.

Ate well this week, and doing a bit of core work at home. Keeping the mat unfurled in the sitting room reminds me to plank.

Looking forward to a day off tomorrow.

Chartsengrafs

Sat 9 Jan 10km Hills/Speed. 400s uphill, picking up after 200m. Did 10 of these (I think). Speed mostly in the 3:40's for the 400s.

Sun 10 Jan Sunday 10. 16.13km 4:56 min/km. Nice cold morning.

Tues 12 Jan 10.49km. Track/intervals. (100m, 200m, 300m, 400m). 3 rounds of this. Track started to get very slippy so ended with 5*200s. Session was too bit-y to mess with watch too much but the 3 400s were in 1:25. Not sure about the rest. It was freeeeeezing for this!! Serious wind chill.

Wed 13 Jan 6.30km at easy pace, 5:05 min/km. Same loop I came across last week. Will continue to very slowly add to this by maybe 300m a week. Felt good.

Thurs 14 Jan 11.22km. Tempo. 9.7km in 40:26. 3 miles out (4:15ish pace), picked up for 3 miles back (3:50-something pace). 1 mile recovery.

I've been eating OK, but have been told I'm starting to look too skinny which I generally take to be a good sign for how my running is going. The weather this week is really showing how mild the winter has been to date. Still, beats the rain and I like the cold weather.
Talked an old (younger!) workmate into joining the club, he covered the 9.7km tempo comfortably in 39 mins or so, had a good year racing last year up to marathon distance, while training by himself. Hopefully he'll really take off.

Chartsengrafs

Sat 16 Jan Hills. This was a short session in terms of distance, at 8.6km but the main set was 5km of tempo hills. It was a real lung buster, and different to the Munich Mile loops we often do. Continuous loops of the all the steeper hills around the Magazine Fort (Phoenix Park) at a decent tempo. Feel great now though. Good prep for Eir XC BHAA next week. Hopefully.

Chartsengrafs

Sun 17 Jan 16.11km at 4:53 min/km pace. Stuck to the trails, still a bit boggy in places.

Tues 19 Jan. 9.09km - 1 mile intervals. Again, didn't make the track but did an alternative session of mile repeats. The loop is 800m or so (we go around twice), and has a long drag of a hill. So it's a tough enough mile. Worked well with another guy, mile times were 6.05, 6.08, 6.04, 6.07.

Wed 20 Jan 7.03km at 5:05 min/km. My legs were very tired today, although I felt fine last night, those mile reps + the harder than usual hill session on Saturday had my legs in ribbons. Not clever the week of a race.

Thurs 9.09km. Another easy one at 5:01 pace, legs were a bit better.

Sat 23 Jan 10.8km Eir BHAA Cross Country 5 Mile.
I haven't done many XC races, and this was my first race since a Parkrun (if that counts) in early November. I decided to start back in the pack a bit as I was conscious that 5 miles is a bit of a slog. As a result I spent the race passing people steadily, and didn't let anyone get by me. Bit of a funny one overall, I didn't exactly kill myself, and felt OK afterwards. A few guys from the club finished about 30 seconds ahead of me, guys who I should be finishing closer to. I'm not disappointed but I think I held back a bit. However I'm a happy with the race execution in a way. My limited experience of XC is that once I find a pace I kind of just stick to it. It was a good work out anyway.
My incoherent rambling review of the race indicates that I'm not sure if I'm happy with it or not!!!

Time: 32:05, 03:58 min/km pace. 36th out of 163 in men's race.

Sun 24 Jan 16.39km, 5:12 min/km. Intended for an easy 6 to 8 but kept going. 10+ miles may not be ideal the day after a race but I feel it's important to get these miles in. Took it handy anyway.

Chartsengrafs

I neglected to mention that my team got 2nd in Category A on Saturday. Granted, if you string 3 people together for a BHAA race you'll probably end up with a prize of some description. But I turned a profit on BHAA races in 2015 and am on course to do so in 2016

Tues 26 Jan 13km total, main session 15*400m intervals

3km warm up and strides. First two easy in 90 and 87 seconds.
Remainder varied in pace. (Not in this order): 81 secs*3, 82 secs*3, 83 secs*4, 84 secs*2, 86 secs*1. Got slightly quicker as they progressed.

tang1

You just planning on the remainder of the XC on the BHAA calendar or any plans to hit the road for a race?

Chartsengrafs

Under orders to stick to cross country for the remainder of the season, then onto the road. Shame, would love to give a 5k a bash. But I suppose March will be here in no time and the road races will then come thick and fast.

Chartsengrafs

Wed 27 Jan Recovery, 7.44km @ 5:11min/km. Still adding a bit of distance to this recovery run each week. Felt surprisingly OK after Tuesday.

Thurs 28 Jan 10.01km. Tempo. 20:44 tempo (was supposed to be 20 minutes) at 4:04 min/km. This is around a 800m loop with a fair drag on it so it's slower than those lovely tempo laps of the Polo Grounds later in the year!

Sat 30 Jan Hills/XC/General pain session! 13.47km
1.6km easy warmup
2.31km hilly loop, easy to get bearings at 5 min/km
2.53km at 03:50 min/km, around the Acres. Boggy in places.
2.32km hilly loop at 04:01 min/km
3.64km mix of previous two loops together - 04:10 min/km
1km-odd cool down. Very cold morning. Great session. Tired

Chartsengrafs

Wed 27 Jan Recovery, 7.44km @ 5:11min/km. Still adding a bit of distance to this recovery run each week. Felt surprisingly OK after Tuesday.

Thurs 28 Jan 10.01km. Tempo. 20:44 tempo (was supposed to be 20 minutes) at 4:04 min/km. This is around a 800m loop with a fair drag on it so it's slower than those lovely tempo laps of the Polo Grounds later in the year!

Sat 30 Jan Hills/XC/General pain session! 13.47km
1.6km easy warmup
2.31km hilly loop, easy to get bearings at 5 min/km
2.53km at 03:50 min/km, around the Acres. Boggy in places.
2.32km hilly loop at 04:01 min/km
3.64km mix of previous two loops together - 04:10 min/km
1km-odd cool down. Very cold morning. Great session. Tired

Chartsengrafs

Looking through this, I got out 23 days during January which was bang on target.

Sun 31 Jan 17 km 5:07 min/km. Bit of a slog after Saturday but happy to get through it. First time to go over 10 miles in quite a while.

Tues 2 Feb 10.03km incl 4*800
This was thankfully shorter than the usual track sessions. 800s were in 2:52, 2:52, 2:54, 2:47.
Oh, and it was freeeeeeezing out in ALSAA! Wearing gloves, the whole lot. Looked like one of those soft footballers on TV who people like to slag off for wearing snoods etc.

Wed 3 Feb 10km Remarkable how much fresher the legs feel after a shorter Tuesday session. Took this handy, didn't check my watch until I got home, averaged 5min/km.

Thurs 4 Feb 6.24km at 4:53min/km
Another easy one in place of the usual Thursday tempo session. Race on Saturday, felt nice and fresh tonight. Though hungry, as usual

tang1

Best of luck Saturday, normally a great race.

Chartsengrafs

Sat 06 Feb Garda BHAA 4 Mile XC

4 mile cross country, taking in the hills around the Magazine Fort (I believe the course is quite similar to that for the Dublin Novice C’Ships which I missed).
Not much to report, felt I pushed a bit harder than the Eir race. Starting the final lap I felt like I was approaching the red zone - it was a good honest effort, so I was happy.
My watch averaged 4.01min/km which is reasonable for a tough hilly course. (Ground underfoot was grand though).
Got a team prize with work, 1st in Cat B I think. Placed 48/246. Although it was quite strong at the front end a lot of the people behind me were novices/very new to running as the Lord Mayor’s Series (I think it’s called) were taking part.

9.64km Total

Sun 07 Feb 16.29km 5:06min/km.
Trails are getting slightly firmer by the week! Felt grand after the race but didn’t push the pace. Did the first few miles very easy.

Tues 09 Feb 10.2km
12*400 with 100 recovery
Woeful night out in ALSAA, bit sleety and windy. The 100m recovery meant I eased back on the reps (slightly). Wasn’t hugely enthusiastic about this session. 400s averaged about 85 seconds.

Wed 10 Feb 10.5km
Longer than usual for a lunchtime run. Down to Ringsend Park, 3 or 4 laps with a few workmates then back. 4:40min/km

Thurs 11 Dec 8.8km incl 20 min tempo
Usually hilly 800m loop. Ave 4min/km for the tempo part.

Sat 13 Dec 8km steady hills.
Had a late night the night before and despite not really drinking at all suffered a bit through this! I think it was just pure tiredness.

Sun 14 Dec 16.1km @ 4:47 min/km
Did the first two kilometres very slowly, averaging about 6 min/km. The remainder were mostly in the low 4:30s. Quicker than a usual Sunday but more comfortable in a way.

124 days to Dunshaughlin.

Chartsengrafs

I just remembered that I was going to start logging in miles this week. It will have to wait until next!

Chartsengrafs

I decided to change to logging in miles, for a number of reasons. It's proving strange so far after about 8/9 years of tracking runs in kilometres.

Tues 16 Feb 4.5 miles

Unfortunate session. It was a short session to begin with as there was a race starting on the track. Training had to be curtailed, but it was scheduled so no problems. Issue was I had to pull out of a 2 mile TT because of shin pain.

400m: 84 sec, 400m: 80 sec. (To start with)
2 mile TT: Did 0.8 mile at 5.42 pace. Stopped, stretched, did 0.65 mile at 5:41 pace. Didn't lose any sleep, a bit of shin tightness happens every now and then and I could feel some tightness in the afternoon.
Just felt it may have been a good indicator for a 5k.

Wed 17 Feb 5.5 miles at 7:54 pace.

Legs felt better, stretched a lot today.

Chartsengrafs

Thurs 18 Feb 6 miles

Lovely cold, crisp Phoenix night in the park.
20 minute tempo, I covered 3.15 miles in the 20 minutes. Mile splits: 6:28, 6:27, 6:18

Again, pig of a loop really with two big hills per mile.. Felt I was dawdling a bit so pushed a bit harder for the second half. Shins still not 100% but feeling OK.

Friday 19 Feb 5.8 miles 7:53 pace.

I usually take Friday off but I’m away for much of the weekend so won’t get out tomorrow morning. Up around Ringsend Park at lunchtime.

Chartsengrafs

Last week was my first bad week in a while, but luckily it picked up as the week went on. I had a particularly bad blister-type thing which meant no running from Wednesday to Saturday. 4 days off felt like a fortnight!

Mon 22 Feb 6.4 miles 7:48 pace Easy run at lunch with a workmate, up around Ringsend Park.

Tues 23 Feb 1/2 mile reps I didn't make the track so went to the alternate session in the park. We did 5 1/2 mile repeats, times were between 2:47 and 2:53. I was happy with these as the lap was far from flat. Can't recall the distance including warmup and cool down.

Wednesday to Saturday I was limping around feeling sorry for myself.

Sat 27 Feb Bike 1 hour!! I haven't been on the bike since mid last year. I got really bored and remembered why I don't cycle anymore. Couldn't get into it but I suppose it was a bit of cross training. Got a puncture a mile from home!

Sun 28 Feb 11 miles @ 8:19
My foot felt considerably better by Saturday as it was well padded from Thursday. I intended to do 6 miles but I knew immediately that I wasn't going to have any trouble. Kept going for 11 easy miles which I'll build to 12 soon.

Mon 29 Feb 6.8 miles @ 8:00
I don't often run home from work, think the only reason I did was to try some new runners (which were great). Went an indirect route home, took it what felt very easy and didn't look at the watch.

Chartsengrafs

Tues 01 Mar 6.8 miles Various intervals

Main set:

100,200,300,400
100,200,300,400
200,200,200,200
100,200,300,400

Windy night as usual out in ALSAA!

Trying to decipher Garmin output.. 300s in around 60 to 62. 400s were 83/84. 200s 38 to 41. Eating everything in sight at present.

Chartsengrafs

Thurs 3 March 6 miles
I opted to forego a tempo session, as usual on a raceweek. Took it easy at 7:56 pace.

Sat 5 March BHAA AIB/NUI Maynooth 4 Mile XC 29th in men's race
I got my first top 30 in a BHAA race on Saturday, and it was no softer a field than others that I've done in the past. Though possibly softer than other XC races as the season is really over.
I took the approach of going out hard(er) for a change, first mile was 6.07 which was spicy enough for sticky ground. Finished with very little in the tank. Reckon we are due a team prize in work, unfortunately there were problems with the calcs in that regard. Clubmates retained their men and women's titles from last year which was nice.

Total 5.7 miles

Sun 6 March 5 miles
I don't often have late nights anymore but Saturday night was one. Did 5 easy miles at 7:59 pace. A struggle.

Tues 8 March 10*400 Total 6.4 miles
This went as well at 10*400s ever has for me. We've a habit of doing 14 or 16 and I mentally just bail a bit and run them in 84-ish, mostly as I don't see the benefit.
Times: 79,82,82,83,84,81,81,81,82,81. Slightly less windy than usual, which helped.

Wed 9 March 5.75 miles a 7:55 pace
Not much to report here, took it easy.

Bit of pain in my hip of all places after the last two Tuesday track sessions. Something to keep an eye on as it's a bit uncomfortable today. Next race is the MSB 5k which is Sunday week I think. Hope to give it a good go.

Chartsengrafs

Thurs 10 March 4.75 mile tempo, 5.3 miles total
Paces: 6:38, 6:38, 6:29, 6:17, 6:10
We're on an easy week apparently, that can be seen in the shorter, steadier tempo. I treated it as a progression run.

Sat 12 March 4.6 miles, short session.
Including 20 mins steady @ 6:56 pace. Again, easier than what we might usually do on a Saturday.

Sun 13 March 12.1 miles @ 8:00 pace
For the most part, I ran with two others. Paces were all over the place, slow as 8:30 for one, and a few in the 7:30s, 7:40s. We weren't paying too much heed to the watch. Somehow averaged exactly 8. Even though I found the pace easy I was pretty tired finishing. I've been eating terribly this week and need to blame something!

Chartsengrafs

Low mileage week with a race on Sunday, and a missed easy run on Wednesday.

Tues 15 March 12*400 with 100 recovery
Neither of the two lads I run with were there, so I did the first 8 alone, then the final 4 with a friend who dropped back from the first group. Pace suffered as I ran alone. 6.3 miles.

Wed 16 March Zilch.
Intended to do 5/6 easy miles at lunch as I had a busy evening but was having a rough day in work so didn't make it out.

Thurs 17 March 9 miles @ 7:45 pace
I had a few beers and dinner the night before St Patrick's day so it took about 3 miles to get into my stride. Took this nice and easy doing 1/2 mile loops around Kiltale GAA. Did 18 of them - some days you just want to switch the brain off and jog. Only remembered to PM Tang (sorry if you're reading this!) when I was en route.

Fri 18 March 6 miles @ 7:48 pace
Easy run at lunch with some workmates.

Sun MSB 5k 18:13 (chip time says 18:17). 5:47 min/mile

I checked a table on Runner's World the night before and expected this pace to be (just) under 18 minutes. A little disappointed not to be a bit closer but it's a 25 second PB which is a decent chunk. I considered my PB soft - it was from a ParkRun last November which was a bit of a time trial (18.38). It was great to be pulled along by some similar-paced runners today.
Couldn't fault this race. Far as I can tell, an honest 5k too (unless I rang a bit long). Sub 24 minutes for Dunboyne 4 mile is a real target and this is a confidence booster. We shall see in time..
Oh and I came 100th in the provisional results, lest I think I'm great or anything. 100th!! Great standard.

Total 5.4 miles

Myles Splitz

Well done S.

Always a positive when you can be less than thrilled with a PB means there are area's where you can make gains and shows you have the motivation to train to do so.

The times will come. Main thing is they are going in the right direction

tang1

25sec improvement is good going over 5k, well done. As Myles said times are going in the right direction.

Chartsengrafs

Tues 22 March
6.5 miles
12*400, 100 recovery. Two slowish ones to start, remainder in 82,83 seconds.

Wednesday 23 March
6.4 miles @ 8:04
Nice evening, took in a bit of the park. Struggled to keep this slow but no point in pushing it the day after a session.


Friday 25 March
5.5 miles @ 8:01
Bit of a sore throat this week, particularly bad on Thursday. I skipped the normal tempo session so did this easy one on Friday, all trails. Kept it short as day before a hill session.

Saturday 26 March
6.8 miles hills
Incl 4.2 miles of continuous trail hills. Steady, averaging 6:45 pace. I went to the Ireland game on Friday night, had two drinks, no proper dinner and that was enough to make this tougher than it needed to be. Enjoyable session all the same.

Sun 27 March
11.2 miles @ 7:44 pace. Seemed to pick up the pace for the final few miles. Lovely morning out even if I was wrecked after the clock going forward

Busy week in work next week, but feel in reasonable shape going into Dunboyne 4 mile next weekend.

Chartsengrafs

I typed a big long post but lost it. I'm not going to put it together again so in summary:

- I got a virus and was pretty sick so missed eleven days or so.
- This was the first speedbump of my badly-titled log.
- I missed Dunboyne which was a big target but my mother got 3rd O60 so not all bad!
- I've really only started back this week
- I'm not going to cry about it, although it is a setback!