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Earning my go-faster stripes...
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Yeah just enjoying running with no plan for a bit I think, although having read all the 5k reports on here now, there's a good chance I will try for a PB at parkrun this weekend! Why not :angel:
Btw, thanks for the Strava follow ;)
Same to you! Nice to recognise a few people on there now
Good luck with the parkrun attempt if you go for it! No bother to you
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Pomplamousse wrote: »Well done, congrats on the PB:DBungy Girl wrote: »Well done on the PB ! 5k's are so tough. The trick, I think, is to do more of them, and to replicate that feeling in training with tough intervals. The good thing is, if it all goes pear shaped, there's always another one next week.
Thanks you two!
BG I think you're onto something here. I have almost a fear of the pain of the 5k, so I tend to avoid them like the plague. Probably need to just do a load of them and toughen up! :eek:0 -
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Monday 21st - Recovery run
3 miles / 11:22 avg pace / 139 (149) HR avg (max)
Conscious that I haven't been the smartest in terms of tapering for the race tomorrow, I kept this to a gentle recovery run too.
Tuesday 22nd - Race Day! Bob Heffernan 5K
8 miles including warm up and cool down
What a glorious evening to be out running. Arrived and was amazed at how many of the runners were wearing club gear and, well, looking like real runners. Started to feel a bit out of my depth, if I'm honest. But what of it, we were all there to run and no one was going to be paying any attention to me anyway.
The Race
I somehow thought that this race went by gun time so I started my watch as soon as the gun went off, resulting in my Garmin being out for the whole thing. Nearly tripped over a shoe that someone had lost at the start line (tough break for whoever that was!).
Straightaway the effort seemed high. Too high? I wasn't sure if it was tiredness, or just that a 5K should be hard from the start. I wasn't really feeling it, but I knew I'd be disgusted with myself if I gave in, so I tried to hold the pace at least. It was pretty manageable for about the first 3km or so and then I started to feel it, and the doubts/thoughts of slowing down started to creep in. Strangely the legs felt perfect, just had no spring in them. The breathing was getting tough though. This seems to be par for the course for me, when I struggle it's aerobically more than anything. I think I more or less kept the pace fairly steady despite this, but the Garmin was all over the place.
Passed a few people. I had been shoulder-to-shoulder with another woman since just after the start, and she fell slightly behind me but kept close. Coming into the last 500m she pulled beside me again and then moved on.
I had no kick whatsoever, I've never felt so flat in a race. Saw the clock and pushed as best I could, thinking I had just barely missed my target. Came through and found a grassy corner to sit down on for a few minutes, felt fairly wobbly. Quickly settled though, and once I'd eaten a very welcome free granola bar I actually felt great doing my cool down jog a little later.
So, the target going in had been 23:30. I thought crossing the line I had missed this by a couple of seconds, but then it turned out the race was chip timed after all. Woop!
Official time: 23:23 (PB)
Previous race PB was 25:44 (a year ago), though I did a park run in 24:36 last summer.
I guess I'm pleased? I dunno, this one feels a bit anticlimactic. I guess racing when coming off my highest mileage week ever wasn't going to be brilliant anyway. But it wasn't a goal race, and I got the time I was aiming for, I just didn't feel good out there. Felt a bit like my body was stuck in a lower gear or something.
Mostly I'm reminded of how completely not enjoyable 5Ks are, which makes me wonder why do more of them? At the same time, I have somehow developed the lofty notion that I want to see a 22:xx 5k time beside my name some time in the future. Oh and if I can have a unicorn too I'd take it
Congratulations on the PB! Sounds like a well-executed race to me. That sub-23 is well within your reach when you’re not coming off your highest mileage week ever and feeling stuck in a lower gear.0 -
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Going to post up a proper recap for last week, because I got back to proper training so there's actually stuff to record!
Monday 4th - Easy run + 8 x 100m strides
6 miles / 10:15 avg pace / 154 (178) HR avg (max)
Up all night travelling home from holidays. Went out for a run when I got back but I was clearly struggling, as the HR shows. The humidity didn't help.
Tuesday 5th - Easy out/slightly less easy back
5.15 miles / 9:38 avg pace / 147 (161) HR avg (max)
Splits: 10:30, 9:55, 9:38, 9:14, 9:08
Short on time so improvised this. Easy first half and picked it up a little on the way back but kept the effort low enough. Lovely running. Garmin gave me a new VO2 max! Amazing night's sleep the night before, always makes a big difference. If only I could manage that more often!
Wednesday 6th - Very easy run
5.1 miles / 10:39 avg pace / 144 (152) HR avg (max)
Just aimed to keep the HR below 150 throughout. Almost managed it, just two tiny blips over. Felt fairly comfortable but definitely slowed as I went on for the same HR - heat may have been a factor!
Thursday 7th - VO2 Max Session: 3x1k + 3x800m @ 3k-5k effort (jog 50-90% interval time recovery) - 9 miles total
Target pace: 7:40 - 7:20
Reps: 1000s (pace): 7:29, 7:31, 7:19. 800s (pace): 7:15, 7:24, 7:20
Very nearly postponed this and turned it into an easy run because it was hot and I was tired, but I decided I'd start the session and see. Almost always a good call, that! Did this on the grass track. It was tough but not too tough. I was definitely tired for the last two, but I hit the paces. None of it felt fast, but the speed endurance isn't great all the same. Very hot day though. I walked the start of each recovery instead of jogging - not sure if that makes much difference or not.
Friday 8th - Recovery run
5.15 miles / 11:13 avg pace / 146 (157) HR avg (max)
Legs were tired from the session yesterday. If I'm honest this probably wasn't always a true recovery effort, even though the pace was slow. It was first thing in the morning and I always find that a bit tougher.
Saturday 9th - Endurance run (Goal: 10:41 - 9:38 pace)
12.85 miles / 10:02 avg pace / 155 (173) HR avg (max)
Splits: 9:19, 10:22, 10:04, 10:08, 10:19, 10:18, 10:02, 9:46, 9:53, 9:57, 10:03, 9:56 (10:27/8:36)
A funny one, this. I was fairly destroyed after it, which I don't really feel the distance warranted! It was really hot and sunny though, and I had no water. I ran out along the seafront to Raheny, which was fine, but the way back was a real struggle.
Sunday 10th - Rest
Total laziness! Much of it spent glued to the French Open Final
Weekly mileage: 43.25 miles
Highest mileage week so far, and only the second time every going above 40. And apart from being tired on a few occasions from the hot weather and lack of sleep, I feel great. Body seems to be handling the increase well, which I'm delighted about. What's more I really enjoyed most of it. It's brief anyway as the plan goes straight into cut back mode now for the final two weeks.0 -
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Oh it was great! I'd heartily recommend it as a place, as long as you can get over the eye-watering prices of everything :eek: It made for a very sensible trip altogether though, no mad nights out (too expensive)! Landscape is totally out of this world though, I'm keen to go back and see more.
For some reason, I thought you were in Croatia and was surprised to hear it was expensive. Your comments on TBO's log made me realise
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Well done that is great running. The mileage on the meno plan will be no trouble to you, if that's the one you decide on! Glad you'd a nice trip, fair play on the holiday running too
Ah, thank you! Oh the holiday running was minimal - only got out 3 times in 9 days. But any more than that and I'd have been in trouble I think... :pac:For some reason, I thought you were in Croatia and was surprised to hear it was expensive. Your comments on TBO's log made me realise
Ha! Oops, didn't realise I hadn't explained that! Croatia is definitely on the list though, I still haven't been. I'm pretty sure once you're back a whole week it's time to start planning the next holiday, right? 0 -
Somehow it's taper time already - last week was the second last of the plan. It feels really weird to be tapering like this for a 10k. I was tempted to ignore the taper actually, but given that I've followed the plan reasonably closely this far I figured I might as well stick with it and see what happens.
Monday 11th - Easy + 8 x 100m strides
6.05 miles / 10:31 avg pace / 142 (168) HR avg (max)
Benefits of this forum: reading other people's approach to their training. Read a comment from Swashbuckler about how he started to get the hang of strides and mulled it over as I ran these. The prompt was the word 'smooth'. Have to say they felt great, and I was wrecked before I started so that's good going as far as I'm concerned.
Tuesday 12th - Recovery
4 miles / 10:49 avg pace / 131 (143) HR avg (max)
I think that might just be the lowest average HR I've ever seen for a run! Not quite sure where it came from but it was certainly a proper recovery effort.
Wednesday 13th - Pilates
Missed pilates for the last two weeks and wow did I know about it today. It was so much harder than normal!
Rest day on the plan so no running.
Thursday 14th - VO2 Max Session: 4x800m + 2x600m @ 3k-5k effort (jog 50-90% interval time recovery)
7.8 miles / 9:59 avg pace / 160 (191) HR avg (max)
Target pace: 7:40 - 7:20
Reps: 800s (pace): 7:43, 7:25, 7:28, 7:27. 600s (pace): 7:14, 7:15
Another hot day for the session. This was easier than last week's though. Did it on the grass track. Again I didn't feel like I was moving quickly at all, but the speed endurance felt like it wasn't there to go faster/longer. Focused on keeping it relatively smooth and controlled this time, not all out. Tried to keep something back to finish faster. The first one was too slow but then I got the hang of it.
Quite happy with this really, it felt very manageable.I was less tired on the recoveries than last week too.
Friday 15th - Recovery run
4.05 miles / 10:50 avg pace / 135 (149) HR avg (max)
Easy, lazy ramble after work.
Saturday 16th - Easy/General aerobic run
8.4 miles / 10:23 avg pace / 147 (158) HR avg (max)
Got up and out for this first thing in the morning. Easy effort but the legs were tired and I felt tired overall after it. Probably just morning sluggishness though. Then it was off to see The National for the afternoon/evening! Pretty sure this isn't the first time they've been mentioned on this log actually. Obviously need to diversify my gig-going :pac:
Sunday 17th - Rest
Weekly mileage: 30.3 miles
I felt like I was doing nothing for most of this week. On the plus side though, it's not too long since a 30 mile week would have been normal and now it really feels like taking it easy. Another easy week coming up and then race next weekend. :eek:0 -
You will ace the 10k, no doubt but for this week enjoy the taper! You may as well, you'll be more or less launching straight into DCM training after the 10k so put your feet up a little this week and catch up with glossy magazines or whatever your thing is 0
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Saturday 23rd - Race! Dunshaughlin 10k
10.45 miles including w/u and c/d / HR for the race: 185 avg + 194 max
I keep having zero desire to write a race report for this, but there are a few things it would be no harm to remember/record so I'll jot down a few notes.
First a quick summary: wasn't feeling good before this (nothing serious but quite lightheaded/dizzy) but was ok once I got moving. Warm evening but not unbearable. I'm not going to give a mile-by-mile recap because it was unremarkable really. 'Steady' is the word, and that's not a word that should be associated with a race (not a 10k anyway). Not bad, not great. I struggled on the drag from mile 4.5 - 5 but settled back after that. Left it late enough to pick it up at the end but found I had a lot left then, so probably could have gone earlier. My head was spinning when I finished and I had to sit down for a bit, but it settled.
Chip time: 49:39 (PB! Previous one was 53:00)
Mile splits: 8:04, 7:57, 8:02, 7:52, 8:12, 7:55 (7:30 pace/1:38 for the last .2)
Thoughts:
- happy to have gotten the sub 50 (had only raced one 10k before, a year ago in 53:00), but I guess I was hoping for closer to 49:00, or even just under it.
- I revived an old technique from piano lessons long ago, of more or less counting a beat in my head to keep time. Good distraction and it helped to focus on that. Get to 100, and start again.
- I felt fairly strong, which is good, but then my pace was slower than planned, so no major surprise that it wasn't that tough.
- Too conservative. Again. I started slow and kept waiting for the right point to speed up, and I just never did. Not that I couldn't, I just didn't. Too afraid of the suffering that would be involved, or of judging it wrong and not being able to keep going. This has been the story of nearly every race I've done, and it's not going to change unless I do something to change it. Do more races and take more risks in them maybe, let them be less important. I guess that will have to wait till after marathon training now though.
- VDOT for this is worse than for my last two races
Performance-related grumbling aside I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience of the race! Probably the nicest one I've done. Lovely support through the village, amazing spread afterwards and just a great, friendly atmosphere overall. I look forward to doing it again.
Sunday 24th - Easy run
4 miles / 10:27 avg pace / 148 (160) HR avg (max)
Legs felt pretty much grand, though the heat in the mid afternoon was fairly energy-sapping!
Weekly mileage: 30.9 miles
Now it's time for the real fun to start 0 -
Saturday 23rd - Race! Dunshaughlin 10k
10.45 miles including w/u and c/d / HR for the race: 185 avg + 194 max
I keep having zero desire to write a race report for this, but there are a few things it would be no harm to remember/record so I'll jot down a few notes.
First a quick summary: wasn't feeling good before this (nothing serious but quite lightheaded/dizzy) but was ok once I got moving. Warm evening but not unbearable. I'm not going to give a mile-by-mile recap because it was unremarkable really. 'Steady' is the word, and that's not a word that should be associated with a race (not a 10k anyway). Not bad, not great. I struggled on the drag from mile 4.5 - 5 but settled back after that. Left it late enough to pick it up at the end but found I had a lot left then, so probably could have gone earlier. My head was spinning when I finished and I had to sit down for a bit, but it settled.
Chip time: 49:39 (PB! Previous one was 53:00)
Mile splits: 8:04, 7:57, 8:02, 7:52, 8:12, 7:55 (7:30 pace/1:38 for the last .2)
Thoughts:
- happy to have gotten the sub 50 (had only raced one 10k before, a year ago in 53:00), but I guess I was hoping for closer to 49:00, or even just under it.
- I revived an old technique from piano lessons long ago, of more or less counting a beat in my head to keep time. Good distraction and it helped to focus on that. Get to 100, and start again.
- I felt fairly strong, which is good, but then my pace was slower than planned, so no major surprise that it wasn't that tough.
- Too conservative. Again. I started slow and kept waiting for the right point to speed up, and I just never did. Not that I couldn't, I just didn't. Too afraid of the suffering that would be involved, or of judging it wrong and not being able to keep going. This has been the story of nearly every race I've done, and it's not going to change unless I do something to change it. Do more races and take more risks in them maybe, let them be less important. I guess that will have to wait till after marathon training now though.
- VDOT for this is worse than for my last two races
Performance-related grumbling aside I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience of the race! Probably the nicest one I've done. Lovely support through the village, amazing spread afterwards and just a great, friendly atmosphere overall. I look forward to doing it again.
Sunday 24th - Easy run
4 miles / 10:27 avg pace / 148 (160) HR avg (max)
Legs felt pretty much grand, though the heat in the mid afternoon was fairly energy-sapping!
Weekly mileage: 30.9 miles
Now it's time for the real fun to start
It's a near 4 minute PB, a great testament to the great work you have put in. Enjoy it! Great that you feel you had more to give. Learning to hurt only takes 1 race...the first one you do it! Then you realise that recovery comes quickly and you are so proud of taking yourself to the limits. More PBs to come. Huge congratulations0 -
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Annie get your Run wrote: »Excellent result!! I love that race! and I'm not at all jealous that you've beaten my PB as well as your own, massive congrats on the sub 50 10k.
I’d blame the pacer on your PB.........0
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