Starting at the Very Start

FIFA2004 · 07-07-2016 07:46PM

Thursday 7th July
4mins moderate
5.7km at average 7.54/km
7.40, 8.10, 8.12, 7.56, 7.40, 7.41(.7km)

Leaving do last night ended with 4 hrs sleep before work, thankfully not too much of a sore head this am. Forced myself to get the moderate pace run done tonight, as things are gonna be busy next few days with the move.
Wanted to aim for around 8min/km. The splits kinda tell the story of this run fairly well, first km was tough but ok, second and third took all my effort not to slow down to 9+km/min, finally settled into a pace, worked out around 7.50min/km in on 4 and from then on quite enjoyed this. Tough but enjoyably so!

FIFA2004 · 07-07-2016 11:15PM

Finally bit the bullet; signed up for the race series 10km, 10mile and half marathon! Feels like an even bigger challenge after paying! Might take me all day to finish it though!

FIFA2004 · 08-07-2016 08:04PM

Friday 8th July
39mins easy
4.4km

Finished up work today in castlebar. Really really sad about that, some great people, great memories and learnt so much!! Managed to squeeze in a quick run this evening, had to cut the planned 45 mins a bit short. True to form for what's probably my last run in Mayo it's absolutely hammering rain!

FIFA2004 · 10-07-2016 08:27PM

Sunday 10th July
90mins
9.51km

Spent all yesterday packing, apart from a 10km walk on the greenway, should have been more prepared, brought my running stuff and done my lsr! Nice way to leave mayo!
Landed back in the big smoke this afternoon, unpacked and then decided to explore. Turns out I'm pretty much in kilmainham which opens up a lot more places to run than inchicore.
Picked a road and ran up it - randomly ended up at kilmainham jail and then kept going, trying to keep in loops so I wouldn't get too lost! I think the novelty of not having much of an idea where I was meant I didn't pay any attention to how long/how far/how slow I was going... In reality I fell into a stupidly slow pace! The hills around here are like nothing I've ever ran before, just because they keep on coming! Should do me good

Happy to have gotten in all the runs this week, cuz changeover madness could have got in the way!

FIFA2004 · 15-07-2016 04:51PM

My phone had an unfortunate coming together with some water on Monday so been Internet-less since then!

Tuesday 12th July
60mins, 9min easy, 1 fast x 6
6.6km

Really wasn't feeling the love for this one! No music due to the phone incident. Went up to the canal and ran up and down there. The fast sections broke up the run nicely, think I would have struggled with motivation without them! Varied from 5.30 to 6.30min/km for the fast bits

Thursday 14th July
Dublin Docklands 5km
34.35mins
6.40, 7.02, 7.09, 7.18, 6.24

Was looking forward to this one as it would give me a measure of where I'm actually at at the moment, given the slowing of my easy runs for no apparent reason and the relatively recent return to consistency
First evening race, had a big bowl of pasta as an early lunch and then some rice cakes just before. Probably didn't drink enough water over the course of the day
Lined up about 10 rows behind the 30min pacers, planned to just see what happened, not try to keep up. Turns out they got away very quickly

One of the tougher 5k ive done, felt like I was struggling hugely the whole way around....maybe that's what this is supposed to feel like thou. The km 's all merge into one but it all felt tough and like I was working
Finished in 34.35..... So really status quo. Not sure how to feel about that. I had visions of a pb but was fearing a return to the 40min days too. Looking objectively its 15 seconds off my pb (which was a course I'm still concerned was short!) and 1min faster than my last 5km which came at the end of my best block of training, so happy enough really

Gonna go for a 60min very easy run now, and next up is the fingal 10km next Sunday. That will replace next weeks long run (with a warm up and cool down it will be about equal I hope) and will try fit the rest of next weeks run in early in the week. Anxious not to miss too many of the plan if I can because the main goal is the half marathon and not embarrassing myself there!

The Muppet · 15-07-2016 04:56PM

FIFA2004 wrote: »

My phone had an unfortunate coming together with some water on Monday so been Internet-less since then!

Tuesday 12th July
60mins, 9min easy, 1 fast x 6
6.6km

Really wasn't feeling the love for this one! No music due to the phone incident. Went up to the canal and ran up and down there. The fast sections broke up the run nicely, think I would have struggled with motivation without them! Varied from 5.30 to 6.30min/km for the fast bits

Thursday 14th July
Dublin Docklands 5km
34.35mins
6.40, 7.02, 7.09, 7.18, 6.24

Was looking forward to this one as it would give me a measure of where I'm actually at at the moment, given the slowing of my easy runs for no apparent reason and the relatively recent return to consistency
First evening race, had a big bowl of pasta as an early lunch and then some rice cakes just before. Probably didn't drink enough water over the course of the day
Lined up about 10 rows behind the 30min pacers, planned to just see what happened, not try to keep up. Turns out they got away very quickly
One of the tougher 5k ive done, felt like I was struggling hugely the whole way around....maybe that's what this is supposed to feel like thou. The km 's all merge into one but it all felt tough and like I was working
Finished in 34.35..... So really status quo. Not sure how to feel about that. I had visions of a pb but was fearing a return to the 40min days too. Looking objectively its 15 seconds off my pb (which was a course I'm still concerned was short!) and 1min faster than my last 5km which came at the end of my best block of training, so happy enough really

Gonna go for a 60min very easy run now, and next up is the fingal 10km next Sunday. That will replace next weeks long run (with a warm up and cool down it will be about equal I hope) and will try fit the rest of next weeks run in early in the week. Anxious not to miss too many of the plan if I can because the main goal is the half marathon and not embarrassing myself there!

Congratulations on the PB fifa, You should always be proud of a pb. The best of luck in Fingal.

FIFA2004 · 16-07-2016 05:43PM

Just realized how badly I phrased that! I meant 15 seconds slower than my pb! I ran 34.20 at the start of March, but never been 100 percent convinced that it was real as it wasn't chip timed and my watch registered very short (obviously it never gets exactly 5km but this was a good way off!) Anyway onwards to fingal!

The Muppet · 16-07-2016 07:40PM

FIFA2004 wrote: »

Just realized how badly I phrased that! I meant 15 seconds slower than my pb! I ran 34.20 at the start of March, but never been 100 percent convinced that it was real as it wasn't chip timed and my watch registered very short (obviously it never gets exactly 5km but this was a good way off!) Anyway onwards to fingal!

Oh Right . I took it ip wrong. Looking foread to fingal myself . Hoping it's not a humid as it has been of late.

FIFA2004 · 17-07-2016 06:28PM

The Muppet wrote: »

Oh Right . I took it ip wrong. Looking foread to fingal myself . Hoping it's not a humid as it has been of late.

Yeah should be good! I kept telling myself that it can't be as bad as the mini marathon was but if today is anything to judge by it might be!

FIFA2004 · 17-07-2016 06:38PM

Friday 15th July
45 min recovery run
4.65km

The plan had 60min easy left for the week. Decided to get it in at a slower pace than usual (if that's even possible) legs were tight and tired at the start but loosened out well. Struggled up a hill and then stopped at traffic lights, when I went to run again everything felt exhausted so decided a better plan was to cut it short. Walked the last 15mins at a decent pace instead

Today was meant to be lsr day, but after a horrible 24 hr call followed by no sleep due to the Dublin match I'm gonna have to postpone it. Fell asleep both ways on the bus and barely had the energy to make it home! Not sire how I'll restructure the week now but I'll figure something out

FIFA2004 · 18-07-2016 11:20PM

Monday 18th July
1hr46mins
11.18km at 9.28min/km

Postponed lsr this evening. Far from ideal as this week of the is already difficult to get the runs in with the 10km but I wouldn't have been able for it yesterday

Headed out at 7.30pm, thankfully there was a breeze around as well as the sweltering heat from the day. Headed from kilmainham to the phoenix park and ran the length of Chesterfield avenue and back to heuston. Lovely evenong, lovely scenery, loads of runners so didn't feel like the only one not in a beer garden! Fell into a comfortable pace after I'd got up the one decent hill on the way over and barely noticed the time going by. Slower than I'd like my runs to be but I think I need to park worrying about that until after the half marathon. No music since the phone/water incident, didn't bother me at all but I can't remember a thing I was thinking about! Secong half felt great, like I could run forever, one of those evenings where I was thanking god that I took up running in the first place.

It all went a bit wrong from there

Stopped running at heuston, desperate for a drink, it was insanly hot even if o didnt feel it running. Shop was closed and didn't have change for the vending machine, had planned to jump on the luas there to avoid the walk home as was starting to feel wrecked... Up to the next shop and nearly cried when they wouldn't let me in 2mins after closing. Detour away from home to the next shop... Thankfully open! Downed a lucozade sport and got the only flavoured milk they had... I'm blaming the dehydration for thinking that banana milk and lucozade wouldn't make my stomach turn! Jumped on the luas so the walk home would be down hill and not up!!

One thing I do remember thinking about is that I need to pick thru the novice thread for all the advice there on nutrition, stretching, foam rolling, fuelling etc etc etc. Currently I do none of any of them, and while the distances are a million miles away from the novices the time I'm spending running is getting fairly high so need to consider that stuff!!

Firedance · 19-07-2016 02:51PM

Here's a boards tip

when you find the posts your looking for in the novices thread, click on the number in the top right hand corner (eg your post above is no 372) when you do that it opens the post in a separate window, you can then copy the link and save it somewhere like an email or a file in google docs so its handy for whenever you want it! (you might already know this but in case not, I find it extremely handy especially if I don't have time to read a detailed post there and then)

FIFA2004 · 19-07-2016 05:29PM

Firedance wrote: »

Here's a boards tip when you find the posts your looking for in the novices thread, click on the number in the top right hand corner (eg your post above is no 372) when you do that it opens the post in a separate window, you can then copy the link and save it somewhere like an email or a file in google docs so its handy for whenever you want it! (you might already know this but in case not, I find it extremely handy especially if I don't have time to read a detailed post there and then)

That's brilliant thanks!!!!! Hopefully I'll have a quiet call tomorrow and I'll start sifting through

FIFA2004 · 21-07-2016 09:34PM

Tuesday 19th July
55mins easy, 5mins tempo
6.2km

Decided to try combine a recovery run with one of the runs on the plan for this week. Ran the easy bit at my recovery pace, and then picked it up for 5min tempo at the end, at about 6.50min/km. starting to see the benefits of recovery runs as felt a lot better after than before!

Today was meant to be a session from the plan, 50mins tempo but life threw up a series of disasters today which left no time for anything other than trying to deal.
Probably not the worse thing to happen running wise as my legs felt very tired this am on the way home from work. Gonna abandon the plan until Sunday's over. Probably will do an easy run tomorrow with some strides, rest Saturday and fingal 10km Sunday.
As always 1st aim is not to come last, a more realistic worry in the race series than ever before! Hoping to beat my time from WMM of 80mins, have more solid training behind me for this one so fingers crossed!

21-07-2016 11:50PM

Best of luck in the Fingal 10k FIFA! You have put in many many hours of 'legwork' which will def stand to you on the day

mel.b · 22-07-2016 06:03AM

Good luck with the 10k Fifa

Ososlo · 22-07-2016 07:45AM

Great training lately FIFA! You should feel very confident ahead of Sunday.
Have a great race!!!

Firedance · 22-07-2016 07:58AM

The very best of luck on Sunday FIFA!! also, have a look on the novices thread, they're meeting up after the race, do go over and say hello!

gypsylee · 22-07-2016 10:32AM

I really enjoyed reading your log Fifa. You are where I want to be in the next few months so your log has inspired me to get out there and make it happen.

Best of luck on Sunday. Looking forward to reading your report.

FIFA2004 · 23-07-2016 11:46AM

gypsylee wrote: »

I really enjoyed reading your log Fifa. You are where I want to be in the next few months so your log has inspired me to get out there and make it happen.

Best of luck on Sunday. Looking forward to reading your report.

Really appreciate you saying that! If I can do this then anyone can, best of luck with it!!

FIFA2004 · 23-07-2016 11:50AM

Thanks for the good wishes everyone! Starting to feel oddly nervous!

Saturday 23rd July
46mins
4.86km

Yesterday turned into yet another one of those kinda days! Could have got a run in at 11pm but decided some sleep was needed and 12 hours wouldn't change much for Sunday. Headed out this am, as always insanely slow, done 6 strides at the end, again just counting to 20 and seeing what happened. I tend to count quicker the faster I run so they work out around the same distance!
Passed a man in a dcm 13 tee shirt just before I finished, I think that was the first time it dawned on me that I want one of those some day!

FIFA2004 · 24-07-2016 02:28PM

Sunday 24th July
Dublin race series Fingal 10km
1hr17:33
Splits: 7.41, 7.30, 7.23, 7.38, 8.08, 7.57, 7.57, 7.50, 7.43, 7.58, 7.31, 5.01 (.1km)

Pb by 2.30 mins, delighted!!!

Plan for this was to aim to stay between 7.30 and 8mins per km throughout, if I could do that I'd have a nice pb
Up this morning late, had overnight oats ready so ate some of that, coffee and water quickly. Ran to use the bathroom and most of it came back up again (sorry tmi I know!). Bitta panic over what to do, grabbed my water and a cereal bar on the way out the door, had them very slowly in the car and felt a bit less quesy. I don't tend to eat in the morning because I get post nasal drip which makes me a bit nauseous in the am, will need to sort this for the future. Was worried about not eating enough and taking the gels on an empty stomach but hadn't much of a choice now! Dropped my bag with no hassle and went for a warm up, ran for 10mins, no idea what pace. Few stretches and headed to start line. Tried to start at the back but more people kept coming!!! Took a gel before the start, felt fine after thankfully.

Off we went up Swords main st, the crowd thinned out and I ended up with a group from waterfront (or side? Or something else!) warriors. Kept with these either just ahead or behind or in the middle until about 6km. They were watching the pace carefully which helped me cuz I would have pulled off too fast if I was alone. Felt great and spent a lot of it laughing at people who were angry at the road closures (an airhostess that wanted the race stopped because she was late for work, and a middle age lady kicking a lucozade sign because she didn't want to step onto the road to go around it! It didn't move... Eventually she did!)

Glad of the water station at 4ish km and a few high fives on the way. Felt great until 6km, had started having thoughts of finishing in 1.12 ish as I got to half way under 36 mins. Struggled til about 8km, not massively, everything still felt fine but not able to maintain the pace I had been. Could feel the end was near at 8 and tried to push on. The firehose was a great distraction and another water station. Loads of support here from stewards and people who had finished which really helped.

Got to 9km and was wondering where singers big mountain was... I'd say my face dropped a mile when I actually saw it! Struggled up, turned the corner and saw the beautiful downhill to the end. Managed a sprint down the hill, and lovely boost when I heard the announcer call my name! Over the finish line somehow and had to stop until I could catch my breath again! Got my teeshirt and devoured an apple (I don't even like apples!) and hit the pavilion for some celebration shopping.

So 2.30mins off my mini marathon time, and overall a much more enjoyable and comfortable experience. Got a lot more experience of these kinda races too... Went out too fast probably and suffered for it a bit at the end, and need to come up with a morning routine that doesn't end how this mornings did! That probably means getting my lsrs done in the morning so I can practise, and starting to take my antihistamine again. First time I ever did a warm up, and as short and slow as it was I felt it helped

All in all a very good day at the office for me. If anyone has got this far reading.... Fair play!

Maximus Alexander · 24-07-2016 03:16PM

Well done Fifa, that's a decent chunk off the PB.

FIFA2004 · 24-07-2016 03:20PM

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Well done Fifa, that's a decent chunk off the PB.

Thanks max! Hope ur happy too

Maximus Alexander · 24-07-2016 03:32PM

Yep, I'll have a report up this evening

FIFA2004 · 24-07-2016 03:40PM

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Yep, I'll have a report up this evening

Looking forward to reading it with a pb beer

mel.b · 24-07-2016 05:03PM

Well done Fifa, great effort

24-07-2016 06:06PM

Congrats FIFA! I love reading both your log & Mel B's - ye are both so dedicated!

Inspiring work girls - keep it up

The Muppet · 25-07-2016 06:20AM

Well done Fifa thats a nice chunk off you PB.

Sorry I missed you after . I had family with me and they were keen to get fed . Next time .

gypsylee · 25-07-2016 10:35AM

Well done FIFA. You did great.

Starting at the Very Start

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