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If... the Unforgiving Minute

24567…27

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  • #32
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Up to this year I have done most of my sessions alone, even though I often trained at the same time as the other club members, I would do my own thing. The advantage of that is you get to set your own start times, target pace, distance and recovery intervals. The disadvantages of training alone I pointed out in earlier posts.

    This year I have tried to tie in with club sessions as I need the extra motivation and company so I did a hill session with the club again last Thursday. In this case I would have been better on my own.

    I was running late from work and only got there as the session was starting so I dropped back and took it easy for the first bit on the flat until I had warmed up. A few others were racing at the weekend so were taking it handy as well. Once I warmed up I felt good and pushed it a bit up the hills but it was not until the last hill that I really got going. No one else was on for an extra hill repeat so I let it go, not wanting to be the only one. If I was training alone I would have gone for it.

    Sunday was my long run, again 3 laps of the forest trail for 18.6 km. There was an inch or two of snow on the ground but it was soft and crunchy rather than slippy so no problems.
    Lap 1 was 30:07, HR 150.
    Lap 2 was 30:18, HR 152.
    Lap 3 was 29:19, HR 155.
    I pushed it a bit on the last lap but kept my form and only a small increase in HR. Pace is probably a bit quicker than I need for my LSR but I enjoyed it.

    I have been doing the push-up challenge but in my own way. I have not done them every day as you are supposed to, I just incorporated them into my usual core/strength routine. I used to do 20 push-ups every morning but I have stopped them since I started this so I can save my efforts. So far I am at 3x17 with 1 min rest, but today was a struggle.

    The last few times I did weighted squats I got knee pain so I have been taking a break from them. I have still been doing body-weight squats, both on 1 and 2 legs without any problems. But again today after 2x10 2-legged squats with just 20Kg, I had knee pain. I think my form is ok, so I will just stay off this exercise for a while, even though it's one of the best.

    Still planning my target 5K races for around Christmas. I have one in mind a few days before Christmas and another just after. Generally feeling confident now, but there is always a doubt. There is another winter league race this weekend - 2 miles on a forest trail. I know the route though it's not one of my regular ones. Not too worried about time, given the probable weather conditions but looking forward to pushing it a bit, good for the confidence.


  • #33
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Thursday was another hill session with the club, but this time I got the balance right. Did the first few with the group but when they went for a long warm-down, I went back and did a few more on my own. It's a long hill, about 600m with a flat bit in the middle, tried to push it a bit on the first uphill, relax on the flat and push again to finish. Did 4 sets, each about 2:50 with a jog back recovery of 4:30. There were a couple of icy bits in places but easy to avoid.

    Saturday was the 5th of the winter league, a two mile circuit of the woods. Getting there was as much of a challenge as the race and only about a third of runners the first race numbers made it there this week. There was one particularly dodgy hill about two miles from the start where a lot of people abandoned their cars and used the rest of the way to warm-up. I decided to drive down and made it in one piece - just let gravity take it's course. Fortunately it had thawed slightly on the way back so I was not stuck there for the day. It was great to see the organisers did not let a bit of snow and ice get in the way - we could all make our own decisions whether to run or not.

    The course started with a long uphill, followed by a sharp downhill then flat for over a mile back to the start. This time I started on my own 20 secs behind one of the bigger groups in the handicap. I pushed hard up the hill, trying to close the gap and just about catching them at the start of the flat. I had expended a bit too much energy so I hung with the group for a while, then started to pick them off one by one. Only one faster guy passed me and I tried to follow him for a while. The track was mostly clear of ice, except for a few places where it was safer to run on the edge. I think there were a few fallers but nothing serious.

    I finished in 11:40, 2nd or 3rd fastest and about 1/3 of the way back the field. The garmin distance was just under 1.9 miles, so the time is not as good as it looks but in the conditions, not bad. Next week is the last of the series and the same course again. It's been a good reintroduction to fast running again for me.

    Normally I do a long run at the weekend but after the race, I did not want to do another hard day, so today was a recovery run. I kept it really easy, about 7.4K in 41 mins with an average HR of 125, which is pretty good. I have not really been paying too much attention to HR zones recently because I expect they have been changing as I regain my fitness but I know this is good as my long runs are usually around 150 bpm. During yesterday's race my HR peaked at 217, not sure how reliable that is but I have often had them in that range before. I must try and work out my correct training zones again - I'll get another check of my max HR during next week's race and then I need to get my resting HR which in the past was 40-45. As I pointed out in another thread this week, I am not a typical candidate for the standard HR formulae.


  • #34
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    I have not really been doing very well at updating this log. I started with good intentions of updating every 2 or 3 days but now I am barely managing weekly. I guess you get as much back as you put into it, so at the moment there is not much in either direction.

    I had a couple of good sessions last week despite the icy conditions, 800m repeats on Tuesday on grass and another series of long hills on Thursday similar to the previous week.

    Anyway my main update was the last of the winter league races on Saturday - another 1.89 mile circuit of the woods. Conditions were perfect for running, crisp, bright, dry and no ice. It felt more like early Autumn than winter. The surroundings were beautiful too, but my mobile phone camera could not do it justice. The turn-out was better than the previous week but well down on some of the earlier races, so along with a worsening handicap, I started in the last group of two.

    I stuck with my partner for a while but let him get away as we caught up on some of the back markers, actually more like I could not hold on any longer. Last week I stuck with the next group for a while, but this time they were more strung out so I had to work a bit harder to pick them off. I finished in 11:15, second fastest and had passed out about 30 on the way. My time was about 25s better than last week, which even with the improved underfoot conditions, I was surprised with.

    The overall score for the series is the sum of the positions in each race with the lowest the winner. I finished in 7th, which was pretty good seeing as I did not really race the first two. Unfortunately I missed the prize giving and party that night as I had another Christmas commitment.

    Sunday was catch-up on Christmas and home duties, but I had still hoped to get an easy run in. However both of the former combined to thwart me. I first twisted my knee lifting the Christmas tree out of the back of the car but that was not too bad until I tried some kind of ballet movement in the kitchen, while turning to pick up a cookbook. Unfortunately my foot stayed static while the rest of my body twisted about my left knee joint. That rules me out of the Strictly Come Dancing final next weekend and if I am not careful a lot more as well. I did not yell out with the pain, it was more of a WTF did you do that for. Main lesson learnt was avoid household duties to prevent injury.

    Since then I have been icing and resting as much as possible, just did weights and core work Monday and avoided any strain on the knee. Today I decided to test it out. Plan was for a 6x400m session in around 1:15 with about 90s recovery, times as follows: 1:10, 1:13, 1:12, 1:13, 1:17, 1:16.
    Although the pace dropped off as I went through, it was a good speed workout. My knee started to hurt after the 3rd or 4th one but not so much as to make me want to stop. I have the ice pack on again now and tomorrow will really tell the state I am in. If it's not right I will ease back for a week or so. With more icy conditions promised from Thursday it might not be the worst time, although I have been happy not to allow the weather to get in the way of training over the last bad spell.

    Weather and fitness allowing I am planning to do a 5K next week, unfortunately it means dressing up in a Santa suit to do so but at least with the beard no one will recognise me.


  • #35
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Sometimes we can each get a bit obsessed with our running worlds and forget what is really important in life. Last Thursday, I had lots of excuses for not going running: a heavy snow was just starting to fall; I had a bad head-cold; my knee was still hurting. But I did not go because I needed to realign my priorities and running came third after family and work so I did that and without guilt.

    Long run today, on my usual wooded trail, in about six inches of snow, ok maybe it wasn't six but it was that soft powdery stuff that's really hard to run in. It felt like running on soft sand and going uphill felt like running up sand dunes. I found myself picking out the icy bits so I could get more traction going uphill. Plan was just to get a good long workout. Even though my heart rate was no higher than usual, my exertion level was definitely higher.

    Did three laps, each about 3.7 km as follows, so an average pace of just under 6 minutes per km or nearly 9.5 mins per mile !!:eek: I have never ran so slowly in my life.

    Lap1 21:58 HR 146
    Lap2 22:20 HR 139
    Lap3 21:11 HR 123 ?

    At one stage about halfway through the second lap I felt a sharp pain in my left leg. I could not even tell where it was coming from. It hurt from my ankle to my hip so this was not my usual knee problem. Something told me it was my ITB, even though I have never had a problem there. As I looked down at my leg I figured out what was going on. I was pronating something horrible. As my foot landed in the soft snow, it turned in and twisted my ankle, knee and hip. Obviously running in the snow was fecking up my mechanics something awful, though my right foot was doing better. Once I knew this was the problem I could do something about it, just by consiously working against it but it was tough going. The pain then eased. At the end I did a few strides on the road just to get my legs used to running normally again. Fortunately there seem to be no after effects. The rest of my runs in this soft snow will have to be on the road or somewhere its a bit more compacted.


  • #36
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    I posted a few photos of where I ran in this thread, here they are again:

    th_19122010072.jpg th_19122010071.jpg th_19122010069.jpg th_19122010070.jpg


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  • #37
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Planned an easy run, with a few strides if conditions and body felt up to it as a preparation for 5K Santa Run tomorrow.

    Decided to avoid the ankle deep snow on the trails and headed out on the local road where the snow was more compacted but not too slippy.

    Took ages to get properly warmed-up, I had plenty of layers on so I was warm enough but my breathing was laboured for about 2 miles until I got into the swing of things. I was beginning to think I had some sort of virus I was struggling so much.

    After that it went well, so did 4x400m strides a mile from home on a nice straight stretch.

    Found out later that the Santa Run was cancelled, no postponed until next week. It won't have quite the same effect after Christmas but I will go ahead anyway.

    The rest of this week will not be too strenuous, just keep things ticking over until the weather changes.


  • #38
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    I am not going to try and fill in what I have been up to for the last month but I will piece together bits of it as I go along. For now the story is I am healthy and running. I have done no races since I last logged but I have trained well.

    I seriously considered consigning this log to the wasteland of unfinished business that is the dregs of the training log forum but I missed having somewhere to record my thoughts about running.

    Today was a good long run. Three short laps of the woods with an extra hill loop in the middle for a neat figure of eight. The short laps are 3.7K with the feature hill about 2K to give a total of 17.4K.
    Lap 1 was 28 mins (including a pit stop and clothes drop) with HR of 146
    Lap 2 was 27 mins and HR of 158
    Lap 3 was 26 mins and HR of 155
    for an average 4:40 /km

    I tried to bound up the hills, up on my forefoot where possible and relax on the downhill concentrating on picking up my heels behind me.

    Before my boards sabbatical I posted my 2011 goals over on another thread:
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=69669493
    I had a third goal in there that I was keeping from myself but today I spoke it out loud for the first time so here they all are in technicolor:

    1. An injury free year.

    2. PBs at all distances from 1 mile to 10 miles:
    Distance| Current| Target
    1 mile| 5:28| 5:15
    5 K| 19:36| 19:00
    8 K| 34:12| 31:00
    10 K| 40:32| 40:00
    10 miles| --:--| 70:00

    3. Do the Warrior's Run

    #1 & #3 may be incompatible, if so #1 takes priority.


  • #39
    Itziger
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,053 ✭✭✭Itziger


    dna_leri wrote: »
    I am not going to try and fill in what I have been up to for the last month but I will piece together bits of it as I go along. For now the story is I am healthy and running. I have done no races since I last logged but I have trained well.

    I seriously considered consigning this log to the wasteland of unfinished business that is the dregs of the training log forum but I missed having somewhere to record my thoughts about running.

    Today was a good long run. Three short laps of the woods with an extra hill loop in the middle for a neat figure of eight. The short laps are 3.7K with the feature hill about 2K to give a total of 17.4K.
    Lap 1 was 28 mins (including a pit stop and clothes drop) with HR of 146
    Lap 2 was 27 mins and HR of 158
    Lap 3 was 26 mins and HR of 155
    for an average 4:40 /km

    I tried to bound up the hills, up on my forefoot where possible and relax on the downhill concentrating on picking up my heels behind me.

    Before my boards sabbatical I posted my 2011 goals over on another thread:
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=69669493
    I had a third goal in there that I was keeping from myself but today I spoke it out loud for the first time so here they all are in technicolor:

    1. An injury free year.

    2. PBs at all distances from 1 mile to 10 miles:
    Distance| Current| Target
    1 mile| 5:28| 5:15
    5 K| 19:36| 19:00
    8 K| 34:12| 31:00
    10 K| 40:32| 40:00
    10 miles| --:--| 70:00

    3. Do the Warrior's Run

    #1 & #3 may be incompatible, if so #1 takes priority.
    Heh, heh good stuff. But surely your 10 k and 10 mile targets should be 39.59 and 69.59 respectively. I also took a 20 year break from running though mine was complete and utter break. Where we differ is I haven't had knee surgery. Good luck for 2011.


  • #40
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Itziger wrote: »
    Heh, heh good stuff. But surely your 10 k and 10 mile targets should be 39.59 and 69.59 respectively. I also took a 20 year break from running though mine was complete and utter break. Where we differ is I haven't had knee surgery. Good luck for 2011.

    I think I'll be glad of the extra second when the time comes. Good luck with your comeback too.


  • #41
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Did good track session Tuesday with the club, again in the pouring rain. 8x400m in average 83s, starting at comfortable 90s and finishing in 78s with short jog recovery of about the same duration. I was not flat out and probably could have done a few more but that was enough as I knew the rest of the week would be stressful, but turned out better than expected.

    Occasionally as part of my job, I need to travel, usually within Europe and for only a few days. Normally it plays hell with my running. Typically I arrive late at night, I get something to eat, I work late preparing for the next day, I start work early in the morning, often work through lunch, rush to the airport, fly to Dublin, drive home, arrive exhausted in the early hours and struggle again the next day. This trip was much like that up until the point of flying home as there is only a flight from Luxembourg every second day. So with work finished I was back at my hotel before darkness, enough time for an easy run to explore my surroundings.

    I had already checked mapmyrun for suitable routes near my airport hotel and found nothing but a quick scan of google earth gave me some confidence that there were green areas nearby. So I headed out in that general direction just as a flurry of snow started. I had been to Luxembourg before and stayed in the city and never realised there was more to the principality than the city and it financial centre. I found a field behind an adjacent hotel with a bit of a dirt track around it. I considered doing a few laps but it was a bit muddy and I hoped for something better so continued on, keeping this in mind if I got stuck. I followed the road away from the airport and spotted a side road that looked promising, a bit of green area on one side and woodland on the other.

    I had my phone with Sports Tracker with me but I could get no GPS signal so I did not want to wander too far from the main routes. I had visions of going missing - "Irishman last seen leaving hotel in flourescent yellow jacket". The wooded area got thicker as I went on but still no obvious way in. Finally after about 20 mins, mostly downhill I found an entrance and a nice track leading back up the hill and into the forest - just what I hoped for. I was still uncertain of my surroundings, do they have bears in Luxembourg, probably not but those footprints in the sandy trail looked pretty big for a dog - a large hare or rabbit bounded out in front of me, alright chill, relax. Then out of nowhere another runner appeared from behind the trees - a multi-lingual nod and we continued at our own pace - mine about 5 min/km but still no GPS to prove it.

    The track went deeper into the forest - "I will turn back after the next bend" or "just another few minutes". After about 35 mins I joined a wider path that seemed to lead back in the direction of the airport according to my inner GPS. A bit further on I could see a clearing behind the trees - a golf course and civilisation - so I kept going eventually ending back up near the muddy field I passed back at the start. A few extra km to find a shop with water and I finished in about 53 mins, and an estimated 10 km. Brilliant.

    If I was not a runner, I would have spent that hour in front of the TV or on the hinternet. My flight is not until late morning so I have got to get in another run in the morning, this time I will know where I am going and head straight for the trail and deeper into the forest.


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  • #42
    Itziger
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,053 ✭✭✭Itziger


    dna_leri wrote: »
    Did good track session Tuesday with the club, again in the pouring rain. 8x400m in average 83s, starting at comfortable 90s and finishing in 78s with short jog recovery of about the same duration. I was not flat out and probably could have done a few more but that was enough as I knew the rest of the week would be stressful, but turned out better than expected.

    Occasionally as part of my job, I need to travel, usually within Europe and for only a few days. Normally it plays hell with my running. Typically I arrive late at night, I get something to eat, I work late preparing for the next day, I start work early in the morning, often work through lunch, rush to the airport, fly to Dublin, drive home, arrive exhausted in the early hours and struggle again the next day. This trip was much like that up until the point of flying home as there is only a flight from Luxembourg every second day. So with work finished I was back at my hotel before darkness, enough time for an easy run to explore my surroundings.

    I had already checked mapmyrun for suitable routes near my airport hotel and found nothing but a quick scan of google earth gave me some confidence that there were green areas nearby. So I headed out in that general direction just as a flurry of snow started. I had been to Luxembourg before and stayed in the city and never realised there was more to the principality than the city and it financial centre. I found a field behind an adjacent hotel with a bit of a dirt track around it. I considered doing a few laps but it was a bit muddy and I hoped for something better so continued on, keeping this in mind if I got stuck. I followed the road away from the airport and spotted a side road that looked promising, a bit of green area on one side and woodland on the other.

    I had my phone with Sports Tracker with me but I could get no GPS signal so I did not want to wander too far from the main routes. I had visions of going missing - "Irishman last seen leaving hotel in flourescent yellow jacket". The wooded area got thicker as I went on but still no obvious way in. Finally after about 20 mins, mostly downhill I found an entrance and a nice track leading back up the hill and into the forest - just what I hoped for. I was still uncertain of my surroundings, do they have bears in Luxembourg, probably not but those footprints in the sandy trail looked pretty big for a dog - a large hare or rabbit bounded out in front of me, alright chill, relax. Then out of nowhere another runner appeared from behind the trees - a multi-lingual nod and we continued at our own pace - mine about 5 min/km but still no GPS to prove it.

    The track went deeper into the forest - "I will turn back after the next bend" or "just another few minutes". After about 35 mins I joined a wider path that seemed to lead back in the direction of the airport according to my inner GPS. A bit further on I could see a clearing behind the trees - a golf course and civilisation - so I kept going eventually ending back up near the muddy field I passed back at the start. A few extra km to find a shop with water and I finished in about 53 mins, and an estimated 10 km. Brilliant.

    If I was not a runner, I would have spent that hour in front of the TV or on the hinternet. My flight is not until late morning so I have got to get in another run in the morning, this time I will know where I am going and head straight for the trail and deeper into the forest.
    Ah FFS, I'm in Lux and have been for 9 years. Coulda met up for a run with my first ever Boardie! Shame. PM me the next time you are over. Google the first 5 letters of my username.


  • #43
    Itziger
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,053 ✭✭✭Itziger


    Itziger wrote: »
    Ah FFS, I'm in Lux and have been for 9 years. Coulda met up for a run with my first ever Boardie! Shame. PM me the next time you are over. Google the first 5 letters of my username.
    Btw, I did a run near there this morning. That is what I call a coincidence. You were up around Kirchberg or airport evidently.


  • #44
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Itziger wrote: »
    Btw, I did a run near there this morning. That is what I call a coincidence. You were up around Kirchberg or airport evidently.

    That's gas, especially since you just posted here a few days ago. I stayed in a hotel right at the airport. I will give you a shout next time I am back.

    Got out for another run this morning just after dawn and went back along the same route. I followed the main path for about 20.5 mins and then came back in a bit less about 19:50 for an estimated 8 km.

    I don't usually run before breakfast so I savaged the breakfast buffet back at the hotel to set me up for the day. Back home now, nothing too hectic planned for the weekend.


  • #45
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Long run today, similar to last week - 3 figure 8 loops.

    Looked like a perfect day for a run but I turned back after a few hundred meters to get my hat and gloves. The cold wind was cutting through me.

    The first lap was 28:21 with HR 153. By then I had warmed up enough to discard my hat and gloves again. Second lap was 28:25 with HR 153 again. Pushed on the hills for the last lap in 26:28, though my HR only recorded 112 - something going wrong with my watch again.

    Total 17.4 km for an average 4:47 /km.


  • #46
    Itziger
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,053 ✭✭✭Itziger


    dna_leri wrote: »
    Long run today, similar to last week - 3 figure 8 loops.

    Looked like a perfect day for a run but I turned back after a few hundred meters to get my hat and gloves. The cold wind was cutting through me.

    The first lap was 28:21 with HR 153. By then I had warmed up enough to discard my hat and gloves again. Second lap was 28:25 with HR 153 again. Pushed on the hills for the last lap in 26:28, though my HR only recorded 112 - something going wrong with my watch again.

    Total 17.4 km for an average 4:47 /km.
    Similar pace that I do those type runs at. Did 14 the other day at 4.40 and 34 (!!) today at 5.08 or so. Not feeling too bad now.

    Must check your races for this year. There's a pancake flat half here at end of Sept. Route du Vin Half Marathon starts in a town called Remich down in the Moselle Valley. Got my pb of 1.28 there last year.


  • #47
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    I ran up a few steps at work without thinking on Monday and felt a twang in my knee again - seems I need to warm up before any kind of exercise now. I rested and iced on Monday night so I felt able for a session on Tuesday.

    I decided not to go on the track as I find it is more of a strain on my knee and also the Tuesday sessions have been 300's & 400's recently and I would prefer to be doing some longer stuff. 400's are great at mile pace but any slower and I don't feel the benefit, no matter how many I do.

    I hope to do a 5K in the coming weeks, providing I can arrange my work/life schedule so I planned 6x1K at sub-5K pace. Did a few sessions like this before my 5K PB over 2 years ago and find they are great for helping with pacing and getting used to running hard when tired. I guess that's what distance runners call speed endurance, though I find it hard to use that term for anything other than the last 100m of a 400m race.

    Hit the first one in 3:30 with HR 168, which was a bit fast so eased a little for the remainder in 3:34, 3:34, 3:35, 3:33 & 3:36 with average HR of 164 and a jog recovery of about 2 mins. The last one was tough but my knee held up well.

    Plan at the moment is a 5K in February; 10K in April; Warriors Run (14K) in August with a 10 mile before then.


  • #48
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Planned to do another hill session yesterday with the club, but with a few of them racing at the weekend and strong gales blowing, the vote was for a steady run instead.

    Did 3 laps of about 3.4 k. First one in 15:40 with HR of 150; then 15:51 in 162 bpm & 15:49 in 163. Felt faster than the average pace of 4:38 /km but maybe that was the wind affect.


  • #49
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Avoided steep hills on my long run as I am planning a 5K race next weekend, so went for the slightly longer flatter course in the same woods to make 18.6K. Conditions were soft underfoot but none of the rain that had been promised. Normally I do this run mid-morning after a good breakfast but this week it was early afternoon so there were a lot more walkers and dogs about, though nothing that gave me any problems this week. My stomach seemed to be out of sorts after the run, think it was just the change of timing and nothing more.

    First lap was 28:28 with HR 145, eased a little on the second in 29:01 and 149 bpm, finished with a consistent 28:58 and 145 for an average 4:39 min/km. Last time I did this route there was snow and ice so I can't really compare, though I know my previous laps were more around 30-31 mins. I try not to race my LSRs but I am doing them a little quicker. I generally feel comfortable at the time and tired afterwards which I think I should after a long run.

    Will do a mini-taper this week - nothing faster than 5K pace. Generally feeling tired so easing back for the week may help.


  • #50
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    dna_leri wrote: »
    Will do a mini-taper this week - nothing faster than 5K pace.

    Well, did not quite keep to that plan, unless I plan to knock a minute off my 5K time on Sunday.

    Joined the club for a session of 15x 400's last night. My plan was to do them in around 1:31 but ended up with an average 1:29 but I felt like I was keeping it steady. First one and last ones were a bit quick 1:25, 1:24 but the rest were within range - no real gasping for air or lactic in the legs. It was also good to get a feel of what that pace is like - 1:31 is 19 min 5K pace.

    The rest of the week will be easy, with a few strides thrown in at around 5K pace. Looking forward to Sunday's race now after being a bit race-shy for a while. Checked out last year's results, there were just 55 finishers with 12 under 20 mins, so there won't be much company and being able to pace myself will be important.

    Generally I start out a bit slow and try to finish well but if I am feeling good, I might allow a faster start (up to 6 min mile), hang in for the middle bit and then drive for the finish. The course is out and back and allegedly flat so I will be disappointed if I don't break my 19:36 PB from 2008 but it's my first race in over a year so I should just treat it as a season opener, knowing there will be more chances to push 19 mins later in the year. Also when I was out injured my plan was to be able to come back and run sub 20 min for 5K, so maybe I won't start that fast. We'll see.


  • #51
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Ran 18:52 and finished 3rd, well pleased. Race report will follow.


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  • #52
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    I picked this 5K race because it was not far from home and cheap and cheerful. I have decided not to run big commercial races, if at all possible. This was definitely not in this category, although it was run to make money for the local GAA team. The race started near the GAA pitch, down as far as the village, arund the community centre and back up to the pitch. There were only 20-30 runners and maybe 50 children and walkers who started after the run. A bit more advertising could easily have doubled their numbers.

    As we walked up to the start, I noted a couple of Mayo AC guys who I saw in the results from last year at around my target time. The rest of the runners were mostly the local GAA team. The first km was a slight downhill and three guys went off the front. I settled into a group, that included a guy who ran well in the masters XC last week and I hoped would make a good pacer. Hit the 1K marker at 3:41, a bit fast but it was downhill.

    Next one was 3:46 and by now the 3 guys up front had strung out in a line and a few of us were together in 4th. I started thinking about getting a good time (sub 19!) and maybe even a place. The start and finish were staggered so the turn at the hall was not the mid point, and I lost a bit of track on the time. Another guy started to come up on my shoulder and we dropped the others. I missed the 3K marker so I was not sure of pace but now we were racing not time trialling.

    With about 1 mile to go, he slowed and urged me to push on. I encouraged him to keep it going to the next km marker and we would then push to catch the third place guy who was about 70m ahead. Right on cue, the third placer turned and looked over his shoulder, he was slowing too.

    Apologies for the installments, life gets in the way.


  • #53
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    I checked my watch at the 4K mark, 7:55 for the last two km. I did not even look at the overall time. I looked up the road at the 3rd place guy, about 50m ahead and the last km uphill, I could catch him.

    I upped the pace, I was on my own now. It's not often at my level that you really get to race and if I had been just pushing for a sub-19 min time, I would have thought I can't do it. Half way up the hill I had halved the gap, I don't know if he had heard me coming. I went past him with about 300m to go, he did not respond. I kept it going to the finish. The last km was 3:29. Official time was 18:52. The winner was under 17 mins and 2nd sub 18, I think [correction winner 15:57, 2nd 17:28].

    I knew I had pushed it at the end but I was still standing on two legs. Walked and jogged to cool down and then into the dressing rooms for the tea, "hang samitches" and cake. I never drink tea at home, but after a race it's a great recovery drink. I got a Hilly reflective bib for my efforts but more than that, I got a PR by 44 secs, proof that I can run fast again, and a great race. Excellent value for my €10, especially when I compare to other race reports of big commercial events that can't even get the distance right.

    All of a sudden my other goals look achieveable now, maybe I can set a stretch target or two, but I won't lose the run of myself. A few easy runs to recover then back to the grind with extra confidence.


  • #54
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Been a while since I updated again.

    First week after my 5K race, I kept things easy so not much to report, nothing faster than 5 min/km. Took the time to enjoy my PB, check out my new training paces using McMillan calculator and consider what I did well in the run up to that race - peaked mileage 2 weeks before, eased off the hill runs and concentrated on 5K pace running in the week leading up to it.

    Plan now is to run a good 10K time in April. I have 2 races picked out, one local one early in the month where I will try to run a little within myself but come close to my 40:3x PB. Then a few weeks later, I will try the Carney 10K and go for a good time, even though I hear it's got a few hills.

    Key sessions between now and then are long run of about 18K, on hilly course at least every two weeks; Interval sessions of 1K or 400m on alternate weeks, trying to build up the volume especially on the 1Ks; hill repeats or steady run building up to tempo run. Work looks like being hectic during March so I will do well to stick to my schedule and flexibility will be required.

    This week started off in the busy vein, with a couple of 12 hour days on Monday and Wednesday so did not get to run with the club. Did my own session on Wednesday night on combination of grass and dirt track. Started with 4x300m off 40s on grass hill - plan was to be around 3K pace but was closer to 5K but given the surface and incline that was ok. After a full recovery, then 3x600m on flat grass at 5K pace, with short recoveries. Then finished with 2x1K at 10K pace on dirt track.

    Had some time off this morning so decided to fit in a steady run of 6K. I don't do much at this pace which should be 4:08 to 4:16 according to McMillan so I brought my phone with Sportstracker to keep an eye on my pace. After a good warm-up in the beautiful bright sunshine, I set off at what should be a steady pace.

    After the first 1K, I checked my phone 4:11 pace, good but this was tougher than I expected. After the second km, I knew something was wrong. I had misread my pace, I looked at the "live" pace not the km split so I had gone out a lot faster than plan. I eased a little for the third and then just continued by effort and HR rather than clock watching. In the end the splits were: 3:39, 3:48, 4:10, 3:59, 3:46, 3:53 , which meant I ran the first 5K in 19:22 :eek: and averaged 3:52 (HR 167, max 200) which is faster than I should even do my tempos. Although I felt tired after, I also felt great, hopefully I don't pay the price in the coming days. Will plan not to push it on my long run Sunday.


  • #55
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Kept it easy on my long run today - I could still feel Friday's exertions in my legs.

    First 6.3 km in 29 mins with HR av 150 bpm.
    Second lap in 29:51 with HR 157
    Third lap 30:30 with HR 152
    Total 18.6 km in av pace 4:48

    Three weeks ago I was doing 28:49 per lap with HR down at 145, but no panic.

    Plan a session of 1K's on Tuesday, but expect I will have to work late Thursday so it might be Friday before I get in my hill session this week.


  • #56
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Did my 1K reps on my own last night on the dirt path near the track. My 2 previous sessions like this were 6x1K in 4mins with 1:30+ recovery and 6x1K in average 3:34 with 2mins+ recovery. General plan for this phase is to run them every second week at 10K pace, increase the volume and reduce the recovery.

    After the first one, I checked my watch 3:16 - it did not feel that fast, my watch must have been acting up, again. Jogged back about 200m in 1:30 to complete the loop and went on to do 8 reps. Average time (excluding first one) was 3:50 with recovery at 1:32. HR average during reps was 156 with 145 bpm during recovery, which is lower than previous attempts.

    I finished feeling that I could have done another one or two. I will get it up to 10 reps over the next few weeks, the biggest problem is getting enough time for a longer session.


  • #57
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Around this time last year, I injured myself doing some plyos after a speed session. I rested for a bit then two days later I drove for five hours to Nenagh and the following day went out and did a 300m session, making my injury worse. I have a memory of sitting on the sofa afterwards with an ice-pack on my swollen knee watching United v's Liverpool - only consolation was united won. End result I was out for 6 months and still have not 100% recovered.

    Last Friday, I went out and did a Lydiard type hill session (like the plyos, something new for me). The session involves bounding up a log steep hill, jogging to recover at the top, running smoothly downhill followed by a couple of strides before repeating. I did 8 circuits. I knew they would be stressful on my knee but I wanted to see how I would hold up, especially as I planned to do the warriors run later this year. I handled the session ok, but felt a few twinges later on.

    The next day I drove to Nenagh for the Connaught indoors, as a parent /spectator, not competitor. Then Sunday I did my usual long run - 3 laps of 6.2 km, lap times were 29:00, 29:12, 30:04. Not as consistent as I would have liked but all within target range. Each lap was a bit faster than previous Sunday, HR was an average 142, nearly 10 bpm down on last week.

    Knee was a bit stiff and a little sore, so I iced it afterwards, watching the United - Liverpool game, except this time the scousers won, not quite deja vu.

    Tuesday, I went to the track to do a 400m session with the club as I had missed a few recently. In my absence the session had changed to a 300m interval instead but no problem. I had company for the first few and we kept in consistently between 63-65s. After that I was on my own for a few and the times wandered a bit but kept it between 60 & 65s, with the last of 18 a tough 58s. I did a similar session of 18x300m in average 63s back at the end of November with average recovery of just over 1.5 mins, this time the recoveries were under 45s - good result ! Knee was complaining afterwards, so more icing.

    Today, I had some time off work so I got in a tempo session in the windy daylight. Plan was for two laps of 3.7km in about 4 min /km pace, so 14:48 per lap. First lap was 14:09 (HR 163), the second was a tougher 14:16 (HR still 163) to give an average 3:50 pace. Not bad, though probably a bit fast. Knee much the same, bit of a twinge in the other achilles also.

    Overall I think I have set myself back by a few months on my knee injury from last week's exertions but it's not affecting my running, yet. I will rest for a few days now until my long run Sunday. If it is not improved, I will stay off the hills that I planned for then too.


  • #58
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    There's another log on here called something like: "a runners log... patience and consistency", sometimes I wish I had a bit more of that.

    Long run today, so planned 3 laps to do 18.6 km as I have done for the last two weeks, no big hills after my experiences last week.
    First lap was 28:49, then 29:24 - all similar to last week. Then I began thinking "why do I do 18.6K, I really should go on and make it a nice round 20K".

    I got all varieties of weather for the first two laps under the heading sunny spells and scattered showers which does not sound too bad, except the showers were hail or freezing rain. As I headed off on the third lap the weather was looking up again and so was my running brain. I think somewhere in there, there is a hill-runner trying to get out. What really got me going was a group of walkers heading off a path up the hills, if they could do it why couldn't I.

    So I took a diversion and included a nice steep hill to make the 20K+ -my longest run ever. Came down the hill at a fair clip too, feeling good about myself, and no serious after effects.

    Average HR was 148, apparently.

    Plan for this week was for easy running only but who knows - God grant me patience and consistency.


  • #59
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Kept it easy this week as planned. Then did some weights work Saturday but even that caused some twinges in my left knee (also my right hamstring). I have not done much weights in the last few weeks as I felt they were doing me more harm than good and I think this proves it.

    Did a similar long run today as last week. First two laps were in 58:38, average 29:19 each, HR 160 (?!). Then got my phone with sports-tracker to check the distance for the third which included the same uphill as last week. turns out it's less than 1k each way to give a total of 8 km for the third lap and 20.4 K for the full run, so I get a bonus 400m more than I thought last week.

    I tried to keep a steady pace uphill, which is just over 100m verticallly - does that mean it's a 1 in 10 climb, I think so - and then relax on the downhill, but staying in control. I must admit it's the most enjoyable part of my run. As I had my phone with me, I stopped to get a few photos, the best of which is attached.
    152276.jpg

    It was a lovely day for a run, warm with a few light showers to cool me down at times. No real injury problems afterwards so the rest of the week is back to my usual routine I hope, intervals on the track Tuesday and hill repeats or tempo run Thursday amd an easy run here and there...


  • #60
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    Stuck pretty much to the plan for this week - weather has been fantastic, it's worth being a runner just for these good spring days as we quickly forget the dark cold days of winter.

    Key sessions were Tuesday's 300m intervals and Thursday's hill session.

    300's started out a bit slower with the group at average 71" for the first 6 or 7 with 55" sec recovery. The club had a photographer from Irish Runner in so he wanted to get some group shots - so maybe I'll get my 5 secs of fame in the next edition. I then pushed on a bit averaging 63" for the next 11 with 43" recovery, which is about the same as two weeks ago.

    Found a new route Thursday with the club. Started out at the racecourse with one steady lap (2.25 km) in 10:41, then headed up to the woods and after a bit a faffing about for the photographer again, we did 2x figure 8 loops of about 2.25 km in 11:26 & 11:54. There is a good steep hill in the middle of the figure 8 loop that had me up on my toes. I thought my effort was stronger on the second loop but the numbers say otherwise. Headed back down to the racecourse for a couple more laps in 10:50 & 10:30. A good long session that I will look forward to trying again.

    I will get a long run in on Sunday, then back to the 1K intervals Tuesday. Work is busy at the end of the week, so I am not sure when I will fit in my second session but with this good weather and longer days next week, I have fewer excuses.


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  • #61
    dna_leri
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,623 ✭✭✭dna_leri


    I had planned a run up Knocknarae around St Patrick's Day to see if I was up for the warriors' run later in the year but postponed the recce when I had some knee problems. So under the cover of taking the family out for a walk, I headed up that way yesterday. The first thing that struck me I drove up the Glen Road was just how steep and long that is. I had expected the mountain stage to be the challenge but I had under-estimated the first road stage.

    We walked up the tourist trail as the race goes over private ground on the uphill and then comes down via the public route. The first thing that struck me was just how uneven the path is. Was it always that bad or has there been more erosion over the last years? Also there are some fairly steep sections that would be impossible (for me) on a fast downhill. I believe the race uphill section is softer underfoot but no easier. The flat part around the cairn must be a relief before heading back down.

    Mrs Leri and the dna jrs (aged 9 & 12) found it tough going. When I told them I was thinking of doing a race there later in the year, I was warned that it was very dangerous and probably should not do it. The 12-year-old even went as far as to say he would hide my runners before the race to prevent me doing myself an injury! He is usually true to his word so I will have to take a pre-emptive action and hide my racing pair myself before he gets to them. I will go back for a proper recce run in May before I submit my entry. I can see choice of runners will be important, especially if it's wet on the day but maybe I will just wear whatever is not taken from me.

    After my hill run Thursday and my hike yesterday, I decided to stay on relatively level ground for my long run today. To make up for it, I planned a fast finish in my third lap of 3x6.2K
    Lap1 was 28:24 and HR 148 average, 4:34 pace
    Lap2 was 29:02 and HR 144 average, 4:41 pace
    Lap3 was 26:37 and HR 153 average, 4:17 pace
    I tried to visualise the last lap as the final road stage of the warriors' run when I am feeling tired, so happy to be able to pick up the pace after an hour of running. I added on an extra cool down mile to make up to 20K


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