26.2, Part two

tbukela

Tuesday - 1st January
4 miles - Handy
I wanted to start the new year with a run but couldn't get myself out of the bed early so had to fit this in around a few other things. Long story short, went out much too close to dinner and suffered with a savage stitch. Great to get back out on the road again though. 8:46 avg 137 HR. Starting weight for the year 152lbs

Wednesday - 2nd January
6 miles - mixed pace
I was supposed to meet one of the lads but he cried off so ended up doing a half baked session. Plan was for 3*1 mile at 6:55 pace (10M goal pace). Quick warm up and then started, passed a few local runners on the first interval and acted the hero by increasing the pace, suffered seriously for it later. Miles were 6:56, 7:04 & 7:29 with 2 min recoveries. I was toasted after the last one. I finished up with a couple of very easy miles to close. 8:40 avg 148 HR

Thursday - 3rd January
3 miles - tempo
Managed to fit this one in before the footie game, 12 laps of the track. it was quiet enough down there so picked up the pace as I went along. 7:24 avg 152 HR

Friday - 4th January
5 miles - easy
Had company for this one so a nice leisurely run. Really enjoyed this one. 9:01 avg 136 HR

Saturday - 5th January
3 miles - easy
Went to the local park with the kids for this one, I did a few laps while they went around on their bikes. I stuck to the grass and found it tough going in parts. I can see how the x country would be great for endurance. 8:35 avg 149 HR

Sunday - 6th January
9 miles - easy
This was the first group run for a long time and its amazing how quickly fitness can be lost. Some of the lads hadn't ran since Waterford half, 5 weeks ago. The group splintered quickly enough but I was happy enough to take it easy and have a chat. I pushed on the last mile of the run and then did a mile cool down. I felt very comfortable with it. This would have been a handy mid week run during DCM and today it was my longest run for 5 weeks. I need to stop comparing everything to where I was a few months ago and work off my current fitness otherwise I will drive myself spare. We were out early so finished nice and early too. The roads were jammed with people out cycling and running, great to see. 8:26 avg 146HR

An even 30 miles for the week which I am happy with. Hopefully next week will be a mix of easy miles with a couple of tempo runs, I need to start getting the body used to 6:50-7:10 pace. There is a local trail race next weekend which I think I'll gave a go off as well, only 6k but the elevation and terrain looks difficult.

tbukela

Monday - 7th January
4 miles - easy
Nice easy 4 mile route with company. Easy miles. 8:59 avg and 135 HR

Tuesday - 8th January
4 miles - v easy w/strides
I did 3.5 easy miles on the track and then threw in 6 25 sec strides on the grass. The miles at the start were very handy, 9:30 pace. I was happy with the strides, managed to get the pace nice and quick. 9:21 avg & 139 HR. Also started a S&C course that evening with the club, I wasn't doing anything myself so hoping the group dynamic will push me on. It was something I never really addressed last year and think it affected me in races.

Wednesday - 9th January
6 miles - easy
Feeling a bit sore in places after the S&C so an easy 6 miles was on the cards. Nothing hectic, legs feeling strong though. 9:02 avg & 135 HR

Thursday - 10th January
7.75 miles - threshold intervals
The plan had 6 x 1 mile intervals at 6 something pace but I knew I was nowhere near that so decided to try 6 x 1K at just under 7 min pace, hoped for 10 mile pace. After an easy 1.5 mile warm up I started the intervals, I had picked a length of road which I thought was U shaped so should have been similar from both directions, this wasn't the case about a 20 ft elevation difference which killed me on the even intervals. I started at a 90 second floating recovery but for the last 3 I was walking for some of it.
The splits themselves weren't that bad: 4:20, 4:21 , 4:13, 4:23, 4:16 & 4:23. I am finding it hard to judge my pace but I was glad of the blow out. Easy cool down brought it to 7.75 miles. 8:39 avg & 143 HR

Friday - 11th January
5 miles - easy
Two of the lads coming back from injury joined me for this so the pace was handy. Nice run, plenty of banter. 9:19 avg & 134 HR

Saturday - 12th January
6 miles - Progression
I really enjoyed this one, started nice and early as sun was coming up. The plan was for a comfortable progression, taking 20-30 seconds off for each mile. Managed to come close enough to it. Splits were: 9:20, 8:45, 8:23, 7:51, 7:31 & 6:53. I pushed it for the last one alright but everything else felt comfortable. This was one of my favorite sessions last year so will try and incorporate more of them this year. 8:07 avg & 147 HR

Sunday - 13th January
Corrin Woods MMRA Race
This was my first time trying a trail race but this race couldn't be any more local, I can see the top of the hill from my house. I managed to talk one of the lads into trying this with me so off we went into the unknown. I'd know the normal walking trails from hill training but I didn't realise how off course this went. It was brilliant craic, probably the most enjoyable race I've done in my 3 years running.
The start was a pure cavalry charge, about half a mile steep downhill. I went out handy enough, (7 min pace) and was passed by loads. The opening section was on a wide track so not difficult but soon we went off road on a single track where the field bunched really quickly. I could see why people went out so fast to get ahead of the traffic. As the gradient increased we were soon walking and climbing over rocks and tree roots. There was a decent elevation gain of over 300 ft in .3 mile which was hands and knees stuff. We then popped out the top of the hill, got a cheer from a few club mates and off running downhill again. This was another single track surrounding by gorse and trees. The pace was 8 min mile but felt much faster. I was wearing my brooks ghosts and had a couple of skids along here.
We then came off this single trail to a wider trail which I was familiar with, usually run up it rather than down so knew this was the time to boot on. Everyone else had the same idea as the pace really quickened here, I was passing people pretty regularly and only passed twice (caught them later). The 3rd mile was a 6:48 and to be honest should have been quicker but I was holding something back for the sting in the tail as the RD called it at the pre race brief.
The last off road bit was nuts, no track just climbing around trees on a gradient over 30% in patches. This was all walking but managed to pass a few people here, I knew the finish was all downhill so I was trying to conserve some energy for it. Once again we appear out of the trees and the same club mates are there, laughing this time at the cut of us. I get my breath back and just go for it, I manage to pick off about 6 people at the end on a serious downhill section, in the process clocking my 2nd fastest 400M split (1:20). I pushed all the way to the end and stopped the watch at 37:58 for 4.04 miles. My HR hit 198 close to the end which is the highest I can remember. I'll definitely do some more of these during the year and plan on trying some of the longer races also.

This was so different to anything I'd ever done before but I enjoyed it immensely. I can see how people get hooked on it. The race itself was accessible to all standards and the organisers were very welcoming. Between warm up and race I got 5 miles in for the day.

37.9 miles for the week with a nice mix of easy miles and trying to add some sessions. I'm happy with the base that I'm building and will try to throw in more 10 mile specific stuff next week. 13 day run streak, if you can call it that.

skyblue46

Sounds like you had a ball...great day out. Well done.

tbukela

skyblue46 wrote: »

Sounds like you had a ball...great day out. Well done.

It was nice to do an event without it being a time trial. No pressure, just try pass as many as possible. Might be a different story in the mud and rain the next time!

tbukela

Monday - 14th January
4 miles - easy
I was feeling surprisingly good after the previous days race but decided to stick with the Monday evening usual easy route. 09:06 avg & 136 HR

Tuesday - 15th January
4 miles - easy w/intervals
Tuesday evenings are turning into mini speed sessions before S&C. I was happy to get the miles in. The plan was for 6 reps of 400M with 55sec recovery. I knew I was cooked after 2 so changed to 4 with strides at the end of easy mile.
Splits for the 400s were:92, 93, 94 & 97. Bit of an eye opener as to where I am pace wise but no harm done. Some reasonable strides on grass to end. 08:35 avg & 144 HR

Wednesday - 16th January
4.75 miles - tempo
This turned out to be a decent little session. The plan was for 3x2 miles @7:05 but I was caught for time so reduced it to 2x2 Miles. I misjudged the first one but all the other reps felt nice and controlled. Bit of a confidence boost as that 7 min pace is the 10 mile target for the year.
Splits were: 7:07, 6:59 & 7:01, 7:01. 7:32 avg & 150 HR

Thursday - 17th January
11 miles - steady
I knew I was going to struggle to get a long run in at the weekend so decided to bite the bullet mid week. I headed out a bit later than usual and it was noticeably cooler. Started off at a reasonably comfortable pace and decided to go by feel, route had a couple of inclines which I had been neglecting of late. I checked the watch at around 8 miles and decided to go for 90 mins and try get 11 miles in. I managed to throw in a few sub 8 min miles but finished the 11 miles in 1:30:36. This was another decent run where I felt controlled throughout. Garmin wasn't reading HR correctly as HR is too low, should have been probably 10 higher. 8:14 avg & 133 HR.

Friday - 18th January
6 miles - easyish
This was supposed to be an easy run but I ended up going out about 30 secs per mile too quick, managed to slow down towards the end but didn't feel great throughout. 8:46 avg & 141 HR. Unfortunately 90 mins after I finished I was in bed where I would remain for the next day as I came down with a nasty bug. The consequences of which was losing 8lbs and ended my run streak at 18 days.

Sunday - 20th January
5 miles - hills
After being stuck with me giving out for 36 hours the kids decided I should head out for some fresh air! The plan was for an easy 3 miles but the local hunt was out so I had to go further afield and ended up heading for the hills. I knew the body wasn't able for anything hectic so ended up plodding around for 5 miles, which was enjoyable enough. Bit concerned with the HR data afterwards where it showed peak of 211 and a lot of time greater than 180. Prior to this I'd never gone higher than 178, maybe a blip with the watch, it is a wrist based HR so I know it's not the most reliable. 10:29 avg, 167 HR & 818 ft elevation

Summary
34.9 miles for the week off 6 days, I'm still mostly doing short ish runs. Kinda suits at the moment between weather and other activities. 2nd week of S&C which is going well. Disappointed to have an enforced days rest and also missed a race on Sunday. Bit concerned now that I'll be going into Dungarvan without a race for over 6 weeks (not counting MMRA). Longest gap without a race since I started running I think.

tbukela

Monday - 21st January
6.5 miles - Easy w/tempo

Unusually I was on my own for this Monday run, decided to try and throw a couple of quicker miles in. Plan was for 4 miles easy with 2 miles @7:10 w/60 secs recovery. Easy miles over I launched into the first quick mile and pace felt only ok, had to work hard at the end and got 7:11, turned around and intended to head back the same route. I had completely underestimated the strength of the wind at my back which was not in my face, 2nd mile was a disaster, kinda gave up about 3/4s in and clocked a 8:00 flat. I'm putting it down to weakness from the bug but a bit of a concern. 8:49 avg & 144 HR

Tuesday - 22nd January
4 miles - easy w/800m

Got a few miles in before S&C training, mixed in two 800M @ 7:10 exactly with some easy miles. Nice run and the class is going well, nice mix from the club, with some people getting a chance to chat to people they wouldn't usually meet. 8:31 avg & 150 HR

Wednesday - 23rd January
7 miles - easy

This was a lovely run in the light rain with some company. Didn't notice the time passing at all. A bit of company on the easy runs makes a massive difference and makes keeping the pace handy easier. 8:53 avg & 136 HR

Friday - 24th January
12 miles - tempo intervals

After a planned rest day I was all ready for this session. As it was baby no 2s birthday I took the day off and headed out early for this. The plan was for 3 sets of 3 miles @ 7:30 with a steady pace recovery of 800m in 4 minutes. I did a lot of these type sessions in the run up to DCM and found them to be great. The session went along nicely, it was great to run in the daylight. The sets felt suitably hard and I had to increase the recovery between set 2 & 3, I thought it would be more beneficial to hit the pace targets rather than blowing up.

Splits were : 7:29,7:22,7:27 & 7:29,7:30,7:25 & 7:24,7:26,7:27. First recovery was 4:04 and the second was 4:59. I did one of these sessions, 4 x 2 miles the week before Charleville and the times, HR etc were very similar. I was very happy after this one. 7:57 avg & 154 HR

Saturday - 26th January
4.25 miles - recovery
Did 2.25 miles on my own and another 2 with one of the lads who is starting running. Very enjoyable morning out. Very handy avg and HR.

Sunday - 27th January
12 miles - Club long run

I hadn't made one of the Sunday club runs for awhile so it was good to head out with the lads. Most of the talk was about Dungarvan and targets and excuses were being rolled out already. Group split after about 2 miles and I stayed with the 2nd group and really enjoyed the run. Felt very steady throughout and tried to encourage the lads around as they are only getting back from injury. 8:33 avg & 144 HR

Summary
Good weeks running with 46 miles in the bank, longest since the start of October. This coming week will be a bit of a taper week. I'm not really sure how Dungarvan will go, need to have a think about a realistic goal for it. I'm in Dublin for a couple of days so that will limit the miles. I feel that I'm building a decent base at the moment. I'd like to get up to 16 miles for the long runs by the end of February. Also hoping to do some more short trail races to break up the road stuff. Definitely more races on the cards next month, missed them this month big time.

tbukela

Quick update to close out the month.

Monday - 28th January
2.75 Miles - Tempo
I was in Dublin for the night and had great intentions of going for a handy run around my old haunts. Despite packing all my gear I had forgotten my runners. Ended up going for a quick trot in the ones I was wearing, UA Charged bandits which I had picked up on the cheap in Heatons. Nice shoes actually but didn't feel right on the heel so didn't stay out too long. Dublin City Centre is a gas place to go for a run on a Monday evening. 7:53 avg & 141 HR

Thursday - 31st January
5.5 miles - handy
Between travelling home and the weather I didn't get out Tuesday or Wednesday and to be honest I could feel myself being that bit crankier in work on Thursday. Even though the weather was shocking I was adamant that I'd get out. Luckily the rain stopped and I got out for a while. The first couple of miles felt very tough but I was starting to get into it at the end. Couple of strides at the end to remind the legs that there was some serious business to attend to at the weekend. 8:51 avg & 139HR

January Summary
After a lazy end to 2018 I was determined to start the year off well and overall I was happy with January. I ran 157 miles and managed to run for the first 18 days of the month and 27 in total. It was mainly low mileage but I was happy with the consistency of it. Only one race which was the MMRA trail race which proved to be very enjoyable. Training for the month was supposed to be targeting a sub 70 in Dungarvan this weekend. I think I'm probably 2-3 weeks off where I need to be, I did just over 77 mins in this race last year and finished 2018 with a PB of 72:27 (in Charleville half). I think I'll probably end up around the 71/72 mark. I might try and go out just behind or with the 70 pacers and see how the first few miles feel though. I'll try and have a rattle off it anyway.
Plans for February are a 10 mile race in Kinsale towards the end of the month and probably one more race in the middle. I also want to get the long runs up to 16 miles. I'm doing a lot of reading/watching about Ultras at the moment and it's fascinating stuff. I've read the great reports of the Donadea 50K on here before and see that aside from the Feb event there is also one in June which I'm really tempted by. I can't see any major difference from marathon training to a 50K, nowhere near as intensive as a 50 miler. I like the idea of a looped course and I don't think there would be the same pressure on getting a time as there would be for a marathon. The alternative would be the full in Cork which I'm very iffy on. I've a good bit of time to consider it so I'll see how February goes.

skyblue46

Have a great race. You deserve it for some really consistent training.

OOnegative

Best of luck in Dungarvan.

tbukela

Friday - 1st February
3.5 miles - easy w/800m
I headed out straight after work for this one but it turned into a bit of a bake as the lights in the field were only half on. Cue tippy toeing in the dark for half a lap. I threw in a couple of quicker 800M tempos with the race in mind. 8:01 avg & 159 HR

Saturday - 2nd February
4 miles - handy ish
Saturday was mad with kids activities so found myself with a small window for a run pre match. I didn't realise I'd forgotten my watch till I was gone from home so decided to venture into unfamiliar territory and run without one, shock horror. I did the usual 4 mile route with two short surges. The timer on my phone told me I'd been gone for just over 32 mins which meant I went quicker than intended. Maybe I need the watch after all.

Sunday - 3rd February
John Treacy Dungarvan 10 Mile Race
I had been talking this down all week but in reality it was one of my target races, maybe not an "A" goal but definitely right up there. I was honest in stating that I wanted a sub 70 but I thought I might be a couple of weeks off it but I wanted to have a crack anyway.

PreRace and the place was mobbed. We were over 90 mins early and still struggled for parking. Meet up with the club mates, had a chat and killed some time before a slightly unsatisfying warm up due to the crowds. My own fault, should have gotten out earlier. I went in behind the 70 pacers with one of the lads who I knew would drive on but I wanted to keep them in sight for as long as possible.

Mile 1-3 - The race started exactly on time I think and it was nuts, people everywhere. It was so congested that I was more worried about not falling or taking someone down myself. I was close enough to the pacers and happy enough with a first mile of 7:06. Body felt good and things were starting to free up. The second mile is pretty much all uphill, nothing major but still climbing. I was moving well and clocked a 7:00. 2 Miles down and things were going nicely. The 3rd mile heads back towards the town and there is a nice downhill as you run past the finish line. Great support here from the crowd. I wasn't feeling as good here but the pace was still good, 3rd mile in 6:57.

Mile 4-6 - This is the part of the course where you kinda need to get into a rhythm and switch off slightly. These few miles are a bit draggy, again nothing that ordinarily would be a concern but it felt a bit draining. The 70 balloons were starting to pull away and I didn't have much in the legs to go chasing. I started to get passed by people here which is gets to me sometimes. I kept the head down and just tried to keep the leg turnover going. The splits for these miles were 7:13, 7:21 & 7:19. I didn't really notice these during the race but I felt like I was going much slower.

Mile 7-10 - I was about to enter a mid race crisis of confidence at this point. I hadn't passed anyone for miles and people seemed to be streaming past me. I felt like I was running in mud, stride felt chopped and really laboured. Mile 7 has a slight incline and then a very nice downhill section. I tried to gather myself at this stage but there just didn't seem to be any spark. I was passed by a friend of mine at this stage and couldn't even muster a bit of an increase in pace to try and tow off him. I couldn't figure out if the wind was helping or in my face, not that it mattered but I was getting distracted. Mile 7 & 8 were 7:28 & 7:26. I tried to do some mental arithmetic passing mile 8 to see what was needed for a sub 73. I was trying to give myself a bit of a pep talk as in the back of my mind I was getting concerned about the 75 gang behind me. Mile 9 is a bit of a dose, I tried to do the equivalent of dropping into a lower gear and just chugging up the hill. The mile was slow though, 7:38, so I knew I would be under pressure for the last mile to break 73. The last mile is a bit windy and can catch first timers out. I tried to make the most of the downhill but there wasn't much left in the tank so I picked my targets for the last 500M from the roundabout to see if I could muster anything. There was great support from the crowd and I could hear my OH shouting at me to hurry on so I gave whatever was left and crossed the line in 1:12:52. This is an official 10 mile PB and took 4 minutes off my time for last year. Still 30 seconds outside my fastest 10 mile though and a long way off sub 70.

Initial Thoughts -
- I let the head drop too early, I should have taken stock of the situation, checked the watch, body but I fell into a negative place too easily which turned the race into a slog.
- A lack of races and specific hard training meant I was under-cooked, when the pressure came on I didn't have that well of confidence to fall back on. This is a problem I have. I don't think it's any coincidence that the 3 best races I had last year were all after each other in a 6 week span. In football terms I think I'm a confidence player.
- I was only 30 seconds off my 10 mile split from Charleville which is when I was half a stone lighter and at peak fitness training for DCM. Today wasn't that bad.
- As far as I'm concerned if you're not running the times in training you can't replicate them in a race. I need to run my sessions harder and take my easy days easier. I'm probably logging a lot of junk miles.
- Between my first and last 10 mile races last year I took 5 minutes off my time, If I do that this year (no reason why I shouldn't) I'll achieve my goal time.

Anyway at the end of the day it was a good day out, great banter with the lads with some great PBs being recorded. A very nice running shirt in the goody bag. Also two of our club mates won medals in the All Ireland Bs so a decent days work.

Mr. Guappa

4 minutes is a decent chunk in a year over that distance, I'd take that as a huge positive. I always find I learn more from the tougher days than the ones which to plan.

Kellygirl

Sorry to hear it was a tough day out. Best of luck achieving your goal later on in the year. Did you do the John Buckley 10 mile last year (September)? That’s a great one.

tbukela

Thanks for the words of encouragment, I was a bit annoyed on Sunday. More so with the number of people passing me than the time. Over it now and looking forward to the next race. I'll target Mallow for a quick time hopefully.

I'm not sure about the JB 10 mile, I'll have to check the date as it'll be pretty close to Berlin. It's a great race though, one of the best in Cork.

tbukela

Monday - 4th February
5 miles - recovery
I got this one in before lunch as I was heading up to Dublin. My hamstrings felt really tight after the race so took it handy enough. 9:11 avg & 132 HR

Wednesday - 6th February
4.5 miles - easy
After travelling back from Dublin late on Tuesday I was looking forward to getting out. The weather was a bit crap but managed to get a few easy miles in. Hamstrings still tight. 8:42 avg & 132 HR

Thursday - 7th February
9 miles - easy with 2 threshold
This was my favourite run of the week, nice mix of easy and hard. I started off with 3 miles around 8:30 and then 2 miles at 6:55 off 2 min recovery. Happy to hit the pace exactly. Finished off with some easy miles. I was always feel good after getting a decent distance in mid week. 8:23 avg & 140 HR

Friday - 8th February
6.5 miles - easy
I had some company for this one so it was a nice easy run in pretty windy conditions. Effort felt slightly harder that pace suggests. 9:04 avg & 134 HR

Saturday - 9th February
6 miles - tempo
Camogie training started back this morning so it's going to get a little harder to fit everything in. I got promoted to main coach which basically means I have deal with the parents more so that'll be fun. Still it's great craic and as I have two girls in the team I can't complain.
The run was another nice one, my legs had finally loosened out a bit and I thought I'd throw in a bit of pace. 1 mile w/u, 2 miles @ 7:35, 2@7:10 and 1 mile c/d. Really enjoyable run. 7:42 avg & 151 HR

Sunday - 10th February
6 miles - steady w/hills
I missed the club run in the morning as the bug was going around my place. By the time everyone was feeling better it was getting late and windy and I didn't really want to head out but knew I'd feel better starting the work week if I did.
It was fairly gusty so I decided on 3 miles at a reasonable clip and then some hill sprints and a cool down.The initial 3 miles were around the 7:50 mark and felt comfortable. I did 6 x 160M sprints in times ranging from 34s to 41s. The last one was the quickest at 5:48 pace or grade adjusted pace of 4:26!! I finished it off with a good cool down. 8:28 avg & 139HR

Summary
It turned out to be a decent weeks recovery after Dungarvan. Mileage was reasonable, 37 miles, and intensity levels were relatively low. I need to get back to the S&C and also start being more proactive about my diet. I have a 10 mile race on the 24th and might do a 5 mile race this coming Sunday. It will depend on whether I can get a decent long run in during the week. I've started tinkering with a plan for the full in Cork just in case I can't talk myself out of it. The goal remains Berlin in September but I can't see any reasons why doing Cork would hurt it.

tbukela

Monday - 11th February
6 miles - easy
Usual Monday evening route with some company. Nice handy run, bit of wind which was to be the case for the week. 8:57 avg & 139 HR

Wednesday - 13th February
7.5 miles - tempo intervals
Didn't run on Tuesday as had an hour of S&C. I'd missed this for the last two weeks and felt I had lost ground on the rest of the group, really need to do this at home more, or at all.
This was a shorter version of a planned session. Mile warm up, then 2 miles @ 7;00 with 2 min rec and another set. I started off with a couple of the lads who were going to do 8 min pace. After a very easy warm up started the sets and felt good, the first 2 miles were good, got my breath back and had to attack the 3rd mile as into wind and uphill, finished strong for the last mile. Nice easy cool down with the lads after. The mile splits were 6:58, 6:57, 7:11 & 6:55. Really enjoyed this run and will come back to the session in a couple of weeks with an extra set. 8:22 avg & 140HR

Thursday - 14th February
6.25 miles - easy
Sure what else to do on Valentines day. Easy miles with the lads, legs felt a bit heavy from the evening before. 8:45 & 137HR

Saturday - 16th February
10 miles - tempo
After a spur of the moment rest day on Friday, I was feeling fresh for this one. Had to get out early before training and it was nice and quiet. The plan was for a controlled effort and try hit 7:55 for the run. I didn't notice the tailwind for the first few miles and had to check the pace a small bit. The second 5 miles were into the wind and pretty tough but enjoyable. The pace felt manageable and controlled. 7:49 avg & 156HR

Sunday - 17th February
12.5 miles - Club Hilly run
This was a cracking run. We started at 8am with beautiful blue skies having just cleared after a torrential shower just before. This was a lovely mix of 3 mile on the road out to the trails, almost 6 miles of elevation, up and down, and then back to base. The total elevation gain was over 1,300 ft. The legs felt great, even after the run the day before, I had a rattle off the climbs for the first 5 miles and then eased back a bit. Great mornings running out with company. 9:08 avg & 144 HR.

Summary
So just over 43 miles for the week, nice mix, I think, of easy and hard. Unlike me I didn't do any races this weekend when they was a choice available. The plan for next week is for easy miles, one mini session and then the 10 mile race on the Sunday. I broached the possibility of doing the full in Cork and I wasn't evicted so it looks like that may well be on the cards.

tbukela

Monday - 18th February
5.25 miles - recovery
Nice handy recovery run, pace and HR were relaxed. I remember my legs being tired from the climbs the day before. 9:20 avg & 133HR

Wednesday - 20th February
6 miles -easy
S&C was a pretty tough session on the Tuesday and I really felt it for the rest of the week. This was supposed to be a bit of a session but my glutes were very sore so just did an easy run. 8:46 avg & 138HR

Thursday - 21st February
5.5 miles - speedwork
This was a bit of a fartlek session, did a combination of 1/2 mile, mile and then shorter sprints. Clocked my fastest mile at 5:57 during the run. 8:16 avg & 139HR

Friday - 22nd February
6 miles - mixed paces
I didn't have a plan for this run and it showed. It ended up being a mix of some hill repeats and then 45 sec sprints with easy jogging. I'm feeling a bit more comfortable with the quicker stuff but still know that the speed endurance isn't there. 8:36 avg & 135HR

Sunday - Kinsale 10 Mile Race
From the start I wasn't feeling up for this and making excuses. I signed up as a couple of the lads had signed up and I felt guilty as I'm always dragged them to races. The race was advertised as being fast but anyone who knows Kinsale realised that this was highly unlikely. The conditions were quite foggy with a nice gust of wind blowing. The race itself was headquarted in the Community School which is a fantastic facility, parking was miles away though. I wasn't expecting to come close to my Dungarvan time but still expected to be sub 75 as I was feeling fitter than last month. The course preview had noted that most of the elevation was in the first half but the finish would then be into a headwind.

Mile 1-5
The race started off on a downhill which led to the usual jam but considering there was 650+ runners it wasn't too bad. I had postioned myself in a reasonable spot and didn't have to do too much side stepping. I knew that the first two miles were quick so I tried to settle into a rhytmn and knock out the miles. The first two miles were 7:09 & 7:07 which I was happy enough with. I was then expecting the road to start rising and eased off slightly which there proabbly wasn't any need to do for mile 3 as it was flat enough, 7:22. The 4th mile was a drag, nothing too sharp but a constant climb for almost the full mile. I was happy with a split of 7:39 and had started to pick off a few people working with a guy in an IMRA shirt. The climb continued in the 5th mile reaching the highest point in the course. I was started to flag a bit here but the thoughts of the downhill to come kept me going. 7:43 for the 5th mile and a halfway split of 37:09 which I was happy enough with.

Mile 6-10
Not knowing the route I wasn't sure where we were going but I was expecting some decent downhill. Troubling enough I was starting to get passed by people on the descent after only being passed twice on the climbs. Miles 6 & 7 were reasonable miles and I should have made up more time on them, splits of 7:28 & 7:32 were below par. As we started heading south back towards the town we were now running into a decent headwind and I was starting to struggle. I was trying to work hard on my stride but I was getting swallowed up by people who were making the most of the downhill. Mile 8 was a slog, 7:35, but mile 9 was even worse. The wind was really strong now and I was starting to really feel discomfort in my left hamstring and calf. I was still suprised though to see a 7:52 on the watch for that mile. I suddenly realised that a sub 75 was drifting away from me. I had a quick chat with myself and picked out a few targets ahead of me and slowly reeled them in. There was a nasty climb back towards the school and then a short sharp ramp up into the sports field where we finished with a lap of the field. The ramp just destroyed me and I felt a sharp pain in my hamstring which caused me to almost stop. I managed to pick it up again slightly and crossed the line in 1:16:12.

After I got my breath back and did some stretching I was a bit suprised at the time, my average had been hovering around the 7:31 mark so didn't think I'd be that far off 75mins, it was then that I noticed that the total distance was 10.15. From talking to a lot of the other runners this seems to have been a common experience so it looks like the course might have been a bit long which is a shame. The course was challenging with nearly 550 ft of elevation gain but there were some nice downhills as well. The headwind at the end definitely made a big difference. A negative for me was that the water was in cups, I couldn't manage this at all and so didn't take on any water for the race. This might have led to the almost cramp I suffered at the end. I'd never gotten cramp in a race before so I didn't know what was going on. Hopefully it won't be something that will become a problem.

I'm not going to make any excuses for the run, I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it and didn't apply myself as I should have. I was over 3 mins off my Dungarvan time whereas the other lads were maybe 30 seconds off theirs or even improved it. I think the uncertainty over what my spring target race will be is leading to a lack of focus with my training. I need to either commit to the full marathon in Cork or sign up for the half. Regardless of what I go for I'm happy with the almost 8 weeks I've done so far this year, it's a decent base with the scope to start working on some distance specific sessions now. Mileage for the week was 33.5 which is on the lower end of where I'd like to be but the mid term definitely had an impact. This week will be a recovery week and try get a good long run in at the weekend. It's hard to believe how quickly the weeks are passing by. I might try and go to a parkrun Saturday morning for something different as I've never done one before.

Mr. Guappa

I think you'd be mad to do the full in Cork. In fairness, I'm pretty new to this running lark so take my opinion with a pinch of salt, but from what I've picked up around here over the past while it seems like a bad idea. Two marathons last year, with a further two to come in the Autumn seems more than enough to me. I'd stick to the half, but then again I do tend to lean towards the more conservative option, and like I said I'm by no means an expert.

Kellygirl

Well done in Kinsale. Sounds like a tough day out.

tbukela

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

I think you'd be mad to do the full in Cork. In fairness, I'm pretty new to this running lark so take my opinion with a pinch of salt, but from what I've picked up around here over the past while it seems like a bad idea. Two marathons last year, with a further two to come in the Autumn seems more than enough to me. I'd stick to the half, but then again I do tend to lean towards the more conservative option, and like I said I'm by no means an expert.

That's a fair comment and I think deep down I don't disagree with you. I know some of the coaches at home are very skeptical about it. My only rationale would be that Dublin is likely to be either a DNS or DNF regardless of what I do now considering it's proximity to Berlin. At the moment I'm feeling fit and think I could do a decent time in the full, make hay while the sun is shining kinda stuff. I really enjoyed the training for Dublin last year but think I underperformed on the day and a lot was due to inexperience at the distance. Also I'd prefer to do a 3:40 full rather than a 1:32 in the half if that makes sense.

I'm going to sign up for a 25K race in April and I think the training for that will lend itself to either doing a good half or full. I appreciate the comment, noting wrong with being conservative.

tbukela

Monday - 25th February
6 miles - Recovery
To be honest my legs were in bits from the race the day before, headed out for some easy miles with the lads. I would have probably gone a bit slower if I had been on my own. 9:03 avg & 134 HR

Tuesday - 26th February
3.5 miles - easy
I was down in Tralee/North Kerry with work and had hoped to head out to local woods for a few miles on the trails but it was just getting a bit dark so I ended up heading around the town. Maybe I was lucky I didn't head to the woods as supposed to be the local dealing spot. Easy miles around the town. 9:16 avg & 134 HR

Thursday - 28th February
6.75 miles - speed work
Last run in February and got in a nice session with some company. Two miles of a warm up fairly easy and then into 4 x 5 mins @ 7:20 with a generous 3 min recovery. The pace work ended up being fairly consistent with sets of 7:22, 7:20, 7:20 & 7:10. To be fair the recoveries were too long and the sets felt comfortable. 8:40 avg & 145 HR.
This brought up 149 miles for February which was a bit low but I had a couple of crappy weeks with travel.

Saturday - 2nd March
4.6 miles - Ballincollig Parkrun
Even though I had registered for Parkrun about two years ago I had never gone before so I didn't really know what to expect heading down. Listening to the Marathon Talk podcast they are constantly talking about it and I had seen all the good comments about the community on here. I headed down with a club mate who is a regular and ended up helping out with the pre set up so I got my first volunteer tick as well.
I didn't have much of a clue about the course but it was pacer day so tried to line up close to the 21 pacer and after being told it was not a race (despite some serious maneuvering to get good position), off we went. The course is two laps and I felt really comfortable for the first lap and a half, clocked 6:31 & 6:38 for the first two miles. I felt great until I didn't which was the 4K mark, the last 500M was a bit of a pain and I was glad to cross the line in 20:58 on the watch, 21:01 on the official results. Good enough for 18th on the day and 2nd in age category.
I was really happy with the run and enjoyed it. There was a great buzz around afterwards and I can see the attraction. I'll definitely try and get back once a month if possible, especially now I have a target to aim for.

Sunday - 3rd March
15.5 miles - Club Run
The forecast was bad for this one and it didn't disappoint. It was manky wet. Despite this we had a decent turnout of 8, which was the biggest for awhile. The plan was to do the first 7 miles together which included a decent climb and then there were different routes back to base. We started off reasonably at around 8:40 and there was the usual good banter. I gradually started to increase the pace from about 8/9 miles and threw in a few 7:45s and 8:10s to finish. I ended up running the last 7 miles on my own which wasn't ideal but I just wanted to get out of the rain.
Longest run since DCM and I was pretty happy with it. 8:28 avg & 146 HR.

Summary
36 miles for the week which is only ok but I suppose I managed to get in two sessions and a long run so happy with the quality. I've made up my mind not to do the full marathon in Cork and will chase a half PB instead. I'm away a lot with work this week so I'll struggle to get the miles in. I hope to get a 4 mile race next Sunday as Mallow 10 is getting closer and I want to get some quicker miles in.

tbukela

Monday - 4th March
5 miles - easy
I was in Dublin with work so headed out for some easy miles in the evening. Nice little jaunt from Grand Canal, through the IFSC and Abbey St, cross the liffey and then back via Stephens Green & Merrion Sq. The boom is well and truly back with the number of massive cranes around the place. 8:29 avg & 138 HR

Thursday - 5th March
6 miles - easy ish
Between work and travelling back late I didn't get out Tuesday or Wednesday so I was determined to get out Thursday evening. In Athlone for the night so headed out with no real idea of where to go. Threw in a few 30 sec strides along the river on a nice flat section. I made the mistake of following a guy out running who was moving at a nice clip on the mistaken impression that he might have been doing a nice local loop. About half a mile out the Ballinasloe road I realised I'd better turn around. Nice to get out after a few crappy days. 8:23 avg & 144 HR

Friday - 6th March
30 mins Treadmill
I headed down to the hotel gym for this one early enough, probably should have just headed outside as I couldn't get comfortable on the treadmill. Still it was better than not doing anything.

Sunday - 8th March
7 miles - incl Killeagh 4 Mile Race
After another day of not running on Saturday due to missing my window in the morning, motivation levels were low. I didn't fancy heading out for the 10 mile club run so thought I would head to a local 4 mile race and threw in some miles before and after to turn in into a bit of a session.
There was a torrential downpour early that morning but by the time I parked the weather was dry but very windy. After a quick registration I headed out for a decent 2 mile warm up, I didn't check the watch so was a bit suprised that it was 8 min pace. I hoped that I wouldn't regret that later, got a decent recce of the last mile so had an idea of when to push it coming into the finish, if I could.

The first two miles of the race were going to be almost directly into the wind with a slight drag so I decided to try hold something back and do a negative split. With this in mind I didn't push up as far as I normally would at the start. So when the gun went I didn't rush off and instead tried to pick my way through steadily. In hindsight this was too conservative as I was at 7:30 pace after the first 800m. I pushed on a bit and clocked the first mile in 7:07. The wind was really picking up now and there were little groups forming so it was a case of trying to move between them as efficiently as possible. I lost focus during this mile and had to pick up the effort a small bit towards the half way mark, bit disappointed with a 7:02.
We turned onto a narrow road with a nice downhill but a poor enough surface. I was passed by 2 here and could see a decent group ahead which I guessed was the 27:30 crowd. I wasn't really making much inroads into them and clocked a 6:52. into the last mile and I knew this section from the earlier warm up, I tried to lengthen my stride and get the pace moving but it was a bit harder then I had hoped. I passed a few people along this section. Just before the last 400m there was a humpback bridge over a train line or something and that was my point to really push it on. So up over that and tried to go for it, I knew that I was going to be close to the 28 min mark but thought I would sneak under. Approaching the finish I could see the clock was ticking down and that I'd probably just miss it. Over the line and stopped the watch at 28:01 & 6:55 for the last mile, official time afterwards of 28:04.
I was happy enough with the run, I would have liked to have finished a bit stronger but I think I gauged the effort levels ok. I was probably a bit too conservative at the very start and could have tucked in with a faster moving group as the first mile wasn't as windy as the second. Still it was a good club organised race and a morning well spent.

Summary
It wasn't a great week quantity or quality wise with only 21 miles. I could make excuses with travelling etc but I could have gone out if I really wanted to. This week ahead I'm not traveling so hoping to get a few sessions in. The club is hosting the county 4 miles on the 18th so I'll run that even though the standard is very high. I did 27:24 last year so I would like to try and better that.

tbukela

Monday - 11th March
6.25 Miles -easy
Nice easy run in the wind & rain, seems to be the default weather condition these days. Nice to have a bit of company for these runs. 8:45 AVG & 134 HR

Tuesday - 12th March
7 miles - 200s
I can't recall the last time I did a hard 200M session so I didn't really know what to aim for pace wise for this one. I had a session saved in the watch which was 200m & then 200M recovery, which seemed generous, but I went with it. Plan was to run the first one at almost max effort and then try keep them similar there after. Over all I was delighted with the session, the range is reasonable enough as the wind probably made the quicker ones a bit quicker and the slower ones a bit slower, last rep was a hero effort.
The reps were:41, 43, 42, 41, 43, 42, 42, 44, 45, 42, 44, 43, 44, 46, 43, 39.
After a mile recovery I finished with a decent tempo mile at 7:11. I'm sure if the session was of much benefit but I was really enjoyed it.
7:48 avg & 152 HR

Wednesday - 13th March
6 miles - easy w/hills
Really enjoyable run with the lads, threw in 4 short repeats up a slight incline to get the heartrate working. 9:09 avg & 134 HR

Thursday - 14th March
3 miles - hills
Heading out for a nice walk in the hills with the family, brought along the runners and managed to get a few hill reps in. Kids weren't overly impressed at my speed or lack thereof. Also informed by the 5 year old that she only likes walking down hills. 8:14 avg, 136 HR & 436 ft elevation.

Friday - 15th March
6 miles - easy
Another enjoyable run in the rain with company. I kept it easy, hard days hard and easy days easy! 8:58 avg & 132 HR

Sunday - 17th March
5.5 miles - Steady w/1 hard
Missed a couple of windows to get out but a check of strava showed loads of people out and about so I forced myself off the couch. Decided not to check the watch and just run by comfortable effort. I did the last mile of the course for tomorrows race and if the wind is the same as today it's going to be tough.
The pace was quicker than I thought and threw in one hard mile to get the legs primed for tomorrows effort. 7:59 avg & 146 HR

Summary
Reasonable increase in mileage and one session included in the 34 miles. I've a 4 mile race on Monday and then Mallow 10 on Sunday. I haven't done anything race specific for Mallow so I'm not sure if I'll be able to improve on Dungarvan. The standard will be serious for the county champs tomorrow, this will be my 3rd year doing it, went from 80/84 31:32 in 2017 to 57/76 27:24 last year. Hard to predict how it'll go. Planning on signing up for a trail half and a 25K this week so I'll have something to aim for in the next 6 weeks. Travelling a bit this week so don't think the mileage will be great. I will try and get in a 2*3 mile effort if I can.

tbukela

Monday - 18th March
6 miles - incl County 4 mile championships
The club was hosting the county 4 mile champs for the 4th year in a row so once again I set out to get an up close view of some of the fastest runners in the county. Luckily the weather wasn't too bad and there was a nice buzz around the village. As I mentioned before I had done this the last couple of years with a reasonable progression, however I wasn't expecting much from today's race.

After a nice warm up, which I judged wrong and finished too early, we lined up near the back of the field. The course is a fair enough one with a quick first mile, draggy middle section and then a fast finish. I was targeting a 27:2x and thought that if I could get out quick, hold it for the second, suffer in the third and push on for the 4th I might have a chance.

The gun went off and it was like a cavalry charge except none of these guys were going to come back to me later in the race! I checked my watch at the half mile mark and saw that it had just passed 3 mins so alarm bells were ringing. I eased back a good bit but felt I was travelling alright. I got caught between two groups and was pretty much running on my own for the next mile. The first mile passed in 6:25 which was probably 10 seconds faster than I had planned. The section from 1.5 miles for about 1200m is a drag and I found myself working hard to keep the legs moving. I was surprised to see the second mile pass in 6:54 as I had been working hard. Just before the two mile mark I was passed by a group of about 6 runners. I had a bit of a laugh at myself as it was pretty much the same group as the year before. The third mile was a bit of a chore and I could feel the intensity dropping but I tried to stick with it and clocked a 7:02 which was slower than it should have been. The last mile starts with a small pull and then its fair enough. Just at the mile marker I was passed by a club mate who created maybe a 10 m gap. The head dropped a small bit here for about 400M but I snapped out of it and tried to gradually wind up the pace for a decent finish. The finish is a bit deceptive as you run past the crowd and finish maybe 250m past them so you tend to sprint too soon. I was really pumping the arms to try and bridge the gap but just couldn't do it and finished in a watch time of 27:19. The time is indicative of where I am now, slightly quicker than last year but about 25 secs off my PB.

There was a great sprint blanket finish between maybe 6 of the club lads with bragging rights on the table so that was great to watch and there was great banter back in the hall afterwards. On reflection I was happy with the race, the time was comparable with last year, and I put in an honest effort until the end. I find the 4 mile distance very hard to judge pace wise as I tend to go out too hard but then also find it hard to pick up the pace after a slower start. Even though I know the course really well, I've yet to get it right. Still it was a good way to spend a bank holiday and credit once again to the community for putting on another excellent and safe race.

Tuesday - 19th March
10.25 miles - easy
I was in Dublin early for work and after an afternoon meeting was cancelling decided to head out for a run. I was staying out by Sandymount which is an area I wouldn't be familiar with. After a quick Strava search I saw some segments out by the strand so headed out that way. It turned out to be one of the most enjoyable runs I've had in ages. I headed south along the bay in the Blackrock direction then playing it safe turned back and headed a bit further north into Irishtown nature reserve. I could have kept going for another bit but the legs were starting to feel fatigued after the race the day before so I headed back. The views out along the bay in the sunshine were lovely and it was one of those life affirming, I know why I love running days. 8:47 avg & 138HR

Wednesday - 20th March
5.25 miles - mixed
I got pretty lost on this one as it was my intention to head for Ballsbridge/Herbert Park but ended up headed south towards Blackrock. I recognised where I was from the previous day and decided to play it safe and head back along the strand. The place was full of people out walking and running so I decided to do a few quicker intervals along the path. Another enjoyable run but felt wrecked after it. 8:54 avg & 132 HR

Friday - 22nd March
10 miles - incl 4 tempo
I had forgotten about Mallow on Sunday so wanted to do a small session to gain a bit of confidence. I headed out early and did nice controlled session of 2 miles at 7 and 2 miles at 7:30 with a 2:30 recovery in between. The pace of the laps was spot on and although I was working I didn't feel I was pushing it into the red. I love these 2x2 and longer sessions. I then met some of the lads and did another 5 miles at a very handy effort. I ran by HR rather than pace and it was comfortably under 135 for the duration. 10 miles was probably further than I should have done but I feel ok today after it.

So Mallow tomorrow should be interesting, I am going to try and do a negative split for it as I think the early miles are probably the hardest. The target is quicker than Dungarvan so that means sub 72:50. I'm not going to put myself under too much pressure and just enjoy it and give it a proper effort. I've decided to do some specific 5K training for the next month in anticipation of some local 5K and 4M races. I have never done specific speed training so I think it would be a nice change as my training as been very unstructured since DCM.

OOnegative

All the best with Mallow, run well!!

Kellygirl

Good luck in Mallow and well done in the 4 mile.

Mr. Guappa

Best of luck tomorrow!

skyblue46

Well done! Target well beaten. Great running.

tbukela

Sunday - 24th March
Mallow 10 mile

Today was one of the good days when it comes to racing. I'll try not to go into a big long spiel but I needed a decent performance to validate the training and luckily I got it. It was a perfect day for racing, on a fair and very well marshaled course, especially considered how busy the roads were. Mallow being so local there was a very big contingent from the club among the 1,500 runners.

My target was a PB and I was honest enough in saying that. Anything else would have been a disappointment. There was some great banter going down in the car and I was in a really positive mindset prior to the race. I only managed a very brief warm up but I wasn't overly bothered. The start although narrow was well corralled and people in the main heeded the pace zones. I lined up a bit back from the 70 pacers but around some familiar faces. The plan was not to lose the head early and try get into a rhythm for the quicker middle miles. Without much of a fanfare the race started and I felt like there was a job to do, a bit like I felt before Charleville.

Miles 1-3
The start was quick and I found myself having to really watch the pace to ensure I stuck to the plan. The 70 pacers were out of sight almost straight away which didn't concern me as that wasn't the target today. The first two miles are the only real uphill miles and I was a little worried that I went out a bit quick with a 7:10. The 2nd mile was ok, I ignored the crowd around me and just concentrated on keeping the effort levels reasonable and was very happy with a 7:15. Just after the 3rd mile you turn onto the main Cork Mallow road and I felt my stride pick up a bit. I could see a group maybe 200M ahead which I knew would be close enough to the times I wanted so I decided to try and gradually bridge the gap to them but not do anything silly. I was very pleased with a 6:59 3rd mile. Unfortunately during this mile I passed two really good local runners who had pulled up, just goes to show you never know what might happen.

Miles 4 -7
These miles felt like they flew by and I think I judged the pace very well here. These are reasonably flat fast miles so I decided to try and maintain a solid effort and try and bank some time for the end. I was moving well and caught up to the group I had identified earlier, run with them for awhile and them moved on. The course was fairly busy and there was no shortage of people to work with. Passing the racecourse I realised that I'd probably clock a 10K PB if I kept the pace going and that gave me a little confidence boost. Just after mile 6 we left the main road and head onto quiet roads back towards the town. I knew I was going well but the effort levels were definitely rising. The splits for mile 4-7 were 6:57, 7:02, 7:01 & 7:08.

Miles 8 - 10
There was a water station at mile marker 7 and I slowed down and lost some momentum here. I was passed by a couple of good local runners and to be honest I had a bit of a wobble. It was at this point last year where the wheels came off. I had a bit of a moment here where I went through all the races and training I had done since last year and I managed to avoid a full meltdown. My hamstrings were started to get very tight at this point but I kept trying to plug away. I thought if I was going to have one bad mile, lets limit the damage. I was very happy with a 7:22 for this mile in the end. I was suffering at this stage and trying to do the math about possible finishing times. I knew a PB was on but I really wanted to finish as strong as possible. Mile 9 was all about digging in and I was relieved with a 7:08. Only one mile to go, the finish was quick but there was a little drag before it which ordinarily would be grand but now felt like a different beast. This was by far the hardest part of the race and I was right on the edge. I'd hate to see a picture of myself in the last 800M as I was pumping my arms and doing everything to keep going. I could see the clock was approaching 72 and knew I had maybe 20 secs in the bag so pushed to the line like a mad man. I must have looked a state as one of the first aid ladies asked me twice if I was ok. I said that I always look this ill and thanked her. I checked the watch and saw 71:31 and must admit to being delighted. The chip time was rounded down to 71:29 so even better. I immediately headed back up the road to cheer the lads who all ran brilliant so it was a very happy group afterwards in the hall for the coffee and cakes.

I hadn't gotten a PB for awhile so it was nice to get a 10 mile and 10K PB. But more than that I felt I gave it all on the day. This will re energize the motivation levels and as the brighter evenings come in, I will try and kick on now with some structured training. Thanks for all the kind words before and afterwards, it has been reading the logs on here which has kept me going over the last while. It's great to see the effort that people are putting into their running paying off at the moment.

Wubble Wubble

Great work there. Congrats on the 10 mile PB - 2 seconds quicker than mine :pac:

Murph_D

Congrats - excellent run. Enjoyed the report. I’m around the same kind of level so I can identify with most of your experience. Well done especially on looking f*cked after the race - something I need to work on more.