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Sub 5 minute mile

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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,392 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    800 m TT - 2:08 (maybe 2:07:something)

    I wasn't feeling it again this morning but was determined to not let another day pass. Get it done.

    Jogged up to the business park hoping that traffic would be light enough. Sunday definitely would have been better. I wasn't disrupted but would have appreciated less of an audience. I'm not great for stretching at the best of times but I did spend 15 minutes or so doing some activation drills and eight short sharp strides over maybe 30-40 metres at faster than 800 pace.

    Up to my start point. The plan was simple.
    • Use leg speed for as long as possible before the lungs need to start working harder
    • Only check the watch at 400 m. Expect to see the time in around the range 1:02-1:04.
    • Expect to slow down but rest assured the previous months sessions will help hold some kind of pace that should get me under the 2:10.

    The skirmish
    Legs feel good off the start. They have the last couple of days really. Sure the tiredness was just mental tiredness and fatigue in other parts of my body. I was feeling swift.
    Approaching 400. Still feeling controlled. Pass the 400 mark and look at the watch. 1:00 flat :eek: Christ I've done it now. Well at least I can afford to lose a bit more speed than planned over the last 400. I've given myself a nice buffer. It's all about the endurance sessions now, the speed work of this run is done, it's over to the reserve systems.
    There was a definite feeling of "I can't believe I'm only halfway" and hitting a wall around that time. The lungs started working almost exactly the moment after I looked at my watch and I realised I'd gone out too fast. As if to pull me from a floating sprinting dream into a chest burning nightmare. From around 500 m I could feel the lactate building in my legs as I reassured myself it'd be over soon. The focus on my legs filling up definitely took the attention away from my breathing as I now focused as best I could on holding some semblance of form. I afforded myself another glance at the watch as I approached the finish to assure myself that I was surely there seeing 2:02, 2:03, 2:04. I've got it surely! Crossed with the watch stopped at 2:08 for probably a tiny bit over 800 m.


    I think I hurt more post race for around 20 minutes. My lungs were truly shot. I've not experienced that level of pain post run on any of my previous efforts. but was delighted and my legs were actually fine in the end. I didn't hang around, collected my top and began the jog back home with the intention of doing a couple of laps on the grass in the porchfields on the way. I was grunting and spitting alot though. Trying to hold my breath as I passed other pedestrians. I should have sat down for a while right after finishing butended up having to wait until I got as far as the porchfields to allow myself to sit down. I was practically walking again by the time I reached the field. Too many people around when I went in the gate so I had to walk a bit off into the middle before collapsing onto some sheep poo. Too f**ked to get off the poo, sure it was already squished anyway and the damage done. After a few minutes I got up again and jogged a couple of small laps before heading home delighted, still tasting metal in my mouth from the effort.

    I've attached my pace chart. It's a funny thing to see. It really was one long drawn out deceleration with the added dip at 400 m when I got my shock. The splits were around 59, 68 so maybe I could find some improvement just off a better strategy and more of an idea of what pace I'm running at at the start.

    That is probably the first time I've ever run sub 60 for 400m too, so I'm taking that away as another positive. Strava gave me a 58s 400 m PR but that probably doesn't account for the start.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,895 ✭✭✭Sacksian


    Well done DG! Great to see the training - and plan - paying off.

    It's been really interesting to follow. Both your training and IvoryTower's last block have definitely inspired me to do things a little differently to my usual approach the next time I target an 800m. (I might even try a 600m rep!). I'll be mainly focused on 1500m this year, but might catch you at an 800m race if I can find one this summer!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,742 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    Yeah superb run, and sounds incredibly tough and painful!!!
    Looking forward to seeing how your 5k goes


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,834 ✭✭✭OOnegative


    Brilliant stuff N, that sounded super painful!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,392 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    Sacksian wrote: »
    Well done DG! Great to see the training - and plan - paying off.

    It's been really interesting to follow. Both your training and IvoryTower's last block have definitely inspired me to do things a little differently to my usual approach the next time I target an 800m. (I might even try a 600m rep!). I'll be mainly focused on 1500m this year, but might catch you at an 800m race if I can find one this summer!

    I was actually back reading some of his early log entries last night. He'd started logging well before I started up. I've definitely missed his updates the past while.

    I've seen you talking about your overstriding before but also cadence. You might find this interesting. My average cadence was 202. Around the 400 mark and over the course of only around 10 seconds I dropped from 222 right down to 200. The drop looks much more dramatic than the pace chart. Seeing it so clearly has given me a real appreciation of the two systems at play in the 800.
    ReeReeG wrote: »
    Yeah superb run, and sounds incredibly tough and painful!!!
    Looking forward to seeing how your 5k goes

    16:59. 16:59. If I say it enough times I might convince myself :) Probably will be happy with low 17s but it's not the main target. I'd hoped to get a session in this week with a few reps at target pace but will have to see how I'm feeling now.
    OOnegative wrote: »
    Brilliant stuff N, that sounded super painful!!

    Cheers B. Wee bit chesty today. No coughing or wheezing though. I know I definitely had to go to the well anyway.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,390 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Ah, well done sir, super stuff!!

    Once you'd nailed those 600s a few weeks ago and again last week I had every confidence you'd do it. You put a lot of thought into how to pull it off on the day and that stood to you, I think. Incredible time. Your post-run cooldown sounds tougher going than the TT itself, which means you gave it everything you had.

    Congratulations on a great training block and a great execution on the day.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,604 ✭✭✭ultrapercy


    Great stuff entirely, fair dues to you. Log is a great read too so keep it all going.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,236 ✭✭✭AuldManKing


    Fair play for the time.
    Fair play for the sub 60 400.
    But really Fair play for making an 800m race report into a master piece.
    That's up there with the best race/post race report I've read.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,181 ✭✭✭healy1835


    Sub 60 400 & Sub 60 10 Miler :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 425 ✭✭Mulberry


    Well done!

    That time would have gotten you a bronze in the National Masters T&F Champs last year: http://results.athleticsireland.ie/results_06092020/menu.html

    Have you competed in this event before?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,392 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    Thanks everyone.

    @Mulberry. That's gas about the Masters. No, I never ran or considered running it. The first time I tried to run an 800 was at 5 minute mile pace (2:30). That's probably just over 2 years ago now and I still remember how extremely tough I found that back then. So it's been quick enough progress I guess.

    I figured I'd be well off a National standard but didn't really think about Masters too much. The last medal I cared about was a county senior football medal which evaded me in end unfortunately. We got bet badly in the Cavan county final in 2011 which was the closest I got. I wouldn't be overly interested in running for medals now TBH.

    The field looked thin enough going by the link so I'd be wondering how many people aren't taking part. Basically, like most on here I'm running against myself and the clock. I played GAA for a few years longer than I probably should have which was mostly until my kids got old enough to see and understand what I was doing. So there might be something to consider there. Maybe I'll get my arm twisted in the future in the Trim colours.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,559 ✭✭✭ahnowbrowncow


    Great run and post Dubh Geannain. I'm always interested in seeing how you're getting on and wondering how that would translate if you were to play football.

    I presume you were never this aerobically fit when playing? How much of a benefit do you think your current level of fitness would have been to a younger you when playing? Or do you think it may have been somewhat detrimental if you weren't able to focus as much on other areas such as anaerobic and stength training?

    The average distance covered by intercounty players in 2018 was 9.2km with an average sprinting distance of 1,731m (distance when over 20km/h).

    Aerobic capacity is obviously important and with your 800m to 10 mile times you're ticking the aerobic boxes and with an average speed of 22.5km/h for 800m, I'd imagine you'd be well able for shorter faster bursts.


  • Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭Back in Black


    Serious well done and great report. I’m in awe of the paces for the 400 and 800. Sounds like a world of pain too!!

    Well done


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,392 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    Great run and post Dubh Geannain. I'm always interested in seeing how you're getting on and wondering how that would translate if you were to play football.

    I presume you were never this aerobically fit when playing? How much of a benefit do you think your current level of fitness would have been to a younger you when playing? Or do you think it may have been somewhat detrimental if you weren't able to focus as much on other areas such as anaerobic and stength training?

    The average distance covered by intercounty players in 2018 was 9.2km with an average sprinting distance of 1,731m (distance when over 20km/h).

    Aerobic capacity is obviously important and with your 800m to 10 mile times you're ticking the aerobic boxes and with an average speed of 22.5km/h for 800m, I'd imagine you'd be well able for shorter faster bursts.

    Absolutely. I was never this fit at any point in my life. I was usually the fittest on the team whatever level I was playing at at the time. If I wasn't (like coming back from injury) I'd work harder to get back there.

    Well I played a bit of Junior D for a month and a half last year. The fitness was handy for a couple of long surging runs and quickly recovering. I'd have covered the most ground of any player on the field. Whether I was effective enough is debatable :) I still wasn't terribly speedy.

    Since last year I'm down around 4 lbs from what would have been my standard weight for the past number of years. Working from home without access to the weights I'd left in the office being mostly responsible. It might not sound like alot but I'm a little under 11 st now. If anything my fitness now would have me at more of a disadvantage now in some ways. My game was always to be as busy as possible knitting moves together and running long runs up and down the pitch. I could kick a few points too but the aim was usually to get it to the marquee forwards. I could run comfortably with the ball but if I hit a strong arm I'd often be doubling back looking for an offload for 2 reasons.
    1. Not being a powerful player. Despite working out but not obsessing over it, I'd never get near to the size of most of the other players, so couldn't always break some tackles. This became more and more difficult in recent years as players got bigger and bigger.
    2. Not having a lethal change of pace. Doing sprint drills I'd be left on the line by a few lads but would usually come back fairly quickly as I think my general running technique was better. Not having arms free in a game to help propel me would be a hindrance.

    On the 2 points above. I could have addressed both a bit better but firstly I didn't like the thought of making myself unnaturally big along with the maintenance and appetite that would be required to support the extra bulk. I'll hold my hands up on the second point moreso though. I wasn't cute enough to work on that shortcoming myself.

    Chivito550's and Ivory Tower's logs would be my recommendations to follow for real speed work type plans.

    Truth be told, while having no regrets I think I might have been better suited to soccer or athletics all along but the comradery of the GAA kept me coming back.

    PS - the plan still is to avoid the football this year. I've met some of the lads a few times out and about and they're still getting bigger! I've had plenty of injuries, some of which I'm still living with the consequences of so I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to run like I can now at all. Bernard Flynn's Laochra Gael episode was on TG4 last week. I really enjoyed it and could relate to the fear of losing your spot on the team if you missed a game through injury. He was properly banjaxed in the end. Sean Kavanagh's is on tonight whom I had the pleasure of marking him once in a pre season Ulster competition. Both midfield, he collected the ball on his own 45 and proceeded to run forward. I tried to hit him and bounced off. He kept going and I gave chase, catching him again around our own 21 where I tried to tackle him again only to be flicked away like a pesky bug. I could only watch helplessly as he proceeded to bury the ball into our goal. I'm sure he'll recount our unforgettable one sided duel tonight and how I made him the player he was :pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,600 ✭✭✭Wubble Wubble


    Great 800 and report N. Loving the detail in it :D

    I might check out that Laochra Gael programme. Recorded of course, so I can fast forward through our losses to Tyrone :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 425 ✭✭Mulberry


    Thanks everyone.

    @Mulberry. That's gas about the Masters. No, I never ran or considered running it. The first time I tried to run an 800 was at 5 minute mile pace (2:30). That's probably just over 2 years ago now and I still remember how extremely tough I found that back then. So it's been quick enough progress I guess.

    I figured I'd be well off a National standard but didn't really think about Masters too much. The last medal I cared about was a county senior football medal which evaded me in end unfortunately. We got bet badly in the Cavan county final in 2011 which was the closest I got. I wouldn't be overly interested in running for medals now TBH.

    The field looked thin enough going by the link so I'd be wondering how many people aren't taking part. Basically, like most on here I'm running against myself and the clock. I played GAA for a few years longer than I probably should have which was mostly until my kids got old enough to see and understand what I was doing. So there might be something to consider there. Maybe I'll get my arm twisted in the future in the Trim colours.

    Masters is odd in Ireland - some age categories and events will guarantee you a medal, others are hugely competitive, and in these our master athletes win regularly at European and World level.

    Personally I enjoy the discipline for what it is (I'm a sprinter), the precision of the sessions, the need for strength work, the whole scene. I've medals all right, but that's not the motivation for me, personally, not at all (each to their own). Knocking hundredths of seconds off my 60/100/200 time is what it's all about. Oh and trying to beat my arch rival - you get to know everyone in the masters track scene in Ireland and there's always someone at your level so the competition is usually - actually - huge. There's always someone that you're just DESPERATE to beat.

    I will say though, that I believe part of the reason numbers are light on the track is because people are scared of it: the different kind of pain that comes with speed endurance track sessions and above all the focus - coming in last 20 meters behind 2nd last in a 200m race is hard to take. I'm not knocking distance running (I've a marathon or two as well as XC in my own not too distant past), but I'll take satisfaction - and motivation - from the fact that I'm not afraid of the track. Bring it on.

    So, yep, I love the track and will promote it where and whenever I can.

    We've a lovely new track to train on down in Dunboyne - come visit! (when you can!)

    Finally - we were limited to one event only at last year's national masters so the numbers in each race were even lighter than usual. Here's the same event in 2019, and the times were better. http://results.athleticsireland.ie/results_18082019/menu.html


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,390 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    I agree with Mulberry - if you're gonna run 800, you'd be mad not to try it on the track at some point. It's a completely different experience. Well I suppose it is - I haven't run an 800 anywhere else! Hoptefully there will be an opportunity before too long - whether it's a graded meet, open event, provincial or national masters etc. (although you'd have to be in a club, and I'm sure Trim would be delighted to have you, as would any club).


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,839 ✭✭✭zico10


    Fair play on your 800m time. Even with the right training, I imagine it would beyond the abilities of most. I was aiming for 35-36 seconds for 200m reps yesterday, and they took an awful lot of effort and concentration. I can only imagine how painful having to run them 4 seconds quicker would have been. I don’t honestly think I’d have managed it even once. Then to do four of them in a row. :eek:


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Good work on the 800m TT. Make sure you get a few 800s on the track this summer. It always takes a few races to get the pacing right - you probably could have gone 62/64 this time out but don't limit yourself, 60/62 is not out of range in a well paced race with people to chase in the final 200.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,208 ✭✭✭shotgunmcos


    I went back to read your report because I dreamt I was running a 400m around a track last night. I had missed your graph... OMG it reads of utter pain :eek: Sub60 400m is no joke and kudos for attacking it living with the torture!

    The 5k must have felt almost gently by comparison?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,392 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I think I didn't give myself enough credit of what I actually managed with the 800.

    Last week went like this -
    • Monday - 800 m TT - 2:08
    • Tuesday - 2.9 km jogged with the kids - 20 mins
    • Wednesday - 9 km easy - 43 mins
    • Thursday - 6 km easy - 28 mins
    • Friday - 7.5 km easy - 36 mins
    • Sunday - 5 k TT - 17:13 including warm up and cool down Ks

    Total - 28 miles

    While still buzzing and responding to messages on here I did have a little set back on Tuesday evening when I got a return of the dreaded dizziness. I still think it's related to mixture of fatigue and diet but never pinned it down. The 800 m effort and the preceding days must have pushed me over the edge. Wednesday I went for a very cautious run and by Thursday it seemed to be lifting again. Any recent occurrences luckily seem to be much shorter in duration. Way back in 2015 for example my first ever bout lasted months.

    Back to the running; the after effects of the 5 km were not as bad as the 800 had been. Sat on the grass for a minute and then jogged home. A little stiffness in the calves today but well able to run.

    I went back to read your report because I dreamt I was running a 400m around a track last night. I had missed your graph... OMG it reads of utter pain :eek: Sub60 400m is no joke and kudos for attacking it living with the torture!

    The 5k must have felt almost gently by comparison?

    You're lucky it was only 400 :pac: The suffering in the 5 k is longer but definitely different. I found no real heaviness building up in my legs yesterday towards the end, my weakness with the 5km is easily my aerobic fitness.

    I'm into unplanned territory now. For some comparisons -
    December 800 (2:13) --> April 800 (2:08) - 5 second gain
    November 5km (17:17) --> April 5 km (17:13) - 4 second gain

    I'm confident I could go sub 17 with a bit more focused training but next up has to be a mile again. I might not run it flat out as I don't know if I could put my body through another TT effort so soon. I hope to be able to run sub 5 without killing myself.

    After that though I don't have a specific plan. Do people usually take a few easy weeks after a training block before jumping right back into another one? Or do they go back to base building. Interested to hear opinions on that. I'm really tempted by another 800 plan TBH.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,392 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    The 5 k TT the previous Sunday was knawing at me a bit afterward. It shouldn't have really but you can't let a decent motivation opportunity pass by. I've decided to go back onto another 800 m plan soon but for now will run something like one session per week along with a hard effort of some sort depending on how I feel for a few weeks. It'll either be another session or a TT type effort. Going to base it off just how I'm feeling. So many distances to try.

    April 26-May 2
    Monday 10 k easy - 47:45. A longer run than I'd normally consider doing the day after a TT but I wanted to assure myself the legs weren't as tired as they should have been following the effort.
    Tuesday 6.5 k easy - 30:12
    Wednesday 5 x 1k Intervals off 2 minutes rest, 4x200R The first workout in phase III of an 800 m plan except instead of 3 minute intervals I pushed it up to 1 km. So the efforts were 3:21, 3:19, 3:20, 3:19, 3:15. Half on grass, half on path. Was working but my form held up fine so was happy with them and was able to hit the necessary pace for the 200s after (34, 34, 35, 33).
    Friday 14.5 km - 1:09 Turned out to be the last run of the week for me so was lucky I had decide to make it a long one.

    Mild touch of something brewing over the weekend so rested up and dosed on honey and lemon. I'd actually been trying to cram 200 km in for April but didn't think going out and running a half marathon on the Friday would be a good idea. finished up on 195 km for the month. 3 km short on April 2020, so this was the first month this year I didn't exceed my 2020 equivalent.

    May 3 - 10 km TT
    New month and after 2 days rest. What will I do? During the week I got a Strava notification that I'd lost a segment crown. The guy had done a 10 km TT and set the record on that segment while doing it. His time was 35:33 or something like that. I gave him a thumbs up and looked at his run in more detail. The pace needed to do that. 3:33/km. Fair play to him. The decision was probably made at that stage. I'm going to try and beat my 10 km 2021 target of 36:30. It was some day for it weather wise.

    I did a little math based off my inspirations pace of 3:33/km and 3:35/km was decided on. It's an easy number to work with. 10*3.5 plus 10*5 would yield a 35:50. So the plan was to aim for 3:35 splits and work out how I was going based off each. Plan B was upon detonation/implosion I'd aim for just over 8 km and call it a five mile effort.

    Slow jog out of the house with my windcheater flapping in the wind. The heavens opened before I left the estate and my watch refused to get a signal. I wasn't going to be put off that easily though. I jogged around a mile before it finally beeped. No further warm up or stretches, off I went.

    1 km - 3:27. Started with a crosswind which quickly turned into a tailwind as I sailed up the Navan road. The watch was really all over the place still and my pace was up and down without much change in effort so I ignored it for the most part. Surprised to see the first split but lesson learned from last week was to make use of the wind when I have it.
    2 km - 3:34 - Half with and half against the wind. Coming back down the road again. I'm up by 9 seconds.
    3 km - 3:43 - Head down the road working the arms keeping. Stride length is definitely shorter so just keep the effort comfortable.
    4 km - 3:36 - A little bit of shelter from a cross wind in places. Feeling okay. 8 seconds or so up.
    5 km - 3:35 - In the middle of this I ditch my windcheater, literally, throwing it over a ditch noting roughly where it'd be afterwards. No one will touch it because of Covid. Still on pace.
    6 km - 3:43 - Expecting to lose time into the wind but knowing I'd a little buffer built up. Definitely starting to suffer a little now but know the relief will come soon. I figured I was bang on my target time now.
    7 km - 3:36 - Do I pick it up more and aim for finishing at 8? No, hold steady for the next two and then it's only two left. Just over target by about a second or two.
    8 km - 3:32 - Uphill mostly but with the wind on my back. This will be the last km I can make use of it (or so I thought :p ) . Okay I've definitely got nice buffer here going into the last 2. Hold the 9th and the final km will take care of itself.
    9 km - 3:45 Horrible, horrible wind. Really feeling it all the way through this km. I assure myself that my legs will keep moving even if the pace falls off a cliff. Do I fancy the last km now? Not so much. Feic it, it's my run and my rules I'm going to take the wind for the last km. I figure out a loop I can take up ahead that will take me back the way I came over the 9th km to turn my assailant into my assistant. The turn around was still tight enough, around 120 degrees, as my legs nearly went from under me. Just as I turned the watch beeped. My mental arithmetic told me I was about 4 seconds over 36 flat pace so needed to be around 3:30 to seal a sub 36..
    10 km - 3:23 After the initial wobble, I managed to almost immediately pick up the pace and went into cruise mode, not thinking of the suffering anymore. A nice consistent effort for the full km without the need to sprint the finish was the plan and what I managed. Watch was switched to distance and time now so I'd no idea of the pace really but felt it was around 3:30. Stopped the watch at 10 km and 35:58. Bloody delighted. Beat my target with change. It was only when I got home and realised I split 3:23 for the last km and that my mental arithmetic was well off. Of course I didn't account for any decimals and had rounded everything down, so got really lucky to run such a fast last km to get there even if it was with the wind.

    FWIW - My own pain scale
    800 m TT - 10/10
    5 k TT - 9.5/10
    10 k TT - 9/10

    There's probably a reason I didn't go straight and try a mile after the 800m plan. I just know I'll suffer more during it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,208 ✭✭✭shotgunmcos


    You Sir, are on a roll! Awesome TT, especially the finish to drag it under 36. Inspiring!


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,392 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    You Sir, are on a roll! Awesome TT, especially the finish to drag it under 36. Inspiring!

    Thanks Shotgun. TBH if I had kept to my planned route for the last km it probably wasn't happening and I would have been a couple of seconds the wrong side. I'll take it though because the day itself was muck and the rest of the run was good and honest.

    I was wondering today should I have just ran out the Navan road for 10 k with the wind on my back all the way for the craic. I think consistent splits of 3:30 were a possibility but then it would have been an torturous trot home again.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,834 ✭✭✭OOnegative


    Fair play N, that’s some running man. Not surprising to be honest with the way you’re training and performing in TT’s. Get that candy stripe vest on!!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,689 ✭✭✭Mr. Guappa


    Great running, congrats. I always tie myself in knots trying to work out splits and targets mid-race - it does distract from the pain though.


    I enjoyed this line...
    In the middle of this I ditch my windcheater, literally, throwing it over a ditch noting roughly where it'd be afterwards. No one will touch it because of Covid.

    Did you get it back? :pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,392 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    Mr. Guappa wrote: »
    Great running, congrats. I always tie myself in knots trying to work out splits and targets mid-race - it does distract from the pain though.


    I enjoyed this line...


    Did you get it back? :pac:

    I think for me it definitely helps as a distraction for me.

    I nearly forgot to go back for it but yea it was pretty much where it had landed luckily.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,390 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Fabulous. Wish I had that ability to suffer (even if you play it down). Central governor definitely turned off. Well done.

    Can’t believe you started a sub-36 10k wearing a windcheater though!


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,807 ✭✭✭skyblue46


    Fair play on all the recent performances. I have to say I admire the total lack of BS...no coach, no fancy shoes, no spartan diet...just getting out there and running. Lots more to come without a doubt. Keep enjoying it


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,392 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    skyblue46 wrote: »
    Fair play on all the recent performances. I have to say I admire the total lack of BS...no coach, no fancy shoes, no spartan diet...just getting out there and running. Lots more to come without a doubt. Keep enjoying it

    Thanks S. Since you mentioned the above :pac:

    While not always successful I do like to try things myself when possible. Could be a bit of the Cavan meanness in me or the engineer or a combination of the two. There's a few around here that have been as good as a coach as far as I'm concerned so I've been very grateful for the input and certainly wouldn't have improved without the feedback. Sacksian and Murph deserve specific praise. You only need to look back at the first page of the log to see how clueless I was.

    I'm aware my diet is not fantastic. I've made spurts to cut back on the sugar but that's about it. This is the one that bothers me most and I've been woeful at replacing the snacks with healthier alternatives. I'm not scared of any other food type but have gradually if unintentionally cut back on alcohol mostly due to having kids. Also, despite being wary of animal protein as a reinforcer of harmful cell growth I'd still eat meat most days. I certainly do not practice any dieting disciplines but find the process of autophagy fascinating. I think if I wasn't running I'd look at that aspect of diet more but believe exercise assists in inducing this process in a lot of organs (though not all). That's all I'll say about diet for now.

    I've two pairs of runners. I had to double check the names there. I find the names very confusing and hard to follow. I've a pair of flats (adidas adizero sub 2) and my everyday runner is Nike Ultraboost PB. My flats badly need replacing though. My runner situation is definitely subject to change. It's such a hot topic around here :) I've been close a few times to see what all the fuss is about. And the more I read on here the less confused I am of the varuous brands and types. One thing thing holding me back a little is that I'd lose that comparability to my previous runs.

    May 3 - May 9
    • Monday - 10 k TT
    • Wednesday - 8.5 km easy - 40:31
    • Thursday - Intervals, 15x(60on, 40off). Paces averaged around 3:18/km. Thought I might do 20 but knew 15 was plenty as the session progressed.
    • Friday - 9.5 km easy - 45:30
    • Sunday - 9.1 km easy - 40:30

    Back up to 30 miles for the week.


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