"And why do we fall Bruce?"

Not updated/posted in here in quiet a while!

last Monday was due to be the start of the P & D 18 week marathon plan for DCM20 so for want of bringing some proper structure to my running again I said I'd dive in.

Monday 22nd June- I used the up to 50 mile plan last year but with carrying more mileage into this year to date in comparison with 2019 I said I'd move up a stage and look to start into the 50-70 mile/week plan. Ill probably end up bouncing between the 2 depending on available time etc.
To start off it was a 9 mile run with 4 miles to be done at HM pace. I had been hoping to get down in the 1:25 range for this distance in the spring but both the races I had signed up for went by the wayside. Anyways 6:30/mile seemed a nice round number to go with for these session.
I hadn't really touched speed work since the Mile TT organised in these parts and with it being a really windy day I decided to knock it back to 2 miles at HM pace to ease into the plan. Did the opening 3 miles at GA pace before easing into it. Ended up doing the 2 miles at 6:25 pace. Was going to push on for a 3rd mile but an open shoe lace made up my mind on this in the end. Just over 9 miles for the session averaging 7:38/mile.

Tuesday 23rd June- Got into work early and worked thru lunch meaning I could hit the road early and fit in an 11 mile run at GA. Nothing really noteworthy about the run except the laces on my Reeboks opening again, seems to happen regular enough with these but there is probably only a months running left in the pair so no biggie. Just over 11 miles at 8:00/mile.

Wednesday 24th June: 5 mile recovery run. Left it until after 9pm to do this one as my wife was on a long day at work. Gave my Adidas Boston 8s their debut for this one. Got them a month or so go in the online sale. Never wore them before but been bouncing between different types so said I'd give them a try. Luckily my size were sold out and moved up a half size as they are tighter fitting than my other pairs. Felt very tight across the arch of both feet putting them on but were fine once I hit the road. Love the "Continental" tyre logo on the soles! Average of 9:00/mile.

Thursday 25th June: 9 mile GA run. took in some of our local GAA club's half marathon route for this one. I didn't start from home though, instead started about 3 miles up the road after being out and about in the car. The most notable thing early on was the heat of the day, really muggy. About a mile in and my tee shirt starts to feel heavy and weird. I know it wasn't a good choice going with black on a day like this but that cant be it and it isn't. Because I changed in the car I had put on the tee shirt back to front! Managed to change it around mid run without stopping or dropping pace! Amazing how much better it felt the right way around! 3 miles into the run and I'm dying for a drink, so hot out! 5 miles in and I give consideration to a half empty bottle of coke I see discarded by the side of the road! Manage to get it done but so glad to get back to the car. The bonus of not keeping a neat and tidy interior is that I find a 500 ml bottle of water under the seat to go with the 250 I had left in my work bottle. Its warm but beggars most certainly aren't choosers today!

Friday 26th June: 14 miles at GA
Gave the canal run from Clondra a go for this. Haven't used it in a long time and since I've last used it they have upgraded the surface so previously dried clay parts are not hardcore. Really quiet run with just a few dog walkers and cyclists on it. Went about a mile and a half past by furthest point I've gone on this route. It eventually pops out a couple of miles outside Longford town. Instead of an out and make i could probably use it in future as a HM loop. Really warm and muggy again today but not as sunny as yesterday but I'm still glad to get back to the car and done. Average of 8:04/mile.

Saturday 27th: 5 mile recovery run in the rain. Another late start as my wife was working. Miserable out but once you start running you don't notice anymore. Simple out and back along the main road with barely any traffic for company. Average of 8:56/mile.

The canal half marathon I had initially signed up for in April is now rescheduled for the end of October. I messaged them the other day and they can change my entry to their full marathon race on the same day. It's a looped route along the canal banks so won't be the most exciting of events but better than nothing if it gets the go ahead! Because of it being on the week after Dublin was due to be it means i now have a spare week in this plan so I'll just repeat this first weeks work to get it back in sync.
My GAA club is having its 8k-HM-3/4 Marathon on 4 weeks before hand. I've done the 3/4 the last 2 years as it sat perfectly with the last LSR for Dublin. The extra week means I can do the 8k as a TT that's scheduled in the plan so I might be able to cross off doing a short distance race off the list finally!

July 6th- 8 miles with strides, 7:44/mile av.
WFH again today so head out at lunch time. Another out and back along the main N5. Thinking maybe I should invest in some headphones or something for these type runs as I'm getting tired of the same road and knowing exactly where the mile markers are! Nothing too exciting bar almost missing the rain but being caught in the last 15 minutes. 10 sets of 100 metre strides but I just do my usual thing of on for 20 seconds with a 40 second recovery and going again.

July 7th- 12 miles GA, 7:53 min/mile av.
My wife and kids were gone to her sisters for a sleepover so had the house to myself- bliss!! Horrible wet day out meant I kept putting off the run in the hope that it would clear but no such luck. I eventually grasped the nettle at half 4 and set off. Definitely not a route for headphones as majority is on quiet narrow country roads. I'm soaked 50 metres after leaving the house but I like running in the rain once you get over the initial start. A more comfortable long run than the last couple of weeks so hopefully the legs are getting back their muscle memory!

July 8th- 5 miles recovery, 9:01 min/mile av.
Out and back along the main road again- boring! I don't know if its a mind set thing or what but always have the feeling during these recovery runs of how am I supposed to run 1 min/mile faster the following day!

July 9th- 9 miles GA, 7:49 min/mile av.
A trip around my go to route for this distance after day in the office. Nothing too exciting apart from a few clowns not really slowing on the new road surface when passing me meaning I get a nice scatter of loose chips onto the legs!

July 10th- 5 miles recovery, 8:58 min/mile av.
Boring!

July 11th- 16 miles, 7:35 min/mile av.
Was supposed to throw in 8 miles at 7:00 min/mile or bit under. Really poor night sleep the night before for whatever reason meant I didn't have the energy for full 8 miles so made do with a 4 mile block through and around Longford town and another 2 mile block on the way home into a nice headwind. Bit disappointed not to see the 8 miles through but its probably shone a light on how poor my sleep pattern has been since Covid lockdown became a thing, staying up late most nights watching films and working my way through Red Dead Redemption 2! Definitely something I have to take more heed of from now on.

Treviso wrote: »

Is the 7min/mile pace your planned marathon pace J?

Not sure yet T, waiting to get stuck into the LT element of the plan to see how I'm fixed. Another 4 weeks of basically base training before I start at that.
What races have ya in the diary yourself?

Treviso wrote: »

Ah grand so, still up in the air so. My OH followed the 50-70 mile P&D for DCM last year. It's very similar to the one we did but with loads and loads of extra easy miles

With Charleville cancelled, my OH signed me up to Ratoath HM. It's on the same weekend so shouldn't affect my plans. Hopefully it goes ahead

What did she think of the plan T? Had she done the lower mileage one prior to that?

Treviso wrote: »

Yea she had done the lower mileage plan previously. She said it was more of the same except a few more reps added to sessions, extra miles added to midweek and weekend's MLRs. She recommend that you add hill sprints into the plan as it is lacking there. So where it advises strides, you could alternate between them and 20sec hill sprints.

As with every P&d plan, there was struggles with the LT runs and general mileage fatigue. But it all worked out for her in the end, finished well ahead of me and only 3 mins behind yourself

Cheers T.

July 20th- 10 miles GA with hill sprints
The plan had strides but I changed it to hill sprints on the advice of Treviso. Took in my usual 9 mile route for this one. About half a mile before the short steep hill I was going to use for the sprints I had to stop for quick toilet break. Bad idea, real warm out and I was sweating so about 20 bloody flies honed in on me. Had the annoying pricks for company until I got to the hill. Did 10 sprints up this short incline (about 13 seconds to get to the top). Kept losing them during the sprint before they would start whacking into me on the recovery jog to the bottom! Still had them for company for the next mile before I got out of the tree lined road and after that the breeze knocked them back.
The run was supposed to be 9 miles but I forgot to factor in the running up and down the hill!

July 22nd- 14 miles GA
I was supposed to do this run the previous day but we took the kids on a day trip to Bundoran to beat the monotony!
Nothing too exciting about this one. Just into Longford town along the bypass and back again. average of 7:55/mile.

July 23rd- 9 miles GA
Back in the office today so did this one during an extended lunch break. Lovely day out so an enjoyable run out on the quiet road through Mote Park. Only discovered I was supposed to do 11 miles when I checked the book that night, ah well no real harm done! Average of 7:57/mile.

July 24th- 5 mile recovery run
Jut the usual out and back along the main road hard shoulder. Average of 8:58/mile.

July 25th- 18 miles GA
Longest run since the marathon last October. Had forgotten about stashing a water bottle somewhere so had a free choice on which way to go once I got to the top of our lane. Decided to turn left and head around the bog and the 9 mile loop. Added in some other loops off this one to make up the miles. Not too warm out so not having any water wasn't really an issue. Felt comfortable throughout. Nice one to get under the belt. Average of 7:50 per mile.

Treviso wrote: »

Hey J, are you doing all GA runs instead of the MLRs or you just calling them GA? From spying on your Strava, I'm not sure you're doing the MLRs correctly if you are. They should be like a progress run, where you start at around MP+20% and work your way towards MP+10% (sometimes throwing a MP mile at the end for confidence building). That's how I read the book anyway

Let say you were looking at sub 3, I would break the long run into 3 parts. First section at 8:12, second at 7:51, last bit at 7:31

Great spot T, thanks a million for pointing it out.

I don't know how I missed that ,actually I do because I just flicked to the actual plan pages and started from there without actually reading back through the run descriptions. Have a 15 mile run this weekend so will start doing them properly from then.

I better read back through the book to see what other mistakes I've made

August 10th- 10 miles with 5 @ 6:30 pace.

Usual feeling of dread over this type run! 3 miles at GA pace as a warm up before getting into it. Pace a bit all over the shop early on but eventually settle into it. Warm out again but not too bad. It being 5 miles means I can mentally update my % progress easily as a form of distraction. Splits are 6:24, 6:22, 6:21, 6:19, and 6:21. On the pacey side but it'll do.
Average of 7:09/mile.

Playing footie out in the garden that evening with young lad and rolled my ankle while walking across the drive to collect a stray pass. Oh the initial pain, had to lie down for a couple of mins to let it pass. Have previously partially torn ligaments in the same ankle a few times donkeys years ago. Ice pack on it for a while and luckily it feels ok.

August 11th- 5 miles @ easy

Small it of swelling on my ankle when I wake up but it's fine to walk about on etc. I'd be doing a roll eyes if I seen it written in anyone elses log but I hit out that night for these easy miles. No pain in the ankle at the start so I press on and it holds up throughout.
Average of 8:55/mile.

August 12th- 14 mile progression.
A gentle progression run split into 3 parts, same as last week. 4 @ 8:10, 5 @ 7:50, and 5 @ 7:30.
Decide to hit over for Newtownforbes, never been too far in this road apart from Longford HM last year. New route is a nice distraction, some decent drags along it but benefit from these too since it's an out and back. Ankle is still tiny bit swollen but no discomfort from it.
Spend much of it wondering how Ronnie is getting on in the snooker v nemesis Selby!
Average of 7:45/mile.

August 13th- 11 miles GA
Did this one again after day back in the office. Really warm out and probably the first run in the plan to date where I had a mental motivation battle about whether I could be bothered or not to actually do this one. Knew I'd be thick with myself later on if I gave it a miss so pushed on and did it.
Just an out and back along a few different quiet roads, nothing of interest about for entirety of the run.
Average of 7:51/mile.

August 14th- 7 miles GA with hill sprints.
Head out late afternoon for this one after the electricity went while I was watching the first snooker semi final. Heading out earlier than planned also meant it was only couple of hours since dinner which today was a full Irish grill. Trust me, it ain't s good pre race meal! Could feel sausages and pudding sitting right at the very top of my stomach the whole way round!
An out and back to a short but fairly steep hill for the sprints. Did 10 reps and thankfully my dinner stayed in place!
Average of 7:45/mile.

August 15th- 20 mile run

Oh this was a horrible run and all of my own making. The previous 2 18 mile runs I had without stashing water along the route and it wasnt an issue so i fidnt bother to do so for this one thinking an extra 2 miles wouldnt make any difference.
What I had forgot to factor in was that I was starting this one 2 and a half hours later than those runs. To compound my mistake I only had s point of water in the 3 hours before hitting out.

First 7 miles were fine, all done at the required 8:10 pace. At this point it was really warm and my t shirt is already fairly wet with sweat. At the 9 mile mark I start running up a road in a neighbouring parish that I hadn't been up before just to extend put the run. Paces for these miles were still fine at the 7:50 pace but at the turnaround point I'm absolutely dying for a drink and I still have 8 miles to go. Pass a few cyclists and it's a killer seeing their water bottles so close but yet so far!
Into the last 7 miles and I up the pace to 7:30 . Manage to keep this pace for 3 miles but then have to make a pee stop, surprised I have any remaining moisture in my body!! Takes me a few minutes to actually get going again. Ease back on the pace just to make sure I can see the run thru. Cursing the crap land around me meaning there isnt even a cattle trough available for relief, oh yes I was that desperate! Eventually get home with just over 20 miles done, was supposed to be 21 but that extra mile could get well and truly bent at that stage.
Really annoyed and disappointed at that run but I guess it's a painful lesson learnt.
Average of 7:51/mile.

Lambay island wrote: »

Dam water issues.....One of my DCM training runs in a dark early October last year.(may have been a 16 miler). I had one of those running bottles which has the hand groove and with a black lid on it. I was doing an 8 mile out and back job, so had a bit of water first and stashed bottle on the route then for the way back to pick up. The pick up was hasty and I barely changed stride. Without looking, I proceeded to take a sip. To my utter horror, I felt something slimey cross my lips. I spat out instantly to see a slug hurdle through the air. I was telling that to Laineyfrecks on a warmup run in Bohermeen and she nearly got sick there and then

That's nasty D! And here I am making dinner right now!

August 17th- 6 miles @ easy

Night time run with the hi vis on for this one once my wife got home from work. Really quiet out, was able to run a lot of it in the middle of the N5 for the craic! no real carry over from the long one on Saturday but still glad it was at an easy pace.
Average of 8:53/mile.

August 18th- 14 mile progression run

Decided to try a new out and back route for this one to our neighbouring village- Rooskey (also our GAA club rivals!). I don't run on this road as its one of those busy back roads without any road markings and no hard shoulder and has 2 really bad bends on it. However it was before lunch time so opted for it on the spur of the moment.
Usual 3 blocks of paces- 4 @ 8:10, 5 @ 7:50 and final 5 @ 7:30.
The new route made a nice change, and got around the 2 bad bends in one piece both on the outward and homeward journey.
Average of 7:44/mile.

August 19th- 5 miles @ easy

Usual out and back along the N5. Brought a head lamp to go with the hi vis for another night time run.
Average of 9:02/mile.

August 21st- 11 miles with 6@ 6:30
Was supposed to do this run the previous day but we spent the day at home doing a big clean and I was wrecked after it!
So did it on Friday instead after a day in the office. Did my usual thing of pulling in few miles up the road from home and setting off around the bog loop. 3 miles at GA pace and then into it. Tough first mile and a bit into a strong head wind. Then turned left so it was coming on fully sideways and eventually it was helping me out for a mile or so towards the end. Felt pretty comfortable the whole way round bar the first mile, the day off really helped! Splits were 6:34, 6:25, 6:30, 6:25, 6:23, 6:29. Third best 10k time too as per Strava.
Average of 7:04 min/mile.

August 22nd- 20 mile long run

Had intentions of heading out before 7 for this one but it was absolutely belting rain so delayed it for about an hour. Bit wary of the distance this time due to the session the previous afternoon but the miles flew by thankfully.
Helped big time having stashed a water bottle at the 5 mile mark (no accompanying slugs D!!), was able to use a 5+ mile loop twice to get back to it during the run. Also stashed a left over Maurteen gel from last year that I found at the back of my kit drawer. Out of date since April but did the trick!
A lot cooler than last weekend so wasn't drowned in sweat this time either.
Nothing else too exciting about apart from the re introduction of post long run Chocolate Milk- the kids and I were delighted!! :pac:
Average of 7:47/mile.

August 23rd- 3.5 miles @ easy

Was supposed to be 5 miles but brought the young lad out with me on his bike for his first time on the proper road so didn't want to go over board on him. Slower run as a result but no harm!
Average of 9:31/mile.