It's now fun to run

rasher_m wrote: »

So you're doing just about 10k in 50 mins in training, very impressive!

Thanks! A 10k PB (currently 54.09) should be a formality next time out over that distance. Sub 50 should be on too but will wait and see closer to the time. Probably be May before next 10k.

How things going for you, any races planned?

rasher_m wrote: »

Yeah for sure.
I've lost my mojo a bit I have to say. I'm still ticking over but havn't been following Meno's plan really. I entered two races and didn't follow through with either. I will see if I can pick it up again and I might try the Raheny 5 in late January. Whats your plan next?

Raheny is one of those races that makes us country folk jealous we are so far from Dublin. At least your ticking over. Not as easy to get out these days as it was in the summer time. Helps if you have a target race or something to aim for.

Might do a 5 mile race on 6th of January if all is well at home. Have a few races in mind for next year March to May time so just trying to keep things going through the winter and see where I am at then. Won't be doing a marathon next year so will just keep an eye out for races locally that suit.

rasher_m wrote: »

Oh yeah your baby is due! Exciting times ahead. Is this your first?
Hasnt helped me having races to aim for, think I just got lazy after the marathon and need a good boot up the arse.

Its our second, our little girl is two so big change for her too!

Its probably been the best thing for me since the marathon because I reckon running could become challenging for a while with the new arrival so I was trying to get the 1,000 mile challenge out of the way. Only 6 more miles to go!!

Saturday 15th December

11.03 miles @ 9:46 mins/mile

This one was going grand up until mile 6. All of a sudden I noticed that my pace dropped a bit without any real drop in effort, keeps dropping through mile 7. Felt fine and legs felt ok, maybe a little heavy. Not sure what was the cause, reckon it was a mixture of body getting a little tired and then running form being all over the place. Pace got back to normal for mile 8 but when I finished this I was back at the start point and just stopped and thought about calling it at that. Decided to do another 2 miles to get into double figures but I was no more that a 100 metres away when I stopped again and was wallking back towards the house when that annoying little voice in my head started to make me feel guilty. I turned again and ended up doing another 3 miles. So in the end it was a decent run.


Weekly Summary| | | | |
No. Of Runs|Weeks Total|Average Pace|Monthly Total|Yearly Total|Current Weight
6|32.49| 9:24| 63.99 |1,013.4 |87.3|

Tuesday 18th December

5.05 miles @ 9:15

Off today so decided to start with a run. Was thinking of doing the session planned for tomorrow to get it out of the way but when I stepped outside it was quite frosty. Reckoned there could some icy patches so just headed off on an easy run. Stopped around 1 mile to exchange slippy notes with a fellow runner before we headed off in opposite directions. Roads were ok, slippy in some parts but nothing serious. Legs felt much better this morning.

rasher_m wrote: »

Thats great Dazza, I was thinking you were quiet this week.
Sounds like a good idea with the lunch breaks. Sure the mid week runs are mostly short so you shouldn't be out more than 40 mins most days.

Yeah reckon could get 5 easy miles in most days during lunch break. Only problem is lack of shower facilities at work. Might have to stockpile baby wipes, they seem to be the going recommendation. The mornings will come back again sometime just a matter of keeping things going in the meantime.

rasher_m wrote: »

Yeah, sure a wash at the sink and some deoderant will do the trick till you get home. Once your baby is in a routine you'll be back to normal again. I think most people manage that after about 6 weeks dont they?

Would be happy with 6 weeks, think it was in around that last time anyway.

Was up at an unruly hour this morning, involuntarily on this occasion, so doing bit of reflecting and goal setting. A summary of 2012:

2012 Summary | |
Month|No. Of Runs| Total Distance
January| 14 | 34.22
February|16| 46.21
March|16| 52.11
April|14|49.98
May|22| 95.18
June|17| 85.79
July| 18| 101.16
August| 17| 126.55
September| 18| 151.64
October| 16| 115.04
November| 21| 91.63
December| 16| 89.14
Totals 2012 | 205| 1,038.51


Done a total of 8 races in 2012 which doesnt seem much. Would have probably done more shorter races had I not have been training for DCM. There were definitely a few local ones that fell in Setember/October that I would have loved to do but didnt want to miss a long run in the lead up to the marathon. Current PB's:

Race Distance| Current PB| Race & Date Set| 2013 Goal
5k| 22:25| Letterkenny Turkey Trott 2/12/2012| 19:59
5 Mile| N/A| N/A| 37:59
10k| 54:19 | Strabane 10k 7/7/2012| 47:59
10 Mile | N/A| N/A| 1:19:59
Half Marathon| 2:06:46|DCM 2012 | 1:44:59
Marathon| 4:41:06 | DCM 2012| N/A


Have put in target times for the year ahead on the above table. Some of them are a bit lofty, the 5k one in particular. However, they are targets for the year ahead as a whole, the aim would be to lower the 5k time over the course of the year and hopefully come the end of the year I will either have got the time or be in the shape to get the time. Haven't done a 5 or 10 mile race before. Not that many of either about these parts too. Will only really have one shot at the 10 mile target and the will hopefully come in March in Bundoran so can't be too agressive with that target.

Having set the targets its just a matter now of working out how to get their. First task is to get back into the routine of clocking a good weekly mileage. Would like to be getting 30 - 40 miles in most weeks. Once I get that sort of base up I can give the speedwork a good again. Racing wise would like them to be a little more frequent. There is a 5k series locally in Feb/March so will give a couple of them a go. The Bundoran 10 Mile is on 9th March so that would be first goal race of 2013. Next one would be Northwest 10k in May. Reckon if I train for these type of distances it will improve all times. Can do some specific 5k training later on in the year depending on how things are going.

Other thing that needs to be worked on is weight. Always been an issue for me so nothing different for this new year. Had been coming down nicely over the last month but then the stop in running and festive indulgences have reversed some of the good work. Am at around 90.5 Kg at the moment. Reckon I probably was close to 108 this time last year so have a much better starting place. Would like to aim for another 10kg off this year. Plan to do it by a mixture of running and improved diet (i.e. eat a little less and replace junk with healthy alternatives).

career_move wrote: »

Nice new title Are you racing this week?

Thanks, probably be february before race again but not too bothered. Plenty of time for racing