Sub 5 minute mile

Week 34

• 09 July - Football training. Minding my ribs so avoiding contact in drills. Session included some good runs - 12 x 50m in 10s w/ 10s recovery, including a doubleback at 25m. Also 10 minutes of 50 m hard, 90 m easy. For domestic time juggling reasons I've not made it to football since so it meant I could do a little more running at least.
• 11 July - 4.5km easy/moderate - 17:43 Was hoping to 17:43. Was hoping for a full medium intensity run here but the legs were definitely still tired from the speed work with the football team 2 days ago.
• 12 July - 6.7 km easy - 28 mins on grass/track
• 14 July - Mile race- 05:06 Including a 2 km warm up

Not quite hitting my goal in the mile race I was determined to up it a notch this week. Especially with no football planned for another week at least.

Week 35

• 15 July - Intervals on grass - 15x45 w/ 30 secs recovery Total distance including including warm-up/down 7.5 km. Hard pace approximately: 5 - 5:15 mile pace I think (again using google maps ) I know I should really check these distances properly. Without getting a chance to visit a track I'll struggle to quantify these properly. Might treat myself to a fancy watch at Christmas.
• 16 July - Long run - 9 kms easy - 39:10 Legs v tired from day before. Humid overcast day (21 degrees) but lovely to run easy in.
• 17 July - 3.5 km - very easy - 16 minsNo problem running slow here.
• 19 July - Hill progressions 12 reps increasing pace by 2 secs every 2 reps. On track. Bit of of a made up drill but I enjoyed it. Approx 7m incline over 210 metres so not a monster. Reps were [44,45, 43,43, 41,41, 40,39, 36,37, 34,35] off 1:20-1:30 rest. After rep 12 and a 2 minute rest I decided to do a 13th - [32 secs].
• 20 July - 6.7 km easy - 29 mins Easy run here but after about 12 mins I decided to do a 3 x 2 minute tempos with 2 mins rest in the middle of the run. Felt the legs were tired during the 3rd so didn't kick on as I didn't want to overdo it.

33.7 kms for last week. That's definitely a weekly record.

I only log 3 kms for any day I do football as I've no idea of the distances typically covered.

Small landmark for me too. Using 3 kms for matches and training I decided to work it out.

I passed 500 annual kms last week.

IvoryTower wrote: »

If that 400 session is even close to accurate I would say you're in sub 5 shape. Will you make the last graded meet?

Too early to know for sure but I really hope so.

The last time I did the 400s was March and I feel I handled them better back then (on a running track). Then again my legs were certainly fresher for the March session and I did most of them off 90 secs recovery. My weekly mileage is much higher now too though, hence the fatigue, so I'm hopeful my endurance will be much improved.

As Sacksian said though, I guess I won't know until I race.

I'm new to all this training plan stuff and truth be told still don't have a set training plan in mind myself. I've been letting my body and head guide me for the most part with "what do I feel capable of doing today" being my plan for a lot of days.

Fusitive made a very interesting post here and it's given me pause for reflection.
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058004839

I can see I never did any specific base building but have been slowly trying to up my workout distances and durations. As for intense workouts, I've been doing at least 1-2 intense workouts per week for about 13 or 14 weeks since I started feeling healthy again. I don't feel I've been overdoing it but want to be careful I don't burn out. Apart from my health set back a few months back I'm thankful I've no new injuries to report.

We are into the quarters finals in the football now even with one group game left. The championship could last for another 4-8 weeks depending on how we get on. I think I might ease off on the intense workouts until the football finishes for now as I'm even finding the legs are a little tired before I even kick a ball (like today). But I will keep up long runs and recovery runs to complement the speed work I'll do around the football. Hopefully that will be enough for me to get over the line.

When the football is over I'll be formally hanging up the boots and will hopefully focus on running a bit more. I may even buy a running book or two for some winter reading.

Assuming I haven't overdone the training I'll have one or 2 more cracks at the mile (albeit outside of a race) in the next month.


Week 37

• 06 Aug - 4 x 3 minute tempos at 6 min/m pace approx. 28 minutes running. 6.7 kms
  
• 07 Aug - Football training
• 08 Aug - Football match
• 09 Aug - 6.6 km easy/moderate. Contained two 3.1 kms splits. 1st in 12:20. 2nd in 11:27 (equates to 18:30 5k pace approx.)
• 11 Aug - Intervals - 20 x 40 secs hard with 30 seconds rest. Total distance 7.2 km. 30 minutes. First time doing a full 20 of these so I was delighted. Hit a nice rhythm through the middle ones. Last 2 or 3 were a bit messy but I was adding to my planned running route so not concentrating on form as much as where I was going.

Actually I spotted a typo in my previous post. The 17 feet elevation equates to 2.9 secs/mile (not 1.9). So if I changed direction and ran back to the office as opposed to away from it my 5:05 could be 4:59. It's that easy :pac:

I might feel like a bit of a fraud though if it panned out that way. Anyway, my plan is to get to a track this week or next.

Cheers for the heads up on that race Mellow, it might be far enough off that the football is concluded at that stage. And downhill too...


Week 38

• 12 Aug - 6.2 km easy. 29:30
• 14 Aug - 1 mile attempt. 5:05 5 kms total running
• 15 Aug - Football training A few sprints in here. Could feel a bit of a twinge in my quad during these.
• 17 Aug - 5.5 km easy. (3.5 kms on grass). 24 minutes
• 18 Aug - Mixed Moderate run. 9.2 kms. 41 minutes. Two 3.1 km splits [11:54, 11:38]. The two 3.1 km splits started with a 4 minute tempo at 5:40/m pace. Finished with a very slow 2.6 km recovery.

I couldn't keep my promise and take all my runs easy in the week, but I had missed football training on the morning of the 18th to mind the kids so wanted to get the heart rate up a bit. Feeling the quad a little here though more so during the warm down but I'm sure its just a little strain.

2nd mile attempt on a track: 05:07

Disappointed with this but not completely surprised in that I wasn't feeling too hyped about the run beforehand. It was a breezy day yesterday and I'd taken a days leave to do the school run and collections for the first days back. I had a normal mornings breakfast , dropped the kids to school, done a couple of jobs and set off for the track at around 10:30. Around 11 is certainly an unusual time of the day for me to run but that's what I had. The track was breezy (cross wind mostly on the straights) but I figured it wouldn't play that big a part. Warm up done - 2 kms, strides and dynamic stretches. Off I set -

• Lap 1 - A nice pace, feeling pretty comfortable making sure I don't go out too hard. Cross the line 75 seconds, which included the extra metres. Perfect
• Lap 2 - So I just need to maintain the same effort level. I was still pretty comfortable but unknowingly dropped my pace. 79 seconds. Okay I don't feel feiced so maybe it's not time to panic yet.
• Lap 3 - Not panicking I know I need to up the effort level a bit but not blow up. I could still beat 05:05. Not feeling I was redlining but working a bit harder. 78 seconds. Darn it could I have pushed a bit harder on that lap.
• Lap 4 - Time to really pick it up. Quick look a the watch at around 150 m I knew I was a few seconds up on the previous laps pace. Last 100 m, a flailing mess getting across in 75 seconds. Expected a quicker last lap time than that too considering the pace on the previous 2.

So there it was. I messed up my pacing. Maybe I was watching it too much. I probably left 2-3 seconds out there yesterday but given how I was feeling beforehand, only 2-3 seconds. No more than that.

I'd had a match 2 days earlier that I was a little tired the day after but I don't want to be blaming that for underperforming. I had eased off the intense sessions last week as I said I wold. Definitely I could have tried a little harder yesterday but never fully believed it was on so maybe a little mind games at play too.

Perfect way to get on with it though. I followed up with football training last night which finished with 8*200 m and 4*80 m sprints. Then 4*300 m runs. Legs were as tired last night as they have been in a while. There's still a few months left in 2019 and I hope to get there yet.

The week numbers are starting to get very close to 52 :eek:

Lucky I set the mile as a 2019 goal and not a 12 month goal.

Week 39

• 20 Aug - Football training
• 21 Aug - 6.7 km easy to moderate - 25:59 mins. Went out brisk enough but comfortable and increased the effort a little as it went on. Happy with the time versus effort level on this run. Worked out at 3:52/km pace
• 23 Aug - 4 kms moderate on a treadmill. Aim was 4 kms in 16 minutes. Did the 1st km in 5 minutes as a warm up and then upped the speed for the last 3 km which I did in 10:40. That equated to 17:46 for 5 km pace which looks very odd to me so this has me doubting the accuracy of the treadmill or maybe it's just easier to cover distance on a flat surface with no drag. Followed by a light gym and swim.
• 25 Aug - 3.5 km easy/moderate run - 13:46. Football match tomorrow but hadn't been out in a couple of days so needed a bit of a leg stretch.

Week 40

• 26 Aug - Football match Qualified for the 1/4 finals
• 27 Aug - 6.7 km easy - 27:30
• 29 Aug AM - 1 mile attempt on a track - 05:07. Splits [75,79,78,75] Pesky wind probably deflated my optimism for this one. 4.5 km total.
• 29 Aug PM - Football training Included 8*200m and 4*80m sprints
• 01 Sep - Football training A busy weekend meant I didn't get out for a recovery run after a tough day on the 29th

So no intervals, hill runs or tempos the last couple of weeks to have a mini recovery and more energy for the football. The 1/4 final looks like being out another couple of weeks so there's a temptation there to put in a couple off tough ones this week and try and hit the track again.

I've my €15 invested in the Griffith Avenue mile anyway but we'll just have to see how the month pans out.

@skyblue - Good luck with your own recovery.

My own ankle is still giving me a little bit of grief still but not enough to hamper my running. It's more when I'm not running, and its obvious my range of motion in it hasn't improved even with the months of training behind me. I'm just thankful I haven't rolled it this year at all and now the football pitches are softening up again I'm hopeful I can survive the football season unscathed. Nearly there now but I intend to have an MRI on it before the year is out.

Week 41

• 02 Sep - 9.05 kms easy - 39 mins
• 03 Aug - 6.6 km very easy - 31 mins.
• 04 Aug - Missed football training
• 05 Aug - 4.65 km hard - 16:49. Another PB for this route and second time under 17. Was annoyed at missing training the night before so wanted to give myself a hard run to make up for it.
• 06 Aug - Football training
• 07 Aug - 6.6 km easy/moderate - 28 mins Two 3.1 km splits. Easy on the first before picking it up for the second [13:30, 12:00]

IvoryTower wrote: »

im guessing youre the fittest on that team!

Fittest, not fastest :pac:

I was also always at a disadvantage size wise too.

Squeaky bum time of the season so football has to take priority until next weekend at least, so unfortunately I couldn't make the Griffith Avenue mile.

Week 43

• 16 Sep(Monday) - 5 km run - Planned to include 2 x 6 min/m tempos. Actual was [5:55, 5:38]. We we due to have a challenge match on Wednesday day so I wanted to do a short but not too easy a run. 6 x 50 m strides between the two mile runs. Turned out the challenge match was postponed until Sunday so I could have done a bit more. I was determined to put in a decent shift the following day.
• 17 Sep - On football pitch. Plan 2x800 @MP w/ 3 min r/, 2x400 @ MP w/ 3 min r/ and 4x200 w/ 1.5 min r/. Actual [2:33, 2:33], [1:13, 1:16], [35, 34, 34, 31]. With the game postponed I hit the pitch in my runners. I'm no expert on different running surfaces but I hope the surface was the reason I missed my 800 m target times by 3 seconds each.
• 18 Sep - Football training
• 20 Sep - Football training
• 22 Aug - Football match No running between football training and matches this week. Days were shifted to Wed/Fri as opposed to the usual Tues/Thurs and I wanted to be fresh for the challenge game.

Quarter final is finally scheduled for next weekend so by my next update I could be finished football wise. (We're playing the favourites.)

Another setback.

So the cold was only the start of it. I've been hit with a recurrence of the same non-diagnosed ailment I had back in March. I'm not as bad this week and am determined not to lose my base so after the week that's passed I've managed to get out for some very gentle runs the past 2 days in row. It could be a while before I'm pushing myself again. Or it could be next week. We'll just see where it takes me this time.

Week 45

• 02 Oct - 20 min v easy run I was hoping to snap myself out of my malaise with some endorphins/mitochondria. Not feeling well for the last 5 minutes of this though and wiped out when I got home.

So that was last week, but as I said above I've already done twice as many very easy runs this week so I'm hopeful I'll be back to normal sooner rather than later. I'm going to at least force myself to keep spinning the legs at whatever pace I can manage to keep the fitness from falling off too much.

Cheers Murph. I'm not under the weather though per se. The cold has cleared off at this stage.

The problem with this ailment, going on previous experience, is it could last a couple of weeks to a few months (first occurrence was in 2015 and lasted about 7 months). I know exercise is not the cause of it and resting doesn't make it dissipate any quicker, having given myself plenty of breaks in the past. My wife was blaming the black eye I got :pac:

I know what I'm fit for and won't be pushing myself until I'm fit to.

Cartman78 wrote: »

Just read the last couple of pages of your blog - interesting challenge you've set yourself and something I'm interested in once I get this fupping marathon over with :pac:

Just on your ailment/health issue - have you had your bloods checked lately?

Might be worth doing if you haven't already. Was having similar issues this time last year (getting multiple colds, tired, lethargic etc) and it turned out my thyroid had gone out of whack. It's still not 100% now to be honest but symptoms under control.

Best of luck!

Been through the health checks - although not in the last 12 months. Health screen, bloods, MRIs, a couple of trial and error meds for example for vertigo. Seen 3 different GPs, a dentist and a neurologist a couple of years back when it first presented itself. I nearly didn't get a mortgage because I honestly divulged the issue to the Mortgage Life Insurance agent, so they made sure I was given a decent MOT.

I won't go on about it here though as it's the athletics forum. I'd be happier posting in personal health.

Happy to report though I've no new sports related injuries.

Feeling close to normal again so have been trying to get back at it. I'm going to try and set out an actual plan (for the first time ever) for myself to follow for the next 3-4 weeks now that I can and see where it lands me.

A bit of backfill

Week 46

• 07 Oct - 27 minutes very easy. No distance logged Feeling a bit better than a week previously. Didn't push my luck. Finished the run and wasn't wiped out
• 08 Oct - 5 km easy - 21 minutes Encouraged from the night before I decided to do two days in a row. The run was fine but I felt no urge to push any harder than my easy pace. Just glad to be fit to plod along at all.
• 10 Oct - 4.35 km easy - 19 mins.
• 12 Oct - 4.35 km easy - 17:21. Definitely finding the strength coming back a bit.

Week 47

• 14 Oct - 6.6 km easy/moderate. 26:44 mins. Two 3.1 kms splits. [12:29,12:15]
• 15 Oct - 4.65 km steady - 18:12 The old work run. Over a minute off my hard pace but I know that's not in the legs just yet
• 16 Oct - 26 mins very easy run. No distance logged
• 18 Oct - 9 km moderate - 35:39. A go at a long run. My endurance looks to be okay. Strength almost there. Green light to get back to doing some tempo work I think. Wearing skins today so I think I was overheating a little halfway round which may have slowed me a little too, so very happy with the time.
• 19 Oct - 14 x 40 secs hard 30 secs recovery - 28 minutes running Did as many as I was fit for. The last one was almost at my house so the warm down was a very slow 5 minute jog. Delighted to be fit for these. No idea if my pace was good but the effort was. Out 5 from 7 days. A very good week by my standards.

Best of luck to the DCM runners this weekend. I've to be in the office for a a little while on Bank Holiday Monday. I should mind but I've got all those race reports to look forward to :pac:

Plan was -
Monday - Hills
Tuesday - recovery run
Wednesday - Long Run (8-10 km for me)
Thursday - rest
Friday - Intervals or some Milepace workouts
Saturday or Sunday - Medium run (3-5 km)

Week 49

• 28 Oct - 10 x 180m Hills w/ 70 sec recovery [35, 35, 35, 36, 36, 35, 35, 35, 34, 34] 2 km warm-up and 2 km cool down
• 29 Oct - 5 km recovery run - 21.5 mins
• 30 Oct - 10 km long run - 39:50 Spotted the round numbers thread in the main forum so decided to up my usual 9 km run to 10 km to see if a sub 40 was doable on my long run. Expected it to be easier going but knew I'd have to push more than I planned for the last 2 kms to nip under the time. Last 2 km were done in 3:39/km pace.
• 01 Oct - 17 x Intervals (40 secs hard with 03 secs jog)
• 03 Oct - 6.7 km easy - 28:30

Similar plan for this week