Raising the bar a little...

Week ending 17th January 10

Mon
Rest.

Tues: Small steps, small steps
7.1 miles at 07:10 pace. HR 143.
The bad ice around the Tymon Park route made it very difficult to stay upright in places. In ice-skating I would have awarded myself a 10!

Wed: 4 x 1mile intervals
8.1miles in 52:46. HR 157
Interval session at 05:45 pace (10K). When are intervals ever easy? Well they are not supposed to be and this was my first session of this type interval in 4 weeks. Ok the 10k at Christmas was the last lung buster which would have stood to me.
Back to the miles then. Ice was bad in intervals 2 &3 - tough and this slowed me down a bit. Interval splits were 05:54, 05:51, 05:50 & 05:47 that weren’t fantastic but they’ll do. "Recovery" miles were 07:10 average.

Thurs:
7.1miles at 07:06 pace. HR 139
Hoping to do 8 but stuck for time so did 7. Lovely out today but there was still icy in sections. I did not feel great in this session and it felt a bit laboured, I was just trying to keep HR under 150

Fri: Long run
16.25 miles at 07:04 pace. HR 146
Normally my rest day I had to pull forward one of my longer weekend runs, as I will not get out for one on Sunday.
Included in this were two very tough climbs at miles 9 and 10. Didn’t slow much for these.
Again trying to keep HR below 150BPM (outside the difficult hills) and keeping things efficient.
Long drive to Sligo then.

Sat: Long Run - OX mountain route
21 miles at 07:04. HR 146. Same overall pace and HR as yesterday.
Didn’t believe when I checked my log but it was Oct 2008 since I last ran this particular route. The first 8 miles or so are all up hill climbing into the windy gap of the OX Mts. There are some down hills but it is lovely stuff. However a few early showers, cold and some extremely icy sections and spongy roads! :(made the first 45 mins mind over matter stuff. My legs were tired and they ached, particularly my quads. I found this unusual but it was my fifth consecutive day running – I don’t normally run this many in row compared to my other logs friend here.
Aiming for pace to average 07:15 / mile overall and held this well. Even though legs ached for full session I speeded up in last 10. The purpose of the session is to run on tired legs and this was definitely achieved.

Enjoyed my few pints of the black stuff Sat night. Yum.

Sun:
Rest:

Weekly miles total = 59.6

More of the same this week. Have guests around all next weekend so really looking forward to the long runs again! :rolleyes:

jaymack75 wrote: »

Couple of questions, if ye don't mind - do you have a plan or a target time in mind for connemara? also, what's your 'A' race going to be?

Heh jaymack75 just because I overtook you in the last few miles in the Ultra last year, you think I will now let you in on my strategy for this years race? Ha ha good try bud.
But I will say this - this I am planning on going a bit quicker than 4:52.
While I'm here what's your target time??

'A' race - you mean Cyprus or Ultra? Probably the latter.

See you at the start:p

jaymack75 wrote: »

ok - you sussed my thinly veiled attempt to get your plan? haha! I suppose l can see that given your dcm time and the times you're doing in training, I was wondering if you'd be looking at a 4:30? I think you'd be well able for it.

4:30 may be a little too fast for me now but sure we'll see how I feel on the day

jaymack75 wrote: »

It's a bit early for a target time for me as I'm only really getting back in the swing of things after our new arrival in december and I'm probably a bit behind where I was this time last year. Having said that - strategically, I would love to get to the start of the half before the 3hr mark and then have the open road ahead for the last 13. I found last year that weaving through all the crowds of half marathoners took it's toll. If I get my aerobic pace down to 6:50 or lower in training, I'll go for it.......and just hang in there for the final third......hoping not to get overtaken of course

I had actually forgotten about the congestion at Leenaun. Same thing happened me in 2008 during the full though I was not fully fit coming into that. Last year the cingestion was fine as I was a few mins behind you.
Worth considering tough

Week ending 24th January 10

Mon: Recovery Run!
6.5 miles at 07:29 pace. HR 132.
I haven’t run at this pace in ions. Tried out new my new Vomero 4 runners in this evening run. Legs were not perfect though, but nice and relaxed outing all the same.

Tues: Tits
7 miles at 07:08 pace. HR 137.
This was another night run that I do not like much. Legs ache (still affects of LSR's last week?) and unsure if new shoes best suited for my feet. My left ankle and foot are a bit sore due to turning on it on a larger pebble on the bad roads on Sat last.
Encountered two females walking in the opposite direction taking in all the footpath. They clearly see me. They failed to let me pass and forced me onto the road. I let out a shout at my annoyance, they yelled back. I nearly turned around to confront them. I vow if I met more footpath hoggers on my route I would not be the one steeping off the path. Luckily I didn’t meet any more.
Fxcking hate that though.

Wed: 4 x 1mile intervals
8.1miles in 52:36. HR 152
4 x 1 mile interval session at 05:45 pace (10K). I was unsure before session if I should do these intervals as the legs were still not feeling 100%. But this session when well. Legs felt strong and lively all through.
Splits:
1. 05:46,
2. 05:34,
3. 05:41
4. 05:42.
"Recovery" miles were 07:17 average. This was slightly better than a similar session in early Oct before the before Dublin marathon.

Thurs:
7.1miles at 07:07 pace. HR 135
Not a bad run after yesterdays' efforts.

Fri: Rest

Sat:
22.3 miles at 07:01 pace. HR 145
This was an odd run. Don't know what to make of it. Mind and body weren’t communicating the best.
Wore the Vomero 4 again and I am still unsure of them. I don't know if they are giving me adequate support. Left achilles still tender especially on downhill parts. Last 10.3 miles were completed at 06:55 pace, which was very respectable over three tough hills on route home.

Sun: Bacon and black pudding sandwich or alcohol night before??
18 miles at 07:04 pace. HR 142
I won't be forgetting forget this run for a long while.
Guests over on Sat. Was out for a while watching the Leinster game and then some wine for dinner followed by a few beers. Remembered to keep hydrated though. Not a late night but hardly great preparation before an 18 miler.
Next morning I remember the Top Gear episode where a marathon runner beats a car around the 26.2 miles in London. He had a big fry up before the run. I decide a yummy bacon and black pudding sandwich won’t do any harm.
Off I go an hour later. By mile 3 I was in bad shape. My legs were fine but my head and stomach were in bits. I contemplated walking for a while but kept plugging away. I was going to finish this 18 miler run or walk. Things gradually got better after this. By mile 10 I was averaging 07:14 pace, legs were fine. Last 8 averaged 06:50 pace.
Job done and never will be forgotten

Weekly miles total = 68.5

This is a step back week with Dungarvan 10 mile on Sunday. Would be trilled with a 58:XX in that. Weight now just over 74kg.

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Solid week there Abhainn, B2B LSRs as consistent as last year only faster, good work!

Cheers shotgunmcos. Yes doing these faster than last year is the plan

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Is 74kg on the light or heavy side for you? How do you find managing your weight with that kind of mileage?

This is from Tunney which I always smile at
Definition of Race Weight

The trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. Then you know you're within 10 pounds. If they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5. When they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight.

I'm still quite a distance from ideal race weight if the above is true. The Christmas excess kg's are gone now thankfully.
Last weekend my Dad said I look stronger this year compared to last even though I'm slightly lighter than then. But BMI is 24 :rolleyes: which seems way out.
I'd love to get into the 72's.

village runner wrote: »

Wednesdays spped session what do you find the benits are ??
Best of luck in dungarvan. Hope to be 59.59 but i reckon i am a month away.

VR it definately increases my stamina. It's a good VO2 max workout and I need more than just getting used the running on tired legs when preparing for this 39.3 race. I also want to give the March marathon a good go also so I need some speed sessions in the overall plan
If I was just concentrating on the 26.2 distance I would be gearing more towards 500's to 800's.

Best of luck on Sunday. Hopefully will bump into you.

jaymack75 wrote: »

Hi Abhainn, congrats on achieving a great time in the 10miler yesterday.....well below the sub-60.....raising the bar a little indeed

Cheers buddy. Yes a very satisfactory outing.

Dungarvan 10 mile Race Report

McMillan had me at 58:45 for 10 miles based on my 1:18 result at the Dublin Half last Sept. During that race I went through 10 miles in 59:15. But now, it been Jan and with just some mile interval speed work behind me it was going to be a bit of a challenge going sub 59. However my goal was to aim for 05:50-05:55 per mile.
Anyway off we go and the first half-mile of this race is uphill and it certainly gets the HR up. I go through mile 1 in 05:44 and this is perfect, as the first mile is always a bit of a gallop. Mile 2 (05:38) is mostly downhill and during this period I am on the look out to try and link up with another runner around my pace. I make my way up to a couple of groups but none quite suite my pace. Anyway mile 3 is down through a nice side road that partially shelters us from the NW breeze. A chap with a hat then sprints by me around this time and I wonder what all that is about.
Still running on my own I make my way up to 2 guys. I move on but one of them just sits on my arse for perhaps a mile which is a bit annoying. Eventually he drops back and the second lad comes along side. We chat a little and as we go by half way (29:05) I see the last mile is slow at 06:00. I’m surprised a little at this and also a little annoyed at this possible lack of concentration. My pal wants to go sub 60, I say why not sub 59?
I move on my own and mile 6 is a little quicker at 05:57 and HR is steady at 171
The next 2 miles of the course are lovely. Narrow roads surrounded by bushes and trees. On a fast downhill section a chap from no where then thunders past me and I decide to stick with him. This is good and immediately my legs feel fresh and lively. We alternate the lead every 200m or so and push each other on. We do mile 7 in 05:46 as we pass 2 runners, one of them with the hat that sprinted by me in mile 3. Mile 8 is completed in 05:47 as we come onto the main road we enter out toughest mile. This is slower (05:57) but we continue to push each other on. Going into the last mile the pace is increased again as we motivate each other.. Each time now I lead the pace I think my companion falls behind too far but my goal now is on a runner 100 m ahead. With 200 meters to go, I overtake the runner just ahead now but also overtaken by my fast finishing friend.

Finish time 58:19. HR 171.

Happy with my time I am on the look out for boardies, among them Sosa, Village Runner and Gringo 78 but somehow don’t see their bib no’s anywhere. After a couple of mins I decide the best option is a shower and the fine spread of food that awaits back in the centre before my long drive home.


Mile splits:
1. 05:44
2. 05:38
3. 05:48
4. 05:53
5. 06:00
6. 05:57
7. 05:46
8. 05:47
9. 05:57
10. 05:49