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Year 4: "It's a game of inches"

Myles Splitz

Decided to chronicle a return to fitness as a reminder for the next year of where I am coming from and where I get to in terms of my running.

Currently injured and am unable to do any sort of running for the next few weeks so I am making due with what I can. Using this time as a pre-base phase doing what I can to boost the aerobic endurance before I get into base phase.

I upped my calorie intake dramatically out of necessity for injury recovery so I am eating like a horse but at the same time trying to not eat to excess given the decrease in activity levels.

Week 1

Monday - 30 minutes aerobic cross training at Z2 (approx 55-60% HRR)

Currently working off slightly outdated HR but I am unable to do any sort of testing in order to establish current values. Not ideal but only using as a reference for the time being till.

Tuesday - 20 minutes conditioning

Mostly body weight work with no upper limb movement. Again not ideal but good chance to focus on area's of interest before I return to ground impact stress of running.

Wednesday - 50 min aerobic cross training (alternating HR's between Z2-Z3, roughly 65-80% HRR for 25 min)

Despite the injury I am upbeat and have been taking my recovery even more serious than my training had been in the lead up. Hopefully the effort being put in to getting back on my feet will spill over into the training when I finally do get going.

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Chartsengrafs

Didn't know you were racing, best of luck.

This Fat Girl Runs

Good luck at the race today!

ultrapercy

Well done Luke good run.

yaboya1

Congrats on the pb.
A bit more to come off that when you're 'fit'

Well done

Myles Splitz

Mon 2.7 miles moderate (6.50 min/m)
Tues 5x3 min hard (75 rec), 3 min break, 4x30 sec (60 rec) XC
Splits: (5.39, 5.40, 5.42, 5.44, 5.47) - (4.51, 5.17, 5.00, 5.09)

Wed AM 4.1 easy (7.19 min/m) PM 5.5 easy (7.35 min/m)
Thurs 6k tempo (alternating kms)
Splits:
3.33, 3.54, 3.37, 3.53, 3.36, 3.48 splits
5.43, 6.17, 5.49, 6.15, 5.48, 6.07 paces

Fri 7.1 easy + 7x30 sec strides (7.09 min/m)
Sat 4 shakeout (8.43 min/m)
Sun Dungarvan 10 mile -56.54 PB

Total Weekly Mileage: 50.5

Strength work
Tuesday Posterior S&C

After averaging +75 mile weeks for the last three weeks this was a planned step back and a welcome one at that. Tuesdays session was a tough enough one with the rain softening up the ground making me work but with few less reps it was manageable enough including a few strides which were aimed at form but there was a bit of slipping and sliding truth be told.
Thursdays session should have been very controlled but the wind was a bit of a killer so effort was a bit all over the place but ended up getting a decent workout all the same.

Sundays race was exactly what a race should be, great club spirit, well organised, big field with huge depth and perfect weather, what more could you ask

I had in my head that the target was 57.30 and it would indicate I am exactly where I want to be training wise at the moment as I am still concious of the poor Decembers training.

Said I would head out at 5.50 at wind it up from there and one of the lads from the club (poster formally known as cwgatling) was of the same mind so once again I figured would have one of the club lads to run with for a good chunk of the race.

First mile looping around the town and I settled into my pace very quickly however coming around the second bend there was a decent aul downhill so pace ended up being a bit quicker than planned (5.41) still in the right area effort wise though so I was happy as I was tucked into a nice group with club mate, lead lady and a handful of other runners.

Second mile was a long stretch out the dual carriage way on the hard shoulder, probably should have looked at the map a bit more as I though that we would have a long aul spin out this direction with it being fairly uneventful, bit of a head wind and drag but made easier by the fact that there was a group of about 10-15 of us (at around 57.30 ish pace was not something I was accustomed to) second mile was spot on with (5.46)

3rd mile and we turned off into the proper country roads, a little bit narrow here and I struggled to overtake as the pace was just marginally on the slower side than I would have liked but it probably kept me in check and we came down by the finish line before looping off to the left back into the wind (5.39)

I was moving well at this stage and was happy with the pace while still feeling controlled I was not forcing my stride. Hadn't felt that fluid in a long while and probably a testament to the regular gym work to be honest as I started pushing on trying to pick up straggles being spit out of the group ahead with clubmate in tow with a few other (5.42)

Despite a headwind we were sheltered enough that I was not overcooking it and though I was expecting a slow down I wondered how much under the original 57.30 I could get and perhaps maybe get within touching distance of the 57 min end up catching up to a group of Leevale runners and started working with them (5.45). Ran through the timing gantry at 5 mile to see the clock read 28.40. This was better than I had planned and bang on the button for the clubmates PB) whats more I knew that there was a turn coming up that would have the wind on our backs for majority of the way back.

Coming up to 6 mile is where I started to lose a metre or two on the club mate and the Leevale lads. I had been driving into the wind so perhaps it was taking more out of me that I thought and I knew from here things were gonna get tough hit the 10k clock at 35.18 (5.41 for mile 6) and knew I was running well. As I began to get a little isolated about 10-15m back the best thing that could have happened at that stage came down just up ahead on the road; we had been climbing more than I thought over the previous 3 miles and we were getting it all back in one feel swoop.

Mile 7 was a chance to get a breather while maintaining pace and given that the HR was sky rocketting this was needed (5.38) even when it leveled off I still had the momentum with me and was moving well. Though the lads were pulling away a little ahead I was not dropping pace (Mile 8 (5.38)

9th mile and we were back out on the dual carriage way, starting to really hurt at this stage with a few drags and a fairly clear road ahead of me this is where it got pretty lonely (club mate well off in the distance) I was digging in but the pace was starting to slow as the legs began to ache. By the time I hit the 9 mile marker (5.47) the legs were completely shot. heard someone calling splits "51.20" meaning that I needed a 5.40 for the last mile, something which i didn't feel I had in me and watch was starting to confirm it as I was seeing 6.0x coming up the country road, but I dug in and came to the downhill and I kept thinking to myself just grit it out till you get to the turn and its all downhill (we had ran this mile after mile 2 earlier in the race)
The turn came quicker than expected to be honest and the pace started dropping but I panicked, the turn had come too soon, By that I mean it was not the same turn we had done earlier in the race!!! I knew this meant we were looping down along the coast before turning around to come up the hill to the finish. I was committed at this stage so I just kept saying to myself to keep pushing trying to work out just how far up the hill I would have to climb. To my relief it was only about 50m and with the PB still on I put the foot down and gave it everything finishing the last miel in 5.34 (nearly my 5 mile pace from Raheny last week)

Crossed the line to finish in 56.54 official (a 5 second PB)

Delighted with that not just for the PB but its probably as close to my limits as I have ever pushed. Still don't feel like I am as fit as where I should be but I felt that I raced better than I had done when I was fitter if that makes sense.

5 weeks till Ballycotton and hopefully I can replicate that kind of performance, if so I reckon there is another 20-30 seconds to be had hopefully.

Unfortunately our 3rd scorer (I was 30 sec back from Cwgatling in the end) had to pull out in the warm up so we missed out on a team prize but delighted with the race in general

Big thank you to West Waterford for an absolute great race. I have always missed this in the past due to clashing with Raheny but definitely one of the highlight races of the year (and not just because of the absolutely monumental spread put on after (its rare that I find a race that even comes into the league of the K club race for that but this blows it out of the water)

Will definitely be back

laura_ac3

Very well done L. Great running.

AuldManKing

That's a super performance, that last mile certainly shows you gave it everything.
Nice to get a PB in a tough training cycle.

HelenAnne

Really well done! Fantastic time!

HigginsJ

Cracking performance, well done.

Myles Splitz

Mon 6.7 easy (7.38 min/m)
Tues 5 easy (7.19 min/m)
Wed AM 10.2 easy (7.52 min/m) PM 6.3 easy (7.41 min/m)

Thurs 8x1600m w/ 2 min (200m) rec
Splits: 5.43, 5.36, 5.32, 5.31, 5.33, 5.34, 5.32, 5.34

Fri 5 moderate (6.54 min/m)

Sat 5x3 min (75) 3 min break, 4x30 sec (60) XC
Splits: (5.42, 5.37, 5.41, 5.43, 5.40) (4.37, 4.34, 4.35, 4.39)

Sun 15 easy (7.24 min/m)

Total Weekly Mileage: 71.3

S&C
Tues - Squats session

Feb is definitely a month where I am going to have to be very economical with time and manage things to the best of my ability (Tues and Friday I just about had 40 min to get runs in so happy enough to be able to manage to get everything in.

Thursdays session helped by Dublinrunner who dragged me around for this one. 1st 3-4 were very comfortable but by the last two I was digging in a bit too much (was tightening up form wise and just soldiering through them) despite this very happy with the session and the splits as I thought I was being a bit overly ambitious aiming for 5.35s on this.

Saturday's session was one I didn't think was gonna happen as I was out the night before and while not absolutely dying I was by no means fresh, despite this the splits were actually in line with previous sessions so very happy with this.

Long run this morning was a tale of two halves, first half felt really good, had company and flew by, second half was into a chilling wind after leaving running partner at 8 miles and was just about getting through it.

Another week and another race this week coming and while not a target race I will certainly not be able to take it handy if I am to have a hope of keeping in touch with the field

tang1

Best of luck Thursday evening L, serious race to be participating in.

Myles Splitz

Mon AM 5 easy (7.30 min/m) PM 9 easy (7.30 min/m)
Tues AM 4x2 min, 5x1 min, 5x30 sec XC (1 min rec, 3 between sets) PM 4 easy (7.10 min/m)

Splits: (5.42, 5.51, 5.47,5.51) (5.29, 5.24, 5.31, 5.31, 5.27) (4.28, 4.43, 4.33, 4.32, 4.31)

Wed 5 shakeout (8.16 min/m)
Thursday: Armagh 5k - 16.28 (5.18 min/m)

Splits: 3.12, 3.18, 3.20, 3.22, 3.11

Friday 11.2 easy (7.24 min/m)
Sat AM 4.3 easy (7.10 min/m) PM 6.2 easy (7.31 min/m)
Sun 8km alternating tempo - 30.07 (6.01 average pace)

Splits: 3.33, 3.52, 3.34, 3.53, 3.35, 3.58, 3.34, 3.49
Paces: 5.43, 6.13, 5.44, 6.15, 5.46, 6.23, 5.44, 6.09

Total Weekly Mileage 71.1

S & C
Monday - Deadlift + Squat (technique work)

In the middle of a very bad stretch between work and other commitments to the point that I am very much burning the candles at both ends, to the point where main aim is just keeping things ticking over and getting it done, even if its not always pretty, for the next 2-3 weeks.
Tuesdays session was alright legs felt like garbage but got a decent workout from it. From here however the week went downhill. In order to get the time off work to get up to Armagh for the race I had to swap shifts to have a late night/ early morning start meant I was on about 3 hours sleep prior to the trip up north.
The weekend followed same trend with early morning shifts followed by social commitments with herself meaning that training and sleep were in an either or situation (training won out but I was fried) even Sunday's tempo was alot tougher than it should have been

The race itself heading up I was in no mood throughout the day and was starting to regret signing up to it if I was honest as the day went on. Up in the car with Krusty and Neil who were all talks of PB's. I think I had talked myself out of this however with tiredness and the lack of zip I had in the legs in shorter races over the last while.

When I got up to the race however the mood completely changed, the street party atmosphere with the flood lit square, the crowds of people lining the streets spectating the kids races which had been going on throughout the evening, This was the way the sport should be done. As I warmed up still feeling crap I started to daydream of scenario's where it was one of those races where the pace was irrelevant I felt great and just went with it and could handle what was thrown at me no matter what that was and a huge break through performance was possible. This soon dissipated as I lined up to see the field, including a few old college mates who I have popped into in Highgate and other races previously (old occasional training partners who were a good stretch the other side of 15 min than me). This was the first race that I almost felt out of shape lining up in comparison (as I took might rightful place at the very back behind the sponsored athletes, followed by the International Team Singlets :eek:).
Gun went and for a split second my thoughts were "hey this doesn't actually feel too bad" and then I had a feeling which can only be described as a warp speed scene from Star trek where everything slowed down to slow motion just before shooting off into the distance. The course was approx 1.1k with an almost velodrome like bank as you had small incline to the bend followed by a long downhill making it back almost immediately back.

1st km and I was moving nicely, got out well and started working off the back of a few guys. a few cheers along the course from Back in Black and a few others who had traveled up for the 3ks. First km split was 3.12 which I was happy about but I was already breathing through my ar$e. The lack of faster work was showing up and Iw as struggling early. Had the watch set to mile pace and I was seeing 5.20s on it, not ideal. next 2 km rattled off and I was slowing a bit (3.18/3.20) as well as panicking, looking at the watch and paces a bit too much and generally racing pretty poorly.In all my grand notions about depth the one thing that failed to dawn on me till now was the fact that unless I brought my A game I was endanger of being too far out of my depth to actually use it to my advantage to drag me along. I dug in to let it not fall apart completely. Next km and I was hurting in 3.22 as I looked as though I was heading for about 16.35-16.40, about what I was expecting.

Last km and I had to remind myself that it was a long way to come for a pi$$ poor performance and to dig in a little at least till I got over the incline, from there it was a nice stretch into the finish. Managed to hold it pretty well here (no doubt a sign of my strength) and then the decline saw me crank it up a good bit and started making ground on the lads in front of me. I dunno whether it was the fact that the dinner had comprised of protein bars or just a lack of mental strength but I felt even though I had increased the pace I was not pushing to the very last for fear of throwing up. as I got nearer to the clock however i saw that there was a pb for the taking, gave it everything but it was too late as I crossed the line in 16.28 ( 3 seconds shy of PB) in 166th (5th from last)

No medal, not t shirt but a group of faces with a combined smile/agony written across their faces. A race which people (as a collective) seem to emotionally invest more in than any other race on the calendar. There was a PB there for me no doubt if I had given this race the attention it needed throughout the week.

I have been happy with my choice of races this year but none have grabbed me as much as this one. I will definitely be back to hopefully do myself justice.

Testosterscone

https://maxrams.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/are-those-my-feet1.gif

Boards must have the highest percentage of internet PI's ever as the usual suspects sussed me lurking straight away. Suppose might as well touch base here and catch up. Brief summary since the last update:

circa 950 miles
7 races
2 PBs
1 Leinster team title
1 new coach

Prob take me a while to fill a bit more details

Wottle

Testosterscone wrote: »

https://maxrams.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/are-those-my-feet1.gif

Boards must have the highest percentage of internet PI's ever as the usual suspects sussed me lurking straight away.

waiting anxiously for the 4 month update :-)

kit3

Haha - welcome back. Outted by another lurker 😉

Hannibal_Smith

Testosterscone wrote: »

https://maxrams.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/are-those-my-feet1.gif

Boards must have the highest percentage of internet PI's ever as the usual suspects sussed me lurking straight away. Suppose might as well touch base here and catch up. Brief summary since the last update:

circa 950 miles
7 races
2 PBs
1 Leinster team title
1 new coach

Prob take me a while to fill a bit more details

Hah! I knew it was you and I'm the dopiest around here for sleuthing so you weren't trying very hard :pac:

Annie get your Run

Ha no way, cool name

welcome back, guess this place has some sort of magnetic draw that keeps us coming back.

Wubble Wubble

I was reminded of this

Testosterscone

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Ha no way, cool name welcome back, guess this place has some sort of magnetic draw that keeps us coming back.

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

I was reminded of this

Got lured by the promise of GAA drugs and trolls and wandered back to my natural habitat as saw a few glimmers of life in the aul dog yet

Testosterscone

Mon AM 3 miles rec (8.40 min/m) PM 6.5 easy (7.54 min/m)
Tues AM 5 easy (7.55 min/m) PM 6.3 easy (7.39 min/m)
Wed AM 5 easy (7.25 min/m) PM 6.3 easy (7.22 min/m)
Thurs 7.1 easy (7.44m min/m)
Fri OFF
Sat OFF
Sun OFF

Total Weekly Mileage: 39.2 miles

Coming off the previous weeks session I felt the body wasn't right, high HR and just know I wasn't right. Had a planned trip away for the weekend anyway so I though it was the perfect opportunity to take a few days off guilt free.

Mon OFF
Tues 7.4 steady (6.37min/m)
Wed 8.1 easy (7.49 min/m)
Thurs OFF
Fri OFF
Sat OFF
Sun OFF

Total Weekly Mileage 15.5 miles

Birthday weekend comprised of the finest single malts Edinburgh had to offer took their toll on me. Decided to join Dublinrunner for a steady run however bailed after seven as I began to wilt. The mojo was a bit gone this week truth be told and with a few busy weekend days again opted for another weekend off against better judgement.

Mon OFF
Tues AM 5.5 easy (7.51 min/m) PM 4.1 easy (7.33 min/m)
Wed 4.3 easy (7.20 min/m)
Thurs 2.7 easy (7.34 min/m)
Fri OFF
Sat AM 10 inc/Parkrun (17.45) PM 3 easy (8.06 min/m)
Sun 5.2 easy (7.28 min/m)

Total Weekly mileage: 34.9 miles

Modest comeback just getting back into the routine, alot of soul searching and self reflection. Abandoned what was supposed to be an easy come back session Wednesday so decided to jump in the Park run grudge match between Tallaght and Bro Pearse. Having lost the XC iteration back in winter of this by a couple of points (and my last min absence being decisive) we rallied the troops as one of the heavy hitters took the win and the course record. Truth be told I know the winner, TRR, gosh and one of the other lads in the club were not getting touched so I did enough to solidify last scorer for the team, nothing like a bit of local friendly rivalry to keep you a bit honest.

Testosterscone

Mon 9 easy (7.23 min/m)
Tues AM 9 easy (7.37 min/m) PM 7 easy (7.27 min/m)
Wed AM 10 easy (7.42 min/m) PM 7 easy (7.35 min/m)
Thurs AM 4.1 easy (7.32 min/m) PM 7 easy (7.43 min/m)
Fri 9 easy (7.41 min/m)
Sat OFF
Sun 9 easy (7.41 min/m)

Total Weekly Mileage 71.1 miles

After thinking long and hard about it and after coming very close a few times over the last few years I decided to relinquish the reins of my own training and put complete faith in someone else. I had considered a number of people over the previous few years not just who I felt were the best coaches but rather who's training approach matched my own idea's to the point where I was comfortable to completely take control out of my hands and do exactly as I was told. I reached out and arranged to have a sit down the following week to discuss.

Rather than start back in sessions as a result i figured I would just hold off till we talked and go from there so just easy miles for the week

Testosterscone

Mon AM 4.5 easy (7.35 min/m) PM 8 easy (7.43 min/m)
Tues AM 4.1 easy (6.52 min/m) PM 7 easy (7.30 min/m)
Wed AM 4 easy (7.24 min/m) PM 7 easy (7.50 min/m)

Thurs 8x800m (75 rec)
Splits: 2.34, 2.37, 2.40, 2.41, 2.41, 2.43, 2.44, 2.44

Fri AM 4 easy (7.51 min/m) PM 7 easy (7.11 min/m)
Sat 6 easy (7.03 min/m)
Sun 15 progressive (7.12 min/m)

Total Weekly Mileage: 77.7 miles

Continued with the miles till meeting on the Wednesday. Good discussion about where we both stood finished up with an agreement. Initially when I set out looking for a coach it was accountability, someone to answer to on a weekly basis and someone to take the over thinking out of it for me, what I got was so much more not only was he enthusiastically willing to work with me but also was willing to be alot more hands on than I could have expected.
We left things with an agreement to meet for a session the next day

On paper the recoveries looked tough but manageable. Was delighted when he said he would pace me through a bit of them. Splits were a bit off the first two as I had the watch set up for the reps however he had a set loop so turned off the auto laps. was great to have the help through the session and had me a bit faster than I expected first session back in a long while. struggled last two or so but finished up happy with the session.

Small tweak to long run in that he wanted me finishing these in a controlled but health pace as the last 4 came in sub seven, finished feeling strong enough though legs were tired.

AuldManKing

Jaysus - is there no variant of ecoli that you can use

Welcome back.

RacoonQueen

All the best people are still on their first account. Just saying.

Great to have you back L. You're posts are one of the things we're really missing round here.

ThebitterLemon

AuldManKing wrote: »

Jaysus - is there no variant of ecoli that you can use

Welcome back.

Gotta agree

What was wrong with Salmon Eile

Welcome back

TbL

Wottle

RacoonQueen wrote: »

All the best people are still on their first account. Just saying.

Great to have you back L. You're posts are one of the things we're really missing round here.

some of us have been around that long, we can remember a certain 1972 account, sth to do with Leeds :-)

davedanon

i a certain 1972 account, sth to do with Leeds :-)

"Clarke. One-nil".

Remember it like it was yesterday.

Testosterscone

AuldManKing wrote: »

Jaysus - is there no variant of ecoli that you can use

Welcome back.

Felt appropriate given that that I was back on discussing the BOS news

I felt ecoliiiiiiiiiii might have been a bit much :P

Annie get your Run

AuldManKing wrote: »

Jaysus - is there no variant of ecoli that you can use

Welcome back.

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

Gotta agree

What was wrong with Salmon Eile

Welcome back

TbL

Don't mind that pair, they're old and they don't like change

all the best people go for a complete name change :cool:

So, what's the target, Berlin? or are there still track races pending? Best of luck with the new coach!

Testosterscone

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Don't mind that pair, they're old and they don't like change all the best people go for a complete name change :cool:

So, what's the target, Berlin? or are there still track races pending? Best of luck with the new coach!

Berlin is the target however I do have a good few more races between now and then a mixture of road and track with another track 10,000m to come in 5 weeks time at National Seniors.