DCM training by complete novice.

osnola ivax wrote: »

Hey meno, great news, hope you get your goal time on sat.

In terms of the weight thing, when I started running 6 months ago my weight went up aswell for ages and only started to come down after a couple of months. I put it down to toning, but who knows. I've certainly lost a stone since then.

Do u have a garmin, yes I'm sure you do. Is there any chance you could wear it if doing the course and post up an elevation profile. Would be really handy, also for the 10 miler which is apparently two laps of the five miler. Cheers

Yeah, no problem. I'll post it up tomorrow night.

osnola ivax wrote: »

You should maybe consider posting that course summary in one of the main forum threads dealing with the 5 mile race / race series. I think that would be really useful to a lot of people, especially culchies like my good self who don't know the park well (only been there twice, zoo as a young lad, and arcade fire gig couple of years back).

I have some pretty serious hills in my training runs so Im hoping I'm well prepared. Just wish I could stop eating, don't know if cake loading is as effective as carbo loading.

Done...

Headed out good and early for this and was parked up by 8.45 just inside Ashton Gate. Went down to the finish area to change/drop off bag and spent a while limbering up. Was meant to meet Onsola Ivax but couldn't see him. I headed to the start area about 20 minutes before the race, knowing that getting a good position would be crucial. Stayed back about 30 mts from the start line as I calculated this to be about right for me. By Chance I met OI in the start zone and had a chat about the race. I told him I wanted to go out quick and he said he would be happy with an 8 minute first mile and 40 overall :rolleyes:. I was determined to get 38 minutes as I had predicted it earlier in the week. I knew getting a fast first 2 miles would be crucial.

Anyway come start time we took about 30 seconds to pass the start line. OI veered of the right and me the left. Immediately I had slow runners/walkers ahead so I jumped up on the grass verge a few times and set off on a few sprints of overtaking mass numbers. Withing a quarter mile I was settled in a bunch of runners who seemed to be going my pace. One glance at my garmin however showed me I was already at 170bpm!! I concentrted on breathing, normally i never go above this and was afraid I would blow myself out. Coming up to the mile mark I spotted Onsola about 30 yards ahead of me . 'Christ' I thought, I am pushing hard and only doing an 8 minute mile. Just then my Garmin bleeped to signal the first mile 7"13 - 8 minute miles my arse!!!

Second mile i tried to hold it, the runners around me seemed to be going at a good speed for me and I didn't want to waste energy going after OI so I blanked him, ('I'll get you later' I thought!). My HR was well over 170 by now but i seemed able to hold it which surpised me mile 2 7"33, mile 3 7"39, I was happy with those as it kep me in line for sub 38. As expected mile 4 was the toughest with the long slog up the upper glen Rd, I was passing loads of runners now and loads were panting and wheezing, many stopping. I was delighted to do the mile in 7"51 keeping the mile under 8 minutes. As i passed the 4 mile marker I was still going strong despite my HR being in the unchartered waters of high 170's so I decided I was leaving nothing behind and went out on the long run home. Started passing everyone and with about half a mile to go I spotted OI in the distance, decided to make him my target. as we turned with 400m to go I was sprinting on and my HR was in the 180's (new max for me), OI was within about 10 or 20 yards, just as I though I had him I saw him looking up at the closk and realising he was withing a hundred yards he made a sprint for the line. My body gave out at the same moment and I limped in. Still delighted with 7'10 for the last mile and 37"38 (chip time) overall. My Garmin measured the course at 5.03 miles.

So splits were/avg HR were: 7"13/167, 7"33/172, 7"39/173, 7"51/175, 7"10/180(max 184).

So I have taken 3 minutes of my pb from my only previuos race 2 months ago. I have also realised that my Max HR is not 178, and that I can run races at a higher Hr than seems possible in training and sutain it for longer.
Overall I am delighted, I feel that I hvae made progress and am a real runner now!!

Back to trusty Hal Higdon's novice marathon training programme this week. I pulled up at mile 10 of my 16 mile LSR last weekend which was effectively the end of week 11. Last week I did only a couple of short runs and saturdays race. I am not too worried about last week's LSR as it was a drop back to 12, but am unsure as to whether I should go back and do week 11 again or plough on to week 13. I am tending towards the latter as I will be getting in more long runs that way and will repeat both weeks anyway whn I come back from holidays in August. This is effectively my last week of training before jetting off... so I will be doing 4-9-5-18 this week. If I can't manage the 18 I will stop at 16 I guess, but that's the weekend and it s still far away.

4.14 very easy tonight in 35"43. Pace 8"38 av HR 145. Delighted that my 'very easy' runs sem to be getting quite fast, quicker than some of my 'fast runs' from a few months ago

9.26 miles in 1hr 21min 28sec. Pace 8"48, av HR 149.
Lovely evening if a bit breezy.Straight out from work; this morning I expected rain so took no suncream, I think I have burnt my head off!! Physically the run was fine, but mentally it was tough. The 18 mile LSR will be twice the length of tonight . I think I will go to phoenix park for that, I am getting a bit sick of the laps of Tymon park.

Thanks Dave,
Gym tonight, decided to get in my last 'short' run of the week, a 5 miler on the dreadmill. Mentally I can't stand that machine, in the end I gave up at 4 miles and it wasn't even fast....it fatigues my brain rather than my body...not to worry I will have a day or twos rest now until my LSR-18 miles I'm dreading that, undecided of yet as to do it on friday night or saturday morning.

Delighted to have completed my scheduled run tonight.
18.01 miles in 2"45"24 Pace 9"11, Av HR 146, was going at 9 min pace but slacked off in the last third.

The last 4 miles were killer, not in the lungs or the HR (it was steady round 145) but in the legs- they just get so tired and sore. They felt like lead again but I pushed on regardless and delighted to have done so. This is definately my last logged run for 4 weeks. I am off to Estonia on sunday night and not back until the 22nd of August. There will be no running tomorrow, can't wait for the lie in. Including the 5 miler last saturday I have done 40 miles this week, which is massive for me.

P.S. Phoenix park is the king of places to run in, so many runners and lots of things to keep the brain distracted

osnola ivax wrote: »

It's the legs, it's all about the legs. I could feel the lactic acid on my 12 miler yesterday.

That's a huge run today meno, and really it's at pmp for a sub 4 marathon, methinks you'll be revising that goal soon, regardless of the fact you're heading away for four weeks. You should try to get some good runs in over there just to keep you ticking over. You're hr today looks to be extremely efficient aswell. You are flying now, sub 3:45??

If i can stay sober for a few days, I will try to get a few runs in ......R.E. marathon pace, I dunno, I may go 20 miles at 3"45 pace but my worry is, will I be able to keep moving for the last 6 miles? I think I will make the 18 miler a 20 miler when I repeat this training week (sept 21), and maybe extend the last long LSR (20 mile) by a few miles too. As you say it is all about the legs and I need to get them used to running long distances before worrying about finishing times.

I saw what mcmillan said alright, but to be honest I don't want to get ahead of/kill myself. I said at the start I would be happy a) to finish b) to get under 4 hours, so that is still the plan.

R.E. gels- no I am a jelly baby man!! I had about 40 in my pocket tonight and was eaing them 3 at a time in the last few miles. I actually went 13 miles with just half a litre of tap water on my belt. I had a bottle of lucozade sport in the car, so picked that up on the run for the last 5 miles and was dying of thirst. I don't know how you have been running with no liquids to be honest...

I definately think the sweets and sports drink help, if only to keep your mind of the pain for a few fleeting seconds.

So I am back from my 4 week break. I was doing voluntary work in Estonia for most of the time. I wasn't concentrating on a training plan but got about 4 runs in in the first 2 weeks (2 runs of 45 minutes a 1 hour run and a 10 miler in about 1.5 hours). Was pleased with this because I felt I kept my form despite drinking most days, the work was quite physical and I did 3 or 4 long treks as well as the runs (the longest being nearly 20 miles).
10 days ago however I was playing table tennis when the table collapsed and fell on my foot (was wearing sandals). Basically my big toenail took all of the weight and the nail was uprooted and went up through the skin, It was not a pleasant sight and still isn't. The pain has subsided but I haven't run or did much for 2 weeks since as well as drinking and eating unhealthily. I feel like I have gone back severely. I am going to give training a go again starting tomorrow and am unsure if my toe is going to be a problem. I start with a 3 miler tomorrow and I guess if it gives me any pain I will go to see a chiropodist.

Anyway I am dropping back to week 10 and hopefully will have recovered form by the half marathon in 4 weeks
This weeks plan is 3-7-4-15 fingers crossed all goes well.

7.02 miles in 1"02:18 pace 8:53 avg HR 151
Felt comfortable. no problems for the toe at all. Quite happy that I seem to be back. I am just looking over my garmin records for comparable runs: 2 months ago I did 7 miles in 9:23 pace with HR 153, so I am still better than that now. However, just before heading off I did 9 miles at 8:48 pace with Av HR 149. I would like to be in this form in a few weeks.

Reluctantly went out for my 15 mile LSR this evening. I say reluctantly because my legs were stiff and I had been 3 nights in a row running, so after the 2 week layoff I thought it might be a bit much... however as always when I am not feeling great, I had one of my best runs.

Started out slow for the first 3 but the miles seemed to get quicker and quicker once I was inside the park. I felt strong even at the end and there didn't seem to be a lactate build up in my legs as I normally get in my LSR's, so I was able to maintain pace even at the end. I brought a water belt with half a litre of water and carried a bottle of lucozade sport in hand the first 2.5 miles until I made tymon park, where i positioned it under a bush for later. After 3 laps I decided it was time for a sip, but discovered it had been swiped in the meantime :mad:, luckily it was not hot and I survived on the water I had and a pocketful of jellies...
Anyway overall 15.02 miles in 2:10:44. Pace 8:42 AvHR 153. Some crazy miles in there eg. mile 4-8:15 HR 153 Mile 11- 8:20 HR 152.

I really feel like I'm back and have shaken the rustiness already, maybe the break even did me good. I ran 15 mile 3 weeks before going away and did it in 5 minutes more than tonight (and seem to remember being happy with the run) so I must have improved

Might even do a small recovery run in the morning to make it 5 days on the trot (normally I do 4 sessions a week).

Have been quite worried the last few days, the ankle really has been playing up. I was hardly able to run at all on saturday and had to break into a walk twice on a slow 3.5 miler!! still felt sore on sunday and yesterday. There is no swelling or bruising, the ankle just has felt stiff. Anyway put on a strapping this morning and bought some deep heat and went out for a 4 mile with 2 miles LT as instructed by amadeus.
1st mile handy 8:57 (145) 2nd mile put down the foot, halfway through was really wrecked, thought I couldn't last. Was thinking I was really out of shape and felt like I was fading at the end. Mile was slightly uphill, was surpirsed when the garmin bleeped to reveal a 7:04 mile (172). had to take a quick leak (nearby bush) at this stage, but turned around and ran the same mile backwards (slightly downhill). Again, I thought I was going to die, felt I was going slower than the last mile was breathing really heavy and had to grit it out. Again I was really shocked when the garmin bleeped to reveal a 6:39 mile (173). Slowed down to crawl back to the car, calfs felt stiff and I began to feel my ankle a little again (had completely forgotten about it!!) came back with a 9:17 mile (156).
Overall 4.03 miles in 32:14 Av HR 161 splits 8:57(145) 7:04 (172) 6:39 (173) 9:17 (156) Mcmillan says those middle 2 miles put me at 36:54 for 5 miles which would easliy be a PB, so got to be happy with that!