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Running away

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    Thank D. I appreciate that. With the passage of time I am even happier with this, considering I didn't even warm up for it there should be another few seconds there at some stage. I don't know where the 50 min pacer finished at but it was won in about 38 mins iirc (it was a women only event) so I don't believe they had any place being quite so far up at the start 🤷



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,499 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    As long as they didn't start in front of the 45 min pacer. 😉



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,236 ✭✭✭AuldManKing


    Just catching up too - great progress on the 10K PB - very well done.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    Thanks Alan 😊

    

    Been quiet here since but I'm still ticking over, though I'm off the back of a pretty poor week last week but hopefully I'll get back on track this week.

    Feb 20th - Feb 26th (Week 8 of 2023)

    Monday: usual easy + strides, short 30min while the youngster does drumming class.

    Tues: Easy hour (6.5m @ 9:46)

    Wed: Threshold, 2 * 2k @ 7:45, 7:32 + 1 x 1k @ 7:12 - all in correct HR range though varying ends of the range!

    Thurs: Rest

    Fri: 30' @ HM effort - 7:52 pace

    Sat: 10m long run

    Sun: Rest

    Feb 27th - March 5th (Week 9 of 2023)

    Monday: as per every Monday - 30 mins easy incl. strides

    Tues: Easy hour (5.2m @ 10:15)

    Wednesday: Threshold 2 * 12' @ 7:39 & 7:27

    And that's a wrap on that week, I didn't get out again. Same old story that I'm always moaning about 🙈 feel like I'm walking on a tightrope and if anything at all crops up outside of the normal then the tightrope wobbles. Last week one of my kids had orthodontist & physio appointments and the two committees that I'm secretary on had reason to call meetings at short notice on two consecutive evenings... The combination of those 4 "extras" in my week wobbled the tightrope. Normally, I'd make it up at the weekend but I was away on Saturday (in London to The Lion King - fantastic show I'd highly recommend it to anyone when it comes to Dub later this year) and my other half was away for the full weekend so Sunday was a write off too and so that was that, onwards & upwards and it's new shoe week!! A pair of Glideride 3 arrived to my door last week so I am looking forward to trying them out this week.

    



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,789 ✭✭✭Mr. Guappa


    Got a pair of the Glideride 3 myself last week in the same offer (I think). Although they'll have to stay in the box for a couple of months - can't justify adding another shoe to the rotation until I phase out a few. They felt great for the 20 minute around-the-house tester I did last night though!



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    I wore them last night for a 30min run incl. some strides. Very comfy shoe, I felt like I was gliding along at easy pace and I was definitely quicker for the same effort (although I hadn't run since last Wed so fresh legs may also have been a factor in that). Nothing special on the strides so I don't think I'd use them for faster sessions except for longer steady efforts. They'd be perfect for those FRR long endurance runs with some faster miles or progression thrown in 😉



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    March 6th - March 12th (Week 10 of 2023)

    Monday: 30mins easy + strides

    Tues: 5m very easy @ 10:15 pace

    Wed: rest

    Thurs: rest

    Fri: 1k EIM reps - really enjoyed this, hadn't done any EIM in the last 2 weeks after them becoming a regular staple and I missed them, felt like I could run forever like this.

    Sat: Just 3m on the treadmill before the gym and a busy day.

    Sun: 10m with 10k moderate with surges every km. Was really really tired for this, felt it from the start and thought I'd warm into it but I didn't, a complete contrast to Friday's run and finished wondering why I put myself through it at all. I was tired for the day afterwards as well, felt drained and legs were achy.

    29 miles for the week

    Super performances over the weekend from these parts, delighted to see so many well deserved PBs and all round solid racing, very inspiring.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,314 ✭✭✭Bluesquare


    Some runs wipe me as well - and always the most random ones . I think it’s all part of this busy life we all have !



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    I'm looking for 5k training tips!

    For those not paying attention 🤣

    I'm currently loosely doing

    1 x short easy run with some strides (30mins all in)

    1 x easy run (45mins-1hr)

    1 x threshold interval session (eg. 4 * 5mins off 2min rec, 3 * 8min off 3mins rec, 2 x 10mins off 4mins rec)

    1 x easy run with some 1k intervals based on the EIM

    1 x longish run (10miles is the longest this year), mostly but not always with some moderate pace and/or surges thrown in


    I'm hoping to break 22 this year and my first attempt will be in 10 weeks time 🤢🤢🤢

    PB stands at 22:42 since May 2019 (I haven't raced 5k since then) and most recent parkrun is 22:59 from December last

    All advice/constructive criticism welcome 😊



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,379 ✭✭✭diego_b


    One tip I have is that 5Ks take practice to get the pacing/effort/pain acceptance to where it needs to be for a pb run at that distance so accept that it could take a few goes but I suspect you'll surprise yourself pretty quickly. The nice thing with 5Ks is that if it doesn't work out this week you can plan for another attempt pretty soon....what race/course are you looking at?

    Also you could factor in a some mile time trials into the training block, they help build confidence and practice getting to race effort and also to track progress...without killing you.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,505 ✭✭✭Laineyfrecks


    Totally agree with this, it took me a few goes last year faiely close together to eventually get my pb! You may get it on your 1st attempt which would be the best result but if not don't lose heart & try again as soon as you can after!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    Thanks. I have 2 races lined up initially in May anyways but they're just a week apart though so we'll see how it goes, I probably won't taper much for the first one seeing as it's more of a tune up race, though possibly a bit close for a tune up really. I was listening to some podcasts this week and the same theme came up twice - that people tend underestimate what they can do in the long term and over estimate what they do in the short term - I felt like they were speaking to me 🙄 So maybe I'll go with a A goal of sub 22 and a B goal that I'd be extremely happy with of a PB of any size.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,499 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Your basic structure looks pretty good to me, and I like the look of those threshold intervals. Have you raced a 5k yet off the EIM method, and if not, why not stick to a specific EIM 5k schedule (assuming there is one) and see how it goes?

    If you're looking for some different kind of session ideas, I had a few attempts at a sub-20 5k TT a couple of years back during partial lockdown. The final attempt had the following structure over seven weeks, a schedule given to me by a couple of my running buddies. Remembering I had a good base going into it, as do you.

    Mon/Tue - Easy

    Wed - Weeks 1-5 and week 7: club session (because I wanted to integrate the plan with club work at the time). These were usually intervals at 3-5k pace. e.g. 400m (8-10 reps), 600m (6-8 reps), 800m (5-6 reps). The shorter the interval the faster the pace per. Week 6 I did a specific session, 5 x 1k @ 5k pace (150m rec): a very tough session, as I remember, but the coaches deemed it successful and the goal was 'on'.

    Thu - rest or recovery

    Fri - 'Tempo' session. These were at somewhere between 10 mile and half marathon pace. Some of these were combined with hills. Over 7 weeks the sessions were:

    • 10mins T / 3 mins easy / 8 x 30 secs hills / 3 mins easy / 10 mins T
    • 12 mins T / 3 mins E /8 x 30s hills / 3 mins E / 12 mins T
    • 20 mins T / 3 mins E / 8 x 30s hills
    • 4 x 8 mins T
    • 30 mins T
    • easy
    • easy

    Sat - easy/recovery

    Sun - 90 mins very easy. Or a bit more if necessary to hit weekly target, which was seven hours for me. (You may not have this kind of time available and obviously you should not be ramping things up too much anyway in terms of mileage over the short period). I'd been given this plan/time targets by my training buddies, and it was based on fairly consistent mileage of 40 mpw average over a good long period.

    So the basic structure was the usual mix of speed, tempo, long. What was new for me with this plan was the split tempo sessions with hills - tough but fun.

    Anyway maybe a few ideas there if you're not on a more strict schedule.



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,807 ✭✭✭skyblue46


    I think I'm to opposite to the majority in terms of over/underestimation. I'm rarely confident before a race (often misunderstood as sandbagging 🤣), yet I hold some lofty and probably unachievable long term goals.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    I can identify with that somewhat but I'd guess you are more realistic than I am!! I can sit here and be absolutely confident that with the right training I am capable of a 3:30 marathon but I have no intention to train for another marathon for the foreseeable to it's very easy to believe then when I don't have to actually prove it to myself or put my money where my mouth is!! I'm trying to take a leaf from all the really big achievements around here recently and be a little bit braver and set big goals... It goes completely against my innate nature! Time will tell where it gets me 👀

    Thanks @Murph_D some super stuff there. Hills are my achilles heel! After I put up that original post I had thought to mix some speed to my threshold runs but not hills so I may just borrow your 7 weeks there - with a little bit lower volume, I currently run 5hrs (and do 2hrs strength). I think some hills could make a difference to me.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    March 13th - March 19th (Week 11 of 2023)

    Monday: Usual 30mins easy incl some strides

    Tuesday: Very easy hour

    Wed: Rest

    Thursday: 2 * (6' threshold, 2' rec, 4 * 1'/1' on/off).

    The threshold intervals were done on HR as usual but came in @ 7:30 & 7:28 respectively. The 1' were around 6:50-6:58 (3k pace at a guess). This was done in torrential rain - it was bouncing off the roads and the roads were flooded due to so much rain falling in a short space of time, it was also dark which meant it was hard to really push the pace as I was watching through the sheets of rain & floods for potholes and uneven road surface, was very surprised at the paces really considering, not enjoyable but good to get it done.

    Friday: Easy run. Pace came in at moderate (5m @ 9:19) but HR was very similar to Tuesday which was significantly slower. Had also done strength on Thursday morning so was surprised to be buzzing like this.

    Saturday: 4.35 miles in all. Parkrun @ Easy Tempo pace (8:25 - 8:45) - HR was sub threshold for this, I'd say this is around my 'Steady' pace/effort.

    Sunday: 8miles easy with 6 * 1min surges

    33 miles for the week



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,314 ✭✭✭Bluesquare


    Same with the goal setting I’ve just had a revelation that maybe I could be a better runner if I just stop boxing myself in. I’m moving on from the sub 50 pace being my tenk pace after about 15 years !!! I’m actually quite excited by the prospect . I think my mind set change has come from seeing big achievements on here plus listening /reading to running podcasts especially on mental strength and the big old central governor !



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    We certainly can put limits on ourselves. And we are lucky here there is inspiration all around - people hitting big milestone times but also other people patiently chipping away at PBs or patiently training away for target races months down the line. Yes I'd like to be brave and go after big goals but i also don't want to over look the achievements on the journey, especially PBs of any size! Some day they will be a thing of the past so i think we should celebrate any at all while we can! In my situation, I'd love to run sub 22 and I want to chase that, but what if I don't, what If i run 22:20 in May? That is still be a huge PB and a step closer to my goal, so I don't want to walk away disappointed because I am too focussed on some arbitrary goal. There's a fine line between setting big goals and appreciating any achievement, at the end of the day they are all a bit arbitrary unless its a Boston Qualifier or scoring for a team etc.

    That's my thoughts for today anyways, that could change tomorrow 😉



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,314 ✭✭✭Bluesquare


    Boston qualifying hey - you’re putting ideas in my head !



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    The qualifying times for women aren't too bad I don't think 😉



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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,314 ✭✭✭Bluesquare


    3:50 for women 45-49 . A shoe in for me 🤣



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Are you going to do the Galway 5k series? my brothers have been talking about it hence how i know its coming up!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    I'd love to but it's actually very difficult to get a place, it sells out in a handful of minutes apparently, your brothers might know? My understanding is that a lot of places are gone before it goes for general sale as each of the 6 clubs involved all get a quota of places? Also in other years a number of the races are actually quite a distance from me with me being so far north and Galway being a big enough county, but the locations for this year aren't actually advertised yet. There is a similar series in Mayo, except with just 4 events and much much smaller numbers (probably a draw back in a different way as there isn't the depth) and it is 2 of those events that I'm targeting. Last year the Mayo series got cancelled though so maybe I may try to get a place the Galway series 🤔



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Yeah seems to be on sale next Monday, hadn't realised how coveted places are! One is in a club who hosts so that might be true alright. According to family sources, this year they are in Skehana, Caltra, Loughrea, Craughwell, Kilcornan and Athenry. I know where 3 of those places are 😆



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    None of them are too far from each other - they used to be more dispersed across the county. Not a million miles from me though, probably all within 50mins. Hmm, food for thought. Thanks V.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    Ended up signing up for those V and I'm regretting it already! I can already hear myself cursing you mid race, try not to take it personally if your ears are burning 😂😂



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Hahaha, I'll allow it if it means I can take some responsibility when you come out the other side of the series with a new 5k PB 😉



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    March 20th - March 26th (Week 12 of 2023)

    Monday: Rest/Didn't do my usual run

    Tuesday: Awful night but got 50mins very easy done - got soaked to the bone and blown all around the place for my sins

    Wednesday: Squeezed a lunchtime run of 3 * 1k & 4 * 100m EIM reps

    Thursday: Repeated last week's session except I got dizzy half way through it and pulled the plug. No reason for the dizziness, HR was the same as last week, paces if anything were a bit slower but it felt quite humid, I was definitely over-heating a bit.

    6' thr @ 7:29

    4 * 1' @ 7:25, 6:46, 6:52, 7:00

    4:50 thr @ 7:31 ( was supposed to be 6 mins and another 4 * 1')

    Fri: Easy + Strides - the run I usually do on a Monday. Also did a Dexa scan earlier in the day, interested to see the results. When I did the LT Test in December it turned out I was 7kg lighter than when I did my last LT Test (2019). I didn't think I had lost weight - certainly not body fat and definitely not that much, maybe 1-2kg, so I am a bit concerned about bone density loss and being the age I am my GP agreed that it's good to get a baseline.

    Sat: Rest

    Sun: Another EIM run - 10k moderate with surges every km, 10 miles all in with w/u & c/d.

    31miles in total

    So it seems I have gone from having 2 5k races at the end of May to signing up for 6 weekly races starting in less than 4 weeks time. Not much time to train so I guess I will race myself fit - if I don't race myself into the ground doing it! I have no clue what any of the courses are like so I may have to kindly ask @ReeReeG to pick her brother's local knowledge to see if there's any of the races I should target more specifically for a PB 😊 I don't plan to taper for them and they coincide with leg day in the gym also I expect it will be a tough few weeks but I'm excited (and petrified) to do a 5k after a 4 year hiatus! I may not do them all, I'm sure there will be some clashes.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    March 27th - April 2nd (Week 13 of 2023)

    Energy was quite low this week, not much running but at least got my usual gym sessions in. Very happy to see the back of March, it was a fairly awful month on multiple levels. Hopefully April will be easier, it should be, it's looking a bit lighter on personal stuff anyways.

    Mon/Tues: Didn't run.

    Wed: 4 * 1k + 4 * 100m EIM intervals.

    Thursday: Easy run

    Friday: Didn't run

    Saturday: 6 * 1k + 4 * 100m EIM intervals.

    Sunday: No run, a long walk by the sea in the Spring sunshine though which was fab ❤️

    22 miles in total



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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Meant to say, yes I'll ask about the 5k series races and which is best for PB efforts. Hope April improves for you on all levels.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    April 3rd - April 10th (Week 14 of 2023)

    How are we 1/4 of the way through the year already 🤔

    Monday: Usual easy with some strides thrown in, 2 sets of 6 * 30s.

    Tuesday: Very easy 50mins or so.

    Wednesday: Mona Fartlek. 2 * 90s @ 7:06, 7:02, 4 * 1' @ 7:07, 6:45, 6:55, 6:50, 4 * 30s @ 6:47, 6:33, 6:32, 6:39, 4 * 15s. All off equal recoveries.

    I enjoyed this one and will probably do it again, it's a handy enough little session, just 10mins of hard running. The 4 * 15s were a bit annoying as the recovery was so short, it would be easier to run 1' hard than trying to gear up and down so sharply. I tried to run the recoveries at a floating pace rather than recovery but I sort of forgot this element as the session went on - something to improve on next time.

    Thursday/Friday: No running

    Saturday: 5k easy/warm-up + Narin Beach parkrun @ steady-threshold effort + very short cool down

    This felt like everyone took off awfully fast, within 200m I felt like I was back of the pack as they all flew by me, to be honest I felt a bit overwhelmed just focussing on trying to lift my feet off the sand. I passed a good few on the way back, last 2 km, and in the end I finished 21/55 so obviously not everyone went past me but it certainly felt like it at the start. I couldn't believe the size of the crowd to be honest, definitely not the easiest parkrun and quite remote too. The volunteers were very nice, one lady in particular was spotting all the out of towners and making it her business to chat to them.

    Sunday: 45mins easy - if you could call it easy going up all the hills!

    25 miles in total

    I've kind of lost my mojo a little bit, well I'm not sure if it's mojo really, I'm quite happy to get out and run but only up to a point! I have no appetite for pushing myself to do runs that don't take my fancy on a given day - I'd be a coaches nightmare at the moment!! I enjoyed the mona fartlek but probably should be trying to do closer to 20-25 mins of CV/5k effort but really happy with the short and sweet approach, hence the overall drop in volume also.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,499 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Hope you enjoyed Narin and the big holiday crowd! You're right, the volunteers are great - they have a small team but as you saw they can manage with two or three.

    Love the look of that Mona fartlek (who was Mona anyway?) Will file it away for future sessions.

    Keep getting out, the mojo will sort itself out.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    Apparently Steve Moneghetti! It popped up on my daily feed last week, I didn't quite manage the "float/recoveries" very well but it's definitely one I'll include again - Workout of the Week: The Mona Fartlek - the morning shakeout

    Narin was fab. We had a lovely few days, quite therapeutic up there. It reminded me a lot of the Achill of my childhood - before it became a tourist hotspot. And yes I get the irony of that as I was a tourist in Narin but it is nice to go somewhere that is a little less popular but still with all the ingredients of a tourist hotspot - cake, cherry anyone 😂



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,807 ✭✭✭skyblue46


    If you are looking for something different to keep a bit of interest you could try the Gregson fartlek. Warm up and cool down as usual. 10 mins tempo, 5*1min 3/5k pace/1 min tempo and then straight into 10 mins threshold. It's a nice 30 minute workout.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,505 ✭✭✭Laineyfrecks


    I think everyone goes through different stages with their running & that's perfectly ok! Keep doing what you enjoy🤗



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,464 ✭✭✭Sunny Dayz


    Well done. That seems like quite a varied week of running. No harm in taking this time to try out some new things running wise.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭Lambay island


    I'm a big fan of the mona myself. It's my go to session inbetween 2 races that fall close together. As you say it's only 10 mins of pace but you know you have done a session afterwards. For the 15 seconds reps I tend just decelerate a bit as a float rather than starting from any recovery pace.

    Another one to add to above mention is the Moose fartlek. 5(3min with 1 off 1 min with 1 off). That is 20 min pace work.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    Thanks ladies. It's funny that we need reminding of these things! I do anyhow. I see people doing amazing stuff and I beat myself up because I'm not but this is a hobby at the end of the day and not a mortgage paying career 😂

    I enjoyed the Gregson fartlek this week @skyblue46 and I have Moose programmed on my watch so maybe that will be this week's bit of spice!

    Thanks all ☺️



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,499 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    April 10th - April 16th (Week 15 of 2023)

    Monday: 45mins easy run, still in Donegal on a mini break so lots of hills and wind meant this didn't feel very easy really

    Tuesday: Back home. Nice evening. Easy + strides.

    Wednesday: Gregson Fartlek as shared by @skyblue46 - a deceptively tough little run, only 30mins but it's full on as there's no real recovery in it. This is one I'll definitely come back to.

    10min tempo @ 7:56 (a little fast, Tinman gives me 8:02-8:15)

    5 * 1' hard, 1' tempo.

    1' hard @ 7:10, 7:01, 7:02, 7:11, 7:03

    1' tempo @ 8:15, 8:22, 8:04, 8:27, 8:21 (struggled with these, so used to jog recoveries)

    10' threshold @ 7:43 (bang on, Tinman gives me 7:40-7:51)

    Thursday: Rest

    Friday: Rest

    Saturday: Parkrun @ threshold, did this off pace rather than the usual HR as I wanted to practise pacing myself off pace for a change. My aim was 7:40-7:51 and I ran a very pleasing even pace (7:40, 7:39, 7:32), only a tad faster than prescribed! My HR was bang on also, it crept towards the top end of the range by the finish but didn't go above it.

    Sunday: Squeezed in a run in the afternoon around 2 of the kids matches, one morning and one evening. Dragged the child who didn't have a match with me on his bike (he doesn't really do sports at all so I'm always trying to encourage him out and moving). It was hot and I was a bit distracted with him on the bike, kept trying to slow down but found myself picking up the pace again without realising it - not really what I needed after a relatively heavy week. Only 7.5miles but along with lots of standing at the side of pitches and a decent walk later in the evening I had very tired legs going to bed - had me wondering how I ever managed marathon training and those long long runs, definitely no appetite for them at this stage in my life, maybe again when the kids are grown. Happy with this week, a step back up from last week.

    32 miles for the week



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,789 ✭✭✭Mr. Guappa


    Gregson, Moose and Mona... Thanks for highlighting those. I might give one or two of them a try in the next while.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    April 17th - April 23rd (Week 16 of 2023)

    Very low key easy kind of week, I didn't have much energy, too much going on elsewhere.

    Monday: Easy run, 50mins @ 9:45

    Tuesday: Very easy, 55mins @ 10:30

    Wed/Thurs: Nothing

    Fri: Easy + Strides

    Sat: Easy-Mod run, 1hr @ 9:20

    Sun: Easy with 6 * 1min 5k pace/1min tempo pace

    27 miles for the week



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    The goal this year to tick off PBs at 5k & 10k. My last 5k race was June 2019 and a PB of 22:42. At the time I thought I'd be chasing 22 mins within the year but we all know what came next and as opportunities dwindled over the years since and the focus being elsewhere I've become less confident of it happening. When I saw the 5k series come up this year I thought it would be the perfect chance to go after that goal - dream big!

    5k Race #1

    I treated this first leg very much as a tune up race to get the feel for 5k again but I still felt quietly confident of a small PB. Tinman gives me 22:25 based on my 10k time from February. 

    I felt quite calm in the run up to this. Arrived a small bit later than I'd have liked, collected the number, used the facilities, short warm-up. While queueing for the facilities I chatted to a lady who informed me it was a nice course with just one hill at 4km and a nice downhill finish. Nice enough evening, cold standing around but dry and not much wind. The start was delayed by over 10 mins and I got pretty cold waiting around. The ole raynauds kicked in which lately has progressed to effecting my toes as well as my fingers so I was really feeling that during the waiting around period, I tried to keep moving on the spot but it's not the same. 

    Eventually we were off. I had converted my watch to km and loosely had 4:25-4:30 in my head as target pace. The first km was all downhill - happy days! Unfortunately it was very congested and I had started too far back so I had a bit of manoeuvring to do. I nearly got mowed to the ground when the road narrowed without a warning due to cars parked on one side. In hindsight I'm not sure if the congestion and slow start was a good thing or a bad thing, it certainly forced me to control my pace and not take off like a lunatic. I noticed my watched beeped consistently about 20-30m before each of the km markers and I wondered if it just normal GPS variance or had I run a bit extra in the opening km while going around peeps. Anyways, the first 3km ticked by awful fast, I was feeling very comfortable especially once I got past the congestion after about 1200m. It seemed to be all downhill and the target pace was grand - 4:24, 4:28, 4:24. 

    Around 3k it started to get a bit harder, this was when I could finally feel my fingers again too. My breathing changed, it definitely got heavier but people still seemed to be coming back to me, the odd hill/drag appeared but I felt reasonably strong on them trying to focus on not slowing too much and with that 4:30 pace still in my sights the 4th km ticked in at 4:31. Delighted with that at the time as usually the 3rd/4th kms are when I fall apart. I had been psyching myself up for the hill in the last km but honestly when it came I still felt reasonably strong although I was overtaken by a SGAC runner here. Not long over the crest of the hill and I passed SGAC back again with a shout encouraging her to stick with me to which she grunted that she couldn't, I told her of course she could but she didn't come with me, I didn't take it personally! The 5th km clicked at 4:35 and then nearly 8 extra seconds for the extra 25 odd metres which was indeed a nice downhill finish. 

    Gun time 22:42, Chip time 22:31. 

    Over the line and over to the side where I spent a minute or two catching my breath. I was initially a bit disappointed with this. I felt i hadn't really put myself on the line. I was working hard in the last km or two but I was still upright catching my breathe at the end and notably I didn't have to engage the usual self talk and mind games that goes on in a 5k. But I got over it the following day, in fairness a PB is a good result and it's a race experience with learnings chalked up. Onward we go.  

    5k Race #2

    I'll keep this one a bit briefer! Chatting to a few after last week's race I got the impression this one was a toughie. Got off to a bad start and arrived quite late - actually just couldn't find the start, it was a bit random in the middle of a housing estate with no base/clubhouse as such, those who hadn't collected their race numbers last week were queuing up to get them from the boot of a car. Anyhow, made the start after a very short warm-up but actually didn't feel as cold starting off as last week as there was a lot less waiting around as this started on time. Made sure to start in a better position and I got this bang on this week. Like last week the first 3 km ticked by fairly quickly (4:28, 4:19, 4:33), the difference being this week my watch beeped bang on each of the km signs. The climbing which had started at 2.5km seemed to just go on and on and the 4th km was when it all unravelled, the continuous gradual climbing caught up with me, 5:03 for the this km. Got back on track with a nice downhill for the last 800m giving me a fast 4:18 5th km and a 22:41 finish time. I recovered for my warm-down fairly quickly, I walked for a minute or two and then picked up the feet into a gentle jog. 

    Overall so far I feel I can get closer to 22mins but not as confident I can dip under it as I may have been a few weeks ago. 30-40 seconds is a lot of ground in a 5k but I'll keep trying to chip away at it all the same, hopefully a more favourable course awaits.


     



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Great racing! And a PB is always a good thing :) Hopefully with the bit of 5k practice you get down to that 22 min mark (and beyond)..



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,789 ✭✭✭Mr. Guappa


    Congrats on the PB and a couple of really strong races. Definite scope for improvement there from the first one with the less than ideal waiting around and early congestion. That climb from halfway on the second race looks rough, so overall that time should be pleasing. Nice consistency between the two races, so I'd be hopeful there is a nice chunk to come when course and conditions line up reasonably in your favour.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    Quick update. I'm trying to sort out a couple of niggles at the moment so not a lot of running going on.

    I've had what I thought was a slightly sore hamstring for a good while now that I was successfully ignoring however I think the few faster sessions & 5k races I've done recently exacberated it. I saw a physio about 6 weeks, as the knee on that leg started to niggle as well. He said it was a very mild adductor strain and a slight case of runners knee (patellofemoral syndrom), he wasn't overly concerned about either. He told me I could carry on running and continue my gym work and he gave me more specific exercises to do, a mix of stretch & hamstring strength work. I've been back twice since then and he's progressed the exercises and is generally happy that the strength has increased each time. Towards the end of a run last Thurs my calf on the other leg seized up and I had to hobble back to the car. The calf is still feeling a bit tight although the initial spasm hasn't returned thankfully. However I can feel both the hamstring/adductor and now the calf just in day to day activities and generally since the calf seizing up last week I'm feeling less inclined to run. I'm not back to the physio for another 2 weeks so I'll continue with the exercises which are actually hard enough and I might try an easy run in a few days. In fairness over the years I've been lucky to avoid much in the way of injuries/lay offs so I'm trying to reassure myself that this isn't the end of the world and others have come back from worse.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,499 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Sorry to hear this, E, hang in there. You've always had a good approach and sensible attitude so stick to your instincts and I'm sure you'll be out the other end before too long.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    Surprised to find I'm still on the 1st page.

    Working on those niggles since. Over the past 2-3 week's the Physio has been pushing me to up the pace on my runs culminating in a fairly hard parkrun on Saturday (felt even harder than the time of 23:40 reflected 😏) to see how it would hold up and thankfully it has held up very well so I am hoping to build some consistency from here. The plan is do a HM in 14 weeks time so it'd be really great get a decent block in and finish the year out strong. Also planning to log a bit to keep me honest. That's the intention anyhow. I've been really enjoying getting in the mornings for the past few weeks since secondary school finished up and primary school is nearly finished now too so it should get easier again. It's been fairly cool at that time and it means in the evening i'm free for kids' matches, BBQs and so on so it's a win-win.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭ariana`


    I spent June doing predominantly easy interval method based training and my intention is to stick to that approach for the rest of the year. There are plans in the book for different distances but I haven't fallen into a specific plan yet, I'm just using it as an approach. The main bread and butter aerobic base run is 1k easy intervals repeats with long slow recoveries, for now I have converted these into 4min reps which is closer to 800m at my easy interval pace (effort) but over time I will extend these to 5min/1km. I've also converted the 200m and 400m reps to time - 50s & 1:40 - I'll convert these to distance soon enough too - this was more to do with being able to plan the duration of my runs when squeezed for time etc.

    The most recent 2 weeks were all holiday runs which I totally thrived on. I found myself waking naturallyy every morning so got out and got a run done and was back at base armed with lovely freshly baked produce before the rest of the family even noticed my absence. I enjoy running new routes and new terrain though I don't have a great sense of direction so I am a little nervous with exploring and tend to stick to safe enough out and back routes. Paces were all over the place for most of these runs, I was running significantly more elevation than I am used too, also different terraine sometimes sandy and also eating and drinking were out of the usual which I imagine impacted on my HR.

    July 3rd - 9th

    Mon: 6 * 4' reps @ 5:11, 5:10, 5:09, 5:25, 5:14, 5:36

    Tues: 6 * 4' reps @ 5:15, 4:54, 5:17, 5:14, 5:37, 5:23

    Thurs: 6 * 4' reps @ 5:11, 4:55, 5:17, 5:22, 5:14, 5:02

    Fri: 12 * 50s @ 4:48, :33, :41, :12, :09, :08, :19, :34, :11, :22, :10, :41

    Sun: Easy 10k with surges - felt awful for this and cut it short around 8km

    Week: 46.7km/29miles

    July 10th - 16th

    Mon: 6 * 4' reps @ 5:38, 5:14, 4:53, 5:03, 5:11, 5:10

    Wed: 14km Easy/Mod with 1min surges every KM - complete opposite to previous Sunday, I felt amazing on this run and could have run on!

    Thurs: 6 * 4' reps @ 5:09, 4:44, 4:59, 5:01, 5:08, 5:07

    Fri: 7k recovery run @ 6:15min/km

    Week: 43.8km/27.2m

    Was hoping to get one more run in at the weekend but a long journey home and then family visiting put paid to it. The bar is set at 4 runs per week though for now, if i get 5 it's a bonus - ideally I'd like to be getting 9 in a fortnight, hopefully achieveable for the rest of the Summer, along with the strength - which is going to be torture this week after a 3 week hiatus, I can feel the DOMS already 🙄🤪

    Plan to update more regularly going forward.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,831 ✭✭✭Annie get your Run


    I must buy that book, the method seems to be working well for Lainey too and it certainly looks interesting versus lots of runs at one particular pace. Are the interval paces all 5k? Look forward to following your progress!



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