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A Tall Order
Comments
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A really great read! Well done again on the PB especially given the injuries this year, as D said you know the sub 4 is within sights now😊
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Congrats on the PB! Loved that race report. Chicago is one my favourite cities and have run a half marathon there before so could picture everything you were describing :). Hope you're recovering well and no ill effects to the foot.
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Great stuff M. Congrats on the PB - it's particularly deserved given the patience you showed in dealing with the PF. Great report too and lots of valuable nuggets there for anyone doing Chicago in the future. Recover well and best of luck with the 2024 goals.
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Thanks for all the messages folks. Things have settled down since so getting back into the swing of things.
Week of 9th October
Rest for the most part. Physio on the Thursday after race day. No lingering issues. Did an S&C session on the Sunday. Just a bit of walking throughout the week to keep the legs moving.
Week of 16th October
Monday - Rest day - hike in the hills with the boys
Tuesday
35' easy -5.5Km, 6:23/Km, 136avg HR
First post race rune. Body feeling good.
Wednesday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:22/Km, 131avg HR + S&C
Thursday - Rest day
Friday - 55' Trails - 8Km, 6:55/Km, 149avg HR
Early morning visit to Cruagh woods. Got 2 laps done in the pitch black. Had my running vest with me which was full with everything I'll need for AON Pursuit. Going to try get 1-2 mountain/hilly runs each week with the pack on.
Saturday
80' easy - 13Km, 6:17/Km, 137avg HR
A nice easy run around the Phoenix Park on what was a lovely day. There were plenty of runners about, many of whom I assumed were getting their last LSR in prior to DCM next week.
Sunday - Unplanned rest day - A lot of stuff on so when it came around to the evening time, I wasn't feeling it so skipped the run.
Mileage for the Week - 33.5Km
Mileage for the Year - 1452Km
4 weeks until RTL - Always enjoy doing RTL and the hilly runs I use for prep for it. Will try cover as much of the route as possible over the coming weeks. Goal is to PB but will see what the conditions are like closer to the day.
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Week of 23rd October
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:25/Km, 136avg HR + S&C
Nice easy run around Tymon park. S&C was late in the day after a hike with the boys around Cruagh wood.
Tuesday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:25/Km, 131avg HR + 16mins Zwift
Post school run drop, nothing noteworthy about it. Jumped on the stationary bike at lunch to see if I can get back into the swing of things there. Hoping to follow a very low volume training program on there to see if it will motivate me to keep going with it.
Wednesday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:24/Km, 125avg HR
Thursday - Rest day
Got physio as tibs were a little tight. I reckon this was from the Zwift session. Been fine since.
Friday - ~60 mins cycling
Between a few errands and collecting my beanie from DCM expo, there was no time for a run today so pushed the easy run until Saturday.
Saturday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:29/Km, 132avg HR
Youngest had GAA so I ran to/during/from to ensure I got this done.
Sunday - 90' easy-ish - 15Km, 5:58/Km, 140avg HR
Got out early for this so I could get down to support a few folks from around here at DCM. Plan was to cover a good chunk of the AON Pursuit route from Dublin Castle out to near home. Started fine but had some gastro issues around Rathmines. God bless McDs being open so early. Got back on the road and felt good.
I got to Bushy Park early as I wanted to get eyes on the elite field. Got to see Scullion powering along. Gave him some words of encouragement which I am going to claim helped him go from 7th there up to finish 3rd 😂 Twas not much longer before a few from these parts swung by and I handed over some gels/water etc. Helped out a few friends too. Everyone had great runs. Well done to all 👏
Mileage for the Week - 55Km
Mileage for the Year - 1507Km
3 weeks until RTL - First week of sessions coming up so looking forward to getting back to workouts. Body is feeling good. 3 of the 5 runs were done in non plated shoes and no issues to report. I can finally start working through all those pairs of Ghosts in the wardrobe. I didn't get enough hills in the easy runs this past week so going to get some done this week.
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Week of 30th October
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:23/Km, 130avg HR + S&C
Same run around Tymon Park as last week, though had the boys in tow on their bikes. S&C when I got home.
Tuesday
20' easy, 20' @ HMP - 10", 20' easy - 10Km, 5:53/Km, 163avg HR
5:15, 5:25, 5:14, 5:17
Over to Bushy Park to get first post Chicago session done. Felt comfortable throughout.
Wednesday - 40' easy - 6Km, 6:24/Km, 136avg HR
This was an additional run I added to see if I can get back to a 6 day training week. Plan is to keep it easy and low volume for a few weeks to see how/if it affects the PF.
Thursday - 65' trails - 9.5Km, 6:54/Km, 151avg HR
Parked at Kilmashogue lane. Ran up towards Three Rock but turned off at about 2.5Km to head for Two Rock. Upon arriving there, I headed down towards Three Rock and did a single loop around it before heading back to the car. Wind was quite chilly. I was fully prepared with jacket/hat/gloves/snood and donned them as needed.
Friday - 120' easy - 19Km, 6:23/Km, 130avg HR
Busy day ahead on Saturday so got the long run out of the way on Friday.
Saturday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:27/Km, 140avg HR
Routine easy run including bushy park parkrun. Light rain, poodles and some mud along the course. #48 so I am hoping to to hit 50 before the end of the year.
Sunday - Rest
Junior parkrun tailwalking and not much else.
Mileage for the Week - 65Km
Mileage for the Year - 1572Km
2 weeks until RTL - Nice to be back doing light session work. Feeling ok after first 6 day running week since the start of the year. No PF issues after adding the extra day. Passed 10,000Km total KMs ran on Monday and should pass the 1,000 mile mark for 2023 this coming week.
A decent trek on Thursday covering some of the RTL route. Clear dry conditions up there on the day. It would be great to have those on race day. I have also booked in for the Drogheda Christmas 5Km which will round out the year. I haven't raced a 5Km outside of the Docklands 5Km, with both times being scorchers.
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Week of 6th November
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:32/Km, 128avg HR
Down through Nutgrove, Churchtown, past the Russian embassy and back along the dodder. Calf was tight so took it very easy. Got it worked out by physio on Tuesday so all good now.
Tuesday - Friday
Man flu. No running.
Saturday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:25/Km, 131avg HR
Test run during the boys' GAA. Got around ok but a bit start/stop.
Sunday - Rest
Junior parkrun tailwalking in the rain.
Mileage for the Week - 17Km
Mileage for the Year - 1589Km
1 weeks until RTL - not a great running week but needed to rest to get rid of the head cold asap. Plenty of easy running in the run up to RTL this Saturday. Early indicators showing a potential wet and windy run.
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Week of 13th November
Monday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:24/Km, 127avg HR
Busy week in work so didn't get out until late. Easy run down to KCR, over to Terenure, past Rathfarnham village and home.
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:25/Km, 135avg HR
Pretty much the same as Monday's but in reverse.
Thursday - 45' easy with 20" strides * 5 - 7.5Km, 6:13/Km, 144avg HR
First set of strides since January. First rep felt really sluggish but gradually go in to them. Felt great by the time the last rep came around.
Crossed 1,000 miles for the year during this run too 🙌
Friday - 35' easy - 5.5Km, 6:24/Km, 128avg HR
Mileage for the Week - 27Km
Mileage for the Year - 1616Km
1 sleep until RTL - 3rd time doing RTL. Such is my excitement for my race that my attire and running vest have been prepped for a few days now. I had a couple of goals in mind for this after a successful Chicago race. First was to go sub 1:10:00 and the next was for a top 100 finish. A 1:11:00 would have been a top 100 finish last year. I was ~3:30 off this year's goal time time last year so not a huge leap to make. Getting close to that goal entails an element of race craft by getting out front of the wave and avoiding getting caught up in the choke points. Fitness will play a part too. I have looked at a few people's strava who went sub 1:10:00 last year to see where I was making/losing time. I need to make much more of an effort on the uphills. The flats/downhills I was on par if not ahead of those who went ahead of my goal time.
They announced that there will be a couple of course adjustments too so not sure if it will be shorter/longer. The time off feet last week due to head cold wasn't ideal prep but hoping that it won't have too much of an effect tomorrow. The body is feeling ok now. Conditions are looking windy once you get out of the forest and start climbing towards Two Rock. I'm hoping that will be the only wind exposure I will have to deal with. Once we come down off Two Rock we should be sheltered for the remainder of the race 🤞Undecided if I will go in 2nd or 3rd wave tomorrow. Will probably chicken out and go 3rd wave. 😂
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Run the Line - Race Report
My waves of choice were not starting until 10:30am or 10:40am so I took it easy that morning and arrived up to the even at about 10:00am. I didn't want to be hanging around too much in the wind getting cold. Stayed in the warmth of the car until about 10:20am and strolled down through the muddy car park to the information area. I asked about the route changes was informed that it was only the long course that changed. Happy knowing that I could compare this and last year's result. First of the short waves (Elite) went off at 10:30am and I decided to go to the front of 10:40 wave (Competitive).
0-2Km
I get off to a good start and keep the pace steady. The gravel path here is quite easy to run on, even with the changes in gradient. 4-5 lads pull ahead of me. The lungs are working very hard already. HR is red lining already and will remain that way for the rest of the race. We cross the metal bridge and turn towards the forest. There is plenty of rocks and roots that could catch you out if you are not paying attention. I would usually be in a pack here but going alone means I am unsure of how my pacing is and whether I have overcooked it too early. I may just have. 🤣 By the time we come out of the forest and onto the path leading to "The Foxes Climb" segment, it feels like my lungs are burning and my eyes are watering heavily. The few of us from the front of the Competitive wave encounter the tail end of the Elite wave. One of the reasons I went out front of my wave was to avoid congestion at the entrance to "The Foxes Climb". Whilst this has worked out perfectly, I may have misjudged how much breath I usually get back during this brief period of relaxation whilst waiting for people to climb over a piece of wood.
3-4Km
"The Foxes Climb" segment is particularly brutal underfoot. The rain last night has the ground very very slippy. I'm trying to keep an eye on where the rocks are without stumbling in to people ahead of me. When I get the chance I jump out to the left on to the walkway to avoid anymore slippery mud. Legs and lungs are burning as this is a steep steep climb. The wind is not helping matters either. I make a few small efforts to increase pace but if I keep it up I may very well DNF. We eventually reach Two Rock and there's still a bit of congestion. When we are through the worst of the mud and descending, I start to work my way through to try get a clear path. A lot of "on your left/right" being called and thankfully make it through unscathed. Wind still very much a factor here until you finish the descent and turn right. Zero wind now which means I'll need to adjust the pace to keep body temperature and HR under control. Path along here is in good condition. There are a lot of gaps to traverse and as I gather myself I begin work past more runners.
5-6Km
Continuing along the same path and more congestion beckons but it is quite narrow so I use this time to try settle in to a rhythm. As we come out on to the Wicklow Way, the DWMRT are dishing out water and jellies. I keep going to start another brief descent down towards the top of Ticknock car park. We are met with a sharp climb with gradients hitting 30%+. I stick my goal of making more of an efforts on the uphills. About halfway through here and the body is feeling tired. No idea if my goal time/place are achievable as there are two more sharp climbs to come.
7-8Km
As this hill starts to even out I get back into a light jog before we descend part of the MTB "Boneshaker" course. About the 7Km mark I catch my foot on a stone/root and almost faceplant into some mud. Somehow stay on my feet and keep descending. It's likely that this part of the course is why I have DOMS all over my back/neck. The rocky descents are brutal on the body when moving over them at pace. The penultimate climb is another test of how much I want those PBs. I do a mix of hike/jog up this giving myself targets of log stacks or rocks to run between. Finally at the top to be greeted by more DWMRT volunteers. We descent into another forest in prep for the final climb.
9-10Km
Looking at the watch and what is left, I take it that any hope of a PB is gone. I'm fine with it. The body is well and truly fubar at this stage. In the approach to the final climb, I have another close call with a face plant but luckily stay on my feet again. The last climb is the most brutal of them all. Slippy and steep. Calves and lungs are burning once again. The final ascent requires hands on the ground to balance and navigate. Out on to the Dublin Mountain Way path which feels flat though is still ascending. Single digit gradients are providing much relief to legs and lungs.
Finish
The end of the 10th Km marks the start of the descent in to the finish line. Initial part is through the forest with roots and rocks to be wary of. I don't feel like I've any energy to pick up the pace. I'm trying to use gravity to my advantage but I can't add anymore effort right now. Out of the main forest and we're running alongside the main path that The Gaps buses bring MTBers up to the mountain top. I can see people ahead but there's not a hope of me catching them anytime soon. Over the metal bridge and even this little ascent is tough going. We're out in the open now and I'm trying to up the pace a smidge. Arms/legs are pumping like mad. There's a couple of S turns to navigate at the very end. Running on the gravel paths is making it tough so I hop on to the grass to see if it makes it easier. Overtake a couple of people and get over the line. Drop to all fours and I am spent. Takes me almost a minute to gather myself. I grab my finishers buff and t-shirt and then go for the soup. I didn't hang around much longer as I needed to get home.
Result - 1:13:00
30" PB 🙌
Sub 1:10:00 ❌
Top 100 ✅
Overall I am happy with how it went. The sub 1:10:00 was never a runner. I knew this after the first few Km. Whilst my race strategy worked out, I'm undecided if it was optimal. The usual congestion I experience gives the legs/lungs a break and I am able to open the legs up a little more on the descents. The extra effort on the ascents didn't make it possible this time out. At the moment, next year's race plans won't have this on the calendar. If/when I do go again in this race, I will be moving up to the first wave.
The body is really feeling it today. Every muscle in my legs and back are filled with DOMS. It is going to take a few days to recover. A week of very easy to easy running ahead. Next up is Jingle Bells which will be an easy run with family and then Drogheda 5Km which I will be racing.
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I love that race (still hard but more relaxed at the back of the pack!). Do you think the extra effort on the uphill actually cost you time or would you do that again? I have some friends that are 100% certain walking the uphills is the best strategy in these events. Well done on the PB and the top 100!
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Might have to register for next year, sounds like a fantastic event, great report 👍️
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Fair play @py. You seem to be very well versed in the route, and got a cracking result. I done the long course, and I was soooo looking forward to the soup for the last few km but by the time I got back, it was all gone :-(
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On the sharp ascents I was definitely feeling it in the legs compared to last year. Last year when walking, upon reaching the summit of those climbs I felt I was able to pick up the pace straight away. This year, certainly on two of them it took a bit longer to get going at the top. Looking back on last year though, I had more than double the metres ascended in my legs when compared to this year so the fitness/strength levels for this year were likely the limiting factor.
It is a really enjoyable event, whether you are up front, mid pack or at the back. The hills are the same for everyone 😆It will likely open up entries for next year very soon so worthwhile keeping an eye out for it. It always sells out too.
Thanks. I live close enough that I can go up when I get a chance. It is a great area to hike/run in, even when not in a race. When racing you are mostly eyes down so if on an easy run or a hike you can take in more of the scenery. I have not been brave enough to go for the long route as of yet. Autumn marathoning always seems to put me off but perhaps one year I will make it a main race to train for. Hope you are recovering well after the race.
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Week of 20th November
Monday - 35' easy - 5Km, 6:34/Km, 127avg HR
Body was still sore after RTL. Left it until the evening time to get out for this. Felt much better afterwards.
Tuesday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:26/Km, 130avg HR
The body still coming around to normality. Took it easy along the Dodder Park pathway.
Wednesday - 55' easy with 5 * 20" strides - 9Km, 6:16/Km, 134avg HR
Legs a little tired. Strides felt good. Along the Dodder Park pathway once again.
Thursday - Rest
Friday - 90' easy - 14Km, 6:27/Km, 130avg HR
Enjoyable long run through Ballinteer, Dundrum & Churchtown. A small amount of Christmas decorations about the place.
Saturday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:27/Km, 132avg HR
Arrived in to Lisbon the night before. Had loosely planned out a route along the seafront. I went east 5Km and returned the same way. After some sightseeing on Sunday, I should have gone west. It would have been a much nicer run. Nice to get a run in another city/country though.
Sunday - Rest - recovery after previous night's drinks and then more day drinking was done. Good to let the hair down every once in a while.
Mileage for the Week - 45Km
Mileage for the Year - 1673Km
No niggles/injuries to report after RTL. I will be at Jingle Bells this coming Saturday with the Mrs and eldest lad. I'll be with the eldest lad and we'll see how he goes. He surprised me last year with a 27:xx so there may be another PB ahead. Mrs first 5Km mass participant event in a long time so hoping she enjoys it.
Few weeks to get training in the legs before Drogheda 5Km. I should have some nice new race shoes to run out in for it after splurging over the past week 🙈
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Week of 27th November
Monday/Tuesday - Rest
Travelled home from Lisbon on Monday and straight into work. Have had a knot in my upper back the past few weeks and it got worse over the weekend. Very uncomfortable now. Got to physio on Tuesday which has eased it. A follow up next week.
Wednesday - 50' easy - 8Km, 6:29/Km, 125avg HR
Back feeling ok. Good to get out for some fresh air.
Thursday - Unplanned rest day
Friday - 30' easy, 30' @ 10 mile, 30' easy - 15Km, 5:55/Km, 144avg HR
Over to Tymon Park for this.
10 mile interval: 5:22, 5:23, 5:24, 5:07, 5:04, 5:04 - unsure what the deal is with the quicker Kms. Didn't feel like I upped the pace a good bit and there was only part of it downhill. Need to keep a closer eye when doing sessions.
Saturday - Unplanned rest day
I was due to run Jingle Bells but childcare fell through. I brought the youngest to cheer on mammy and his older brother. We positioned ourselves right on the finish line. They had a great time and the Mrs ran a PB. I caught sight of a few from these parts. Looks like everyone had a great run on the day.
Sunday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:26/Km, 133avg HR
Mileage for the Week - 33Km
Mileage for the Year - 1706Km
An unproductive running week. Life/work were both very busy this week. This is the last thing I needed after shoving pastel de natas in to my face all weekend in Lisbon. I think there's going to be more of the same this week... the life/work stuff, not the pastels. My back is feeling much better though I am looking to get it fully resolved in Wednesday's physio session.
No S&C/Cycling since prior to RTL. Need to get back on top of this.
Art O'Neill Pursuit information pack came through yesterday evening. Looking forward to racing this. I was supposed to be getting out for more hills but haven't had the chance.
The eldest lad and I are close to parkrun milestones. We are hoping to
2 weeks until Christmas 5K - I am looking forward to this and not looking forward to this. It'll be nice to see where fitness is and not nice due to the hurt that a 5K brings. I have a brand new pair of Endorphin Pros to race in so that is a positive. Also picked up Endorphin Speed 3 * 2 and Reebok Floatride Symmetros 2.5. I have the makings of a new bed with all the shoe boxes for when she kicks me out 🙈
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Week of 4th December
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:32/Km, 123avg HR
Tuesday - 20' easy, (5' @ 5 mile, 2' recovery) * 5 - 12.5Km, 5:55Km, 149avg HR
A little unsure on what pace to run these at so I got a little quicker over the duration of the session. I got over to Marlay to get these done on the loop in front of the main house.
5:17, 5:16, 5:04, 5:08, 4:58
Wednesday - Rest
Follow up with physio on back issue. All good now.
Thursday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:26/Km, 141avg HR
Friday - 20' easy, (1' @ 5Km, 1' easy), 20' easy - 12Km, 5:49/Km, 142avg HR
4:44, 4:39, 4:25, 4:33, 4:21, 4:27, 4:27, 4:24, 4:15, 4:27, 4:25, 4:23, 4:15, 4:30, 4:23
Over to Knocklyon park. I was getting hit with a sidewind for all of these. Felt ok throughout. Will see how body is feeling next week at the 5Km. Took the Endorphin Pro 3s out for this and they felt good at that pace.
Saturday - St Anne's parkrun- 27:22 - 5:25/Km, 146avg HR
Paced the eldest lad to a small PB in very windy conditions. The wind likely kept him from a 26:xx but he was delighted nonetheless. We're one short of our 50/10 milestones so hopefully get that sorted next week.
Sunday - Rest
Mileage for the Week - 50Km
Mileage for the Year - 1756Km
A good week. Back is feeling good after the follow up physio session. No S&C or cycling but should be able to get back into both after 5Km race next week. Small twinge in the PF area during the but seems ok not. I'll monitor it closely.
1 weeks until Christmas 5K - looking forward to the 5Km next week. It'll give me a good idea of where my fitness is for the shorter distances as I head into next year with a view to doing 1/2 marathons or shorter. Fingers crossed for good race conditions.
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Week of 11th December
Monday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:17/Km, 127avg HR
Along the Dodder Park pathway.
Tuesday - 20' easy, (45" @ 5K, 1'15" recovery) * 8, 20' easy - 9Km, 6:07Km, 135avg HR
4:24, 4:33, 4:19, 4:12, 4:17, 4:11, 4:18, 4:18
Same location as last week's 1' reps. No sidewind this time which was great. Felt good throughout.
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - 45' easy - 10Km, 6:21/Km, 138avg HR
Along the Dodder Park pathway again.
Friday - 45' easy with 20" strides * 5 - 12Km, 5:49/Km, 142avg HR
Saturday - Tymon parkrun - 21:18 - 4:13/Km, 180avg HR
A few personal things popped up so I was going to have to skip Sunday's 5Km race in Drogheda. I was planning on running my 50th parkrun on the Saturday so I decided to try an all out effort. I needed to keep it close to home and had a choice of Tymon, Dodder Park, Marlay and Bushy. I felt Tymon would be the best option as it is a small enough field and most importantly a straightforward route, even if it there is a small bit of elevation in it. The others have a lot of turns in them. We arrived there at about 9:10. I got a 10 minute warm up with some strides done around the lake. Got up the front to start. Usually a small field at Tymon so I didn't want to have to waste time weaving around joggers/walkers.
Current PB was 22:31 and the goal was to come in low 22 minutes.
1st Km - 4:02
We get the starting shout and we're off to a quick (for me) starting pace. Trying to stay relaxed and in a rhythm before we start ascending near the end of this Km. A group of 6/7 runners are out front and I slowly drift off the back as they head off for sub 20 finishes. Feeling comfortable right now. Been ignoring the watch for the most part. The Km lap alert pops up and I'm way ahead of target pace. This could end very badly. 😬
2nd Km - 4:20
The long drag to the halfway mark of the lap continues and pace slows a little. Still way ahead of time. Legs and aerobic system feeling good. I've been passed by another runner at this stage but just focusing on a consistent effort. I took HR data field off the screen before starting. I can only guess that HR is sky high going up this drag. At the top there's a turning point and this brings a sense of relief as I know it's flat/downhill for a while. Km alert pings and I feel that there's a big PB on.
3rd Km - 3:59
Still downhill so cruising easily enough. As we turn at the start/finish line, another runner passes me. I try keep within 10-15 feet of him until we crossover the bridge. The descent has flattered the time for this Km but I'm happy out with where I'm at in terms of time and how I'm feeling.
4th Km - 4:26
The long drag begins and is tough AF. I'm trying not to blow up aerobically whilst keeping my Km time with a 4 being the first number. Any thought of catching those who passed me is gone. The lungs are burning. Mental maths of estimated finish time and PB is beyond me during this Km. 4th Km alert pings as I'm about to reach the top and turn for home.
5th Km - 4:14
Downhill from here. The lungs are at capacity and won't process any more oxygen. Trying my best to pick up the pace and stretch the legs out. PB is on. It's going to be a 21 in front. Enjoying the downhill. Legs are almost done. Come down past the lake and approach the playground to find the Mrs and youngest lad cheering me on. Turn the corner and cross the line. Finish in 10th with a 1:13 PB.
Sunday - Rest - The wind out there today would not have been great for a PB.
Mileage for the Week - 38Km
Mileage for the Year - 1794Km
Delighted with the result. A nice way to mark my 50th parkrun. I needed a confidence boost after the injury troubles earlier in the year. A great way to round out the year. Doms in the quads and hamstrings today.
Looking forward to the AON pursuit in early January. I'll need to get some hills in the legs prior to then and sort out mandatory race pack for the training runs too. Just need to sort the high viz vest for that. I have everything else on the list.
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Congratulation on the massive PB. Are you doing any hills in the 400s/1 reps'? Also when I was first going for the 20:00 5K I took Thursday and Friday off completely, did the trick for me. Your not far off.
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I have been doing all the reps on the flat for now. That might change over the coming weeks as I prep for the AON pursuit which has plenty of elevation at the tail end.
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Well done on the PB, delighted for you😊
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Happy Christmas everyone 🎅
Week of 11th December
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:20/Km, 136avg HR
Along the Dodder Park pathway.
Tuesday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:28/Km, 129avg HR
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - 20'easy, (10' @ 10 mile, 3' recovery) * 3, 20' easy - 14Km, 5:39/Km, 158avg HR
After the 5Km PB last week, I adjusted my 10mile according to the tinman calculator. Got over to Marlay. Quite a wet and windy day so wasn't looking forward to the tail end of each rep as I would be dealing with a headwind.
1st: 4:47, 4:37, 4:37
2nd: 4:44, 4:36, 5:07
3rd: 4:42, 4:42, 5:04
These felt ok. Headwind defo made them tougher towards the end.
Friday - 60'-90' of basketball
Took the opportunity to dust off the cobwebs ahead of our basketball club's social game on St Stephens Day.
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Unplanned rest day - supposed to be 90' long run. Between the PF and a lot going on at home, I skipped it.
Mileage for the Week - 34Km
Mileage for the Year - 1828Km
I felt the PF a little bit for the first time in a while on Monday having raced the parkrun on the Saturday. Nothing painful but needed to keep an eye on it. After the session on Thursday, that feeling was a bit more prominent. More so after the basketball. A few days of stretching and its back to normal. Something I need to keep a close eye on after the next few weeks prior to AON Pursuit.
A lot of easy runs this week. Not sure I will get those hilly runs that I need.
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2023
A torturous first 6 months due to plantar fasciitis. I finally got to grips with it and slowly got back running. This meant Chicago was still an option and I was delighted to come away with a PB there. Still no sub 4 but delighted with a PB after the suffering I went through earlier in the year. A small PB at Run the Line was a welcome addition. Rounding out the year was a 5Km PB which finally saw me break the 22 minute mark. A good year in the end even though it ended with a calf strain which had me miss the past few weeks.
2024 so far
I've only managed 2 * 30-35 minute easy runs since the turn of the year. The calf strain I picked up on St. Stephens Day meant I had to take it easy until I could get a physio session. Finally got it sorted for good this week. It meant I had to skip Art O'Neill Pursuit last night and it will also keep out of Raheny in a few weeks. I'm going to build up again and then focus on preparing on Wexford 1/2 in April. I should get back to normal logging from next week.
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After the last post, I lost my running mojo for a little bit. Got into some bad habits including not having my running gear prepared for the next morning's run. It meant I procrastinated with getting out and then family/work stuff got in the way later in the day. This resulted in missed runs. The injured calf is fine now but the 3 weeks of no running couldn't have come at a worse time when there's chocolates/biscuits being thrown around the house.
Week ending 21st Jan - 4 easy runs, 31Km
Week ending 28th Jan - 3 easy runs, 30Km
Week ending 4th Feb - 4 easy runs, 45Km
After what felt like grinding through those 3 weeks, I got a good week of runs in last week and feel like I am almost back into the swing of things.
Week of 5th February
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:20/Km
Usual plod along the Dodder Park pathway.
Tuesday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:29/Km
Around nutgrove and up around Marlay Park.
Wednesday - 20' easy, 20' @ 10 mile, 20' easy - 10.5Km, 5:43/Km
First session since mid December and felt it. Ran this in Bushy park at about lunch time.
4:46, 4:44, 4:42, 4:47, 4:51
Thursday - Rest
Friday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:21/Km
More running around Bushy park though quite a bit of surface water around so I was running to avoid that.
Saturday - 30' easy, 30' @ 1/2, 30' easy - 16Km, 5:45/Km
Tymon Park was destination for this. Got in several loops for the interval. Relatively quiet when I was running.
5:02, 5:09, 4:58, 4:46, 5:01, 4:46
Sunday - Rest
Mileage for the Week - 57Km
Mileage for the Year - 184Km
No HR data as I need to get new battery for the HR strap. Felt tired after the 5 days of running but back to normal by the time Monday came around this week. No S&C this week, just happy to have got the running done. Mid term this week for the kids so that is making scheduling runs a little difficult.
10 weeks until Wexford - I have a lot of work to do if I am to PB (current 1:44:54) at Wexford. I have signed up to Dublin 1/2 too.
The weekly logging has kept me accountable in the past so I need to get back to that. Routine, routine, routine.
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Week of 12th February
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:29/Km
Down through Rathfarnham, Churchtown and back up past Nutgrove towards Marlay and home. Late evening run.
Tuesday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:24/Km
An old route of mine through Ballyboden, Knocklyon and Firhouse. A late evening run. Hopefully the last of the late runs as the routine is getting back to normal.
Wednesday - 20' easy, 20' @ 10 mile, 5' easy, 10' @ 10 mile, 20' easy - 13Km, 5:41/Km
Destination Marlay park.
1st: 4:50, 4:44, 4:52, 4:52
2nd: 4:58, 4:51
Thursday - Rest
Friday - 35' easy - 5Km, 7:09/Km
My youngest lad ran his first 5Km on the Tymon parkrun route. Super proud of him. His older brother provided great support throughout too.
Saturday - 30' easy, 40' @ 1/2, 30' easy - 18Km, 5:40/Km
Squeezed this in between GAA and basketball. Got the warm up done past Rathfarnham village, through Terenure and into Rathgar. 1/2 pace began past Rathgar and kept it going through Rathmines, along the canal until I got to The Black Horse. I turned up the Naas Road and eventually turned for home when I reached McDs at Kylemore. Easy 30' home from there. Felt much more comfortable during this 1/2 pacing when compared with last week.
5:06, 4:58, 4:59, 4:55, 5:02, 4:56, 4:56, 4:54
Sunday - 60' easy-ish - 10Km, 6:08/Km
Jogged to/from Marlay and did junior parkrun with the youngest. The eldest lad ran on ahead so I paced the youngest to a PB of almost 2 mins. Chuffed with himself.
Mileage for the Week - 66Km
Mileage for the Year - 240Km
A better week than last week. I feel like fitness is returning to where it should be. First 6 day week in a long time. I did replace the battery in the HR strap but felt HR reading was way off on my Saturday run. I think it was back to normal on Sunday's run but I am going to test it some more before exploring an RMA.
9 weeks until Wexford 1/2.
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Week of 19th February
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:26/Km, 136avg HR
Bit of a plod. Legs a little tired from the weekend.
Tuesday - 20' easy, 20' @ 10 mile, 5' easy, 15' @ 10 mile, 20' easy - 14.5Km, 5:28/Km, 160avg HR
Marlay park again
1st: 4:43, 4:40, 4:48, 4:45
2nd: 4:48, 4:42, 4:40
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:22/Km, 138avg HR
Plenty of lumps along this route. More of this to come over the next few months.
Friday - 30' easy, 50' @ 1/2, 30' easy - 19.5Km, 5:40/Km, 151avg HR
5:21, 4:50, 5:01, 4:58, 5:02, 4:57, 4:49, 5:06, 5:10, 5:01
This was an enjoyable run. Very manageable.
Got it done early so I could go see the eldest lad run in the local schools cross country race. He managed to come top 10, with a couple of his very best friends doing the same. Medals for anyone who came Top 10 so a very successful day for his class/school. A proud papa brought him for a sugary treat after school.
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:20/Km, 144avg HR
Along the Dodder Park pathway.
Mileage for the Week - 65Km
Mileage for the Year - 304Km
A hectic week so happy to get 5 days of running done. Nothing of note from the week which I will take as positive. So far I have failed this year to get S&C done so I am going to start this week.
8 weeks until Wexford 1/2.
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Well done, that young lad! (And the aul fella too.)
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Week of 26th February
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:26/Km, 136avg HR
Easy around Marlay park.
Tuesday - 20' easy, 20' @ 10 mile, 5' easy, 20' @ 10 mile, 20' easy - 14.5Km, 5:28/Km, 160avg HR
Tymon park this time around. A but lumpier than Marlay but got through it. Used the parkrun route to get it done.
1st: 4:41, 4:36, 4:58, 4:32, 4:31
2nd: 4:43, 4:38, 5:01, 4:45, 4:46
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:22/Km, 133avg HR
Nondescript easy run.
Friday - 30' easy, 60' @ 1/2 + 10", 30' easy - 19.5Km, 5:40/Km, 151avg HR
5:19, 5:06, 5:23, 5:24, 5:31, 6:07, 6:03, 5:32, 6:10, 5:45
Time crunched a lot lately so my sessions have been moved forward by a day. Snow overnight and again early morning meant this was a really tough run in the latter parts. Helping pushing cars up slippery hills also zapped the legs and resulted in the interval being stop/start. Stopped slightly short of the 30' easy cool down to grab a doughnut and tea to warm me up 😄
Saturday - Tymon Parkrun - 6:16/Km, 133avg HR
Active recovery to try shake off heavy legs from the day before. Felt better for it afterwards.
Sunday - Rest
I was considering 30-60 minutes easy. Legs were still feeling Friday's session and I had a lot of coaching on so decided to be lazy.
Mileage for the Week - 60Km
Mileage for the Year - 365Km
Happy with another week under my belt. Legs are feeling a little tight so I have lined up a massage for Wednesday. Still no S&C.
7 weeks until Wexford 1/2.
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Week of 4th March
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:23/Km, 150avg HR
Easy to/around/from Marlay park.
Tuesday - 20' easy, 20' @ ~4:40/Km, 5' easy, 10' @ ~4:37/Km, 5' easy, (5' @ ~4:34/Km, 3' easy) * 2, 20' easy - 17Km, 5:35/Km, 152avg HR
Marlay park again. I knew this was going to be a tough workout, it didn't disappoint. It was pissing rain and blowing a gail which also added to the suffering.
1st: 4:37, 4:35, 4:41, 4:39, 4:52
2nd: 4:32, 4:39, 4:29
3rd: 4:28, 4:25
4th: 4:30, 4:21
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:21/Km, 132avg HR
Dodder Valley Park.
45' cycling in mid afternoon. First time on the bike this year.
Friday - 20' easy, 80' @ 1/2 + 10", 20' easy - 22Km, 5:25/Km, 159avg HR
5:12, 5:02, 5:02, 5:01, 5:06, 5:11, 5:06, 5:06, 5:07, 5:05, 5:08, 5:03, 5:10, 5:03, 4:58, 4:53
After the snow debacle the previous week, I'm really happy with that run. It felt metronomic. It was a great confidence booster completing it after a tough midweek session.
Played in the national masters cup late on Friday evening. Basketball club were stuck (really stuck if they're calling me) so I laced up and put in a good enough shift considering the run I had that morning. Came away injury free which was the most important thing. Doms in muscles not used since my last proper competitive match 12 years earlier. A loss unfortunately but I've caught the bug again. I'll get out for more but only if it will fit in with running schedule.
Saturday - Rest
Woke up with aches all over. Got out for a 5Km walk which served me well.
Sunday - 5Km easy - 32', 6:22/Km, 163avg HR
Very busy with mother's day and coaching. Somehow stumbled into a 45 minute window with nothing scheduled. I needed to get some mileage in the legs prior to getting out for a few Sunday night pints.
Mileage for the Week - 65Km
Mileage for the Year - 430Km
Feeling a lot more confident after the two sessions during the week. I've got some personal travel later this coming week so going to take a step back week to avoid over stretching myself.
6 weeks until Wexford 1/2.
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Week of 11th March
Tuesday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:30/Km, 142avg HR
A plod around Tymon and Dodder Valley park.
Mileage for the Week - 10Km
Mileage for the Year - 440Km
I've had a nagging cough all week. No temperature/fever, just a cough. It has been frustrating. Between that and family travel later in the week, this was a poor week's running. I'd hoped to get a parkrun in whilst away but it was shot down as it was a "non running holiday". First I have heard of those 😀 I expect to be back to normal for the upcoming week.
5 weeks until Wexford 1/2.
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Week of 18th March
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:23/Km, 132avg HR
Easy run with the boys in tow on their bikes. Dodder valley park was nice and quiet.
Tuesday - 20' easy, 20' @ ~4:40/Km, 5' easy, 10' @ ~4:37/Km, 5' easy, (5' @ ~4:34/Km, 3' easy) * 4, 20' easy - 19.5Km, 5:59/Km, 156avg HR
Felt a bit laboured throughout. I think the cough was still lingering and the endorphin pro 3s are past their use by date for speed sessions. I was huffing and puffing on the penultimate effort when Gillick floats past effortlessly. Forgot to stop my watch when I stopped to talk to someone during my cooldown so avg/Km is a little off.
1st: 4:42, 4:28, 4:47, 4:39, 4:37
2nd: 4:41, 4:35, 4:51
3rd: 4:36, 4:27
4th: 4:32, 4:50
5th: 4:38, 4:40
6th: 4:44, 5:17
Wednesday - 60' basketball
Thursday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:21/Km, 137avg HR
Easy to/around/from Marlay park. Legs were a little tired/heavy after the late night basketball on Wednesday.
Friday - 30' easy, 30' @ 1/2, 30' easy - 16Km, 5:37/Km, 157avg HR
4:45, 4:48, 4:51, 4:54, 4:43, 4:50, 4:52
Target for these were 4:45-4:50 so happy enough. There was a fair bit of headwind and traffic so probably tougher than it should have been in the right conditions.
Saturday - Progression parkrun - 5Km, 5:19/Km, 132avg HR
This was a surreal experience. I had booked it back in August last year for some friends and I to attend the event. Current waiting lists are so long that they are accepting signups for April 2025 and beyond. I ran with one of my friends as I had not caught up with him in real life since prior to covid. Took it easy for the first 7 laps and then picked up the pace for the last one. A tough little course with the elevation changes. The wind and rain did not help either.
Sunday - Rest day
Mileage for the Week - 61Km
Mileage for the Year - 500Km
A good week. Things are moving in the right direction again after the previous week's illness/travel. Some great race results on Saturday/Sunday, well done to all.
4 weeks until Wexford 1/2.
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Nice one, I'd say that parkrun was interesting alright - one that I must check out!
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Week of 18th March
Monday - 65' easy - 10.5Km, 6:19/Km, 128avg HR
Tuesday - 20' easy, (5' @ ~4:34/Km, 3' easy) * 8, 20' easy - 18.5Km, 5:38/Km, 151avg HR
Drove to PP for this. It was a horrible day and being out in the conditions probably exacerbated the cough I've had for a few weeks. As I turned onto Chesterfield Road to head towards the zoo car park, I notice there are about 20 army folk out jogging in full fatigues with backpack. The rain probably doubled the weight of their gear. No pity party for me in my nice running gear with a little cough so. Odd runs were up towards Aras, evens were down towards the zoo.
1st: 4:37, 4:34
2nd: 4:35, 4:31
3rd: 4:35, 4:34
4th: 4:34, 4:34
5th: 4:35, 4:30
6th: 4:34, 4:28
7th: 4:39, 4:30
8th: 4:34, 4:33
On the day I wasn't sure if I got them right but looking over the numbers now, I ran them well.
Wednesday - 60' basketball
Thursday-Sunday - Cough got really bad on Tuesday/Wednesday night. HR started to elevate. I felt cold and tired. I took a visit to the doctor on Thursday. Upper respiratory infection. Antibiotics for 5 days. Been in bed or on the couch since. Wiped.
Mileage for the Week - 29Km
Mileage for the Year - 529Km
Not a great state of affairs with 3 weeks to go. C'est la vie. I'm hoping to be ok by Tuesday but I'll take more rest if I need it. A ~3Km or so walk this morning was the first exercise I got since Wednesday. It felt good to get some fresh air. I have tickets for Croke park this afternoon as I promised the eldest he could go with grandad and myself. Hoping to make it as brief a visit as possible.
3 weeks until Wexford 1/2.
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Week of 1st April
Monday - Rest day - last day of antibiotics
Tuesday - 35' easy - 5.5Km, 6:25/Km, 155avg HR
Along dodder park with the eldest lad.
Wednesday - 60' basketball
Thursday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:24/Km, 163avg HR
Friday - 55' easy - 8.5Km, 6:26/Km, 165avg HR
Saturday - 65' easy - 10.5Km, 6:04/Km, 160avg HR
Sunday - Unplanned rest day
Mileage for the Week - 32Km
Mileage for the Year - 561Km
Meh. Pissed off with the last few weeks. Antibiotics cleared up most of the infection but I still have a cough that seems to be going around. Back to doctors tomorrow. Wexford 1/2 not looking good right now.
2 weeks until Wexford 1/2.
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Week of 8th April
Monday - Friday - Unplanned rest, course of steroids to resolve upper respiratory infection
Saturday - 5Km easy - 6:20/Km, 31:44. HR strap readings all over the place so have submitted a warranty replacement request with Garmin.
Sunday - Felt tired after poor sleep all week due to the meds. I ended up taking a mid afternoon nap instead of going for a run. The basketball club were in the national final and they strolled home to victory. A fair few pints were had. A long time in the making.
Mileage for the Week - 5Km
Mileage for the Year - 566Km
No Wexford 1/2 for me. Too many missed sessions/runs due to the illness these past 2-3 weeks. It would not be a productive use of my time heading down there for a long/training run. My plan is to get to a flat parkrun in/near Dublin and give it a lash. I am waiting to see what the weather holds before deciding on a venue. I am considering Naas, Shanganagh or Poppintree.
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Week of 15th April
Monday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:16/Km
Tuesday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:20/Km
Wednesday - Rest day
Thursday - 50' easy with 20" strides * 5 - 8Km, 6:03/Km
Friday - 35' easy - 5.5Km, 6:20/Km
Saturday - Naas Parkrun - 20:52, 4:09/Km
I was monitoring weather all week and when it was showing as calm/cool, I decided to pay Naas parkrun a visit for the first time. It is a flat exposed course over 2.5 laps around Naas racecourse. A slight incline on the 2nd/4th Km. A bit nervous about where my fitness is after being out sick. A first "race" outing for the Endorphin Pro 4.
3:50 - There were a few up front that I needed to pass from the off so I got off to a quick start. Quite a few going for 18-22 minutes so there was a long line of runners as we ticked off the 1st Km. Slight decline here helped with the increased pace.
4:06 - Flat for most of 2nd Km but the incline begins about 2/3 of the way through. It is very subtle but it'll come back to haunt me in 4th Km. Everyone maintaining the pace line well along here.
4:11 - Signs of fatigue begin to show but again, the decline is helping me along here. Halfway through I think to myself,about 10-11 minutes remaining 🤞
4:22 - Proper goosed at this stage. I was the unofficial pacer for a lad behind me but I had to tell him to go on.. and we hadn't even reached the incline 🙈Huffing and puffing hard. It is going to be tough to keep it under 21.
4:14 - Almost at the top of the incline where the 4Km sign is located, breathing is through the roof. I can't even calculate what I'm going to come in at. I just need to round the penultimate corner to get onto the decline. Pace picks up slightly with the decline. Final corner and I can see the finish line but it feels like an age away. Cross the line, can barely breathe. Tried to stop the watch but forgot to click stop after unlocking the screen. It ticks over 21 minutes so was unsure until the official email came through that I had dipped under the 21 minute mark.
A 26 second PB. I am really happy with that. Wexford 1/2 was the goal but with less than 100Km run in the 4 weeks prior to yesterday, it would not have been wise to go down there to race. Thrilled to be have been able to show progress since my last 5Km PB in December. I am not completely sold on the Endorphin Pro 4 being a step up or on the same level as the Pro 3, TBD.
Sunday - Rest day - doms, lots of doms
Mileage for the Week - 39Km
Mileage for the Year - 605Km
Thrilled with the PB. Not thrilled with the lack of running over the past 4 weeks. Hoping that I get a good clean training block for Dunshaughlin 10Km over the next 9 weeks.
9 weeks until Dunshaughlin 10Km
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Week of 22nd April
Monday - 65' easy - 10.5Km, 6:12/Km + 60' light basketball session
Tuesday - 20' easy, 20' @ 10 mile, 3' easy, (1' on/off) * 6, 20' easy - 14Km, 5:29/Km
20' @ 10 mile: 4:28, 4:21, 4:29, 4:24, 4:23
1' on: 4:33, 4:35, 4:34, 4:43, 4:16, 4:09
A tough session in Marlay Park. I was very apprehensive of the new predicted times after the 5Km PB the previous weekend. It didn't help that I still had a few doms from the 5Km. The doms continued into Thursday after this session.
Wednesday - 35' easy - 5.5Km, 6:12/Km
Thursday - Rest day + sports massage
Friday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:27/Km
Saturday - 30' easy, 35' @ 1/2, 30' easy - 17Km, 5:28/Km
35' @ 1/2: 4:36, 4:38, 4:34, 4:32, 4:34, 4:30, 4:36, 4:41
Another tough session. I was feeling it for the last 2Km of the interval.
Sunday - 30' easy - 4.5Km, 6:26/Km.
This was just to loosen the legs up after the previous day's session.
Mileage for the Week - 62Km
Mileage for the Year - 667Km
Really happy with that week. 🤞for more good weeks like this.
8 weeks until Dunshaughlin 10Km
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Well done on the 5k PB, thats a nice chunk to take off, best of luck now with the training for Dunshaughlin 😊
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Thanks Lainey. It feels like things are coming together right now so trying to enjoy it whilst it lasts.
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Week of 29th April
Monday - 65' easy - 10.5Km, 6:18/Km + 60' light basketball session
Tuesday - 20' easy, 20' @ 10 mile, 3' easy, (1' on/off) * 12, 20' easy - 15.5Km, 5:32/Km
20' @ 10 mile: 4:27, 4:23, 4:38, 4:29, 4:33
1' on: 4:22, 4:18, 4:11, 4:20, 4:22, 4:21, 4:13, 4:22, 4:09, 4:31, 4:10, 4:23
Wind and rain throughout made a tougher run tougher. I opted for a sheltered section for the 1' on/off. Happy when it was over.
Wednesday - 60' basketball
Thursday - Rest day
Friday - 60' easy - 9.5Km, 6:17/Km
One of those days where I didn't want to get out the door. Eventually forced myself out and felt better for it. Legs were still fatigued from Tuesday's session/Wednesday's basketball.
Saturday - 30' easy, 40' @ 1/2, 30' easy - 18Km, 5:28/Km
40' @ 1/2: 4:38, 4:38, 4:44, 4:36, 4:39, 4:40, 4:46, 4:48, 4:43
Felt like the legs weren't ready for the interval when it begun. A few days worth of poor sleep and under fueled are the only reasons I could come up with. Hopefully be ready for next weekend's session 🤞
Sunday - 50' easy - 4.5Km, 6:28/Km.
A busy day ahead so I ran to/from junior parkrun so I could fit a run in.
Mileage for the Week - 61Km
Mileage for the Year - 728Km
Feeling relatively good right now. A bit of fatigue crept in during the week so the little voices that tell you to stay home started to get some air time. Thankfully I got all the runs in.
7 weeks until Dunshaughlin 10Km
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Week of 6th May
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:26/Km + 60' light basketball session
Tuesday - 20' easy, 20' @ 10 mile, 3' easy, (1' on/off) * 15, 20' easy - 17Km, 5:35/Km
20' @ 10 mile: 4:29, 4:29, 4:26, 4:34, 4:31
1' on: 4:15, 4:30, 4:14, 4:27, 4:21, 4:23, 4:23, 4:35, 4:21, 4:34, 4:15, 4:36, 4:20, 4:34, 4:20
Bushy park was relatively quiet for this session. It felt quit warm/muggy out so energy was a little low by the time I got to the 1' on/off section.
Wednesday - 60' basketball
Thursday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:18/Km, 125avg HR
Friday
Planned: 30' easy, 50' @ 1/2, 30' easy
Actual: not bloody much due to the heat… 30' easy, ~15-20 @ 1/2, ~10' easy.
The heat killed me. I was delayed getting out so when I eventually got going, it was way too warm for the planned 1/2 pace.
Saturday - Malahide parkrun - ~32-33mins
Eldest lad was playing a GAA match out in Portmarnock so the youngest and I got dropped at Malahide parkrun. The only other time I had been here was for the debut of the junior parkrun event in the park. A lovely course with very friendly runners/volunteers . The abundance of shade from the beaming sun was welcome. We did 2Km run, 1 min walk, 1.5Km run, 1 min walk and then run to the finish. A whopper of a PB for the youngest fella with his mother and brother thrilled at his new time. First time he's run most of it during an official event. We went off to Portmarnock beach for a few hours afterwards which was some welcome relaxation.
60' cycling in the afternoon. Stopped off for a 99 near the end. A lovely day for the bike. Warm but the wind resistance kept me cool. I have a bikepacking saddle pack arriving this week for an upcoming cycling trip to Tipp. I will need a few more trips in the saddle to get the cycling muscles firing again.
Sunday - Rest Day
Went down to support a few friends/boardsies at the Terenure 5 mile this morning. A good turnout on what was a warm morning. In to Croker then for what was an underwhelming Dublin performance.
Mileage for the Week - 52Km
Mileage for the Year - 780Km
5 weeks until Dunshaughlin 10Km
The body is tired with all the activity the past few weeks. This coming week is a step back to allow the body recover and to ensure I am fresh for a 🏀tournament next weekend. Depending on how that goes, it may be another easy week afterwards.
A new "toy" arrived this week in the shape of a cold plunge bath. I have had a few dips in it at temps between 10-12C but still working through how best to chill it efficiently. Only using it on easy days. From what I have read, using it after workouts can hinder adaptations from taking place.
Another issue I have noticed is my PF is starting to flare up a little. Two things have changed recently with the increase in activity due to the 🏀1-2 times per week and also having stopped taking the collagen supplements. I have more collagen on the way so I am hoping that will solve things for me.4 -
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Week of 13th May
Monday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:19/Km + 60' light basketball session
Tuesday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:22/Km
Wednesday - 30' easy with strides - 4.5Km, 6:12/Km
Thursday - Rest day
Friday/Saturday/Sunday - 4 🏀games over the 3 days. Play a game, shower, ice bath. Rinse repeat. 2 wins and a loss in the groups put us into the semi final of the "shield" or as I like to call it, the loser cup. Came up against a team from Croatia and their 6'9", 22-23 stone ex pro. My body took a beating trying to take care of him. A loss to them meant we were finished at lunch time Sunday. Got home, ate and had a nap. Lots and lots of pints afterwards. A fun throwback weekend to days of old. It took until today for the hangover to be gone and to start establishing what aches and pains were inflicted upon me by that giant. Running is much easier on the body 😀
4 weeks until Dunshaughlin 10KmAn easy week of running ahead to get the body back to normal. PF was at me a little bit over the weekend but a lot of soleus stretching has me ok again. Weather permitting, I'm going to get out on the bike for a spin to Tipp. It is not looking good right now though.
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Week of 20th May
Monday - Rest day after the weekend of 🏀
Tuesday - 35' easy - 5.5Km, 6:25/Km, 127avg HR
Wednesday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:15/Km, 120avg HR
Thursday - 55' easy - 9Km, 6:18/Km, 126avg HR
Friday - 90' easy - 14.5Km, 6:17/Km, 129avg H
Saturday - 175Km cycle out west. A nice jaunt along the Royal/Grand canals to the Tipp/Galway border. Weather held up for the most part with some rain for the final 90 minutes. Relatively quiet along the canal. I found the navigating the gates a little frustrating as it slows down momentum. The alternative was to deal with traffic on the main roads.
Sunday- Rest day
Mileage for the Week - 36Km
Mileage for the Year - 834Km
An ok week. Missed 1 easy run but not the end of the world. Body is fatigued from the cycle so taking an extra rest day today. No doms/aches otherwise. A return cycle was on the cards but woke fairly tired after a heap of pints. No more pints until after Dunshaughlin. I have a small bikepacking trip around Leinster planned for mid July so this was to be a dry run on having extra gear on the bike.
4 weeks until Dunshaughlin 10Km - been miscalculating the number of weeks so I have fixed that.2 -
Week of 27th May
Monday - Rest day
Tuesday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:25/Km, 122avg HR
Up around Marlay park.
Wednesday - 20' easy, 20' @ 10 mile, 20' easy - 11Km, 5:36/Km, 148avg HR
I usually don't bring the boys out for my workouts but a random day off from school meant they were out on their bikes for this one. Trying to answer random kid questions in the middle of a workout when you're working hard is not fun.
20' @ 10 mile: 4:40, 4:38, 4:36, 4:32, 4:25
A little slower than 10 mile pace.
Thursday - Rest day
Friday - 35' easy - 5.5Km, 6:25/Km, 134avg HR
A tad short on time for this. A warm hilly run on the outskirts of St Endas Park. I forgot how hilly this was and the youngest fella was on his bike so wasn't happy with the lumps either.
Saturday - 30' easy, 30' steady, 30' easy - 16Km, 5:37/Km, 145avg HR
Started out chilly and overcast. As soon as the interval started, the clouds parted and it felt toasty whilst running along the canal.
30' steady: 5:03, 4:39, 4:51, 4:52, 4:52, 4:57, 5:00
Sunday - 50' easy - 8Km, 6:25/Km, 125avg HR
The boys cycled up to/from junior parkrun in Marlay so I got my easy run done too. A warm enough morning and only got better throughout the day.
Mileage for the Week - 50Km
Mileage for the Year - 884Km
Short on time this week so happy to get the workouts done.
3 weeks until Dunshaughlin 10Km
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A couple of weeks to catch up on.
Week of June 3rd
Monday - Unplanned rest day. I had hoped to get back to starting my running week on Monday but poor sleep on Sunday night meant I had to push it out.
Tuesday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:24/Km, 122avg HR
Along Dodder Park with the boys on their bikes.
Wednesday - 20' easy, 20' @ 10 mile, 5' easy, (1' on/off) * 6, 20' easy - 14Km, 5:33/Km, 141avg HR
20' @ 10 mile: 4:27, 4:28, 4:25, 4:29, 4:31
1' on/off: 4:18, 4:20, 4:06, 3:57, 4:01, 3:53
Bushy park for this. 10 mile effort felt better than last week. GI issues after the 10 mile effort meant there was a delay in the 1' on/off efforts. This is why I dislike evening runs. Doesn't bode well for Dunshaughlin.
Thursday - Rest day
Friday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:21/Km, 130avg HR
Saturday - 30' easy, 40' steady, 30' easy - 18Km, 5:39/Km, 147avg HR
Bit of a soft downhill route for this. I enjoyed the run, even with the warm air.
Sunday - unplanned rest day due to poor sleep.
Mileage for the Week - 52Km
Week of June 10th
Monday - 60' easy - 9.5Km, 6:09/Km, 129avg HR
Tuesday - Abandoned workout - 8Km, 5:33/Km, 141avg HR
Felt awful going in. It didn't get any better after running for a while. I couldn't hit the 10' mile pace for the first interval so my head was gone after that. 3 nights of poor sleep on the trot meant I never fully recovered from Saturday's session.
Wednesday - 60' basketball
Thursday - Rest day
Friday - 65' easy - 10.5Km, 6:15/Km, 144avg HR
Saturday - 20' easy, (1' on/off) * 15, 20' easy - 18Km, 5:39/Km, 147avg HR
1' on/off: 4:10, 3:51, 3:35, 4:11, 4:16, 4:02, 4:05, 4:15, 4:09, 4:13, 4:12, 4:04, 4:04, 4:00, 3:52
A better session than Tuesday's. Felt good throughout.
Sunday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:18/Km, 124avg HR
Mileage for the Week - 47Km
Mileage for the Year - 984Km
A couple of mediocre weeks but good to get things under control. Yesterday's workout completed was a great confidence booster ahead of next week.
1 week until Dunshaughlin 10Km
I haven't raced the 10Km distance in more than 5 years (51:14) so a new race PB is coming. Just how much of a PB will depend upon the conditions. In ideal conditions something like a 42:59 would be amazing. Early weather reports showing it as warm so I may need to settle for 43:xx/44:xx. If anyone is out racing or supporting on the evening, please say hello.
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Week of June 17th
Monday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:17/Km, 129avg HR
Tuesday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:17/Km, 135avg HR
Wednesday - Rest day
Thursday - 45' easy with 20" strides * 5 - 7Km, 6:12/Km, 128avg HR
Friday - 35' easy - 5.5Km, 6:22/Km, 132avg HR
Saturday - Dunshaughlin 10Km - 44:23 - 10Km, 4:26/Km, 177avg HR
It was chilly with a bit of a drizzle as I lined up to use the portaloos. Perhaps the heat wasn't something to worry about… it was. A quick chat with Lazare around this time and also spotted Lambay a few minutes later. I got a 15 min warm up done with a few strides thrown in and then we were off. Not doing a Km by Km review, tis all a blur at this stage. A PB of 6:51 which is great. The warm weather really got me about halfway as the roads became a bit more sheltered from the breeze. The hills at 6.5Km and 7.5Km also took their toll. I'm happy with such a huge PB on 10Km distance but know on a cooler day that there's another 60-90 seconds to come off that. The best word I can come up with on how I feel is content. I suffered at my last road race in Ireland 2 years ago at Docklands 5Km so I think I may skip future races in summer time to avoid this.
In terms of the actual race. It was very well organised. Plenty of parking. Number collection was prompt. T-shirt is nice. Lots of water at the end. A quick chat with Lambay at the finish line before a nice stroll back to the car and then got out for pints that night.
4:16, 4:17, 4:15, 4:24, 4:20, 4:20, 4:34, 4:46, 4:25, 4:34
Sunday - Rest day
Mileage for the Week - 40Km
Mileage for the Year - 984Km
There was pints on Saturday night and then more on Sunday night so recovery has been poor. A few doms in the legs but nothing too concerning. A down/recovery week before getting into a block of training for Dublin 1/2 and Rathfarnham 5Km in September. I have also booked in for Malaga 1/2 in December so that should round the racing year for me. I might try jam in a 10Km somewhere to see if I can break 43 but not going to stress about it if I can't find something suitable.
13 weeks until Dublin 1/2
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Week of June 24th
Monday - 30' easy - 5Km, 6:11/Km, 134avg HR
Tuesday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:25/Km, 139avg HR
Wednesday - 55' easy - 9Km, 6:13/Km, 134avg HR + 60' basketball
Thursday - Rest day
Friday - Unplanned rest day
Saturday - Unplanned rest day
Sunday - 90' easy - 14.5Km, 6:14/Km, 140avg HR
Mileage for the Week - 35Km
Mileage for the Year - 1060Km
Things were going ok until I woke up on Thursday morning with tonsilitis. I usually get this when stressed (not atm) or run down… this would be it. Clearly the two nights out and lack of sleep caught up with me. A dose of antibiotics has cleared things up and I am back training this week.
12 weeks until Dublin 1/2
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Week of July 1st
Monday - 65' easy - 10Km, 6:20/Km, 137avg HR
Tuesday - 20' easy, ((40" strides, jog recovery)* 5) * 3, 20' easy - 12Km, 6:14/Km, 140avg HR
Wednesday - 30' easy - 5Km, 6:10/Km, 125avg HR + 60' basketball
Legs felt heavy during the run and then also later in basketball.
Thursday - 65' easy - 10.5Km, 6:12/Km, 129avg HR
Friday - 30' easy, Drills followed by (8" hill blasts, walk recovery) * 4, 30' easy - 11Km, 6:45/Km, 124avg HR
Saturday - 30' easy, 30' @ 1/2, 30' easy - 16Km, 5:34/Km, 143avg HR
Sunday - Rest day
Mileage for the Week - 65Km
Mileage for the Year - 1124Km
First training week of the DCHM block. Nothing exciting.
11 weeks until Dublin 1/2
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Week of July 8th
Monday - 65' easy - 10.5Km, 6:11/Km, 133avg HR + 20' S&C
Tuesday - 20' easy, ((40" strides, jog recovery)* 5) * 3, 4' easy, 2' hard, 20' easy - 12Km, 6:16/Km, 135avg HR
This session felt much better this week.
Wednesday - 60' basketball
Thursday - 65' easy - 10.5Km, 6:16/Km, 137avg HR
Friday - 30' easy, Drills followed by (8" hill blasts, walk recovery) * 6, 30' easy - 11Km
Not including pace or HR as the walking section drastically changes it. A good session. Liking the drills and hill blasts.
Saturday - 30' easy, 35' @ 1/2, 30' easy - 17Km, 5:30/Km, 151avg HR
This felt better than last Saturday's run.
Sunday - Rest day
Mileage for the Week - 63Km
Mileage for the Year - 1187Km
Much better week this week. Sleep and recovery were much improved. I'd be happy if every week was this smooth.
10 weeks until Dublin 1/2
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Week of July 15th
Monday - 65' easy - 10.5Km, 6:06/Km, 124avg HR
Tuesday - 20' easy, ((40" strides, jog recovery)* 5) * 3, 4' easy, 3' hard, 20' easy - 14Km, 6:10/Km, 138avg HR
Good progress in this workout this week.
Wednesday - 65' easy - 10.5Km, 6:13/Km, 132avg HR
Thursday - 45' easy - 7Km, 6:25/Km, 121avg HR
I ran this with the eldest lad. His longest run. Chuffed with himself, rightly so.
Friday - 30' easy, 40' @ 1/2, 30' easy - 18Km, 5:29/Km, 152avg HR
It was 20 degrees out so I wasn't looking forward to this. The last few 3 minutes of the 1/2 pace were on an incline and I was toast at this stage. Overall it felt easier than the previous week's effort with an extra 5 minutes thrown in.
Saturday - Cycling - ~4hrs45mins, ~105Km - Meeting a few friends up past Dundalk for some pints so I opted to cycle up. Pissed rain for the first 2 hours which made for a tough start. The rain eventually went away though the sun never broke through. I forgot to unpause after a brief stop to adjust the route due to a road traffic accident so lost about 15Km/45mins of the trip.
Sunday - Cycling - 5hrs26mins, 121Km - Took a few detours on the way back and stopped at a historic sites (long woman's grave, Monasterboise etc.). A headwind from start to finish made for a demoralising spin home. The legs didn't really feel normal until about 3 hours in. I'd not checked the hurling score so as I was approaching Drumcondra, there were hundreds of Cork jerseys leaving the city so I guessed correctly that Clare took the win. Gardai were stopping traffic by the old Quinn's pub. Held up for about 5 minutes as 000s of Cork folks were departing the stadium. It was a welcome break and the legs felt a little fresher for the final 10Km to home.
Mileage for the Week - 60Km
Mileage for the Year - 1247Km
A compacted week of running due to the cycling at the weekend. No hill reps as I didn't want to flog the body so opted for an easy run on that day. Some light doms in the legs today after the cycling. A normal enough week coming up.
9 weeks until Dublin 1/2
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Week of July 22nd
Monday - 65' easy - 10.5Km, 6:09/Km, 128avg HR
Tuesday - Sunday - Unplanned down time
Mileage for the Week - 10Km
Mileage for the Year - 1197Km
A short update this week. The easy run on Monday felt fine until I got some light pain on the outside and rear of my heel. It wasn't a show stopper at the time. When I got home and took the shoes off, it felt worse. I had a terrible night's sleep with it and then when I woke up on Tuesday it was worse again. I got to one of the Affidea clinics and was lucky to get an MRI on it that day. Until the results came back, the doctor had me wear a boot though he felt it was just some inflammation due to overuse. MRI result came back all clear. Just need to rest from running and wait until my physio visit on Tuesday to see where I'm at moving forward. Pain has eased a lot and I have been walking without the boot since last Thursday.
7 weeks until Dublin 1/2
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