Making Mitochondria

After a great March I'm not doing so well in April!
I can't even remember why I did no running from 1st to 6th April but I'm sure there was some rubbish excuse!

06/04: 45 easy. 6.7km@6:45 HR 154

08/04: 1:40 easy. 15.5km@6:31 HR 154. This run keeps haunting me as the time got corrupted on my watch so every day since it tells me I ran it "today".

11/04: 6*2min @AP. Despite missing loads of runs I thought I should do a session and it went OK. My AP pace is 4:40-4:46. My intervals came in as 4:28/4:33/4:35/4:38/4:34/4:36 so all too fast but I felt good. I'm finding it hard to get the paces for this plan. It's partly due to all the easy runs I've been doing but also because I've never done AP or CV paces before. I guess it's just practice.
Total 9.3km

12/04: 1h very easy. 8.7km@6:52 HR 149

13/04: Tymon parkrun. Due to the Easter holidays we had no classes today so I dragged the family to parkrun. To say they were unenthusiastic would be an understatement! The plan was for my husband to walk it and I'd take the kids and run at their pace. 200m in the 8 year old wanted to stop as the wind was too strong. To be fair it was quite breezy and the first section is uphill but I made her keep going (mean mammy!) We managed a bit of jogging once we were on the downhill section but when we finished the first lap she begged me to leave her at the playground with her big brother (who was happy of the excuse not to continue!) I took off and did the second lap on my own. By the time I finished I found my husband at the playground too as he'd seen the kids after his first lap and didn't want to leave them on their own (ie didn't want to do the second lap either!) So our of 4 of us I was the only one to actually cover 5k! 5km@7:34 HR 137

14/04: 4*6@threshold. I was aiming for 5:13-5:05. After the too fast last session I really tried to get the paces right. Ended up doing 5:05/5:02/5:07/5:04 which was a bit better.
Total 10.7km.

16/04: 1h easy. Did this on Banna strand in Kerry which is absolutely gorgeous. The tide was out and there was miles of firm sand and amazing views. Was supposed to be very easy pace but went a little too fast as per usual! 8.9km@6:40 HR 149.

18/04: 1h easy. I had planned to run more on holidays and had all my sessions on my watch but holiday laziness combined with a sinus infection meant I didn't get out. Although this was an easy run I felt rotten despite the views. 8.7km@6:48 HR 153.

So now I'm home still feeling rubbish, probably due to far too much alcohol and junk food. I've missed a load of runs so think I'll repeat a couple of weeks. I'll be glad to get back into normal routine.

While I wasn't running on holidays I managed to read a good bit. I read "North" by Scott Jurek about running over 2000 miles on the appalachian trail in 46 days. He tore a quad in the first week but kept going. I made me wonder what makes someone keep going under those circumstances when I give up on an easy run as I have a sinus headache? I'm now reading "The Passion Paradox" which is co written by Steve Magness about what drives passions and how to balance them. I'll let you know if I find the answer!

The 5k pb gave me a real mojo boost so I've decided I'm going to go for the race series focusing on the half in September. I'm going to give the Hanson half plan a go. I've also signed up for the 10k and 10 mile which I'll try and slot on to the half plan.

I've had the Hanson book for ages now but keep getting put off by the 6 days of running per week. I'm going to give it a good go for a few weeks and see how I get on. Already this week I had to move stuff around. I had altered the plan to do the long run on Mondays as I'm always off work but then realised I'd be doing speed sessions on Wednesdays which doesn't suit as I've gymnastics as well as a 12h work shift every second week. I ended up doing the speed session the day after the long run which isn't ideal. I'll figure it out.

Week 1 starts midweek
24/05: Plan 6.5k easy. Actual 6.5k@6:32 HR 161. Pace was in the easy range but HR was high and it felt tougher than it should be.

25/05: Plan 5k easy. Actual no run. Drove to Clare and was staying with relatives so didn't get a chance. Bad weekend to start a new plan!

26/05: Plan 6.5k easy. Actual 6.5k@6:25 HR 152. HR back to normal despite being faster run than Friday.

27/05: Plan 9.5k "long" run. Actual 10k@6:11 HR 158. A few loops of Marley Park. It was so nice I forgot to stop at 9.5k! I've converted the distances from miles so they're not exact.

Week 2
28/05: plan 6.5k easy. Actual 12*400m speed. Swapped with the next day on the plan as I knew I'd not get it done tomorrow. I used the relatively flat path that runs along the luas track at Tallaght hospital. The first one was way too fast as I wasn't really sure how hard to run, just that I was aiming for 1:55 per lap. Eased off after that, got wrecked, increased the recovery slightly then gunned it on the last one. Not great but got them all done! 1:47/1:56/1:56/2:03/1:52/1:59/1:59/2:00/1:58/1:57/1:58/1:52
Recoveries were 1:40-2:00.
Total 12.5 km

Murph_D wrote: »

Well done - you found the pace for the 400s soon enough. Yep, best to do SOS runs back to back. Can you not shift the gymnastics?

Gymnastics is only on once a week unfortunately. I think I'll just go back to the original plan and have Wednesday as my day off. I'll just have to get used to an early start on sunday which won't do me any harm!

Week 2 HM contined
29/05: I decided to keep the Wednesday as the day off running so I can continue with the gymnastics. Not ideal but I'll reassess in a few weeks. 90 mins gymnastics.

30/05: Tempo Thursday. Plan 5km tempo/HM race pace (4:59min/km) plus WU/CD. Headed out to my 1 mile loop for this. It's easier to tell myself I need to do three laps rather than 5k (even though it's the same distance). I found this tough but managed to keep the pace. HR was high (in the 180s). I'm not sure if this is a realistic HM pace but I'm going to stick with it for now and see how it goes.
Actual: 8.5km total including 5k@4:58.

31/05: plan 6.5k easy. Actual: 6.5k@6:30 HR 147

01/06: plan 6.5k easy. Actual: 6k@6:10 HR 150. Cut slightly short as I had to pop into the shop to get butter for my son who ran out while baking. I looked like a right eejit soaking wet and sweating and buying nothing but a lump of butter. I'm sure some keto fans probably feast on it after a work out!

02/06: plan 9.5k long run. Actual 10k @6:03 HR 160. Loved this run. The long run pace guidelines are quite broad (5:30-6:26) so I just tried to keep my HR steady and ran as fast or slow as I felt. It was great not to keep checking the watch. Interestingly when I looked at the splits after my fastest km was 5:33 and the slowest 6:33 with an average of 6:03 so happy with that.

Really happy with my first full week of the Hanson plan.

denis b wrote: »

Just catching up with Boards again C. Delighted for ya ....5 km pb. So you got on the Hanson HM Train!!....you are starting from a great position of strength C. It is a tough routine but always "doable".

Thanks D. I'm blaming you, Murph_D and Huzzah for getting on the Hanson HM train! You all did so well with the plan it inspired me to give it a go.

Hanson HM plan week 3

03/06: plan 6.5k easy. Actual 6.6k@6:24 HR 150

04/06: plan 8*600m (2:51) 50% recovery. It was pouring rain when I got home from work but I knew it wasn't going to let up so put my oldest runners on and headed out. It wasn't too bad once I knew I couldn't get any wetter! I used the garmin to measure the distance on my 1 mile loop and just concentrated on keeping a steady pace. Its slightly uphill on one side and the opposite on the other as reflected in the rep times. I was sure I was on my last rep but then the watch beeped and told me I'd one more to do! Managed to keep going though and it ended up being my fastest rep. Definitely a character building session.
Reps were 2:53/2:49/2:53/2:50/2:53/2:50/2:52/2:48
Total 10.4km

05/06: No run. No gymnastics either as I was late home from work. No harm to have a proper rest day.

06/06: Plan 5km tempo (4:59 min/k). I'd struggled with this last week but was better prepared mentally this week (and it was 10 degrees compared to last weeks 19). My average pace for the 5k was 4:57 with the last km at 4:49. Not sure if that's a good thing that I'm increasing the speed toward the end but it seems to happen naturally as I know I'm almost done. Total 8.7km

Legs are definitely starting to feel the cumulative fatigue but I'm sleeping like a log so all good so far.

I really need to start updating this more regularly as I keep letting it build up and that puts me off!

Week 5

17/06: plan 6.5k easy. Actual 7.1 easy @6:19 HR 146. Took a different route as I'm getting bored of the same scenery. Was a bit longer than planned but felt easy. It's always good to see HR in the 140s when I'm running easy.

18/06: plan 5x1km. Actual 5x1km (total 10.5km). The plan said aim for 4:42 per km. After a warm up I was still feeling rubbish and slow. I kept telling myself I could stop after the next one but I kept going. Times were 4:46/4:46/4:47/4:47/4:45 so none even hit the 4:42 goal but at least they were consistently slow! Not too bothered though as I was just glad I'd actually gone out and done them.

19/06: plan rest. Actual 90 mins gymnastics.

20/06: plan 6.5km tempo. Actual 6.5km tempo. (5:00/4:59/4:37/5:21/4:53/4:58/4:55) total 10.6km. Another sticky evening. Up til now I've not been taking any drinks with me while running as I'm so used to not having one I didn't think I needed to. I was reading "Roar" by Stacy Sims about female physiology and she recommends women make sure they're properly hydrated. I got some urine dip sticks which I've been using the last couple of weeks and was surprised to find I'm regularly dehydrated, especially after running. There's blood in my urine after every run too which is something I was aware of and have seen a doctor about. I'm seeing him again in August so can show him it's only after running I get it. I know he'll just tell me to stop! It doesn't seem to cause any other problems though. I'm hoping by increasing my hydration I might help.

Anyway, a long way to explain I had a bottle with me on this run but hate holding it so left it on a wall on my loop. I had to stop to drink though which explains the long 4th km.

21/06: plan 8km easy. 2 part run as I had to stop half way to cheer on my kids at sports day! I got a few jokes about how I was well prepared for the parents race! I made sure to run off before it started. By the time I did my second loop one of the parents had been taken off in an ambulance after slipping during the parents race!!
4.4@6:18 HR 148
4.1@6:10 HR 152

22/06: plan 9.5 easy. Actual 9.5km@6:19 HR 154.

23/06: plan 16km long run. Actual rest. Ended up going out with the kids and took longer than expected. Couldn't drag myself out in the rain once we got back.

Week 6

24/06: plan 8 km easy. Actual 16km long run @6:15 HR 151. I was supposed to do the previous day. I pushed everything forward a day so I didn't miss any sessions. Great run!

25/06: plan 8 km easy. Actual 8km@6:20 HR 143.

26/06: plan 4x1200m. Actual 4x1200m (5:36/5:37/5:33/5:32) total 10.5km. Goal was 5:42 but felt great so went with it. It was like the opposite of last week's speed session! I've made an effort to eat much better this week and hydrate properly so hopefully it's helping.

Looking forward to rest day tomorrow!

denis b wrote: »

That is it C. Could not put it any better. Those SOS sessions are going very well for you and so glad to see that you have "righted" hydration. It took me a few months training for DCM last time to realise that the headaches and extreme tiredness were hydration issues. Not nice but no problems since.

Thanks Denis. I never would have thought I was dehydrated if it wasn't for the urine dipstick. I really feel the difference this past week now that I'm making an effort to drink more. Glad you got sorted too. Good luck with your new plan!

Huzzah! wrote: »

I'd rather a margarita

Oh yeah! Not so good while running at hmp lol guess!

Week 8 continued

10/07: plan rest, actual rest.

11/07: plan 8km tempo, actual 13km including 8km@4:58. Did this as a runmute which I haven't done in ages as I've not been doing long enough runs on work days. I'd forgotten how much I love the runmute! Hardly any traffic or people around and it's mainly downhill so it's kind of cheating. It was lovely going through Tymon with no one but rabbits for company. It was my first 8km (5mile) tempo so I was delighted when I kept the pace without killing myself. It was my fastest ever runmute too!

12/07: plan 9.5 easy, actual 9.3km@6:08 HR 148.

13/07: plan 9.5 easy, actual 9.3km@6:11 HR 150

14/07: plan 19km long run. Actual day of Pb's 5k@4:43 (23:33) HR 171.
I'd debated about going for a pb at this and decided due to the weather (hot!) and the plan that I'd just swap it for a speed session and see how it went. I'd signed up for the 23/24 min race so stuck with the 24 min pacer. Last year I did the same and barely made the 24 minutes and it took me ages to recover. This time I felt so much stronger and I'd no problem keeping with the pacer. On the last lap he told me to go for it so I did! I was surprised to see 23:33 on the clock as that's only 7 seconds off my pb. Part of me thinks I should have just gone with the 23 min pacer but there's plenty of 5ks I can get a pb in after the half! It was a great day and the kids enjoyed it as well. Great to meet up with some boardsies too.

Week 9 (of 18, halfway!)
15/07: plan 8k easy. Actual 8km@6:04 HR 141. Had to drop the youngest at camp so took the opportunity to take a different route. Headed to Corcaigh Park but only did a small loop before heading back.
90 mins gymnastics.

16/07: plan 6*800m. Actual 19km@6:10 HR 147. Because of the 5k on Sunday I swapped this session with the long run. Headed up through Newlands Cross to the canal. In hindsight I should have recced the 10k route but I only thought of it when I saw the signs near the canal.

17/07: plan rest, actual rest (unless you count walking around ikea which I reckon can be considered a session!)

18/07: plan 8km tempo. Actual 12.6k@6:01 HR 147. I'm doing the South Dublin 10k on Sunday so decided to do that as the tempo so just did a slightly longer easy run today.

19/07: plan 9.5k easy. Actual 9.7km@6:10 HR 142. Really didn't feel like doing this but forced myself and did grand in the end. I'm really feeling the cumulative fatigue this week. Hopefully I can shake some off by Sunday. I'm going to head out at hmp (4:58 per km) and if I can, I'll push on after 8km. Pb is 49:12 so I'll be close to it.

Once again I've let my log lapse. I think I'll give it a break for a bit but thought I'd just post a quick update as I have been running.

I got to half way in the Hanson's half plan then went on holidays and it went out the window. It's a great plan, and I got a 5 and 10 k pb in the first half but once you miss a few sessions like I did it's hard to come back. I'd give it another go but only if i know I'm not going away!

Anyway, I did the Dublin half which had been the main goal but I knew going on to I wouldn't (and didn't deserve) a pb. Took it easy and enjoyed the beautiful day and managed to pick up a bit towards the end to come in in 1:54. Way off my 1:48 pb but I didn't care.

I planned on taking a week off but then got sick so it turned into two weeks off. Did 5 k today and felt great so will try to get into some kind of routine to keep me ticking over the winter. Think I'll aim for jingle bells again as I love that run.

Annie get your Run wrote: »

See you there so I look forward to our usual annual tradition of you getting faster and me getting slower .

Lol! See you then.