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Shoot for the moon, and land on the stars. Longford Marathon Sub 3 Training Log
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Week 4 of 12 Week Training Plan - 9 weeks until race day
Week beginning 26th June 2017
Monday - Wet Wet Wet
Easy 8 miles @ 142 hr avg, 7:12 per mile.
Bucketing this evening. Nice and solid running at 74% hr avg. Should have gone slower again but I'm really going by feel right now and my hr / the intesity felt about right.
I'm making an effort to keep my stride form good on any run I go for and perhaps that is leading to the quicker miles also.
Regardless - feeling good after yesterday. Now time for a shower!!
Tuesday AM - Going to run out of dry runners this week!
Easy 5 miles @ 144 hr avg, 7:18 per mile.
5 easy miles prescribed this morning. Ran them at 76% hr avg.
Can confirm is still lashing rain ...
Tuesday PM - Back to Hazelwood Hill! 16 x 40 second reps @ Max effort
Hill Reps - 8 miles total @ 151 hr avg, 7:40 per mile.
16 x 40 seconds on 10% gradient (ish) . 1 minute 10 second recovery jog back down after each.
Back to my old stomping ground for hill repeats. Plan was for 16 x 40 seconds @ 1 mile race pace. Haven't a clue what that is so went as hard as I could - hitting 92% max hr on most climbs. Peaked at 95%.
These were nasty. I did 40 seconds up, 1 minute back (including jogging) and then rinse and repeat. Unsure on the rest periods will review with the coach on that .
Ran these in the fastwitch I got months ago and have been scared to run in, but they felt fine tonight.
Wednesday - Stiff legs from driving all day
Easy 8 miles @ 141 hr avg, 7:18 per mile.
First drive to Dublin (city centre no less) today and back. Felt knackered by the time I hit Galway this evening and a run was just what the doctor ordered.
Kept dry for the run and was a nice and smooth effort at 75% av hr. The pacing has dropped for these easy runs intentionally but also it seems my efficiency has improved significantly in the last 3 weeks.
Grateful for that.
Thursday - Thursday Tempo Throwdown #MyMile
Tempo run - 12 miles @ 158 hr avg, 6:32 per mile.
2 mile WU, 7 @ roughly 6 minute mile avg, 3 CD
Went out tonight after a pretty long day in work. Legs felt fatigued today (noticably more than last week) during the day and I took a bit longer than normal to get out the door. Strong wind all day and was worried it would impact my workout.
Planned my route to try and avoid long spells running into the wind and it worked out well.
I was hitting tempo pace pretty efficiently for most of the run - 86 % av hr through the tempo I would say. Huge improvement in that regard the last few weeks.
Picked it up for last 2 miles of tempo and hit 93% hr to finish . Long slog back home .
Oh and apparently I ran my fastest Strava recorded mile to boot! Just in time for the #MyMile challenge .
Friday - Quick 10 before a show in the city
Easy 10 miles @ 141 hr avg, 7:18 per mile.
Lovely evening for a run. staying away from the city during as Sea Fest is on and I know there will be traffic and I would have to stop a lot while running.
Felt tired this evening and the run was sluggish. Could be due to a slight drop off in sleep last night but the heart rate was good and pacing.
Looking forward to a weekend of fun starting with an art performance tonight.
Saturday - Easy - Consistency is king. 8 x 100 strides to finish.
Easy 9 miles @ 143 hr avg, 7:07 per mile. 8 x 100m strides at end.
Another 9 after parkrun today with 8 x 100 strides to finish.
Felt really good - legs were in way better shape than yesterday. 75% hr max avg. Ready for tomorrow.
Sunday - Enter the Pain Cave :eek: Last 4 @ MP
Long Run - 20 Miles
Target : 16 miles @ 6:45 per mile. Last 4 @ 6:25 per mile.
Actual : 16 miles @ 6:30 per mile . Last 4 mile splits :
6:11
6:12
6:26
5:55
So I've been treating my Sunday runs like a race recently as the intensity has gone up. It appears to be paying off . I'm carbing up the day before, bed early, and simulating a race morning on Sundays.
Wearing the gear I will probably use for Longford also.
Conditions today were ok. It was not hot and my hr stayed around 82% through 16 as a result. There was a tough wind in parts (including a MP mile which can be seen in the splits) but that's part of the game. It doesn't faze me.
Had a gel at 10 and as everyone in Galway appeared to be at sea fest I was exploring my pain cave.
Another tough 4 to finish . I don't know how I have dug these out and found the energy to hit 90% hr max at the end of these 80 mile weeks but I am doing it. You learn a lot about yourself on the roads . I'm only starting to open the book on me.
Total Miles for the week : 81.5
Some points of note :- Sleep : Average of 7 hours for the week. This despite having to open in work early / make early trip to dublin and being out on Friday / going to parkrun early Saturday.
I'm more present during the day, focused, alert. The extra sleep has got to be helping with my higher intensity training.
Did not feel as groggy in the mornings this week. Perhaps my sleep debt is starting to turn around??
- Overall feeling after 4 weeks of training cycle :
I feel good. The harder workouts are making me more confident in achieving my stretch goal. I'm really enjoying the easy runs at a steady clip. My focus is on being fast and light in all runs / relaxing my shoulders. My body appears to have acclimatized quickly to the faster strides.
- The high intensity of Garys Sunday runs :
It's important to realise had I continued at my pace today for another 6.2 miles I would have ran a 2 hour 50 marathon. I find that incredible in week 4 - and can say I could have continued at 6:30 from mile 16. With a taper and the buzz from race day? Let's go :cool:
Happy Running All 0 - Sleep : Average of 7 hours for the week. This despite having to open in work early / make early trip to dublin and being out on Friday / going to parkrun early Saturday.
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Don't know what the coach will say (and he is that bit more experienced than me at a high level of athletics!) but that 20 miler today is way too fast. Was that one that coach recommended btw?
If it was, you'll get a bollocking!!
Here's my tuppence worth. If you want to beat the workout, beat it by a few seconds. That way you get the boost but you don't flog the body. 6.45 to 6.30 though.........
It was prescribed to go @ 6:45 per mile Itziger. So I overshot it completely as you have said.
He hasn't held me accountable to this point so that isn't helping with my splits. Essentially i see the prescribed splits and my goal is to stay under when I lace up. What I think is happening is that I'm not estimating my pacing correctly and am overshooting to ensure im under.
Thankfully you're here though I'm going to make a conscious effort and take a step back going forward on the long run. Appreciate your input . 0 -
It was prescribed to go @ 6:45 per mile Itziger. So I overshot it completely as you have said.
He hasn't held me accountable to this point so that isn't helping with my splits. Essentially i see the prescribed splits and my goal is to stay under when I lace up. What I think is happening is that I'm not estimating my pacing correctly and am overshooting to ensure im under.
Thankfully you're here though I'm going to make a conscious effort and take a step back going forward on the long run. Appreciate your input .
I'm a bit of a dab hand at criticising the plans of others! Not quite so good with my own. I'll keep popping in here from time to time (for free
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I'm a bit of a dab hand at criticising the plans of others! Not quite so good with my own. I'll keep popping in here from time to time (for free )
I do very much appreciate that man.
Sidenote : I did some research and added something I've never used to my watch training view : current lap pace avg.
I think that right there is what i've been missing on the splits. I've been looking at heart rate / current pace / feel to gauge.
I am technically a novice before anyone says anything! :P0 -
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Week 5 of 12 Week Training Plan - 8 weeks until race day
Week beginning 3rd July 2017
Monday - Hill Reps 20 x 40 seconds @ max. Nice and wet
9 miles @ 145 hr avg, 7:57 per mile. 20 x 40 seconds on 10% gradient (ish). 1:05 - 1:10 recovery jog back after each.
So I went out from my flat and chickened out a half mile up the road. Planned to run the 3.5 to my hill but the weather and the run yesterday told my body to do otherwise.
Got the van and drove back to work, and ran out the half mile to Hazelwood this evening.
Got straight into the reps but it was tough to get out and get going.
By rep 10 I could feel my legs losing form 3/4 way up my reps and was a bit concerned. I kept the rest at 1 minute - 1 05 jogs back. Hitting 92% hr max on most efforts peaking on the last at 94. Felt like a good effort all things considered.
Tuesday - Nice evening to stretch the legs
Easy 9 miles @ 138 hr avg, 7:20 per mile.
Very good conditions this evening to go for a run.
Legs felt fatigued (not surprising given 2 quality workouts back to back). They improved as the run went on.
Finished feeling pretty good. Nice steady hr throughout.
Wednesday - Nailed It
Tempo 3 x (3 mile @ 6:10, R 3:40)
Tempo run - 13 miles @ 157 hr avg, 6:36 per mile.
Has been a tough 4 days in terms of workouts. I struggled again to get out the door tonight due to fatigue settling in .
Simple things like shopping and where to do the split miles were bogging me down but I shook it off and made a serious effort to match the prescribed workout. I figured if I can do this after the other quality workouts it will put me in a great mindset.
Determined I hit my splits but for once took care not to overdo it. The last 3 were at 90 - 92% hr max , the first 3 were 85-88. During the first mile I didn't think I could do 6:10 for 1 mile let alone 9!
Grateful to be capable to stay strong and concentrated throughout a workout like this. The mind is a powerful thing.
Thursday - An easy 10
Easy 10 miles @ 136 hr avg, 7:10 per mile.
Nice and easy 10 this evening. HR was very low (72% avg). Good conditions. Right foot is showing some pain when I run. Not sure what to think about it but I could run on it.
Will re assess tomorrow but happy with the run .
Friday - 12 x (800m @ 2:45,R 90 sec) - Hit splits but legs are dead
Interval Workout - 11.5 miles @ 153 hr avg, 6:56 per mile. 12 x 800m @ 2:45 with 90 second walk / job recovery between each.
Wanted to jump in the air when I successfully hit 12 x 2:45 tonight. It was a scary workout for me. Would I be able to even hit 2:45 for a single split? Not exactly used to running 5:30 miles ! Had to decide on where to run the workout on the way back from Offaly in traffic at 5 pm while going to a gig at 9pm. Lots of mental obstacles but settled on a half mile flat section of pavement near enough to my flat.
So grateful - sun was blazing and I had to deal with that also. What a rush. Concentration being a key ingredient again.
Off to a grunge gig now ...
Saturday - B-E-A-utiful
Easy 10 miles @ 145 hr avg, 7:14 per mile.
What a day. Scorching - kept the hr at 76% av (due to heat). Nice run.
4 hours sleep last night so very happy this was a smooth workout. Legs ok after yday !
Didn't stretch after run yday. First time in a long time.
Sunday - Midnight Shift - 11.5 @ 6:50, 10 @ 6:40
Long Run - 21.5 miles @ 145 hr avg, 6:40 per mile.
Target : 11.5 miles @ 6:50 per mile. Final 10 miles @ 6:40 per mile.
Actual : 11.5 miles @ 6:50 per mile. Final 10 miles @ 6:40 per mile.
Been a weekend of spending time with friends. Friday I was in the city at a gig, yesterday night watched what the health with a mate and today I was in the city for brunch and copious amounts of coffee with another friend. It's important to find time for these things during training.
Ended up doing my long run ala all my connemara runs - late ! Very weird running in the dark again. Felt very alien. Pacing didn't feel so bad considering the deserts I had earlier!
Weird thing was my av hr for the entire run was 76% ! There must be a ridiculous difference in the air temp between day and night time? Anyways - here's to another solid week and much more honest splits.
Total miles for the week : 85 (new PR)
Some points of note :- Sleep : Disappointing week sleep wise. Whole weekend was virtually in zombie mode as I was driving for work and then hanging with friends. I made the conscious decision to spend as much time with others as possible so that's on me. Will be getting back to regular programming this week.
- Nutrition : I removed dairy from my diet this week. Normally have a chocolate milkshake post run and eggs most days. Cut both as part of my experimentation with nutrition. Currently trying an almond milk and berry concoction for more anti oxidants post run. Reading Racing Weight also at the moment. Good read.
- How I feel after week 5 of training :
I am very fatigued today. The week consisted of 4 quality workouts - all of which were real testers of my mental and physical state currently. I am proud of the work ethic and mentality i've developed. I'm very happy with the fact I hit the prescribed splits (in particular the 2 workouts i had never done before - 3 x tempo run and 800m intervals) and they are helping with my confidence.
I have a rest day scheduled next week which I can feel I need. It looks to be a lower quality (recovery) week also which should allow me to take in the benefits of last weeks sessions without the strain required to complete them.
Have a good week everyone 0 -
Week 6 of 12 week training plan - 7 weeks until race day
Week beginning 10th July 2017
Monday - Jelly Legs
Easy 9 miles @ 135 hr avg, 7:20 per mile.
Spent most of today struggling for energy. Not enough sleep and a tough week of running in the books....
My stairs test in work was through the roof. Very hard to get up and down.
Anyways - after 9 miles easy tonight I'm feeling a lot better. Extremely wet first half and dry second. About standard for the west .
Tuesday - Unscheduled Day Off
I made the decision to not run a scheduled tempo on Tuesday. More on that later.
Wednesday - Tempo - 4 x (2mile @ 6:10,3:40r)
Tempo Run - 13 miles @ 153 hr avg, 6:44 per mile. 8 tempo miles - 2m x 6:10 , 3:40 recovery , repeats.
Took an unplanned day off yesterday . Legs were completely goosed and this workout was on the cards. Told the coach and he suggested seeing how I felt today and to try and do the quality tonight.
Did just that - was a beautiful evening but very hard for me to muster up and get out. I'm wondering if giving up dairy last week has had a withdrawal impact (low energy levels). I have had a constant pain in my right foot and it revealed itself again tonight.
I hit my splits and found it quite ok. He around 87% av during the tempo miles which is a big efficiency improvement.
Thursday - Not really feeling it...
Easy 10 miles @ 136 hr avg, 7:18 per mile.
Hr av 72%. Running was efficient for an easy day but my head wasn't in it.
Losing motivation for my runs right now. Still have a pain in my right foot that I can feel with most steps I take. The body is fine and I can do my splits but it is draining as the pain remains.
I have a scheduled rest day Saturday and next Tuesday. I am hoping the pain will subdue with time but as I run most days I worry it won't get a chance to heal.
This isn't exactly an uplifting thought. But it's important I let out what I am truly feeling.
Friday - Windy , rainy 8m tempo. 6 @ 6:28,last 2 @ 6:10.
Tempo Run - 10 miles @ 154 hr avg, 6:34 per mile.
So a pretty chaotic day in Galway. Wore shorts and cycled to work and regretted it on the way home :rolleyes: . Wind is something fierce and I ran into it for first 3 miles of my tempo tonight.
Turned back and had some uphill for the next miles. HR was solid for the 6:28 miles and then spiked up to 92% for the last 2.
Right foot felt better tonight than it has in a week and a half. Day off tomorrow and I'm going to make sure I take it easy .
Happy weekend all !
Saturday - Planned Rest Day
Sunday - Unscheduled day off.
As I'm writing this I'm relaxing and just finished reading a book. I decided this morning that I have a choice today. I can drop the scheduled long run (and it's benefits) and put some vigor back in my running / allow my foot a full weekend of no strain - or I could gut out another workout.
I chose to rest and have accepted it as the better of the options. I've chosen to ignore an obvious injury as I can run on it but it is soul sucking to see how it's effecting my head with every step . That's not why I run. There's a fine line between just getting it done and missing the bigger picture.
Total miles for the week : 43
Some points of note :- Why I took an unplanned major down week mid cycle : I've spent some time thinking about this. The target time is just that - a time. I will crush it at some point in the future. I don't need to in Longford. It's more important to me that I re establish the motivation for running day in day out and enjoying myself. I decided this meant accepting the pain I have felt through my last week and a half of running in my right foot and taking a break from pounding it (and my mental state).
I do not feel any regret about it - I've learned a lot about running from the community to this point and have seen and heard from others that this is part of the journey.
I still think I can bounce back - in fact I think I'm more likely to put in a quality finish to my cycle having rested now. As I type I'm actually kind of itching to get out the door and run (not a common occurrence in the last 2 weeks) , but I won't to give my foot the best chance to heal.
- How I feel after week 6 of training :
I'm frustrated. Not going to lie. I can't pinpoint the cause of my foot problem but have finally accepted it. I've seen my running economy improve greatly in a short time period and I would say overall I am recovering quite well. I can feel a sense of cumulative fatigue which comes with big cycle training - no issue there. The problem is i have quickly lost motivation due to an injury which is persistent even when running efficiently. I know I would feel so good on these runs if not for that pain. My tempos should be enjoyable - I am cruising at times.
Running is for more than an arbitraty time goal or training plan. Who knows - perhaps this unscheduled break will allow me to perform better in the coming weeks. I think that is quite possible.
- Sleep : Back to a good standard this week with a 7 hour average. Noticing more and more I am waking before my alarm clock (naturally). Think this is a good sign that my circadium rhythm has now adapted to a consistent sleeping pattern.
- Reading : I've stepped up my reading again. The goal is 1 hour of reading before bed every night.
- Nutrition : I cut out dairy last week. It may have contributed to low energy levels. Apparently a dairy detox occurs initially and can last for a while. Messing around with almond milk based smoothies post hard workouts at the moment which I will write about more in my blog.
Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the beautiful weather 0 - Why I took an unplanned major down week mid cycle : I've spent some time thinking about this. The target time is just that - a time. I will crush it at some point in the future. I don't need to in Longford. It's more important to me that I re establish the motivation for running day in day out and enjoying myself. I decided this meant accepting the pain I have felt through my last week and a half of running in my right foot and taking a break from pounding it (and my mental state).
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OOnegative wrote: »Two points:
-If you foot is at you go see a physio, your not going to run off an injury you'll only make it worse.
-Why do something as drastic as cut dairy out through a marathon cycle? Plenty of time after Longford to do that. I'm no expert but I wouldn't mess with diet in any way during a marathon cycle, stick to what you know best and don't change it.
Hey double O
- Re point 1 - I've been too stubborn and told myself it was just some swelling . Had a pain in a similar area which did subside despite continuing training earlier this year hence why I have delayed . At the time I took a forced day off and it did wonders for my foot at the time. Not the case in this instance . I am considering either booking something in with the physio or going straight for a scan right now.
- I wouldn't call it drastic. I basically have dairy post workout only (chocolate milk) so I don't consider it a big deal. Made sure I was replacing it with nutrients providing similar (and more macro nutrient dense) benefits. I had no idea that there can be a detox period for cutting the stuff out !! I did go vegetarian during my last cycle and enjoy experimenting.0 -
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Testosterscone wrote: »If you are cutting out dairy just make sure you are not leaving yourself calcium deficient. Given you are in marathon training this can have a major impact on muscle contraction and cramping so worth bearing in mind.
Good point . I'm not too concerned about that as I eat a very balanced whole foods diet day to day. Almond milk fortified, kale, broccoli, dates and figs are in there most days
Starting off it's always wise to monitor though. For anyone considering this definitely check that what you are replacing a nutrient source with does not mean becoming deficient in it.0 -
Week 7 of 12 week training plan - 6 weeks until race day
Re - Assessing Goals as a result of an enforced recovery break
Week beginning 17th July 2017
Monday - Rest day
Scheduled for tuesday, but took it on the back of a weekend to allow my foot as much time to recover naturally.
Tuesday - Just letting it flow
Easy 10 miles @ 139 hr avg, 7:08 per mile
Nearly stayed in again this evening. Took a 3 day break off my right foot and skipped an important quality workout (long run) .
In that time my mood has changed - I'm happier, I'm more relaxed. And now I had an enjoyable run. HR was good but not really focusing on that - more on feel.
I haven't felt that good in a run in a couple of weeks. I'd like to be like this every day but I know there has to be hard times with the good.
More importantly - I feel more confident in getting to the start line motivated for Longford now.
My foot still had a pain. It was very manageable and I hope subsiding. It didn't impact the enjoyment of the run which was why I took the break so time to gear back up and get back at it.
I know I went too hard recently. The pacing was too intense and likely caused the pains I developed. I've reflected on it and am trying to learn from it.
What a beautiful day
Wednesday - Gliding - Tempo 6 x (1 mile @ 6:10, 2:00 r)
Tempo run - 10.5 miles @ 151 hr avg, 6:45 per mile. Tempo - 6 times (1 mile x 6:10, 2 min recovery) .
Pleasantly surprised with the run tonight. Each mile felt good. I was slowing down towards the end of every mile to try and get close to the 6:10 splits.
My foot is ok. There was a bit of swelling which is now gone. I can still feel it a bit but nothing that would hinder my run.
Felt really strong tonight - grateful for the fitness I've developed and how good that run felt.
Thursday - Yeah, this is how it's supposed to feel
Easy 10 miles @ 136 hr avg, 7:12 per mile.
Another great run in the books. Feeling very good right now. The few days off are obviously helping with that but man if I could bottle this type of feeling - loose but efficient and almost in motion with the world around me....
Friday - Rest day - Discussion with my Coach
Spoke with my coach and despite my perk and confidence he has asked me to do no running until next Wednesday. Fleshed it out with him and I'm going to go with his opinion and not mine. Would be a bit silly to pay for coaching only to ignore it!
Now trying to plan something fun to occupy my mind for the weekend . It's going to be tough taking these days off knowing I'm feeling better.
Time to re assess...
Saturday - Rest day
Sunday - Rest day
Total miles for the week - 31
Some points of note :- Full rest after injury
I'm very antsy right now knowing I'm going to have to take the next 5 days off. In my mind i had other plans . The runs this week felt great. Not perfect, but very good.
I will reflect on why this happened. I am of the opinion the workout intensities (which i am very new to) combined with my reckless abandon on pacing for long runs led to an overuse injury.
I'm sure many runners here know the feeling . Having gone through Connemara training unscathed this is another learning process . Will get on the bike for a nice leisurely cycle this weekend and plan for some time with friends.
I'm going to parkrun in the morning to volunteer and then cheering my boss on as he swims the Galway bay !!
- Changing my marathon goal time to 2 hours 50 minutes
I think it would be foolish to push for 2:45 given I will have had to rest for 8 days in a 14 days period . I will also be doing low mileage next wednesday and thursday.
The target will now be 2:50 for Longford. Still a tough target and one I will have to knuckle down for once I'm back next week. I've done a lot of miles at or under that pacing in the cycle so it's one which I am in a great position to shoot for. Boston qualifier also which is important.
As I've said several times - the time is not hugely important. It's about learning more about myself and being able to say I really pushed my limits. I can say so far I have done a lot of that (perhaps too much) and definitely learned. The journey is everything.
- Sleep
I've gotten into a bad pattern this week - 6 hours every night. Been trying to cram in books before bed and i'm prioritising it over shut eye.
- Yoga
Signed up for a one day yoga seminar in Galway in September. I'm very interested in it for my own wellness and flexibility, as well as what I've heard from others is a great supplement to running.
- Overall feeling after week 7 of the training cycle
I started the week feeling confident and with a lot of motivation i thought i had lost. Now I feel more sombre and reflective as the realisation hits that I won't be landing on the 'moon'. The stars will have to do, for now
- Upcoming races
Really looking forward to the Blayney 10 miler next Saturday. I'm a novice driver so getting to monaghan from galway on the morning itself is going to be a fun adventure. Saw the medals on facebook - rockets!!
Have the east cork harbour 10k two weeks after and I will aim for a PB in that. It will be my first official 10k ever ran. Might even wear my Saucony fastwitch for once!!!
Enjoy your weekend everyone. Get out there and enjoy your running :cool:0 - Full rest after injury
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You're a sub 3 marathon runner though !!
I have to get some short distance stuff done man, no idea what to do for these races. Pick a speed and try it out
You probably are too if you analyse the Connemara run carefully.
So, taking the physical and psychological challenges you're currently working on, and then looking at some of your training sessions, what do you think at this stage is a fair target?
Maybe it is 6.10, I dunno. I'll just miss out on the East Cork races. Will be back in Ireland but at a wedding up in Donegal that weekend.0 -
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The 10 mile equivalent to the parkrun you just ran is 61 minutes, and you're probably stronger on the endurance side. Go for 59:59 and report back?
Haha singer I'm torn. This week will be very low mileage - as I said in the previous post I'd prefer to tempo this run more than race it. I will race the 10k in cork.0 -
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Week 8 of 12 week training plan - 5 weeks until race day
Week beginning 24th July 2017
Monday - Rest Day
Tuesday - Rest Day
Wednesday - Rest Day
Thursday - Reset No.2 : Good to be back
Easy 8 miles @ 133 hr avg, 7:18 per mile.
First run back since parkrun last Saturday. One of my closest friends left Ireland and I spent a lot of time with them enjoying their last few days here.
Felt great tonight. Didn't feel like any fitness lost - foam rolled last night to prep for some stale legs. Hr was at the usual for this type of easy running.
Foot felt really good. Sights on castleblayney Saturday
Friday - Stretch before Blayney
Easy 6 miles @ 132 hr avg , 7:22 per mile.
Nice and easy 6 before Blayney 10 miler in the morning. Keeping things relaxed - not doing anything specific in advance just making sure to get some sleep and get driving early.
Met Jerome on my run - always good to catch up.
Saturday - Eyeballs Out!! Blayney 10 mile
Race - 10 miles @ 166 hr avg, 5:57 per mile.
Race time : 59:53
Well, that was amazing!
I got into castleblayney 5 minutes before the start. Last to reg - got a lift to the start line and no warm-up.
Went out with the intention to try and see how 6 minute miles felt (they were good) and kept it up.
Introduced myself to several runners en route and we ticked over aiming for an hour.
After 5 miles (88% hr avg ) at 6 minutes or less I could feel my legs switching from a gliding kind of feel to a more concentrated effort to main the pacing. Had a water bottle here.
I was on my own for the last 5 miles - the course is pretty hilly and we hit a headwind 2 miles out. I was determined to hit sub 60 by now. I didn't drive 3 hours for 60:10 ��
Absolutely bust a gut around the pitch at the end knowing now I might miss the hour marker. and saw the timer at 59:53. So happy.
Met a ton of people after (some of which knew my boards handle ) and had a great time afterwards. I love this community.
Now...home...
Sunday - Had to bail
1 mile - stopped after .
Looks like Blayney brought about a re occurrence of the foot injury I developed a few weeks back. Felt it after the race and was hoping for a miracle recovery....
Didn't want to make it worse so no running today.
Total miles for the week : 25
Some points of note :- The Blayney 10 miler
This was a very well ran event. Was very hectic for me personally just getting there on time with the long drive. My warm up ended up being running from my van to registration and a few strides.
The main positive was meeting so many runners during and afterwards. I spoke with 1 person who knew me from boards and my blog. Very grateful to know it has had an impact on someone , makes it all worthwhile
I was also extremely happy with how I buckled down at the end of the race to get in under 60 minutes. Considering the down time I started out with the intention of sub 60 and would re evaluate as I went. The first 4 miles were gliding. Next came a real slog to maintain and only with a half mile to go did I confirm I was close to missing the target.
I would describe the course as challenging, and the atmosphere / spread after as amazing !
Thanks to Itziger, Healy and Singer for the extra motivation this week. Likely would have not raced it at that intensity without you guys
- Injury Update
I've now taken 8 days off with my foot pains in the last 2 week period. I would say based on my efficiency this week there was no fitness drop. However racing Blayney brought about the pain again. I have felt it since yesterday so another long run will be missed.
There are some key developments which I am missing for running 26.2 - specifically glycogen depletion around the 2 hour mark. In Longford this could have a profound impact (provided i can start) .
Main thing is to assess the foot during the week again. If I have to crawl to the marathon at this point I will.
- Sleep
Average of 6.5 hours this week. Busy week in work with a software release, and I was out some nights this week at the theatre and a comedy gig. Had to get up early for Blayney also. Overall happy with this.
- Overall feeling after week 8 of training cycle :
I'm feeling good everywhere but in my foot :rolleyes: Longford is 4 weeks away and I will do what I can to get there in the best condition possible. Being honest I find my mind drifting to longer term goals now as I know I cannot reach my initial targets in 4 weeks. Need to remember to be present and focus on now.
Happy weekend all 0 - The Blayney 10 miler
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Week 9 of 12 week training plan - 4 weeks until race day
Week beginning 31 July 2017
Monday - Rest Day
Tuesday - Rest Day*
AM - Physio
Went and got some ultrasound done on my foot. Physio told me to give it 48 hours with some wool to reduce friction.
PM - Swimming
Jumped in Loughrea lake for 20 minutes. Man was it cold! But I felt amazing afterwords.
Wednesday - Rest Day
Thursday - More Comebacks than Rocky
Easy 7.5 miles @ 137 hr avg - 7:17 per mile.
Physio told me 2 days ago to give my foot 48 hours and test it. Did so tonight. I've been very antsy this week. Spent the downtime productively however.
I felt pretty good this evening. I would say similar to last week - fitness is there it would seem. It looks to be a guessing game at this point. I will try to push through but not at the risk of the long term.
Friday - Steady as she goes
Easy 10 mile @ 138 hr avg, 7:14 per mile.
Felt good again tonight. Decided to shoot for 10 and i liked the run. Got lost in a podcast and settled into my easy pace.
Plan is another 10 tomorrow and see how a long run goes Sunday.
Overall - feeling very happy in general
Saturday - Nice way to cap a beautiful day
Easy 12 miles @ 145 hr avg, 7:04 per mile.
Fantastic morning today for the oranmore 1 year anniversary . Had a great time there and then went into the city for a bit.
Came back out and the sun was blazing so went for 10. Decided going out the door to shoot for 12 and 15 tomorrow to get a back to back long run type of feel with 3 weeks to go.
Heart rate was high today - heat was a factor. 76% average . Foot felt good.
Sunday - 16 with a speed play to finish
Long Run - 16 miles @ 146 hr avg, 13 miles @ 7:05 per mile, last 3 @ 6:40 per mile.
Watched the Athletics this morning and was feeling quite good going out for a run today.
Bit of fatigue in the legs (intentional) after the 12 miler y'day. Was worried about footing as I threw on my old vazee prisms' instead of the new pair (I wore the new pair for Blayney and think they may have contributed to the reoccurance).
Settled into a nice 7:05 pacing and decided to play the run by feel. Was aiming for 15.
First 5 out to rinville were fine but the 5 back in was into a very strong wind. Splits went close to 7:30.
Had a gel and water 10 miles in and wanted to call it quits. Sucked it up and put in another 6 miles and added a speed play to finish. Wanted to see how my foot reacted to a bit of uptempo stuff.
My foot felt good at the end of the run. I actually felt stronger with each mile. I hope this is a good sign. And I managed to get close to 2 hours running in before Longford which is very important.
Total miles for the week : 46
Some Points of Note :- Foot Update
Foot is feeling good after 4 days of running. Actually felt like I could chuck in a few more miles today but I doubt the benefits would outweight potential risks.
Threw in a speed play to see how it reacted to some uptempo running and no noticeable concerns. Will have a tempo run mid week and a 10k next Saturday so time will tell how it goes...- Sleep
Average of 6.5 hours per night this week. I feel very alert during the days (likely due to lack of training in combination with better sleep / eating patterns) and my circadian rhythms are getting there. 6am starts most mornings .- Overall feeling after week 9
I am feeling excellent right now. With 3 weeks to go until Longford the big drop in mileage is obviously not ideal - but things happen. Personally I'm in a great state of mind - I met with one of the most revered coaches in Galway this week and had an amazing 2 hour chat with them. It really kickstarted my motivation for running and re - emphasised the important of patience. I have so much to learn....
Happy bank holiday all 0 -
Well done on the sub 60, great running
I was trying to make oranmore on saturday but couldn't make it, lost out on some good baked goods by all accounts
You have a 10k on saturday?? Not doing streets of galway??
Curious to know who this coach is you met...(GCH man??) Pm me if you want, if you don't it's grand, just a curiousity 0 -
martyboy48 wrote: »Well done on the sub 60, great running
I was trying to make oranmore on saturday but couldn't make it, lost out on some good baked goods by all accounts
You have a 10k on saturday?? Not doing streets of galway??
Curious to know who this coach is you met...(GCH man??) Pm me if you want, if you don't it's grand, just a curiousity
Thanks marty. It was pretty cool having to push around the pitch in Castleblayney the 60 minute mark was so tight. Real sense of accomplishment in terms of the pacing and dialing into my current capabilities.
As it was only a discussion I don't want to speak on the coach out of respect for them.
I'm not doing streets as I wanted a 10k for the 12th and booked it months ago. There was nothing official about the streets date at the time. Had I know I'd take a lie in over a trek to Cobh for the east harbour 10k . It is all part of the fun though!
How is your running going?0 -
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Week 10 of 12 week training plan - 3 weeks until race day
Week beginning 7th August 2017
Monday - Forgot what a long run does to your legs !
Easy 10 miles @ 140 hr avg, 7:24 per mile.
That was a pretty slow and sluggish effort today. Could feel the fatigue from the last few days in my legs before I ran.
Nice to have that feeling back again - important to try and cumulate again with 3 weeks left.
Foot was good again. Thinking about hitting athenry ac for their speed session tomorrow...
Tuesday - Still recovering from Sunday
Easy 9 miles @ 130 hr avg, 7:42 per mile.
6 days in a row after a lengthy lay off and it's taken a toll on my muscles! Was in bits all day (calves had serious case of DOMS) so I decided to go super slow on this run.
Beautiful evening out. Enjoyed the 68% hr avg running. Still kept pretty good stride rate and felt good doing so.
Tempo tomorrow - a true acid test!
Wednesday - Tempo 3 x (3 miles @ 6:25,4min R) - Foot was strong
Tempo Run - 13 miles @ 151 hr avg , 6:49 per mile.
7th day in a row back in action and I was dreading this workout. I bauked twice going out - once the post box was too small for my parcel so had to run back in. Second I changed my shoes after a mile !
Finally took the tempo on and was prescribed at 6:25 per. I thought I might go quicker and try to maintain towards 90% but all in all my fitness is not where it was which is logical.
I averaged around 84-85% for the tempo miles hitting 89% on the last and 6:15 mile to finish. Felt good throughout and most importantly my foot was strong.
Looking forward to the 10k on sat now. Grateful for my recovery so far and the beautiful weather.
Thursday - 6 very easy with 6 x 100 strides
Easy 6 miles @ 131 hr avg, 7:41 per mile.
Heart rate under 70 again for the run tonight. Small taper now in advance of cork on sat.
Legs felt surprisingly good after yesterday. Got some strides in to finish. Rushing out the door for a meeting now!
Friday - 10k easy before 10k hard!
Easy 6 miles @ 128 hr avg, 7:39 per mile.
Nice and comfortable 10k tonight in great weather. Keeping the easy runs easy...
Feeling good going into the East Cork 10k in the morning. Time to eat ...
Saturday - East Cork 10k
Race - 10k @ 173 hr avg, 5:43 per mile.
Time : 35 : 53
Splits (miles)
1 : 5:52
2 : 5:51
3 : 5:44
4 : 5:42
5 : 5:34
6 : 5:33
.2: 5:48
Got to the start line with ten minutes to spare for a change. This is the second year of the east cork harbour events.
Lined up at the front and some runners told me they we're aiming for 32/33 minutes. I planned to go for 5:50 per mile and see how the foot held up.
I found the pacing ok. A competitive field meant I had some extra motivation to push. I ran my fastest kilometres on my own having passed a fast club runner and aiming to stay ahead of them around the 6k mark.
Hit 94/95% hr max for the last kilometres. The watch says I hit 98% at one point. I was very happy to see I could hold the pacing below 5:50 throughout (last .2 miles was very tough though!) all things considered.
Now...3 hours home!
Sunday - 2 hours with no fuel - feeling strong
Long Run - 17 miles @ 143 hr avg, 7:03 per mile. Picked up to 6:55 for last 4.
Pretty perfect conditions today for running. Oh so slight breeze and some sun but generally just about right.
First mile was a bit slow and I had planned to do the whole run easy. However I felt supremely good after yday and ended up going for a 2 hour run. I wanted to get 2 hours in if possible as it's been a while now since my last.
Hr around 74% for most of the run until the last couple miles where I threw down a bit .
A great week overall and I feel really good now. Confidence is high with my foot and fitness.
I have 2 tough tempos this week which I've spoken to my coach about and agreed to do then a bit harder than planned with a target of 2:50 in Longford in mind.
Total miles for the week : 69
Some points of note :- East Cork 10k
First off - this is a fantastic event in only its second year. Amazing group of people that are organising (barbeque and live band at the finish and a real good atmosphere in a pitch setting to finish) .
I went into the race tentatively fully aware that my last race brought a reoccurance of my foot problem. I used body glide on my feet beforehand and made sure to warm up well .
My splits are pretty interesting - I got faster with each mile. A clear sign i was nervous about the foot at the start and then grew stronger. There is plenty of time for improvements. I did race it during a marathon training cycle and that has to be factored in too.
I found the race very interesting and can definitely see the benefit of tune ups. I caught 5th place about half way through and just floored it to the finish on my own from there.
I am intrigued and want to improve on the time in the future. Would like to get a solid speed training block in and go out at a hard effort from the gun next time.
- Foot update
Things are looking good right now (touch wood!). Nothing to suggest the pain is coming back - in fact I felt very strong today at the tail end of a 70 mile week. I acknowledge mileage combined with quality / intensity increases at once was likely the reason for it and will learn going forward.
- Sleep
7 hour average this week. Very happy with this and decided to focus on 7 every night as opposed to 8. It's a big difference but a gradual improvement is better than none.
- Overall feeling after week 10
I feel very good right now. Nutrition , recovery from injury, tune up races, quality workouts - the hard work is nearly done.
I'm very excited for Longford in 2 weeks. Hope everyone else is feeling as good too 0 -
Week 11 of 12 - 2 Weeks until Race Day
Week beginning 14th August 2017
Monday - Sun Rays and Recovery Days
Easy 10 miles @ 126 hr avg, 7:46 per mile.
B-e-a-utiful evening in Galway. Could have stayed out all night . Grateful for this city and this weather.
Legs are quite fatigued today after a strong effort at the weekend. Shooting for 8 hours of sleep tonight.
Hr in the mid 60's for this run. Just enjoying it.
Tuesday - Tempo - 8 x (1mile @ 6:10, 4min R). Feeling great
Tempo Run - 15 miles @ 146 hr avg, 7:02 per mile.
Getting closer now. Tonight I had some snacks an hour before (walnuts, peach, dates) which isn't my normal. It actually seemed to help a bit - had a lot of energy and finished the run strongly. Wondering if I need to revise how I eat pre workout.
Anyways - 8 @ 6:22 was the initial plan. Convinced coach to go to 6:15. Went out and did them at 6:10. Close to lactate threshold . Last 2 I pushed it up to 90% and over of max hr. Think I judged it well and hit sub 6 minutes for the last 1 feeling like I could have done a few more.
Looking forward to a day off tomorrow after. Strong cycle post injury. Race day prep is next ....
Wednesday - Day Off
Thursday - A run that felt so good I didn't want to ever stop
Easy 10 miles @ 130 hr avg, 7:37 per mile.
Wow. I enjoyed that so much. All the elements out in force as a hurricane approaches Galway. Yet I felt incredible.
Important to be grateful for these glorious days where the legs feel amazing - mind is good and everything is perfect as it is.
I love running.
Friday - The Salthill Simulator - 1m WU, 12 @ MP, 2m CD
Tempo Run - 15 miles @ 151 hr avg, 6:43 per mile.
MP Mile Splits ;
1 : 6:31
2 : 6:31
3 : 6:27
4 : 6:22
5 : 6:27
6 : 6:29
7 : 6:30
8 : 6:30
9 : 6:26
10 : 6:34
11 : 6:20
12 : 6:11
This was the official start of my taper for Longford. I argued with the coach to get this done at Target pace and he agreed if the foot was good.
Did a 1 mile warm up and with a hurricane weather warning was prepared for the worst. It actually was fine - no rain, sun out for most of the run and a headwind for a few miles but that was it.
I ended up doing mile repeats in salthill to keep the course profile as close to Longford as I could - i.e flat. It meant I had to turn around every mile which wasn't ideal and effected the pacing slightly.
HR was good. 80% of max drifting up towards 87 during the last couple of miles and I spiked it to 90 to finish strong.
The run overall felt good. I didn't feel completely strained but did think about my initial target of 6:18 and if I had truly accepted it wasn't to be. Ive made up my mind (in truth I did when I got the injury) and don't think I can do that kind of pacing for 26.2. I don't have enough long runs and mileage in the last 2 months to allow for it without risking a lot.
2:50 is the goal - and right now I'm confident in hitting it. Here's to a great weekend all.
Saturday - Easy 80 minutes
Easy 10.5 miles @ 128 hr avg, 7:45 per mile.
Keeping things ticking over after the session last night and a fun parkrun this morning.
68% hr avg. Feeling good.
Sunday - * Oranmore Junior Parkrun 1 - Front Runner
1.2 miles @ 7:07 per mile.
Agreed to strap on a go pro and lead the kids around the Rinville junior parkrun course before my workout today.
Kids started off super fast! First finisher was 8:16 and 8 years old - Amazing pace !!
Was a truly momentous community event. It feels really good to have been of service for this. Big smile on my face seeing all the kids just enjoying running free
Sunday - Workout : He LOVES the slop
Long Run - 13.5 miles @ 145 hr avg, 6:55 per mile.
Back from junior parkrun as the front runner and the rain came down. Absolutely blitzed this run - felt strong and pushed it for last 3.5 miles @ 6:40. Constant rain throughout and I frickin loved it.
Longford - you won't know what hit you
Total Miles for week : 76
Some Points of Note :
- Taper
So I'm in a funny situation in that I've kind of already done 1 taper. Ramping back to 76 miles did not feel stressful this week at all. I attribute that mainly to the lower intensity during my easy runs primarily.
I have started a 1 week taper which will have a few short runs with MP miles and strides - and then a couple of miles the day before Longford. Not planning on changing anything aside from sleep and a few extra carbs in the lead up.
- Sleep
Average of 6.5 hours. Waking naturally quite frequently right now.
- Overall feeling after week 11 of training
I feel really good right now. Energy levels and motivation are there, and no feeling of heavy fatigue. The MP run Friday was a good confidence booster.
Very much looking forward to the marathon Sunday. Wonder will I get the McGregor fight in :rolleyes:
Happy running all 0 -
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