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The breaks even out in the long run

Right....I've decided to give this internet logging thing another shot with a new, fresh and hopefully fluff free log. I've got over all of my injuries and started to get some consistent training in if you can count consistency in weeks:pac: but it's a start and the best II've put together in a few months. Motivation is burning high at the minute so I'm going to strike while the iron is hot and try and keep it simple and hopefully progress on that methodology.

I've dropped all thoughts of running an Autumn marathon against my worst judgement and focus on the short long stuff, a contradiction to start off the log off on a trend that is sure to follow but hopefully, anybody who reads this will call me out on those contradictions where they can a reign me in. Honestly, any and all input is welcome and I won't take it personally, there's always room for improvement and that's what I'm looking for from this log.

The Gameplan going forward for this year is to focus on track for the next month in a buildup to Munster Outdoor 3000m steeplechase on the 28th June and then to start giving my full focus on the roads over 5/10k until XC season kicks off where I hope to run a full season for the first time. The plan training wise is to considerbly raise my mileage over the rest of the year and set me up to make a big attack on 2016, I know......a long time away yet but I refer you to the title of this log and see if it holds true:). The goal being to prove myself wrong and my coach right but we'll take that step by step and under wraps for the time being.

PB's

3k: 10:45(2014)
5k: 18:34(2013)
10k: 39:46(2014)
HM: 1.26:26(2013)
M: 3.15:29 (2013)

Will update my log tomorrow with what I have being doing for the last couple of weeks but the leaba is calling now.

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Annie get your Run wrote: »

Oh my god that's just MEAN :pac: not even when I'm old & grey!! (Tang, don't even think about it)

Who's this tang person?? Afraid the old & grey started a long time ago........... Your kidding nobody with those easy mesh highlights!!!

Friday 30th June- 4.5 Miles Easy(blown Run)

Woke up Wednesday morning feeling like sh*te for lack of a more accurate word. I seemed to have picked up a cold/hayfever or something like that and had no energy at all so I skipped out on Wednesday's planned run as I was just wrecked all week. I kind of felt better this morning and said I'd chance it which was a mistake. Haven't eaten properly over the last few days, energy levels were very low and I just felt dehydrated and clogged up even at a trot. Pace was slow as that's what I felt I could manage at the start today but any tiny increase in effort or a small hill had me feeling like I was redlining. Pushed on through for a few miles despite a constant side stitch and feeling like I was burning up with weakness soon following. Started feeling a twinge on the inside of my knee around 4 miles in and just called it a day at that. Nothing to be gained from pushing through an awful run like that besides an injury.

Not a great week and not ideal to miss a week this early on but those are the breaks. Going to have good weeks, bad weeks and everything in between over the next few months, hopefully this is the bad week out of the way early.

Beautiful photos and setting, pity about the golf

Hope you feel better soon.

Saturday 1st July- 4 Miles Easy

The body had come around today so I decided to throw on the shoes late last night to see how I'd go. Mainly because I knew I'd feel better by tomorrow and didn't want to miss the long run this week as that could be a slippery slope for me... felt I needed the few miles tonight to give me some confidence back that I could get through the long run. Still didn't feel great but I got through it which was the main thing.

Sunday 2nd July- 10 Miles LR

Took this right handy this evening on the hilly 9 mile loop around town, can't believe I never knew some of these roads existed around here until lately:pac:. Lovely peaceful route through the hills and not a car to be seen. The first few miles were a bit sloggy, they always are as you can only go up from where my runs start wherever you decide to go. Started to settle in after 2 and half as my quads and calves began to free up once they had time to recover from the first climb. My form is starting to come back too I think. What was once fatigue in my calves and hamstrings throughout my runs seems to have moved up to my glutes and obliques. Side stitches seem to be a problem now as I had to battle another again today but these are just kinks to be ironed out as my legs feel light again and it doesn't feel like my calves are taking all the strain anymore. It was an easy jog through in the end and I feel pretty good right now.

The week didn't turn out to be as big of a write-off as I thought it was going to. Now, it pretty much resembles a step-back week after a hard half marathon effort last Saturday and I can live with that:). I've a 10k on Wednesday if I can make it, probably the flattered and fastest one in the country so it will be interesting to see how that goes. I've no doubt that Waterford brought me on in racing terms and I should see the benefit of that come race day. It is another step up in intensity again though which will probably be a shock but I'll be happy to take a good marker forward before my attention turns completely towards training for the next while:)

Tuesday 4th July- 4 Miles Easy

Real gentle shakeout to keeep the legs ticking over

Wednesday 5th July- Coillte 10k(41:15)

That will do pig...That will most certainly do:). The very first 10k I've negative split. Two loop of 5k and I went through the first feeling very comfortably in 21 flat, I was worried at that stage as all though the breathing was good and the legs only had a slight simmer going on, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find another gear on the second loop and end up running 42 mid as I knew I was in better than that. Around 6.5k, my legs started to come alive and I just got faster and faster over the last few kilometres to run the second half 45 seconds faster with a 20:15 split. Tbh, I didn't even think I was in sub-20 5k shape yet so to split that in the second half of a 10k was a pleasant suprise. That is my fastest 10k in 2 and a half years to add t o my fastest half in 3 years just 10 days ago. That is progress and I felt unreal after which is something I haven't felt in years:). This year is going to be good, I can see it already.

Well done on the negative split......good going in what were fairly muggy conditions.

Worth it all for the snazzy towel at the end :-)

Annie get your Run

El Caballo wrote: »

That is my fastest 10k in 2 and a half years to add t o my fastest half in 3 years just 10 days ago. That is progress and I felt unreal after which is something I haven't felt in years:). This year is going to be good, I can see it already.

That's fantastic E, delighted for you.

hot buttered scones

Great running and congrats on the results. Onwards and upwards!!

Annie get your Run wrote: »

That's fantastic E, delighted for you.

hot buttered scones wrote: »

Great running and congrats on the results. Onwards and upwards!!

Thanks folks, definitely in a position to kick on from here!

Cartman78 wrote: »

Well done on the negative split......good going in what were fairly muggy conditions.

Worth it all for the snazzy towel at the end :-)

Cheers mate, definitely and it came in fair handy too!

Savage running by yourself too! You seem to be hitting good form, more to come as well I'd say;)

Thursday 6th July- 30 min Rec

Legs actually felt alright but decided to take it handy all the same. Short loop around town at probably 10 minute pace or thereabouts.

You are progressing nicely, keep up the good work.

Saturday 8th July- 15 Miles Long Run(8:26)

Well...it's a long way and it most definitely felt that way. Now I'm starting to get into terroritry that can actually be called a marathon long run. it's amazing how tacking on a few a couple of miles more than you previously done makes the rtun that much tougher mentally although funny that when you have 12 miles on the cards, it starts to get tough at 9 but with 15, it starts to get tough at 12. I suppose that's the real reward of training, it never truly gets easier but your boundaries and tolerances get pushed out a little farther. The legs probably had a slight tinge of a hangover from Wednesday's race still in the legs so they were a little on the heavy side which is something I'm going to have to get used to anyway so might as well start now. Tbh, the run felt good overall and I did have a few rough moments especially towards the end but I can't have it my way the whole time, The marathon will throw those trough patches at me in abundance too so I gotta man up and take them as they come.

very happy to have got 15 in at this stage, the body felt good after a short walk cool down home and half a gallon of chocolate milk so all is good. My next race is in 6 weeks time, the results have been good so far but it's time to get serious now with training as my expectations for where I should be when I get to those build up races will be a lot bigger than gedtting a good marker down.

Sunday 9th July- 4 Miles Recovery

Yesterday's long run took a fairly big bite tbh and I felt it this morning. Muscle soreness was small enough but energy levels were low and it felt like I had an elephant on my shoulders getting out of bed. Needed a few gentle miles to get the blood circulating again. This done a half decent job in the end. Probably need to start eating more as well now, weight is falling off me and I don't have much to lose as it is.

Well done on the 10k and great to see you back and so positive.

Tuesday 11th July- 6.5 Easy(8:19)

Getting a little faster, a little more comfortable in this pace range as well but I still blame my garmin for this one as it was spouting out 8:40 pace avg for the whole thing and I've no idea why as everything post run shows as 8:19 which sounds about right. How did I feel? leggy but alright.

Thursday 13th July- 6.5 inc 3 Mile Tempo(6:49)

I was anxious enough about this, coach sent me a screen of sub-3 pace and splits at the start of the week and gave me a goal tempo pace of 6:50. On one hand, it made me realise I've a huge amount of work to do and on the other, it scared the living sh!te outta me because I've a huge amount of work to do:pac:. This wasn't even a marathon pace tempo but flat to board tempo of around 1 hour pace and just from running t his tonight, I'm 100% sure that the tempo I ran a few weeks ago off feel was not at 6:50 pace like I thought so I can scratch that off the slate. I'll be honest right now, 6:50 feels Hellas fast in training compared to what I thought it would. The effort was bang on as I had my HRM on but I really didn't think I'd be striding out so much. I know this will improve as I get more efficient and have more speedwork under my but damn! A nice little reminder that I need to stay on my game over the next few months.

Splits:

1. 4:16
2. 4:13
3. 4:10
4. 4:16
.8 4:16

Happy to have that in the legs though and felt really good on the cool down. This week is really the first week I've noticed lower efforts to similar paces on my easy runs too which is a good sign too.

Saturday 15th July- 6.5 Miles Easy

Felt good, Easy 2 loops around town.

Sunday 16th July- 14.25 Miles Long Run(8:31)

A lot of lessons learned the hard way today. Number one being that going this far in the heat without water is not a good idea. Number two is that I shouldn't let my ego get the better of me. Kicked this off with two 4 mile loops around town and was feeling pretty good at this stage tbh although the heat was weighing on me slightly. Kind of got a rush of blood to the head and decided to head off into the hill/near mountain just outside of town.

I've never run it in the direction I headed off in today but thought it might be a handover way around although I knew I'd have to take on one pretty long climb and thought it would be a gradual downhill all the way home, I was wrong!!:eek: Hit the bottom of orchard road which averages 6% for about a mile and a half and started to struggle about half way up but pushed on to the crest knowing a nice downhill was ahead which it was but everything for the next 3 Miles after that was a torturous grind just to get home with a ton of little short 8-10% climbs to negotiate and my legs quickly ceasing up. Called it a day at 14.25 Miles of the scheduled 16 as I was fairly dehydrated and my legs had cracked. tough day at the office.

Wednesday 19th July- 6.5 Miles Easy(8:32)

The week didn't get off to a great start, I feel asleep straight away when I got home and was supposed to be running so that forced me into slightly backsliding this week, no issue as I know my body can take that for a few days. I also probably needed another day to shake off some of the mental fragility taste left in my mouth from Sunday's horrific long run before I started to move forward again. Nothing really of note on today's actual run, Easy 6.5 is easy.

Thursday 20th July- 6.2 Miles inc. 3 @Tempo(6:42)

The Weather was nothing short of a monsoon when I got out at around 9pm with steams rolling down both sides of the road and the rain dancing on the road. I can take rain, I actually quite like running in it, must be the inner bigger in me. Pace was scheduled for 3 miles at 6:50 and I done easy miles as a w/u before starting the workout section. The first mile was alright, trying to find my rhythm on a slight incline so it was a little over 6:50 pace before I started t to finally click into gear on the second mile which was fairly swift and surprising as I clicked off a 6:38 mile feeling comfortable and driving through puddles along the way. Final mile on the cards and I pushed through in 6:32 which was a shock as it didn't feel that fast. Weather was absolutely ideal but I didn't think that pace was in me yet especially after last week's tempo where it felt strange and fast to stride out at 6:50 pace.

Splits

1. 6:53
2. 6:38
3. 6:32

That is a big workout for me, shows I'm moving along well and even faster than expected, very close to my 10k pace from a couple of weeks ago and the first real major breakthrough I've felt since I started back again.

Saturday 22nd July- 16 Mile Long Run(8:31)

Even with a good confidence boost from Thursday's session, I was still apprehensive about this week's long run after last Sunday's hiccup. Set off at a relaxed pace and hoped to work into as the run progressed. It was fairly hot starting off again today but got nice and cool as I started to work my way into the second half of this run which was more than welcome. I had a gel stashed in a bush that would be close enough at any point if worse came to worse again this time just in case the legs started to cease and I needed a get out of jail card. Fortunately, I didn't and this run went past with so much as a blip and no rough patches to negotiate, absolute perfection! My longest run in almost 3 years and probably one the most enjoyable if not the most enjoyable solo long runs I've ever done. Average HR of 147 which is pretty damn good for me at this pace over this distance. Starting to hit some form. 9 weeks without a drop of booze as well now so everything is going well.

Sunday 23rd July- 7 Miles Easy(8:28)

An Easy 7 to cap off the week. The legs felt nice and light setting off on this and I had to kind of pull back the pace before I got carried away for the first mile or two. The fatigue from yesterday did catch up with me about 4 or 5 into this one but at that stage, I was on the homestretch so no big deal. Opened up the legs a bit for the last mile as I just felt like it tbh and safe in the knowledge that tomorrow is a rest day. Happy out.

Not good last week. Only managed 14.5 Miles after pulling the plug twice on runs due to a bad cold/stomach. Still not right now, hopefully this doesn't last too long and I can get some decentish volume in this week after resting.

Tuesday 1st August- 3 Miles Easy

Weakness had all but gone in my legs but my heart rate was still a bit elevated and I still felt a bit raspy in the chest so didn't go mad on this one, just a quick loop around town.

Wednesday 2nd August- 5.5 Easy(8:23)

Everything was back on track today, heart rate was back to normal and although I was still a bit chesty, I felt good. Legs felt really good for obvious reasons, it's hard to be tired and stiff when I haven't really ran in a week. The down week might not have been a bad thing after all as it has left me feeling fresh and zippy before the real training starts in the next week or two. We'll see how that pans out, I might have a crack off a race this weekend if coach gives me the all clear. I'm in a good place overall and have a feeling I could possibly do some damage if I raced now.

Sunday 20th August- Curraghchase 10k(41:09)

Well...the last few weeks have been terrible as I had a chest infection that I couldn't shake off so training took a big hit which was far from ideal at this stage. I managed to get a few runs in but nothing worth noting as it was sporadic at best. Still, I had this race on Sunday and wanted to see where I was so I had to give it a go.

The course was tough and consisted of roads, gravel paths and some testing hills most notably dragging all the way from 3.5-6k with a few really testing sections thrown in there too through the park. Still managed to run faster today than I did in the pancake flat Coillte 10k last month which is good progress and also marks my fastest 10k in 2 and a half years. The sub-3 may be slipping away although I haven't fully lost hope on it but I'm close to PB shape again I feel on a flat route. If my experience from previous years of doing this holds through, I can usually hold my 10k pace from this course in the late September half marathons and hopefully a little quicker this time around as I haven't done much speedwork this year yet compared to other years so still shaping up to look like a big marathon PB at least given everything goes smoothly over the next 2 and a bit months.

I was just wondering how you were getting on. Well done on the 10k.

Hope you've shaken off that chest infection fully?

annapr wrote: »

I was just wondering how you were getting on. Well done on the 10k.

Hope you've shaken off that chest infection fully?

Thanks Anna. Yeah, all is good with the chest. The head is my only problem right after a bit of overindulgence last night breaking out from selfimposed drinking ban:ugh:

El Caballo wrote: »

Thanks Anna. Yeah, all is good with the chest. The head is my only problem right after a bit of overindulgence last night breaking out from selfimposed drinking ban:ugh:

You need a detox run

Dare I ask, how's the smoking ban going these days?

Haven't really logged in a while as the chest infection broke the habit and I found out that time away from dwelling on each run really helped me just get out the door and not actually really obsessively think about training which is a change. Thought I might share this one though as anyone who has followed my logs over the past 3 years will know that I successful performances have being few and far between so this will be a change for the better:pac: and one I'd like to share:p

Charleville Half Marathon(1:27:04)

The last few weeks of training leading up to today had gone well and had been fairly consistent. I had some runs that were making me feel like I was getting back to my best which felt amazing tbh because it's been a long time coming. Pretty much all of training so far this year has just consisted of easy running and a weekly 2-3 mile tempo run so pretty much all base mileage and no speedwork bar the occasional race to get a grip on where I was and how I was progressing. Coach was taking the cautious approach with me and for good reason and I have to give him kudos for helping me get back enjoying running again and not for the first time as he seems to have some magic elixer for coaching the uncoachable:pac:

Headed into the race today probably as nervous as I've been in a long time. It's one thing to show up to a race unfit but a completely different thing to do it when you know you have a few months of training under your belt as the excuses go out the window. Still really wasn't sure what to target as I started my warm-up even though I knew I was strong, I wasn't sure how I would react to the lack of speed in my legs as my last few races had felt meh! The paces had felt slow and easy but I couldn't shift through the gears at all so that was in the back of my mind. The nerves weren't helped at all as I got hit by a reversing car crossing the main street in Charleville hurting my shoulder in the middle of it all. Met up with a few of the lads for the usual pre race trash talking and a few surprised looks of "what the hell are you doing here!?!?" and "you still run?":pac:which would become a theme for the day before I made my way up to the starting line and the most important part...

The Race:

The horn went and we headed off down the lightening quick first mile as I slotted in between the 1:25 and 1:30 pacers mounting the footpath at times to get some clean air. Wasn't really my intention but by the time we hit the bottom, I was much closer to the 85 group than I thought I should but felt good and a quick glance over my shoulder reassuringly confirmed that the 90 minute group were only a few strides behind so I wasn't totally overcooking it.

We passed through the first mile marker and things had started to settle down as I tucked in behind a female killing at barriers runner and her unofficial pacer. I was still cautious of the pace but at this already early stage, my thoughts were already swaying towards a positive feeling of "this could be a good day" and a PB might be there for the taking as the body was feeling really good and the pace felt handy enough. The next few miles ticked by in a haze until I reached 4 miles and felt there was a lot of running in my legs so decided to push on a bit and work from group to group by myself by pushing on and then sitting in for a minute or two when I caught a new group.

At about 5 and a half miles, I could spot a group of 8 or so up ahead with a lot of familiar local runners in it which I thought would be a perfect group to get to as the camaraderie and competition would help to no end. I just managed to catch them as we came into Killmalock and quickly headed to the front as the group disintegrated almost immediately. All that was left of the remains was NM, a North Cork runner and me pushing on from the front as we came down the hill through the town with a load of familiar faces cheering us on and one of the lads handing same a gel which I quickly thought better of taking as stomach problems weren't going to deny me a good run today. It was here that lost the rag a bit and clicked off the mile at 6:06 pace which immediately triggered thoughts of "Holy sh*t, You absolute Muppet!" before it registered that if I just ran a mile at that pace and wasn't dead on my feet, I must be going well so turned to NM and asked him what we were averaging and he said "6:30 on the button" which was a bit surprising to say the least because I couldn't remember the last time I'd ran more than a mile at PB pace nevermind 7 miles into the race and feeling like I could attack even more. This all went to my head a little tbh and I started to think that 1:24 might be possible today so started clicking off the next few miles faster and faster through some of the trickier sections of road out in the sticks which I would learn was a bit early and impetitious on my behalf as I crossed the 10 mile mark sub-65 which is the fastest I've ever ran 10 miles. I knew by now that my legs were on the way out and it was going to be a grind to the line from here on in and was just holding on as best I could.

With 2 to go, energy was zapped and I started to really lag as people were starting to cruise past me and the thoughts of just stopping and walking it in had fully kicked in with the odd mumble of still being on for hugely surprising performance rattling around in the back of my head to just keep putting one foot in front of the other as best as I could muster up. The last mile was tough not helped by the hill which feels like a mountain at the end of a half marathon and so much flat running before I turned the corner for home just to see the clock tick over 1:27 which gave me a slight burst to finish it off. Crossed the line jelly legged to an official time of:

1:27.04

My fastest half since 2013 and second fastest ever.

Thoughts:

I done it the hard way, wouldn't expect it any other way:pac: but this is one I'm ecstatic with. There was definetely a few thoughts of a missed oppurtunity with good pacing but this is one I'm going to give myself as it signals a return to form I've being hoping for rather than chasing for the last few years. I improved my half time by 6 minutes since Waterford in late June which shows we are doing the right thing and the training is paying off. Now, it's time to start taking one step forward again rather than two steps back, everything points towards me having the ability to go much faster but for now, I'm delighted with the result. Roll on Dublin.

hot buttered scones

Great stuff! Sounds like you had a great day and things are looking good for Dublin now. Enjoyed reading that report too.

hot buttered scones wrote: »

Great stuff! Sounds like you had a great day and things are looking good for Dublin now. Enjoyed reading that report too.

Cheers HBS, some run out of you as well, a big leap forward. Sounds like our plans for Dublin are pretty similar as well.

Nice one, EC. Looking good. Quit those fags and a sub 3 will be a formality.

Murph_D wrote: »

Nice one, EC. Looking good. Quit those fags and a sub 3 will be a formality.

Hahaha, can't get away with anything around here;)

Cheers Murph. Well done on the PB as well, going strong!:)

started to settle down as I tucked in behind a female killing at barriers

bloody autocorrect:rolleyes: Meant to be Mullingar Harriers:pac:

Wait, you got hit by a car???

well done on the race!

Annie get your Run

Great report E, well done!! But yeah, plus one on quitting the fags *wags finger*. You're still a young fella, the benefits you'll get from quitting now will be quick and worth it - every time I struggle on a run I rue the fact that I smoked for 20+ years!!!