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Berlin 2016: Back to Basics

TheRoadRunner

The last time I started a log it ended in disaster but I'll tempt fate and start one again. I kinda enjoy writing down what I've done/plan to do and the feed back I get so I'll give it another bash and we'll see how we go. Short term goals are Frank Duffy 10 mile, national half marathon. Ideally I'd love to run PBs for both but the Frank Duffy 10 miler is a tough cookie and I heard the route around where the half is to be run are undulating.

Once I get through them I'll decide whether or not to run the Dublin marathon. This will depend on how I'm running and also my work/home schedule.

My PBs to date are
5K 15:40 (2007)
4 miles 21.01 (2008)
5 mile 26.45 (2007)
8 mile 45.02 (2005/6 ?)
10 mile 56.10 (2007)
Half Marathon 75.20 (2008)
Marathon 2hrs 47 mins (2009)

This year has been a good one so far. I haven't ran any PBs but in the last 2-3 months I have been in touching distance of most of those listed above. Training this year hasn't been as intense as before. A lot of my running was easy. I ran 2.48 for a marathon in April and apart from a couple of races and tempos all my training running was very slow. What's more my 5k and 4 mile times were really good (21.15 and 16 minutes) which I was amazed at considering I hadn't done any real pace running to talk about. I have an excel sheet with all my running this year. I'll try and post a modified version in the next few days to show what I've done to date. Going forward mileage will vary from 50-65 miles per week. Anymore than this I generally pick up injuries.

I'm going to continue on as before but will try to get some more tempo stuff in the legs. If I feel it isn't agreeing with me I'll drop it and keep plodding instead. I'd rather be a little slower but injury free.

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Kurt Godel

TRR wrote: »

Kurt you are some prick. First off you give the novices abuse then you come in here and give an "elite" athlete like myelf some of your cranky ass attitude. I'd call you the C word if I wasn't such a gent

Sunday: 10 miles @ 6.35. Was 60-40 on for the run when I posted earlier, but the fact I couldn't find my ipod and the garmin appeared dead swung the balance of power only for the ipod to turn up and garmin to magically restart. There was an auld one waiting at a set of lights looking for help to cross the road, without stopping I managed to knock her over and rob her purse. F**k you kurt

As a compromise I promised myself two beers from the fridge. I'm off to chug them now.

You're guaranteed at least one "thanks" with that post:D
Enjoy the beers

TRR

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Sure he knew that when he wrote the post, its the obvious answer. I reckon he's already gone for the run, he'll be back soon with a post like "Well I decided against the pub, headed out for 6 quick miles, helped an old lady across the road when I was out there, amn't I great", the big jessie thanks whore.

Kurt you are some prick. First off you give the novices abuse then you come in here and give an "elite" athlete like myelf some of your cranky ass attitude. I'd call you the C word if I wasn't such a gent

Sunday: 10 miles @ 6.35. Was 60-40 on for the run when I posted earlier, but the fact I couldn't find my ipod and the garmin appeared dead swung the balance of power only for the ipod to turn up and garmin to magically restart. There was an auld one waiting at a set of lights looking for help to cross the road, without stopping I managed to knock her over and rob her purse. F**k you kurt

As a compromise I promised myself two beers from the fridge. I'm off to chug them now.

Krusty_Clown

drquirky wrote: »

There has to be a train to kick Krusty's ass in the Beer Mile

4:10 for a beer half mile? Sure that's sh1te. Stick it into MacMillan (you have to tick the 'with beer' check-box) and it extrapolates to 9 minutes and 45 seconds for the full mile. Sure, that's not even a Pisco Sour beating time (equivalent to an Oprah marathon (no offense Pisco!)).

Kurt Godel

drquirky wrote: »

Yeah was gonna say something similar. There has to be a train to kick Krusty's ass in the Beer Mile solution that would kill two birds with one stone here, no?

Sure he knew that when he wrote the post, its the obvious answer. I reckon he's already gone for the run, he'll be back soon with a post like "Well I decided against the pub, headed out for 6 quick miles, helped an old lady across the road when I was out there, amn't I great", the big jessie thanks whore.

drquirky

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Run to the pub and run home again after.

Yeah was gonna say something similar. There has to be a train to kick Krusty's ass in the Beer Mile solution that would kill two birds with one stone here, no?

Kurt Godel

Run to the pub and run home again after.

TRR

TRR wrote: »

Messy weekend ahead with little ones birthday so not sure how much or what kind of running I'll manage to fit in. I will fit something in though!

Rereading the last post this sounds terrible, what I meant was it would be tough to find time for a run. Saturday I was like Henry Hill from Goodfellas running around trying to get everything set for family birthday party

Fecking disaster with the BBQ between, gas bottle, gas connection and then the BBQ itself dying but it all worked out well in the end.

Saturday: 7 miles @ 6.19 pace. Had an hour to kill in the morning so got out then but had to be back showered and dressed to go pick up a cake. Anyway headed out and just ran by feel in the end. Initially the plan was to wear my new saucony A5s and do a hard 5k section but after 70 metres in the new flats I knew I was going to be in trouble if I ran hard in them. Legs a little tender and they have zero cushioning so back for a quick shoe change also decided to knock 5k session as felling a little pooped. Similar run to Thursday's in terms of route etc, just upped the pace as the miles ticked by but had to take the foot off for miles 6 and 7 as was starting to feel way too hard. I'm very happy in hindsight as this shows a hard 5k session would have been no benefit. Also happy I switched the shoes, 5 minutes down the road I was listening to my iPod and there is a snow patrol song I associate with the bout of shin splints I had before London 2009. That song came on and I took it as a little sign from the running gods that I had dodged a bullet.

I'm sitting here now waiting for the kids to fall asleep before heading out. I have 2 options

1) Do a run, I've been on my feet, climbing and bouncing on bouncy castles all day so I'm a bit tired and it isn't appealing.

2) Go to the pub. This is really appealing. Dying for a beer and a bit of craic but would mean missing a run and probably not feeling great tomorrow.

Decisions, decisions. Maybe I should put up a poll

TRR

Gringo78 wrote: »

Hey TRR, dissappointing to read that you haven't been getting proper support around here for your eating disorder. I for one am happy to hear that you are sorting the chronic weight problems out.

Yeah it's a disgrace. I'm looking for what my running friends call the convict look, that gauntness where you almost look ill, we also have other names for it that are related to terminal illness and are a bit insensitive so I'll let you use your own imagination!

Friday: 12+ miles @ 6.58. Feeling good on this one, had great company for the first 10 and had hoped to push it out to 14 but just didn't have the heart to keep going on own my own. Was also very very hungry and was dying to get back to my lunch.

Messy weekend ahead with little ones birthday so not sure how much or what kind of running I'll manage to fit in. I will fit something in though!

Gringo78

theboyblunder wrote: »

Hardly heavy either.....

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

2 lbs in a week is a serious amount of weight loss. I'd almost offer the (non-informed) opinion that it's too much

Hey TRR, dissappointing to read that you haven't been getting proper support around here for your eating disorder. I for one am happy to hear that you are sorting the chronic weight problems out.

Don't worry about the in-accuracy of the body fat % feature on your weighing scales. Up at the high figures of body fat that your scales are measuring, the error will be negligible.

Continue the good work and ignore the stares, you know in your own heart that you're tackling the problem, can't do any better than that.

BeepBeep67

I need to get some practise in for this beer mile, reckon the odds for this have taken a turn - cheers

TRR

Thursday: 7 miles @ 6.15 pace. Stuck for time as was working from home and forget the mrs was heading off this evening so did an unplanned progression/fartlek/tempo/run-how-I-feel/makey-uppy type run. Started off nice and slow and increased the pace gradually. Pretty enjoyable and nice and windy out there too!

TRR

Sunday and Monday: sweet FA, could have managed to get a run in on the Sunday but went for a beer and a dip in the pool instead. Was feeling mildly guilty but had said all along that I was going to take a few days off running so the guilt subsided.

Tuesday: 9 miles @ 7 minute pace. This felt ok, legs were really fresh and lower leg pain has gone thankfully. Have been getting a lot of leg cramps the last few days. Guess it's a result of rich food, beer and heat. Knock on effect is that my legs feels a little tender, calfs feel like they have minor tears in them after unlocking them from lots of nasty night time cramps.

Wednesday: 15 miles @ 7.10 pace. Grand easy run but was made a little tougher as I hadn't time to "fuel" properly and was hungry from mile 1. Legs still a little tender and I'm very stiff (in a non-sexual way digger). Have to up my stretching routine.

ecoli

TRR wrote: »

Just a quick poolside update from Spain

Friday: no running due to travel and beer, lots and lots of beer. The beer led to some shenanigans Saturday morning.

Saturday: after a good solid beer swigging session the subject of the beer mile came up. Some of the lads were intrigued by this most prestigious event so at 3am we decided to initiate the inaugural Calle beer km. The run consisted of running approximately 125 metres down the promenade a sharp turn around at a chair and back. I took the wise decision in insisting we used small 250 ml bottles of San Miguel as the official beer. Needless to say the attrition rate was massive. From a starting field of 7 only myself and another lad managed to finish. I had to walk the last 300 metres and just about held down the final bottle of beer. This training event has given me a new found respect for the beer mile. I probably won't go on the lash before it though

Starting to get worried now. Everyone seems to be putting in the work. What ever happened to living off natural talent:D

TRR

Just a quick poolside update from Spain

Friday: no running due to travel and beer, lots and lots of beer. The beer led to some shenanigans Saturday morning.

Saturday: after a good solid beer swigging session the subject of the beer mile came up. Some of the lads were intrigued by this most prestigious event so at 3am we decided to initiate the inaugural Calle beer km. The run consisted of running approximately 125 metres down the promenade a sharp turn around at a chair and back. I took the wise decision in insisting we used small 250 ml bottles of San Miguel as the official beer. Needless to say the attrition rate was massive. From a starting field of 7 only myself and another lad managed to finish. I had to walk the last 300 metres and just about held down the final bottle of beer. This training event has given me a new found respect for the beer mile. I probably won't go on the lash before it though

Saturday noon: 5 miles @ 6.40 pace. Super run along the coast. No beer involved.

TRR

RunningKing wrote: »

TRR - quick question - I see you ran (& done well in ) the Maynooth 10k last year - whats the course like? I believe its flat, but is there much on Grass/trail??

Thanks, that race has been in existence for 2 years and the course has been slightly different both years. The original course took in some of the trails around Carton house. They are lovely to run on although there is a nice climb around the 7k mark I think. Last year due to bad weather they avoided the trails and stayed on the road to Leixlip before doing a swift about turn and running back towards Carton and then we stayed on the road through. It finsihes on the avenue and the last 2k are a drag especially if the wind is blowing. Either way I'd say it's a enough fast course although last year would have been faster than the first year. It's a great race. They have a couple of runners involved in the organisation and the course measurement is good and the post race spread is spot on. Definitely recommend it.

RunningKing

TRR - quick question - I see you ran (& done well in

) the Maynooth 10k last year - whats the course like? I believe its flat, but is there much on Grass/trail??

TRR

blockic wrote: »

What would you like to be seeing yourself at weight wise on October 28th? Ideally...

I have a figure in my head but I don't know how realistic it is so I'm not going to say. I always thought 12 stone would be good for me but I think something well below that is the new target.

Listen at the end of the day if I run a PB in DCM weighing 17 stone I won't give a ****e. I'm all about the times but I realise weight is lined to that sadly!

blockic

TRR wrote: »

Yeah not exactly chubster McKenzie but I'm guessing most sub 2.30 marathon runners are lighter and have a lower body fat compositions than I currently have or have had in the past. No use me breaking my bollix training like a demon and undoing all the good work in the kitchen!

What would you like to be seeing yourself at weight wise on October 28th? Ideally...

TRR

theboyblunder wrote: »

Holy crap I was actually in an orange top yesterday :O

I don't think you are getting this, they are seriously stalking you. They are a very, very, very odd couple!

theboyblunder wrote: »

Hardly heavy either. sounds like you have it in hand....

Yeah not exactly chubster McKenzie but I'm guessing most sub 2.30 marathon runners are lighter and have a lower body fat compositions than I currently have or have had in the past. No use me breaking my bollix training like a demon and undoing all the good work in the kitchen!

theboyblunder

digger2d2 wrote: »

Slippery slope.....:eek::eek:

Take note TRR....

I bet Mrs Blunder didn't buy that nice orange top he was running in last night :D

Holy crap I was actually in an orange top yesterday :O

Ok look. Im a realist. We all know how this ends. ill head out for an easy 10k some saturday morning and my body will never be found.

All I ask is that before you two decide on a green light for 'operation human skinsuit' that you give me time to knock out a PB in the DCM.

Deal?

TRR wrote: »

6 foot 1 an weight just under 12 stone 2lb or ~77kg hardly light on my feet
;

Hardly heavy either. sounds like you have it in hand....

TRR

theboyblunder wrote: »

what do you weigh?

6 foot 1 an weight just under 12 stone 2lb or ~77kg hardly light on my feet

theboyblunder wrote: »

1. You are in PB shape so you cant be that chunky?

I'm not chunky but there is weight there that doesn't need to be and I've been losing weight without too much hardship lately so may as well try shift some more.

theboyblunder wrote: »

2. A proper marathon training cycle will have you down to whatever you should be at fairly quickly, so enjoy the pre-event training and the odd treat or 6. You only get one life. Cut the brownies and crisps out for the big event.

I haven't drastically changed my diet, cut out bread completely and still have a treat at coffee or in the evening after dinner. Have a sweet tooth so eating lots of high sugar fruit like grapes and pineapple.

theboyblunder wrote: »

3. Never, ever let your Mrs buy your clothes.

Agreed but there is no talking to her. In fairness she was at me a while to buy new jeans and I just didn't bother. I was too busy toting up the calories in my breakfast

Feck sake I'm coming across as being anorexic in these posts

digger2d2 wrote: »

Slippery slope.....:eek::eek:

I'll take your word for it. I heard your 3rd wife said you were an ungrateful bastard and would never shop for you again ;

digger2d2

TRR wrote: »

My wife bought me two new pairs of jeans last week

Slippery slope.....:eek::eek:

theboyblunder wrote: »

3. Never, ever let your Mrs buy your clothes.

Take note TRR....

I bet Mrs Blunder didn't buy that nice orange top he was running in last night

theboyblunder

what do you weigh? As KC says you look fairly thin in that pic

My thinking would be

1. You are in PB shape so you cant be that chunky?
2. A proper marathon training cycle will have you down to whatever you should be at fairly quickly, so enjoy the pre-event training and the odd treat or 6. You only get one life. Cut the brownies and crisps out for the big event.
3. Never, ever let your Mrs buy your clothes.

TRR

shels4ever wrote: »

Can you drop me over 2ltr of low fat milk this evening? nice little run for you.

You'd be better off getting the milk yourself.

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Don't mean to come across as a know-it-all (you've been doing this a lot longer (and faster) than me. Just thought I'd share my own recent experiences.

Cheers KC. I agree with most of that. I use Thursday as my one and only weigh in day. I'm taking a 5 month view so the data points will be well spread out. I also have a built in fat composition thingy in the scales. It's not 100% accurate but it acts as a good guide and when I see weight loss I also see decreases in body fat composition. I didn't lose anything last week (probably did but didn't see it on my weigh in day) so that 2lbs is over 2 weeks. My wife bought me two new pairs of jeans last week as she reckons I've no arse in the ones I was wearing, I've also had to make a new hole in the belt. I'm convinced it's body fat that I'm shifting and there is still a fair bit around the mid rift (although the abs are winking at me

)

ultraman1

TRR wrote: »

2lbs this week which is good going

have had bigger sh1tes,,,

Krusty_Clown

2 lbs in a week is a serious amount of weight loss. I'd almost offer the (non-informed) opinion that it's too much (unless you had a serious amount to lose, and judging by the photo in ecoli's log, doesn't look to be the case). One of the things I found when I was tracking my weight, was that it tended to bounce around from day to day, so you have to take a larger data sample to get a realistic view. Some of the things that helped me track it more accurately:

Weight yourself in the morning only, after your daily rituals/ablutions (you know what I mean) and after having drank 800ml water
Don't weight yourself when dehydrated (e.g. after beer the night before) or after a run - it just gives a false data point
If your weight is too low or too high ignore it. Weigh yourself the next day and the next, and if it's consistent, that's your weight.
You don't notice the weight loss until one day you realize none of your trousers fit you any more (on more than one occasion I accidentally put on my son's clothes and he's a very skinny 19 year old!).
When you run 100 miles in a week, you can eat whatever the fnck you want!
Weight-loss isn't linear. Given two weeks of the same exercise and diet, I reckon you could still lose/gain entirely different amounts of weight (though it defies the laws of physics!)

Don't mean to come across as a know-it-all (you've been doing this a lot longer (and faster) than me. Just thought I'd share my own recent experiences.

shels4ever

Can you drop me over 2ltr of low fat milk this evening? nice little run for you.

TRR

drquirky wrote: »

On a more serious note- do you think your diet actually has any real impact on your weight? It seems to me that just bumping up your training time/ intensity seems to do the trick, no? I find the weight starts to come off me as I get really consistent- at the same time my craving for ridiculous amounts of cake/ cookies/ pizza etc etc starts to increase as well...my inner fat boy just screams to get out!

No for me, it's all diet. I have a ridiculous greedy appetite at times. Training quantity is actually only at about 75% of my peak training. I've ran blocks of 80 mile weeks in the past and lost no weiight as I wasn't watching what I was eating!

Kurt Godel wrote: »

I tried to encourage you when you completed your 5k, but you never even thanked my post. What's the bloody point of posting, if not to collect thanks on your posts?

So feck you TRR you fat lazy alco, you couldn't even make the Olympics.

Sorry Kurt, I thought you were mocking me

By the way I made the Olympics as a spectator and some would say I'm a special Olympian!

Kurt Godel

TRR wrote: »

I'm expecting lots of people to come in here and tell me how inspiring I am etc etc but I guess you need to be 7 stone overweight to start off before you get any back slaps or kudos around here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I tried to encourage you when you completed your 5k, but you never even thanked my post. What's the bloody point of posting, if not to collect thanks on your posts?

So feck you TRR you fat lazy alco, you couldn't even make the Olympics.

drquirky

TRR wrote: »

I'm expecting lots of people to come in here and tell me how inspiring I am etc etc but I guess you need to be 7 stone overweight to start off before you get any back slaps or kudos around here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm actually in tears right now reading this, I'm so inspired....Have you consider ed becoming a "leader " for Operation Transformation next year? The whole nation could benefit from your efforts...

On a more serious note- do you think your diet actually has any real impact on your weight? It seems to me that just bumping up your training time/ intensity seems to do the trick, no? I find the weight starts to come off me as I get really consistent- at the same time my craving for ridiculous amounts of cake/ cookies/ pizza etc etc starts to increase as well...my inner fat boy just screams to get out!