What I log about when I log about running

ReeReeG wrote: »

I'd love to come along but would need someone to be my protector from the inevitable dogs-off-lead...

if a meet-up ever happens of course

I've signed D up to be dog protector. I would but I'll be at the back.

juke wrote: »

I used to run up there with a friend a lot, loved it - never had a problem with dogs off lead - but I wouldn't be rushing up there on my own.

Good to note - thanks.

eyrie wrote: »

I loved reading this update! So good to hear you enjoying it that much. And I'm very envious of your training! I'll be following the 5k-10k plan myself once I get back to proper running.

Now this is an excellent idea!

It was just so hard for a while but it comes back, so don't be too dismayed if you feel the same.

ariana` wrote: »

Love this

How's the foot?

A bumper two-week update. Buckle up.

Wednesday, 19 December
Plan: 6x3 min CV (5:26 - 5:34) w/3 recovery
Total: 10k, including planned session.
Splits: 5:31; 5:31; 5:32; 5:32; 5:31; and 5:30
Avg HR: 152 Max HR: 172

In the middle of a very busy week, so a window and seized the opportunity to get a session in. Don’t remember too much apart from needing a pitstop in the middle.

Thursday, 20 December
Plan: 1 hour very easy
Total: 47:39 minutes easyish
Avg pace: 7:12/km
Avg HR: 144 Max HR: 159

Desperate for a run but also desperate for dinner, resulting in a slightly shortened run. Too fast but effort was in the recovery zone.

Saturday, 22 December
Plan: 5x5 min Threshold (5:41 - 5:50) w/2 recovery
Total: 9.59k, including planned session.
Splits: 5:45; 5:39; 5:44; 5:39; and 5:44

No recollection apart from dillydallying before finally getting out the door in the late afternoon. Drove home early the following day and had lots to do meaning no long run. Shoulda done it before leaving. Not a great week before the week before Christmas is always mental in work, so it’s all about doing what I can.

Tuesday, 25 December
Plan: 1 hour very easy
Total: 1 hour easyish
Avg pace: 7:10
Avg HR: 157 Max HR 177

I thought it would be nice to do a Christmas morning parkrun and used it as an incentive to get out the door before Christmas breakfast and gifting began. I was so keen, I arrived an hour early. Never checked the time and realised after running a warm up to the racecourse that parkrun wasn’t happening for at least another hour. Did almost a freedom run and back to the car to head home for brunch feeling nicely smug. Slightly too fast pace because my legs were fresh and I ran with D but we chatted the entire way, so it was an easy enough effort.

Wednesday, 26 December
Plan: 8 x 1 minute hills (2-3 min rec)
Total: approx 9km incl Wexford GOAL mile
Mile time: 7:55
Avg HR: 161 Max HR 176

The GOAL mile was on my radar but the desire to participate in a Christmas day parkrun meant I didn’t think I’d bother with this. Having missed parkrun, I thought doing the mile would be a bit of a laugh and probably more motivating than the planned session. I’d no idea what to aim for, but I hoped I’d beat my JBells flying mile time of 8:30, which I managed, but I didn’t realise that until I double checked my time when I got home. I do have a mile PB of 7:40, so I was well off that, but it was only supposed to be a bit of fun. The “mile” was set up on the quay and was four laps essentially of two hundred metres out, switchback, two hundred metres back. Apart from the obvious disadvantage of so many switchbacks, it was a good setup with a separate course for the walkers. I took off at a good pace but took the foot off the gas a bit in the middle sections - mainly due to a lack of confidence and also not wanting to make a show of myself when “on the town”. Good craic, I have to say but should’ve been braver.

Thursday, 27 December
Plan: 1 hour very easy
Total: 1:10ish not really that easy at all at all
Avg pace: 7:03/km ish

Dragged himself to a forest just outside New Ross to get some trail running in. Holiday mode well and truly engaged, I forgot my watch, but no matter as D decided to run with me. There were a number of waymarked routes, some of which took in 1798 sites, and it was fun. The last climb nearly killed me, though, and my legs were fairly jelly by the end.

Friday, 28 December
Plan: 1 hour very easy or off
Total: 1.15(ish) minutes
Avg pace: 7:31/km
Avg HR: 148 Max HR 161

My last Wexford run and I ran around my old stomping ground of the Raven Forest and North Slob. I enjoyed it so much, I extended it by 15 minutes not realising D had shortened his by 15 - oopsie. No ill effects reported from the previous day’s run and I kept a firm eye on my HR to keep the effort truly easy.

Saturday, 29 December
Plan: 30 minute tempo
Total: 10km, incl session
Temp avg pace: 5:53/km
Avg HR: 162 Max HR: 190

To Marlay for a jolly. I ran to the parkrun start and ran the first half of the route, nearly passing out on the wee speedbump at the start, before settling into a nice pace. Completed the tempo with a few laps in front of Marlay House, which was a bit of a slalom given how busy the park was. It felt tough at the outset but I settled into it nicely. A slightly longer warm up does help me. Better pace than the 25-minute version of this run.

Sunday, 30 December
Plan: 1:45 easy
Total: 1:45 (14.76km)
Avg pace: 7:07/km
Avg HR: 153 Max HR 183 (cadence lock, I think)
I loved this run spent listening to a podcast about Comrades. Tried to work out what pace you’d have to run to beat the Comrades cut off, which kept me occupied for a good long time - still haven’t figured it out as it happens. I felt nice and strong on this run. Wee confession - I’m still doing these at my old easy pace, but it’s a pace I really enjoy running I’m kind of used to now from an almost year of running long runs at in or around 7/km.

A good week, a mix of following the plan interspersed with some different experiences and just enjoying myself. Slightly short of the 64km aim, with 63.8 run but nicely in line with the 2019 target of seven hours per week (approx 7.30, I think - trail run not recorded to Garmin). Might do a yearly roundup tomorrow, although it’ll be fairly boring but I could combine it with a goals post.

Huzzah! wrote: »

My goal next year all links in with marathon training. I’m happy to take the focus away from PB-hunting for 2018 and concentrate on running consistently and getting the miles in. One thing that is pretty obvious to me is that I’m lacking substantially in the endurance department. While I’ll never be speedy, endurance is something I can improve and marathon training will hopefully help in this regard. If there is to be any secondary goal to running a marathon in 2018, it will be that my PBs start to line up a bit better and that the drop off from 5k to 10k, and so on, is not as significant.

Sometimes a bit of context is required. I was feeling more than a bit deflated after a great year of running came to an end earlier than planned end with a foot injury and recovery from the marathon taking longer than I’d expected. The above post, which I was reticent to write at the time, reminds me that the goals for 2018 were:

1. to run a marathon; and
2. to improve my endurance to bring my PBs in line with each other.

I think I realised that has I embarked upon my fourth year of running, PBs were going to become more difficult to come by, which is why I was, at the time, happy to focus on the marathon goal for 2018, hoping that my PBs would take a good hammering in 2019. That seems a bit less likely now but 2019 is for another post.

I ultimately achieved my main goal of 2018, which was to run a marathon being privileged enough to participate in the 45th Berlin marathon. The experience was one I wouldn’t change for the world. I loved every minute and, except for extreme nausea in the last 5k, felt strong for the entire race. It is an achievement that seemed far beyond me for much of my life and to actually feel as good as I did was beyond my wildest dreams and expectations.

My marathon experience was partly down to good fortune, some hard work and in no small part to the advice and encouragement I got from the folks here. I had found MurphD’s log invaluable when following the Faster Road Runner plans in 2017 and it was through his log that I found the Hanson plans. Using the half plan, I ran my best half ever, not only PBing but managing to remain strong throughout the race and not blow up as I’d done in every half I’ve raced previously. I still believe that HMM was the perfect choice for marathon training for me - the workouts not being as aggressive as some equivalent plans and the mileage being enough to stretch me and give me confidence without being so much as to result in overtraining. I’ll never forget the feeling at mile 21 or so of my legs picking up the pace and clicking into an almost autopilot of the pace I’d put in during miles and miles of long runs and tempo runs.

Another highlight of 2018 was running a four-minute PB at the Wexford half. I feel like I finally put my half marathon demons to bed, although it might be a distance that I’ll always have a fear of.

The rest of my races, albeit not too many, were less than stellar, starting with a disastrous attempt at a 10k PB in February and culminating in a hugely disappointing result at the Jingle Bells 5k, which was more than two minutes slower than last year. I also had a disappointing run at the Docklands 5k. Results are below:

Distance|2015|2016|2017||2018|
5k|- |28:26|25:01|27:05|
5 Mile|58:57|53:15|46:40|-|
10k|1:08:58|59:53|56:42|57:26|
10 mile|- |1:43|1:42|1:48|
Half mara|- |2:18:08|2:12:58| 2:08|

Mileage increased by a sustainable amount in 2018, with 2,528 kms being run vs 2,150 kilometers in 2017 and 1371 kilometers in 2016. The increase in miles is largely down to improved consistency and I missed very few runs when on plan. I believe the only increase to mileage in 2019 will come from more consistent running when not on plan and hopefully staying injury free, but that’s for 2019’s post!

Boardsies, thanks to all for the help, support and camaraderie throughout the year - it’s been a great journey. You guys help me feel normal when I’m obsessing about which plan to choose, not being able to run when I’m injured and squeezing in a run when the weather is apocalyptic. Have a very happy new year!