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Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose

diego_b

So based on the advice in the DCM 2015 Novices thread from Dubgal72 to start a log....here it goes...

My background,
I am a 33 year old Irish male, originally from the midlands who lived and worked in the Dublin area for the last 10 years. Recently moved with my wife and daughter to County Kerry where we will hopefully stay forever more.
I work at home but travel to Dublin every four weeks to catch up with my office based colleagues. On those trips this I try to rope in some other sporting venture in the city either playing soccer with mates, a training run in the Phoenix Park or a race.

My health background is that 3 years ago I weighed 21 and a half stone (at 5ft 10in in height with a BMI of 42.8). Back then I was often breathless with minor exercise such as a short walk, suffered back pain and didn't sleep well and my little baby girl was just starting to walk so keeping up with her was going to be even more of a challenge. Critically my outlook for a long and healthy life was significantly reducing with every passing year I did nothing about my weight.
I had seen family and friends with similar challenges to what I faced address them in recent years so I used that as further inspiration that it could be done and made to last. I took some advice from my brother who is a gym instructor and a fitness enthusiast. I started to reduce my calorie intake, changed my diet, kept a food diary and started some regular exercise (a couch to 5k). I set myself a target of 3 stone lost before my next birthday. I achieved that target in half time I had set out so I knew the plan would work. The weight loss kept up over that year and I kept up the running and completed a number of 5 and 10k races in same time period.
After 1 year I had got my weight down to 14st and generally speaking it's held pretty steady since then, I could lose a bit more weight but have been advised to hold steady for now and just focus on my fitness which I enjoy maintaining whilst still enjoying my food!

In that time I really fell in love with running and I wished that I had taken it up years earlier. All going well I hope I have many good years of running left in me.

My current PBs are:
5K - 22:50 (29/03/2015)
5mile - 39:36 (27/05/2014)
10K - 47:15 (04/04/2015)
10mile - 1:26:20 (17/05/2015)
Half - 1:56:56 (03/05/2015)

My goal for this year is to complete the Dublin City Marathon and at the moment I am running 20 miles a week and completing the 30 day challenge. Marathon training due to start in two weeks and can't wait.

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diego_b

Tralee Marathon 2017 week 14

Sunday 26-02-2017

Planned: Easy 40min, Marathon Pace Tempo Run (90min @ 95-100% of Goal Marathon Pace), Easy 30min Warm-Down; Core and Flexibility Training

Actual:

Really got blown out of it on this run, I started off with the easy section on a regular 5K route for people in Tralee (albeit into a head wind) and the one that will used on the marathon day for the 5K/10K runners. When I came around to where I had started after 30mins I was starting out on the half marathon route (what we'll be looping 2x on the marathon day). The seriously purple sky had me thinking ah feck and true enough the heavens opened and I got soaked right through....lovely with yet another two hours to run. Anyways I just ran on, found the route fine on the day but the weather was the real challenge. Here's hoping it will stand to me on race day. To finish up I did a few loops on what will be the final 1-1.5 mile stretch of the race....I had almost dried off and of course got another soaking.

Run broke down as follows
4.27mi in 40min @ 9:22min/mi
10.38mi in 90mins @ 8:41min/mi
3.17mi in 30:25min @ 9:37min/mi

Total of 17.8 miles in 2:40:30

Monday 27-02-2017

Planned: Rest
Actual: Rest

Tuesday 28-02-2017

Planned: (Lactic Resistance Intervals)- Easy
20min Warm-Up, 8-10 x 800m (half-mile)@ Yasso Pace w/ 90sec Recovery Jogging Between Each, Easy 20min Warm-Down (swapped from Wed as would be up in Dublin for work and wouldn't be able to fit it in)
Actual: As above, did 8x intervals.

2.13mi in 20min @ 9:22min/mi
Target for the intervals was 3:45-3:50 (actual achieved was 3:45, 3:48, 3:47, 3:47, 3:47, 3:50, 3:51, 3:45)
2.06mi in 20min @ 9:45min/mi

Wednesday 01-03-2017

Planned: Easy 50min Run; Core and Flexibility (swapped from Tuesday)
Actual: Late enough doing this, didn't start till 9:15/20 an ran around Clondalkin where I was staying with my brother. I tried some Ososlo style loops of housing estates....well more up/down each terrace and then up to Newlands junction and back home then. Conditions were a bit better up in Dublin than the last few runs had been in Kerry, bit windy but no rain.

Thursday 02-03-2017

Planned: Rest
Actual: Rest

Friday 03-03-2017

Planned: Easy 45min, 6x 12sec Short Hill Sprints (full recovery between each), Easy 10min cool down
Actual: 4.76mi in 45min @ 9:27min/mi, 4x 12 sec sprints, 0.54mi in 5min @ 10:04min/mi.

This was done in the morning before work back home in Kerry and I got yet another soaking. Was freezing doing the sprints so decided to leave it at 4x instead of 6x and get home and get out of the wet clothes. Flight to Manchester that evening with my wife and daughter for the weekend (back home Monday morning). Packed enough clothes for running on Sat and Sun which I planned to fit in.

Saturday 04-03-2017

Planned: Easy 40min Run or 40min cross training
Actual: Rest, pretty fecked tired so decided a rest would be more worthwhile. Plenty of walking anyways so probably ticked the box with the cross training in that regard. My daughter enjoyed her first time in Old Trafford, least United scored but had to be a bloody draw.

Total mileage for the week was 37.9 miles.

diego_b

Tralee Marathon 2017 week 15.1

Sunday 05-03-2017

Planned: Easy 20min, Marathon Pace Tempo Run (60min @ 95-100% of Goal Marathon Pace), Easy 20min Warm-Down; Core and Flexibility Training

Actual: Very disappointed with myself that despite knowing if I got up early on Sunday morning I could have got this run in as planned. Too tired with all the going and slept in till 9ish (we needed to get a bus at 9:40) so said I'd do it later. Then after a day in Legoland Discovery Centre, Sealife and then Trafford Centre by the time we got back to the hotel I was done for again. Didn't let on too much to my wife but told her I was disappointed that I could have got up and got it done without impacted our plans but I was just too lazy. Figured it would mean getting it done Monday and then not messing up the rest of the week too much.

Monday 06-03-2017

Planned: Rest
Actual: Easy 20min, Marathon Pace Tempo Run (60min @ 95-100% of Goal Marathon Pace), Easy 20min c/d; Core and Flexibility Training;...(carried over from Sunday)

Got back to Kerry around lunchtime and did a quick unpacking (I have a bad/good habit of unpacking immediately once I get home from anywhere). Something to eat and the started my run around half 3.

I hit the target paces I wanted but yet again wind/rain ensued throughout, bit frustrated with weather over the last few weeks of training. Well used to running in it but will definitely have a definitive Goal A, B and C (pace bands even) for conditions that might exist on race day as if they are the way they have been for the last few weeks they will play a part.

Session broke down as follows:
2.11mi in 20min @ 9:29min/mi
7.08mi in 60min @ 8:29min/mi
2.11mi in 20:30min @ 9:42min/mi

Tuesday 07-03-2017

Planned: Easy 45min Run; Core and Flexibility
Actual: 4.7mi in 45min @ 9:36min/mi

Ran in darkness after work around 7pm so back on the head torch, lashing rain throughout so worn my running jacket (generally don't use the jackets on long runs but fine on short stuff) to keep dry.

Wednesday 08-03-2017

Planned: (Aerobic Power Intervals)- Easy 20min Warm-Up, 2x 3200m (two-miles) @ 105-110% GMP w/ 90sec Recovery Jogging Between Each, Easy 20min c/d
Actual: Rest, with juvenile coaching between 6-8pm and finishing work at 5pm it wasn't a runner and having rest day was no harm. Planned to carry it to Thursday morning.

Thursday 09-03-2017

Planned: Rest
Actual: (Aerobic Power Intervals)- Easy 20min Warm-Up, 2x 3200m (two-miles) @ 105-110% GMP w/ 90sec Recovery Jogging Between Each, Easy 20min c/d

Started this around 7:40am before work this morning, decent amount of fog around but no wind/rain and not cold so hopefully have turned a corner on that front for a few weeks.

Broke down as follows:
2.06mi in 20mins @ 9:41min/mi,
2 x intervals (Target pace for the intervals was 7:43 (110%) - 8:10 (105%), actual was 7:42min/mi (15:25min in duration) for the first and 7:46min/mi (15:33min in duration) for the second. I had to do a 180 turn during the second interval as came to a crossroads where there was some traffic to the schools/factory in the area and with the heavy fog I stopped for a few secs and then turned around and lost a few seconds.
2.11mi in 20mins @ 9:39min/mi. Total of 8.3miles in 1:12:52

Kennyg71

Summers on way D, have no fear, but I hear ya on all the rain. Looks like things
ticking along nicely, how's the body Holding up.

diego_b

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Summers on way D, have no fear, but I hear ya on all the rain. Looks like things
ticking along nicely, how's the body Holding up.

Indeed just got to me a bit over the last few weeks with the longer runs, been a bit of a mental battle at times to put myself out doing speed/marathon pace work in it.
The body is holding up very well actually, touch wood no niggles going into it and this being my third marathon cycle I've never got to this late in the game without something through wear and tear. I did have the calf injury early on from the race in November but that has cleared up with the exercises I was prescribed.

diego_b

Tralee Marathon 2017 15.2 One week to go...

Friday 10/03/2017

Planned: Easy 45min, 6x 12sec Short Hill Sprints (full recovery between each), Easy 10min c/d
Actual: Easy 45min, 6x 12sec Short Hill Sprints (2min recovery between each), Easy 10min c/d

6.5miles in 1:06:17

Saturday 11/03/2017

Planned: 30min easy run or rest
Actual: Rest

Having squashed things a little bit this week with moving my long run to Monday I said I'd take this as a rest day irregardless of how I felt.

Total mileage for the week: 30.8miles

This time next week it will be all over, lovely day today down here so hopefully bodes well for the week ahead. My car showed 16.5C at one stage...I'd like something sub 10 degrees if that can be arranged thanks! Conditions akin to DCM 2016 would be perfect. Clear, still and a small bit of a cooling chill in the air.

diego_b

Tralee Marathon 2017 week 16 race ready....

Sunday 12-03-2017

Planned: Easy 20min, Marathon Pace Tempo Run (40min @ 95-100% of Goal Marathon Pace), Easy 20min Warm-Down; Core and Flexibility Training

Actual: Ran around home, weather was pretty decent from what I can recall. Bit of a headcold going on which would be about right for a taper for me.

Run broke down as follows:
2.1mi in 20mins @ 9:33min/mi
4.73 in 40mins @ 8:28min/mi
2.69 in 25mins @ 9:34min/mi

Monday 13-03-2017

Planned: Rest
Actual: Rest

Tuesday 14-03-2017

Planned: 40min easy
Actual: Squeezed this in under a bit of pressure at lunchtime, 4.35mi in 40min @ 9:12min/mi. Legs were feeling very fresh for this and hard to keep the pace down. Head cold seemed to have passed. Really nice and sunny for this, would have happily ran for a few hours if I could.

Wednesday 15-03-2017

Planned: (Fartlek)- Easy 20min Warm-Up, 8x60sec ‘Fast’, 60sec ‘Easy’, Easy 15min cool down
Actual: As above and got this done at lunchtime as well. With juvenile training yesterday evening between 6-8 I wanted to get it done earlier in the day and in daylight. Could feel the zip in my legs for this and was hitting sub 5K pace on the intervals getting down into the low/mid 6 min mile pace (to date I have never done a 5K with all sub 7min/miles).

Thursday 16-03-2017

Planned: Rest
Actual: Rest

Friday 17-03-2017

Planned: Rest
Actual: Rest

Total mileage for this training week : 19.5miles.

Training wraps with 408.68 miles over the 16 weeks, due to the calf injury I had in November I lost some mileage over the first 4 weeks but since then it's been pretty much on plan and on pace.
Unfortunately I did not get to a 10mile or half marathon race during the plan so not 100% where I am on the target front (my expectation that it's been 6 months since I raced a half marathon that I would break my pb of 1:43:42 when I race the distance again, similarly a year since the last 10 miler and the 1:18:52 is possibly a few minutes soft now). I do feel I have pushed on a bit more over the winter and comparing my training with training for Dublin (I was on the same plan) I have increased pace on the faster/pace work (doing my best to keep the easy bits easy).
The pace groups for the race on Saturday are 3:30, 3:45, 4:00 etc. Starting into training I was expecting to be able to beat my time from Dublin of 3:57:34 and I think barring a bad day that should be the case. The course has been changed to a two lap course which will be a new experience for me but favourable to run an even strategy and my plan for the day (if weather conditions are favourable) is that I will start the race with the 3:45 pacers and stick with them. I am risking a positive split with this strategy but the last 6 weeks work has all been in mind with the goal of 3:45. Saying that if you offered me a 3:4x:xx time now I would be thrilled with it.

Goal A for the day is going with the 3:45 pacers and staying with them throughout. Goal B is sub 3:50, Goal C is to break my pb from DCM 2016 of 3:57:34. If waking up to start the race on Saturday and it's very bad weather I plan to adjust my targets.

Neady83

The very best of luck this weekend diego. You've a seriously consistent block of training behind you for this race. I really hope that you hit you're A goal but as you said, if conditions aren't favorable, you have a very smart B and C goal. Very much looking forward to seeing how it goes for you and reading the report

Ososlo

Great training block, D! Best of luck achieving your goal and really hope conditions are favourable for it!!! Excited to see how you'll do!!! Have a great race. GOOD LUCK!!!!

diego_b

Neady83 wrote: »

The very best of luck this weekend diego. You've a seriously consistent block of training behind you for this race. I really hope that you hit you're A goal but as you said, if conditions aren't favorable, you have a very smart B and C goal. Very much looking forward to seeing how it goes for you and reading the report

Thanks very much Neady. The block has gone well and barring a few down weeks and silly racing in November I am kinda looking at this at two marathon blocks back to back and seeing how it goes for me.

Ososlo wrote: »

Great training block, D! Best of luck achieving your goal and really hope conditions are favourable for it!!! Excited to see how you'll do!!! Have a great race. GOOD LUCK!!!!

Thanks A, fingers crossed the weather gods are good and the pacers are as good as the lot Nike plan to use for Breaking 2!

hot buttered scones

Best of luck on Saturday and hope it all goes well for you.

Kennyg71

Best luck D, hope weather plays ball, have a great race.

diego_b

hot buttered scones wrote: »

Best of luck on Saturday and hope it all goes well for you.

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Best luck D, hope weather plays ball, have a great race.

Thanks very much!

Singer

If you are reading this tonight, get to bed already! Best of luck and enjoy it. I bet you'll PB.

tailgunner

Best of luck tomorrow!

nop98

Good luck Diego!

diego_b

Singer wrote: »

If you are reading this tonight, get to bed already! Best of luck and enjoy it. I bet you'll PB.

tailgunner wrote: »

Best of luck tomorrow!

nop98 wrote: »

Good luck Diego!

Thanks lads, in less than 24 hours it will be done. Fair wind whipped up here today so hopefully that blows itself out overnight.

jake1970

Best of luck D, have a great race.
PB all the way!!

diego_b

jake1970 wrote: »

Best of luck D, have a great race.
PB all the way!!

Thanks L!

denis b

The very best of luck today D. No better man to figure out how to adapt to the racing conditions today. Use that training block.

Younganne

Best of luck today. Hope the weather is better down there than it is up here.

Ososlo

Fanbloodytastic, D!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Huge congrats:D:D:D

diego_b

Thanks very much everyone, I may have had the race of my life there. Will do up a full report later but despite conditions looking like cack starting off I went with Goal A of 3:45 (3:44:30 on the pace band), went through halfway with the Pacers and moved ahead of them after 16/17 miles. Slowed a bit through mile 22/23 and they came right back up behind me but managed to get a final push over the last 5K to come home in a gross time of 3:43:49 (net time 3:43:41). Really am so chuffed as it was bloody hard at times (willing myself over the last mile) but once I kept my head my body did what I needed it to do.....genuinely could not have predicted the time but the pace groups are such a huge advantage and protection from the wind. Just can't believe it!

Bungy Girl

Fantastic!! Great result and very well deserved. Congratulations !

The Muppet

Brilliant run D , Congratulations.

tailgunner

That's a brilliant result, and well deserved after that block of training. Well done!

nop98

Well done Diego! Splendid stuff!

Neady83

Brilliant, never doubted for a minute that you had that kind of finish in you. Delighted for you - these conditions obviously suit you

Can't wait for a full run down on the 26.2 miles. Enjoy the well deserved celebrations. That's two cracking training blocks and marathons that you have to show for your hard work.

Kennyg71

Brilliant running D, really well done.

Singer

Delighted for you! Enjoy it

denis b

Super run Diego. Never doubted your ability to think on your feet. Great run all the same and in trying conditions.