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The Will To Win Means Nothing Without The Will To Prepare

El CabaIIo

New log, old username and hopefully a fresh start without drama. There's been a few changes over the last month or so as I think I'm having some sort of turning 30 crisis:pac: and thinking about where I want things to go post-chaos 20's. First thing to go was the job as I packed it in a few weeks ago as my work-life balance was pretty skewed. It's nice to be actually home and not living out of a suitcase for the first time in 2 and a half years. My hours are cut in half as well in the new job so only working 40 hours a week and 8-4 for the first time in 10 years so I've a ball of time and don't know what to do with it. I also got to the bottom of my calf issues(I hope) as I just stumped up the cash and went to Frank Sheahan who said I had poor ankle mobility and that the blood wasn't circulating properly. Working on stretching the calves and dynamically moving the ankle seems to give some relief but I still have to be careful and warm-up really gently on most runs with the first mile rarely faster than 10 minute pace.

My goals have changed as well as I was initially planning on running track but logistically, I can't now as the guy who drives to the graded meets is focusing on the longer events next year and I don't drive so getting to Cork and back on a weekday evening isn't easy or viable(UL really should take advantage of the spanking new track and maybe think of holding some graded meets in Limerick). With that in mind I had to shuffle around a few targets and training with the goals being:

Adare 10k(Feb 2019)
CastleIsland 5k(April 2019)
Dundrum 10k(July 2019)
And then hit XC season

It's been a long time since I targeted 5/10k's, 2013 was the last time as the goals in between were always either track, XC or mostly failed marathon attempts.

Really, my big goal is to be competitive at XC next year and to race more as well. I've had 3 XC races over the last 3 weeks and I'd forgot how much I love XC after being consumed by the marathon last year and not running any, I wish XC was year round. The performances so far this year have been hit and miss, I ran better than expected in County Senior the first week, I ran terribly in County Novice(I say terribly in the sense that compared to the week before but in reality, about par for the course on what my training deserved), I ran well in Munster Novice but was made mince meat of by the field. The main takeaway is that I could be doing a lot better. I've been running around 40 miles a week through that period of racing and judging by those around me in XC, I'm currently in around 19mid and 40:xx shape. I've entered the half in Waterford at the start of December but it's clashing with Munster Intermediate XC now so I might give the half a miss and do Munsters instead. My old coach gave me a bell after Munster Novice at the weekend and asked if I wanted a hand so he's back helping me out again, that man has the patience of a saint.

PB's:

1500m: 5:01(2015)
5k: 18:32(2017)
10k: 39:45(2014)
HM: 1:25:43(2017)
M: 3:15:29(2013)

Will update the last few week's training and race reports when I get a chance.

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El CabaIIo

skyblue46 wrote: »

Delighted things are going so well for you. That's a couple of very upbeat weeks.

Cheers for the good mojo. I've never been so happy to have tired quads and hamstrings and to be able to run hills:pac: it's like giving a big two fingered to my calves:)

ultrapercy

El CabaIIo wrote: »

Thur 22nd Nov- 6m Easy(8:31)

Handy miles are handy! Felt alright after the speed session, It's funny that even a day after a short workout, I always feel faste and have a bit of pop in my stride. Not in a feeling a million bucks kind of way but just cover the ground easier.

Fri 23rd Nov- 6m Easy(8:38)

Handy few laps around town in the dark.

Sat 24th November- 12m Long Run(8:21)

Left this late in the day, was considering doing it tomorrow but just said fook it, I'll do it now while I'm at nothing else. Went for the Knocfierna loop which has probably one of the toughest climbs around here. First few miles clipped past nicely to get to the base of the first climb Orchard rd which averages 6% over 2.2k, kind of pushed it on here but felt good getting to the top before sitting back on the ridiculous descent down the other side. Every time I do this route, I always forget the next part from granagh into Knocfierna town, it's not that long but bloody hell, it's steep; there must be parts here hitting well into double digits on grade as I almost come to a standstill every time I run it. There is no pace you can slow to make it easy. Was getting close to redlining on the last 100m so eased up to give the hamstrings a break. Last 2 miles back into town lose nearly 600ft in elavation so not too bad and the body felt good before knocking off a few laps around town to bring it to twelve for the day.

Good week overall, definitely the best I've felt in years about running as the ease of getting the miles in feels effortless. I can feel the fitness coming back quickly as well.

Regarding the feeling of being faster day after workout day. Something I only started this year is strides or hill sprints after easy runs. They get you primed for a session the following day and give that post workout buzz without the fatigue or lactate build up. 4 to 6 by 8 to 12 secs is enough for me. Maybe you these already? Took me 25 years to introduce them!!

El CabaIIo

ultrapercy wrote: »

Regarding the feeling of being faster day after workout day. Something I only started this year is strides or hill sprints after easy runs. They get you primed for a session the following day and give that post workout buzz without the fatigue or lactate build up. 4 to 6 by 8 to 12 secs is enough for me. Maybe you these already? Took me 25 years to introduce them!!

Yeah, strides and short hills are definitely something I've been slacking on. The only time I've been really doing them in is in the warm-up for races and workouts and it's probably a bit late to be only working on turnover when I need to run fast 10 minutes later. Definitely something to add to the training more regularly.

El CabaIIo

Mon 26th Nov- 6m Easy w/5xstrides(8:19)

Seemed to have picked up some medial knee pain on my left leg and some anterior tibia pain in my shins, they don't hurt when running, just came across them when rolling so something to keep a eye on and maybe need to run on grass one or two days a week. Run today felt good, stride felt good. Easy as pie few miles, threw in a few strides because I've session tomorrow. Happy out.

El CabaIIo

Tue 27th Nov- 6.2m inc. 6x3min w/2rec

Same workout as last week, he wasn't too pleased with my execution of the one last week:p so I tried to do the opposite of everything I done then today.

Rep pace:

6:20
6:16
6:09
6:02
5:57
6:04

What a difference a week makes:eek:. I was a bit rusty for the first rep and was aiming for 6:20 average for the reps but It felt like jogging this time around and I as I got looser, I just kept getting faster and faster through as the reps went on. Effort felt honest and my legs felt really good. Last rep when I was under the most pressure was faster than my fastest rep last week. Can't ask for much more in terms of progress in 6 days:)

El CabaIIo

Thu 29th Nov- 5m Easy(8:31)

Quads were a bit dead today and I struggled through this run, cut it a mile short as my hips and calves were tightening and my glutes were starting to twitch a lot.

Fri 30th Nov- 4m Easy(8:31)

Really dead today, calves burning again and feeling a bit uncoordinated so just done 4

Sat 1st Nov- 5m Easy(8:32)

The worst I felt all week, was supposed to do a long run but not happening with the way I felt.

A few observations.

1) I think I'm a bit depleted. I downloaded the myfitnesspal app that AMK has been talking about. For someone who is my height and weight along with lifestyle, I should be taking on around 3000kcal a day and for every 60 minute run would take that total to 3500kcal a day. I've been getting in about 2300 a day.

2)I'm going through a relearning process of judging my fatigue levels with the addition of workouts and a lot of hills. I may be overcooking the hills so early on and getting a bit self competitive with easy run progression.

3)If my quads are tired or tight, my calves suffer.hip flexors seem to be the worst offender so need to pay more attention to these.

4)Tiredness is normal especially after adding a new stimulus, HTFU to a certain extent.

5)I felt really good for the last few weeks up until Thursday, I'm not far off track, just need to be more careful with how I run day to day

6)After yesterday's botched long run, I took yesterday as a day to carbload and took on 450g of carbs. Legs feel a lot better today even though I haven't ran.

So a really good start to the week and not a great finish, need to lower the highs and raise the lows to get the right balance going forward.

Swashbuckler

El CabaIIo wrote:

3)If my quads are tired or tight, my calves suffer.hip flexors seem to be the worst offender so need to pay more attention to these.

Interesting, I've felt the same this week a bit. Especially by Saturdays long run. About ten or eleven miles in the legs just felt a bit dead, could feel a bit of a tightness in the hips right in that hollow, fleshy area. Been doing some specific stretches this week. I never seem to get secondary pains in the calves though. Seems to be my lower back/glutes take the strain.

El CabaIIo

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Interesting, I've felt the same this week a bit. Especially by Saturdays long run. About ten or eleven miles in the legs just felt a bit dead, could feel a bit of a tightness in the hips right in that hollow, fleshy area. Been doing some specific stretches this week. I never seem to get secondary pains in the calves though. Seems to be my lower back/glutes take the strain.

Sounds like your psoas muscle. It extends from the lower spine through that gap between your the hip sticking out bit and groin. I think my issue is weak glutes causing the hip flexors to overwork themselves and tighten so my claves are taking up the work when they are all tired.

Do you run like this?

The photo on the right is the one. She has it bad but it's the best shot I could find with the foot flare out to the side

Swashbuckler

El CabaIIo wrote:

Do you run like this?

I would say I might have a hint of that form but definitely not that extreme. I've seen some videos of me finishing races and I'm prone to trunk rotation when I tire more than the pic above. At times in the long run on Saturday as i tired there was the odd occasion where the knees rubbed off each other which looks like it might be linked to that? I'm not sure.

I'm hijacking your log here man. Haha

El CabaIIo

Swashbuckler wrote: »

I would say I might have a hint of that form but definitely not that extreme. I've seen some videos of me finishing races and I'm prone to trunk rotation when I tire more than the pic above. At times in the long run on Saturday as i tired there was the odd occasion where the knees rubbed off each other which looks like it might be linked to that? I'm not sure.

I'm hijacking your log here man. Haha

You're grand, hijack away!:pac:

I'd definetely have a look at stretching the psoas muscle and massaging it with a tennis ball. If your psoas is tight, it can cause your thigh to rotate internally or you might compensate by rotating your body inwards as well as the muscle is shorter. From what I've read on it, weak glute medius and a tight psoas can cause it. The glute is responsible for externally rotating your hip so if it's not strong enough or your psoas is too tight, it has trouble doing it because it is constantly fighting between the two muscles.

If you stand up straight and look at your pelvis, it may be tilted forward with an exaggerated arch in your back as well. I'm not a physio so take my thoughts with a grain of salt though.

Oh yeah, to massage the psoas, get the tennis ball and lie down on it about two inches to the side of your belly button and down a bit. Play around that area to try and find any tight spots.

Swashbuckler

I think you might be on to something! I've always had a bit of an arch in my back and pelvis forward a bit. I just presumed it was how I was built.

Had a look online there on how to test it and various stretches etc. I failed the test miserably. Haha. Might start taking a look at doing some of the stretches. Flexibility wouldn't be my strong point atall. Lots of dots connected when I googled it in terms of positions and stretches I struggled with from my days of circuit training. Before I got coaching and was overtraining I used to get shooting pains down my left calf which would ease after the physio dug deep into that soft area a small bit further out from the groin towards the hip.

Cheers man. Will have a go at some stretches.

El CabaIIo

Swashbuckler wrote: »

I think you might be on to something! I've always had a bit of an arch in my back and pelvis forward a bit. I just presumed it was how I was built.

Had a look online there on how to test it and various stretches etc. I failed the test miserably. Haha. Might start taking a look at doing some of the stretches. Flexibility wouldn't be my strong point atall. Lots of dots connected when I googled it in terms of positions and stretches I struggled with from my days of circuit training. Before I got coaching and was overtraining I used to get shooting pains down my left calf which would ease after the physio dug deep into that soft area a small bit further out from the groin towards the hip.

Cheers man. Will have a go at some stretches.

There's a guy on youtube who is brilliant for this kind of stuff. Athleanx is his channel name, he's got a video up on this as well.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K-CrEi0ymMg&t=247s

Swashbuckler

Thanks a mill.

El CabaIIo

Mon 3rd Nov- 6m Easy w/strides(8:32)

The legs were finally starting to come around again, bit of pop back in the stride yurt!:)

Tue 4th Nov- 6.3m inc. 6x3min w/2min recovery on grass

Even with feeling a bit better yesterday, I was a bit apprehensive heading into this with thoughts of it becoming a struggle if the legs weren't playing ball. I headed to the GAA pitch instead of heading out of town just in case it didn't go to plan and I would have to struggle back up the hill after. Thankfully, that wasn't the case and my legs choc full of energy.

Rep paces:

6:12
6:07
6:06
6:08
6:07
6:09

Same workout as I've done for the last 3 weeks and the last time I'll be doing it. Absolutely delighted with how it went and another sign of big progress, it was bucketing it down with rain and I had a big headwind hitting me everytime I came back down the side of the field. Average pace of the session was the same as last week but I ran those on the road and this in the mud. Legs felt really good, feel like I'm starting to stride out a lot better and can't argue with the progress I'm making on these sessions. Buzzing after it:)

Workout progression:

Week 1:6:20avg
Week 2:6:08avg
Week 3:6:08avg on grass

Happy days:)

El CabaIIo

Thu 6th Dec- 6m Easy(8:06)

I know, I know balance the week, Don't blaze the easy runs:rolleyes:. The first 2 miles today were horrible, my quads were dead and my calves were bulging and I was thinking I was in for a death march so went to the soccer field. Decided to just bin the shoes after 2 miles and run the rest barefoot. Not exaggerating but literally instantly, my quads came alive and my calves stopped swelling and the pace naturally increased. Absolutely cruised through the rest of the run and instead of feeling leggy, I felt like everything was connected and working right.

I don't know what the fook is going on! I feel really good right now but this puts a million other questions in my head.

El CabaIIo

Fri 7th Dec- 6m Easy(8:35)

Not too shabby even though the weather was cat. Half grass, half road. Hammy's were a little sore from the previous day but nothing significant.

Sat 8th Dec- 10m Hills(8:36)

Back on Kilmeedy hill for the long run with the lads again today. I felt so much stronger than I did 3 weeks ago on the same route. Coach cut me back to 10 this week as I'm racing next weekend and he was worried I might feel flat again during the week. Felt like I had gears today though, that's the first time I've felt like that in a very long time especially on a run over 6 miles and managed to fit this in perfectly between the bad weather, some views off out over the ballyhoura mountains.

Have a Christmas party tonight which is one of my cheat nights in the pioneer lifestyle for this block of training, will be my first pint in 12 weeks.

skyblue46

Not a pint in 12 weeks! Fair play. Enjoy a few tonight.

El CabaIIo

Tues 11th Dec- 5m Easy(8:32)

I got out really late for this so had to run along the only 800m long stretch of footpath with lighting and back 5 times. This week went a bit pear shaped with the Christmas party drinking and only getting to bed at 6 o'clock. let's just say I don't miss those weekly hangovers jesus! and I'm definitely getting older. Thank fook I'd nothing to do this week as I spent the last 4 days trying to get my sleeping pattern back in order. I managed to get this run done but could feel the booze in my legs.

I missed Wednesday because I fell asleep on the couch in the evening and woke up at half four this morning. Disaster!

Thu 13th Dec- 6m Easy(8:37)

Back on track today whoop! A little tired after sleeping on the couch but a gazillion times improved from the last few days. Legs felt good, weather was awful but somewhat refreshing so enjoyed this.

Got the Newmarket 5k on Sunday, first road race in 7 months and only my second in a year, that went way too quick. Coach is reining me in for this with the plan to run the first 3k no faster than 6:15 pace and then see what I can do for the last two. I don't know what I might be able to manage off that so I'll say 19:15 is the goal.

Huzzah!

Good luck on Sunday.

OOnegative

Best of luck tomorrow E, run well Dude!!!

Swashbuckler

Best of luck. Looking forward to hearing how you get on

skyblue46

All the best for tomorrow.

Singer

"Enjoy" the 5k! Hope you have a good race.

El CabaIIo

Sun 16th Nov- Newmarket 5k(19:56)

Well...you gotta start somewhere, I didn't think it was going to be scraping under sub-20 though:pac:. Legs weren't playing ball early and I kind of got through it until 500m to go before completely and I mean completely blowing on the only real hill not far from the finishline. Piss poor in fairness but I there's a 19 low in there right now, I can feel the fitness building week on week but wasn't in there today. I've another crack of the whip at 5k in 10 days so no point in dwelling on it, get back on the saddle and have another pop and make the most of it.

El CabaIIo

Mon 17th Nov- 6.2m Easy(8:43)

Stiff! A 5k race hasn't hurt me like that in a long time. My right hamstring was almost locked solid for the first kilometre before freeing out. Slightly uncomfortable few early morning miles.

Tue 18th Nov- 6.2m Easy(8:47)

Stiffer! Hamstring was in bits starting off again this morning as DOMS had really kicked in. I think the 4 miles I done barefoot on grass on Saturday as well as the race contributed to that as I seem to work my hamstrings harder when doing that so they are little bit tired.

The goal for the next week is to stay booze free until post-race Stephens day, This is looking like the quietest Christmas I've ever put down but I know if I can through these two weeks unscathed, I'll have set myself up big time for 2019 and that's what counts.

El CabaIIo

I haven't logged anything in here over Christmas as I picked up a proper bed ridden flu and just didn't bother posting since but I do want to clear up a lot of stuff as it's becoming too regular on this forum lately where stuff is taken from my log and used for ammo against me.

1)I'm off the smokes 12 days unintentionally(when the flu hit, I slept for 3 days and was choking for a week. By the time my chest had cleared out in anyway, the worst of the cravings were gone.

2)I done drugs. Yes I did in my teens, outside of one occasion mid-2014, I haven't touched any drugs since nearly the start of this decade

3)I haven't improved at all myth. My first marathon was a 4:07 and my first 10k was 51 minutes. I've improved a lot since I started. I definetely stagnated a bit in recent years where I could have improved more. 2 and half years of that, training had to take a back seat as the oppurtunity to work on the biggest and most prestigious project that will ever come up in my line of work happened. It involved 70-90 hours a week(I clocked 94 one week) of heavy manual labour where my job was in such high demand that any slacking at all and there was 50 people waiting outside the entrance to take my job. Last year, I was working 80 hours a week and running 50 miles on top of it and probably walking a half marathon a day at work and that's before you factor doing labour on top of it. I was physically and mentally fooked before I ever got out the door for a run. My day was pretty muc

5am: up
5:45: Leave
7am: Start
8pm: Finish
8:45: Home
9pm: Eat
9:30: Run
10:30: sleep

7 days a week

I dare anyone to try that schedule and see how they get on.

4)I'm a spoofer and copy paste artist about training. The reason I love the science aspect of training is simple, because science is in my blood. My job is Turf and plant grass sciences, I build and maintain golf courses and my education was in plant biology and chemistry. As for the copy paste claims, I find them personally hilarious. Only one coach or person every generation reinvents the wheel and even he still has to rely on borrowing, begging and stealing of information to get to that point. It's called research as 10000 heads with inf, knowledge and experience are far superior to one. Am I a spoofer in my job because everything I learned in College came from a textbook or other peoples knowledge formed my ideas?

I have never copy pasted anything and wrote it here, I've read 1000's of articles, talked and debated with people much more knowledgeable than me and then pieced together what I believe makes sense just like everyone else has but yet I get accused of being a spoofer.

I'm sick of it all at this stage as this sh*t is coming way too often now. I get hate PM's all the fooking time, I get abused personally on the forum because my ideas might not match up with the crowd. I can't even keep a log for myself because it's used to mine personal info about me that gets used against me.

Apoligies for the rant and drama but I've had enough at this stage and need to stand up for myself. I used to like this forum and would like to think I've positively impacted a lot more people than not. I'd just like to see it go back to a time where the information was more valuable than who is right or wrong and where it wasnt an imaginary case of you vs them.

RayCun

Glad to hear you're off the smokes, and sorry to hear about the PMs. I'm sure there's lots we disagree on, but we're all trying to do the best we can. Why should we take disagreement personally? If someone doesn't like your approach, they should let you go your own way.

Murph_D

I’ve had a go at you myself as you know - much regretted on my part, a very cheap shot. The current flameout is more public - I wouldn’t give it the oxygen it doesn’t deserve. It’s obvious that you’re a positive person with good intentions, and a valuable contributor with plenty of insight. Keep doing what you do.

career move

I'm not too sure what's been going on on the forum because for the last few weeks I find it hard to even keep track of what day it is and when I'm at home I live in my own little bubble but I think it's worth remembering that a lot of people behave differently on the internet compared to real life. People who send you nasty anonymous PM's however are not worth wasting mental energy on. Just block them and move on

And don't let anyone undermine your achievements or make you feel like you don't work hard. I think anyone who needs to humiliate someone else to make themselves feel good should take a good look in the mirror!
I always enjoy reading your posts even if I don't agree with you. I think they're well written and informative and you come across as someone who is very passionate and well informed and I hope you continue to post here.

Singer

Keep up the good work, I appreciate it a lot. The recent round of abuse was nonsense. I doubt the gang over on the soccer forum settle whether somebody knows what they’re talking about with a penalty shootout