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The Windy Road to Nowhere

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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Friday 7th June: 4 miles in 29:45 (7:26 pace)

    Took it nice and handy for this short run. Miles are ticking by nicely, so no need for anything speedy yet. I'll hopefully get in a long, tough 17 mile run tomorrow in Galway.

    I'd a couple of little niggles there about a week ago, but these seem to have all disappeared, bar one. I've an old toe injury, going back 14 years. Broke my big toe playing football when I was 17, it actually put an end to my modest enough GAA career, and seems to bother me once every so often. I wouldn't call it a pain, more just an awareness that there's a bit of an issue. Its one of those injuries that's never likely to actually go away, so as such, I don't think a rest is going to have any bearing on it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Saturday 8th June: 17.25 miles in 2:12 (7:39 pace)

    Scorching evening for a long run in the mountains in Connemara. Temperature was 25 degrees when I set off on this, with the tar on the road melting. Pace was pretty steady, and only in the tough miles up the mountains did the pace drop back to 8:00-8:15 for 3 or 4 of the miles. Total elevation gain of 1,200 feet on this run, with most of that in the space of 4 miles. I felt much stronger on the hills and in the heat than earlier in the week.

    Sunday 9th June: 2.25 miles in 23:30 (10:29 pace)
    Easy paced run pushing the buggy with RFR Jr.

    Monday 10th June: 9.25 miles in 68:20 (7:23 pace)
    I think this was more like 9.5 miles, the first half mile took me over 5 minutes apparently, and I defintely wasn't that slow. Came at the mountains from the other end for this run. When I got up the hills, I settled into a decent pace, and got 3 miles in at marathon pace, which felt great. Very tough to keep sustained pace with the up and down terrain, so I kept effort fairly steady.

    tuesday 11th June: 6 miles in 46:20 (7:43 avg pace)
    I felt very sluggish for the first mile of this, and didn't try to push it at all, after the tempo miles the previous day. Saying that, there was 200 feet of elevation gain in the first mile, and another 300 in the third mile, so pace really not important. Picked it up nicely on the tail end without really stretching myself.

    Wednesday 12th June: 2 miles in 19:40 (9:49 pace)
    Was pushing RFR Jnr and RFR #2 for this. I figure the combined handicap was about 5 stone, pushing them uphill. Good core workout, but was damn glad not to have to do much more than 2 miles with them.

    I was considering doing a 10 or 11 mile run this evening on the way home, but the weather was absolutely rotten and I was hungry so the chicken roll waiting for me won that little contest. I'll probably get out for something a bit longer tomorrow, maybe 11 or 12 if I get a chance. That'll be 21 days consecutive running, which is great considering I'd not done 21 days in total probably from March until Mid May. Mileage 2 weeks ago was 50 miles, last week was 60. I'll probably have a bit of a stepback week this week, back down to 50 or so, before hopefully pushing it on back up to 70 next week. Them's the plans anyway. It'll probably be hard to get over 70 comfortably without doing doubles. I'll see how it goes, I'd like to push it up to 80-100 for a couple of weeks, but whether that happens now or in July doesn't really matter. Very happy with how the first three weeks of base-building is going. Lots of miles, no injury problems, a few PMP miles, and warm weather training, which I think might be important.

    Race plans are still a bit up in the air. The 10k in Clogherhead I was thinking of is out for me, as I'll be at the Diamond League meeting in Birmingham that weekend. Not too bothered really, might try to fit in a 5k or 10k in July before the Louth T&F, where I'll likely do the 3,000m.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭pconn062


    Going good at the moment A, ticking over nicely. Must go for a long run when I get back from this injury, doing a bit of jogging this week so maybe next week some time.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    pconn062 wrote: »
    Going good at the moment A, ticking over nicely. Must go for a long run when I get back from this injury, doing a bit of jogging this week so maybe next week some time.

    Cheers pconn. Yeah, give us a shout whenever ye feel back to yourself, be good to catch up. Injury nearly better yet?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Thursday 13th June: 10.34 miles in 1:14 (7:10 avg pace)

    Put on the Green Silence for a change this morning. I've got to admit, they're a lovely runner for this length of a run. They beg you to run quickly in them.

    I was goin to do this run at the normal 7:30 pace, but between stopping and having a chat with my coach en route, and miscalculating the length of the run, I decided to move it on a bit. Threw in a couple of PMP miles from 7-8 miles, which was good. Was thinking over the course of this run that I should start doing maybe one interval session a week, or once a fortnight over the next while. Whilst the focus is definitely on mileage, I don't think one faster session a week would do any harm in the conditioning, and it'd definitely help out with the races I'll probably do in July/August.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭pconn062


    Thursday 13th June: 10.34 miles in 1:14 (7:10 avg pace)

    Put on the Green Silence for a change this morning. I've got to admit, they're a lovely runner for this length of a run. They beg you to run quickly in them.

    I was goin to do this run at the normal 7:30 pace, but between stopping and having a chat with my coach en route, and miscalculating the length of the run, I decided to move it on a bit. Threw in a couple of PMP miles from 7-8 miles, which was good. Was thinking over the course of this run that I should start doing maybe one interval session a week, or once a fortnight over the next while. Whilst the focus is definitely on mileage, I don't think one faster session a week would do any harm in the conditioning, and it'd definitely help out with the races I'll probably do in July/August.

    Calf is getting there, back doing a bit of running now, should be back next week. I think a session every one or two weeks is a good idea. You could do something specific, mile repeats maybe. DC had the lads doing mile repeats every week, 5-6x1 mile off 1 min recovery.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Yeah, I think I might do that on Wednesdays if I head in again. You'd be doing 200s or 400s now, is it? 800s, 1,000s or miles would be good, just to make sure I keep the speed. Probably catch up with ya either Sunday or next Wednesday if you're back and at it by then.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Friday 15th June: 6 miles in 39:50 (6:38 avg pace)

    Did 3.5 miles of this at tempo with a 1 mile warm-up, and then hill work on the last mile and a half.

    The splits were 6:50, 6:07, 6:33, 5:54, 7:01, 7:22.

    Happy with this run. The pace was fairly good. But mostly, happy with the pace on the last two miles going up the hills. Mile 5 of this run has 90 feet elevation gain, and mile 6 has 200 feet gain.

    Saturday 16th June: 3 miles in 22:15 (7:25 avg pace).

    Just a quick scoot around by the Popes Cross as I'd to be out of the house by 9 this morning. Legs felt a bit like jelly for the first half mile, but loosened up a bit after that.

    Will hopefully get out for about 13 or 14 miles today at some stage, to bring the weekly mileage up over 50 again. This was a step-back week, and the 50 miles added up really quickly. I'll try and get closer to 70 miles next week, with possibly some sort of a track session on Wednesday evening. I'll see what the other lads are doing, but I hear its mile repeats at the moment, which would suit grand.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Sunday 17th June: 13 miles in 1:34:30 (7:17 avg pace)

    Decent run this morning. Started off nice and easy, keeping the pace in around 7:30 the first few miles, upping it to 6:20s for 2 of the miles near the end. Kept the effort consistent on what was a hilly old route round Broomfield, Co. Meath, then back through Collon and Tinure. Loved the route, first time I've gone over that direction.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Monday 17th June: 13 miles in 1:33 (7:10 avg pace)

    Ate a big feed of spuds and sausages about an hour before this, so I set off quite tentatively for the first mile or two. Kept the pace in and around 7:25s for a good few miles, then down to 7 flat for miles 6 and 7, and quickened again to MP for 8 and 9. On the hills back up to the house, I kept it at just under 7 min/mile pace for 10, 11 and 12, with mile 13 in 7:12.

    Apart from the MP starting to feel more comfortable now, and 7:25 starting to become more like easy pace, I've consulted the chapter on the conditioning phase in Running with Lydiard. From what I'm reading from this chapter, the pace during the conditioning phase shouldn't be too slow. I know that Canova would have a lot of his elite athletes doing the majority of their mileage +- 10% of MP. So, I figure that the more mileage I can do between 6:20 and 6:50 pace, the better.

    I think this approach will work fine when I'm doing up to 80 miles per week. If I do a couple of weeks of between 80-100 miles, I think I'll have to be a bit more conservative, keeping the average closer to 7:30. I know last July, my body felt like it was on the very limit when I was doing 100-110 mile weeks at 7:35 avg pace.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Tuesday 18th June am: 5.75 miles in 41.20 (7.12 avg pace)

    Warm weather seems to have returned to us today. Managed to get this run done before it got really hot in the afternoon. Took it nice and easy on the first mile, then just ran by feel, not extending myself. Focused on hill springing on the last two miles, getting up on my toes.

    pm: 5 miles in 38:15 (7:40 avg pace)

    On the treadmill for this. Only opened one window, so was creating a very hot, humid atmosphere. Started at 12.2kmph and increased by 0.1 every 800 metres. Pace comfortable, but by the end of 5 miles, humidity was definitely getting to me.

    Not sure if I'll do the track work tomorrow. It really doesn't fit in with the conditioning work I'm doing at all. If I do do the session, I'll likely run the 4 miles in and out of the track, and do a little less than the other lads.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭pconn062


    I won't be at the track tomorrow A, going to do a light session on the grass tomorrow, might get in on Friday night if that suits you, although I think there's a 5k race in Drogheda on Friday night if that interested you. Drogheda and District organising it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Cheers PConn. Yeah, I think I'd be more interested in the 5k race to be honest. I'd only be heading into the track tomorrow to be sociable, but according to Lydiard's plans, its a big no no to be doing track work in the middle of this phase. Speed is getting into the legs fairly well at the moment, so mightn't jinx it by doing sessions until mid-July or so.

    Your recovery coming along well, delighted to see that. I'd say the enforced rest will do you good, you'll be back as strong if not stronger.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Wednesday 20th June: 10.5 miles in 1 hr 20 (7:39 avg pace)

    Kept things very slow and steady on this run back from Termonfeckin beach. Exploring more random roads I've not been up before, and enjoying the sunshine.

    Leaving the track work for another while, this week is looking like mileage will be fairly good, so was very intent on keeping the pace fairly easy today.

    Been looking to do some sort of a race over the next while, the 5 mile in the Park, Clogherhead 10k and Bettystown 10k are all out, as they're on the weekend I'm heading to the Diamond League meet in Birmingham. Noticed signs for a 12.5k run in Drogheda on 7th July, so will probably do that, as well as our own Dunleer 4 mile race on the 14th. The county T&F are sometime in there too, I think.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    Just discovered your log this evening RFR. I'm a fellow Chicago-bound boardsie so will be interesting to follow your training albeit I'll be aiming about 3:15 or so.
    A mate of mine (DukeofDromada) will be aiming for about 2:55 also so another one to add to your gang in Corral A!

    Best of luck with the training!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Good stuff Belcarra. Nice little crew of us heading over. That 2:50 target of mine isn't set in stone, it really is the limit of what I might be capable of, so one way or another, I'd say there'll be a lot of us finishing in the 2:50 - 3:15 bracket. I know the weather scuppered a lot of people's races in Chicago a couple of years back, and again 6 or 7 years ago, so I think its a sensible enough approach to have a range of targets given that possibility?

    What sort of training you doing yourself at the moment?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Thursday 20th June: Afternoon 5 miles in 41:20 (8.16 avg pace)
    Did this run pushing the young fella in the buggy. Good core workout, especially in the hills.

    Evening: 6 miles in 45:30 (7.25 avg pace)
    Did this run on the treadmill, starting off at 12.2km/h, increasing gradually up to 13.3. Felt much more comfortable in the hot, humid conditions.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    What sort of training you doing yourself at the moment?

    A bit of everything to be honest. :rolleyes:
    Next few weeks will be long and slow running for a long race in July and after that I'll be picking up a 12 week plan for Chicago and focusing on that then.
    I live here if you are interested in any of the detail.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Friday 21st June: 10.5 miles in 1:15:50 (7.13 avg pace)

    Tough enough old run this from the bridge over the Boyne in Slane, along the N2, then back up home. First couple of miles were tough, as the hill out of Slane is a toughie, but pace evened out quite well, and then threw in a few fast miles on the tail end of the run.
    I'd considered doing an evening run today, but this run was long enough, fast enough, and a bit late in the afternoon to make a second run today a bit pointless.
    Going to get out tomorrow for a few slower paced miles with one of the lads, before probably tackling a run of in and around 20 miles on Sunday.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Saturday 22nd June: 9 miles in 1:07:30 (7:30 avg pace)

    Legs were fairly stiff for the first couple of miles of this, but got into it after a bit. Miles went by nicely, with company from one of the lads for the run. Wind picked up quite a bit, but managed to get in before we got rained on.

    Was happy to keep the distance and speed relatively modest for today, with a fairly long one planned for tomorrow. I'll see how I'm feeling before committing to 20+ miles or leaving it at maybe 18. Will be having a few beers tonight, so that may also have an impact. One way or other, I'll definitely do 17 miles at least tomorrow to cap off what's been a very good week, mileage wise.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,370 ✭✭✭pconn062


    http://runnersconnect.net/coach-corner/base-training-running/

    Interesting article here on Lydiard base training phase and including workouts, thought it might interest you.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Cheers p,interesting article and I agree Witt it. Doing much more tempo and marathon paced miles in this phase than I was last year after rereading the relevant chapter.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Sunday 23rd June: 20 miles in 2:29 (7:27 avg pace)

    If I could have handpicked the worst possible day to do a point-to-point run going Northwards, then this would have been it. But, I'd committed to it by getting out've the car in Carrickmacross, with a lift organised in Clontibret, so there was nothing for it but battling on.

    The wind and rain drove into me for about 90% of this run. The first mile was probably the worst, with a long uphill section on the Carrick bypass, and stuff that felt like hailstones battering me. And I loved it. These are the sort of long runs I always feel toughen me up a bit, a real workout that stands to me in races.

    The route itself isn't a bad one. A few up and downs around Carrick, but good long flat sections around Castleblayney. Mile 1 took me 8:10, but got it down to 7:30 pace fairly rapidly. After Castleblayney, about halfway point, I started picking it up a bit, taking the pace down to 7:10. The old N2 from Blayney down to Clontibret is a quiet road these days, which was good after the heavier traffic. On mile 19, the wind started to die down a bit, so I decided to up the pace again. Didn't quite go down to marathon pace, but did mile 19 and 20 in about 6:40 apiece, so not far off. At this point, I saw my mother's car, about a mile before I'd expected, but the rain was starting to get heavier again, so cut the run short and jumped in the car.

    Delighted to get such a steady long run done in what were truely sh!tty conditions. The 7:10 and 7:20 pace felt very comfortable into the wind, and the legs turned over very well on the last couple of miles. I'd plenty left in the tank, so my endurance has definitely improved a lot since that 16 miler I did a few weeks back where I was in bits the last couple of miles. This took my mileage for the week up to 84. I'll possibly do two recovery runs tomorrow. I may not be able to push the mileage up from the 80s next week, but I'll feel confident of getting into the 90s or close to 100 some week before the end of this phase.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Monday 24th June: 6.75 miles in 53:40 (7:58 pace)

    Headed off pushing the young fella in the buggy for this, but decided after he nodded off to drop him back home as the legs were feeling very heavy. So, mile 1 was obviously a mess, taking over 10 minutes. Settled back into comfortable 7:20 - 7:40 pace for the rest of the run. The quads were fairly heavy after yesterdays exertions, which I expected.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Tuesday 25th June: 9.5 miles in 67:20 (7:06 avg pace)

    I was a bit wrecked heading out on this run after working in the garden a good bit of the day, but I felt good once I got going. Did 3.5 miles MP in the middle of it. Glad to get in a decent run, as I was falling asleep 20 minutes before I went out, so expectations were pretty low. Might do a bit of interval work tomorrow if the legs feel in any sort of shape.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Wednesday 26th June: 7.5 miles in 50:30 (6:44 avg pace)

    First time on the track in a good while. Was thinking of doing 800s, but when I got down, one of the other lads was planning mile repeats, so said I'd give them a go instead. The plan was to do them in 6 minutes apiece, but I suppose I had in my head that that should be the very slowest they possibly should be, so tried to aim for 5:50 - 5:55.

    The splits were as follows:
    5:53 / 5:50 / 5:45 / 5:51 / 5:47

    We did active recovery, one lap each time, very slowly, probably 2.5 minutes or so per lap. I don't like the idea of standing around for recoveries, and my partner was happy to do the jogging recovery, so it worked grand.

    The pace felt fairly comfortable, was huffing and puffing a bit on the last two laps of the 5th mile, but not slowing. Very happy with the session, as it was the first time in a good while I've done anything like this. I'll try and get in a run of 12+ miles tomorrow, as the mileage has dropped a fair bit this week.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    16 miles in 1:59:20 (7:27 avg pace)

    Headed out the door without any real plan of where or how far I was going to run for this one. Legs felt a bit heavy for a mile or two after the session lastnight, but was grand after a bit. Decided after 7 miles that I'd add an extra bit in that I thought would bring it up to about 15, but didn't really mind when I realised it'd be 16.

    Kept the pace very conservative. The fastest mile was 7:16, didn't want to do anything remotely fast, as I think the session and tempo work was enough speed mid-week.

    I'm toying with the idea of a 10k on Saturday morning. Obviously a 16 mile LSR 2 days beforehand isn't the ideal preparation, but I'll give it a good rattle anyway. My 10k PB is fairly soft at 38:15 or something like that, so would be interesting to see can I dip under that. Won't get too hung up on it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Friday 28th June: 5 miles in 39:00 (7:48 avg pace)

    Easy recovery miles on the treadmill, I think I'll do that 10k tomorrow morning. Not sure what i should be aiming for in it apart from something under 38, so I'll go out at that pace and see if there's anything more in the tank in the end.

    As I'll probably only do something around 10 miles at most on Sunday, i might try to do a couple of warm down miles tomorrow too.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Really only decided to do this race on a whim when I saw it advertised in the local paper on Thursday. The session the other night felt good, but the 16 mile LSR probably wasn't the smartest preparation for a race. Anyway, off I went to register at 10:30. Did a bit of a warmup for this, legs felt a bit stiff, but after a bit of stretching, felt relatively ok. Took a quick look around at the field, which looked a bit weak. Had a chat to a clubmate, and got ourselves lined up.

    I knew from the first half a mile that there was a good chance I'd just be racing myself in this, but nevertheless pushed it out fast for the first mile to just put distance between myself and the field. Mile 1: 5:53.
    Had a quick glance behind me at this point, and saw that there were three lads still in sight, so kept pushing it on to try and put more distance between us. The second mile was done in 5:57.

    Up until this point, the effort levels were low enough, but started having to work a bit harder to keep up the pace. Course was excellent in fairness, very flat, with a lead car in front of me, and plenty of marshals. Weather conditions were good, and I was feeling comfortable, so kept up the effort levels. Mile 3 and 4 in 5:56 and 5:58.

    During the 5th mile, the race came through Laytown village. Bit of dodging with cars, and a couple of turns. Really working now to keep up the pace, slipping to 6:03 for the 5th mile. Still though, this was under 30 minutes for the 5 miles, something I've only ever done once before. At this stage, it really was just me and the clock, and was starting to fade coming through Bettystown. Thankfully, the breeze that had been there on the warmup was now gone, and I was able to stay strong enough through the last mile, done in 6:04.

    Course measured slightly short, maybe 200 metres or so, but I broke the tape with the clock at 36:15. Average pace was 5:59 for the distance, which I'm delighted with. This was the first race I ever won, and finally, a 10k time that I feel matches up with my other times.

    Did a couple of miles warmdown and had the craic with a few people.

    Total: 8 miles with 10k in 36:15


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,643 ✭✭✭ThePiedPiper


    Sunday 30th June: 10 miles in 1:18 (7:51 avg pace)

    This was my first time in a while to be out running at 7 in the morning, and combined with the race effort the previous day, resulted in a very sluggish and slow start to this. Was running aimlessly around the streets of Birmingham, spent as much of my time avoiding broken bottles and various other evidence of what must've been a big night on the town for a lot of the city's youth!!

    Had a fantastic day after this at the Diamond League meet. Was great to be cheering on some legends of the sport, and see some really good racing. Irish participation was slim on the ground, with Laura Crowe, on pacing duties for the 1,500 I think, one of the only competitors.


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