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From Couch 25k To Where Ever

The Muppet

I've been toying with the idea of starting a log here for quite some time now and today's the day. I hope it will help keep me motivated and help gauge progression. if anyone else starting to run can take anything from it that would be great too. We all run for different reasons some for competition some for fun and others for the health benefits.

About me. I'm 51 year old type 2 diabetic. About 2.5 years ago I was obese , had a zero level of fitness and without going into too many details my illness was out of control. I had two Grandchildren then and my desire to see them grow up inspired me to make changes.

In February 2013 I started the Couch 25k (c25k) program. I used to go out early in the morning so that no body would see me struggle to run. I used to look ahead to the schedule for the next week and just laugh and think there's no way I will be able to do that but I did successfully completed the program in april 2013 without missing a run . Eureka I could run slowly, 2.5 k in 30 minutes non stop .

From April to September 2013 I ran a few miles a couple of times a week but I really missed the structure of the plan, In October 2013 I stopped running, I didn't make a conscious decision to stop I just started putting it of until the next day , that became a week and then the next month. I was out for 4 months.

In Febuary 2014 I started to notice that the benefits I had gained from running were starting to reverse , I really didn't want to go back there so I started up again. I found I could only run for 10 minutes at a time so I started on week 4 of the program and completed it again.

When I finished the program I knew I needed a plan to continued to run so I set a target to run 10k by my 50th Birthday I ran 3 or 4 times a week and ran the 10k with a couple of weeks to spare.

I then started the Hal Higdon intermediate half marathon plan and successfully completed that distance in November 2015 in a time of 2 hours 22 mins.

I lost focus again then and ran very little until April 2015. I started back then I have been running every week since. I am running 5 days a week an average of 26 miles a week . One long Run (8 to 14 miles), One Hill sprint session, and a 4 or 5 mile run three times a week.

Up to this week all my runs were solo efforts, I did the paced mile the other night and I really enjoyed the event. So now I feel I am ready to go to the next level which will involve more events, park runs, 10,ks , Half Marathon and hopefully the full Marathon in 2016 , that's the plan and I know I need a plan so I will see how that goes. I will be using this log to track my progress.

Clearlier posted a plan here following the 2014 Dublin City Marathon , I intent to follow that plan over the next few months to see where that takes me and then next year all being well I will follow the Boards Marathon Training plan.

My PBs to date

1 mile 7:22 Chip Timing Aug 2015
5k 29.14
10 k 1:04:20
13.1 Miles 2:22:00

With the exception of the mile all these times are from solo training runs and timed on my Garmin watch.

My Weigh Loss to date is 4.5 stone

My Diabetes is under control

Apologies for the long winded introduction but its been a bit of a roller coaster to date. Constructive criticism and advice will always be taken on board and appreciated.

Oh Re The Username: It seemed as good as any when I signed up to boards many moons ago for the crack on the soccer forum (*), I'm stuck with it now and as the saying goes I am not my username .

*(I don't even watch soccer these days I'd much rather go for a run.)

Thanks for reading

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The Muppet

Legs are surprisingly good today . It's a damp morning definitely one for the tape for anyone venturing out on a long run.

Hope to get a recovery run in at some time today

The Muppet

2 mile recovery run @ 131 bpm 11.33 pace .

Nice evening here in Waterford . Legs a little sore during the run but otherwise feeling good

Bluesquare

Well done on the 19 miles. Great running . Sounds like you were comfortable throughout !

The Muppet

Had planned 4 miles this morning to compensate for Thursdays missed run but was out last night and had a few too many so I'm in no condition to run at the moment. Home later today but I can't see it happening then either .

The Muppet

Bluesquare wrote: »

Well done on the 19 miles. Great running . Sounds like you were comfortable throughout !

Thanks BS I was comfortable throughout not that it was easy mind . It was tough but I wasn't struggling at any time.

I drove some of the route yesterday and I was surprised at some of the drags on it so It was a decent run for sure.

The Muppet

Well the first run of week 11 completed. 4 miles easy on the plan. Ran it a little too fast . Felt some tiredness in the legs , I hope that's normal . Max hr was 140 so I certainly wasn't pushing hard .
Very humid out today . I went our without my sweatband which was a mistake had the dreaded sweat in the eyes most of the run.

4 miles @ 128 BPM 10:22 pace.

The Muppet

8 miles and enjoyed every stride.
Easy/progression run not intended but I needed a good run for the confidence really. Felt great throughout which surprised me as the legs felt dead this morning.

Splits
1 11.21 125bpm
2 10. 27 129bpm
3 10.17 132 bpm
4 10.15 129bpm
5 9.46 133bpm
6 9.40 133 bpm
7 9.26 136 bpm
8 9.02 135 bpm

Very pleased with those paces and heartrates fingers crossed it's all coming together nicely . I felt really good on this run today the cooler conditions helped .

tailgunner

Very nice run, your heart rate barely moved!

The Muppet

4.11 miles @131 bpm 10.19 pace

A little more humid today and quite a breeze in places . Nice run , feeling good.

Stopped to take phone call in last mile . Hr lower than it would have been for this mile.

The Muppet

Pilates Last Night, really enjoyed that, hadn't made it last week and missed it. Got a few cramps in my calves on some of the movements, tiredness I guess.

I had a good session with the massage stick after the Pilates aided by my good lady wife, The Calves were not too bad actually , Half way up my right thigh was extremely sore during the massage so it got a really good rolling. Legs are a little sore today but should be good to go tomorrow.

The Muppet

I had a really nice 20 mile LSR Today. Felt good throughout but tired a little near the end. Heart rate was good througtout , Paces ranged from 10.09 to 11:13 for the last mile .

Intented to run at 11 minute miles avergae pace was 10:50 and the average Heart rate was only 126bpm so I have to be happy with that.

20.02 miles in 3 hrs 39 @10.50 pace

The Muppet

I got my 3 mile recovery run in this afternoon down along sandymouth, It was lovely out there, nice breeze. I wasn't expecting to run over there I just grabbed the chance when it arose, I had no HRM and wasn't wearing running gear but I was fine for a recovery run.

The soles of my feet were a little sore after yesterdays run, That's a first for me, it's nothing major but no harm logging it.

I had a session with the massage stick last night, Legs were surprisingly good. No hot spots at all just a little tender in general which I'd expect after yesterday, Going to have another one this evening just to make sure all is good.

That was a decent week for me, I got the bit of pace I had back , it had deserted me a few weeks back, I did all the planned runs and had my longest ever LSR of 20 Miles and came out the other side unscathed .

Its a tough week ahead the toughest on the plan I think with 6 easy on Tuesday and 11 miles with 9 @pmp on Wednesday bit its only :eek: a 16 miles lsr next weekend, looking forward to it.

3 miles at 11.24 pace

The Muppet

6.14 miles @124 bpm 10.50 pace

A bit of a meh run tbh I ran it on empty , well sort of empty. I didn't eat this morning but it was my birthday yesterday and had a bit of a family do last night. I ate crap I don't usually and I could feel the effect from a mile in . Had to pitstop at 3 miles and just took it handy for the rest of the run as I was feeling off.

Heartrate was nice and low but I was still feeling tiredness in the legs . Didn't push anything with an eye on tomorrow's run . Going to watch the diet today and hydrate properly in prep for tomorrows pmp run.

tailgunner

Happy birthday!

tony1980

Happy Birthday TM :-)

The Muppet

Today was the day of the run I feared most on the plan 11 mies with 9 @ planned marathon pace. Don't know why but it just looked daunting in the week after a 20 mile and day after 6 so I knew tiredness could be a factor, I see afew other novices express similar concerns.

I Went out at 4.30 this afternoon and it was a little to warm for my liking but ces la vie. I felt tiredness in the legs but strong none the less. I ran it from Coolock to Artane to Clontarf and back along the coast to Baldoyle and up my starting point in Coolock. That effectively split the pmp miles into 3 x 3 mile sections with the second on along the coast.

I was really warm for the first 3 pmp miles and was feeling tiredness but I just plodded along at just under 10 minute miles. mile 4 to seven was into a lovely breeze along the coast felt a lot more comfortable now. Miles 7 to 10 was uphill from teh coast to coolock but there was still a nice breeze and while the legs were tired I had plenty of energy so I just pushed on as best I could these were my fastets miles, Cool down mile saw me finished. The heartrate was pretty steady throughout , happy enough with how things went

Delighted to have that one in the bag , its the last of the unknowns on the plan, all the runs from her on in are repeats of runs I've all ready completed .

splits

1 10:26 136bpm
2 9.54 129bpm
3 9.51 134 bpm
4 9.58 134 bpm
5 9.58 132 bpm
6 10.03 137 bpm
7 10.12 135 bpm
8 9.49 136 bpm
9 9.33 136 bpm
10 9.20 137 bpm
11 10.39 131 bpm

The Muppet

Out for my 3 mile recovery run this lunchtime. I was a little stiff but got it done . Happy it was only recovery run today . Won't get to pilates this evening ' i'll miss it but can't be helped today .

3.1 miles 123 BPM 11.31 Pace.

The Muppet

16 miles @123 BPM 11.02 pace

So much for it being only a 16 mile run , I could feel tiredness in the legs from the off. Kept it at 11 minute miles an tbh I felt grand for the whole run.

I used my new water belt today, it has 4 small bottles , my old bet was 1 large bottle, The new belt allowed me carry clear water and 1 bottle with a zero tab which was handy, I don't like the tabs at all but needs must on warm long runs. I had a yogurt bar 7 miles in and that was the only fueling I used on the run. I didn't feel any adverse effects from lack of fuel though the pace is down a little on last week but then again its been a tough week running just under 60 miles since this day last week.

The Muppet

Head is saying get out and do your recovery run . Legs are saying NO. The Legs are winning at the moment .

Had a session with massage stick yesterday evening . A few painful hotspot's on each leg. Calves mostly . The difference a week makes . Will need to revisit today as well.

Firedance

How about going out for one mile dead slow & home again. 2 miles recovery done & dusted then

unless you're in pain in which case don't!

The Muppet

Firedance wrote: »

How about going out for one mile dead slow & home again. 2 miles recovery done & dusted then unless you're in pain in which case don't!

I'm not in pain AM' the legs are just tired I will get the 3 miles done today, the guilt would be too much to bear if not .

The Muppet

3.2 mile @ 11.35 recovery completed . Kept it nice and easy and the legs felt grand .

The Muppet

3.2 miles easy this lunchtime . Feeling a few niggles still but nothing major. Ran on grass today .

Was half a mile in when I noticed I hadn't started the watch .

The Muppet

4 miles @ 134 bpm 10.20 pace with 5 x 100 strides. A little more life in the legs today .

The Muppet

Pilates last night , I always enjoy that, so I moved yesterdays rest day to today and will skip the 2 mile easy tonight.

All set for my first Half Marathon in the morning, Gear laid out with number attached, after race gear in plastic bag in my gear bag ready for all weathers. protein milk and bananas in fridge.

Feeling positive, I plan to go out behind the 2.10 pacers and see how it goes for the first few miles and take it from there, if its really windy that could change.

tailgunner

Best of luck for tomorrow!

jake1970

Best of luck tomorrow TM, have a great debut Half marathon. Enjoy!!

Kennyg71

Best luck today T, have a good race.

annapr

Well done today, T! Good to see you after.

The Muppet

Thanks everyone . I had a good run today, my plan was to go out with the 2:10 pacers and take it from there, I came home in just under 2:12 so I,m happy with that. Will post a full report later or tomorrow as Im off out to a 21st this evening .

Nice meeting you Annapr and Murph D as always. Delighed you had a good day.