Be a shepard, not a sheep

Sheep1978

Marathon log, Week 1 (and a bit) of 17:

Sat: 4.5m @ 8.30, 5*250metre hill sprints on Military hill with 2 min recovery, 1.5m c/d @ 8.30 (total 7.5m)
Sun: 4.5m @ 8.30, 5 mins at 7.0, .75m c/d
Mon: rest
Tues: 6.4m @ 8.25
Wed: 1m w/u, 8*2.5mins @ 6.50 with 2 min rec, 1.5m c/d (tot 6.7m)
Thurs: 4m walk
Fri: 9.1m @ 8.05
Sat: 4.5m @ 8.25
Sun: .75m w/u, 12.3m @7.55, .75m c/d. Went out with some friends early. A bit longer and a bit faster than I’d pre-planned for but felt ok after.

Total for 9 days – 54 miles

Any comments / criticisms / suggestions more than welcome

Sheep1978

Marathon log, Week 2 of 17:

Mon: 3.3m easy @ 8.30
Tues: 2m w/u, 4*800m @ 6.30 with 2.15min rec, 4*400m @ 6.20 with 2 min rec, 2*800m @6.15 with 2.30rec, 1m c/d (would love to hear some comments on this). Have never done an interval session before so not sure if it was too long/shot/fast/slow....
Wed: 8.8m @ 8min
Thurs: rest
Fri: 9.1m @ 7.52
Sat: Late Fri night I got offered an entry for the IR 10m in the park so decided to give it a go. Never raced over 10m before so wasn;t sure what a realistic target was. On the start line decided to see if I could hold 7.30's. First mile came in on the watch at 7.13 and felt good so decided to give it a push toward 70. After some struggles on the hill, and not paying huge attention to the actual overall time on my watch, I crossed the line at 70.02. Bit gutted not to break 70 but my own fault for starting slow and for not paying enough attention to my watch. Happy enough though considering it was a last min entry.
Sun: 4.8m easy @ 9.15

Weekly total - 47.6m
Plan total - 101.6m

Kellygirl

What training plan are you following?

Well done again in the race! That 2 seconds is annoying though at least you know you have it in you to beat it and still a pb there for the taking.

Sheep1978

Kellygirl wrote: »

What training plan are you following?

have done up my own mix from boards and hal higdon to take into a/c holidays and stuff I have on etc.

Kellygirl

Ah ok. Was wondering about the interval session. I’ve no clue really but one of the more experienced people at intervals may do.

Sheep1978

Kellygirl wrote: »

Ah ok. Was wondering about the interval session. I’ve no clue really but one of the more experienced people at intervals may do.

To be honest, I'm a bit all over the shop and winging it as I go along:rolleyes:

skyblue46

Not an expert by any stretch of the imagination but wondering have you a plan for how to advance them from there. The 2 plans I followed and the one I will be following for DCM start off with short fast intervals like you did and then work towards making them gradually longer and slower. It looks like a decent starting point for sure. Great week!

Sheep1978

Marathon log, Week 3 of 17:

Mon: 9.4m. 1m wu, 6 @ PMP, 2.4m cd
Tues: Donated blood Tues afternoon so was advised not to exercise after it
Wed: 9.1 @ 8.05
Thurs: 1.5m wu, 4*1k @ 7.05, 4*400m @ 6.30 with 90sec rec between all, 1.5m cd
Fri: 12.1m @ 8.05
Sat: Enforced rest due to post wedding hangover
Sun: repeat of Sat!!!

Weekly total - 38.1m
Plan total - 139.7m

Felt a bit tired towards the end of last week so the 2 day enforced rest might do some good hopefully. Push on again this week

Sheep1978

Marathon log, Week 4 of 17:

Mon: 6.63m @ 8.04

Tues: Session plan was 6*/1k at 7.0 pace and 4*400m at 6.30 pace. Reps came in at:
1k reps - 4.19,4.22,4.19,4.21,4.20,4.22 400m reps - 1.39, 1.39, 1.38, 1.33. 1m wu and cd either side

Wed: 9.1 @ 7.55. The usual route into work down the canal

Thurs: 5.25m at 8.07. Had originally planned to do a hills session but felt a twinge in my Achilles since Wed morning so just did some easy miles instead.

Fri: rest

Sat: 16.5m at 8.03. Longest run since DCM. Did 12 miles are moderate pace and then tried 3m at MP (strong headwind put me slightly off target!!) and 1.5m easy at the end.

Sun: 4m recovery jog at 8.25

Weekly total - 49.74m
Plan total - 189.44m

Sheep1978

Marathon log, Week 5 of 17:

Mon: 3.5m easy @ 8.20

Tues: Session , 1m wu, 3*1.5m @ 6.45 with 0.5m rec, 1m cd. total 7.4m

Wed: 9.1 @ 8.15. The usual route into work down the canal

Thurs: 4.6m @ 8. Thurs evening planned session had to be changed to a lunchtime run due to some unforeseen circumstances.

Fri: 9.1 @ 8.05. The usual route into work down the canal

Sat: Rest. When I say rest I mean on the couch all day dying of a hangover eating rubbish and chippers etc.

Sun: 18m @ 8.0. First 12m were at easy/moderate pace with the last 6 at MP. This was an absolute slog after Fri night pints and Saturday hangover. Struggled from early doors to hold any pace but forced myself through it despite numerous contemplations about stopping. I'm away for a few days this weekend so I think knowing that made me get through it


Weekly total - 51.86m
Plan total - 241.3m

Sheep1978

pac_man wrote: »

Not sure if you have stated it already but what time are you aiming for in the marathon?

Could well change before then but as of now, aiming for 3.20

Sheep1978

Marathon log, Week 6 of 17 (delayed):

Mon: Rest

Tues: 4.25m easy done in the morning before having to attend a funeral

Wed: 7m. 1m wu, 5m tempo, 1m cd

Thurs: 17.25m. Made a complete mess of this. Went off too fast without paying attention to the watch and when the first mile clocked at MP, I decided to stick at it. did 14m @ roughly MP, and eased off for the remainder. I've chalked this one down to eagerness to finish the run as it was my last before a weekend away in Portugal!!

Fri - Sun: Holidays

Weekly total - 28.45m
Plan total - 269.8m



This weeks not gone to plan either for a few reason but I'll wait till after Sunday to log the whole week.

quickbeam

Enjoy the holiers!

Sheep1978

Marathon log, Week 7 of 17 :

Mon: Rest (still away)

Tues: 5.4m @ 7.35. 'Nice' quick tempo run. Sweating buckets after the 4/5 away boozing

Wed: Enforced and unwanted rest day having spent the day in A&E with the wife who hurt her back while away. She's so selfish!!!

Thurs: 7.8m @ 7.46. Nice MP run around the area

Fri : 7.8m @ 7.43. Nice MP run around the same loop as the Thurs

Sat: 4.7m easy @ 8.05

Sun: Long run!!! 20.4m total. 1m wu, 18m @ approx. 8.0 and 1m cd. Threw in a couple of strides once the 20m hit on the watch. Longest run since DCM last year and the legs were screaming at me near the end. Struggled from about 15/16m but good mentally to have the run done and in the bag


Weekly total - 46.1m
Plan total - 315.9m

Sheep1978

Marathon log, Week 8 of 17 :

Mon: 3.5m rec run @ 8.30

Tues a.m.: 9.1m @ 7.50. Usual run to work along the canal
Tues p.m.: 6.1m total. 1m wu, 3x1m @ CV with .5mile rec. 3 reps were 6.50, 6.37 and 6.35. 1m cd

Wed: Went out with a couple of friends. 8m total. Did 2m wu, 5*5mins@ VO2 with 2.5 min rec and 1m cd. Pace for 5 reps were 6.29, 6.21, 6.18, 6.14 and 6.20. Really enjoyed this one and easier to keep up the pace with a couple of others there.

Thurs: Rest day

Fri : 10m @ 7.32. Usual route to work. Probably a bit faster than it should have been.

Sat: 20m . Kept the first 12 @ about 8 min pace, the next 5 at approx. MP and finished with the local Hartstown parkrun in 21.53.

Sun: Rest. Had planned a recovery run but a morning hangover followed by a day in fantasia with the kids put an end to that. Have had an issue with the knee for the past week or so which isn't going away so I may take a couple of days off now to let it recover. Nothing too serious I think. For the 10 days from last Thursday I did 97.5m which is huge for me so I'm hoping no harm in a day or two off.


Weekly total - 56.76m
Plan total - 372.6m

skyblue46

Great work D. Yeah watch that knee. A couple of days off won't set you back, that's for sure.

Sheep1978

Marathon log, Week 9 of 17 (over halfway there!!!) :

Mon: 3.92m rec run @ 8.30

Tues : Rest

Wed: 9.1m @ 7.49. Usual run in to work. Knee felt a little troublesome so booked in with the physio for Thursday

Thurs: Rest / Physio day. Nothing serious was basically the diagnosis - just over doing it too soon the last while really. Advised to ease off on mileage and pace and try do some runs on grass for a week or two.

Fri : 3.83m @ 9min. Made a visit to the local park early in the morning for a couple of easy miles on the grass. Spent as much time dodging dog sh*te as I did running. Very annoying to say the least

Sat: 8.3m (approx.) @ 8.21. Made an early morning trip to the phoenix park for some laps of the polo grounds. Watch went dead halfway but the distance should be accurate enough. without a watch, the second half of the run was probably a bit too fast.

Sun: 5m @ 8.16. Easy run around the area after a day out with the kids.

Weekly total - 30.16m
Plan total - 402.77m
August total: 189m

Easy enough now for the rest of the week before giving the Rathoath half a good go on Sat, hopefully with a couple of the other DCM17 grads!!! Looking forward to it

The Black Oil

Ah yes, dodging dog muck.

Didn't know they had polo out that direction. Welcome to half way. Good luck for Rathoath.

Sheep1978

Marathon log, Week 10 of 17 :

Mon: rest

Tues : 9.1m @ 7.55. Usual route into work along the canal

Wed: 5.3m. 2m wu, 3*800 at CV with 400m rec. 3 reps were 3.16, 3.19, 3.17

Thurs: Rest

Fri : 2m @ 8.33. Just a little leg loosener before racing the next day.

Sat: 14.25 total. 1.1m warm up followed by Rathoath Half.

I'd previously only done two HM's before, the race series last year and Bohermeen in March. PB was 1.38.55 from Bohermeen. After some whats app bravado, myself and a couple of the other 2017 DCM novices, Damo and Skyblue, had somehow talked each other into a sub 1.30 attempt. Since been accused of sandbagging etc but I genuinely thought this was seriously unrealistic but was willing to give it a bash for the craic.
A very wet morning from when I woke up at 5.30 with rain bouncing off the skylight right up until start time. Met up with the two lads beforehand, and a couple of other boardsies, did a short warm up and we were all set to go. Rain had stopped about 8.55 just in time so conditions were good. We set off with the 1.30 pacer and a group of maybe 15 seemed to have the same thing in mind.

Miles 1-7: Pacers timings seemed to vary a litle with miles coming in between 6.43 and 6.59 but for the best part I felt relatively comfortable here. Think it was probably around the 7m mark I heard Damo say his back was at him so though he might be in trouble. Have suffered with a buit of back / neck trouble for as long as I can remember and once they are at you, there's not much you can do. (splits: 6.56, 6.46, 6.43, 6.59, 6.47, 6.51, 6.47)

Miles 8-10 : It was about mile 8 I started to feel a bit of pressure and though to myself, here comes the inevitable crash and burn. Decided to just get the head down and concentrate on the road and zone out. Whatever I did seemed to work, as by the time I got to the water station around mile 9, I was feeling good again. I had definitely 'zoned out' as I glanced around me here, still thinking Damo and Skyblue were in the group right beside, but I couldn't see them and they had dropped off due to different aches and niggles. I remember thinking to myself that there was a good chance of the 1.30 and that I would wait for another mile to see how I felt. Got to mile 10 and checked the watch - 68.20 and feeling 'ok'. I had done the Irish runner 10m a few weeks ago in 70.02 and was dead on my feet at the end so was pretty shocked at how I felt here. (Splits 6.43, 6.53, 6.50)

Miles 11-13.1 : Decided I would slowly ease away from the pacing group and see where it took me. Coming up the fairyhouse road, I tucked directly in behind a lad in a dunboyne singlet and was happy enough for him to pull me along. Turned back in towards the racecourse and onto the large lap around the track. Bit of a headwind here at first I think and starting to hurt but that expected at this stage of a race and I did my best to suck it up. Passed by dunboyne lad at about 12m but he was right behind me. Was keeping the pace up as best I could and trying to decide when to go for that last surge. With about 600m to go, dunboyne came back past me. I put the foot down as best I could but couldn't quite catch him. Last hundred metres or so , I could see the clock at 1.28.xx and I was trying to get there pre 1.29. Didn't quite make it but finished in chip time of 1.29.03, a pb of 9m52s. Absolutely delighted. (spilts 6.46, 6.27, 6.33 and 5.57 for the last .1)

Post race reviews and trying to think how I hit a target I honestly thought wasn't achievable. Maybe not actuall having the pressure of a target I though I could get took away some nervous tension, an unplanned enforced taper due to an injury scare in the preceeding week maybe helped. who knows.

Sun: 5m @ 8.30. Nice rec run after Saturdays exertions

Weekly total - 35.68m
Plan total - 438.45m

Kellygirl

Well done again Sheep. You really raced well.

Lazare

Incredible stuff man, incredible. Fantastic running.

Cracking race report too.

Has it made you rethink a target for DCM?

Unthought Known

Seriously great time Sheep. Great report as well

Sheep1978

Lazare wrote: »

Incredible stuff man, incredible. Fantastic running.

Cracking race report too.

Has it made you rethink a target for DCM?

I'll another week or two and set a target then I think

Singer

Very well ran sheep! Sub-3:10 might be a push. Maybe think about going out with 3:20 pacers and then push on after Castleknock if you're feeling comfortable.

Sheep1978

Singer wrote: »

Very well ran sheep! Sub-3:10 might be a push. Maybe think about going out with 3:20 pacers and then push on after Castleknock if you're feeling comfortable.

yeah 3.20 was the previous target so debating now whether to go for 3.15 after Sat went better than expected. Don;t want to get over confident either only to crash and burn!!!

scotindublin

Class running on Saturday! Keeping a few in work on their toes I hear!

Baby75

Well done Sheep you smashed that 130 goal and great report as well

Sheep1978

scotindublin wrote: »

Class running on Saturday! Keeping a few in work on their toes I hear!

I'll catch him someday!!!

Sheep1978

Marathon log, Week 11 of 17 :

Not much to log this week. Injured my lower back either during the HM last Sat or doing the garden sunday morning (probably a combo of both). Tried to do a run Tues night in the hop it would 'loosen me out'. Bad move. Made it to 3m and that was it. Actually made the back worse. Away for the next week so no running either. Getting worried about DCM.

Weekly total - 3m
Plan total - 441.45m

Murph_D

I identify with this and feel your pain. Easy does it.