"It's what you do next that counts"

Wottle

Wottle wrote: »

Sunday is another group long run in Marlay, the plan is 11 miles which will include:
2 mile warm up
1 mile at Half Marathon pace
1 mile recovery
3 miles at Half Marathon pace
1 mile recovery
1 mile at Half Marathon pace
2 mile cool down

Session above went well, the single miles came in at 6:54 and the 3 together 7:02, 7:01, 6:56. Bringing the weekly mileage to 48.

Week 11th to 17th of March was 53 miles which included pretty much all easy miles and a tumble, no real damage.
The long run that week was 12.5 miles on a hilly route.

Week 18th to 24th of March was 42 miles including a midweek long run with 5 miles at HMP, very tired starting this but went for 7:00 minute miling. Hit the target for first 3 miles but heart rate was above correct effort so tried to steady the ship 7:25 and 7:16.
Saturday was 8x1 minute at 6:20 mile pace with a teen group I coach.
Sunday long run up to Bohernabreena reservoir, gorgeous morning for it. A group of 9 including Raycun, nice addition to a growing group. 12 miles in total at 7:48 pace, faster than planned as we didn't have anyone to rein N in. The group split into 2 and I should have gone with the 2nd group but actually enjoyed the effort.

This week's plan is to cut mileage again and get plenty of strides in.
Yesterday was 5x2 minutes at 10k pace off 1 minute walk.

Have narrowed HMP to 7:00 to 7:15, still 2 weeks to go to get it right.

Wottle

Mon to Wed was just 4 mile easy runs with work.
Another 4 miler on Thursday lunchtime before a 2nd run at 4pm.
This was 2x2 mile and 1x1 mile at HMP off 2 minute jog recovery, splits were 7:07 to 7:09. Very warm, HR still a little high but with a bit more freshening up and race day atmosphere, the pace feels doable.

Wottle

Friday evening was another short easy run.

Saturday, headed to Marlay Parkrun, just wanted to run fast and relaxed.
Turned my timer on the watch off, didn't wear my racing shoes and started further back than normal.
A couple of times I felt I was going too hard so immediately shortened my stride and repeated the mantra fast and relaxed. Felt like it was in the 21s so very surprised to see 20:07. If O had of known I was that close to sub 20, I would have got it, just to prove a few weeks ago wasn't a fluke.

Sunday, last real session and not a hard one. 9 miles with 3x1 mile at a little quicker than HMP. Did this session on Feb 10th previously and remember thinking ouch.
Paces and AHR that day were:
6:50 - AHR 172
6:50 - AHR 175
6:50 - AHR 178

Pace and AHR yesterday
6:50 - AHR 165
6:51 - AHR 168
6:39 - AHR 169

So well chuffed with that progress and 202 miles for March.
This week is just short easy runs with strides thrown in. Just need the weather to play ball on Sunday.

ReeReeG

Good luck on Sunday!
Are you travelling over with the rest of them?

OOnegative

Viel Glück, run well!!

Unthought Known

Best of luck on Sunday.

Wottle

ReeReeG wrote: »

Good luck on Sunday!
Are you travelling over with the rest of them?

Thanks all.

No was on the 7:20 flight this morning. Already spent far too much time and money in Decathlon :-)

Easy Parkrun in the morning.

May meet up with the club Sunday evening for dinner.

Really excited

Wottle

Race report and thoughts.

https://davebradshawrunning.blogspot.com/2019/04/berlin-half-marathon-2019.html

Unthought Known

Wottle wrote: »

Race report and thoughts.

https://davebradshawrunning.blogspot.com/2019/04/berlin-half-marathon-2019.html

Wow! Well that's a race you wont forget in a while. I wonder how she felt when she finished?
Great time anyway in the heat.

ReeReeG

That story about that lady...oh God. I nearly vomited myself reading it.

Wottle

Yeah the poor woman.
Didn't immediately think of her own discomfort and I guess she showed her own toughness.

Very easy week, little 3 and 4 milers and about to head out for an easy 10.

Hope to have a bash at a parkrun next Saturday.

Murph_D

Hmm - the woman’s difficulties were certainly memorable. But it’s only poop! I find people lunching snot rockets or hacking up and depositing phlegm more off-putting tbh. At least I think I do - haven’t had to experience what you experienced! But it seems the weather was the real contributor to what you felt was a disappointing result. Unlucky with that - out of your control. Better luck next time.

Wottle

The 10 miler ended up shy of 9 miles, my legs didn't enjoy a single step.

Sunday also marked the end of my 1 year, no sugar streak. I ended up going a bit ott, cake, sweets, pancakes, you name it.
Got out again Sunday evening for another 3 miles with my wife, we had all of Marlay park to ourselves.

The gluttony continues, feel like a right pig.
Monday - 6 miles easy
Tuesday - 10x100m strides with walk back recovery between efforts.

Wed - 6 miles with 2x1k at 3:51 and 3:48. Supposed to be 5x1k but ate a box of Butlers chocolates before heading out, belly was in bits.

Thur - 5k mainly easy with some strides thrown in, group run.

For the rest of the week, need to get my diet back under control, I have allowed for a week of stupidity though. Have a crack at sub 20 in Marlay Parkrun. Did it in Feb, time to back it up. I'm also in a new age category o40, so hopefully can start it off with a bang.

Wottle

Update

Training has only been OK. Mileage is a little down, very busy work period taking its toll.

Did Marlay parkrun either side of Terenure 5 miler, 20:03 and 20:05.

Terenure was 33:40 which was OK, I would have taken it beforehand but I got into a battle with someone I coach for the whole 5 miles, she ended up putting 13 seconds into me in the final kilometer finishing beside HelenAnne who also took me down.

Last Sunday I ran just over 15 miles to kick off Berlin marathon training. Knee was a bit sore for a few days after. Decision time, is it worth the risk?

Murph_D

Best of luck for the Berlin cycle. Re the soreness - why such a long run to kick off? Has the mileage been decent of late?

Wottle

Murph_D wrote: »

Best of luck for the Berlin cycle. Re the soreness - why such a long run to kick off? Has the mileage been decent of late?

Thanks Murph, I've been consistently getting long runs in of 10-13 miles for about 3 months now so didn't think 15 would be too much of a stretch, wearing my minimal shoes may have been the issue.
It was a bit of a tester to see if I'm up for it before committing to the training.
I've decided though and I'm in :-)

Mileage overall this year is on track for 2000 miles, so not too bad but small dip since the half.

Ran Shanganagh Parkrun this morning.
Ran first 2k with another guy before he dropped me - 3:53 and 4:00. Ended up running on my own for next 2.5k, was hard work - 4:14, 4:23.
Tried to get going for last km but was only half arsing it until a couple of runners (may have just been 1) went to overtake me, this woke me up and I went after them., final k 3:50.
20:24 for a Shanganagh course PB.
It's flat the whole way round but the loops and loneliness got the better of me.

Wottle

Been a disaster for last 4 months. Ran 20:02 in Marlay parkrun at the start of June, happy enough.
Things were looking good and then out of nowhere it just got harder. My long run had slowed from 8:20 pace to 10:20 pace for same heart rate effort. Resting HR had gone from 40-42 to 50-52 and then into the 60s.
Thought I was overdoing it as its been a very busy year workwise so took a week off, nothing changed.
Made an appointment with doctor and had bloods done, lots of numbers all over the place including an underactive Thyroid. I had an infection at the time so had to have bloods done again but my doctor was on holidays and then I was.
Had booked a hotel with a 400m track and the Euro 2010 xc course beside it as Berlin was the big goal. Ran everyday in Portugal, keeping the runs short and thought I had turned a corner.
From May to August my Garmin Vo2 had dropped from 56 to 49.
A week after the holiday and I knew I was a little off again, bloods done and results confirmed an underactive Thyroid. Started medication last week and hopefully in 4 to 6 weeks they'll have kicked in.

I seem to be the only man in Ireland with this but everyone else's mum or gran has it.

Its been a very frustrating few months, guys I was keeping up with in May have kicked on big time.
Looking forward to catching back up with them!

kennyb3

Comparison is the thief of joy as teddy roosevelt said.

You are where you are. Be gentle with yourself
and Forget about others (they weren't sick) and meet yourself where you are today.

Just focus on getting your health right as that's the main thing. The training and everything else can come after!

dna_leri

Good to have a diagnosis - doubt you are the only man in Ireland with it, seems to affect US distance runners particularly NOP athletes. Seriously though, take the recovery slowly and get healthy.

Wottle

Quick recap, meds increased again and seems to help. Hamstring been at me for a year, it doesn't stop me running but gives me constant reminders during and after.

I was in decent shape back in June, shed a few kilos and was doing weekly 1k reps. Ran a 5k TT in June in 21:18, thought I'd break 21 but put it down to being rusty.

In July it took me two attempts to break 6 minutes for the mile, ran 5:58 in 30 degree heat, my throat was so dry.

After that, fitness took a hit. I continued to run but kept them short and didn't do sessions.
A few weeks back I had to quarantine so decided to take a full break from running. Didn't make any difference to the hamstring but it did give me time to think about what will keep me motivated, and it's the mile and 5k.

I'm hoping 6 weeks of consistent training will see me break 6 mins again. I seem to have decent speed but my weakness right now is endurance and the ability to hold it. I don't need to do anything crazy, just get the long run going again, back to 1k reps at 5k pace and strides.

In prep for next week, I've just been running easy 5 milers this week, with every second run having a few strides sprinkled throughout, lots of recovery between efforts, just concentrating on good form.

Wottle

Sat
8 miles easy, 8:50 mile pace
Really enjoyed this, thought about stretching it to 10 but practiced patience.
Listening to an audible book "26.2 miles to Happiness" by Paul Tonkinson, very enjoyable.

Sun
4 miles easy, bringing the weekly mileage to 40.
Looking forward to starting the plan.

Wottle

Monday
6 miles, mostly easy with 7x100m strides sprinkled throughout. Very enjoyable

Tuesday
6 miles with a Pyramid (mins) 1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1 all off a 1 minute jog recovery. This was my first session in a while, didn't think I was ready for 5x1k @5k pace, so perhaps a good replacement.
Definitely tougher than I thought, probably did the early recovery jogs a little too quick. When I got to the 5 minutes I was wrecked but watch was already programmed, got to see it out. Walked the last two recoveries.
Enjoyed the session.

Wednesday
Was planning to run a recovery 4 miler but hamstring a little niggly, so spent time working on that and took a rest day. Nine days in a row, so no harm.

Thursday
Went to bed at 9:30pm as wanted to get up at 6am for the run. Alarm went off, no chance I was getting up, bed was too warm and a powerful sleep was had
7 miles easy, hamstring not so bad.

Almost finished listening to the audible book "26.2 miles to Happiness", it's very enjoyable, quite funny too.

Wottle

Friday
I tend to run with two groups on Friday.
AM - 5 miles easy, PM - 4 miles easy

Saturday
5 miles mostly easy with strides sprinkled throughout. Came across a guy walking backwards in Marlay, he was going same direction as me and on my running line, lots of awkward eye contact.

Sunday
8am start from Firhouse, good gang met this morning, maybe 10. Plan was up to Bohernabreena reservoir and back, 10 miles in total, came in at 8:20 pace. Super enjoyable and great to catch up with everyone, surprisingly felt easy.
Since April I've been eating a mainly low carb diet. Today was a nice opportunity to practice some form of carb fueling, worked a treat. Felt I could have done another 10.
Longest run in a while, 43 miles for the week.
Hamstring still niggly but I'm on it.

Wottle

Monday - Rest

Tuesday
10k proper easy, chuffed with this run, heart rate low and pace came in at 8:27.

Wednesday
5 miles easy with strides sprinkled throughout, a little flat on the strides.

Thursday
Missed my window (6am) so no run.

Friday
20 miles in total over a few runs, mostly easy pace.

Saturday
Just over 4 miles, including pacing someone to sub 25 over the Marlay Park run course.

Sunday
10 miles with 4 miles of alternating tempo, supposed to be 7:00/7:30, splits came in at 7:34/7:04/7:26/6:57. Lashed rain the whole time, had company, surprisingly enjoyed it.

Wottle

Monday - Rest

Tuesday
Legs felt amazing, headed up to Bohernabreena for a 9am start, once the school run is done on a Tuesday and Thursday, I have a couple of hours that are just mine, normally don't use this slot for running but it could work really well.
10 miles at 8:10 pace

Wednesday
Legs a little tired and hamstring giving out. 6:30am start for this, lovely morning for it.
6 miles at 8:40 pace

Thursday
Had a session planned but wanted to see how the hammy was first, no complaints on waking.
Bohernabreena loop again for this, great to have this loop so close to home. It really is beautiful and quiet spot.
5 mile warm up, all uphill and then 5x5 minutes, trying to tune into 175 beats off 2'30 jog recovery. First effort is undulating but next 3 would be downhill before a little up.
Chuffed with how this went, last effort was tough going and form did start to fall apart.
10 miles in total.

Hannibal_Smith

Hope you don't mind the intrusion. I've nothing of running quality to add, but just see you mention Bohernabreena, so I thought I'd mention another similar route that might interest you.

Heading up passed Ellensborough there's a park just beyond the hill at Deerpark in on the left. It is a really nice route with a path that snakes over the hill, with stunning views over Dublin Bay. Ive only done a lap of the park itself while the eldest is football training next door in Carolan Park, but one of the dads tells me it leads back down towards the path behind Kiltipper Nursing Home that brings you out to the road at Bohernabreena waterworks.

Having that park and Bohernabreena in the one run would be fairly nice I'd say and combining the two is something I hope to be able to do myself some day.

Maybe you know about it already, but as I only discovered it by chance myself recently, I just thought I'd mention it.

Wottle

Cheers for that and no not familiar with that route, sounds like a nice way to extend the long run, cheers.

Wottle

Very sad to hear about the passing of Pat Hooper, may he rest in peace. Back in 2009 when myself, Shels4ever, Peckham and Baby bing were trying to setup and have Boards AC affiliated with AAI, Pat was our main go to, helping us push it through and having Ireland's first virtual affiliated running club. Thanks Pat, no doubt he'll be sorely missed.

Friday
4 miles easy with a group, 9:45 pace

Saturday
Had to do my long run a day early as I have an athlete attempting a sub 90 half marathon tomorrow, I've lined up a few pacers for her and want to be there for pics and fuel station.
Back up to Bohernabreena but left from Taylor's Lane library, which brings the distance to 13.1 miles. Kept it to an easy effort based on HR, first 6 miles are uphill and into a head breeze but the turnaround was delightful and pace went from 8:40s to 8:00.
Overall 13.1 miles at 8:25 pace

Wottle

Monday
Early start this morning, out at 6:20am, legs felt great. Tried out my new cliftons for the first time, I like them but did feel my PF a little, fine now though. Might use them for faster work and continue with the Brooks Ghost for everything else.
6.4 miles at 8:28 mile pace, HR was in the easy zone, probably best easy run on about 18 months.

Wottle wrote: »

Saturday
Had to do my long run a day early as I have an athlete attempting a sub 90 half marathon tomorrow, I've lined up a few pacers for her and want to be there for pics and fuel station.

This turned out to be a smashing little event, lots of other running groups in the park also seemed to be excited by it, we really have been starved of races. We used a slightly longer than 1 mile flat loop in Marlay park, she would need to do it 12.5 times but also had her watch set to finish at 13.12. Three pacers used in total before letting her off for the final mile on her own.
Plan was sub 90 but we knew in a race she would be on for 87:30, paced the first 3 miles at 6:48s but then she just got faster and faster, mile 13 was 6:16 but her legs started to finally buckle with 200ms to go, final clocking of 1:27:17. Massive PB, she's in the O55 category and just wished she got to do it in race conditions.

Wottle

Tue
Rest day, wasn't supposed to be but had my flu jab the day before and arm was really sore and both my hammy and PF giving out a little.

Wed
5 miles mostly easy with strides sprinkled throughout. Wore the cliftons again and they're definitely the cause of the PF flare up.
7:55 pace

Thur
6 miles easy, back in the Ghosts and they made a huge difference.
8:10 pace

Both runs probably a couple beats too high.