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The Boggers Log

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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Don’t know what you’re so unhappy about. 3 hour pace is 6:52. And your 800 reps are fine too in relation to 5k pace, I think - especially after all the travel. Stop being the drama queen! 😉



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    I’ll damn well Drama Queen away 😉

    You know better than most that 6.52 on Garmin isn’t good enough, I need to be hitting 6.45. My current 5k pace is 6.00-6.05 and I haven’t been hitting that either. On the plus side the body hasn’t collapsed like it did 3 weeks into the HM plan but no point deluding myself if I’m gonna have a serious crack at a sub 3.


    Great run today you should come back down for the Streets


    TbL



  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    I don't know that better than most actually, Maestro. In fact the contrary. Your garmin 6:52 could really be anything from 6:45 to 7:00 because that's the nature of the technology. But over a long training run and a long training block it's usually accurate enough on average, and if you start gaming it you'll end up overegging it. In my humble opinion of course.

    Thanks and yes, I'd love to do the Streets some year, definitely on the bucket list.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,435 ✭✭✭Comic Book Guy


    Have you any races planned in the lead up to the marathon? Is there any HM coming up your way over the next couple of months? (Asking for a friend!)



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    Hey J,


    might do the Streets of Galway 8k on 24th October, not sure I’ll do anything else, maybe a 10k if convenient. Was half considering the East Mayo HM this weekend but I’m away (probably for the best) I’ll keep an eye out for other HM’s, your friend would probably come a lot closer to 1.20 if it’s not windy 😉


    TbL



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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    The sticking plasters are holding and I’m still tipping along reasonably well.


    Thur 30th: 3.4 mile slow plod around Dangan.


    Fri: another easy 3 mile plod, not feeling the love at the moment at all 😞


    Sat: bad head cold so canned the planned tempo miles and just did 10 miles easy, for the first 5 my daughter kept me company and helped pass the time.


    Sun: was close to pulling the LR back as the throat was at me as well as the head cold but I headed out with 10 miles in mind. Lovely bright day with a decent breeze and after a slow start I got into this and managed 16 miles @ 8.39. Was very pleased with this as it’s the longest I’ve run in a while. 


    Mon: another easy plod around the pitch. 5k


    Tue: was heading to Calafell in Spain for a few days R&R. Lovely place, great weather nice food and a chance to get some extra miles in. Arrived around lunchtime and headed straight out for a 10k, lovely and warm but breezy. Went for a quick swim immediately after, then got a massage, ate outside as the sun went down then an early night. Tough life! 🤣


    Wed: am: 5 miles easy followed by another swim 


    Pm: 4 miles easy before lunch


    Thur: 3 x 1 mile off 600m. Was a bit apprehensive about this, while Calafell seafront is beautiful to run along the surface is paving stones or concrete and I was worried that it would cause a flare up. I’d a ready made list of excuses when this went pear shaped but it went surprisingly well, certainly a lot better than the 6x800 last week. Short warm up and then off, working down to around 6.05 pace, mile 1 and 2 came in at 6.02 although I’d a close call with an extended dog lead towards the end of mile 2, my Spanish doesn’t extend to “motherfcuker” but he got the gist!!! Definitely tiring on the last rep but managed to keep the thoughts of jacking it in at bay and finished it out at 6.10. Happy enough with that and again straight into the sea for a swim.


    Pm: easy 5k jog up to the Port for a lunch in the sun.


    Fri: was feeling a bit iffy so just 5 miles easy. Had a Thai floor massage in the evening, feeling a bit bloated and trying to hold a fart in for 90 minutes while yer wan had me in John Cena like contortions took more effort than a sub 19 min 5k 😳


    Sat: the dreaded tempo runs! The plan had 8 miles! Really hate these now (thanks McPhisto!!) and was looking for an excuse to change this to an easy run, but weather was good, niggles hadn’t gotten any worse so after a mile warm up I started, felt very hard at the start but I slowly got into it, I tried to break it down in my head and hit the target early and if it drifted towards the middle or end so be it. Last 2 miles were tough but was very happy with that: 6.43,6.46,6.48,6.46,6.50,6.48,6.48 & 6.43.


    Sun: the body didn’t react well to the flight and drive home, also had to drive for nearly 2 hours to bring my son to a soccer game. Barely managed 10 miles, terrible form terrible mood and achey all over 😳


    Managed 51 miles for the week and all in all that was a good weeks work.


    TbL 



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,396 ✭✭✭ger664


    C

    Can I make a suggestion Re tempo paces. Rather the trying to get each mile to a specific target. Show average pace for the run and try and keep the whole run average pace between 6:40 and 6:50 or whatever is your target +/- 5 secs. When you have a bad mile 6:55/7:00 you may still be within a goal and it wont get into your head as much.


    Ger



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,011 ✭✭✭Itziger


    How ya going Bogger? Hit a speed bump, or what?

    As for your Spanish insults, all you really need is 'HijoPuta' the shortened version of 'H de P', but you do need to get the J sound right. Little back of the throat rattle.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    Like an auld bloated and wrinkled leviathan I’ve emerged from the depths to try and experience another day in the sun.


    The last 8/9 weeks have been hard, really hard, and draining both mentally and physically. At my age setbacks are very tough to deal with, your decent running days are on a countdown and the effort to get back to where you were takes colossal effort never mind trying to layer on incremental progress.


    I finished the week of 10th October with an excellent weeks training but had a nagging pain in my hamstring that got progressively worse. Expert advice wasn’t sure of the root cause, oscillated from hamstring to adductors to low back to hamstring. I decided to just take a week with very easy plodding and was pretty sure that it wouldn’t unduly disrupt my Valencia marathon plan. After the week it got worse to the extent that it was very painful to run and the paces for the daily 5k plod was a snail like 11 min mile. 


    I would have stopped completely but I still had notions of a Larazus like appearance at Valencia and I wanted to get to 31st Oct as this date would see me running every day for a year. Another week of very painful running and I canned the thought of racing Valencia but thought I’d be able to join the Nolan Boy Band on tour and at least jog around. The last few days of running towards the 31st Oct were horrible and not enjoyable at all. I was now also getting crippling plantar fasciitis probably from the changed running gait.


    I had planned on taking a month off when I hit the 365 milestone, and once done I should have been delighted but I was shattered. On day 366 I had a 90 min session with the physio and the diagnosis was now firmed up as a lower back issue. We agreed a phased recovery plan, I got a running death row reprieve, continue with slow plods provided it got no worse and I was given more core exercises for the back. I’d to check in every 3 days and go back for a session every week. 


    Ever so slowly things started to improve, with the occasional days setback that had me paranoid I’d be back to square one! 


    On the 21st November I managed a whole 6 miles but I was sore the next day so eased off again. A week later I managed a 9 miler pain free and I was ecstatic. 


    On the day I was supposed to run Valencia I ran my 400th straight run and a weekly total of 35 miles. The body doesn’t feel quite right just yet so I’ve been holding back on the speedwork for now and am just trying to slowly up the mileage.


    Broke through a bit of a mental challenge today and managed to string 3 sub 7 miles together. All week I had convinced myself that this was impossible and I’d breakdown again but was very happy to get it done.


    I’m petrified that I’ll breakdown again, I’m not sure I could handle it again. The only thing that kept me going this time was the memory of where I got to in mid 2021, I felt I was in good shape and ready to push on and maybe reach the holy grail. 


    I’ll probably enter another marathon however if I got refunded for all the marathons I never managed to show up for I could retire! I’m sick of plans that don’t come to fruition so I’m just going to take it day by day for another few weeks and let my running be dictated by how my back feels.


    Two years ago when I was fat and lazy and thought I’d never run again there was a feeling of peace and contentment with that certainty, in my current state I’m constantly on the edge and it can be draining as I’ve started to over analyse every little ache and pain. 


    The thought of the effort involved in getting back to where I was and improving on that is daunting especially with the looming spectre of another possible breakdown but I’ve decided I want it badly enough to risk another breakdown.


    I’ll try and post a bit more but it’s hard to come on here when your way off it and wracked in pain.


    Is there a patron saint for runners?


    TbL 



  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Patron saint - St. Sebastian, apparently.

    Any thoughts on what you’ll do differently this time?

    Welcome back!



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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,834 ✭✭✭OOnegative


    I couldn’t be arsed reading your long winded post as it’s 99% moaning!!

    Where were you 12/18 months ago?? Struggling to run I think, stop trying to force things Conor. You should be incredibly proud of what you have done for a man who’s next option is some kind of kinky spinal operation!!

    You’ve ran a sub 19 5K this year, that’s a fantastic year from where you were. Plus, I think you are a 🔔end, but one of my running highlights was those wet, misty miles along Lough Erne. Any time spent with you is time to be cherished.

    Be proud of yourself!



  • Registered Users Posts: 341 ✭✭MrMacPhisto


    I think he is due a refund from that Patron of San Sebastian Marathon too 😁



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    🤣🤣🤣 Had entered that too before I decided to go on tour in Valencia 👍

    TbL



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    You should know better than most that I’m never happy B 🤣


    TbL



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    Hey D, don’t think I’d do much differently as it’s in the lap of the gods if I get a flare up on not.

    Maybe double down on the core and S&C work.

    Keep up the good work


    TbL



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Good to see you back logging Tbl. Sounds like it’s been a challenging few months. Have you actually taken a couple of weeks off running to let your body and mind recover? I’d say the mental effort of keeping a streak like that going is more than you realise, and inadvertently you may have exacerbated the injury issues. There’s no doubt you have all the talent and dedication to reach your goals, maybe it’s the method you go achieving your goals you could tweak.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    Great to see the log back up and running. In the past I've probably had some thoughts on your training but didn't want to be "that guy". I think from now on I'll just be that guy.lol....

    Whether you get injured or not isn't in the lap of the gods lad...I genuinely don't think it's out of your hands. You sometimes push it too much. Please don't take this the wrong way ,this is just genuine feedback and observations coz I genuinely hate to see you struggling with injury when you clearly love running.

    Taking today as an example. You ran the longest run you ran in a long time, at the fastest pace in a long time on a highest mileage week in a long time....Someone like yourself who has big problems with hips needs to be so careful with overloading. Again man, don't take this the wrong way. This is purely an opinion.

    Just mind yourself. Avoid overloading. You can get back to where you were but need to be so careful with training load.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    Thanks P, no problem with feedback at all. I’m a stubborn auld bollocks and don’t always listen though!


    This week has actually been part of a recovery plan, maybe the Strava heading was confusing. I’ve been slowly building up to doing a 40 mile week, with some “faster miles” also done this week. Long runs have gone from 6, 9, 12 to 14 today. The 14 today was actually done almost a minute a mile slower than last weeks 12 miler and the faster miles were sandwiched between easy stuff. I’ve actually been really reluctant to push any faster pace stuff and have backed off at a hint of pain.

    I’d appreciate you continuing to be “that guy” though.


    TbL



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    Haha well I shall be that guy so...

    Are you getting any coaching at the mo?



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    No, not at the moment. Working with a physio and a PT to try and minimise future flare ups.

    im looking at options other than Limerick as I’m not sure it’ll go ahead and I’d hate to put all the effort in and for it not to go ahead.


    TbL



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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    Yeah I'm in the same boat..I'd be sickened to spend four months training for something that doesn't go ahead. Also travelling abroad ain't an option for me.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,393 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    Only catching up now. That's some streak alright. Congrats on that.

    I know I'm lower mileage but I wonder sometimes is some of my own injuries may have inadvertently occurred from not taking it easy enough as SB alludes to. You're PF occurred from compensating with your gait for the main injury for example. But also when running fatigued there's less obvious little compensations being made all over the place I'd imagine unless you can keep your form 100% consistent. I know I can't. Than can lead to a slower burner of an injury that doesn't happen in one snap but more creeps up on you.

    2021 has still be a successful year for you. I initially thought you were going to start a Patreon page when you got into asking about Patron Saints.



  • Registered Users Posts: 631 ✭✭✭Cleanman


    400 days straight - that's fecking savage going! You must actually be a right auld stubborn bollocks to keep that going ;-)



  • Registered Users Posts: 752 ✭✭✭Back in Black


    Great to see you back logging. That's some streak - you don't do things by half!!



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    I used to be extremely black and white about what was right and wrong but I've seen enough the past few years to see that its not a one size fits all but there are usually some key indicators or clues when you get injured and look back on your training.

    1. Was my weekly mileage to high based on where I'm really at or have I increased it recently?
    2. Did I increase training load too quickly (volume, number of sessions, pace of sessions, volume at pace)
    3. Was I training with my ego or the reality of where I'm at i.e. am I training at wish/previous paces rather than current fitness?

    Just from my own experience with myself (and observing others training) its often a case that chasing fitness is the problem.

    Some basics are usually its a good idea to have at least two days easy between sessions. Easy days should really be easy - not steady. Paces should be where you are at , not where you used to be at or want to be at. Volume of sessions needs to be managed carefully - its one of the reasons I'm not a huge fan of the McMillian plan - if you're not used to running several miles at 10k pace then it will catch up with you. I've made the mistake in the past of plucking old sessions I had done previously but wasnt in the right shape to execute them safely for the phase of training i'm in. Hey presto my hip/psoas all seize up.

    But like I said - its not really one rule fits all - but in TbL (and my own) case people with injury history need to be particularly careful. I've learned the warning signs at this stage and have a sense when to back off.

    By the way none of the above applies to yourself or TbL as such - just my own thoughts from experience.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    Step back week this week more by circumstances than design but in the end it suited me.


    The injury that knocked me out seems to have substantially abated and I’m now just dealing with the usual auld man induced aches and pains.


    This weeks special was an achey/sore calf with a tight left piriformis included as a loyalty bonus 🤣


    Was in Kilkenny on Tuesday night and Wednesday and the drive across was a nightmare. Did the stupid thing, as I haven’t been in Kilkenny in years, and put the destination into the cars satnav. Ended up on sh1tty narrow roads, over a mountain at a snails pace because of dense fog! Spending too much time in the car lately and the back doesn’t appreciate it. Bored a load of people senseless with a presentation on Wednesday and then drove to Dublin for another meeting. Stayed in a lovely hotel but the route I took for my run was horrible and I didn’t enjoy it at all.


    Physio on Friday, badly needed session of needling and ultrasound.


    Just ran over 5k every day this week and I’m hoping next week I’ll do some 400’s for the first time in 10 weeks and hopefully a LR of 15 miles or more.


    Probably a bit soon to target races but I’d like to dip my toe in again with a 5 miler or 10k.


    Might try the Raheny 5 if Taoiseach Tone hasn’t us locked down 🤪


    Happy Christmas everyone


    TbL



  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Your Dublin route - not great especially at that time of day alright, but it serves you right for not dialling up the local knowledge!



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,621 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    Hopefully returning to a bit of normality running wise.


    Monday: 5k easy plod, and early morning sports massage 


    Tue: between about 11,213 jobs for Mrs TbL in Galway I managed to get to the track in Westside for my first bit of speed work in months. Lovely crisp day for it and I decided to to try 4 x 400m at around 6 min pace off 400 jog. No idea what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised by how it went, probably could have managed another couple but reined it in. Faster splits were 87s, 85, 85, & 84. Very happy with that.


    Wed: 5 mile easy plod again in lovely crisp weather.


    Thur: 5k very easy followed by the physioterrorist, back needling was painful but badly needed.


    Hopefully get a 15+ miler in a this weekend.


    There are many many things that I’m useless at, and my quest to learn Spanish has, just like my sub 3 attempts, failed miserably. Not so much auld dog, new tricks but rather auld dog no tricks! Started a few months ago and my Spanish knowledge extended to the Theme from S Express, “uno, dos, tres, quatro countdown is progressing…”🤣 


    Unfortunately my Spanish isn’t!


    Really self conscious stammering out some basic, poorly constructed sentences and my confidence was rattled a few times on my last visit to Spain. Out in a bar with a buddy and asked for a glass of ice, the waitress started giggling and herself and my buddy had a good chat and a laugh in Spanish, before he turned to me and said “ask her again but in a higher pitched voice, you just asked for a glass of helium” 😳 F’ing hilarious! On another more formal outing I told a customer that my daughter had “17 anus’s”, rather than her age. 


    I’ve my car radio default set to Azul Ser 92.2 for months and all I can hear is mumble mumble covid mumble covid mumble mumble mumble, and Spaniards general taste in music is dire and gives me a migraine. 💀


    Very hard to get face to face lessons and my one and only lesson was with a completely eccentric loon who periodically pinched my side while calling me gordito (little fatty!) as her manky cats circled my chair! At one point while going through the verb “dancing”, she randomly jumped up and did a twirl, I nearly crapped myself. Completely loco and I never went back. 😬


    So as 2021 comes to an end my Spanish like my running isn’t where I’d like it to be but hopefully both will see an uptick in 2022.


     Feliz Navidad a todos.


    El TbL


    https://youtu.be/IpeRShWMdYM

    Post edited by ThebitterLemon on


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    That log update sums up why I love your log.

    Runningwise very sensible although this continuous mention of a 15 miler makes me nervous.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,491 ✭✭✭Laineyfrecks


    Hilarious, you never fail to entertain 😁



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