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Chapter 2 - Finding Nemo

Swashbuckler

2018 - Chapter One: The Day That Never Comes - Post 1 to 634

2019 - Chapter Two: Finding Nemo - Post 635 onwards

Original Post:
I've decided to set up one of these in the hope that every now and then someone will come along and in their good nature, answer one of my many questions about my training. I find I've been posting a lot of questions in the Random Running thread so maybe this is a better way of going about it.

Background
36 year old male. Been running for 7 years but only started properly focusing my training since January. Only learned what a tempo, LSR etc. were this year! Previous to that I just went out most days and ran 6 miles at as fast as I could manage. No direction or focus to my training. Had ran some half marathons and mixed in circuit training. But this year I really fell in love with running. Thanks to advice from people on here and chatting to some advanced runners I've met at many races this year I've manage to see significant improvements.

PB's;
5k - 18:22 - Parkrun (2017)
10k - 37:44 - Run Killarney (2017)
Half Marathon: 1:31:35 Charleville (2012). Most recent Half was in June - Half Thru the Heart which I did in 1:33. Extremely tough course and the distance was a little short.

Short to Medium term targets (over the next ~10 months);
5k - Sub 18
10k - Sub 37
Half Marathon - Sub 1:30

Long term targets/dreams;
5k - Sub 17
10k - Sub 35
Run my first Full Marathon (maybe by end of next year).
Run a really good Full Marathon.

Myself and my wife have a baby on the way so I'd say the training could be impacted for a while but I really hope I can keep it up to the same level.

I generally do two/three sessions a week (mix of intervals and tempo), one long run and the rest easy runs. Train 5-6 times a week with one day off.

I do all my Mon-Fri training within my one hour lunch break. LSR is either at the weekend or in the morning before work.

I know I should probably join a club. I would love to but we'll see how life changes once baby arrives. Even if I could do one session a week with a club I think it would be of benefit.

Last weeks training;
Mon: 7 miles steady/progressive starting at 7min/mile and finishing at 6:30min/mile. I'm thinking this run isn't of much benefit as it's in no mans land pacewise for me?
Tues: 5 x 1 mile intervals. Intervals at 5:50min/mile average with 3min recovery between.
Wednesday: 10k easy/recovery @ 7:30min/mile. Not sure if this should be slower but I read that it's bad to have easy and LSR paces the same i.e. too much running at the slow pace. The 7:30 pace felt easy.
Thursday: 15 mile LSR @ 8min/mile. Total time: 2 hours.
Friday: 4 mile recovery jog @ 8:50 min/mile.
Saturday: Parkrun 5k - 18:22.
Sunday: Rest

Probably overdid it a bit last week. Not sure to be honest but I feel good. I'm still learning. I'll be giving up the Parkruns in a couple of weeks for a while so I wanted to run a couple of them pretty hard to end up on a good note.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'm looking to improve and still relatively new to proper training so I'm willing to take any advice on board.

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Swashbuckler

Younganne wrote:

Ditto & here's hoping!!

You're an exception Anne. In fairness you've had an awful dose with plantar. Long may your comeback continue!

Swashbuckler

Monday - Easy 7M @8.15
Tuesday - 2x(4/3/2/1min) (Off 75s) targeting 6.00min/mile pace
Wednesday - Easy 7M @8.12
Thursday - Easy 7M @8.13
Friday - Alternating Tempo 5x(5min/90s) (6.30 pace for the 5min. 6.10 pace for the 90s)
Saturday - Easy 13M ish @8.00
Sunday - Rest

Felt a little leggy this week with a hard two weeks of running and racing behind me. Reflected in the pace of my easy runs which were a little bit slower than usual. Nothing to worry about though. Nice to feel the body a little stressed again from running.

I think we all had to contend with the weather conditions a bit this week. Woke up Tuesday morning and it was a lovely day out. Thought I was getting off lightly but it had picked up a bit by the time I got out in the afternoon. Kept it within the estate which is relatively sheltered. Sick of repeating myself at this stage but yes, it was all very controlled. One thing I feel I have become better at is running on feel. So dialing back the pace to achieve a target effort is something I have improved on. The XC block certainly helped with this but it has been something I've really been practicing since after Charleville. Coach has drilled into me that form should not suffer at the expense of achieving a target pace. So that's the main focus in all of my sessions now. Kept it controlled.
Again, sick of repeating myself but the session was enjoyable. I guess I just love sessions!
Had to manage headwinds and tailwind so I'm pleased with how the splits turned out. Very little looking at the watch. A glance here and there.
Pace splits were;

6.00/6.03/6.03/5.47
6.04/6.01/5.55/5.52

Recoveries all in the 8. 15/8.30 region. Felt good..... Another in the bank.... 6.75M total.

Fridays session was another strength building session. I really enjoy these especially the feeling of the legs fatiguing as the session goes on but still having that feeling of strength. I had considered throwing some strides in too but given the legs had been tired all week I veered on the safe side and left it. In hindsight I think I should have done them. I've had very little turnover work this week but no biggie. Weather was nice and calm for this.
Splits were bang on for the 5mins. Had originally targeted 6.15 for thr 90s but they all ended up around 6.10. 8.6M total for the session. In the bank. Very happy.

Felt fresher than usual for the long run so did more loops of the Ennis road/Thomond park drags. Weather held off for me which was a bonus. Felt good again.

So a decent week again. Zero complaints. Building all the time. Onwards we go.

Toral mileage for the week was 49.6M. 6hrs 28mins time on feet. 52mins of that was "stuff". The rest easy. Will start recording this every week. Thought it might be interesting for folks to see.

Murph_D

Hear you P - I quite like sessions too. Racing I enjoy afterwards, but sessions can be enjoyed in the moment, I think.

Swashbuckler

Murph_D wrote:

Hear you P - I quite like sessions too. Racing I enjoy afterwards, but sessions can be enjoyed in the moment, I think.

Definitely agree. I think I've only ever truly enjoyed one race during and that was the Munster 4M. The sessions I love.

skyblue46

I like the idea of keeping track of 'stuff'. I think I'll join in with that.

Swashbuckler

skyblue46 wrote:

I like the idea of keeping track of 'stuff'. I think I'll join in with that.

Easy when it's time based. Not so easy when it's distance based and need to get the calculator out. Haha

skyblue46

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Easy when it's time based. Not so easy when it's distance based and need to get the calculator out. Haha

Oh the nerd in you will absolutely love working that one out! Haha.

Swashbuckler

skyblue46 wrote:

Oh the nerd in you will absolutely love working that one out! Haha.

Haha very true.

AuldManKing

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Easy when it's time based. Not so easy when it's distance based and need to get the calculator out. Haha

Or "stuff" as a % of total? (Tgt=20% ??)

Or Stuff to Total ratio

Swashbuckler

I haven't looked at this before for me but I'm gonna guess in advance as the weeks go on the stuff will generally be around 15% of weekly total.

Swashbuckler

Monday - Easy 7M @8.02
Tuesday - 5min/3x2min/4min/5x1min/4min. 5 and 4's at 6.15 with 2min recovery. 2 and 1's at 5.55 with 1min recovery.
Wednesday - Easy 7M @8.02
Thursday - Easy 7M with strides @8.00*
Friday - Easy 7M @ 8.02
Saturday - 2M Shakeout @ 8.29
Sunday - Rest

Mondays easy was in the company of my buddy running Limerick marathon. Very enjoyable. Wish I could run in company more often. Felt good.

Tuesdays session (5min/3x2min/4min/5x1min/4min) looked lovely on paper and I was really looking forward to it. It didn't disappoint. The sessions the past few weeks have given me a lot of confidence. Really feel like the nature of them and the approach is working. Feeling stronger. Legs tired as the session went on as they should.

Average paces for the splits were;
6.13
5.58/5.58/5.50
6.13
5.50/5.42/5.46/5.50/5.54
6.12

Needed the watch a little to tune into the shorter ones. A little on the quick side but all very controlled. Happy to have that in the bank. Effort was spot on. Total for the session with warmup and cooldown was 8.6 miles.

Wednesday was normal easy run. No ill effects from the session.

*Thursday I made an absolute balls of it. Forgot I had a meeting as I was 2.5 miles into my run. Had to shoot in and head to the meeting and headed back out after. Just one of those days.
Nothing unusual to report on Fridays run and Saturday was a short little shakeout before race day.

Total mileage for the week (including the race) was 43 miles. Total time was 5hrs 30mins - 49mins of stuff including the session, race and Strides.

Happy with how the week went. Headed into the 4M more confident than the Munster 4M but a little unsure of what I could do.

Swashbuckler

Limerick County 4M Road Championship - Kilmallock

Have been building back nicely over the past while. Feeling stronger and gaining confidence. Munster 4M had felt like an improvement on Adare so I was interested to see what I could manage today. I had been very relaxed in the lead up to this. No longer putting pressure on individual races (I'm sure I will again at some stage but right now I'm happy to be racing and trying things). That being said I felt like I needed some sort of boost. It's all well and good having long term goals and popping in and out of peoples logs with nuggets of advice but sometimes it's just feckin nice to feel like you're running close to what your best was. Some words of encouragement from skyblue yesterday and I was all set!
Some inspirational racing over the weekend and the past week or so from some Boardsies had also given me that little jolt that usually inspires me on a bit.
Was a perfect day for racing. Cool weather and just a gentle breeze that picked up in places throughout the course. Got to kilmallock around 12.50 and met up with the club lads. Strong team. Unlikely I'd be scoring for the seniors but had a shout for novice.
Headed off for a warmup with the lads. Just a short one. Felt good. Was told the route was reasonably flat. I never trust people when I'm told that! Everyone has a different definition of hilly! Turned out it was a very fair course.

We lined up at the start around 1.45. These road championship races don't hang about. No big fuss or anything. Line up and go. No hanging about. Had found myself a better position this time although it was easier as the numbers were obviously lower than Munster.

We took off quick. Like, quick......
Looked ahead and I figured Declan from Bilbao was gonna win but behind him there was a good shot of lads from my club. Was looking good for us from an early stage. I had more or less decided to go aggressive here. Eyrie had inspired me with her efforts at MSB so I thought, why not give it a go yourself P. I have a bit more faith in my judgment of effort these days so I said I'd give it a go. Part of it was conscious decision but that aside, I had found after 500m that things were settling a bit and I was finding myself between two groups. One thing I definitely try to avoid these days is getting isolated so I pushed up on the group ahead. Managed to keep with them for mile 1 but the pace was just too aggressive for me. I knew if I tried to hold it I'd be dead by mile 3! Thankfully one from the group behind me pushed up on us. Me and him seemed to be in or around the right level of pushing ourselves uncomfortably. Mile 1 clocked at 5.37. Aggressive for where I'm at right now but how bad. Nothing to lose. The group pushed ahead and me and blue singlet were left with West Limerick guy a few seconds behind. At least I wasn't isolated.

My plan now was to do my best to hang on. Hold as close to this effort level for as long as I can. I was a little beyond where I usually like to be this early but that was the choice I made. Let's see where it gets me. I think I looked at my watch four times during the race but never to check pace. Checked after each mile beeped and one other time I'll explain later (sorry eyrie).

Theres not a whole lot to tell about mile 2 and 3. Me and blue singlet worked very well together. Kept each other honest throughout. His breathing was a little less labored than mine. I felt strong though. This was one of those races that if I had been hit by a hill I'd have been in trouble but this was a very fair course. Mile 2 clocked at 5.46. Mile 3 at 5.45. I wish I had more to tell about those miles but it was just really hard work with blue singlet. At the start of the last mile the west limerick lad had edged ahead. I had absolutely zero interest for battling to be honest. I just wanted to make it to the finish. Felt like an eternity for the mile 3 beep.

Into the last mile and I'm hanging in there. Holding pace and effort has obviously increased. Happy with my form. I haven't collapsed yet but breathing heavy. So this is it, the business end. Get to the end, get to the end.... I feel like I'd like to know what's left in the race but my words of advice to eyrie ringing in my ears. Never look at your watch in the last km of a race! I caved and looked. Had to know what was left. Haha. I didn't get the answer I wanted. 3.4M a jaysus still 0.6M left. Hang in there! West Limerick lad had finished very strongly and blue singlet had a nut of a kick in him. I left them go. I didn't care. I can see the arch finish line and I'm pretty sure I'll make it. Haha. Got to the end and wrecked. Really really happy with the effort. Also really happy with the control throughout. Last mile clocked at 5.49 for a time of 22.56. Was right on the edge of what I could manage today. The splits tell it all really. Fairly steady and consistent with a slight drop for the last mile.

Met the lads and very solid run from the club. The lads finished 2nd, 5th, 6th and 7th for the seniors and won the men's team title. We came 2nd in the team novice which I scored for. Very happy. We were top three for the O35 individual category (I was third) and won the 050 individual too. Our lady won the seniors. A haul of two medals for me. Hung around for the presentation and some sandwiches (I'm off the sweets for lent, sickened). Neglected the cool down as I had to get home.

So all in all a really good day. A solid run and the confidence boost I needed. Onwards and upwards!
Dromina 10M on April 14th but a trip to the US before then which will hopefully not mess with things too much.

Kellygirl

Seriously gutsy race P. Really well done.

skyblue46

Onwards and upwards! Now where did I see that a few hours ago? :pac: Great running P. Ballsy effort.

Murph_D

Nice (except for the watch bit!). Well done.

skyblue46

Murph_D wrote: »

Nice (except for the watch bit!). Well done.

Ah why spend hundreds on a watch and not use it?

Swashbuckler

Kellygirl wrote:

Seriously gutsy race P. Really well done.

Thanks K!

skyblue46 wrote:

Onwards and upwards! Now where did I see that a few hours ago? Great running P. Ballsy effort.

It's sinking in.

Murph_D wrote:

Nice (except for the watch bit!). Well done.

skyblue46 wrote:

Ah why spend hundreds on a watch and not use it?

To train you to race better without it

skyblue46

Swashbuckler wrote: »

To train you to race better without it

I'm in bed and going asleep but I'll get back to you tomorrow on this! Haha

OOnegative

Great stuff P, well done!! Can’t believe I forgot to wish you the best before hand.......

Swashbuckler

OOnegative wrote:

Great stuff P, well done!! Canâ€™t believe I forgot to wish you the best before hand.......

Haha you're off the hook. You're always the first.

AuldManKing

Great race, fair balls for going out hard.

ariana`

Series racing P. Well done.

Duanington

Congrats on the placing P, very well earned and loved how you went out so quick ( its only 4 miles, right ? :eek:) and dug in when you needed to

Shame on you for looking at the watch !

diego_b

Well done on another fine race....fair play for keep the hammer in.....looking forward to seeing you run your next 5 miler (same approach please!!).

Swashbuckler

Duanington wrote:

Shame on you for looking at the watch !

Haha I know I know. Definitely annoyed with myself for the last check. Haha. At least the first three times gave me some reassurance that I was getting just reward for my efforts (not that it matters coz it's not like I could've done anything with the feedback the watch gave me). But the last time was pure self pity. Hoping to see 3.5 or 3.6 miles. Haha

eyrie

Brilliant, congratulations! Sounds like a real battle of a race, great to read.

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Got to the end and wrecked. Really really happy with the effort. Also really happy with the control throughout. Last mile clocked at 5.49 for a time of 22.56. Was right on the edge of what I could manage today. The splits tell it all really. Fairly steady and consistent with a slight drop for the last mile.

Sounds pretty perfect!

I think I looked at my watch four times during the race but never to check pace. Checked after each mile beeped and one other time I'll explain later (sorry eyrie).

Funny!

Hung around for the presentation and some sandwiches (I'm off the sweets for lent, sickened)

Ah now! Not even a post-race biscuit??

Swashbuckler

eyrie wrote:

Ah now! Not even a post-race biscuit??

I'm too stubborn.

eyrie

Swashbuckler wrote: »

I'm too stubborn.

You... stubborn?? NEVER would have guessed :pac:

(It's the race reports that are the giveaway

)

OOnegative

All ok P?

Swashbuckler

All good B. Cheers for checking in. In the States with work so haven't had a chance to update the log