Becoming a Real Runner

Training has really been going to pot as of late with the personal life really getting in the way...On tuesday I just couldn't face going out with my dodgy ankle with the sleet tipping down. Yesterday i went to the AIR gig at the olympia straight after work and the 8 pints of Guinness and 5 hours sleep looked like it was going to put pay to todays running too.
However during an hour long battle with the couch after work the athlete in me managed to win out and I got out for 5 miles easy in 43 minutes. Despite last nights excesses this was easier and faster than monday... I plan no going out this weekend, so hopefully I wll get in 3 runs over the next few days. As a bare minimum I want to clear the 200 mile barrier by sunday (another 16 or so miles I think).

kennyb3 wrote: »

strongly suggest going straight back out the door when you get home. thats what i do, i would never get back up if i sat down. plus when you get home you can sit down have dinner and a treat guilt free

Normally I do, and when the long days come in, I usually get changed leaving work and stop off at the park on the way home. However today I actually had no intention of going out running at all, but managed to convince my self whilst lying on the couch :pac:

My left ankle really hasn't been feeling right for weeks now, at a certain point in every run I have felt a bit of a twinge but have ran on anyway...last night after a weight session i went for 5 on the threadmill but gave up after two, it just didn't feel right.
I am at work this morning but all dressed up for a good run in Tymon park (was planning go in about an hour) but the ankle is really stiff. Anyway I have just called my Physio and he is going to see me on monday. i guess the prudent thing is not to run again at least until after i can get a diagnosis. It is just one of those niggles that allows you to train through but at the same stage won't go away. All my sessions recently have been slow as i am afraid of doing anything fast on it. I might have to give up on the 5k on Patricks weekend as i never like racing when i am not 100% fit and planning on setting a good PB. If so i will hopefully do the one in UCD a fortnight later.

9 miles over grass this morning in 1hr 19. Pace 8:50. Happy to get a decent lenghth run in and it felt comfortable. The grass running is really slow and heavy. On the few stretches of path I hit because the grass was too uneven, I felt the pace pick up considerably. I reckon I am losing something like 30 seconds per mile on wet grass.

I went to runways after the run with the intention of getting some trail runners for the grass. I also thought it would be a good Idea to get a gait analysis given my ongoing injury (the physio said I might need something more supportive than my pegasus). Anyway, looking at my ruuning form on video, I was quite shocked. Both legs were pronating about 15-20 degrees. When I first got the gait analysis a year ago, I was pretty neutral hence why I have been wearing pegasus. The good news is I am the proud owner of a pair of flourescent green Lunarglides, and I am confident my injury should clear up wearing them. It is pretty obvious I was in the wrong shoe for some time and amazing I haven't had more problems.

On the downside I have two shiny new pairs of pegasus I will probably not be able to use again, so anyone out there interested , I will give you a good deal

Edit: finally over 200 miles for the year about two weeks later than planned.

Looking back at it, yesterday was pretty much a tempo run, so I planned todays run as nice and easy. I don't want to push too hard coming back with the race on sunday, at the same stage I want ot get the miles in.

Totally forgot the Garmin this morning, but took a route this evening which I know is more or less 6 miles- Got out of the car just after 6pm and took it dead slow listening to george hook on the radio. He was just winding up the movies section as I finished up, so I reckoned it was close to 7pm for 9 minute miles approx, however I got into the car and it was still only 6.52pm, so that was about 51 minutes or 8:30 pace for the 6 miles. Pleasantly surprised with that, it felt as easy as I could possibly run.

Didn't get out yesterday as my ankle was feeling a little delicate after fridays 'long' run and I wanted to be in decent shape for today.

Anyway got up nice and early, had a good breakfast and jogged into town for about 11am (2.6miles in 25 minutes!!). Got up a good sweat as I had my jacket and tracksuit bottoms on. I have to say, this was probably the warmest day so far this year. Spent about an hour walking around trying to find toilets then lined up at the start about 20 metres back. The gun went off about two minutes early while I was in mid chat with a man and we were both quite surprised but as always I shot off way too fast in the first KM. I slowed a bit after that but was surprised to knock out realtively quick KMs, splits were: 3:58 (168) 4:05 (174) 4:13 (176) 4:15 (177) 4:12 (179).
Overall 5.04 km in 20:56, AvHr 175 (max 181) pace 4:09/km or 6:41/mile.

Have to be happy with that given recent injury. That's a minute off my time from Rathfarnahm in october when I was at peak marathon fitness and first mini goal for 2010 achieved (Sub 21 5k). Hope to knock a few more seconds off this at UCD in a fortnight.

Had a nice chat and cup of tea with Chinguetti after the race. If you're reading, well done on your sub 20.

Jogged the 2.6 miles back home again untimed, so thats 8.4 miles for the day.

4 runs this week for 27.4 miles. Missed one run due to the injury but more or less back to decent mileage for the week. It's good to be back!!

Edit: 20:55 officially!

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Nice one, congrats on the sub-21

Cheers!! Just checked Mcmillan there and he now puts me on 34:41 for 5 mile, that is nealry 50 seconds faster than Raheny. Can't believe I have actually improved since then, haven't been able to do any speed sessions with the foot. Just goes to show that slow and steady and you will improve!!

Sub430 wrote: »

Great running menoscemo, I might be doing a 5k on Wednesday, will be interesting to see how we compare, would love to get close to that.. Never did a 5k before so it will be a PB no matter what happens!

If you are able to run 3 good sub 8 miles at the end of a 9.5 like you did today, you'll surely be able to put 3 consecutive 7'ish miles in on wedensday Good luck, give it your all.

The plan tonight was a nice steady medium length run, but I really wasn't feeling it. I let my body dictate the pace and while I started with the first 3 miles at 8:30 ish pace, in mile 4 and 5 it dropped right back to almost 9 minute pace . I told my self to catch myself on, so I upped the pace after the fifth mile clicked and somehow managed to push out a 7:17 followed by a 7:02, I have to say it was tough at the end but I think these kind of runs will really help me maintain my speed in races as my pace generally drops off after 3 or 4 miles.
Overall 7 miles in Just under 58 minutes. Av pace 8:15.

After reading a thread on the main forum about refuelling after runs, I decided to stop at a petrol station and get a Mars refuel drink on the way home. Wow, they are delicious and apparently are doing me good. I can't say I'll object ot drinking those regularly.

Lovely day today. It was the first training run of the year where I went out with just the shorts and t-shirt on. I did my longest run of the year too. 10.5 miles over a hilly loop. Time 1:29 for an 8:30 av pace. I am really quite pleased I kept the pace very consistent even over the hilly sections. AV HR 153. I felt as fresh on the second part as I did on the first part which is really unusual for me.

Glad to have got all 5 runs done this week. Mileage for the week: 32.2.

Still feeling a bit chesty today, yet I realy want to get the miles in. Given that I went out to the park after work and decided to take it really easy.
Result: 6.2 miles in just over 57 minutes. Pace 9:07, HR 140.

That's as slow as I have run for a while but well within my recovery/easy run range. I am particualrly happy with it becuase this was my standar pace during marathon training last year but my typical HR for the speed would have been around 150 so I am obviuosly a bit fitter now.