What I log about when I log about running

The interminable wait.
Day |Plan|Actual |Avg Pace| HR|Comments|
Monday, 6 August |Easy 11.4km|Easy 11.4km| 7:19/km | - | We drove to the seafront for this. It was very humid and definitely a run that I ground out. |
Tuesday, 7 August |3x2mile@PMP - 10| Nowt | - || I gave up running on Tuesday, 7 August. Woke up for pilates and had a tantrum because why was I getting up at 6am to do a Pilates class I hate to support my running when I’m not even allowed run?! The mood carried on into the evening and I sacked the session off. (Why am I pushing myself to do sessions when I’m not allowed run the marathon? Sob, sob, woe is me and so on and so forth.) MRI people informed me that the 48-hour turnaround for the report was no longer applicable and I’d have to wait 5 to 6 working days.|
Wednesday, 8 August |Rest|Rest|- | - | Rest|
Thursday, 9 August |Tempo 14.4k plus w/up +c/d | 18.5ishkm incl 14.4@pmp | 6:16avg | 169(177) |I took running back up on 9 August and headed out on my tempo on the usual coast road, St Anne’s loop. Felt much better this week and the splits were more even. HR average is the same, although I didn’t it the same max. Doubt this would be sustainable for a marathon and there was some chat on the Novices thread about people with 2:06 half times targeting a 4:40 full. The advice was directed at me but it certainly resonated.|
Friday, 10 August | Easy 10km | 10km |- | - | Tootled into UCD to have a goo at the pool there. Felt wretched on the first part, slowed right down to try and keep the effort easy but I was dragging my feet along the ground and it was making everything more difficult, so I upped the pace a wee bit and felt better. Tough enough run.|
Saturday, 11 August| Easy 10km | Easy 10km | 7:18/km | 148(182) | D, the big swot, had his run done and dusted super early, which meant I’d to motivate myself to go out when he was ensconced on the sofa, looking all comfy. Can’t fathom why the HR was so high for the first 20 minutes or so of this run, because it was all super easy. I struggled to run slowly enough on the last few k and my watch was singing at me but the HR was really low at this point|
Sunday, 12 August| Long 26km | Long 26km |6:44/km | 154(179) |I wasn’t going to bother but I ended up incorporating the RNR half into my LR. Someone else picked up my number for me and D was going anyway, so it would’ve been rude not to. I’m not sure this really counts as a 26k run, though, because I ran a few kilometres to warm up, waited around for ages to get going, ran the half and then had a quick walk and pitstop after the race, before running the last K to the car. I enjoyed this. I actually had someone to chat to for the first five miles which has never happened me before. I planned on sticking with the 2.30 pacers, but they were banking time at the start, so when they pulled back to a slower pace, I was happy to keep going at the pace we’d set out at. The first hill was tough and I did consider stopping and *cough* excuses *cough* saving my legs for the rest of the week, but a shout out halfway up encouraged me on. I didn’t find the route at all boring. It was nice to run in the Strawberry Beds and see parts of Dublin I’d never usually see. Did anyone else see the poor woman picking her dead cat up from the side of the road, I think around Knockmaroon? I felt so awful for her. The steward kept shouting at her to get out of the way of the “marathon” and she was visibly (and audibly, I might add) distraught. To be fair, she wasn’t really in the way and everyone seemed fine running around her. The last few miles seemed to take an age to go by but i was delighted when I only had a short bit to finish after the race. Felt like a tool running with my water, banana, bar and medal, though. |
Week 13 Total |76km ||Week 13 Comments| I was very grumpy all week waiting for the results of the MRI.

ariana` wrote: »

is that 75km felt like a "step back week" :eek::eek: (yes that definitely did deserve a double eek :P).

All things being relative, of course!

ariana` wrote: »

You're putting in amazing mileage consistently and getting all the extra elements into the runs as well, roll on Berlin you should have a cracking run

Thank you - I'm up and down with the ol' confidence and your words mean a lot.

Edging ever closer

Day |Plan|Actual |Avg Pace| HR|Comments|
Monday, 20 August |Easy 11km|Easy 11km| 7:30/km | 133(147) | I had to take an unexpected trip to West Cork on Monday, so I got up early to get my run done. In a sure sign that I’m getting closer to the startline, I did this run on a 2km loop. The further along I get in a plan, the more it becomes about just getting the miles in and I really don’t care how they get done. It was a humid morning and I was fairly sweaty by the end of it. An eight-hour round trip left me fairly stiff and tender in my lower back. |
Tuesday, 21 August |3x2mile@PMP - 10| per plan | 6:10; 6:09; and 6:10 | HRM died | After a long day on Monday, I was delighted to discover I’d forgotten to book Pilates; the extra hour-and-a-bit’s sleep was very welcome. I was obviously still tired, though, as I had a mini breakdown before this session. I did 1k of a warmup and realised I’d need to make a pitstop. Back to the office I went and warmup and pitstop complete, I started crying. For no reason other than I must’ve just been exhausted. I was also feeling under pressure as I’d booked the definitive physio appointment for 8.30 that evening. I told myself to just do one of the reps and the first lap was certainly the hardest. Motored through the rest of them, happily enough; I felt tired at points but good in my body and breathing. I’d plenty of time to do a proper cool down and shower before the physio appointment. He then put me fairly through my paces. He must have wondered would I even get through the first 10k of a marathon as I was a bit out of breath at points. I blame the: session; heat; and nerves. Got the go ahead to continue training. He assumed I’d be tapering after today. I didn’t correct him. Bold. |
Wednesday, 22 August |Rest|Rest|- | - | I rested good.|
Thursday, 23 August |Tempo 16k plus w/up +c/d | 20ishkm incl 16km@pmp | 6:17avg | 161(171) Borrowed D’s HRM |I’d originally taken the full day off work to get this done as we were travelling to Kerry later that day but my leave days are getting a bit thin on the ground, so I’d to reduce this to a half day, putting myself under a nice bit of pressure to get this done in a timely way. Confidence is a bit low, so I ended up doing this on the 800m loop outside my apartment: 20 loops, or as Swash would say: 20 times passing my bed. I decided that this would be the tempo run to practice my fuelling strategy. So, I took clif shot bloks on the same schedule as I will on the big day. I’ve also decided to switch to Tailwind closer to the end of the race. Anyway, faff and ramble on, it went really well. The loops were actually a great length and I never got bored. I was certainly tired by the end but happy enough that I could’ve continued, at least for another lap or two|
Friday, 24 August | Easy 10km | 10km |7:24/km | 135(153) | I thought I’d be a bit annoyed at having to get up early to get my run in before breakfast in the B&B and then going to a wedding, but it actually meant I got to see some of Killarney. If it wasn’t for running, I’d have seen the inside of the B&B and hotel and a small bit of the town. I enjoyed the run well enough but my legs were certainly feeling the previous day’s efforts. Leg muscles tightened up nicely throughout the day and when I finally ditched the 5-inch heels in favour of flipflops, I nearly fell over backwards :cool:|
Saturday, 25 August| Easy 10km | Easy 10km | 7:26/km | 136(156) | I’d briefly wondered if I’d be able to get up early enough after wedding celebrations and much dancing to incorporate Killarney parkrun into this run, but it would’ve meant skipping breakfast. As much as I love parkrun, breakfast will always come first. I did this when I got back to Dublin - times are a changin’. The old Huzzah! wouldn’t even have considered going for a run after a train journey and tired after a late night. Legs still a bit heavy on the uphills but not too bad. |
Sunday, 26 August| Long 26km | Long 26km |6:41/km | 158(168) |I did my 10k+10k+6k route. I do feel a bit bad that a good 7k of this is downhill, but I run plenty of ups in my training, so it will have to do. I again took gels as I will on the day and had a bottle of lucozade before running. I won’t take gels on any more runs, as I’m happy with the plan: clif shot blok every 3k, which equates to about a gel every 9k, and caffeinated Tailwind from about mile 18 on (I think). I was happy enough heading out that my legs felt okay. They were heavy on the uphill, though, so I slowed the pace before deciding to try and be brave and run this at the quicker end of the pace range, so after about 5k, I picked it up nicely. I was definitely tired with about 10k to go, but typical Hanson’s style, my legs just kept turning over without faltering in pace. Happy enough that the HR was bang on where it should be, too. |
Week 15 Total |93km ||| Week 15 Comments| Happy enough with that week, I have to say. There were certainly a few curveballs, but none that derailed my running. I’m definitely tired, which is showing in how emotional I am. Don’t be mean to me, I might cry. That’s the last of the longer runs done - all of which have been done in the rain, surprisingly enough, given the summer we’ve had. No real taper for a couple of weeks, though, apart from shorter long runs. I’ll run Frank Duffy next week at long-run pace. If anyone is around and you spot me, say hello!

ReeReeG wrote: »

Well done, another great week there! Will definitely watch out for you next week at FD10.
When is Berlin? How many weeks out are you now?

Three weeks today or: 2 weeks, 6 days, 14 hours and 52ish minutes.

Kellygirl wrote: »

All sounds sensible and well thought out. Is it just rank not very diluted?
I've only tried the Raspberry in the caffeinated flavours and it's very sweet. The uncaffeinated lemon is grand.

Baby75 wrote: »

Actually yes, I was just thinking the same when my hubby who is training for an ultra his max week was 85km and last week was 70km that is some going Huzzah someday I want to be able to get in similar week's when I am injury free again

Awful stressful all the drama over your knee but so glad it all worked out in the end! Roll on Berlin !!!:)

I've no kids or responsibilities, so I've little else to be doing bar running. Which is a good thing, given how long it takes me ;p

Hope the injury is coming along and you're back to full strength soon.

Baby75 wrote: »

does not matter how fast we go your getting out and doing something you enjoy that is the main thing LOL

Oh, it doesn't bother me in the least how slow I am when training. It's just not super practical to spend that amount of time running, so 50-mile weeks won't be a permanent feature unless I get a touch speedier.

Baby75 wrote: »

I am second guessing my husband's training :eek: I hope he has done enough its a very hilly trail run and self-navigation as well hmmm maybe his taper madness is rubbing off on me now LOL

Good luck to him!

Day |Plan|Actual |Avg Pace| HR|Comments|
Monday, 27 August |Easy 8km|Easy 8km| 7:21/km | - | I don’t remember much about this apart from being stopped just after UCD by what appeared to be an Erasmus student looking for directions. She was only 200m from where she needed to be, so I pointed the way out and then felt mad guilty for not walking with her, in case she got lost again. |
Tuesday, 28 August |4x1.5mile@PMP - 10| per plan | 6:13; 6:10; 6:13 and 6:11 | 160(173) | Badly planned had me running this relatively late in the evening and I was tempted not to do the last rep. Listened to a podcast for the duration. Felt grand until the last one, which had my legs tired. I’d take fewer reps for these runs any day but needs must. Steak dinner ready for my when I came home. Can’t complain too much |
Wednesday, 29 August |Rest|Rest|- | - | No run Wednesday slightly spoiled by the closure of the Port Tunnel leaving me waiting for a bus for over an hour before cutting my losses and strolling to the Luas. Package o’ crisps to make up for it but another lateish evening.|
Thursday, 30 August |Tempo 16k plus w/up +c/d | 20ishkm incl 16km@pmp | 6:15avg | 162(171) | Far too fast and, as a result, almost a waste in my eyes but anyway. I honestly thought for the first mile of this that there was no way I was going to last the course. Took myself to Ringsend Park and ran most of the rest there. It got easier but I was glad to finish. Nice to see the HR average in my endurance zone.|
Friday, 31 August | Easy 8km | 8km |7:33/km | 138(151) | A fairly tough day in work, coupled with all the late evenings this week, meant I was very tempted to just take the evening off. I felt a run would probably help my mood and it certainly did. I was determined to keep this easy, with the HR avg below 140 and I managed, despite it being a bit of an anger run. I’m pretty sure my boss saw me talking to myself when she peddled past at one point; I was giving people a piece of my mind in my head. Humid enough, I think. |
Saturday, 1 September | Easy 13km | Easy 13km | 7:19/km | 147(166) | I needed to go to town for a spot of shopping and we made a day of it with lunch out, rounded off with a run in Marlay Park for a wee change of scenery. It was humid and I ran this too quickly, which might explain why I stopped dead about nine k feeling like I’d run out of steam. Finished the run off on very tired legs, leaving me a small bit concerned for the planned pace of tomorrow’s run. Another run brought to you by Ali on the Run podcast. |
Sunday, 2 September /B]| Long 16km | Long 16km |6:43/km | 162(176) |I signed myself and D up for this when I spotted it fitted nicely with our last 10mile run of the plan. I’ve missed taking part in the Race Series this year. It would’ve been my fourth. As it is, it was my third FD and I was delighted it was in Swords as I actually think the Fingal 10k is my all-time favourite race. I also live in my Race Series tshirts, so I can never have too many. I met up briefly with Dealerz, Kittyclaws, SBB, Gypsy Lee and Juke before the run and was lucky enough to have the pleasure of Juke’s company for the duration. I’d set a plan to run this at the faster end of my long run pace, in or around 6:45/km. The run went by so quickly thanks to J and I enjoyed the route well enough. I was super glad when the sun went in, though. I tried telling myself that it was good acclimatisation for Berlin but I wasn’t sorry to see it go. Had one moment about 3k near the end where my HR started to rise a bit, so I pulled back in the pace, trying to keep everything on an even keel and not do myself a mischief two weeks out. |
Week 16 Total |80km ||Week 16 Comments| Another week bites the dust. Last long-paced run done and I’m harbouring thoughts of making this my PMP. Interesting that my HR was much the same for the easier paced run today compared to the PMP run on Thursday, but I guess that’s fatigue and weather related. I’ve apparently dropped half a dress size despite not losing any weight, which made shopping a slightly frustrating experience on Saturday but no doubt that ship will right itself once I’m done with this cycle of training. I’d pretty much stopped listening to music and podcasts when I got my watch but they’re being heavily relied on at the moment. If I listen to any more Ali on the Run, I’ll start talking like her!