Boards DCM22 Graduates Thread - A Deeper Understanding

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120307284#Comment_120307284

All going well

I did week 5 and 6 of the plan doing all of these runs (not necessarily in this order)

Last week

1. 60 min very easy
2. 40 min Tempo
3. 60 min very easy
4. 60 min moderate
5. 2 hr 30 easy

This week

1. 60 min very easy
2. 3x10 min @ Threshold w/ 4 min rec
3. 60 min very easy
4. 60 min very easy
5. 75 min moderate

Had done all runs by Friday so "rewarded" myself this morning by attempting a parkrun pb at St Annes where I knocked 7 seconds of my previous best time.

Body feeling good. Tendons holding up well and actually feeling better now than they did at the start of the year. My weight seems to have stabilised since the troubles I had in 2022. My runners are reaching the end of their life so I am bedding in a new pair and the moment (which I wore this morning so they must be ok). The old ones look awful but they were comfy. It is all going good.

I am contemplating Wicklow half at the end of the month which might be timely for that distance

Dublinlad1989

Ran in the Naas 10 mile yesterday, my previous personal best for a 10 mile was in 2019 in 1 hour 24 mins and last August in the Frank Duffy 10 mile i hit 1 hour 30 mins after about 6 weeks of training.

I knew from my training over the last few months since starting with a running coach that i'd be able to target my PB so went out fairly strong (probably a bit too fast for the first few km) but was able to maintain it throughout the entire race and ended up finishing in 1 hour 19 mins so a PB of 5 mins :) (my strava shows 10 miles at 1: 18 but the race time was 1:19 average 4:53 per km.

Overall extremely happy and training has been going really well lately! 183 kms ran in February which is my highest month of training ever and looking forward to my next race

TheRef

That's a cracking result @Dublinlad1989. Fair play to you.

I also ran the same race, and while I also hit a PB (1.23, about 4 mins faster than 2022), I was about 90 seconds out from what I was targeting. Just struggled with lack of energy throughout. My breathing was fine for the first half and much of the second and HR averaged just 145, whereas a 10k with same pace from December averaged 167.

Maybe it was an absence of any speed training over the last couple of months due to an ongoing calf injury, which caused me to wear compression socks yesterday. Maybe it was some overheating as for the first time in along time felt the salt on my face afterwards.

Whatever it was, I'm taking the positives out of it as the 5.07 pace was my 10th quickest pace over any distance more than 5km and the quickest pace over anything more than 10km.

Dublinlad1989

Thanks @TheRef i'm chuffed with the time!

Fair play to you, it might not be what you wanted but a 4 min PB is a serious achievement!! I kept expecting to have a few km in the second half that were going to be slower than my average but the conditions were perfect and it was a relatively flat course! I'm use to running in a quite hilly area so the flat road was a blessing!

Something i've learned since the marathon is speed training is so important, at least one of my sessions each week is a speed interval session and its been amazing seeing the benefits. My "Slow" average pace has increased and my overall fitness is much better compared to where i was 4/5 months ago.

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120309613#Comment_120309613

Ah no, get yourself recovered, hopefully nothing too serious and good as you said that it's a step back week.

I'd say treat Wicklow as a really great training run. I haven't ran it but have seen the profile, pretty hilly alright.

A great glute workout 😉

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120313440#Comment_120313440

Fantastic stuff PR, you're really consistent, constantly putting in solid work. Very impressive.

A parkrun pb to boot, again. 👊

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120319638#Comment_120319638

Fanbleedintastic Dublinlad. Chuffed for you!!

That is some chunk off the pb!

No coincidence it's off the back of your highest ever volume month.

Keep up the consistency now and you're gonna smash everything this year.

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320067#Comment_120320067

Well done, and dead right to take positives from it. Should always walk away with something from a race, maybe moreso when it doesn't go to plan.

Plenty of lifestyle factors can influence that lacking energy feeling, just make sure you're getting tons of aerobic running in. Assuming your calf issue allows you.

If it's fine for easy running but problematic for speed workouts maybe incorporate a lot more hills into your runs.

MisterJinx

Over a month since my last update, times flies doesn't it. Well done to PR, Dublin Lad and the The Ref on great races and PB's, the training is paying off for you all, smashing results.

Training has been a little lower than expected but still getting it in. Feb was 165K with an interval session most week, although getting this in weekly is going to be difficult from now on however will aim to try and do it on my own when I can't be at the club session. Also fitted in a nice holiday with the OH and ran 6 out of the 7 days which was lovely in the warm weather. Times and distances wern't very long but it was still getting out and getting them in. Couple of days missed with travel etc but kept it going and enjoyable.

Went back to the track session yesterday and thought I'd be in fine enough shape but boy did I feel it, couldn't keep up the paces at all, I expect it'll take me a couple of weeks to get back there :-(

Still a bit aimless on the race front, didn't sign up to Bohermeen in the end as with the holidays planned etc I knew that it wouldn't work. I need to put a couple of targets in place to get some focus. Again I still have a lot of life going on, like everyone else, and it's a little hard to commit just at the moment but I'll keep with getting out and getting the easy base running done. I think it's also time that I can add in some tempo or threshold work into the week to complement the 1 interval session. So 1xinterval session and 1xtempo/threshold (probably 1k repeats) and then the rest easy running.

Going to check out a gym over near where I work that might be an option for me to use weekly instead of my wednesday run. Sacrificing a run but I think it'll benefit me overall if it's good. There seems to be a weighting in the sessions to cardio (looks like a kind of HITT with run, bike & some weights) and I'd prefer more Core and strength but I'll go check it out tomorrow and see if it's worth it.

Pawwed Rig

This running lark is a hard sell on days like today. Luckily the running Gods had my back giving me a tail wind on Dollymount this morning. Running into the wind would cut you in 2

Me poor legs. Just over 5 weeks till marathon. First and last 100k week

MisterJinx

A not too bad last 10 days. Started to mixed up the runs just a little.

3 more runs the week before last with a steady run to keep warm and a long ish run at the weekend. Total for the week 33K but there were 2 x evening commitments that had to take priority so it was ok.

This last week was much better in terms of getting out. 5 runs in total, 63K for the week and I got in the threshold session. Monday Intervals went ok-ish, starting to get the pace back on the 200s 400s and 800s but still struggling on the K repeat(s). I think this is both fitness and mental as I am confident I can hold the paces on the shorter distances but mentally I'm not as confident on the K's.

Easy Tuesday and Wed and then the threshold session on Thursday. I hate this but I know they are most beneficial to me. As a first one back in quite a while I decided on a warm up with 2 x 10 minutes at threshold. At the end of the second I thought I could squeeze out another bit so got in another 5 mins, so a 10 10 5 and suitably tired at the end. I intend to keep building on these and adding a bit more time onto each of the reps although I was running a little hot at the end so I need to pair back the paces a little to match the current fitness level.

Was going to try get out Friday but went out for some drinks and decided that with a longer run intended on Sunday I could wind up putting in too much effort for the week so gladly skipped it.

Sunday long run was one of the best in a long time. Really cracking morning for it and tripped along at a low HR and was very happy with the pace it came in overall. Perhaps some of the returned consistancy is starting to kick in a bit.

As for races, looking at the Irish runner 5K and the Bru Na Boinne 5k in May and June as the days suit and then look at a 10k or 10 mile in July before holidays.

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120379686#Comment_120379686

Great work, really excellent stuff.

Are you following a plan or are you designing things yourself?

What have you got in mind for the 5k target, in terms of a goal and the structure of the build up?

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120380892#Comment_120380892

Hi C, my week is fairly structured in terms of what I can do and when.

The aim is 5 days running a week, 1 x club interval session which is usually based around 5K pace sessions e.g. last night was 100's 200's and 5x1K @5K pace. Second session will be tempo or threshold and I'm using a mix of previous sessions I did last year and sessions from the Grads 5k/10k plan (they are similar enough session just usually split a little differently). Long run on the weekend which I aim to have around 1.45 to 2 hours (distance will vary depending on whether running solo or not). Everything else will be easy running.

Also looks like I might have found an gym session which works with my availability, going to do a free class this week on Wednesday so Wednesday run may now be very short but the S&C should be a good introduction.

Ah now you've asked me to put a marker down.. So I did my first sub 20 in july last year so I would hope that I can go sub 20 again and down to 19 low.

Lazare

Nice one P, that sounds really solid.

I love the confidence and belief too. You will absolutely achieve that with that sort of prep.

masterK

I haven't updated in a while. I'm in week 8 of 17 using the Meno training plan with the target being Cork at the start of June.

Generally everything has been going well, the week before last was my highest ever weekly total with 77km done with a 29km LSR.

Last week was a step back week which included the Wicklow Half marathon.

Wicklow was a funny sort of race for me, I really struggled in the first 7km, my heart rate was between 190-200 and I felt very sluggish and was averaging 5:15 per km. I think I may have overdone my first effort at carb loading the night before 😃. I finally settled into a good rhythm and the HR dropped. It's a reasonably tough course with a lot of ups and downs and a decent wind which didn't always help. I finished very strongly and dipped in just under the 1h40 mark which took 3 mins off my PB. I'll quantify that by saying almost everyone I seen on Strava had the distance about 200m short so I suspect it wasn't quite a full half.

Did anyone else do it? I still can't believe soon after the start of the route with everyone having to cross a tiny pedestrian bridge, everyone had to walk it as it was so tight. It was a bizarre choice of route (maybe the organizers had no choice)

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120411546#Comment_120411546

Fair play on the PB on a pretty tough course.

Your sub 4 shot at Cork looks very very achievable.

How confident are you yourself?

masterK

Cheers, tbh I'd be pretty disappointed if I can't achieve it. The last few months have went well training wise, I've taken decent chunks off some PBs so all in all I reckon I'm in a good place

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120452512#Comment_120452512

Brilliant.

That's the attitude.

I'm confident you'll smash it.

turfman1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120411546#Comment_120411546

I ran Wicklow half also and it was very hilly. You’ll smash 4hrs going by your time for that Half. In fact I’d say sub 4 as in 3:59 if that’s your goal? is even a soft target.

AlmightyCushion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120411546#Comment_120411546

I did it as well. You weren't actually meant to cross that bridge you were meant to stay on the road. They really should have had a sign up saying that though as it was such an easy mistake to make.

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120452719#Comment_120452719

Yep, totally agree.

Lazare

I ran my sub 4 in 2017 and I've just looked back at my half time from the build up.

I ran 1:46:14.

That was a much faster course than Wicklow.

You'll blast it.

Lazare

For anyone else following that link I put in the random questions thread, please feel free to join in here.

Everyone welcome.

The plans in the OP are absolutely top notch, you would serve yourself well having a look over them.

Lazare

@Pawwed Rig PR, how are you feeling about Belfast?

Taper beginning next week?

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120452983#Comment_120452983

Not sure. I got a bit of a strain in my calf 6k into a 15k run yesterday evening. It was sore and I had to walk for a while but managed to finish the run. Was a bit tender this morning so I took today off. Still feels tight this evening.

I have the 3 hour run to do in the morning so will see how it holds up.

Pawwed Rig

I did 30km (which is the 2nd longest run I ever did) this morning and thankfully no bad effects on the calf strain. Feels fine now so hard to know what the issue was. It may have been as simple as a hydration issue.

I am doing the Battle of Clontarf 10 mile in Monday which will incorporate a 75 min tempo run that I missed last week. After that it is the taper to D Day on April 30th.

Looking forward to it now. I have put the work in and my target time should be well within my capabilities so hopefully it will be an enjoyable experience

masterK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120452756#Comment_120452756

Aha, that makes sense. I did it last year too and didn't cross that bridge. We all just followed like sheep. It also explains why everyone was 200 metres under the distance

masterK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120452719#Comment_120452719

I'm hoping I can on the day, Dublin was my only other full, it didn't go to plan so its shook my confidence a little. My plan is to aim for about 3:55 in the first half, if I'm feeling good at that point hopefully I can push on a bit more

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120455842#Comment_120455842

When you say the race will incorporate a temp run do you mean you won't be 'racing' it as such? Presume not as a 30k run a couple of days before would not have been a great idea. Even if not racing I'd be wary enough about taking on this race/session so soon after such a long effort, itself the day after calf niggle. You need to be really careful managing the effort over the final few weeks, especially considering all the good work put in to date. Good luck!