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Child Item

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Currently working off slightly outdated HR but I am unable to do any sort of testing in order to establish current values.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

Many congrats on the new arrival L. Enjoy it

Annie get your Run

Such wonderful news!!! Many congrats to you both

sounds like you definitely have your priorities right, enjoy!

RayCun

Testosterscone wrote: »

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.

Completely agree, but make sure sleep is one of those priorities. It's easy to neglect, but sleep shortage makes everything else harder

Testosterscone

RayCun wrote: »

Completely agree, but make sure sleep is one of those priorities. It's easy to neglect, but sleep shortage makes everything else harder

Definitely agree but its easier to get more sleep when the phone/laptop is not at hand for the last 30 min/ 1hr before bed. The last week I have firmly been of the head down to sleep now rather than after a quick scan of FB/twitter/boards etc.

Funnily enough the HR has been alot more accurate and consistent. Sleep I think has dropped but quality of sleep seems to be a good bit better so far.

Swashbuckler

When you said 'ended up in hospital on Thursday' I got a bit of a land. Not thinking that was a couple of weeks ago. Had me worried for a sec. Was thinking what the hell is he doing worrying about my weeks plan when they're having complications. Haha.

paddybarry

Many congrats Luke.

HelenAnne

Congratulations! Delighted for you both. A big welcome to your new baby runner

Younganne

Congratulations to you both, great news and you seem to be taking it in your stride:D:D

OOnegative

Congratulations to you both, like anything else it won’t phase you L.

ariana`

Congratulations, delighted for you and mrs t, the future of athletics is safe, Sonia need not worry!

Testosterscone wrote: »

Definitely agree but its easier to get more sleep when the phone/laptop is not at hand for the last 30 min/ 1hr before bed. The last week I have firmly been of the head down to sleep now rather than after a quick scan of FB/twitter/boards etc.

Funnily enough the HR has been alot more accurate and consistent. Sleep I think has dropped but quality of sleep seems to be a good bit better so far.

I think you could be on to something there, i'm just coming out the other side where my youngest in close to 3 but my sleep quality seems to be getting worse even though I'm getting more of it. When the babies were small i used to pass out when my head hit the pillow, now i'm twisting and turning (calculating paces in my head :pac:) and generally struggling to switch off, no doubt i have some poor habits like reading message and social media late at night :cool:

Baby75

Congratulations on the new arrival and enjoy it all, as it passes so quickly but it is brilliant

Testosterscone

Mon 7.1 miles easy (7.20 min/m)
Tues AM 4.1 easy (7.48 min/m) PM 6.6 steady (6.53 min/m)
Wed 2 mile tempo, 4 min jog, 10x200m hills (90)
Thurs AM 4 easy (8.02 min/m) PM 6 steady (6.44 min/m)
Fri 9 moderate (6.59 min/m)
Sat OFF
Sun 8x1 km (recoveries - 2x2 min, 2x90 sec, 3x75 sec)

Total Weekly Mileage 52.2 miles

First week back in work so true test of fitting in training. Overall bar one curve ball managed to get things done all week. Wednesday was a 6 am job simply because It was either himselfs post feed or I was not gonna get a run in at all as I was from there to hospital to work and then to Ed Sheeran for first night away from himself for a few hours.

At the time I thought I was getting old with the fact that I was complaining about every bit of the organisation (maybe I may have been a bit spoilt as concerts I have been to in recent times have tended to be Springsteen gigs (3 times in recent memory) and intimate Rodrigo y Gabriella gigs so didn't have to contest with poor traffic issues and gig logistics but thankfully I wasn't the only one with similar complaints so I have not given up on humanity just yet haha.

Saturday was supposed to be session day and had accounted for time in evening following family event however between one thing and another it was 1.30 by the time I could manage it and nailed on the head so ditched long run and did the session Sunday night instead.

Got this in between his night feeds and as a result of the hour could use a great little loop given there was no traffic. Went better than I thought, last split a little slow but to be honest I expected them all to be at that split. Felt relatively controlled in my running through them aswell which hopefully bodes well. Despite one missed run happy with the week overall especially managing to get the two sessions in given that they occurred at unsociable hours.

Have a decent idea of the next few months race schedule all going well but still on the fence about Autumn targets (on whether to go long or not) prob hold off a few weeks before making that decision.

AuldManKing

Testosterscone wrote: »

Have a decent idea of the next few months race schedule all going well but still on the fence about Autumn targets (on whether to go long or not) prob hold off a few weeks before making that decision working up the courage to tell herself.

FYP.

Testosterscone

Mon OFF
Tues AM 5 easy (7.20 min/m) PM 7 easy (7.50min/m)
Wed Dublin Championships 10,000m - 34.14.88
Thurs 6.1 steady (7.50 min/m)
Fri 4 easy (7.30 min/m)
Sat 9 moderate (7.04 min/m)
Sun 10x600m (75 sec rec)

Total Weekly Mileage 47.5 miles

Another week down and 1st race as a daddy to see how much slower I am getting in my old age

Himself with a few bad nights sleep had me quite tired going into the race so the confidence was not the highest especially when I had not been doing really heavy sessions for the past month but was gonna give it a bash either way.

10 of us down for the race included Dublin Runner and one of the clubmates so I knew I had people to chase so the plan was just to stick with them for as long as I could hold out. Sat on the back of the lads early on with Dublin Runner taking it on. Pace was solid in the early stages as we came through 2km ( tried to avoid looking at the watch in this race too much so just said I would hit 2km splits for an idea. 6.41 with pretty even Splits.

I could tell DR was getting a bit frustrated with the two Tallaght lads tucked in behind him so decided to take it on for a bit and try and share the workload however this only lasted one lap but it was enough to send the message as cwgatling from around these parts back in the day then took on as well. 6.46 for the second 2km and the pace was respectable but I knew that I was not fully at the races and I was gonna struggle in the second half. Still hit half way in 16.57 and was definitely going alot better than planned.

At this stage though I was in trouble. P had broken away and I was falling off the back of DR and now was the time that I was gonna have to dig in and didn't think that I had the mental strength due to tiredness.

I was given a big lifeline. Sitting in 5th with time slipping away the lad sitting in 2nd dropped out. This meant that if I could get back up to DR there was a bronze to fight for. The leader, EC ,came around lapping me at this point so tried to work off him in order to get back on track. It worked as I came arond with 2km to go with DR.

Tried to discuss with him about keeping the pace honest as I knew his strength would carry him through (baffled my OH who just saw me having the chats with a competitor) with 800 to go I got sense A wasn't gonna put in a hard surge so was coming down to a last lap blitz. Time was looking around 34.30, not great but not bad all the same. Was confident I had the bronze but was first time I would have had to really dig deep so wasn't sure how I was gonna respond.

Last lap and 350 to go I went for it to see how long I could hold it for. DR didn't respond, legs had served me well as I came around in a 67 lap, dunno where the hell that came from as I rarely can hold that in a 1500 race let alone at the end of a 10k.

Finished in 34.14 for third. This equalled fastest time from last year so very happy with that performance. Definitely helped give me focus and after a sit down with coach I have now a more definitive idea of how the next few months are going to look like race wise.

Duanington

Congrats on the return to racing and the bronze L, this parenthood craic is a breeze really !

Swashbuckler

Duanington wrote:

Congrats on the return to racing and the bronze L, this parenthood craic is a breeze really !

I'm running pbs all over the shop since my little girl was born. I'd highly recommend it to people. Great run L. You're handling the lack of sleep better than I did it seems!

AuldManKing

Great return! Super to get a bronze too and definitely bodes well for the future.

Whatever about a baby, running a 'double day' the day before a race.......I hope thats not a new craze!

Testosterscone

AuldManKing wrote: »

Great return! Super to get a bronze too and definitely bodes well for the future.

Whatever about a baby, running a 'double day' the day before a race.......I hope thats not a new craze!

No expectations from the race and kinda just see how I feel coupled with missing monday guilt kicked in :rolleyes:

Testosterscone

Mon 9 miles easy (7.40 min/m)
Tues 6.1 easy (7.08 min/m)
Wed OFF
Thurs4.2 easy (7.34 min/m)
Fri OFF
Sat 10min @MP (3), 2x5min @LT (2), 10min @MP
Sun OFF

Total Weekly Mileage 27.3 miles

Not a week to remember. A few hiccups and excuses to be had but firmly getting them out of my system before the real work kicks in,

Caught up with the coach for a sit down and plan things going forward. Now that I know what I am dealing with on the home front (so far atleast) I took the decision that sleep will be compromised as thought but I can get the training done. With this in mind I think that if I scale the racing back a little I can get a good block. With this in mind I have 2 10ks planned over the next 2 months and from there mind naturally gravitated towards going back to DCM so signed up before the madness.

Looking at build up races not finalized just yet but I am thinking of the following

August National Half
September Frank Duffy 10m (Dublin Championships)
October Dublin Novice Cross Country championships

Overall I think its a good mix that complements the build up as RnR despite being a commercial joke offers a route similar to DCM. Cross Country will be a good blow out 3 weeks before as well. Plans may change but it's the initial draft.

21 weeks to go!

Testosterscone

Mon AM 9 easy (7.26 min/m) PM 4 easy (7.18 min/m)
Supplementary - (Core + Mobility)

Tues AM 6.5 easy (7.08 min/m) PM 5 easy (7.04 min/m)
Supplementary - (Weights)

Wednesday AM 6 easy (7.26 min/m) PM 3 Recovery (10.04 min/m)
Supplementary - N/A (Compression boots)

Thurs AM 3 miles MP (4 min) 10x250m hills
Supplementary - N/A

Decided I am gonna try and update this a bit more frequently than weekly in build up to DCM, Hopefully will get a bit more discussion and chattery around here.

Back to reality now and full time back in work. The last few weeks have been a couple of days here and there well spaced out with getting used to Baby E around the house. Started to settle into a routine as well. Work starting at 7 all this week so rather than go back to bed after his feed decided that this is where I will get most of the work done with little interruption to the family.

The hour for feed in the morning gives the body a chance to wake up so I am not as sluggish as I used to be straight out of the bed trying to run. Nice start to the week out by the Nature reserve in Irishtown absolutely picturesque at 6am on a sunny day.

Can manage to get a short run in at lunch in work to so longer ones suit as the AM and everything fits quite well. Evening core session was enough to keep himself amused with Daddy's contortion attempts so which gave OH some quality time off. Brownie points and a decent workout

Tuesday's gym session was short and sweet haven't been in a while so keep weight low and getting back into good movement patterns

Wednesday was supposed to be session day however himself was being thoughtful and slept an extra hour, rest was nice but a little stuck for time before work so pushed it back, no harm as DOMS was fairly grim after gym (probably move to Monday next week). A handy jaunt around with the new running group in work to flush out the legs.

Decided to keep the MP section specific so up to Deerpark for a perfect hilly mile loop controlled enough effort though early morning prob had me working a little bit. I figured about 6-6.05 given hillier nature would be in around the right effort. 18 min later and I was making way down to usual hill. Tacking this on at the end of the tempo was cruel especially with DOMS still having hamstrings quite tender. Didn't attack with usual vigor but still solid effort and worked well.

The extra hour waking up before getting out really has helped me get some quality in morning runs so plan going forward will be to try and get most of my work done then where possible. I am not missed at that hour (he falls straight back asleep and she never wakes) and there is little to no chance of something cropping up so I am not trying to force the work and still should be able to get the mileage needed in. Still early days but there could be a decent marathon block in there somewhere.

OOnegative

My missus got our two into a routine at a very early age as she fed herself and continued it on till they got older. Our two go to bed at 8pm every night and most mornings we don’t see them till 7.30am at the earliest. There is exceptions to that obviously but they are rare enough. Point i’m badly trying to make is routine as you are doing is good for everyone, and I know not all kids are the same before I get lambasted.

All the best with DCM training.

Testosterscone

OOnegative wrote: »

My missus got our two into a routine at a very early age as she fed herself and continued it on till they got older. Our two go to bed at 8pm every night and most mornings we don’t see them till 7.30am at the earliest. There is exceptions to that obviously but they are rare enough. Point i’m badly trying to make is routine as you are doing is good for everyone, and I know not all kids are the same before I get lambasted.

All the best with DCM training.

Thanks yeah I manage to get to bed about a half hour before herself as she takes the night feed and then I take the 4am one so it's a decent compromise so far anyway.

cgooner

Great training log and all the best for Dublin.. ..long way out but have you a target in mind?

Testosterscone

cgooner wrote: »

Great training log and all the best for Dublin.. ..long way out but have you a target in mind?

Normally I tend to just operate on a see how fitness develops as training goals go but I was reading a good article recently on goals and rejection that has me re-evaluating the idea of failed goals.

I think I am now at the stage where setting lofty goals is not just a bravado thing but rather an incentive to review things properly if I fail to meet them.

With that in mind the aim is 2.34.xx. This would represent a 9 min PB but I definitely know that some of that can be got from correcting some of the mistakes I made in my first proper marathon 2 years ago. The rest of the gap will hopefully come with improved fitness.

Having it out there should hold me accountable to actually getting in the training

(Article mentioned above here; https://lifehacker.com/set-a-rejection-goal-and-it-might-just-lead-to-success-1826402553)

cgooner

Respect the honesty and it makes it real when you say it outloud. I'm hoping for sub 2.40 in Dublin so will be interested to see your training and races in the build-up! Best of luck

Testosterscone

cgooner wrote: »

Respect the honesty and it makes it real when you say it outloud. I'm hoping for sub 2.40 in Dublin so will be interested to see your training and races in the build-up! Best of luck

Good to see still a few lurking around here. Could even be worth trying to revive this old thread if a few of us;

Sub 2.45 and Beyond

AuldManKing

Interesting to see you already starting your build up to DCM :eek:

Whats your thoughts on the length of build up required to hit a full potential marathon? 20weeks / 16 / 12 ??

Testosterscone

AuldManKing wrote: »

Interesting to see you already starting your build up to DCM :eek:

Whats your thoughts on the length of build up required to hit a full potential marathon? 20weeks / 16 / 12 ??

Though there is talk about marathon and me looking long term the sessions aren't gonna be specific till probably August to be honest. Still two 10k's to deal with the next two months in the mean time.

The reason I am looking for a longer term target as opposed to my race frequently mantra the last two years was down to personal circumstance

1) Wasn't sure how I am gonna deal with sleep so figure that recovery will be a factor and won't always have ideal post race recovery with himself so by not racing as often as I used to I might be able to mitigate that somewhat.

2) I can fit training in around family but races are set times and as such racing too often will put alot of pressure on trying to carve out that time and possibly a pressure of trying to produce big performances to justify making the time for the races. I have learned to love racing simply because I have lost my fear of failure. I am not worried to the point where I am paralyzed into not taking chances in races. If I cock up and doesn't pan out there is always the next one and I learn from every mistake and that is not something that I want to go back to.

3) Following on from the ability to fit training in moreso than racing makes sense to have a bigger goal working towards just to keep me honest. I could haphazard jump in races and use the tiredness or newborn as an excuse but that provides a safety net. That happened me a few years back when I was studying as a therapist. When there was a ready made excuse there I used it for not getting the training in and not being annoyed with performances that I knew I should be.

(apologies for the ramblings..... where was I?)

Ah yes build up. I don't think there is an idea but I do think the more years of decent mileage under your legs the less time you need to spend in the specific stage. I have seen some pretty big mileage guys PB of 7/8 weeks of specific work on a regular basis (2.15-2.30 guys)

I mention it sometimes in the novice and improvers threads but it is not the 18 (or which ever figure you wanna use) that make the huge difference but what you do prior and in between cycles that determines the success or failure many times in athletes.

Testosterscone

Fri AM 7 easy (7.31 min/m) PM 4 easy (6.57 min/m)
Supplementary - Plyometrics

Sat 16x400m (10 w/ 60 sec rec - 6 w/ 40 sec rec)
Supplementary - N/A

Sun 15 miles (7.00 min/m)

Total Weekly Mileage: 77.6 miles

Friday morning special decided to treat myself with a few easy miles on the grass after Session the day before. Followed up with Plyometrics which negated the TLC of the grass as was fairly goosed at the end

I have been on the track at midnight before grinding out sessions but this was a new one on me. 6am on track ready to go. I hate 60 sec recoveries. Too short to walk and too long to jog 100m so somewhere in between. Body was tired but got into a good rhythm and rattled this off. Working a bit by the end but all in all delight to get it in before everyone was up given it was my day off.

Sunday's long run and my first proper afternoon run of the week. This was down to good grace built up doing night and overnight feeds letting OH get a full night sleep after a few drinks last night as we got out for a couple of hours while the grandparents minded himself. Despite tiredness and the few drinks pace settled into cruising very quickly and rattled away nicely. Last few miles a little tough but given the pace and it was my longest run in a while I will take that.

All in all highest mileage week of the year so far and good supplementary work. Getting out in early AM so far is working well and as long as I manage tiredness I think this could be best way to get a very good build up going hopefully

Swashbuckler

That's a big big week coming off a relative "down period"! Impressive (I think).

I often wondered if you were a man for a pint or two. haha.