An 18 Week Sabbatical

zico10

dublin runner wrote: »

Firstly, super time. It wasn't a surprise given your recent training - quality. The Magness Plan is extremely good but one caveat needs to be implied when targeting DCM. I firmly believe it to be a completely different kettle of fish compared to flat marathons, like experienced in April. I would call it a 'tacticial' marathon, given its unique rolling course profile. With all that said, I think training needs to be focused on running hills, particularly for the steady end of things and MP.

It is a lot easier, in my opinion, to gauge perceived effort on courses like Rotterdam, especially when compared to a hilly course like Dublin. I would definitely look to run testing loops in the Park, such as the Simon 5 mile route over examples such as North Road/Avenue. Sure, the numbers may not look as impressive but it teaches the body and mind how to run on rolling terrain.

Keep up the good work!

Basically - run loads of hills!!

Thanks for the input, it's much appreciated. Not sure if you're paying much attention to my Strava activities, but since this post, I've included a lot more testing runs in my training. In truth, I had been avoiding hills, and perhaps it's this that prompted your post. It was always my intention to include more challenging runs in my training, I was just waiting to hit some good form before tackling them. It's a bit cowardly I know and your post was the push I needed to begin. With DCM getting closer and closer, it was a timely kick up the hole.

zico10

Monday 10th September
8 Miles Recovery

12.88km in 1:08:19, 5:18/km

I left this until the evening and had a short power-nap in my car beforehand. It was pretty much all done on grass; just making the recovery that bit easier on the old legs.
Totals;
Time: 1:08 - Distance: 12.88km


Tuesday 11th September
a.m.
1 Mile Easy, 6 Miles Steady, 1 Mile Easy

13.05km in 50:22
Mile Splits;
1) 7:24, 4:36/km
2) 6:06, 3:47/km, 3) 5:50, 3:38/km, 4) 5:48, 3:36/km, 5) 5:45, 3:34/km, 6) 5:43, 3:33/km, 7) 5:42, 3:32/km, (Avg. pace = 3:37/km),
9) 7:11, 4:28/km + 179m at 4:39/km

At this stage in my training, successfully completing 6 miles “steady” shouldn’t get me too excited, but I think in some ways this was my best bit of training all year. I’m not the biggest fan of running hard stuff in the morning and I reasoned averaging :50/km pace, already a 10 seconds per kilometre faster my original idea of a steady effort when I began this training block in June, would be a good. After a 1-mile warm-up, the first steady mile at 3:47/kmm pace came easily enough and from there :40/km pace simply happened. Holding that race in DC would be enough to ensure a PB in October and it took less out of me than what I had to expend holding marathon pace not too long ago.
Totals;
Time: 0:50 - Distance: 13.05km

p.m.
8 Miles Easy

12.87km in 59:12, 4:36/km

Totals;
Time: 0:59 - Distance: 12.87km


Wednesday 12th September
a.m.
8 Miles

13.22km in 55:35, 4:12/km

This should have been 9-miler, but I hadn’t given myself enough time to get another mile done before work. Consequently, I reduced the run to 8 miles, with the intention of making up the deficit in the evening.
Totals;
Time: 0:56 - Distance: 13.22km

p.m.
7 Miles

11.27km in 47:10, 4.11/km

This should have been a 6-mile run but having to make up for the missed mile from this morning’s run meant I had to up it to 7 miles.
Totals;
Time: 0:47 - Distance: 11.27km


Thursday 13th September
5 Miles Easy, 5 x {1.5 Miles MP/800m Steady}

25.75km in 1:44:15
Splits;
Warm up: 8.06km in 36:47, 4:34/km
Work;
1) 2.41km in 8:35, 3:34/km & 0.81km in 3:06, 3:49/km,
2) 2.41km in 8:35, 3:34/km & 0.81km in 3:04, 3:48/km,
3) 2.41km in 8:33, 3:33/km & 0.80km in 3:07, 3:53/km,
4) 2.41km in 8:36, 3:34/km & 0.80km in 3:08, 3:54/km,
5) 2.41km in 8:35, 3:34/km & 0.81km in 3:09, 3:54/km

I went to The Phoenix Park for this and stuck to the Tom Brennan route for the hard work. With plenty of positive signs recently, I’ve revised my MP down from :40/km to :35/km and my hope was that the effort I put in today would automatically return the pace I wanted. For the 800 metre reps in between the MP efforts, I was happy to back off a little from the effort I was putting into my 6-miles steady on Tuesday. Provided my average pace for these portions was under 4:00/km pace, I wasn’t going to panic. This was an intimidating session on paper, and it went better than expected. Although 26.2 miles at 3:34/km pace will be a much bigger ask than what I had to do today, I was running within myself and had it been required, I felt I could easily have done a few more reps at the same intensity.
Totals;
Time: 1:44 - Distance: 25.75km


Friday 14th September
a.m.
7 Miles

11.27km in 47:03, 4:10/km

I was feeling yesterday’s run in my legs and this was trougher than usual. Or else it was just the time of day, and my body wasn’t yet fully awake.
Totals;
Time: 0:47 - Distance: 11.27km

p.m.
7 Miles Easy

11.27km in 48:15, 4:19/km

I did the entire 7 miles around the cross-country route in the NSC, so it was all on grass and I deliberately kept the pace slower than this morning’s run.
Totals;
Time: 0:48 - Distance: 11.27km


Saturday 15th September
a.m.
9 Miles

14.49km in 59:46, 4:07/km

I was out the door and running at 8:43 a.m., which on a Saturday morning is early for me, but it was good to be finished before 10 in the morning. I felt I was moving well and I was happy with my pace.
Totals;
Time: 1:00 - Distance: 14.49km

p.m.
9 Miles

12.89km in 55:33, 4:19/km

Another 9-mile run to finish off the day’s training; just like yesterday’s p.m. run, I was deliberately keeping the pace down.
Totals;
Time: 0:56 - Distance: 12.89km


Sunday 16th September
3 Miles Easy, 2 Miles @ 10k Pace, 1 Mile @ 5k pace, 800m @ 3k Pace & 2 x 400m @ 1 Mile pace, 2 Miles Easy

17.10km in 1:14:10
Efforts;
1) 3.22km in 10:56, 3:24/km,
2) 1.61km in 5:12, 3:14/km,
3) 800m in 2:31, 3:08/km,
4) 400m in 1:14, 3:04/km (headwind & gradient increase),
5) 400m in 1:14, 2:54/km (tailwind & gradient loss)

The efforts were done around the Tom Brennan loop in The Phoenix Park. I probably got a bit carried away for the two 400m reps and pushed beyond what I’d be able to do in a 1-mile race, but other than that I ran them to feel and was never outside what I would deem comfortable for the respective distances.
Overall, I was happy with the run, but I feel I should have had a lot more days like this for my previous two marathon training cycles. It’s was a good way to finish off the week and it’s really starting to feel like things are finally coming together. There’s more than one reason for this. I’m running a hell of a lot more miles than ever before, but it’s also impossible to ignore the fact that I was 70.8kg upon waking this morning, which is the lightest I’ve been in a long time. Anybody who’s been following this log from the start, has probably noticed I haven’t been harping on about my weight since I started the Magness plan. I guess that’s a sign that I’m much happier with how heavy/light I am. It doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about my weight though, and I’d be surprised if anybody over 70kg finishes ahead of me on October 28th. For this reason, I still need to keep on top of things and I still want to lose another couple of kilos before D-day in October.
Totals;
Time: 1:14 - Distance: 17.10km



Weekly Totals;
Running: 11:16 – 157.66km
Cross training: 0:40
S & C: 3:00

zico10

Monday 17th September
9 Miles Recovery

14.49km in 1:16:18, 5:16/km

I upped my usual 8-mile recovery run by 1 mile and took in a short stretch of the DCM route from the North Circular Road to Castleknock Village.
Totals;
Time: 1:16 - Distance: 14.49km


Tuesday 18th September
a.m.
9 Miles

14.49km in 1:00:38, 4:11/km

I was a bit sluggish at the start of this, but my pace naturally increased as the run went on.
Totals;
Time: 1:01 - Distance: 14.49km

p.m.
9 Miles

14.49km in 59:45, 4:07/km

The opening mile was a lot slower than the rest, so I guess it’s an important reminder not to race cold.
Totals;
Time: 1:00 - Distance: 14.49km


Wednesday 19th September
1.5 Miles Warm-up, 6 Miles MP/1 Mile 10k Pace/4 Miles MP/1 Mile 10K Pacew. 4 minutes recovery

25.94km in 1:41:33
Splits;
Warm-up; 2.62km in 11:44, 4:29/km
6 Miles MP; 9.66km in 34:43, 3:36/km 110m gain & 83m loss,
1 Mile 10k; 1.61km in 5:07, 3:11/km 4m gain & 36m loss,
4 Miles MP; 6.44km in 23:35, 3:40/km 81m gain & 67m loss,
1 Mile 10k; 1.61km in 5:26, 3:22/km 12m gain & 7m loss

Storm Ali passed over Dublin today and although the worst of it was over when I started running, strong winds were still evident and had a big impact on the effort I needed to produce just to hold pace. My plan since Sunday was to do this run on challenging terrain, but the wind was really giving me second thoughts and I was very close to just going to the gym to run on a treadmill. Driving to The Phoenix Park instead was a success in and of itself, but I still reckoned running endless loops on a flat circuit would be good enough given the day that was in it. When it came to decision time though, I thought ‘F*ck it! Just take on the hills and see what happens.’ Even if my paces didn’t make for great reading come the end of the run, at least I would have put in an honest effort. I did my best to take as much advantage of the wind and gradient as possible, but with 12 miles of hard running to get through, it wasn’t always possible. The first 10k effort coincided nicely with me reaching the top of the Khyber Pass, but after a hard finish to 6 miles at MP, I can’t say I felt all that guilty about taking advantage the free speed that running down the steep slope of the Khyber provided.
Totals;
Time: 1:42 - Distance: 25.94km


Thursday 20th September
a.m.
9 Miles

14.53km in 58:24, 4:01/km

I was pleased with this, especially for a morning run. I completed the first mile at 4:16/km pace, then the rest were within a range of 3:55-4:04/km. I wasn’t fighting to hold the pace, which was a great feeling so early in the morning.
Totals;
Time: 0:58 - Distance: 14.53km

p.m.
9 Miles

14.50km in 1:00:51, 4:12/km

These were the most miserable conditions I can remember running in for a long time. It was a wet and lousy evening, so I wore gloves and a gilet. Given what I had on, I was worried I might overheat, but this was never an issue.
Totals;
Time: 1:01 - Distance: 14.50km


Friday 21st September
1 Mile Easy, 12 Miles Steady

20.93km in 1:20:11
Splits;
Warm up; 1.61km in 7:11, 4:28/km
12 Miles Steady; 19.32km in 1:12:58, 3:47/km (175m gain & 169m loss)

I ran the steady miles of this run over the hillier terrain in The Phoenix Park. The wind was also significant today and threw up an extra challenge. Considering these two things, I was quite happy with the run. I would have deemed anything under 3:55/km as satisfactory for the 12 miles of increased effort, so to finish with an average pace of 3:47/km for this portion was pleasing.
Totals;
Time: 1:20 - Distance: 20.93km


Saturday 22nd September
a.m.
7 Miles

11.27km in 47:50, 4:14/km

I was a bit slow to get going, and although I comfortably finished inside my target pace come the end, in some ways this still felt like the hardest run of the last 7 days.
Totals;
Time: 0:48 - Distance: 11.27km

p.m.
7 Miles + 1 Mile Easy

11.27km in 48:04, 4:16/km + 1.61km in 8:23, 5:13/km

There was another 7-mile run in the plan for this evening. That was all I was planning to do setting out, but I decided halfway through that an easy mile once the prescribed distance was covered wouldn’t be a bad way to wrap things up.
Totals;
Time: 0:56 - Distance: 12.89km


Sunday 23rd September
20 Miles Easy

32.19km in 2:24:54, 4:30/km

This was a comfortable, but boring plod around the Phoenix Park. Owing to two taxing runs I did during the week, I felt I didn’t need to take on any challenging terrain today and stayed away from the hills.
Totals;
Time: 2:25 - Distance: 32.19km



Weekly Totals;
Running: 12:28 – 175.72km
Cross training: 0:45
S & C: 1:30

zico10

Monday 24th September
6 Miles Recovery

9.66km in 50:15, 5:12/km

This should have been an 8-10 mile run, but circumstances meant I had to cut it to 6. The missing 2 miles hardly matter a whit in the overall scheme of things, so I won’t worry too much about them.
Totals;
Time: 0:15 - Distance: 9.66km


Tuesday 25th September
a.m.
9 Miles

14.49km in 1:00:12, 4:09/km

I only really got going after the first 2 miles, but I finished feeling good. The temptation to run less than the prescribed 9, and make up for them in today’s p.m. run, was strong, so I viewed the fact that I got through all 9 a success.
Totals;
Time: 1:00 - Distance: 14.49km

p.m.
5 Miles

8.06km in 33:33, 4:10/km

With a big day tomorrow, it only occurred to me afterwards that I could probably have taken it a little bit easier this evening.
Totals;
Time: 0:33 - Distance: 8.06km


Wednesday 26th September
1.5 Miles Warm-up, 2 Miles LT, 1.5 Miles 10k Pace, 1 Mile 5k Pace, 3 x 300m 1M Pace

17.16km in 1:10:08
Splits;
Warm-up; 3.69km in 16:18, 4:25/km,
2 Miles LT; 3,200m in 10:46, 3:22/km,
1.5 Miles 10k; 2,400m in 7:56, 3:18/km,
1 Miles 5k; 1,600m in 5:05, 3:11/km,
300m 1M; 300m in 50.3”, 2:48/km,
300m 1M; 300m in 51.9”, 2:53/km,
300m 1M; 0.34km in 59.5”, 2:57/km*
Cool down; 2.00km in 11:49, 5:54/km

*using GPS data
I did this session on the track and bar the very last 300m rep, I’m using my stopwatch and the distance markers on the track to work out the splits I quote above. GPS data is giving me much more generous paces, but I’m having a hard time believing the accuracy of them. I should have done a fourth 300m rep, but I didn’t realise this until after cooling down and there was little point making up for it then.
I was aiming for :27/km, :20/km, :12/km and :04/km paces respectively for the intervals. I worked out the number of seconds I needed to run a lap in, for each subsequent effort. The controlled nature of track running no doubt helped me, but I always felt in control of things and I finished happy, having successfully completed what looked like a daunting session on paper.
Totals;
Time: 1:10 - Distance: 17.16km


Thursday 27th September
a.m.
9 Miles

14.49km in 59:55, 4:08/km

My pace increased from 4:14/km to 4:04/km over the course of the run. Granted this isn’t a hectic improvement, but there was no conscious increase of effort and it felt like a good run coming less than 12 hours after yesterday’s speed session.
Totals;
Time: 1:00 - Distance: 14.49km

p.m.
9 Miles

14.49km in 1:02:42, 4:20/km

I stuck to grass and deliberately kept things easy.
Totals;
Time: 1:03 - Distance: 14.49km


Friday 28th September
Run w. 8 x 10” Hill Sprints

11.54km in 57:05
Splits;
Warm up; 2.84km at 4:57/km
Hill sprints & recovery 2:00 recovery x 8
4km at 4:05/km,
Cool down; 1.36km at 4:43/km

The only instructions were “Run+8x10sec Hill sprints”, and I only decided on the 4km steady, coming back down the hill for the 8th and final stint of recovery.
Totals;
Time: 0:57 - Distance: 11.54km


Saturday 29th September
a.m.
Run w. 5 x {2 Miles at MP & 800m steady}

26.59km in 1:42:03
Splits;
Warm-up; 3.22km in 14:00, 4:21/km,
1) 3.22km in 11:19, 3:31/km 34m gain & 36m loss & 0.81km in 2:58, 3:40/km, 4m gain & 15m loss,
2) 3.22km in 11:19, 3:31/km 30m gain & 25m loss & 0.81km in 3:03, 3:45/km, 15m gain & 5m loss[/B],
3) 3.22km in 11:22, 3:31/km 41m gain & 32m loss & 0.81km in 2:58, 3:39/km, 5m gain & 18m loss [/B],
4) 3.22km in 11:09, 3:28/km 31m gain & 38m loss & 0.81km in 2:59, 3:43/km, 11m gain & 9m loss [/B],
5) 3.22km in 11:16, 3:30/km 26m gain & 32m loss & 0.81km in 2:56, 3:37/km, 11m gain & 2m loss [/B],
Totals) 16.10km in 56:25, 3:31/km 162m gain & 162m loss & 4.04km in 14:53, 3:41/km, 46m gain & 49nml.;’/]m loss [/B]*
Cool down; 2.00km in 11:49, 5:54/km

This run should have occurred tomorrow. However, I’d planned to go for a few drinks tonight, and just to be sure there would be no chance of doing a hard run with a hangover, I did the run today. As has become customary, I sought out undulating terrain to run the MP miles on. Things went to plan, and I finished another run feeling content.
Totals;
Time: 1:42 - Distance: 26.59km


Sunday 30th September
10 Miles Recovery

16.11km in 1:28:21, 5:29/km

As expected, I was hungover and although it turned this run into a slog, I was at least glad I wasn’t trying to hit marathon pace.
Totals;
Time: 1:28 - Distance: 16.11km



Weekly Totals;
Running: 9:43 – 132.59km
Cross training: 1:35
S & C: 3:00

zico10

Not my usual update, but I'm falling a bit behind with the log and I'd like to ask this question sooner rather than later.

This was last Sunday's run; https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/3088306885,
which was 4 x (3 miles at MP/800m steady). The effort felt about right, but at the same time, I wouldn't have fancied a fifth set. Anyway, can I draw any accurate conclusions from it vis-à-vis a predicted marathon time? I'd appreciate anybody's opinions on it.

OOnegative

Those splits give a 2.28.xx predicted time, with race day adrenaline and runners of a similar pace to keep you honest no reason a sub 2.30 isn’t on?

dublin runner

Again great training, building from the cycle and marathon itself in April.

The Magness Plan is a very good one, leaving you no doubt in a great place for DCM next week. I think you have developed and come on considerably since Spring, no doubt. I do have to say that I don't think you are quite in 2.2x shape. I don't you are too far off it but I would be attempting it if I were you (I have to be honest!) That, of course, is just my opinion. Big strides made, that is for sure.

It is all about risk vs.reward. Look at recent DCM days and I think you'll find it find it varies considerably when evaluating conditions, particularly wind and humidity. I think the range of weather we face here in Ireland is far greater than Berlin in September or Rotterdam in April. The key word is flexibility. You have to run smart and run the conditions on the day. If I were you, I would aim to get to Castleknock (7 miles) and take it from there. Let that be the focus from the start. I would aim to be in a 'good place' at the high point, working but in a controlled rhythm. Most DCM races are made over those first 7 miles in my opinion. I wouldn't be at all worried if slightly 'behind' here, in fact, I would actively encourage it! You can make 30-40sec back easily later on on the downhills and flat finish.

I think you focused too much on the runners around you in April. That is not a criticism! If you run your own race, running - if possible - in a good group where and when suits, you will do very well. Be tactical.

From there - focus on halfway.

From there - focus on 20 miles.

I have no doubt you will run accordingly and smartly. The Magness Plan usually leaves you very strong over those last 6 miles. Make hay

Great stuff, well done.

ultrapercy

Thats a super session and your confidence must be high after it. If it were me I would be targeting 2.30 for definite but as Dublin Runner says with a cautious start through the park. You.might not go sub 2.30 but you will be close. If everything goes well on the day who knows what you could run but the 2nd half is where you can make the gains.

zico10

Monday 1st October
I had the choice of a day off or a short recovery run. As this would be the last legitimate chance for a day with no running, between now and the marathon, I took the option of the day off.


Tuesday 2nd October
a.m.
7 Miles

11.28km in 45:20, 4:01/km

This wasn’t meant to be a progression run, but it’s what naturally happened. I started the first kilometre at 4:11/km and finished off at a pace of 3:52/km. I was moving well and felt good; hopefully it stays that way for the rest of the month.
Totals;
Time: 0:45 - Distance: 11.27km

p.m.
6 Miles

9.77km in 47:26, 4:20/km

I’ve a big day tomorrow, so took it deliberately easy with that in mind.
Totals;
Time: 0:42 - Distance: 9.27km


Wednesday 3rd October
a.m.
6 Miles + 7 Miles at MP

21.72km in 1:21:52
Mile Splits;
1-6;
1) 6:41, 4:09/km, 2) 6:34, 4:05/km, 3) 6:28, 4:01/km, 4) 6:27, 4:00/km, 5) 6:22, 3:57/km, 6) 6:16, 3:53/km,
MP Miles 7-13;
7) 5:35, 3:28/km, 8) 5:31, 3:25/km, 9) 5:32, 3:26/km, 10) 5:35, 3:28/km, 11) 5:32, 3:26/km, 12) 5:31, 3:26/km, 13) 5:33, 3:27/km, Avg: 5:33, 3:27/km
Cool down; 807m at 5:13/km

I woke extra early for this and got properly fuelled up for it. I don’t normally eat before a morning training session, but I was treating this with the same seriousness I will my marathon. My target pace for the MP work was :34/km, but I was determined to run to feel and should I end up running faster than I needed to, I wasn’t going to slow down. Things went well, and I finished the 7 miles with an average pace of 3:27/km. This was as good as I managed for my half marathon PB back in August and it didn’t feel like an LT effort this morning. Only bad thing is it forced me to re-evaluate the pace I planned on holding for the 25 minutes I’ve to run at LT this evening.
Totals;
Time: 1:22 - Distance: 21.72km

p.m.
6 Miles + 25 minutes at LT

21.72km in 1:21:52
Mile Splits;
1-6;
1) 6:45, 4:11/km, 2) 6:37, 4:07/km, 3) 6:32, 4:04/km, 4) 6:43, 4:10/km, 5) 6:41, 4:09/km, 6) 6:28, 4:01/km,
LT Miles; 7.51km in 25:02, 3:20/km
Cool down; 1.62km in 9:47, 6:01/km

The pace I ran for my 7 miles at MP this morning had we me a bit trepidatious heading into this run. As I’d matched my most recent LT pace this morning, I felt there wouldn’t be much benefit to replicating it for 25 minutes of running that were meant to be run at a quicker pace. As I’d somewhat unexpectedly hit my LT pace this morning, the logical thing to do now seemed to be to aim for my 10k pace of :22/km. After a fast opening 10 minutes, I slowed slightly from there to finish, but I was always comfortably on track. I was very happy with myself when I finished. This was undoubtedly the most challenging double run day in the 21-week program and I think I can say I nailed it.
Totals;
Time: 1:15 - Distance: 18.78km


Thursday 4th October
a.m.
6 Miles

9.66km in 41:48, 4:20/km

After two hard runs yesterday, I felt like a recovery run would have been in order this morning. A standard 6-mile run is what was prescribed though. The plan has proven successful for me so far, so however much I might have fancied recovery, I thought there was no need to go changing things up. Instead, I just kept my pace at a level just a little bit tougher than easy.
Totals;
Time: 0:42- Distance: 9.66km

p.m.
6 Miles

9.66km at 4:20/km

I did this on the treadmill and continuing the easy theme of the morning run, I left the speed at the comparatively easy pace of 4:20/km I ran this morning.
Totals;
Time: 0:42 - Distance: 9.66km


Friday 5th October
a.m.
6 Miles

14.49km in 57:59, 4:00/km

My pace from first mile to last dropped from 4:10/km to 3:54/km.
Totals;
Time: 0:58 - Distance: 14.49km

p.m.
4 Miles

6.44km in 26:39, 4:08/km

I’d somewhere to get to after this run, and I hadn’t really given myself enough time to get there, so things felt a bit frantic during this.
Totals;
Time: 0:27 - Distance: 6.44km



Saturday 6th October
a.m.
Run 7 Miles as 1,200 m MP/400m LT

26.59km in 1:42:03
Splits;
Warm-up; 4.80km in 20:30, 4:17/km,
Work;
1) 1.20km in 4:17, 3:34/km & 0.40km in 1:22, 3:28/km,
2) 1.20km in 4:16, 3:33/km & 0.39km in 1:17, 3:15/km,
3) 1.20km in 4:17, 3:34/km & 0.39km in 1:14, 3:08/km,
4) 1.20km in 4:17, 3:34/km & 0.41km in 1:22, 3:22/km,
5) 1.20km in 4:15, 3:33/km & 0.40km in 1:22, 3:24/km,
6) 1.20km in 4:21, 3:37/km & 0.39km in 1:22, 3:25/km,
7) 1.20km in 4:09, 3:27/km & 0.41km in 1:19, 3:13/km
Totals) 8.40km in 30:32, 3:33/km & 2.79km in 9:16, 3:19/km
Cool down; 4.28km in 21:53, 5:07/km

I was running the fast stuff around the Playing Fields in the Park. I’d just taken delivery of Fenix 3 yesterday and whilst fiddling around with it yesterday evening, I had somehow switched off the GPS. The accelerometer (I wasn’t aware of) was giving me readings for pace and distance, and I didn’t realise anything was amiss. When it came to the 7 miles of work, it took a lot more effort than it normally does. I just assumed I was having an off day and pushed extra hard for the 400m running at LT, just to make doubly sure I was going to bring them in on target. In truth, I knew I was working too hard for these ¼ mile reps and it made the intervening ¾ miles at MP more difficult than they should have been. The numbers I’m listing above are the readings given by the accelerometer, but I’m convinced I ran faster for the 1,200m portions at MP. The 400m portions at LT, I’m not so sure, but I was able to increase the effort each time and that’s something to be positive about.
Totals;
Time: 1:22 - Distance: 20.27km


Sunday 7th October
a.m.
1 Mile Warm-up, 7 Miles, 1 Mile Easy

14.50km in 1:02:04
Splits;
Warm up) 1.60km in 7:28, 4:40/km
Miles 2-8) 11.20km in 46:08, 4:07/km
Cool down) 1.70km in 8:28, 4:59/km

I added an extra mile before and after the 7-mile run in the plan. This was partly to up my weekly mileage and partly to allow my legs have some sort of loosening out phase.
Totals;
Time: 1:02 - Distance: 14.50km

p.m.
7 Miles;

11.27km in 47:09, 4:11/km average

I did this on the treadmill, mostly to investigate how reliable the accelerometer on my new Fenix 3 is. It turns out not very, certainly not on the treadmill today. I upped the speed from 13.8kph to 14.9kph over the duration of the 7 miles, and the watch never picked up on the change in speed. It picked up on the times I increased the pace yesterday, but judging from its reliability for this run, it gives me further reason to doubt the accuracy of the stats from yesterday.
Totals;
Time: 0:27 - Distance: 6.44km



Weekly Totals;
Running: 10:04 – 147.83km
Cross training: 0:45
S & C: 3:00

zico10

Monday 8th October
8 Miles Recovery

12.89km in 1:09:44, 5:25/km

Totals;
Time: 1:10 - Distance: 12.89km


Tuesday 9th October
a.m.
9 Miles

14.50km in 59:33, 4:06/km

Totals;
Time: 1:00 - Distance: 14.50km

p.m.
5 Miles

8.10km at 14.0kph, 4:18/km

I did this on the treadmill as I wanted the certainty of keeping things on the slower side of my steady pace.
Totals;
Time: 0:34 - Distance: 8.05km


Wednesday 10th October
16 Mile Hilly Run w. progression to just faster than MP

13.98km in 56:19
1.60km Splits;
1) 6:49, 17m gain & 13m loss, 4:16/km,
2) 6:32, 2m gain & 21m loss, 4:05/km,
3) 6:28, 6m gain & 2m loss, 4:01/km,
4) 6:22, 11m gain & 6m loss, 3:59/km
5) 6:24, 16m gain & 4m loss, 4:00/km,
6) 6:27, 18m gain & 0m loss, 4:02/km,
7) 6:25, 31m gain & 1m loss, 4:01/km,
8) 6:16, 33m gain & 22m loss, 3:55/km,
9) 6:25 (1.68km), 22m gain & 3m loss, 3:49/km,
10) 5:54, 1m gain & 37m loss, 3:41/km,
11) 5:59, 1m gain & 17m loss, 3:44/km,
12) 6:05, 5m gain & 17m loss, 3:48/km,
13) 5:49, 8m gain & 7m loss, 3:38/km,
14) 5:50, 4m gain & 12m loss, 3:39/km,
15) 5:44, 19m gain & 7m loss, 3:35/km,
16) 5:34, 13m gain & 14m loss, 3:29/km,
17) 0.08km at 3:18/km to finish, 1m gain & 0m loss

I planned on starting this run in Ballyboughall, then running from there to the Naul and back. This would have fulfilled the criteria of a “hilly run”. On the drive there, I started to worry I wouldn’t be finished before sundown, so I parked up a few miles short of Ballyboughall and started the run in a different spot than I had originally planned. This gave me a relatively flat start and finish, and the run turned out to be nowhere near as taxing as I had hoped, but I did as the book prescribed and my legs at least got the benefit of a progression run.
Totals;
Time: 1:39 - Distance: 25.76km


Thursday 11th October
a.m.
An 8-mile run was in the plan, but I hadn’t set my alarm and when I did wake, it was too late to hope to get it done before work. I decided to roll back over and stay in bed for an extra 20 minutes, with the intention of running the combined distance of the scheduled two daily runs as one activity.

p.m.
16 Miles

19.36km in 1:19:44, 4:07/km

My enthusiasm for this was low and to remove the temptation of doing anything less than the 16 miles I was supposed to run today, I did the run as an out and back by the Royal Canal. This meant I wouldn’t have the option of cutting the run short and once I got to the turnaround at 8 miles, I’d have no other choice than to run the entire 16 miles.
Totals;
Time: 1:20 - Distance: 19.36km


Friday 12th October
8 x 200m* at 5K/3K Pace w. 200m* Recovery
*I messed up programming the session into my Garmin, and I stopped after the first two reps to set up the auto-lap function instead. The shortest lap distance I could input was 250m, so thinking on the spot, I decided four 250m reps was the best solution to my predicament.

26.59km in 1:42:03
Splits;
Warm-up; 4.80km in 20:30, 4:17/km,
Work;
1) 200m in 35.2”, 3:34/km,
2) 200m in 36.3”, 3:33/km,
3) 250m in 43.0”, 2:52/km,
4) 250m in 46.0”, 3:04/km,
5) 250m in 47.6”, 3:10/km,
6) 250m in 46.8”, 3:07/km,
7) 250m in 46.0”, 3:04/km,
8) 250m in 47.3”, 3:09/km
Cool down; 1.62km in 8:54, 5:30/km

The efforts were done in alternate directions along a flattish stretch of path. The 5k efforts, which are the odd numbered reps above, were ran with the wind at my back, whereas I was running into the wind (even numbered reps) for the 3k efforts. So, the paces don’t reflect the effort I was putting in. There were so short, I never felt like I got things right.
I’d a social event on tonight, so the whole run was a lot shorter than I would have ideally liked.
Totals;
Time: 1:22 - Distance: 20.27km


Saturday 13th October
a.m.
8 Miles;

11.27km in 47:09, 4:11/km average

This should have been a 9-mile run, but with a Bikram yoga class to get to afterwards, I had to curtail it to 8 miles.
Totals;
Time: 0:27 - Distance: 6.44km

p.m.
8 Miles;

12.88km at 4:20/km

I did this on the treadmill and I made up for the missing mile from this morning’s run. With a big day tomorrow, I kept things on the slow side of steady.
Totals;
Time: 0:27 - Distance: 6.44km


Sunday 14th October
Run 2 Mile Warm-up, 4 sets of {3 Miles at MP/800m steady}

25.77km in 1:33:24
Splits;
Warm-up; 3.22km in 13:26, 4:10/km,
Work;
1) 4.83km in 17:00, 3:31/km (23m gain & 13m loss) & 0.80km in 2:56, 3:41/km,
2) 4.83km in 17:00, 3:31/km (80m gain & 69m loss) & 0.80km in 2:58, 3:42/km,
3) 4.83km in 16:58, 3:31/km (29m gain & 10m loss) & 0.80km in 2:58, 3:43/km,
4) 4.83km in 17:05, 3:32/km (40m gain & 74m loss) & 0.80km in 3:03, 3:46/km
Totals) 19.33km in 68:03, 3:31/km & 3.21km in 11:55, 3:43/km

From a long way out, I always thought this was the key run in the plan, and I think I nailed it. I was a bit anxious about the run beforehand, and with a family event I had to be home for in Roscrea, I was away from my familiar environs of the Phoenix Park. I had a rough idea of a route that would work today, but it included one right bastard of a climb. The gods of chance were going to have to be favourable for it fall conveniently in my run. Thankfully it did and although I’d lost a bit of time in the 2.5km I spent going uphill during the send marathon paced rep, I got the time back in a very steep 800m downhill finish. Just like had happened after my first rep, I was delighted to see 17:00 flash on my watch. This gave me the confidence that I’d be able to finish out the remaining two reps at similar paces. Despite another rep with a net elevation gain, I matched the pace of reps 1 and 2 for the 3rd rep. With the majority of the fourth and final effort sweeping downhill, I’d left myself with an easy finish. Or at least that’s what I thought I had done. Unfortunately, my arrival back into the town of Roscrea, coincided with the start of Sunday morning Mass. I’d to turn a lot more corners than I would have liked, and the Mass goers on the paths was a further impediment to my haste. As an extra nuisance, anytime I had to cross the road, the extra traffic also impacted on my smooth progress. With all these things considered, I’ve no problem finding the extra 5 seconds it took me to complete these 4.83 kilometres. I’m very happy with the consistent pace I held over the combined 12 miles at MP. I wouldn’t have fancied another one though and had today been race day, I seriously doubt I could have run all 26 miles at 3:31/km pace. But I did what was required today, and knowing I’ll be far better rested on the 28th October, it’s a pace I’m going to aim for in DCM.
Totals;
Time: 1:33 - Distance: 25.77km



Weekly Totals;
Running: 9:53 – 141.99km
Cross training: 1:00
S & C: 4:30

AuldManKing

Great work been done there, my wife's family is from Roscrea - so major Kudos getting this done on those roads.

How strictly are you sticking to the Magness plan and how do you find it.

Specifically - how is the taper element to a Magness plan vrs P&D

shotgunmcos

:eek: Thats practically 4x 17 minute 5ks :eek:

All relative of course, you are in super shape. Great session!

zico10

AuldManKing wrote: »

Great work been done there, my wife's family is from Roscrea - so major Kudos getting this done on those roads.

How strictly are you sticking to the Magness plan and how do you find it.

Specifically - how is the taper element to a Magness plan vrs P&D

I'd say I've been very faithful to the plan. I did one triathlon and a few aquathlons over the summer, that obviously weren't in the plan. I changed things around a bit to accommodate those, but for 17 out of the 21 weeks, I pretty much did every single run/session that was in the book. What I didn't do is supplement the running I was doing with recovery runs to hit the recommended weekly mileage. Two weeks were supposed to max out at 130 miles, but my highest weekly mileage was 110 miles. Though I never intended running 130 miles, as I think it would have been too big an increase, too soon for me. I'm happy with the volume I got through and I think it would take another few marathon cycles before I could handle 130-mile weeks. I probably skimped a bit on warm-ups and cool-downs as well, further impacting on my weekly mileage. But I got the quality work done, and that's what's going to stand to me on Sunday.

I haven't honestly given much thought to the taper. Things definitely got easier after the 4 x 3-mile run described above, but if you were to ask me was I tapering last week, I'd have told there was still some hard running that needed to be done. It's a step back from what I had been doing, but running 80 miles in a week is still not messing about. It was a 70-80 Mile I followed in P & D, so when a "taper" week in one plan equals a peak week in another, then of course the taper in the first plan is going to be harder. But the runs in Magness have been more demanding from the very start, the taper weeks are no different. I still don't feel like I'm in a position to give a fully considered opinion on P & D v Magness. That will have to wait 12 o' clock on Sunday. My performance in Rotterdam last April won't be what I use to draw comparisons between the two plans either; Connemarathon in 2014, when I also followed P & D, will do much better for this.

rodneyr1981

Hi zico.
Bit behind on your log but seen a few tasty runs on Strava. Best of luck Sunday. Hope all goes to plan.

OOnegative

Best of luck Sunday, hope it goes well for you.

zico10

Monday 15th October
6 Miles Recovery

9.68km in 50:01, 5:10/km

I should have run 8-10 miles, but my triathlon club swims have started back up and as I left this run until evening time, I thought the missing 2 miles would be more than compensated for with the one-hour swim session.
Totals;
Time: 0:50 - Distance: 9.68km


Tuesday 16th October
a.m.
5 Miles

14.50km in 59:33, 4:06/km

This should have been a 9-mile run, but I swapped it with the 5-mile run that was scheduled for the evening.
Totals;
Time: 1:00 - Distance: 14.50km

p.m.
9 Miles

14.75km in 57:15, 3:53/km

I went to Dunboyne AC to pick up a new singlet. As I was out there anyway, I decided to run the 9 miles on the track. GPS readings above are probably a bit generous and I seriously doubt I was this fast tonight.
Totals;
Time: 0:57 - Distance: 14.75km


Wednesday 17th October
2 Mile Warm-up, 7 Miles at MP w. 30” surge to 10k pace every mile, 1 Mile Cool-down

16.15km in 1:02:52
1.60km Splits;
Warm-up;
1) 7:40, 4:54/km,
2) 6:48, 4:15/km,
Work;
3) 5:34, 3:29/km,
4) 5:39, 3:32/km,
5) 5:30, 3:26/km,
6) 5:30, 3:27/km,
7) 5:33, 3:28/km,
8) 5:29, 3:26/km,
9) 5:29, 3:26/km,
10) 0.14km @ 2:57/km
Totals: 11.34km in 39:08, 3:27/km
Cool-down; 1.61km in 9:04, 5:38/km

I was in the Phoenix Park for this and stuck to laps of the Playing Fields for the 7 miles of work. There’s such little difference between my MP and LT paces, I decided I’d be better off aiming for a 10k effort instead, which I pushed for at the completion of each mile at MP. Once the work started, I was slow to get going and I was worried I might struggle to hit the required pace. I was able to pick it up without killing myself though, and I successfully finished another block of marathon paced running at a pace that would see me finish under the 2:30 mark. Reassuringly, I can afford to go several seconds per kilometre slower and still achieve this target. Without today’s surges, this is no bad thing.
Totals;
Time: 1:03 - Distance: 16.15km


Thursday 18th October
a.m.
6 Miles

9.67km in 40:29, 4:11/km

I didn’t feel like I had any spring in my step for this, which was very different to the previous couple of a.m. runs I did immediately after some hard running the evening before.
Totals;
Time: 0:40 - Distance: 9.67km

p.m.
6 Miles

9.66km at 4:17/km avg.

I did this on a treadmill and upped the pace from a starting speed of 13.6kph to 14.7kph over the 40-odd minutes I was running.
Totals;
Time: 0:41 - Distance: 9.66km


Friday 19th October
a.m.
7 Miles;

11.27km in 46:17, 4:06/km average

I wasn’t feeling overly sprightly at the start of this, but this passed, and I finished off with a 6:20 final mile.
Totals;
Time: 0:46 - Distance: 11.27km

p.m.
1km Warm-up, 4 Miles Steady, 600m Cool-down

26.59km in 1:42:03
Splits;
Warm-up; 1.00km in 4:45, 4:45/km,
Steady Miles; 6.40km in 24:30, 3:48/km
Cool down; 0.67km in 2:58, 4:27/km

I ran up to the NSC for this and was on grass for most of the 4 miles steady. I’m using this as an excuse as to why I couldn’t go any faster for the steady miles. It hardly matters though and hitting goal marathon pace for 6 miles on Sunday is far more important.
Totals;
Time: 0:32 - Distance: 8.07km


Saturday 20th October
9 Miles

14.48km in 58:28, 4:02/km

I was running in the Phoenix Park once again and took on the hillier sections of the Park. I was happy with my overall pace and ran one mile at 3:55/km pace. It makes the comparative struggle during the 4-miles steady yesterday more puzzling. I should have done a second 6-mile run today, but I’d something on in the evening and couldn’t find time for it. Depending on how the 6 miles at MP go tomorrow morning, I intend to make up for it tomorrow evening.
Totals;
Time: 0:58 - Distance: 14.48km


Sunday 21st October
a.m.
Run 2 Mile Warm-up, 6 Miles at MP, 2.5 Miles Cool-down

16.93km in 1:07:56
1.60km Splits;
Warm-up; 1) 8:30, 5:19/km, 2) 6:40, 4:10/km
Work;
1) 5:47, 3:39/km (22m gain & 14m loss),
2) 5:28, 3:25/km (2m gain & 32m loss),
3) 5:33, 3:28/km (16m gain & 4m loss),
4) 5:41, 3:33/km (17m gain & 16m loss),
5) 5:40, 3:33/km (13m gain & 6m loss),
6) 5:33, 3:28/km (15m gain & 26m loss)
Totals) 9.60km in 33:42, 3:31/km (85m gain & 98m loss)

I began this with members of my triathlon club and ran once I split from them, I picked things up. I spent another mile running on my own, before I settled into my MP miles. Yet again, I ran the first mile slower than I would have liked, but I was easily able to reverse the malaise and it didn’t affect any of the remaining miles. According to a lot of marathon talk, if my performance in DCM follows a similar pattern, then it wouldn’t be too bad a thing.
Totals;
Time: 1:08 - Distance: 16.93km

p.m.
6 Miles

9.67km in 38:16, 3:58/km

Making up for yesterday’s missed evening run; I was pleased with how this went, especially considering the run I did earlier.
Totals;
Time: 0:38 - Distance: 9.67km



Weekly Totals;
Running: 8:46 – 128.43km
Cross training: 1:45
S & C: 4:30

Pmaldini

Superb Zico, very well done, enjoy the rest:)

RayCun

Fantastic run, well done

peter kern

well done ! I havent read your blog for a while but a quick look suggests one thing you run more ?



i remember a few years ago Fazz said that you and me do to much training and was wondering where that would go ....

this year i did 8.49 for IM you 2.26 for marathon and fazz has stopped lol



ps i think you are still 3 min off what i prediced a few years ago so you better keep going.


2 questions do you think its worth it travelling for a marathon when the weather in dublin is usualy nice an cold and no travelling saves a lot of energy?

and what was you goal time and where you scared at 1.12 for the half lol. ( again from a quick skin of your training i guess you tired sub 2.30 but 2.26 ...?

M.m.m.

Absolutely amazing time, you deserve every bit of it

Neady83

What a result A, delighted to see you hit your target after a smashing training block. Honestly, I'm blown away with your determination and perseverance in everything you do, you're amazing.

Hope there's a pint in one hand and a tub of Ben and Jerrys in the other

zico10

peter kern wrote: »

well done ! I havent read your blog for a while but a quick look suggests one thing you run more ?



i remember a few years ago Fazz said that you and me do to much training and was wondering where that would go ....

this year i did 8.49 for IM you 2.26 for marathon and fazz has stopped lol



ps i think you are still 3 min off what i prediced a few years ago so you better keep going.


2 questions do you think its worth it travelling for a marathon when the weather in dublin is usualy nice an cold and no travelling saves a lot of energy?

and what was you goal time and where you scared at 1.12 for the half lol. ( again from a quick skin of your training i guess you tired sub 2.30 but 2.26 ...?

Clearly I ran more than ever before and I'd find it very hard to believe that there is any other way of getting quicker. Unfortunately though it ate up too much of my training hours and swimming has been almost completely shelved. But I'll worry about that another day.

I'd have had no problem travelling for the marathon yesterday and to find a flatter, faster course, then I'd say of course it would have been worth it. Rotterdam in April, was a poorer performance because of the poorer training that preceded it. The heat on the day might have been a small factor in how I ran, but I don't think the fact I had to travel for the race had anything to do with it.

The publicly stated goal was sub 2:30, but there was a private goal of 2:28 that I was confident of running. The goal setting out was to get to halfway in 1:14, but the group I ended up with had a different target. They said they were aiming for a 72 minute first half. I wasn't struggling to stay with them and it didn't make sense to drop off and end up running on my own. I certainly wasn't scared when I crossed the halfway timing mat. Although I'd probably overextended myself, I was confident the training I'd done would get me through and I really couldn't see how I'd lose 6+ minutes over the second half. Even if I could only match the 1:20 I ran off the bike in Kenmare, I was still going to PB. There was still 21km to go, but I knew I'd got through harder runs before and I drew confidence from that.

PS. Fazz is still going. He's just moved to Dubai.

peter kern

did you run a half marathon pb yesterday ?


getting a bit more into the travelling you have as faster run time in connamara than in any aborad marathon is that correct or wrong ?
and i think you told me before rotterdam you were in better shape than connamara ? ( well atl east a good few weeks before the race)

i guess you have to make a decison either run or tri . I think you saw with bmc cycling and tri dosnt yield the best results. and this year when he focused just on tri it made a good difference.

zico10

peter kern wrote: »

did you run a half marathon pb yesterday ?

Yes. Not sure if I'm allowed count it though.

getting a bit more into the travelling you have as faster run time in connamara than in any aborad marathon is that correct or wrong ?

Until yesterday, 2:35:51 in Connemara was my PB. So obviously it was faster than any foreign marathon I'd done. Again though, that's entirely unrelated to the travel. Apart from juggling triathlon training, I was injured in the build up to Rotterdam 2017 and missed three full weeks of running. After that, all I got in were some itty-bitty runs in the two weeks immediately prior to the race and my chances of PB-ing then were practically zero.
Still suffering from post-Ironman blues, my focus hadn't fully returned last April, which was only my second attempt at setting a PB. Compared to how seriously I took the training for Connemarathon 2014, my attitude was appalling.
Lastly, I think I did alright in the three Ironman I travelled to in Mallorca. And I've absolutely no fear about travelling to Ironman Austria, and not Cork, next summer, because the focus will be there.

and i think you told me before rotterdam you were in better shape than connamara ? ( well atl east a good few weeks before the race)

I'd find it very hard to believe I said that. Read back through the log and I'm sure you'll find nowhere do I make such a claim. The tune-up races I did gave no indication that I was running any better than 4 years prior. I certainly said I wanted to get into better shape than I did for Connemara, but the closer I got to race day in April, the more I knew this wasn't going to happen.

i guess you have to make a decison either run or tri . I think you saw with bmc cycling and tri dosnt yield the best results. and this year when he focused just on tri it made a good difference.

I agree fully with you on this, and I've already decided Ironman will be my focus next year. I see this year spent marathon training as being beneficial to my Ironman goals. One year purely running and another year fully focussed on Ironman is a perfectly fine balance to strike. It just takes some single mindedness, which I like to think I have.

peter kern

cool as i said a good few weeks before rotterdam

i cant remember when i saw you doing the 9.6 k (3.26 -7pace) session in the park

you said this was faster than what you did for that session before connamara .


quick look mid february it was
I don't think I'm in marathon shape just yet, but today still compares very favourably with the corresponding run I did in 2014. I held 3:37 pace that day, so to go 10 seconds per kilometre quicker today, is very reassuring. When I referenced this run three weeks ago, I placed a lot of importance on it going well. I'm happy to say it did and it does give me confidence going forward.

zico10

I wouldn't equate running well in one session with being in better overall shape for the marathon. Also, my target paces were softer in 2014 than there were earlier this year. Perhaps I could have held 3:27/km pace both years, but I wasn't trying to the first time I did the session. I worked out my tempo pace four and a half years ago off my half marathon PB at the time, which was only 1:19. Having improved my half marathon PB in the meantime, the goal posts had shifted.

joey100

Well done, that's some serious running, I'd be happy with some of your training paces really!

Be good to see you back in triathlon, bit of me would like to see how fast you can go with a few years pure running, no reason you couldn't be aiming higher but will be good to see you take this training and bring it to the Ironman. Have you picked one for next year? Guessing a trip back to kona is the goal?

dublin runner

Well, firstly well done. I don't usually look at a result, then forced to put the phone down and take a second look to make sure! I have read an awful lot of training blogs and posts over the years (too many!) and without doubt your result on Sunday was the best I have encountered. All I can say is well done.

I love when I am wrong! I didn't think you were in 2.2x shape but what I took from your run is your approach. I would never have attacked the course like that. That just takes serious guts. Complete commitment.

You've now jumped up several levels on the running ladder and for that, a huge congrats!

zico10

joey100 wrote: »

Be good to see you back in triathlon, bit of me would like to see how fast you can go with a few years pure running, no reason you couldn't be aiming higher but will be good to see you take this training and bring it to the Ironman. Have you picked one for next year? Guessing a trip back to kona is the goal?

I'd like to see how fast I could go as well. Had I built on the momentum I had from Connemarathon 2014, I like to think this would have happened sooner. I couldn't do myself justice in both Ironman and marathons though, and I don't regret any of the decisions I took. It will be back to Ironman next year and improving on my new PB will just have to wait. I look at Gary O' Hanlon though, and even with a year out in 2019, I still feel I have plenty of time in which to improve.

I've entered Ironman Austria and the goal is to qualify for Kona. It would be nice to break 9 hours while I'm at it and have that on my CV.

pgibbo

Late to the party but massive congrats Alan. Savage time.
On the doing both justice thing, have you read the race report Mouse did up post Barcelona? He only gives IM a 14 week focus or so and has a run focus the rest of the year. He has KQ'ed at every IM he has done and has gone sub 9. A tough one to balance I'm sure but possible for some.
When is the log moving back home?