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Earning my go-faster stripes...
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2018
I'm not one for resolutions or major goals really, but I've had this annoying little corner of my brain that's been whispering "marathon, marathon" since reading the novices thread back in 2016. So the vague plan (wild hope?) is to attempt it this year. That said, I'd really like to do another half because I enjoyed the first so much. Oh and there are other helpful aspirations like "run more!", "get faster!" etc.
As I think about all of this I'm struggling a bit with the thought of balance, too. Training for the half last summer, I felt I was constantly saying no to things my boyfriend wanted to do, or missing time with family and friends. This year I've started a masters on top of that. Soooo... I don't know what the solution is (except for the nagging feeling that there probably isn't one, you just do what you can), but I like to run and I want to keep doing it.
Once the idea is there then it will just keep niggling at you until you do it so you may as well just bite the bullet and get the monkey off your back
It's a juggling act no matter what. I don't remember saying no to anything big/important while training for DCM. It really opened my eyes that when you want something badly enough there is almost always a way to work around it. It may just involve getting up extra early, giving up TV time, or letting the house work go a bit (ok a lot :eek:).
You hit well over 1,000 miles training this year so you've already got a super base and you're already doing more than the weekly mileage required of a novice plan.
Best of luck with Raheny!0 -
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Week of 8th - 14th January
Monday 8th - 15 mins strength training + 3.25 miles easy / 10:53 avg pace / 144 (151) HR avg (max)
Can't remember anything about this, except that kettlebell swings are fun.
Tuesday 9th - Tempo: 5.4 miles / 9:37 avg pace / 160 (183) HR avg (max)
Tempo section in between some slower miles.
Wednesday 10th - Rest
Schedule didn't allow for any running today so moved the planned runs around.
Thursday 11th - 4.05 miles easy / 10:31 avg pace / 147 (155) HR avg (max)
Easy run in the evening.
Friday 12th January - 4.02 miles easy / 10:42 avg pace / 146 (157) HR avg (max)
Wasn't feeling great for this, but it was short and easy so no complaints.
Saturday 13th January - 5.1 miles / 09:11 avg pace / 170 (194) HR avg (max)
5 miles w/ 3 at target race pace. Massive improvement on the same workout last week, at least in terms of how it felt. Still hard, but more manageably hard, if that makes sense. Splits: 8:06, 8:07, 8:03
Sunday 14th January - 8.05 miles / 10:16 avg pace / 149 (157) HR avg (max)
Pretty windy. Felt good and easy, so I was surprised to find I was pretty tired later on. Fitness still not back, obviously.
Weekly mileage: 29.89 miles
Second week back was a bit better than the first week back, so baby steps
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Alright then, time to get this back up to (almost) the present! Here's last week
Week of 15th - 21st January
Monday 15th - 10 mins strength training + 3 miles easy / 9:53(?) avg pace / 147 (157) HR avg (max)
Treadmill run and I don't quite believe the pace my watch reported! But no matter, it was an easy run and the effort felt right. Ran out of time for my strength training at the end so this was very minimal
Tuesday 16th - 5.1 miles easy / 10:14 avg pace / 151 (161) HR avg (max)
Snow! Out at lunchtime for this. Blaming the weather for the increased HR
Wednesday 17th - 6 x 400 @ 5k pace
4.1 miles / 157 (187) HR avg (max)
Aimed for 7:55 pace for the intervals but ran all of them a bit quicker. Oops.
Thursday 18th - 6.1 miles easy / 11:01 avg pace / 147 (156) HR avg (max)
First runmute (with the backpack) in a very long time! Pace was slower but this actually enjoyed this one, took it easy.
Friday 19th January - 5 miles w/ 3 at 'pace'
5.1 miles / 167 (192) HR avg (max)
Had to do this as a run to work with the backpack too which wasn't ideal. I assumed that would mean the 'pace' miles would be slower, but they ended up fairly bang on - 8:13, 8:11 and 8:01 (goal was 8:10 ish).
Saturday 20th January - Rest
In college all day.
Sunday 21st January - 8 miles / 10:43 avg pace / 145 (158) HR avg (max)
Into strong wind for a lot of this. Tried to keep the effort low and not push against it too much.
Weekly mileage: 31.4 miles
Fairly happy with the week, I feel like I'm slowly getting back into the swing of it. Pity there aren't a few more weeks before Raheny!0 -
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Yeah, I hear you! Looks like you've been consistent for the last three weeks so that will stand to you. Good luck!
Ha thank you, I'd love to think my three weeks of consistency would be enough but somehow I don't really! However I keep reminding myself of this epic goodie bag at the end that everyone keeps talking about, so curiosity/greed will get me there if nothing else does!
Good luck to you too! Hopefully we get a good day for it 0 -
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Quicky recap for last week before getting to the fun stuff (race! woo!)
Monday 22nd - 3 easy miles / 10:44 avg pace / 140 (152) HR avg (max)
Hit the treadmill at lunchtime. Short, easy, nothing more to say
Tuesday 23rd - 4 easy miles / 10:44 avg pace / 145 (154) HR avg (max)
Lunchtime again but made it outdoors this time. Still windy out there!
Wednesday 24th - 4.3 miles / 10:32 avg pace / 152 (184) HR avg (max)
5 x 400 at 5k pace. All in order.
Thursday 25th - 3.1 miles / 11:17 avg pace / 146 (162) HR avg (max)
Ran home from work with the backpack. Makes a definite difference to pace relative to effort.
Friday 26th January - 3.1 miles / 11:17 avg pace / 144 (153) HR avg (max)
Morning runmute this time. Exact same pace as yesterday interestingly, though franctionally lower HR for it.
Saturday 27th January - Rest
Planned to do a short recovery run and a few strides ahead of the race the next day, but I was feeling crap so just rested.0 -
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Sunday 28th January - Raheny 5 mile
Not really sure how to explain this one. I'm not exaggerating when I say I would have cancelled on it completely if my lovely boyfriend hadn't changed a load of plans to be free to drive me to the race, so the guilt got me there! Woke up on Sunday feeling crap, went out for a gentle jog and felt really dizzy, and, ahem, got sick a tiny bit when I got home. Not very promising! Told myself I'd run the race but not expect anything, just take it easy.
Previous 5 mile PB was 43:15 ish, and I thought on a good day I might make sub-41, but this didn't seem to be a good day. McMillan gave me a 40:45 prediction based on a 5k from last summer, but I was a lot fitter then.
Got there and was completely thrown by how busy it was. I've never done this one before and wasn't expecting half of it. It was like a music festival! Without the music... Saw people all around me warming up, etc, but I didn't bother. What was the point?
The Race
Lined up near the back (because of the new go-slow plan) and waited. Quickly realised I'd made a definite mistake there. I may not have been flying around, but I spent the first several minutes barely able to move for how many people there were in front of me. I guess it's to be expected with a busy race but it was very frustrating. I eventually settled into it after about 1/2 mile and realised my pace was picking up. In training I was aiming for 8:10 pace, but I was now a little quicker than that and feeling surprisingly good.
It's a nice course, felt like it was downhill all the way somehow. Seemed weirdly quiet running through the streets. Most of the race was a bit of a blur, just ticked along really, feeling pretty decent for the most part. The only bit that really dragged was up the main stretch in St Anne's Park, but I tried to just go with it and not drop the pace. I was afraid to really go for it until the last 0.5 mile or less to go, which is a persistent problem of mine in races. I managed to speed up with the finish line in sight but crossed it feeling pretty energetic, which I think means I did it wrong
I somehow came away with a chip time of 38:53. No idea where that came from, and I'm still scratching my head. It's a lovely surprise, but it doesn't feel entirely real since I had no intention of going anywhere near sub-40, didn't think I was capable.
Then home for a cup of tea and a celebratory biscuit from the goodie bag
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Brilliant time eyrie but I'm not a bit surprised. You've been ticking away with consistent high mileage weeks and it's paid off. Imagine if you were feeling 100%;) Well done girl
I'm starting to think I would have done worse if I'd been feeling well - low expectations might just be the answer!Yeesssss! Nice work. Congrats on the PB. You've an exciting running career ahead of you, methinks
Ha! Thank you, but I'm questioning your definition of 'exciting' now... :PAnnie get your Run wrote: »Congrats!!! That's brilliant! As ariana said, your consistent training has definitely paid off for sure.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the day yourself - good discipline there to stick to the plan!
Thanks, and the same to you!Well done Eyrie, congrats on a great time. Off to a great start for 2018.That's brilliant running and a great testimony to the miles you've put in. Congratulations!
Thank you! Super performance yourself - loved the reportFantastic, that's a great pb! Especially if you weren't feeling well.
Same to you We must have been very close to each other at the end 0 -
Back down to earth. Sunday's race gave me a renewed taste for them, so I need to think about what's next. I had been planning on training for a half in late spring/early summer, which would have me done and dusted in time to start thinking about maaaaaybe attempting marathon training. But now I'm wondering if I should focus on shorter stuff for the next few months instead of a half. I'd really like to do another half, but part of me thinks that shorter races that might need a teeeny bit less time spent training would be sensible when I have a lot of other stuff on over the next few months. Decisions, decisions...
Oh and I should really figure it out pronto, so I can start a new plan next week. I'm so torn! Anyone care to decide for me?? :pac:
Taking it semi-easy this week anyway while I decide, have picked up a cold too so that suits for now.
Monday 29th - Rest
Planned a recovery run but didn't end up doing it, mostly for reasons of laziness
Tuesday 30th - 4.1 miles / 10:30 avg pace / 144 (157) HR avg (max)
Nice to be back out. Just an easy lunchtime one but it felt good.0 -
Well, if you're thinking of marathon training you'll most likely be doing a half in the run up to that, so why not focus on the shorter stuff for now! Win win You also recover quicker from shorter races so you can do lots of different ones and enjoy the next few months before the serious work of marathon training starts. 0
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Annie get your Run wrote: »Well, if you're thinking of marathon training you'll most likely be doing a half in the run up to that, so why not focus on the shorter stuff for now! Win win You also recover quicker from shorter races so you can do lots of different ones and enjoy the next few months before the serious work of marathon training starts.
You know, I like the way you think...
I've just been sort of tied to the idea of a half because I enjoyed the first one I did so much, but as you say I'll probably do one later in the year anyway. I think part of me thinks I need to have improved my half time a good bit before starting marathon training to give myself a bit more confidence over longer distances. But your way I get to do more races!0 -
You know, I like the way you think...
I've just been sort of tied to the idea of a half because I enjoyed the first one I did so much, but as you say I'll probably do one later in the year anyway. I think part of me thinks I need to have improved my half time a good bit before starting marathon training to give myself a bit more confidence over longer distances. But your way I get to do more races!
You'll have no problem with training for a marathon considering where you are at now. You're well ahead of the game. Enjoy the shorter stuff over the next few months before knuckling down to the Novices '18 thread and plans 0 -
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I love your confidence! But... ehh.... I'm still terrified at the thought of it to be honest. But sure there's only one way to find outYou'll have no problem with training for a marathon considering where you are at now. You're well ahead of the game. Enjoy the shorter stuff over the next few months before knuckling down to the Novices '18 thread and plans
Yep I think I'm going to go for a 10k, and then a 5k or two in the build up as part of the training. Kind of excited at the prospect now!Why not find a race that interests you and then pick a plan to suit? Lots of plans have races incorporated, so you might race a few times in the build up to your goal race, too.0 -
I love your confidence! But... ehh.... I'm still terrified at the thought of it to be honest. But sure there's only one way to find out
Now now I'll not be hearing of the word terrified. This time last year I had run the grand total of 162 miles for the preceding 12 months and was not the only one on last years thread to have that experience level. Some had less, some had more....but all who took to the line finished and finished well. So yes I would have huge confidence that you can, and will, do it! 0 -
Wednesday 31st - 4.45 miles / 9:42 avg pace / 149 (174) HR avg (max)
Blood test this morning to see if my iron levels have finally decided to come up to normal. Fingers crossed. Random run at lunchtime - 2 x tempo miles with 1 easy mile in between, plus warm up and cool down.
January mileage - 124 miles
Compares fairly well to the 14.5 miles I apparently ran last January!
Thursday 1st Feb - 5.7 miles / 10:36 avg pace / 144 (156) HR avg (max)
February!!! Runmute home in the evening with the backpack. Surprised at the pace - noticeable bit quicker than last week's backpack runs, for the same heart rate.
Friday 2nd - 4.6 miles / 10:51 avg pace / 144 (156) HR avg (max)
And the reverse - runmute back in to work this morning, with a fairly empty backpack. Felt fairly tired about 2/3 of the way through this, but still getting rid of a cold plus not a great night's sleep probably to blame.
That ended up being it for the week. Friday night I started to feel really dizzy out of nowhere, and it continued through Saturday so running didn't feel like a good idea. Sunday the dizziness was gone but I was exhausted and really not feeling like myself, so again just took it easy. Bit weird but I've been trying to get rid of a cold that seems determined not to budge, so that may have contributed.
Weekly mileage: 18.8 miles
Pretty poor, but it was kind of a filler week after Raheny last weekend and before starting the new plan, so no real damage done.0 -
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Did you get results from the blood tests? Maybe the dizziness is from your iron? Mind yourself anyhow.
Haven't got the results yet but I'm hoping they'll show that my iron is way up, not down, as I've been taking supplements for months now! But we'll see, I should find out in a few days. I'm feeling much better today anyway so it could just be down to a week of not enough sleep too. Thanks 0 -
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