"And why do we fall Bruce?"

Been a long long time since I updated here or even touched base with the other logs that I frequent.
January and February went by with no clear structure to my training other than using it as something to get out of the house to de-stress after rigours of juggling home schooling and WFH!
With 2 of the 3 kids going back to school a couple of weeks ago I decided to try and get a proper training structure back in place and avoid more time passing by with no progress other than mentally calling it base building.


Having never raced a 5k (yeah I know ) I decided to dip my toe into a 12 week plan from Faster Road running. No real target in mind other than getting in 12 weeks consistent training and seeing where that brings me. So off I go....


Monday 1st March- 9 miles at General Aerobic to ease into the plan. Drawback from leaving it almost 2 weeks before detailing this run is that I can remember absolutely nothing of this one. Average pace of 7:42/mile so it was box ticked and first day done.


Wednesday 3rd- 9 miles with LT intervals of 10, 8, and another 8 mins .Was supposed to do this on Tuesday but the day slipped by with WFH, homework and a bit of procrastination.
2 mile warm up and into the first interval in the hard shoulder of N5. Try and keep this one relatively tidy and consistent and it averages 6:08/mile. Have the advantage of a bit of a hill to start the second one which pushes me on a bit and it comes in at 5:58/mile. 3rd one starts out ok but starting to feel it towards the end battling a bit of a headwind and glad to see the 8 mins are done and with an average of 6:05/mile.
Definitely one to air out any cobwebs!


Thursday 4th- 9 mile endurance run.
Same circuit as used on Monday. Break the run into 3 different pace groups.
First 3 miles @ 7:45/mile which actually comes in at 7:41, 7:35 and 7:28. Cant remember why those last 2 miles were a bit faster than they were supposed to
Next 3 are 7:28, 7:13, and 7:11 with the last 3 at a quicker pace coming in at 6:55, 6:51, and 6:50.
Just looked at the run on Strava and I now remember that this was supposed to be a 10 mile attempt at the boards progression challenge.
I was trying for the 5 second block and missed the first 2 splits. Into the thrird split I had to stop to answer call of nature and fix my sock where I could feel it catching on a toenail. I didn't stop my watch so had to lift the pace afterwards to try and meet 7:23 but my on the wire maths were out and I copped too late that I wasn't going fast enough. I baled on the plan at that stage and reverted to the 9 mile endurance run as outlined in the plan.


Friday 5th- 6 miles with hill sprints and strides.
Birthday run on the way from from my once a week trip to the office!


Was supposed to be 8 miles but I only had time for 6. Just a straight in and out on part of my go to 9 mile loop. Couple of short sharp hills on this stretch so used the second one on it that I hadn't used before. Checked the watch for the first one to mark off the 12 second sprint. This happened to coincide with an ESB pole which was handy!
I couldn't remember how many I was supposed to do and ended up doing 7 sprints instead of the 6 required, no biggie!
Few mins later (recovery!) and into the strides. Just did them for 20 seconds each and off for 40. Again I couldn't remember how many the plan said to do so ended up doing 10 instead of the 8 but no biggie!


Saturday 6th- 10 mile progression run.


Attempt 2 at the boards challenge. First mile was 7:44 so "just" a matter of hitting 5 second negative splits from here on. Got the first one bang on but the next 3 slipped by being a second out on each, really hard to judge those last 50 metres! Ended up only hitting 4 splits bang on the 5 seconds with the rest being a second or 2 at but have to say I enjoyed it and it was a nice distraction to pass each mile.


Sunday 7th- 6 mile recovery run


First time crossing the Shannon on a run in ages. Headed out at 4 o clock, 2 hours and roast dinner and second helpings but didn't feel too eugh for it and the pace wasn't too hectic anyways. I had the Manchester derby written off in my head so not fussed about missing the early stages so was nice surprise to come home and the eldest bursting out to meet me to tell me we were 1 nil up


Is it just me or are there a lot less Liverpool best team ever comments on the training logs lately


So that's week 1 done. Will hopefully get week 2 up on Sunday so that I can actually remember the details of individual runs a bit better!


Good to be back on here!


I read the comments on the "complicated" thread so I would hope to interact more on other people's threads going forward rather than my standard go to of reading and giving a thanks so apologies in advance!

edinrunna wrote: »

I honestly don't think I could run on the hard shoulder of a national road! My philosophy on running routes is the further away from cars I am the better. I need to appreciate how lucky I am to have plenty of off road routes close by a bit more I think!

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Yeah hard shoulders only if have to. Wear bright colours and ideally early morning pre traffic. We had a hit and run on our own road this week and Mrs Shotgun now wants to know where I'm running, hi viz, watch charged etc..

I rarely go a run with seeing someone speeding and not just young guys.

Welcome back CBG, have fun with the 5k plan and thanks for participating in the challenges too!

I live on a short cul de sac a few hundred metres off the N5 so I have no choice but use it. Any route I do after that I still have a minimum of 3 miles to do on the hard shoulder.
Not ideal but it is a generous width and I've never had an issue up to now (touch wood). The worst thing though is when running into a strong headwind ya basically experience a wind tunnel anytime an artic truck passes!

Thanks for taking the initiative to set up the challenges M, been great in these times. Planning on trying the 1 second increment one next Monday!

Mon 8th- 9 miles GA


Working out in the rain for the day so I had well over 10k steps done before starting into this one so can't say I was feeling it early on!
That feeling passed soon enough and was just a vanilla trek afterwards with an average of 7:42/mile.


Wed 10th- 11 miles with hill intervals


Was supposed to do this on the Tuesday but with work and other stuff the day got away from me.
Oh what a day of weather this was! Thought the clouds looked pretty threatening as I was setting off and sure enough 3 minutes into the run and my shorts and DCM19 finishers top are absolutely stuck to me after a heavy shower of rain.
Couple of miles into the run the sun is back out and everything looks good but the wind is getting stronger and stronger and of course I'm facing into it as soon as I reach my chosen hill. Not sure what gradient it is but its a long drag that gets progressively steeper and no problem of running out of hill before the prescribed 3 minute interval is up!
Didn't enjoy these one bit but that was solely down to the weather. Absolutely drenched and running uphill into a strong headwind along the hard shoulder of main road meant that any time a truck passed I was almost running on the spot thanks to the drag of wind after each one. Couple of beeps from passing cars pointing at the crazy guy running on those conditions did nothing for my humour!
Pulled the plug after the 4th interval, couldn't face another one!
Didn't notice it while running but my top weighed a ton taking it off back at the car!


Thurs 11th- 10 mile endurance run


Did this one on way home from work.
Getting changed and the black clouds are back so put on my light running jacket for this one. Manage to get the first couple of miles done before the first sprinkling of light rain but it feels slightly stingy and sure enough its the start of a hail shower. Running into a really strong headwind means I'm absolutely bombarded with hail for a full 2 mins. I have to put my head down as I'm getting battered and just praying I don't run into someone or something coming in my direction!
They finish just as mile 3 is completed with this block of the endurance run being done in 7:48, 7:42 and 7:37.
Out into the open bog for the 4th mile where I have to lift the pace a bit to start the middle block but I'm straight into the headwind now and my jacket is like a parachute. With all the white noise from the wind and my jacket flapping I don't actually hear a couple of cars passing me from behind.
Once this mile is over though I'm back into an area of trees so out of the wind. Miles 4-6 are 7:27 (Effort wise I'd say that one could have been a minute quicker!), 7:23 and 7:20.
Last 4 miles take in a different loop but again it's not nearly as exposed and the wind is working with me for the majority of these 4 miles which come in at 7:05, 6:59, 6:55, and 6:56.


Friday 12th- 9 miles with hill sprints and strides


Same as last week but I actually remember the right number of sprints and strides for this one! Take in the 9 mile loop again but in reverse so that I get the hill in the second half of the run.
Enjoy the effort of the 6 hill sprints and then the 8 sets of 20 second strides straight after. Lovely day out for a run too!


Saturday 13th- 12 mile endurance run.


Same type run as Thursday except an extra mile in each block. Nothing too exciting or memorable about it!


Sunday 14th- 6 mile recovery run


Handy run out around the clonmore loop and home again. Picked Leicester this weekend in LMS and left when it was 0-0 after 30 mins or so. Spent most of the run imagining how they were going to let me down etc so was nice to click into the phone when I got home to see they had won 5-0, I live for another week!
Average pace of 8:24/mile.


Nice feeling again to put a couple of 50+ mile weeks back to back. Hopefully everything goes to plan and I add another 10 weeks to them!

Laineyfrecks wrote: »

I haven't listened to Layla in years, isn't it mad how songs can trigger certain memories...My aunt & uncle were obsessed with Eric Clapton & named their 1st daughter Layla. Tragically she was murdered over 20 years ago & that song was played at her funeral, was tough to listen to it after that but I put it on earlier & enjoyed listening to it again...what a classic song!

God E, that's awful. Hope the song reminds you of all that was good in her life.