I didn't get this far to get this far.

Murph_D · 02-03-2019 12:26am

Best of luck, Bluesquare. I seem to remember a tendency to club run with much stronger runners. Am I wrong? Apologies if so. If I’m right, I think key to your improvement will be realistic training. Good luck.

Bluesquare · 11-03-2019 8:27am

Murph_D wrote: »

Best of luck, Bluesquare. I seem to remember a tendency to club run with much stronger runners. Am I wrong? Apologies if so. If I’m right, I think key to your improvement will be realistic training. Good luck.

That was me when I was training for Berlin . Have fallen in with a better crowd now! Although coming back from injury is going back track the situation slightly

Bluesquare · 11-03-2019 8:28am

hillsiderunner wrote: »

I have been doing this a bit in recent HMP runs but it's because I am coming in slightly off my target pace for the first two or three miles so I pick it up towards the end of each mile to get closer to the target ... then I'm needing to ease off a bit at the start of the next one! I thought it was funny reading your post a few days ago mentioning it.
Not sure what this means wrt the target pace being appropriate, but will have more info after Sunday!

Very interested to know how this worked out!

Bluesquare · 11-03-2019 8:44am

Between the hogs and the reels only really started road back to running this last Tuesday .

Tuesday : 5k - 5 min walking warm up then 2 min run/ 1 min walk ( treadmill)

Felt ok and went to physio straight after . Good news still healing well and no scar tissue build up. Swelling still visible but very normal apparently. Green light to ramp up to running with caveat to not run through pain and to be careful.

Thursday : 5k - 3 min walking warm up 3 min run/ 1 min walk (treadmill)

Friday - lots of cramping in foot , everywhere but site of injury

Saturday - 5k - outside . 3-5 min runs with 1 min walks.

Sunday - 5k - treadmill. 4*5mins runs

A bit relieved/ annoyed seeing the guys troop off to bohermeen yesterday . Common consensus was that I would have hated it and the wind would have destroyed my chances of a good race . ( I normally struggle more then average trying to race into wind with my asthma )

Ankle aches this morning - stupid train

ariana` · 11-03-2019 10:19am

Delighted to see you back running and recovering well

Bluesquare · 30-04-2019 11:22am

Right so ! Been so busy recently haven’t had time to take stock of training or figure out where I’m at .

I’m still running away grand and ankle is coping fine - just gives out every time I add to my LSR.

I’ve built my mileage back up to about 25-27 miles a week with my LSR now at ten miles .

I’m trying to do 1/2 cross training sessions a week , well a twenty minute utube video which I find amazing for glutes and of course my trusty Shaun T workouts .

I’m at the time of year were I have holidays approaching so on my best behavior from a workout and healthy eating perspective!

My short term goal is try and have comfortable mileage by June end to start training for a sub 4 marathon. Dunno how realistic the sub 4 is but I’ll do the training and may change target as summer moves on.

I have a 10k race coming up on Sunday but not truly planning to race it - I have no idea how fit I am and it is without a shadow of a doubt a truly horrific course . Home town race so I can’t not do it! .

I have been trying hard to run slow - really. For solo runs I’m trying to keep heart rate under 140. Long runs are with club so the best I’ve managed here is to convince my group to go at a ten min mile (they won’t go slower - but believe me this is an achievement ) A quick look at my last 3 weeks training: (note the sessions didn’t pop from no where - previous to this I was building mileage via solo slow runs with 1 LT session a week (ten mile pace ))

Week 1

Tues 9/4 - 3*2k LT pace with 3 min jog recovery between intervals (LT pace 5:08mink to 515) ( with 2k warm up and cool down)

Thurs 11/4 - pyramid intervals @ tenk pace ( fantasy tenk pace) with half the distance jog recovery. I’m going to swap now to miles for pace. Sorry!

400m@7:49, 800m@7:53, 1k@7:56, 1k@7:58,800m@8:04 and 400m@7:47

Great session felt strong !

Sat 13/4 - 5 mile easy@10:10

Sunday 14/4 - 14k easy@10:00

Total mileage: 26 miles

Week 2

Tues 16/4 - tenk intervals: 800m@7:58,1.2k@8:00,1.2k@8:02,800@7:55,400@7:41,400@7:50,400@7:43

Found this session tough but felt super after !

Thurs 18/4 -LSR 16k easy@ 10 min mile

Sat 20/4 - 4 mile easy@ 10:57

Sunday - 5 mile MP tempo

Total mileage : 27 miles

Week 3

Tues 24/5 - 5k pace intervals: 1.2k@7:44,800m@7:30,7;47,400m*4@7:36,7:32,7:33,7:14.

Variance in pace mostly due to terrain. Great session , felt strong and enjoyed . The intervals were fairly slow jogging here as one person was wrecked so loads of recovery.

Missed Thursday’s run because of mess up with babysitter - so did Hiit instead

Sat 27/4 - LSR 16k@ 10 min mile

Sun 28/4- 10k easy @ 10:20

Total : 36k (and 2 hours total cross training)

And here we are !

hillsiderunner · 30-04-2019 1:06pm

hillsiderunner wrote: »

I have been doing this a bit in recent HMP runs but it's because I am coming in slightly off my target pace for the first two or three miles so I pick it up towards the end of each mile to get closer to the target ... then I'm needing to ease off a bit at the start of the next one! I thought it was funny reading your post a few days ago mentioning it.
Not sure what this means wrt the target pace being appropriate, but will have more info after Sunday!

Bluesquare wrote: »

Very interested to know how this worked out!

I'm sorry I never answered this, only just saw it now when looking into your log for progress (which seems good). The target ace giving trouble had been 8:30 and I managed to run 1:49:30 or so at the Half ... so yes, target pace probably was appropriate (there was a teensy issue of the Garmin distance being a good bit short, but this was 9 times on a lap which had a little out-and-back detour, so I think the distance was probably the full 13.1).

Was a tough enough HM and the last few miles were tough!

eyrie · 03-05-2019 7:38pm

Good luck on Sunday, even if you're not planning to race it all out! Hope it goes well

Bluesquare · 03-05-2019 8:37pm

eyrie wrote: »

Good luck on Sunday, even if you're not planning to race it all out! Hope it goes well

Thanks ! Dunno what I’m planning really - I’m going to start slowish and if I feel good see what happens .

Bluesquare · 06-05-2019 3:04pm

Right so I kind of raced and now not feeling the running love .

My course record was 51:30 so I thought yeah let’s try to break that. Planned my km paces in my head based on all stats from previous years. It’s a very very hilly course so steady pace not a good idea.

So the course starts flat for about 500m , slightly congested on the Main Street before meandering up a 1k plus hill. First two k I paced as planned 5:10 . My body/brain was not liking the work going up that hill. The third km is net down hill so 4:48 , on target , fourth km I seemed to have fell into a daydream and pace slipped to 5:17. It felt labored and tough through the daze. Fifth km I perked up a bit - and clocked a 4:45. (Half of it was down hill). The next km is where I always fade on this run so I had planned to try and run under 5:10. Again I kept slipping into daydreaming mode feeling sorry for myself cause running hurt so much. Pace was slipping . There was a girl ahead that was motoring at what looked like the pace I wanted to do so when I felt myself falling back I tried to catch her again , this worked well and managed to stay under 5:10 at 5:08 . This tactic was working so well the “hill “was upon me before I even noticed. Now this hill stars at 6.8 k and roughly keeps going until 8k- it’s a nasty piece of work .

So what did I do ? I was clipping along nicely at this point let me point out .... I walked like
strolled the minute I hit it. Strolled then ran a bit when I saw a camera , then strolled a little more until the gradient decreased a little ,

Of course this meant my 7th km pace slipped to 5:25 and my 8th was 6:00. Mind you strolling here and there up the hill didn’t really seem to make that much difference and I caught my pacer again and continued chasing her . The 9th km is down hill - so a nice 4:40 here . The tenth k is flat and then up a horrible tiny steep mole hill then flat then up another 300m hill were the sound of samba drags you forward - the finish is back on the Main Street. The crowd is mighty here and even though I was dying on the inside I knew my kids were here so I tried hard to keep the legs pumping - last k at 5:00 mink with the extra 100m on my garmin a speedy 3:48!

Chip time 51:50 . Couldn’t believe it - as in I miscalculated the paces I set myself - not only was it a disappointing time but my maths also sucked .

Morale of the story is I think my fitness is just fine I’m just precious and need to practice race pain . If I don’t get my head around it - I’m not sure marathon racing for me .

eyrie · 09-05-2019 2:21pm

Getting used to the race pain is no joke, a harder battle than the fitness if you ask me! I've a long way to go with it myself so I get where you're coming from, and I have no particular insight into how to do it unfortunately. That sounds like a particularly tough course too, which wouldn't help. But you finished strong despite feeling like you were dying, so don't be too hard on yourself!

skyblue46 · 09-05-2019 9:37pm

Bluesquare wrote: »

Morale of the story is I think my fitness is just fine I’m just precious and need to practice race pain . If I don’t get my head around it - I’m not sure marathon racing for me .

I wouldn't give up on marathon running just yet. Ironically it might just be your thing. In my admittedly limited experience as the race gets longer the proportion of it in which you suffer decreases. This of course assumes you have the training done.

Bluesquare · 10-05-2019 7:27am

eyrie wrote: »

Getting used to the race pain is no joke, a harder battle than the fitness if you ask me! I've a long way to go with it myself so I get where you're coming from, and I have no particular insight into how to do it unfortunately. That sounds like a particularly tough course too, which wouldn't help. But you finished strong despite feeling like you were dying, so don't be too hard on yourself!

Yeah - the course is particularly challenging and I think that long steep hill at 7k had me mentally destroyed before I even got there ! It is the Yapstone 10k in Drogheda if you ever fancy it ! I’m already planning my tactics for next year! No idea why I do it and what keeps me going back again year after year!

I barely race so I think racing will help me get over myself - I think maybe I get too panicked or nervous or something .

So I have signed up for a 5k and a 10k and am contemplating going nuts and doing a 6k next week. !

Bluesquare · 10-05-2019 7:35am

skyblue46 wrote: »

I wouldn't give up on marathon running just yet. Ironically it might just be your thing. In my admittedly limited experience as the race gets longer the proportion of it in which you suffer decreases. This of course assumes you have the training done.

Nice of you to say - but I suspect the opposite , the longer the race cause on the more time I have for self sabotage ! I surprised myself last year during some 5kms - like almost out of body experiences lol - so maybe that’s my distance . No time to think.

I’ll do the marathon if I get to October in one piece .My group are training for sub 4 - I may need to amend my target though depending on how the summer goes . I want this one to be enjoyable! I have ran two marathons - one at the tail end of a chest infection and the second with low iron and an infection on my thyroid . ( didn’t know at the time ) and my experience to date is pretty awful.

I’m very torn - I really hate long distance but would love a sub 4 but think maybe I need a couple of marathons first but shudder etc.

Bluesquare · 10-05-2019 7:49am

Training so far this week hasn’t been very exciting :

Monday recovery 5 mile @ 10:15

Tuesday easy 4 mile@ 10:20

Wednesday : a rest - legs were really starting to hurt - well I did my stretching routine

Thursday - planned session 3*1k V02 max with 6k easy. Unfortunately this didn’t work out - Hulk Hogan ruined my plans and I was forced onto the treadmill as hubby didn’t make it back on time for the session . So I did 25 minutes of HIIT , then 7*400m @5k pace ( or random 12.2km hr ) with slow jog recovery’s - so 4 mile all together .

It was some work out. These treadmill sessions are incredibly sweat inducing. I never sweat that much in the real world and find it kind of cleansing - therapeutic almost .

ariana` · 10-05-2019 9:35am

Bluesquare wrote: »

Right so I kind of raced and now not feeling the running love .

So what did I do ? I was clipping along nicely at this point let me point out .... I walked like
strolled the minute I hit it. Strolled then ran a bit when I saw a camera , then strolled a little more until the gradient decreased a little ,

Of course this meant my 7th km pace slipped to 5:25 and my 8th was 6:00. Mind you strolling here and there up the hill didn’t really seem to make that much difference and I caught my pacer again and continued chasing her . The 9th km is down hill - so a nice 4:40 here . The tenth k is flat and then up a horrible tiny steep mole hill then flat then up another 300m hill were the sound of samba drags you forward - the finish is back on the Main Street. The crowd is mighty here and even though I was dying on the inside I knew my kids were here so I tried hard to keep the legs pumping - last k at 5:00 mink with the extra 100m on my garmin a speedy 3:48!

Chip time 51:50 . Couldn’t believe it - as in I miscalculated the paces I set myself - not only was it a disappointing time but my maths also sucked .

Morale of the story is I think my fitness is just fine I’m just precious and need to practice race pain . If I don’t get my head around it - I’m not sure marathon racing for me .

Ugh I can identify with a lot of that race, it sucks. I have no words of wisdom really, i haven't raced a 10k yet that i've been very proud of :rolleyes: One day we'll crack it. In the meantime i wouldn't let it put you off racing the marathon, it's a different type of pain for that! I'm inclined to agree with Skyblue on that. The lung busting type of pain for 5/10k needs a lot of practice and maybe it isn't your thing but the marathon is a whole different type of pain & mental strength required, if you can train for it, you can do it. Chin up

ReeReeG · 10-05-2019 9:58am

Bluesquare wrote: »

I barely race so I think racing will help me get over myself - I think maybe I get too panicked or nervous or something .

So I have signed up for a 5k and a 10k and am contemplating going nuts and doing a 6k next week. !

Delighted you have signed up for more races, I really think it helps. If you have a couple of the same distance lined up, it could be even more helpful. I have by no means found out how to race my 10ks, but I will say having 2 in the space of 3 weeks took some pressure off in terms of going for the PB. If I screwed up the 1st one, there was always the 2nd one and I'd have seen where the mistakes were made etc. The 1st went well so I already had something out of the training when it came to the 2nd one.

Might not be the best idea to do lots of races (which I am doing at the minute!), but I do feel if the struggle is more mental than fitness, then it's worth getting the practice in somehow.

Bluesquare · 13-05-2019 7:34am

Sat - long run . 10 mile @ 10:10

This delightfully scenic run took a dramatic turn when too thoroughly engaged in conversation missed my footing . It took me about 10 secs to fall flat on my face , after stumbling wildly trying to stop it coming . At the same time a cycling race came around the corner - deadly . Two Stewards saw my tumble and rushed to my rescue picking me off the ground . At this stage I knew I was fine - had some minor cuts on knees and elbows , but these stewards were having none of it and insisted/escorted me to back of ambulance. I was mortified . They decorated me with plasters and sent me on my merry way to finish my run!

Anyways the run was grand and I’m sporting a lot of bruising now and seem to have damaged my lats on the right side. Not making for good running gait.

Sun- 4 mile recovery @ 10:20

Thankfully no real damage done and very lucky I didn’t go over on ankle again .

I agreed to do the Navan 6k on Friday but now having second thoughts .

27 miles for the week

Kellygirl · 13-05-2019 10:43pm

Yikes! It’s one thing after another for you lately. Hope you have a smooth running week this week.

Bluesquare · 14-05-2019 10:44am

Kellygirl wrote: »

Yikes! It’s one thing after another for you lately. Hope you have a smooth running week this week.

Not to be I’m afraid - I have laryngitis now for my signs . Mild mind . Hopefully I’m getting all the crap out of the way now before marathon training kicks in!

I’ll still run only all easy

eyrie · 14-05-2019 12:22pm

Mind yourself!! As you say hopefully that gets it all out of the way and you've smooth sailing then!

Bluesquare · 15-05-2019 7:45am

I thought I’d give the planned session a whack yesterday - despite a scratchy throat and squeaky voice I felt okay .

Planned session : 3k w/u and c/d then 6*400m @ 5k pace with same time jog recovery

Actual session : 2k wArm up @6:30
Note 5k pace should be about 4:45-4:60

1st 400 - 4:49
2nd 400- 4:52
3rd 400- 4:32
4th 400- 4:34
5th 400-4:32

Couldn’t face anymore fast stuff, I was shattered -the last one would have been up a steep hill and my breathing wasn’t good . The last three were obviously too fast but in my defense there was a slight decline . The recovery intervals were slow 6:45-7:00. I stopped my watch at 5k had a little rest of about 30 secs and then sauntered home for 3k @6:15

I was happy enough with this despite not finishing as wasn’t the healthiest bunny to start .

I was a little naughty and got back on the treadmill for a slow 5k in the evening @6:20 . I needed the stress relieve . I couldn’t resist throwing in the missing 400 at the end !!

Bluesquare · 20-05-2019 7:41am

So - I went to the doctor thinking I had the makings of a chest infection to go with my laryngitis. He agreed I was a bit wheezy but put it down to badly managed asthma !! Anyways had to triple up on becotide for a few days and take antihistamines as he thought it maybe hayfever. I wasn’t impressed as I thought I had escaped the wrath of pollen so far .

Wednesday running: easy 5k @ 6:20

Friday running: easy 5 mile @ 6:15 - skipped the 6k race

I decided to try and feel easy for this and not look at heart rate or pace . Thinking I’m starting to get it . Was coughing a bit here but turns out that pollen allergy stuff wasn’t entirely true - I had been wearing a fluffy cardigan all week and was now coughing up fur balls ! Yuck I know .

Anyways it’s gone in the recycling bin.

Saturday Running - 16k easy @6:15

26.8 miles all in . The marathon plan I will be following starts at 28 mile so looking good.

Have had a weekend of rich food and drink so feeling shocking athletic this morning !!

Bluesquare · 02-06-2019 9:39pm

Tuesday 21/05

5*50sec hills@ 4:31,4;08,4:10,4:13,4:12
Warm up&cool down @6:15. Tenk all together

Chest was off for so no running until Saturday

Sat 25/05

16k@6:30 (hr 147/chatty)

Sun 26/05

8k@6:20 (hr 135/solo)

Only 34k for the week but couldn’t be helped

——————————————————————

Tuesday 28/05

Session: 3*2k 10k pace with 3 min jog breaks in between reps.

First rep: 4:56,4:59
Second rep: 4:52,4:58
Third rep: 4:55,4:55

Found the last rep difficult and breathing still not 100%. A lot harder then it should have been . 11.5 all in Included 5k@ 6:20 warm up and cool down (average Hr 154)

Calves really hurting next day so decided to do a 5k recovery run the next day@6:30 (hr 143)

Thurs 30/05

4 mile MP tempo - warm up and 5k @ alleged MP. This didn’t really work - the first 2k@ MP was into a driving wind and up a sneaky incline and a hill so really struggled to hit the pace , spilts were 5:40,5:37, the second two splits were on the way back with wind behind me , 5:23 and 5:18,the last one was still too fast @5:27 although windless and flat ! Good job I have 4 months to practice . Average HR was very high @164 but it felt hard.

Sat 1/06

This was more a test of character then a LSR . All my running buddies were AWOL so running ten miles byself was something I’d usually avoid. I knew I’d be running a bit more and longer by myself during marathon training so had to just get out that door .

I tried to keep my heart rate under 140. This was mostly ok apart from at the end where there is a 2k climb home ! Anyways I managed with an average heart rate of 139 and a pace of 6:27. Very hard to go slow byself - although obsessing with the heart rate kept me amused .

Sunday 2/06

This was supposed to be a recovery run -but I felt grand after yesterday . A friend called in and we did a chatty 6 mile - a little faster than my now “normal” slow pace @6:06 .( HR 144)

Total miles for the week : 30 miles

Happy with that

Bluesquare · 07-06-2019 7:38am

Monday 3/6
——————
7k (three hour) Hike with kids up Mt Foy ,in Carlingford probably not the best idea I ever had on tired achey legs. It used to be up hill that hurt but nope ankles and knees hating the downhill whilst the kids hopped from rock to rock like little goats . Sigh

Tues 4/6
——————-

Physio for sports massage. My legs (calves especially ) have felt very tight recently so thought it was about time for this . Surprisingly he told me my legs were in relatively good nick and only real knots where in the abductors and a little above the knee/top of quads . I thought it was weird as I had begun to get out of bed on toes as calves were constantly pinging and ankle(were sprained) was starting to hurt and swell after any long runs.

Maybe I have a low pain threshold . I think it’s probs thyroid related - causing the perception of aches to be greater then the actual problem . My recovery seems to be slower than most as a general rule .

Anyway it hurt - the massage .

Wed 5/6

Slow run - 6:30.

Legs really heavy after massage but relatively nice run listening to a podcast . However average heart rate was 160 with a high of 181. Weird in that a barely broke a sweat and wasn’t out of breath in anyway . Stupid watch

Thurs 6/6

5k LT Tempo -7k easy

Tempo paces ( 5:08,5:04,5:06,5;06,5:08)

Still using fantasy paces here but going with 5:10 as my LT pace . (Based on a tenk time of 50 mins)

Anyways this felt really good - pace came easy , so much easier than the 5:00 mink intervals last week . I was running comfortably hard and was managing the odd chat (3/4 sentences then a break) - well in the first 2k anyway. Only the last 500m felt tough - with nasty little wind. Bloody coast running -always possibility of wind .

Afterwards I felt strong and felt like jumping around high fiving . Instead I just muttered that was a good session lads ! You know cause we are a moany non touchy bunch as a general rule.

Heart rate though was very high for the tempo (average 168) with a max of 190 very high for me for instance my average heart rate for a half would be about 166/167. Heart rate over night was silly too - 58.

Anyways either the watch is playing up or its the effects of the massage , as I can’t have lost that much fitness in a week and that workout felt hard but not that tough !(Vo2 max dropped 4 points on the garmin !)

chickey2 · 07-06-2019 11:10am

Could the raised HR be part of the thyroid problems?

Bluesquare · 07-06-2019 5:19pm

chickey2 wrote: »

Could the raised HR be part of the thyroid problems?

Dunno - only got it checked along with iron levels about a month ago and everything was in order so I hope not . Hoping it’s just a watch blip or something.

I’ll be all over getting blood checks during marathon training - as it’s marathon training that got me into this thyroid mess to start off with !!!

skyblue46 · 07-06-2019 5:52pm

What thyroid issue have you? I have an underactive thyroid but thankfully medication keeps everything bang on.

Bluesquare · 07-06-2019 8:16pm

skyblue46 wrote: »

What thyroid issue have you? I have an underactive thyroid but thankfully medication keeps everything bang on.

I am hypothyroid also , and meds generally work grand but not always bang on - It depends where exactly the TSH is at . Since Christmas I’ve felt normal and was recovering easily after hard workouts but in last month or so recovery feels harder and I’m very sore and achey despite the fact there is no real reason for it according to the physio . I have also increased my mileage - not hugely or suddenly but who knows .

Last time I did a marathon I had a great start to training , then started to get real tired , and my legs felt so heavy , and I got slower and slower whilst everyone got faster and faster . Recovery runs were so slow not from choice but I couldn’t possibly move faster . I did Berlin in September , and needless to say it was very disappointing. I had signed up for Dublin as well and because I felt so crushed after Berlin I was determined to do well there . I was loosing weight - without trying - never happens for me , but put it down to something I had heard about the camel effect. I was still getting slower , and tireder. I was waking at night in hot sweats and with a pain in my jaw .

A week before Dublin my neck ached so much , and I had a bit of a cold thing going on. My husband said my neck looked grand , but a buddy in work who was infinitely more observant informed me I had a huge lump in it ! So I went to the doctor , I had a chest infection had really low iron ,plus was very hyperthyroid so had to go get an ultrasound ASAP. Anyways I had something called sub acute thyroiditis - a virus on your thyroid or your thyroid level effect to a virus. They don’t know. You go hyperthyroid , then normal then hypothyroid. The hypothyroid stage is the longest - can last up to year . Then you have a 5% chance of being stuck with it for ever . I got stuck . Oh yeah and doctor wouldn’t let me do Dublin something to do with a resting heart rate of 110.

Anyways - I’m slightly paranoid going into this training cycle . I’m going to be really anal and precious and get a mot when I get back from holidays and then bloods once a month until October . I know some guys with thyroid problems that vary their prescription based on doctors advice to enable recovery etc, They though do a lot more mileage me and are serious competitors.

It’s always hard to know if your normal tired or something else tired ! Although the worst tired ever was the the pre medicated hypothyroid stuff . That was something else .

skyblue46 · 07-06-2019 8:33pm

I must not have it bad at all. I take 125mg of Eltroxin a day. I don't remember ever having symptoms such as tiredness. I went for bloods on the suggestion of a dentist to have blood checked because I bled for an inordinate amount of time after an extraction. The doc suggested full bloods as I hadn't had any done in years. That was when the thyroid issue showed. I don't feel any different on the meds than I did before!! You're shaming me into getting the levels checked again. It's been a year since I had it last checked.

I didn't get this far to get this far.

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