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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Currently working off slightly outdated HR but I am unable to do any sort of testing in order to establish current values.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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OOnegative

Well done L, great to PB, didn't realise you were racing yesterday.

AuldManKing

Testosterscone wrote: »

I have often been better prepared physically for a race but very few times I have gone that deep into the well to get the performance.

I wish I had your mental toughness :P

Testosterscone

AuldManKing wrote: »

I wish I had your mental toughness :P

All a matter of perspective, some would see it as abject failure for not hitting a sub 73 target

Swashbuckler

AuldManKing wrote:

I wish I had your mental toughness

Clock watcher, hill avoider, mentally weak... It's turning into quite the year for you when it comes to feedback.

Great run L. Didn't realise from your Strava just how much you had gritted it out. What's next?

Testosterscone

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Clock watcher, hill avoider, mentally weak... It's turning into quite the year for you when it comes to feedback.

Great run L. Didn't realise from your Strava just how much you had gritted it out. What's next?

Initially the plan was K club with Clontarf 10 mile the following week however K Club now clashes. I was in two minds about which to do (I want to give the 10km PB a good rattle this year and it's a perfect race to do so but Clontarf is Leinster 10 mile championships and one the club usually targets - I was 4th two years ago and last year despite a poor race from myself we ended up with team gold)

The fact that I came through 10 mile at the weekend in 56.54 (exact same time I ran in Dungarvan last year for PB) though was a sign so club racing will be the focus. The 10k can wait (and hopefully don't completely fall off after end of next month)

Testosterscone

Let this get away from me a bit like training the last while

Mon AM 3 recovery (9.16 min/m) PM 3 recovery (8.34 min/m)
Tues AM 4 easy (7.40 min/m) PM 9 easy (7.44 min/m)

Wed AM 14x400m (40 sec) PM 3 easy (8.57 min/m)
Splits: 80, 80, 80, 80, 80, 81, 82, 82, 80, 83, 80, 87, 86, 88

Thurs 4 easy (8.21 min/m) PM 4 easy (7.59 min/m)

Fri OFF
Sat OFF
Sun OFF

Total Weekly mileage: 42.1 miles

Definitely feeling the post race effects this week. Legs were very heavy Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday was a meet up with DR and a passing moment with coach post session. Conditions were poxy; wet, windy and altogether miserable. Splits went out the window somewhat but even at that I was fading i the last few, bagged it early as I was flogging a dead horse

The weekend was a getaway with herself. Hadn't planned on few days off but was feeling a bit of a big coming on and was our last get away without the new addition so I took the down time and decided not to worry about it.

Mon OFF
Tues 5 miles easy (7.55 min/m)
Wed AM 12 miles steady (6.17 min/m) PM 4 easy (8.27 min/m)
Thurs AM 4 easy (8.27 min/m) PM 9 easy (7.58 min/m)
Fri 4 miles easy (8.09 min/m)
Sat AM 4 easy (8.02 min/m) PM 6 easy (7.44 min/m)
Sun 8x400m hills (2.30 recovery) PM 2.5 easy (7.34 min/m)

Total Weekly Mileage 60.5 miles

Still not great week but back on the horse somewhat. Monday was continuation of the weekend away and was only getting back and settled.

Wednesday and another date with Dublin Runner who had a big one planned. My instructions were to tag along for a medium steady. After a couple of miles it became apparent though the DR meant business and I wasn't remotely in the shape to keep with him. Rather than work too hard into the wind eased off a tad and focused on keeping my effort at steady. Tried a few shortcuts to get back on the train to try and pace him through but even these were fruitless. Many really was a machine and there is a reason I wouldn't be within an asses roar of him in longer races at the moment. Still a very solid session and surprised to see the paces that low despite a few slow miles due to strong headwinds.

Coach had mentioned Corkscrews in passing earlier in the week but I didn't have time to get out northside session was adapted. Using normal short hill rep course I extended it. Tough session but just what the doctor ordered and a solid bit of strength work this week.

Testosterscone

Mon 7 easy (7.44 min/m)
Tues 16 easy (7.11 min/m)
Wed 9.1 easy (7.37 min/m)
Thurs AM 4 easy (7.37 min/m)

Thurs PM 4x400, 1 mile, 4x400, 2 mile, 3x400m (1/3 min rec's)
Splits: 77, 75, 75, 77, 5.39, 76, 76, 76, 76, 11.14 (5.36/5.38) ,75, 74, 69

Fri AM 5 easy (8.24 min/m) PM 5 easy (8.03 min/m)
Sat 5 easy (7.31 min/m)
Sun OFF

Total Weekly Mileage: 60.3 miles

Legs a little beat up from the hills so between one thing and another the long run was getting pushed back. Stomach not feeling great so canned and pushed back to the next day. A catch up with TRR and longest run of the year feeling pretty good throughout and tipped along pretty quickly. Felt I have managed to get a good bit of strength work done since Bohermeen.

Thursday was a strange one. Early run before work, straight across to club in horrible weather to squeeze session in before club fundraising for the evening. No mood for it but the session itself was grand. Good to have a bit of company to as one of the lads who was with me in Bohermeen jumped in and session flew by. Decent bit of work without ever feeling like we were thrashing ourselves.

Sunday had a food hangover (only way I could describe it) had all the feelings of a hangover without the drink as I was designated driver at a family meal. As a result rather than a shakeout took the day completely off.

Testosterscone

This one wasn't pencilled as a PB attempt. We won team title last year and firmly focused on retaining that title however given that Bohermeen had seen me come through 10 mile marker bang on the PB (56.54) it planted a seed.

As mentiond didn't feel great the Sunday but seemed to pass as quick as it came on. Pre race food wasn't great as I had made the mistake of forgetting the supermarket was closed Easter Sunday and on late that day in work so no brekkie stuff in the house. Resorted to a petrol station brekkie (yoghurt, banana and a protein ball) not stellar but would do the job.

Conditions were miserable but spirits were high enough. Probably left the warm up a little late and a few drills shy of the normal warm up but wasn't too worried. Our strongest team in a few years meant that we were confident the win was there for the taking and all that was needed was a DFIU reminder at the start.

First mile was up and down the avenue with wind on back the way out. Was controlled initially but knew that field was being stretched out pretty quickly and I was just off a group (including TRR) so decided to be aggressive and get on the back rather than run on my own meaning first mile was a 5.32, about the same as Bohermeen but not the same downhill. I was breathing a little heavier than I would have liked but knew it was the lesser of two evils given the poxy weather.

2nd mile and I was settled into pace though did fall off the group running on my own with a 5.40. The next mile and we hit the first grass patch and a bit of a slip saw me nearly go over on the ankle, no pain but the peroneals gave a stiff creak. Got caught just ahead by the other club mate. I had just finished ahead of him in Bohermeen so I knew he had a bullseye on my back despite a heavy week in build up to this one. Splits were slow but usually are on this mile with tree cover so I largerly ignored the 6.12 on the watch. Couldn't keep with team mate here as I was blowing out my ass and generally feeling fairly crappy. Next mile (5.56) and another slip on a sharp turn the Hyperions offering feck all in terms of grip today and the head was gone. Stomach at me a little (or maybe was in the head) as the excuses starting adding up so much I knew that the main issue was that I was running sh!te and that I was looking for excuses rather than digging in. Came through 5 mile in 29.09 and knew that PB or indeed 57 was out the window but knew that if I didn't get my act in gear that quicker than last year which was a disaster performance was not even gonna be on the cards. Had been passed by a triathlete I knew to see and Sportsworld guy, now the mental calculations started as I was getting worried that if another passed me the team might slip away.

6th mile and was joined by a Mullingar Harriers legend who used to be my bench mark of a decent performance I was once again going toe to toe with (despite him having over 20 years on me :P) though he quickly pulled away from me. Legs had gone dead a bit but finally all the mental excuses had bottomed out, people stopped pulling away from me and I finally got going. The first was the Tri guy who I was gaining on on the straights but losing on the turns as he was going out of his way to cut corners. Normally doesn't bother me but the fact he was doing it so blatantly at every corner had me extremely frustrated.

Finally at 9 miles I had managed to catch him (and gave him a bit of a bollocking about it being a 10 mile race not 9.5, though not sure he heard me) came back onto the avenue and had reeled in Mullingar Harriers and Sliabh Buidhe runner to withing 10/15m. This avenue is my wheel house as the legs opened up and I began to close with every stride, with 200m to go I had blazed by the two lads before realizing that there was still 200m left

I was holding on for dear life and was completely shot managed to cross the line in 58.55, my worst time in years, spent the next 15/20 min throwing up.

It was not a great performance, nor was it a solid effort due to unforseen circumstances; it was a poor run by all stretches of the imagination, but it was enough to score for the team and enough to secure Leinster title so from that perspective job done.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1485016673/overview

Testosterscone

Mon Leinster 10 mile (See above)
Tues AM 3 miles rec (8.47 min/m) PM 6 miles rec (8.30 min/m)
Wed 7.3 easy (8.12 min/m)
Thurs AM 4 easy (8.37 min/m) PM 4 easy (7.58 min/m)
Fri OFF
Sat OFF
Sun OFF

Total Weekly Mileage 38.7 miles

Mon AM 4.2 easy (8.21 min/m) PM 7 easy (7.58 min/m)
Tues OFF
Wed AM 5 easy (7.50 min/m) PM 6.6 easy (7.50 min/m)

Thurs 5x0.65 @ HM effort w/ 75 sec rec
Paces 5.45, 5.57, 5.51, 6.02, 6.12

Fri OFF
Sat OFF
Sun OFF

Total weekly mileage 28.9 miles

Not the weeks to write home about. What I though was a bit of a bug following on from poor performance in Clontarf took a while to put my finger on the culprit (an issue that has raised it's head in recent years more than once in this log) might have been a combination

A small change at home and started to feel an almost immediate improvement and improved day on day then. Session wise took a bit longer. as was apparent with me dying on what was effectively a light reintroduction threshold session. Friday a major spanner in the works meant that first opportunity I had to run was 10pm, normally not an issue but as I was living off a caramel slice and coffee since breakfast at 8.30 was no point in trying to force it.

Currently now on standby so miles cut back a bit, rather than just decrease training and lose fitness completely though I am trying to be creative and use time well to work on weaknesses so alot of mobility work etc to improve the chassis while the engine is getting a little bit of a breather.

hot buttered scones

Testosterscone wrote: »

Currently now on standby so miles cut back a bit, rather than just decrease training and lose fitness completely though I am trying to be creative and use time well to work on weaknesses so alot of mobility work etc to improve the chassis while the engine is getting a little bit of a breather.

Best of luck!!

Swashbuckler

I feel for you man but it'll be worth it. Hard to set aside the running when it's such a big part of your life but only temporary. It'll be worth it when you're getting pooped on at 3am.

Annie get your Run

hot buttered scones wrote: »

Best of luck!!

+1!! When I saw the update I thought there was news

Testosterscone

Swashbuckler wrote: »

It'll be worth it when you're getting pooped on at 3am.

Pretty sure that could be interchangeable with a rough college night out on Harcourt Street:p

AuldManKing

Swashbuckler wrote: »

I feel for you man but it'll be worth it. Hard to set aside the running when it's such a big part of your life but only temporary. It'll be worth it when you're getting pooped on at 3am.

Testosterscone wrote: »

Currently now on standby so miles cut back a bit.

I don't want all this baby malarkey interfering with my training plans.
"The main thing......." and all that.

Best of luck :P

OOnegative

All the best L!!

HelenAnne

Hope everything goes great for you and your partner. Exciting times!!

Baby75

Best of luck

babies are great

skyblue46

All the best wishes in the world to you and your family. It's a fantastic time, enjoy it.

skyblue46

Baby75 wrote: »

Best of luck babies are great

And you know more than most! :pac:

Younganne

Best of Luck L, exciting times ahead.

ariana`

Oooooh exciting times, love baby news! Best of luck hope all goes well for Mrs. T.

Singer

Best of luck with it Luke! Whatever you do, don't say anything like "you know, you weren't very nice to me during labour" afterwards, even if she wasn't nice to you. That doesn't go down well. Not that I'd know about this through experience or anything.

OOnegative

And definitely don’t shout out in the middle of labour “Whoa what the fcuk is that!!”, not that I know anything about that either!!!

Testosterscone

AuldManKing wrote: »

I don't want all this baby malarkey interfering with my training plans.
"The main thing......." and all that.

Best of luck :P

Don't worry.... No excuses

Singer wrote: »

Best of luck with it Luke! Whatever you do, don't say anything like "you know, you weren't very nice to me during labour" afterwards, even if she wasn't nice to you. That doesn't go down well. Not that I'd know about this through experience or anything.

OOnegative wrote: »

And definitely don’t shout out in the middle of labour “Whoa what the fcuk is that!!”, not that I know anything about that either!!!

Still not hearing anyone ruling out the "Sure nothing is gonna happen in the time I get a short 4 miler out of the way, I won't be long" :P

Swashbuckler

Testosterscone wrote:

Still not hearing anyone ruling out the "Sure nothing is gonna happen in the time I get a short 4 miler out of the way, I won't be long"

Given your 4 mile pb that's probably an accurate statement though.

Also whatever you do, don't tell her "it can't be that painful".

Annie get your Run

Singer wrote: »

Best of luck with it Luke! Whatever you do, don't say anything like "you know, you weren't very nice to me during labour" afterwards, even if she wasn't nice to you. That doesn't go down well. Not that I'd know about this through experience or anything.

OOnegative wrote: »

And definitely don’t shout out in the middle of labour “Whoa what the fcuk is that!!”, not that I know anything about that either!!!

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Also whatever you do, don't tell her "it can't be that painful".

Ah lads, you didn't?!!!!???!!!!!!! :eek::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Testosterscone wrote: »

Still not hearing anyone ruling out the "Sure nothing is gonna happen in the time I get a short 4 miler out of the way, I won't be long" :P

You wouldn't

Swashbuckler

Annie get your Run wrote:

Ah lads, you didn't?!!!!???!!!!!!!

I sat there and tried to be as least useless as possible. Got fifty glasses of water and kept my mouth shut. Haha

Testosterscone

Mon AM 5 miles easy (7.52 min/m) PM 3 miles easy ( 7.26 min/m)
Tues OFF
Wed 30 min tempo (10/5/10/5 min - MP/HM effort)

Paces: 6.08/5.57/6.14/5.57

Thurs AM 4.1 easy (8.03 min/m) PM 4.5 easy (7.05 min/m)
Fri AM 5 easy (7.33 min/m) PM 4 easy (8.08 min/m)
Sat AM Parkrun - 1st - 17.36 PM 4 miles + turnover work (2x30 sec, 3x20 sec
Sun 4 miles moderate (6.51 min/m)

Total Mileage 48

What I would consider a solid middle distance runners week rather than a poor distance runners. Got sessions done and a bit of steadier running to compensate for the reduced volume and decent enough sessions. Tempo was solid, controlled effort. Heat got to me a bit and I will admit I took the easy downhill option later in the session to maintain paces as I was working too hard but focused on effort and got it done.

With the fact that I am on call at all times at the moment talked to coach and focus on getting some quality work done in short time frames. With that in mind Parkrun seemed like a solid option as I could get a solid 5k done with warm up and cooldown and be back at the house within an hour. I got notions of going for the course record which looked within reach but spotted on warm up that this was gonna be be harder than the shape I am in would dictate. Course is tight with 3 laps and two 90 degree turns. Took off from siren and focus on effort as best I could. Had a youngster chasing me but truth be told was not near enough to make this more than a solo time trial effort.

Held pace as best I could but the effort was definitely not balls out. Probably missing that digging in mentality a little at the moment as I am firmly trying to focus on just keeping tipping over. Ducked out later in evening on lunch break on work and figured would be a good idea to try a few hard fast efforts on tired legs and hopefully work on weaknesses as has been the focus the last while (with extra home conditioning work to compensate for the mileage) Decided on the following tacked on session 2x30 sec, 3x20 sec, 4x15 sec best effort. Calves were doing there best not to cramp on the first efforts which were in around 800m pace or a shade faster. Faded on the 20 secs so ditched the 15s as I would have been flogging a dead horse.

Testosterscone

Time for an overdue update

Mon 5 miles steady (6.42 min/m)
Tues AM 14x90 sec w/ 40 sec rec PM 4 miles easy (8.30 min/m)
Wed 5 miles steady (6.36 min/m)
Thurs 4 miles easy (7.11 min/m)
Fri OFF
Sat OFF
Sun OFF

Total weekly Mileage 26 miles

Still operating on call this week I knew the mileage was gonna be low this week as |I was keeping my runs short and phone on hand in case. As a result I pushed the boat a bit on the paces as they need for recovery was offset by the reduced volume. Ended up in the Hospital Thursday by doc's orders and then the clock was ticking. Unfortunately due to policy despite being there since 6.30 am I was booted out at 9.30 as OH was on a public ward. Given I wasn't gonna sleep that night as I could be called back into the hospital at any stage I managed to get a bonus run in that night to kill time.

No call through the night though and back in Friday morning first thing and after a long process Tallaght AC's newest recruit arrived at 5.08 am Saturday morning.

Things have definitely changed........

Mon OFF
Tues AM OFF
Wed OFF
Thurs 5 miles easy (7.36 min/m)
Fri 5.2 easy (7.33 min/m)
Sat AM 3 easy (8.12 min/m) PM Light Progessive tempo
Sun AM 6 miles easy (7.19 min/m) PM 5 miles easy (7.40 min/m)

Total Weekly Mileage 29.2 miles

The next few days were a sleep deprived daze, Each day was spent in hospital giving herself a break during the day to get some sleep as I knew i couldn't be there to help out on the nights followed by ensuring the house was in tip top shape for their return. I had good intentions but these quickly evaporated when routine became getting dinner on the way home from hospital and while waiting for it to digest wound up with me waking up off the couch for another day

Finally they got out Wednesday and as I was now on the night shifts it gave her a break and started getting into a routine of popping out while the two bosses slept.

Saturdays session was just a light one to get the legs moving again. A favorable course was chosen with a 1st mile downhill to ease me in, despite this overall still felt tough enough

Mon AM 7 miles easy (7.31 min/m) PM 5 miles easy (7.47 min/m)
Tues AM 9 miles moderate (6.54 min/m)
Wed 10x300 (50), 4 min jog, 6x200 (40)
Thurs 7 miles easy (7.54 min/m)
Fri 5 easy (7.39 min/m)
Sat 10x400 (60), 4 min jog, 6x200 (40)
Sun 13.1 miles (7.20 min/m)

Total Weekly Mileage 60.7 miles

With herself home and things settling down again it was back into routine. Feeling less guilty about getting out running as I am managing the night feeds and washing and cleaning allowing her to recover, oddily enough the sleep is holding up well enough despite the fact that I am managing about half of what I was.

It's funny the Sonia article popped up during the week regarding social media. In terms of priorities at the moment that has been the only thing which has taken the big hit. Rather than trying to argue never-ending discussions or convince people of things I am using the time more productively and still helping the people who want to be helped. This will probably be the way it is as I will take recovery more seriously meaning that presence here will probably take a step back to a fully certified lurker for alot of the time. The comments I made here back in 2011 have the snipers ready to take me down but I am happy to say that I stand by it, you can make choices in terms of priority or excuses, often I think people jump to the second. If you want to make time for running you will, don't have to be selfish about it but rather you just need to make sacrifices (thankfully in modern "busy" era there is usually a large buffer off free time consumed by TV and social media to draw from.

aquinn

A lurker, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Delighted for you both. Massive congratulations.

I can't believe the mileage last week with the newborn, fair play. At least I was ahead of you for one of the weeks on the leaderboard