Boards DCM22 Graduates Thread - A Deeper Understanding

masterK · 27-11-2022 02:28PM

I got back to it this week, did the 45 min easy, 60 min progression, 90 easy and 40 + strides from the base plan.

Hopefully I'll step it up a little more next week

Also hoping to get a place in the DCM lottery tomorrow. I really should have taken up the guaranteed spot in time 🤔

MisterJinx · 27-11-2022 04:32PM

2 runs for me this week. An explore around the very upmarket roads of Dalkey and the usual loop today around Tolka Park and the Royal canal, a grand total of about 20k.

Still trying to get over this cold and not feeling up to getting back to full pace so I'm not going to push it but really missing being out more often.

I did pass a gym on Wednesday where they were doing a kettle bell class so dropped them a line and speaking to them on Monday so might be an option for some s&c, I do find a class to motivate me is the best. It will depend on the price though.

I have made a decision though that I'm not going to do a spring marathon. I think I'll do a half instead. We've a confirmation in April and even planning really well I think it works better not too be that deep into it again so soon.

Now I'm off for some more birthday celebrations, all this drinking will catch up on me next week!

Dublin334 · 28-11-2022 08:49AM

So, 2 weeks into doing the base plan for me. Struggling to fit in the 3 midweek runs, so have only managed 4 runs per week. A bit of a ramp up in activity this week with an extra 15 mins on each run. One quick question on the Saturday run. It mentions 9 mins easy and 1 min hard. What pace is the hard at?

Also, planning on doing the Raheny 5 mile at the end of Jan as my next race. Should I just continue on the base plan and finish it out or look to switch onto one on 5-10K plan?

Jbat · 28-11-2022 03:13PM

I took the week off last week but got out for a short 40 minutes on Sunday and back felt fine so am planning to get started with the base plan this week

Turkish1 · 28-11-2022 04:00PM

Couple of bad weeks for me..

Managed to pick up another virus after having caught COVID just post marathon. That knocked me for a while (still recovering a little) and also managed to tweak my knee. Didn't feel it at the time but came in from a c. 10km run and could hardly walk the next day, thought it was only something minor as it eased over 48hours or so but alas it came back harder again after the next run. With a fairly significant knee injury history off to the doctor I went (I had thought it was a bit of meniscus issue and he agreed but also saw another potentially more significant issue - so off I go for an MRI. It could be a short lived DCM 2023 for me - but will just have to wait and see..

Head is wrecked and will probably try get to gym etc.. instead but knowing how pigheaded I am I will no doubt try go for a few runs aswell (can't get MRI privately for 4 weeks - which is madness in itself)

Adiaga 2 · 29-11-2022 11:54AM

I did the 3 midweek runs from the base plan last week but wasn't able to get out at all at the weekend. I'm away for a few days this week - hoping to get some running in but won't be 5 days. So I am going to hit pause on the base plan until January. I'll still hopefully get 3 runs in week for the next few weeks and hopefully all set in January to get stuck into the plan.

Lazare · 29-11-2022 08:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119929871#Comment_119929871

No big concern with struggling to get all runs in, you're doing real well running 4 days a week. It's a tough time of year to find time and motivation, so don't go hard on yourself.

The 1 min hard should be done around your 3k to 5k pace/effort.

Re Raheny, if it was me I would continue on with the base phase, finishing it a few weeks out. Then maybe look towards a target race for April, with Raheny a part of the build towards that. You will perform really well at Raheny.

I think switching now to a 5-10k plan with a specific focus on Raheny wouldn't be optimal. You'll be jumping into the plan halfway through it, risking injury but also not maximising fitness gains. A base phase, followed by a full block will see you smash things in April.

Lazare · 29-11-2022 08:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119931491#Comment_119931491

Ah no, that's really sh1t.

Try your very best to stay off it, as hard as that is. Good that you have the gym to keep the mind in good shape. Fingers crossed for the MRI and hope it's not as serious as the doc suggests.

Lazare · 29-11-2022 08:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119934540#Comment_119934540

Perfectly cool and fine to do, you seem to have a great mature attitude. Do your best to get those 3x runs in, just keep things ticking over and then yeah, blast back into things in Jan.

I'm very similar to yourself btw, Xmas is an incredibly busy time for me workwise and I always struggle to keep up the consistency. Also couldn't run what I planned this weekend due to one of the kids being in hosp and my wife with her (got out for a little buggy run). Life gets in our way sometimes, very important to accept it and not worry.

Lazare · 02-12-2022 10:24PM

Are any of you folks racing Jingle Bells tomorrow?

Pawwed Rig · 04-12-2022 12:09AM

Decent enough week for me although I had to bring the kids to see Santa this morning so missed by parkrun. Managed 4 runs with 3 slow and 1 tempo. Monday 11k, Wednesday 10k, Thursday 15k and Friday 10k. Also got in a 30k cycle.

Question for you (or anyone else). Every year I do a January target of running every day of the month 31x5k/5 miles/10k depending largely on my level of fitness in Dec. It is always hard enough as you miss the rest days so the fatigue sets in more and more as the month goes on.

Given that my plan is to do Belfast on April 30 should I go ahead with this or should I stick to marathon plan to include rest days?

Lazare · 04-12-2022 12:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119954339#Comment_119954339

I would absolutely go with your January goal, alongside your Belfast plan. Why not.

Running every single day is totally fine (better than fine) once you understand the importance of effort and recovery.

I'm guessing the January segment of your plan is relatively relaxed anyway, so where prescribed, rather than rest go out for a super easy 5k.

Just always be smart about your effort level.

Fatigue shouldn't be setting in though. You should feel energised. Keep things truly easy.

Jbat · 04-12-2022 11:27PM

Ok week for me. Did three runs 1 hour each all easy paced 6:20 km and actually didn’t find the pace too slow. Nice to finish a few runs not wrecked too :). will try to get it up to four hours next week if I can although finding the time is hard over Christmas.

MisterJinx · 05-12-2022 12:19AM

Feels like I'm back on the horse now. 3 runs this week 😂

Intervals on Monday with the club. Paces were fine and took it fairly controlled although the HR was a bit high for the effort. Another hour long trot around Dalkey on Wednesday and an easy 11k with the wife today.

I also bought myself a head torch which looks like something from Tron and a high vis rain jacket, safety first and all that, as the streets are dark now and I don't want to be taken out of it. I'm now very very very visible 🤣

masterK · 05-12-2022 02:59PM

Decent week for me, I got all 5 runs from week 2 of the base plan done. Hoping to do the same this week as from next week on it gets tougher as the silly season kicks in.

One thing I have noticed is I find it much easier to slow down running against a set time rather than a distance. I think it's the brain playing tricks when you have a target distance saying "the quicker you do this the quicker you'll be home to stuff your face". With a set time laziness kicks in and tells the body there's no point killing itself. 😀

coogy · 06-12-2022 10:04PM

Very late to the party here following Lazare's introduction a few weeks back. Firstly, for those of you who are about to move things up a notch, well done on your first marathon (if it was your first!), you are all in excellent hands!

Just wanted to give you a bit of a taste of what I experienced when I started using the Graduates Plan back in late 2018 after running my first DCM.

Started off with the Base Plan to get things back on track, followed by the 10k/Half plan which saw me through a couple of pb's in early/mid 2019

As for the actual Graduates marathon plan, aa you would expect, it is an obvious step up from the Novices plan with more 'meaty' stuff thrown in that will go a long way towards setting you on your way to a shiny new PB. It was thanks to this that I knocked a whopping 26 minutes off the previous year. This is testament not only to the mentors of 2018 and their guidance but also the Graduates Plan itself and not least the Boards running community as a whole.

I would strongly recommend using this running thread to your advantage, it helped me stay focused throughout all the training and four years on, I am constantly learning!!!

Whatever you decide to do, good luck to you all!!

Lazare · 07-12-2022 10:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119965385#Comment_119965385

Nice one K, great words.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how people progress in 2023. A PB fest 😊

Lazare · 07-12-2022 10:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119959367#Comment_119959367

Nice one. Cracking week.

That's a really good point about timed runs, and something I've never really considered. I certainly do feel more relaxed on those sort of runs.

MisterJinx · 12-12-2022 09:47PM

Not a bad week last week. Definitely feel like I'm back to myself and over the cold (took an age) and wanting to get out again and having the motivation when it's cold and dark of an evening, 4 runs, 50k.

Monday an easy trip around the block. Tuesday and Wednesday I was in the office so it was 2 runs around Killiney / Dalkey. Cold but the views with a full moon and the clam sea really made up for having to run all those hills. Wish I'd brought the phone to get a couple of pics as it was stunning looking over the bay. Finally 10 miles on Sunday with a brief trip into to PP just to see it with all the frost on the ground.

Pawwed Rig · 12-12-2022 10:57PM

Not a great week. Managed 3 x 10kms on Mon Wed & Fri. Friday was bloody cold and was dangerous underfoot so I went up to the local green area and ran on the grass. All pretty sedate. With the parkruns cancelled I took the opportunity to have a much needed lie in on Sat morning. Prognosis for this week not great as I am on hols and spent half of today travelling and unlikely to get out tomorrow. Let's see what Wed holds. Hot here at 25 degrees so will need to be an early morning effort.

Lazare · 25-12-2022 12:23PM

Happy Christmas to all of you, I hope Santy was good to you all and you're having a magnificent day.

Apologies for being quiet the last couple of weeks. Life and work have been chaos, which is an annual event.

I don't know about you guys but I always feel a burst of motivation with the new year approaching.

With that in mind and over the next few days and into NY we'll have a good chat about what all of our goals are and how we're going to go about achieving them.

For now though, eat drink and be merry.

Have a wonderful day.

Pawwed Rig · 25-12-2022 01:43PM

You too Lazare.

Started the day in Waterstown parkrun (which is a tough enough course).

With Belfast on April 30th I will be starting week 1 of marathon training on Jan 1st.

Happy Xmas all

Lazare · 25-12-2022 02:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120033122#Comment_120033122

Brilliant stuff PR, fair play on Waterstown. I'd say it's a really enjoyable parkrun.

Pawwed Rig · 25-12-2022 02:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120033160#Comment_120033160

Tough enough. Fairly hilly. I was about 45 secs slower today than I was in St Anne's yesterday.

No marshalls either so the guy in the lead was looking around to avoid going astray. Not one to goto if you don't know the course and you are going to run 17 minutes

25-12-2022 03:33PM

I am dying. Not sure if this was a good idea but I love the route. Seen a marathon sign still up

Screenshot_2022-12-25-14-31-46-614_com.strava.jpg

Lazare · 25-12-2022 08:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120033245#Comment_120033245

Fair play, a ten miler on Xmas day!! Far better man than me 😃

Pawwed Rig · 01-01-2023 06:42PM

So training for Belfast marathon starts this week. I did a 10k yesterday and a 6k today which incorporated my third fastest parkrun ever.

Looking at a couple of different plans. One being the intermediate plan in the OP.

2 questions. What are

1. 10x2 min @ CV w/ 2 min rec? What does CV mean?

2. What is threshold?

The plan maxs out at a 3 hr easy run. I am assuming that this is adequate whereas another plan I am looking at gives 3 x 20 mile and an 18 mile in the schedule. Is the second plan too much?

My Belfast target is 3:59:59.9 which is about 5:40 per km. What is easy? and very easy?

The Black Oil · 01-01-2023 07:02PM

I did that 3 hour run for Connemara in 2018 and DCM 2017.

CV is critical velocity, iirc. Threshold is a bit quicker than tempo.

https://runfastcoach.com/calc2/

Pawwed Rig · 01-01-2023 07:08PM

Tempo I am taking as race pace per MurphD's previous post so threshold is faster than race pace then?

What is critical velocity? Hell for leather?

Kellygirl · 01-01-2023 07:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120053185#Comment_120053185

If you input a recent race time into the calculator The BlackOil mentions above and then click on the training paces tab, you will get the recommended paces for CV / Tempo / easy etc.

Boards DCM22 Graduates Thread - A Deeper Understanding

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