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Positive Vibes. Negative Splits.

MY BAD

Hi,
I enjoy reading the logs here so I'm starting a log here mainly to be accountable to myself but also I'm hoping I can get a bit of advice along the way. I'm club runner and we have a coach but most my sessions are done on my own which can be hard, but it's circumstances out of my control.

This summer I'm training for mainly 5km races. I had a couple of 5k races this year nothing hectic 18:51 and 18:44. I hope to get close as possible to my 2016 PB 17:59 in Rathfarham at the end of September. These are the dates and distances I hope to race.

14th June 5k
8th July 5k
13th July 4 mile
8th September 5k
30th September 5k

I know a lot of runners here use the imperial system but I use metric so apologies in advance. Over 1200km on the clock this year and around 70km average per week over the past two months. So a nice base behind me, okay let's see how this goes. I'll update this every Sunday.

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MY BAD

Thanks hopefully a bit of cross country will stand to me for when I get back to 10km racing next year

MY BAD

MONDAY

Rest. Legs felt heavy after the xc on Saturday.

TUESDAY

PM: Easy 8.2km @4:54/km on the roads. My legs were still heavy.

WEDNESDAY

PM:6x1km with 60 seconds off standing recovery on the track. Target was tempo pace. Because I was hanging off one the lads the pace was probably a little faster than tempo for me. Still felt really comfortable and smooth, I wasnt really working it. The heaviness I felt from the previous day was gone too.

3.2km warm up with the usual drills and strides

Splits

3:48
3:47
3:47
3:46
3:45
3:46

4.6km cool down. I think a good long one helps with the recovery.

The session was 14.3km total

THURSDAY

PM: 8.5km @4:56/km on a mixture trail and roads. I felt very fresh.

FRIDAY

Rest

SATURDAY

Rest. We headed up to Dublin early enough. Busy day but nothing too strenuous.

SUNDAY

Rathfarham 5km

Warm up: 4.2km

Race: 5km in 17:41

Cool down: 4.2km

Total distance this week
44.8km

I had a race report for Rathfarnham but the app I typed it in keeps crashing. I'll redo it this evening

MY BAD

Rathfarnham 5k

This has been my main target race in my 5km training block this summer. I really wanted to push for 17:30 but I'd have my work cut out with only a 17:51 in early August. I had a few other 5km races since both 18:00 on heavy legs.

Myself and my wife headed up Saturday morning. One of my club mates was supposed to race it too but has problems with his calf so he pulled out. We arrived around 12:30 and collect the race number in the club house. Afterwards we drove around the loop to get an idea of the course before spending the rest of the day visiting family and a bit of shopping. So a fairly relaxed day all round. I got a long WhatsApp message from Dermot giving me a breakdown of the course. What to do where and etc. He's a great coach, such a positive influence and all round great guy.

Sunday I woke up before 6 I had intended to sleep in a bit, but I couldn't get back to sleep and decided to get up. I had my usual pre race breakfast of porridge, a banana, blueberries, bagel, and expresso. We were staying with friends only 20 minutes away from Rathfarnham but I hate waiting around before a race so I headed off early. I drove around the loop again and then parked up and went for a short walk to loosen up the legs. I was quite nervous but as soon as I put on my runners and got into my usual pre race warm up routine that all went away. I did a easy 3km jog on the course on the stretch from Terenure up there was a nice headwind I knew I'd have to work here. I know I've said here before that I struggle with morning sessions but I was feeling good. After this jog I started my stretches, drills, activations, and strides. I clocked up another 1.2km here and get a high five from Shne Healy which gave me a buzz before going to the start line.

The wait for the gun felt like an age I positioned myself about 10 rows back, this was a mistake. I took it for granted everyone ahead of me would be a sub 18 no problem as there was signs there sub 17 etc but there was loads who had absolutely no business been up there. I couldn't really hear the guy on the mic from where I was but I knew the gun would go soon then BANG! A few people around me didn't know what to do and froze so it took a few seconds to get going then trying to get space in the first 400m to get past others was a struggle. One guy lost his shoe and was going against the crowd to get it back luckily I missed crashing into him in the blink of a eye as I was looking at the pace on my watch at that moment. After that I settled into a nice flow. I was still over taking loads but I had plenty of space at this stage. Dermot told me for the first mile as it's down hill go by feel, but know the body and don't burn out either. My first km was 3:28 in my head before hand I had 3:25 planned I think if I started furter up the field it would have been that. Into the second km after the first bend when we turned onto the Rathfarham road I found myself having to work more, there was a small climb but more or less flat and sheltered. At one stage I noticed I was settling into a group but I looked at my watch and passed them all. I dug in a bit here I needed to as the pace was now 3:36/km but at the 2km point 3:33 was the lap time. This was a little too slow. Focus on my race and don't letting others do the work is what I told myself.

I had gone through Terenure and turned onto the Templeogue road at this stage. Dermot told me try and get in with a group here as it's a long drag and likely to be a headwind but don't become complacent if they aren't going fast enough you'll have to do the work. It turned out he was right. I wasn't strong enough for the headwind my pace had dropped but this wasn't anything I haven't faced before this year, in fact I faced a hell of alot worse. I kept looking at groups ahead of me and kept telling myself get in with them but every time I caught up to a group there pace wasn't enough so I looked at the next group and caught up with them. At 3km my watch flashed up 3:39 lap. Come on! I past a few more on. One lad I passed latched onto me here and held on, he made me work. Kudos for that. That cross roads ahead couldn't come fast enough as my pace was 3:43/km...

Finally I reached it and back on the down hill with the wind on my back. I was told by other club mates who raced this before to be conservative at this point as it's a long 1200m. But I needed to dig deep here I couldn't take the risk after that last 2km. Instead I followed Dermots instructions go and race here. I put the shoe down and at the 4km mark my watch flashed 3:36 lap. That lad who hung off me went for it hard so did I, we pasted a few more. I looked at my watch 3:21/km. Is this enough? Have I more? Can I hold on? 4.6km gone at this stage. No more looking at my watch it's only 400m I told myself. I knew I wouldn't hit 17:30 but I wanted this pb badly. At 100m to go my wife and her friend were cheering me on. 17:47 on the clock as I cross the line its a PB I look at my watch 17:41 gross time.

I sat for a few minutes on the kerb to catch my breath and take it all in. Some young lads from a club 20 miles away from my club are beside me we shake hands and congratulate each other. Happy to get a PB but not delighted. Then my wife and her friend come over and congratulate me, then Sean Hehir comes over. My wife went to college with him. A quick chat and a photo and I start to to walk back to the car to change and get ready for my cool down. I start to reflect on my race the disappointment of not hitting 17:30 quickly goes away. I'm quite chuffed keep chipping away its going to come this training block will stand to me.

On my cool down Shane Healy catches up and introduced himself but I knew who he was, it turns out he was at Dermots wedding a few months ago and knows him quite well. Dermot later described him ad one in a million. We weren't chatting long but he seems like a great person to be around. Very positive. I would have liked to chat longer but the pace of this cool down was something else 4:15-4:20/km after two loops around Bushey park I said my goodbyes and head back to our friends house for a shower. I'm not sure if Rathfarnham had something in their club house afterwards it might be too big of a race but Sportsworld had after the Terenure 5mile. Anyway I hadn't time. Great race and well organised on a nice course. I'll be back at some stage. Jingle Bells 5k I hope to hit 17:30 onwards and upwards

OOnegative

Well done, any day you PB it’s a good day. Do my best with that Armagh 5k entry!!!

Wubble Wubble

Great race and report. Very detailed description of your approach - I particularly liked the part about not settling for running with groups that you knew were slower than you. Congrats on the PB.

AuldManKing

Nice work - never raced it - I'd say the stretch up Templeogue Road was a pain - easier at the Terenure 5m obviously going the other way.

Nice PB, no doubt there's more there.

Swashbuckler

Great read. The parallels between you and me are eerie sometimes. Both coached. Both a little obsessed with the shorter stuff. Both dabbling in XC.

First of all well done on the pb. Great stuff and well earned. You did the work for that. Seems like you definitely weren't carried along with a pack (not that there's anything wrong with that either). These 5k's take a lot of practice to get right. And pbs at 5k definitely seems to be a matter of chipping away rather that taking chunks off.

Don't discount the effects of a hard XC race the week before too.

Future plans to do XC and stick to the shorter stuff or any plans on 10k/HM in the medium term?

MY BAD

OOnegative wrote: »

Well done, any day you PB it’s a good day. Do my best with that Armagh 5k entry!!!

Haha cheers man

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

Great race and report. Very detailed description of your approach.

Thanks WW. Hopefully it will be some benefit looking back to know what I did right or wrong.

AuldManKing wrote: »

Nice work - never raced it - I'd say the stretch up Templeogue Road was a pain - easier at the Terenure 5m obviously going the other way.

Nice PB, no doubt there's more there.

Hopefully so. Yeah the Terenure 5m is definitely easier on that stretch of road. Saying thats it's still a good route. If the weather was like Saturday morning it could have meant up to 10 seconds of a difference

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Great read. The parallels between you and me are eerie sometimes. Both coached. Both a little obsessed with the shorter stuff. Both dabbling in XC.

First of all well done on the pb. Great stuff and well earned. You did the work for that. Seems like you definitely weren't carried along with a pack (not that there's anything wrong with that either). These 5k's take a lot of practice to get right. And pbs at 5k definitely seems to be a matter of chipping away rather that taking chunks off.

Don't discount the effects of a hard XC race the week before too.

Future plans to do XC and stick to the shorter stuff or any plans on 10k/HM in the medium term?

Thanks. Dermot wants me to race a local 10km this Sunday. He says I need to race more I know he's right but I'm cautious about over racing too. I'm concentrating on building a good base, getting faster and trying to stay relevantly injury free. Saying that a friend convinced me to sign up for Run the line with him but I won't be racing it, just for fun. This year my average weekly distance is just over 60km/40miles if I can build on that again next year I'd be happy. My medium term plans are 5k to 10k on roads, grass, or track. I don't see myself doing any half marathon but who knows...

OOnegative

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

I don't see myself doing any half marathon but who knows...

There was a good crowd from Sligo AC over here for the CPC Loop Den Haag in March including your coach who gave me a great shout out when he seen the Trim singlet. Am sure you could be tempted if they came back........

Swashbuckler

Again, parallels. When Luke started coaching me I was encouraged to race more. I happily took that advice and it made a world of difference.
It allowed me to try a few different approaches and learn race tactics.
It put less of an emphasis and pressure on a single "target race".
At one point I was advised it might be a good idea to do back to back races and I was pleasantly surprised with the results. If you have a good coach and it sounds like you do he'll manage the training load around it.

Just slow down those easy runs.

MY BAD

OOnegative wrote: »

There was a good crowd from Sligo AC over here for the CPC Loop Den Haag in March including your coach who gave me a great shout out when he seen the Trim singlet. Am sure you could be tempted if they came back........

A mixture of Sligo and South Sligo mainly, maybe some from Corran. He coaches them all. I think it's on the cards again. There's a 5k and 10k too :pac:

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Again, parallels. When Luke started coaching me I was encouraged to race more. I happily took that advice and it made a world of difference.
It allowed me to try a few different approaches and learn race tactics.
It put less of an emphasis and pressure on a single "target race".
At one point I was advised it might be a good idea to do back to back races and I was pleasantly surprised with the results. If you have a good coach and it sounds like you do he'll manage the training load around it.

Just slow down those easy runs.

Parallels alright, and yeah I have to take them easier for sure. I have a mindset of having a target race/pb but I need to change that, racing more will help and its a great way to learn your body, tactics, get the body used to discomfort. Its great to have someone looking medium to long term looking over you and not focusing on short-term goals which I know I'm guilty of doing.

MY BAD

MONDAY

I was hoping to go for 8km/5mile at recovery pace but I had a little niggle on my right ankle/out side of my foot. Not sure what caused it. I decided to rest instead.

TUESDAY

PM: Easy 10.3km @5:09/km on a mixture of trail and roads. I was aware of the niggle but no pain.

WEDNESDAY

PM:20minutes ish steady with straight into one pyramid to finish on the track. If I wasn't going to race on the weekend ahead it was a 4xmile hard. For the 20ish minutes steady I jumped in with some marathon lads who had already had started their session at MP. The average pace was 4:04/km but we were working it down from 4:20/km to 4:00/km. I only did one pyramid at the end just to stay switched on 100/200/300/200/100 with 200 recovery. The pace on the pyramid was fairly hard. No issue with that niggle.

3.4km warm up with the usual drills and strides

Steady 5.2km @4:04/km

Pyramid with 200 recovery

100m 18 seconds
200m 36 seconds
300m 56 seconds
200m 37 seconds
100m 18 seconds

2.8km cool down.

The session was 13.5km total

THURSDAY

PM: 13.1km @4:53/km on a mainly trail with maybe just over 2.5km on roads. I felt very fresh, I had to keep forcing myself to slow down.

FRIDAY

PM: Easy 8.4km @5:04/km again on a mixture of mainly trail and roads.

SATURDAY

Rest.

SUNDAY

Grange 10km

I haven't gone this distance in nearly 2 1/2 years. I wasn't going to race it after having raced the past two weekends but Dermot thought it would do me good, so I jumped on board. The weather was against me today. It wasn't cold but rain and wind with some very strong gusts. Going by McMillan going on last weeks time I should be able for a sub 37 but thats on fresh legs. The course had a 71m elevation gain, so bordering on a hard couse in my opinion. There was some tricky hills that would put manners on you and I seemed to be facing a nasty head wind on everyone

it felt quite open I was hoping for more hedge cover but you just have to get on with it and don't be thinking about it when the elements are against you. For the most part of the race I was on my own so I had to put the work in. After 1km I knew I hadn't it in my legs today for any massive PB but I still got a soft one so I'll gladly take it. Today will definitely stand to me and I learned alot about myself so lots of positives. Its good to race in hard conditions and hilly courses. I avoided them since my achilles injury. Looking forward to targeting 10km races next spring early summer.

Warm up: 3.9km

Race: 10km 38:31

Cool down: 4.1km

Total distance this week
63.7km

OOnegative

Grange is hilly country, my missus lives across the border in Dun na nGall so know the area, that’s a great time around there.

Swashbuckler

There's definitely more for you on a better course and fresh legs but fair play to you for running it. I think not shying away from hilly courses will only stand to you in the long run.

Also those 10k races take practice too. That's a great result considering how long it's been since you've run a 10k.

Well done on the pb. Onwards and upwards.

MY BAD

On call evenings and nights this week so it's never an ideal week for training when I am..

MONDAY

PM: Recovery run 8.7km @5:17/km
My intention was to do this on grass but I was late getting home from work by the time I got out it was dark. I called back into work at 11pm

TUESDAY

PM: Easy 13.5km @4:59/km on mainly trail.
I had planned this as a AM run and some S&C work in the PM but getting called back into work Monday night scuppered my plans.

WEDNESDAY

PM:6x1km @ tempo pace with walking recovery on the track.
I got someone to cover me for work for a few hours. The guys I was pacing off were doing a straight 30 minutes tempo. At each km mark I'd stop and walk back 100mts and join them again when they came around the track. So recovery was around 45 seconds. On my last km the boys picked up the pace a bit. Dermot said it I felt good stay with them and keep going until they finish so my last km was extended to 1.4km I suppose to call this a tempo workout is a strech as the pace was some where between my tempo and 10km pace. I actually found this quite a easy session despite the strong winds on the track.

3.5km warm up with the usual drills and strides

Splits for first five 1km reps

3:45, 3:45, 3:44, 3:49, 3:47

The final rep 1.4km @ 3:35/km

3km cool down.

The session was 13.7km total

THURSDAY

AM: 10km @5:04/km on footpaths around town. My plan was PM S&C but I was called back into work that evening so that went out the window.

FRIDAY

I had planned to go out before work in the morning but with the storm predicted I decided to sleep in. It was actually a lovely morning. That evening I was going to go out but we had a power cut. I was debating my shower options afterwards with the power not due to return until 9:30pm when I got a call for work which put a end to my running plans. So it turned out to be a rest day.

SATURDAY

Afternoon:4km@ tempo pace, followed by 3x 1km @10km pace warm up and cool down on the roads with the session on our track. Two and half minutes off recovery after the 4km and 90 seconds off after each 1km repeat. The 10km pace I was using was going of my Rathfarham 5k time not my 10k race last weekend.

3.9km warm up with the usual drills and strides

4km @3:51/km

Splits on the 3x1km

3:40, 3:40, 3:40

3.6km cool down

In total 14.8km

SUNDAY

Working today so I couldn't run with the lads in the morning. On call in the evening so loops of my local trail in the evening. Probably a tad too quick but anxious to get the miles in case I get a call out.

Pm: 21km @4:44/km on mainly trail

Total distance this week
81.8km

Happy to get the miles in but having taken a break from S&C and other non running work for a few weeks because I was racing I was hoping to get back to it this week but work got in the way.

Some ramblings on this weeks log...
On Wednesday it was the 4th anniversary of my brother getting married. I weighed myself that morning I was 100kg and decided to loose weight. I had let my go a fair bit since my running days in my 20s. At the time I was only going out running once or twice a week and it had become a real struggle so I decided I needed to change. So I lost the weight and I'm still the guts of 30kg lighter today and continuing to improve at running despite missing most of 2017.
This weekend was the first race in the Connacht XC race series. I had pushed this with club mates but sadly no bites. I also asked for my club to register just me for the race but it never happened either, but to be fair I didn't follow up on it this week. I felt a bit beat up after last weekends 10km so I didn't push it. If they got back to me I would have raced it but I'm not disappointed as 4 races over 4 consecutive weekends is too much. If it had come up the plan was to use it as a session. The next Connacht xc is on the 4th of November I'll see what happens but I think I'm going to have to travel for BHAA xc races this winter. I wish it was easier to enter into xc races.
On boards this week the
Testosterscone thread has been excellent, so much important information to take in. He has a great outlook and it was a very interesting insight into his coaching philosophy. I was quite surprised he offers his services for free. I'm consider myself really lucky to be coached for free too by one of the best coaches in this country, I really appreciate the training I'm getting so much. It goes to show there are so many great people are involved in the sport.
One final comment, yesterday a local athlete sadly passed away unexpectedly. I personally didn't know him but the news still shocked me. Life is short and we never know when we'll be taken, so make the most of it.

MY BAD

MONDAY

PM: Easy 60 Minutes 12.5km @4:47/km on the roads
S&C routine afterwards

TUESDAY

PM: Easy 50 minutes 10km @4:59/km on the roads.

WEDNESDAY

PM:5x 1 mile with 2:30 standing recovery on the track.

3km warm up with the usual drills and strides

Splits for the miles

5:35, 5:41, 5:42, 5:44, 5:40

The first mile was a tad to quick. The session felt quite comfortable.

3.1km cool down.

The session was 14.4km total

THURSDAY

PM: 15. 2km @4:52/km on the roads.

FRIDAY

Rest from running and my S&C routine.

SATURDAY

12 Noon:20Minutes @ tempo pace target 3:55-4:00/km, followed by 10x 20 seconds hills jog back recovery, 1 km steady to finish

3km warm up with the usual drills and strides

5km @3:58/km

10 x 20 hills with jog recovery

1km @4:05/km I probably should have pulled this baxk another 5 seconds

2.2km cool down

Big of a struggle if I'm honest for the tempo. I'd say if I waited until 6 or 7pm or so I'd have found it easier, my body felt like it was still asleep.

In total 14.0km

SUNDAY

Pm: 20.5km @4:44/km the roads.

Total distance this week
86.8km

That was my highest mileage this year. I had hoped to the race the national open xc on Sunday but it wasn't possible. My club are heading to Annagassan in November for a 10km so I guess thats my next road race.

MY BAD

MONDAY

Rest day

TUESDAY

AM: Easy 60 minutes 12.7km @4:48/km on the roads.

I passed out my 2016 mileage today. I picked up a nasty achillies injury a few weeks before DCM. I thought at times last year I'd have to quit running completely it was a long so journey so delighted with the progress.

WEDNESDAY

PM:4x 2km with 2:00 standing recovery on the track.

3km warm up with the usual drills and strides

Splits for the 2km repeats

7:16, 7:15, 7:11, 7:05

The session felt quite comfortable but I was working a bit on the last 2km. This should be my 10km pace, time will tell. A sub 36:30 is a big ask. Dermot reckons I have it in me.

3km cool down.

The session was 14.2km total

THURSDAY

Late AM: Medium long run 16.3km @4:54/km on various types of trails. Good run with 290m elevation gain. Nice to get back on the mountains its been a while.

FRIDAY

PM: Easy 50 minutes 10.2km @4:58/km on usual trail around the forest.

SATURDAY

PM:3km @ tempo pace target 3:50-3:55/km, followed by 5x 1km @ 5km pace

3.2km warm up with the usual drills and strides

3km tempo @3:51/km

5x 1km
3:28, 3:26, 3:27, 3:27, 3:27

3.1km cool down

On the track on my own. Horrible conditions 3 degrees, hail, wind, driving rail, proper winter training. I'm delighted with that session. I know since my achilles injury I lost so much mental strength to keep pushing on when I find it hard but I think I'm getting it back now.

In total 14.8km

SUNDAY

AM: 21.1km @4:49/km on mainly roads.

Glorious morning for running perfect conditions for anyone running Dublin marathon today.

Total distance this week
89.5km

One of my most enjoyable weeks running in a long time, everything felt great. I'm on call for work next week so I'll probably pull the mileage back a small bit next week.

MY BAD

So since last weeks log some major changes for me. I got a call Monday night saying that the place I worked in for the past 3 years permanently and 3 years before that 90% of the time were cutting all contractors from Tuesday due to over spends. My company have lots of work but it means I'll be travelling. I think its time to move on although they are hopefully I'll be back in the factory come January.

MONDAY

In Belfast for the bank holiday I had a few pints Sunday night
AM: Easy 50 minutes 10.1km @4:55/km on the roads.

TUESDAY

I didn't sleep much Monday night after that call. I had to be up at 5am on the road for 5:30 and didn't get home until 8pm. I was wrecked but wanted to go for a run to clear my head. Felt good after it.

PM: Easy 60 minutes 12.2km @4:50/km on the roads.

WEDNESDAY

Another restless night. Halloween night so B&A training cancelled. So I was going to do my session on my own.
PM: 10x500 (1:40) 500 recovery (2:20) on the roads.

I wasn't feeling good to be honest. Fatigue, weak and just a bit off. I did my usual warm up but was soon was I was into my first 500 I knew it wasn't going to work. My heart rate shot up to maximum of 184 and couldn't get and near the paces and just felt weak so I stopped and jogged home

The session was 9.1km total

THURSDAY

Rest

FRIDAY

PM: Easy 60 minutes 12.5km @5:01/km on usual trail around the forest. Felt alot better not 100%

SATURDAY

AM:10 mile progression run
My plan for this was to see how I felt. If not feeling good I'd stop. So 12km into the 16km I stopped. Good effort but wasn't going running myself into the ground. Wind and rain was cat. Horrible conditions.

1km warm up with the usual drills and strides

Average pace increasing every 2km
4:40/km, 4:22/km, 4:17/km, 4:15/km, 4:04/km, 4:04/km

4.1km cool down

In total 17.3km

SUNDAY

AM: 0.7km @4:10/km quick dash to meet the lads, I was running late.

AM: 21.2km @5:07/km on mainly roads with the lads. Felt grand, very easy pace.

Total distance this week
83.4km

Good mileage after that week. 4 weeks in a row of over 80km/50miles so I'm happy with the base I'm building. I had a week of "Did you run the marathon?" haha maybe 2020 has been my answer. No S&C work this week.

Such a shock to the system to be on just told you're not needed tomorrow morning after the years I was in the place. It will take some adjustment to try and get in a routine again so my training might be all over the place. Time will tell.

AuldManKing

Best of luck with the new changes - hope it all works out ok.
Had a big change myself recently so I can only hope yours goes as well as mine.

MY BAD

MONDAY

Rest

TUESDAY

PM: Easy 60 minutes 12.2km @4:51/km on the roads.

WEDNESDAY

PM: 5x1mile target 5:40 recovery 2-2:30 minutes on the track

3.2km warm up, drills, strides, etc

5x 1 mile splits
5:42
5:40
5:39
5:37
5:40

3.1km cool down

The session was 14.7km total

THURSDAY

PM: Medium long 16.1km @4:45/km on the roads

FRIDAY

PM: Easy 50 minutes 10km @5:01/km around town.

SATURDAY

AM: Another 10 mile progression run
Lovely morning for it. I did the slower part on trail then went onto the roads for when I picked up the pace. Towards the end some farmer had cows on the road so I had to change my route it meant my cool down was extended by 4km!!! Happy with the session.

1km warm up with the usual drills and strides

Average pace increasing every 2km
2km @ 4:41/km
2km @ 4:27/km
2km @ 4:20/km
2km @ 4:10/km
2km @ 4:05/km
2km @ 3:57/km
2km @ 4:00/ km
1km @ 3:54/km
1km @ 3:45/km

5.5km cool down!

In total 22.5km

SUNDAY

AM: 12km recovery @5:12/km on roads with the full crew. Good to have all the marathon lads back. Some lads went further I decided to leave it at 12km.

Total distance this week
87.6km

Great week training. I had a longer run planned for Sunday but because of Saturday's extended session I cut it back. Next Saturday I'm racing a 10km in Louth so there'll be a major cut in mileage. Looking forward to it the past 6 weeks since my last race I've been running between 80-90km a week so I feel like I've a solid base and most sessions went good too with the exception of last week. I dont know what to expect in terms of times I only one 10km race done (which was 6 weeks ago) in the past 18 months but I'll be pushing for a big PB hopefully sub 37. I think like my 5km PBs it will be more slowly chipping away at times rather then massive gains but who knows.

I was registered for RTL on Saturday but my friend pulled out so I decided not to go up. Travelling to the east of the country two weeks in a row is a bit much and I'd say it would have taken to much out of me for next weekend.

OOnegative

Best of luck in Annagassan in the morning, run well!!!

MY BAD

OOnegative wrote: »

Best of luck in Annagassan in the morning, run well!!!

Thanks. I stepped in a pothole on Tuesday nights run I think its okay but slight niggle. It wouldn't be a race week without some issue :pac:

OOnegative

Nice time if you are who I think you are in the results, believe it was windy? Mate of mine went sub 40 for first time & said first 6k was into the wind.

MY BAD

I was 37:14 on the chip 37:15 on the gun with 6th overall. I didn't get that sub 37 I wanted. The wind was a bit of a issue for the first half but I've raced in alot worse this year. The hill at the 3.5km mark was my downfall I should have pushed more after it. Happy with my finish I passed a few and had a 3:25/km average for that kilometer. 10km feels so long when I used to 5km racing. Ten from our club traveled up, our PRO is from there. Great day and night out in Annagassan.

MY BAD

MONDAY

Rest

TUESDAY

PM: Easy 50 minutes 10km @5:00/km on the roads.
I could still feel Saturdays session in my legs. I stepped in a pothole and had a wobble. It felt grand during the run but on my inner right tight just above my knee it felt a big stiff the next day.

WEDNESDAY

PM: 8x1km with 50 seconds off recovery target 3:50 work down to 3:40 on the track

3km warm up, drills, strides, etc

Splits
3:45
3:41
3:39
3:42
3:43
3:40

Dermot had the younger lads pacing, they are a bit more eger compared to the older lads who'll settle into a session. After 6 Dermot pulled me he could see that niggle I picked up the previous day was starting to bother me.

3km cool down

The session was 12.1km total

THURSDAY

Rest. I wanted to do 45 minutes easy but I was told take Thursday and Friday off. Some self rehab on my tight

FRIDAY

Rest again. That niggle was more or less gone. Itching for a run.

SATURDAY

Up at 6 and had breakfast. One of the lads picked me up at my house at 630am we picked up 3 more on the way. The girls had travelled up the night before. We arrived around 9:45 met the girls they collected our bibs. Mixture of all groups in the club from traveled up from the c25k gang to my group. 10 in total our PRO is from the area so thats why wevwent up. It was good to hook up again with other groups in our club since I stopped training with my club I don't see the other groups as much. A few laps of the GAA pitch and another kilometre to the startline warm up. I did a few drills, activations, and strides at the start line. I positioned myself in the second row. The horn went off and a nice start down hill mainly. I was been conservative I was debating weather to go out harder but decided against it. I was just behind Catriona Mckeiran for the first two km. 3:36 and 3:40 here. Into the head wind after 2km and the hill at 3km I drifted back off C McK here 3:55 and 3:59 for these two km. Bit of a retrieve from the wind in more sheltered roads from the 5th and 6th km 3:43 and 3:44 as I got in the rhythm again but a bit of wind again for the next km 3:46. From 2km to around the 8km I was completely isolated which is hard but I started to catch up lads from then on. Also I had had my watch on manual not auto laps after Wednesday's session which was a mistake but I was trying to race of feel more so then looking at each km etc so as it was annoying it did me no harm. The 8th km my time was 3:43, then 3:39 on the 9th km I was determined pass as many as I could at this stage it and race home. Two of the lads I passed were breathing heavy down my neck but I pushed on and was really supprised with my last km with a massive kick for the last 200m 3:25 average for that km. I guess I wasn't racing hard enough with that finish the lad behind was just 2 seconds behind me. I really enjoyed that race finish. 37:15 gun, 37:14 chip and 6th place. I didn't get that sub 37 but I was happy to get a 1min 42sec PB. I thought the boss might be saying I should have done better but he was delighted with that one on WhatsApp straight as the results went live. No issues with that niggle I picked up. Not much of a race report but I'm very hung over.

2.9km warm up

b]10km[/b] race in 37:14

4km cool down

SUNDAY

AM: 10km recovery/hungover run @5:20/km on roads and beach with the lads. Not able for this drink mullarky

Total distance this week
49.5km
Big cut back in mileage I had hoped for a bit more. No harm in race week even if it wasn't a target race. Next up Jingle bells 5km

Swashbuckler

Well done on the big pb! Excellent result in not ideal conditions. And sounds like you celebrated in style too haha. Hard to run in isolation. Get yourself into a few races with deep fields and you'll storm the sub 37.

That's a fairly hefty session the week of the race. Interesting to see the approach..

MY BAD

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Well done on the big pb! Excellent result in not ideal conditions. And sounds like you celebrated in style too haha. Hard to run in isolation. Get yourself into a few races with deep fields and you'll storm the sub 37.

That's a fairly hefty session the week of the race. Interesting to see the approach..

Nearly 600 runners but not a high quality field. It wasn't a target race and looking more medium term than short term. Also likes to see how I race after sessions.

OOnegative

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Nearly 600 runners but not a high quality field. It wasn't a target race and looking more medium term than short term. Also likes to see how I race after sessions.

That friend of mine said seeing it sold out so soon the faster on the day registrations weren’t there this year, normally a better depth in that race.

healy1835

Catching up with your log here now. Some cracking sessions and races in there

a good read for me as I try and get my head around doing some shorter stuff for a while

MY BAD

healy1835 wrote: »

Catching up with your log here now. Some cracking sessions and races in there a good read for me as I try and get my head around doing some shorter stuff for a while

Thanks man but there might be a big change in my medium term plans talk of going the the Hague for the half in March... :pac:
One of the boys that trains with us is Raheny he's pushing their 5miler so might be a good shout for the new year too.

While its in my head after tonight's session I did a 6k with the lads they're sub 2:50 marathon runners so it was a uptempo for me. But it felt so smooth and relaxed even though my heart rate was up. The pace was 3:44/km not much less then my 10km race at the weekend. I just switched off and ran, I'd love to replicate that in races I never seem to race at my full potential. Even at the weekend I was afraid to push on early and hold on. Anyone else be like that in sessions and races or is it just in my head?