Faster

tailgunner · 25-01-2017 10:13AM

Not much of interest going on so far this week, just some recovery running.

Monday, 23rd January 2017

4 miles
41:47
10:26/mi

Kept this one fairly short, and very easy. Legs were in bits.

Tuesday, 24th January 2017

6 miles
1:03:03
10:30/mi

Still a few tender spots in the legs, so no problems keeping this very easy again. Ventured a bit further.

Rest day today, and I'll see if the legs are feeling up to something more taxing tomorrow. If it needs to be easy running for the week, so be it.

tailgunner · 27-01-2017 10:04AM

Thursday, 26th January 2017

6 miles
56:49
9:28/mi

I don't know what I did to myself in that race, but my quads were still feeling sore. Maybe it was the uneven ground?

Anyway, I abandoned the idea of a session and set off for more plodding. It was bitterly cold again though, so I ended up increasing the pace just to warm up a bit. Ended up with 6 miles at what is probably steady pace for me, so happy enough with that.

tailgunner · 30-01-2017 10:50AM

Friday, 27th January 2017

12.4 miles
2:02:35
9:53/mi

I think I was originally intending a recovery run here. The legs felt great though and it was a nice evening, so I decided on getting the long run out of the way. The plan was for 10 miles, and the extra couple were a result of misjudging my route and getting a bit lost.

I'm getting a bit sick of my usual long run route, so I went off the beaten track. Up through the posh part of Oxford, which was all nice and pleasant thanks to the setting sun. Eventually reached the edge of the city after about 5 miles, and had it in my head that I wasn't far from a direct route back into the city centre, which turned out to be all wrong. 10 minutes later, it was dark, raining and all I had for company was a noisy dual carriageway. Carried on here a bit and took the next road off it that I could, which eventually brought me back towards home.

All good anyway, the legs held up well and it was nice to see that I haven't lost all my endurance. I'll try an abridged version of the same route this week and skip the dual carriageway.

Saturday, 28th January 2017

3.11 miles
31:20
10:04/mi

Nice and easy recovery run.

tailgunner · 01-02-2017 10:20AM

Monday, 30th January 2017

6.3 miles
1:04:19
10:13/mi

I've started and not finished Hal Higdon's 5k plan a couple of times, so this is one last go at it. I'm not following it to the letter, as I feel like I'm probably somewhere between his Intermediate and Advanced plans, but it'll be close enough. The plan is intervals and an alternate tempo/steady run each week, a long run, and a couple of easy runs.

So this was the first intervals session - 400m repeats at mile pace (6:45/mi, or 1:41 per rep). Higdon's plan builds up to 8 reps, so this was 5 as a starting point. Quite happy with it really. I didn't find it as tough as my last attempt at the session a couple of months back, and the splits were nicely consistent. I did an extended cool-down too to bring up the mileage a bit.

I felt a twinge in my right quad during the last rep - same spot as after the race the week before - so I'll keep an eye on that. Seems fine since though.

Splits:

1:41
1:41
1:41
1:41
1:40

Tuesday, 31st January 2017

6 miles
1:02:18
10:23/mi

Legs felt good so I went for an extended recovery run. Managed to keep the pace very easy.

Monthly Review

Month|2015|2016|2017
Jan|7.86|103.61|128.54
Feb|14.7|116.6
Mar|23.53|127.35
Apr|32.91|73.11
May|45.88|119.75
Jun|42.65|135.17
Jul|23.26|177.09
Aug|84.29|176.47
Sep|106.61|141.79
Oct|56.17|86.18
Nov|81.45|79.33
Dec|55.33|78.39
Total|574.64|1,414.84|128.54

|2015|2016|2017
5k|24:38|22:25|-
10k|-|48:20|48:36
HM|1:58:45|1:49:36|-
M|-|3:58:49|-

A decent start to the year. One race, which probably wasn't as bad as I made it out to be at the time, and the main thing is that the mileage has stopped going backwards. Feels like I'm finally getting back into a routine, so I'm hoping to get back the fitness back to where it was before the marathon over the next month or two.

Just over six weeks until the target 5k race on the 19th March. I'll do a parkrun a few weeks out to see how I'm getting on, and pick a target time based on that.

tailgunner · 03-02-2017 10:06AM

Thursday, 2nd February 2017

6.7 miles
1:03:03
9:25/mi

This was a 25 minute tempo run. I wasn't particularly looking forward to it - there was wind, rain, and a choice of dark, muddy paths or a million pedestrians depending on the route I took. My last tempo run involved running through the city centre at rush hour and I couldn't be dealing with that again, so I opted for the muddy darkness this time.

Turned out okay anyway. Covered 3.11 miles at an average pace of 8:02/mi for the 25 minutes, which was only a touch slower than last time, and felt much, much more comfortable.

Think I might start keeping a more active track of mileage here, so I robbed this from Younganne's log:

WTD: 19
MTD: 6.7
YTD: 135.24

tailgunner · 06-02-2017 10:25AM

Friday, 3rd February 2017

10.01 miles
1:37:39
9:46/mi

I'm really starting to enjoy my longer runs again, so no problems getting out for this one despite fairly manky weather. Went the same way as last week, less the dual-carriageway, so a pretty nice route. Had to do a bit of meandering near the end to bring the run up to 10 miles, as one of the parks I was going to use was closed.

Legs were tired by the end - I'll put that down to the session the day before.

Sunday, 5th February 2017

3.2 miles
32:59
10:18/mi

Mission abort! I was feeling fairly worse for wear heading off for this, but thought I'd manage 5 or 6 easy miles. My stomach was causing serious trouble after 15 or 20 minutes though, so I turned around and crawled home. Had to take a few walking breaks and everything. A poor end to a decent week. To be fair, I only wanted to bring up the mileage a bit for the week anyway, so no major harm done.

WTD: 32.21
MTD: 19.91
YTD: 148.45

tailgunner · 08-02-2017 09:28AM

Monday, 6th February 2017

6.5 miles
1:03:50
9:49/mi

This was 6 x 400 at mile pace. It was fairly wild out there on Monday evening, and I was in two minds about postponing the session. Said I'd do the warm-up anyway, and just felt like getting it over with at that stage. Sure the weather might be just as bad the following day, I figured. Not as consistent as last week - there was a lot of glancing at the watch and having to adjust the pace. Happy enough with the effort anyway, and it doesn't look too bad on paper.

Splits:

1:41
1:41
1:42
1:42
1:41
1:40

Tuesday, 7th February 2017

5.1 miles
51:21
10:04/mi

Inevitably, the weather was glorious. Well, as glorious as it gets in early February. Dry, not a breath of wind, and not too cold. Perfect for intervals, and I even would have had a bit of daylight for the first couple of reps. Oh well. At least it was decent for recovery plodding too.

WTD: 11.6
MTD: 31.51
YTD: 160.05

tailgunner · 10-02-2017 12:08PM

Thursday, 9th February 2017

7 miles
1:05:09
9:18/mi

My plan is to alternate tempo runs with steady runs for this block of training, for a bit of variety as much as anything else, so this week was 7 straight miles at steady pace.

I didn't really have a target pace as such, I was just aiming to keep the effort somewhere between easy and MP. Think I managed that okay, though I got a little carried away towards the end.

Splits: 9:32, 9:18, 9:22, 9:20, 9:23, 9:14, 8:59

WTD: 18.6
MTD: 38.51
YTD: 167.05

tailgunner · 12-02-2017 05:15PM

Friday, 10th February 2017

5 miles
50:22
10:04/mi

Couldn't face doing the long run, so a handy recovery run was the backup plan. First evening run of the year that I didn't need the headtorch.

Sunday, 12th February 2017

9.4 miles
1:25:59
9:09/mi

I had planned to do this on Saturday but it was one of those days that I kept putting if off till "later", knowing full well that I was never going to put the gear on. I often find it easier to get a run in when I have a narrow window for it. When I've all day to do it, the run gets put on the long finger.

Anyway, eventually got out this morning. It was snowing for the first half, which was quite pleasant, and I zoned out for ages. Then I got talking to another runner while we were both waiting at a pedestrian crossing. Chatted away for a mile or so, and it was only when we parted ways that I looked at the watch and saw I was pushing an 8 minute mile. I was enjoying the pace though, so kept it up for another few miles - it the most comfortable I've been at that sort of pace in a long, long time.

Decided there was no need to finish out the 10 miles I had planned, so I took a fairly direct route home, and eased back for the last half a mile for a bit of a cool-down. A good day's work, and another decent week in the bag.

Splits: 10:26, 9:45, 9:47, 9:42, 9:34, 8:42, 8:17, 8:06, 7:56, (3:46)

WTD: 33
MTD: 52.91
YTD: 181.45

tailgunner · 13-02-2017 04:38PM

Monday, 13th February 2017

4.1 miles
40:00
9:45/mi

Having only done the long run yesterday, the planned intervals session was never going to happen today. I was working from home, so I went out for a recovery run at lunchtime. Only had about 40 minutes to spare (nailed it!), so ended up with a fairly short one. No harm anyway, as the legs were very tired and heavy by the end.

The rest of the week is a little up in the air, so I'll be happy enough if I can get the intervals session done tomorrow and a tempo run later in the week.

WTD: 4.1
MTD: 57.01
YTD: 185.55

tailgunner · 15-02-2017 09:54AM

Tuesday, 14th February 2017

7 miles
1:06:33
9:30/mi

7 x 400 at mile pace. I was in no mood for this at all, and had to drag myself out the door. Definitely slower overall than the last couple of sessions; the legs were very tired and I was a little bit off my game in general. I only managed to hit the target (1:41) on two or three reps. No matter anyway. It wasn't too bad, and I've a few more of these sessions left to do, so plenty of opportunity to get it right.

Splits:

1:42
1:43
1:41
1:42
1:43
1:41
1:40

WTD: 11.1
MTD: 64.01
YTD: 192.55

tailgunner · 16-02-2017 03:50PM

Thursday, 16th February 2017

6.81 miles
59:36
8:45/mi

Working from home again (my car is banjaxed!), so I got out at lunchtime for this. Very nice day for it, if a bit windy. Debated just doing a short easy run, as I was a bit stuck for time, but I wanted to get the planned tempo run out of the way.

Went for the usual two-mile warm-up, then covered 3.81 miles at an average pace of 7:52/mi for the 30 minute tempo bit, followed by a mile to cool down. The tempo pace was a bit too fast - I was fairly tired at the end, and the legs were definitely feeling it. No niggles or anything specific, and I have a couple of days of easy running ahead of me now to finish out the week.

WTD: 17.91
MTD: 70.82
YTD: 199.36

tailgunner · 17-02-2017 07:28PM

Friday, 17th February 2017

5.1 miles
50:59
10:00/mi

Very tired heading off for this. Felt much fresher by the end though, and it was a grand evening for it. Daylight and everything.

WTD: 23.01
MTD: 75.92
YTD: 204.46

tailgunner · 18-02-2017 02:00PM

Saturday, 18th February 2017

10 miles
1:34:29
9:27/mi

A lot of this was too fast - probably most of it really. And it's not as if I'm flying along thinking "this is easy!" either.

I'm not leathering myself completely though - the last mile was the fastest at 9:02 - and it was very enjoyable.

WTD: 33.01
MTD: 85.92
YTD: 214.46

tailgunner · 21-02-2017 09:55AM

Monday, 20th February 2017

5 miles
44:53
8:58/mi

Just a quick one yesterday evening after a weekend in London. I don't know what it is about the place, but I find it exhausting. Decided I was too tired for the planned intervals session by the time I got home, and said I'd just do some easy miles. Easy gave way to steady which gave way to MP, etc, etc, so the whole thing was too fast. Felt great, but this is becoming a bit of a habit lately.

Enforced rest day today due to work, so I'll do the intervals tomorrow. Might not do the full 8 x 400 session, as I'd like to be reasonably fresh for a parkrun on Saturday. I'm probably due a step-back week anyway.

WTD: 5
MTD: 90.92
YTD: 219.46

laura_ac3 · 21-02-2017 09:18PM

You can disregard this observation if you like as I don't have much experience to comment on other people's training but I tend to catch up on logs in bulk. Reading a few of your recent posts as a batch together and there is a common trend of notes saying should have been easier or felt good so went with it for example. One day then was followed by commenting on tired legs. Just an observation and I meant to say it the other day. Might be worth re-reading back yourself to see.

tailgunner · 21-02-2017 11:13PM

Thanks, I see what you mean alright. A lot of my running has been too fast recently.

I'll allow myself a blast at a parkrun on Saturday, but I'll ease back a bit other than that.

tailgunner · 23-02-2017 09:23PM

Thursday, 23rd February 2017

5 miles
48:15
9:39/mi

No running Tuesday (no time, due to work) or Wednesday (no humour, due to work).

No harm anyway, as I've been pushing it a bit recently, and it'll serve as a bit of a taper before the parkrun on Saturday.

Work finished up early today, so I got out for some easy miles. I did a few strides in the second half of the run which dragged the average pace up a bit. It was nice and easy other than that.

The strides were hilarious though. There was a serious gale blowing, and it was like trying to run the wrong way on a travelator.

WTD: 10
MTD: 95.92
YTD: 224.46

tailgunner · 25-02-2017 02:22PM

Saturday, 25th February 2017

3.11 miles
22:56
7:22/mi

Back in Cork this weekend, so I took myself off to the Ballincollig parkrun this morning. I had no real target, but I've been going well for the last couple of months, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about a PB (22:25).

It was a dirty morning though, and the wind was driving pretty hard during my warm-up (jogging and a few strides), so I decided I'd settle for a good, honest effort.

And that's pretty much what I ended up with. Splits were 7:20, 7:29, 7:24, (0:43) for a 22:56 finish. Could I have given more? As tang1's log says, the answer is usually yes, and I'd say I could have found something if the PB had been under any serious threat.

All in all though, I'm happy enough. It's an improvement of nearly a minute since my last 5k effort two months ago, and there are still three weeks until my target race. With a little more luck and a little more effort, I think the PB will be there for the taking.

WTD: 13.11
MTD: 99.03
YTD: 227.57

tailgunner · 27-02-2017 09:47AM

Sunday, 26th February 2017

4 miles
38:40
9:40/mi

I was travelling for most of the day yesterday, and couldn't face a long run by the time I got home. Settled for a recovery run instead. The legs felt pretty good, and I'd probably have managed a long one without too much trouble if I'd been so inclined.

Considerably down on mileage for the week, but I guess it was no harm to take a step back.

WTD: 17.11
MTD: 103.03
YTD: 231.57

tailgunner · 01-03-2017 09:53AM

Tuesday, 28th February 2017

7.5 miles
1:10:02
9:20/mi

I felt like I was just about recovered from the parkrun, so I went for intervals last night - 8 x 400 at mile pace. I was aiming for slightly faster reps than what I've been doing for the last few weeks, based on the parkrun result.

The aim was for 1:39 per rep (6:36/mi), but I wasn't convinced I'd be able for that at all to be honest. This might have taken a bit of pressure off, and I just about managed to grind it out.

Found it very, very tough - on the lungs more than the legs. I was struggling after the fourth rep, and from there it was just case of telling myself I'd "just do one more" until the end. I sounded like I was undergoing an exorcism by the last rep.

Very pleased with it though. I don't think I'd have managed this session even a couple of weeks ago.

Splits:

1:38
1:39
1:39
1:39
1:40
1:38
1:39
1:37

WTD: 7.5
MTD: 110.53
YTD: 239.07

Month|2015|2016|2017
Jan|7.86|103.61|128.54
Feb|14.7|116.6|110.53
Mar|23.53|127.35
Apr|32.91|73.11
May|45.88|119.75
Jun|42.65|135.17
Jul|23.26|177.09
Aug|84.29|176.47
Sep|106.61|141.79
Oct|56.17|86.18
Nov|81.45|79.33
Dec|55.33|78.39
Total|574.64|1,414.84|239.07

|2015|2016|2017
5k|24:38|22:25|22:56
10k|-|48:20|48:36
HM|1:58:45|1:49:36|-
M|-|3:58:49|-

An okay month. A little down on mileage as a result of last week, but otherwise fairly consistent, and there were some decent sessions in there.

Just the one race timed run, but it definitely showed some progress. It feels like I'm very near PB shape, and hopefully I'll be there or thereabouts by the 5k race on the 19th.

ThebitterLemon · 01-03-2017 10:17AM

Very solid and consistent session, coming nicely into some good form

TbL

tailgunner · 02-03-2017 09:16AM

Wednesday, 1st March 2017

5 miles
49:36
9:55/mi

I stepped in a puddle and got a bit of mud on my shoe. That's about all I can remember from this. Managed to keep it easy for a change.

WTD: 12.5
MTD: 5
YTD: 244.07

tailgunner · 06-03-2017 10:25AM

Friday, 3rd March 2017

7.5 miles
1:09:31
9:16/mi

I was aiming for steady pace here, and think I got it about right. Felt pretty comfortable, and I managed to keep the pace pretty consistent. There was no haring off into MP and beyond as I've been doing on similar runs.

Saturday, 4th March 2017

10 miles
1:37:25
9:44/mi

I had all day to get this run done, so as usual, it went on the long fecking finger. So having cunningly avoided the glorious weather in the morning, I stepped outside into howling wind and torrential rain in the afternoon. I was only planning a recovery run, but ended up doing the long run. Probably as a bit of self-flagellation.

The first half was grand. I got thoroughly soaked, but had the wind behind me so I was carried along nicely. Turned around to run into the wind on the way back, which made things a lot tougher. I was half frozen at this stage and just wanted to have it over and done with, but I resisted the temptation to up the pace. Not that I'd have been going anywhere fast into the wind...

Sunday, 5th March 2017

4 miles
40:55
10:14/mi

Proper recovery pace for this one. Mental wind helped again.

Pretty happy with the weekend's running, particularly the pacing. That'll probably be the peak week for this 5k plan, at least in terms of volume. I'm planning on pulling the long run back a bit next weekend to have a good taper going into the race.

WTD: 34
MTD: 26.5
YTD: 265.57

tailgunner · 08-03-2017 09:25AM

Tuesday, 7th March 2017

7.5 miles
1:10:57
9:28/mi

8 x 400 at mile pace again. Conditions were much better this week - dry, no wind(!) - and I found it a little easier as a result. Not sure what happened with the third last rep, but the rest were spot on.

Splits:

1:38
1:38
1:39
1:39
1:38
1:40
1:39
1:38

WTD: 7.5
MTD: 34
YTD: 273.07

tailgunner · 13-03-2017 11:31AM

Thursday, 9th March 2017

7.51 miles
1:03:47
8:30/mi

Had to come back to Cork for a funeral so had a few days of running at home. This was a 35 minute tempo run. I had flown in early that morning, then worked from home for the day, and was in no mood by the time I got out for it. Managed to trick myself into putting on the gear by telling myself I'd just do some easy miles, knowing full well that I'd do the session if I got outside at all.

Picked an out-and-back route for it - into Glanmire village, out to Dunkettle roundabout, and then up the dual-carriageway towards town. Found it tough going for the early part of the tempo section, but settled into it eventually, and felt strong for the rest of it. I averaged 7:46/mi pace for the 35 minutes, and covered 4.51 miles. That's a touch faster than my 10k PB pace, so very happy with things.

Friday, 10th March 2017

5 miles
48:52
9:46/mi

Legs felt great despite the session the previous day, and I found myself having to watch the pace a bit for the middle miles of this one. Pulled it right back for the last mile.

Saturday, 11th March 2017

8.02 miles
1:17:22
9:38/mi

Stuck with the plan of doing a shorter long run, despite missing a recovery run during the week. No point chasing miles at this stage. Legs felt good again.

WTD: 28.03
MTD: 54.53
YTD: 293.6

tailgunner · 14-03-2017 09:17AM

Monday, 13th March 2017

5.75 miles
53:51
9:22/mi

Easing back a bit this week ahead of the race, so this was 5 x 400 at mile pace.

As seems to be the norm, the first two or three were awful ("why am I doing this to myself?", etc), and the rest were fine. Well, I say "fine", but I was very glad I didn't have another three reps to do.

Felt a bit of soreness in my left calf on the cool-down jog home. I hadn't felt anything during the session, and it seems okay again this morning, so hopefully nothing to worry about. I'll keep an eye on it anyway, and might dust off the foam roller if needs be.

Splits:

1:39
1:38
1:38
1:38
1:37

WTD: 5.75
MTD: 60.28
YTD: 299.35

tailgunner · 22-03-2017 09:40AM

Time for an update.

Wednesday, 15th March 2017

5 miles
45:52
9:10/mi

This was the last mini-session before the race - 15 minutes at tempo pace. Did the usual 2-mile warm-up, then into the faster bit. After 10 minutes of running at around 7:50/mi pace, I started to feel a twinge at the bottom of my left hamstring, just above the back of my knee. Only five minutes left, I told myself, so I carried on. It got progressively worse, even into the cool-down jog, and was throbbing pretty badly by the time I got home.

I convinced myself that resting it for a few days might be enough to make the race, but I think I knew my goose was cooked - I couldn't even walk without pain for days. Went out and got hammered over the weekend, so that was that.

Monday, 20th March 2017

4.01 miles
40:16
10:03/mi

I was walking okay again by Monday, so I went out for a test run. A mile into it, I was feeling great, and there wasn't a peep from the hamstring. I was starting to think I'd been way too cautious about the whole thing, until I stepped down off a kerb, felt the same sore twinge in the hamstring, and it throbbed the whole way home.

So I appear to be injured. My physio can't fit me in till next Wednesday(!), unless I get a cancellation in the meantime.

I'm not overly bothered about missing the race - sure I can do a 5k race any old time. I even signed up for another one in a couple of weeks (before I did the test run!). But it feels like I'm going to be back to square one by the time I get back into things properly, and that's pretty hard to take.

ariana` · 22-03-2017 10:29AM

Sorry to hear about the injury, fingers crossed it's not too serious.

diego_b · 22-03-2017 10:53AM

That's annoying but hopefully it's only minor and doing the prescribed exercises (assuming that's what the physio does) will sort it out.

Faster

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