If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me.

skyblue46

Kellygirl wrote: »

You are very observant. It’s because of when I write my log and the fact that I do my long runs on a Wednesday. My Saturday runs actually belong to the next week in the plan so technically the 6 miles last Saturday was part of the step back week as opposed to the 9 miles yesterday. It’s also about paces though and my Monday runs are generally tempo or pace runs but was an easy run this week. It’s the Hal Higdon plan. The only thing I’m taking from the Boston plan is a hill workout on a Monday every few weeks instead of the pace or tempo.

Ah I get ya. Well it's working anyway. Yeah I really enjoy reading through the logs. It's a great way of picking up titbits of information and getting ideas. :-)

Kellygirl

Week 12 Cork City Marathon Training

Had a bit of time so decided to add to my log as have a busy week ahead.

Sunday
Planned: rest
Actual: 5.4 miles @ 11:14

I was given a lie in that morning but couldn’t sleep and was looking at runs going up on Strava so I got up and threw on my running gear. I rarely run locally as country roads that can be quite busy but decided Easter Sunday morning would be quiet and ran down to the local forest park, around there and back again. I had in my mind what Ariana said about her 60-70 min very slow runs and how they really helped her fitness so I figured as long as I stayed slow an extra run wouldn’t do me any harm. It’s mainly downhill as far as the park and then very lumpy and bumpy so going so slow helped. Coming home again was then all uphill but again going so slow it didn’t matter. Tucked into my Easter Egg guilt free afterwards!

Monday
Planned: 6 mile Marathon Pace (9.33)
Actual: 6.2 miles @ 9.03


So I did this on purpose and aimed for 9 min/mile - partly because of a discussion with Skyblue last week. He’s now thinking nowhere and never did he tell me go faster in training and all he does is advocate slow down!! BUT, we were discussing my training paces (which I typically find easy) in relation to my goal marathon time - that has been 4:10 for Cork at a pace of 9:33. Goal for DCM is then 4:00 so 9:00. Is my goal for Cork too soft? I don’t know so that’s why I tried the 9min/mile pace today.

So, how did it go? It may have been fine except after about 1.5 miles I needed to go to the loo and there was absolutely nowhere to go so I kept going, stuck to my pace, while getting more and more uncomfortable. I would have enjoyed the run a lot more if that hadn’t happened and it turned out to be my fastest 10km though my 10km pb is from October 2016 anyway so not a major achievement really. I can’t say it took anything much out of me - yes there was effort involved and I couldn’t have held a long conversation but I could have gone and done more! BUT, could I do a whole marathon at that pace? Maybe that’s ambitious!

So now I’m wondering what do I aim for in Cork or do I just stick to my original 4:10 plan and hopefully that will be very doable?? 9 weeks to go so I’ll see what happens I suppose.

13 mile long run again this week so I’ll get that done Wednesday and and otherwise I think I’m out of action till next Sunday at the earliest as have a course starting in the morning for the next few days, an exam Friday night and a wedding up the country on Saturday.

Baby75

What about running cork by how you feel I have done that when I am not sure of what I can do and always have been delighted with how I ran. which one is more important in hitting a target for you

Kellygirl

Baby75 wrote: »

What about running cork by how you feel I have done that when I am not sure of what I can do and always have been delighted with how I ran. which one is more important in hitting a target for you

Well I’m afraid if I start out too fast I’ll ruin it for myself and not enjoy it then! I loved that I got faster and faster doing DCM and felt strong throughout so I want that again - but a bit faster and I do think I can’t stop running marathons until I get sub 4 hour!

Over analyzing paces and times as usual methinks!

skyblue46

Kellygirl wrote: »

Week 12 Cork City Marathon Training

Had a bit of time so decided to add to my log as have a busy week ahead.

Sunday
Planned: rest
Actual: 5.4 miles @ 11:14

I was given a lie in that morning but couldn’t sleep and was looking at runs going up on Strava so I got up and threw on my running gear. I rarely run locally as country roads that can be quite busy but decided Easter Sunday morning would be quiet and ran down to the local forest park, around there and back again. I had in my mind what Ariana said about her 60-70 min very slow runs and how they really helped her fitness so I figured as long as I stayed slow an extra run wouldn’t do me any harm. It’s mainly downhill as far as the park and then very lumpy and bumpy so going so slow helped. Coming home again was then all uphill but again going so slow it didn’t matter. Tucked into my Easter Egg guilt free afterwards!

Monday
Planned: 6 mile Marathon Pace (9.33)
Actual: 6.2 miles @ 9.03



So I did this on purpose and aimed for 9 min/mile - partly because of a discussion with Skyblue last week. He’s now thinking nowhere and never did he tell me go faster in training and all he does is advocate slow down!! BUT, we were discussing my training paces (which I typically find easy) in relation to my goal marathon time - that has been 4:10 for Cork at a pace of 9:33. Goal for DCM is then 4:00 so 9:00. Is my goal for Cork too soft? I don’t know so that’s why I tried the 9min/mile pace today.

So, how did it go? It may have been fine except after about 1.5 miles I needed to go to the loo and there was absolutely nowhere to go so I kept going, stuck to my pace, while getting more and more uncomfortable. I would have enjoyed the run a lot more if that hadn’t happened and it turned out to be my fastest 10km though my 10km pb is from October 2016 anyway so not a major achievement really. I can’t say it took anything much out of me - yes there was effort involved and I couldn’t have held a long conversation but I could have gone and done more! BUT, could I do a whole marathon at that pace? Maybe that’s ambitious!

So now I’m wondering what do I aim for in Cork or do I just stick to my original 4:10 plan and hopefully that will be very doable?? 9 weeks to go so I’ll see what happens I suppose.

13 mile long run again this week so I’ll get that done Wednesday and and otherwise I think I’m out of action till next Sunday at the earliest as have a course starting in the morning for the next few days, an exam Friday night and a wedding up the country on Saturday.

Well done! Yes I am an advocate of sensible easy days. I base mine on the races times and easy/recovery paces that the likes of Anto, Singer, Duanington, Swashbuckler, Testosterscone, AMK, HBS et al do. If they race 30/25/20% faster than me then I figure I should train 30/25/20% slower until I have race times to warrant speeding up. All their training paces reflect accurately their race paces. Maybe your easy day yesterday is what enabled you to run at that pace today even while carrying a bladder the size of a small country :pac:

Don't worry about holding that pace, you have weeks of training to do yet. Also there are very few plans that would have you doing an hour of race pace this early in training.

skyblue46

Baby75 wrote: »

What about running cork by how you feel I have done that when I am not sure of what I can do and always have been delighted with how I ran. which one is more important in hitting a target for you

This is the thing...we're not novices anymore. Get a few races done and then we know what we can do. We really shouldn't be going into races blind.

skyblue46

Kellygirl wrote: »

Well I’m afraid if I start out too fast I’ll ruin it for myself and not enjoy it then! I loved that I got faster and faster doing DCM and felt strong throughout so I want that again - but a bit faster and I do think I can’t stop running marathons until I get sub 4 hour!

Over analyzing paces and times as usual methinks!

If it's all about enjoyment then forget paces. Run by feel and stay comfortable. If you want 4 hours roll the dice...

Kellygirl

skyblue46 wrote: »

This is the thing...we're not novices anymore. Get a few races done and then we know what we can do. We really shouldn't be going into races blind.

I will have the Limerick Half 4 weeks earlier so that will tell a lot I suppose though it’s in the middle of the last build up before taper so we’ll see. I’ll be running it on tired legs.

skyblue46

Kellygirl wrote: »

I will have the Limerick Half 4 weeks earlier so that will tell a lot I suppose though it’s in the middle of the last build up before taper so we’ll see. I’ll be running it on tired legs.

Is it on a plan or just something you're fitting in. You should still do some sort of taper for it like the novices plan had for the Dublin Half.

Kellygirl

skyblue46 wrote: »

Is it on a plan or just something you're fitting in. You should still do some sort of taper for it like the novices plan had for the Dublin Half.

Fitting it in kind of. The plan has my HM for this week actually but not doing that - as a race anyway. The week I am doing it there is a 10km race scheduled in. I might juggle the plan around as the previous long run would be 20 miles. I’ll have to get thinking next week when i’m back to normal.

Kellygirl

Actually it’s ok. The 20 mile will be the Wednesday week before so I will be able to taper a bit from then!

Baby75

skyblue46 wrote: »

This is the thing...we're not novices anymore. Get a few races done and then we know what we can do. We really shouldn't be going into races blind.

I am not suggesting going in blind at all, it is the very fact we know what we can do! that will help, you will know at a quick glance if the pace is too fast at the start. But we also should know by now how that would feel by effort.

Running by effort is not a novice thing, it is how many Athletes like Paula Radcliff ran and many still do

K, you will no doubt figure it out, once you know what your target is you will have it printed out but even so, you still ran faster on the day, last time. So as long as you do not limit yourself and push on if you are feeling good. I have no doubt you will have a fantastic day and I bet you will be ecstatic with your time

Baby75

Kellygirl wrote: »

Well I’m afraid if I start out too fast I’ll ruin it for myself and not enjoy it then! I loved that I got faster and faster doing DCM and felt strong throughout so I want that again - but a bit faster and I do think I can’t stop running marathons until I get sub 4 hour!

Over analyzing paces and times as usual methinks!

Which one will potentially give you that sub 4hr! personally, I would pick one Cork or DCM

if it was me, DCM would be the one I would use for target time, flatter course loads of support to pull you along if the going gets though at any stage and I would use cork as a good base, you will be very strong when you finish this training block. setting you up nicely for DCM.

skyblue46

Baby75 wrote: »

I am not suggesting going in blind at all, it is the very fact we know what we can do! that will help, you will know at a quick glance if the pace is too fast at the start. But we also should know by now how that would feel by effort.

Running by effort is not a novice thing, it is how many Athletes like Paula Radcliff ran and many still do

K, you will no doubt figure it out, once you know what your target is you will have it printed out but even so, you still ran faster on the day, last time. So as long as you do not limit yourself and push on if you are feeling good. I have no doubt you will have a fantastic day and I bet you will be ecstatic with your time

Yep some crossed wires there. I have a panic attack when I hear "run by feel" among newish runners like ourselves. I think we sometimes either feel wrecked or comfortable but haven't built up the experience to feel the nth degrees in between.

Baby75

skyblue46 wrote: »

Yep some crossed wires there. I have a panic attack when I hear "run by feel" among newish runners like ourselves. I think we sometimes either feel wrecked or comfortable but haven't built up the experience to feel the nth degrees in between.

LOL, I thought as much esp reading your reply to K above and we both said the same thing it's all good

Kellygirl

Baby75 wrote: »

Which one will potentially give you that sub 4hr! personally, I would pick one Cork or DCM

if it was me, DCM would be the one I would use for target time, flatter course loads of support to pull you along if the going gets though at any stage and I would use cork as a good base, you will be very strong when you finish this training block. setting you up nicely for DCM.

I reckon DCM really. Just getting notions about Cork. A 20 minute pb is prob a bit ambitious! I’ll reckon I’ll see what I can do in Cork and then work towards DCM as you say.

skyblue46

Kellygirl wrote: »

I reckon DCM really. Just getting notions about Cork. A 20 minute pb is prob a bit ambitious! I’ll reckon I’ll see what I can do in Cork and then work towards DCM as you say.

I think you could do it in Cork and if it doesn't work out have another crack in Dublin.

Kellygirl

skyblue46 wrote: »

I think you could do it in Cork and if it doesn't work out have another crack in Dublin.

I think it’s a long shot but if all the stars align and it’s 10 degrees with no wind then there’s a chance I’ll see how the next 9 weeks go though.

skyblue46

Kellygirl wrote: »

I think it’s a long shot but if all the stars align and it’s 10 degrees with no wind then there’s a chance I’ll see how the next 9 weeks go though.

See your log title... it's not about stars, wind or temperatures. ;-)

Kellygirl

skyblue46 wrote: »

See your log title... it's not about stars, wind or temperatures. ;-)

Good point! Well I’m doing the work so the other stuff would be a bonus!

skyblue46

Kellygirl wrote: »

Good point! Well I’m doing the work so the other stuff would be a bonus!

Haha...I'm trying to say something but I seem to have lost my balls somewhere!!

ariana`

Kellygirl wrote: »

So now I’m wondering what do I aim for in Cork or do I just stick to my original 4:10 plan and hopefully that will be very doable?? 9 weeks to go so I’ll see what happens I suppose.

You know you could go for 4:07, 4:05, 4:03... It doesn't have to be a round number?

Is there anyway you could race the HM in Limerick? It'd be nice to get a good idea of what pace you can hold for a half, it could tell a lot? Maybe it would require sacrificing a couple of your training runs to taper/recover but it might be worth it? It's just that despite completing 3 marathons last year (a major achievement by the way) you haven't actually raced much in the past year and it could help you pin point a target pace for Cork :cool:

I think you are very close to sub 4-hr, i wouldn't be surprised if you hit it this year. You had a strong run in DCM last year and a very quick recovery, 4:20 took nothing out of you and you've a lot more miles in your legs again since.

Knowing your liking of pace bands you will probably end up with more than one pace band anyhow :pac:

skyblue46

ariana` wrote: »

You know you could go for 4:07, 4:05, 4:03... It doesn't have to be a round number?

Is there anyway you could race the HM in Limerick? It'd be nice to get a good idea of what pace you can hold for a half, it could tell a lot? Maybe it would require sacrificing a couple of your training runs to taper/recover but it might be worth it? It's just that despite completing 3 marathons last year (a major achievement by the way) you haven't actually raced much in the past year and it could help you pin point a target pace for Cork :cool:

I think you are very close to sub 4-hr, i wouldn't be surprised if you hit it this year. You had a strong run in DCM last year and a very quick recovery, 4:20 took nothing out of you and you've a lot more miles in your legs again since.

Knowing your liking of pace bands you will probably end up with more than one pace band anyhow :pac:

I think you found my gonads!! :pac::pac:

ariana`

skyblue46 wrote: »

I think you found my gonads!! :pac::pac:

It was very unlike you to lose them in the first place :pac::pac::pac:

skyblue46

ariana` wrote: »

It was very unlike you to lose them in the first place :pac::pac::pac:

I can't do subtlety like you can!

Kellygirl

LOL! Ye have just given me a good laugh.

Been on a course all day so not looking at Boards.

Yeah I think I’ll have to consider racing something anyway! My last long run before the HM will be 20 miles the Wednesday week previously so time to taper and see how it goes. I think if I could do 2 hours or just under I’d be happy.

ariana`

Kellygirl wrote: »

LOL! Ye have just given me a good laugh.

Been on a course all day so not looking at Boards.

Yeah I think I’ll have to consider racing something anyway! My last long run before the HM will be 20 miles the Wednesday week previously so time to taper and see how it goes. I think if I could do 2 hours or just under I’d be happy.

Ok, i'm going to be very honest here, I think you could have done 2 hrs last Summer, i think that's neither here nor there for you, it's too soft. If you decide to race it then i think you should really race it, foot to the floor, pedal to the metal type of racing, see what you're capable of. Or alternatively treat it as a training run/session.

Now that's just my opinion but i think you will learn a lot from racing it, even if that means you explode in the 2nd half :eek: or even if it means it's less enjoyable than some of your marathon experiences.

It could really help you identifying a target for Cork and/or DCM also.

If you want a target to help with pacing, then personally I'd be thinking 1:52-1:53 but it'll be interesting to hear what others who've been following your training might think

skyblue46

ariana` wrote: »

Ok, i'm going to be very honest here, I think you could have done 2 hrs last Summer, i think that's neither here nor there for you, it's too soft. If you decide to race it then i think you should really race it, foot to the floor, pedal to the metal type of racing, see what you're capable of. Or alternatively treat it as a training run/session.

Now that's just my opinion but i think you will learn a lot from racing it, even if that means you explode in the 2nd half :eek: or even if it means it's less enjoyable than some of your marathon experiences.

It could really help you identifying a target for Cork and/or DCM also.

If you want a target to help with pacing, then personally I'd be thinking 1:52-1:53 but it'll be interesting to hear what others who've been following your training might think

Yes K, you won't be surprised to hear I agree wholeheartedly. There isn't one bit of what has been said that I could disagree with. I think the blowup in Cork is hanging over you like a big black cloud. Look at the training you have done in the 10 months since.

If on the other hand you just want to comfortably enjoy it then don't be getting hung up on paces for training and the day itself. Just do it nice and easy like Dublin.

Baby75

I agree plus I am excited to see what you achieve as I am just a little behind you

ariana`

Baby75 wrote: »

I agree plus I am excited to see what you achieve as I am just a little behind you

Me too to this