mad about running

sun 8th dec
Belleek woods 10k
49.20
Broke the sub 50 mark which was my goal for 2013.
A nice but demanding 10k and very well organised.
Happy days

SamforMayo wrote: »

Well done John, I did it in 50.11, disappointed as I got under 50 min in Belmullet and I felt I ran better on Sunday and am familiar with Beleek. Nice run though and soup after was the ticket!

In fairness it was a tough enough course. I found the last 3k through the woods very tough.

SamforMayo wrote: »

I loved the bit through the woods but I would do a lot of my long runs there, for some strange reason I thought the finish line was back up at the club so should have ran harder earlier!

A few people got caught out by that alrite. Very well organised though plenty of marshals and tea and soap afterwards was very welcome. Any races planned for new year?

irish_bhoy82 wrote: »

Congrats on the sub 50 min time. I'm an on off runner myself done a handful of events early last year but got the bug back again and been training the past 6 weeks for Tuam 8km on the 19th of January.
I done 2 10kms last year one 53.10 mins and the other 52.50 sec. I done an adventure duathlon then and then I just stopped in mid April. I hope this time to keep it up. Your blog has been very helpful as my target would be to break the 50 min mark as well this year. Ive done 2 half marathons in the past(my best time being 2hrs and 5 seconds) but I find them very time consuming training wise and cant see myself doing another one. Focusing this year on 5km, 8km and 10kms. and some duathlons. Best of Luck with your Goals folks.

thanx for the reply. Best of luck with your own goals.You should set up a training log on here. I found i really focused my training since i started one

i have being laid low all week with a chest infection so hoping to get out 2morro for a run.weather has been **** though so dont feel too bad for not running as i probably would have struggled to get out anyway

Mon 30th dec
4miles 36.40 9.10/m

Goals for 2014.

10k. I would love to run a sub 45 10k before the end of 2014 but would seetle for a sub 47. I dont think i have the pace for a sub 45 but if i can structure a training plan then you never know.

Half Marathon.

The goal here to complete a half marathon in under 2 hrs. If i ran a sub 1.50 i would be delighted.

Full Marathon.

Would love to do Dublin this year. A sub 4 hr would be brilliant but to just complete it would be enough on my first attempt.

Below is half marathon training plan that i am considering doing.

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FIRST Half Marathon Training Plan

If you're looking to run a half-marathon this year, we have the perfect training program for you. The best part? You only have to run three days a week.

By Dave Kuehls


Published February 7, 2006



Last August we published a three-day-a-week marathon-training program developed by researchers Bill Pierce and Scott Murr called the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training program, or FIRST plan. After 16 weeks on this no-frills program, 13 veteran marathoners improved on their most recent times by an average of almost 20 minutes at the December 2004 Kiawah Island Marathon in South Carolina.

Three months ago, at the 2005 edition of Kiawah,17 more FIRST graduates--veteran marathoners all--took on the 26.2 miles once again, and 14 of them ran PRs.

Frankly, that's all the proof we needed that this program works. And not just for the marathon. With Pierce's help, we came up with a three-day-a-week half-marathon program that's just as good as the original--maybe even better.


As with the original marathon plan, this program includes eight essential principles. They are:

One. You can follow it without a lot of hassle. Thanks to the relatively low mileage the plan requires, your risk of overtraining and burnout is lower. It's also a program that will teach you a solid, positive, life-long approach to running.

Two. You run just three days a week. And each run--speed, tempo, long--has a specific purpose. The speedwork makes you faster; the tempo run raises your lactate threshold, enabling you to hold a faster pace during the half; and the long run increases your endurance.

Three. You run a variety of speedwork: 400s, 800s, and 1600-meter repeats. And make no mistake about it: There is real speed in these speed sessions, so run them with a fast friend.

Four. You do your tempo run--from two miles to eight miles--at faster than normal training pace, or 15 seconds faster than your targeted half-marathon pace.

Five. You gradually build up your long run to 12 miles, not the 20 needed for the marathon. And you do those long runs at a slightly faster pace than you would do on a normal long run.

Six. You cross-train twice a week. Easily at first, but as you get more fit, you raise the intensity, which will make you fitter.

Seven. You're asked not to train or race through pain or a slew of missed workouts due to sickness or busy times at work. Pierce believes if outside forces keep you from training consistently, you should reschedule your race when you have time to train.

Eight. You taper for two weeks (not the three needed for the marathon). This will ensure that you step up to the starting line rested, injury-free, and ready to reach your goal time.

But does all this translate to the half-marathon? "Definitely," says Pierce. In fact, he says, this program is a great fit for the half-marathon, because you don't need as much endurance to run a half.

Finally, we're going to tailor this program specifically to your goal finish time. That way, all you have to do is run three days a week at the exact paces prescribed.

To get started, use the formula below to determine your half-marathon goal time. Then plug in the paces for the three workouts each week.




Picking Your Goal Time




Use your current race results to determine your half-marathon race pace, then check out the chart below to find your corresponding goal time.




To find your half-marathon mile pace (HMP) and goal time, take either your…




1) Current 5-K mile pace and add 35 seconds per mile for your HMP and goal time (see chart below).


2) Current 10-K mile pace and add 20 seconds per mile for your HMP.


3) Current marathon mile pace and subtract 20 seconds per mile for your HMP.


Note: If you don't have a current PR for any of the above, simply go to the track or a well-marked flat trail or road and run three miles as fast as you can. Then use the corresponding formula from number 1 above to find your half-marathon per mile pace and goal time.


The Training Runs

This half-marathon program includes three time-targeted runs each week. On Tuesday, speedwork. On Thursday, a tempo run. On Saturday or Sunday, the long run. (More on what to do the rest of the week later.)

Since you'll be running only three days a week, these runs might be faster than you're used to, maybe a lot faster. But don't fret. This is because each run serves a purpose--mainly, to make you fitter and faster for your race. "I have trained a lot of runners using these formulas and they have been able to meet the training standards just fine," says Pierce. "The emphasis on intensity for these three sessions provides the runner with stimulation, both physiological and psychological, associated with hard efforts."

Speedwork:
The plan uses three distances--400, 800, and 1600--which should be done on a track or well-measured flat trail. Warm up with a 20-minute jog and cool down after your session with a 10-minute jog. This helps prevent muscle strains, and will keep your legs fresh for the next session.

Sample Speedwork:
20-minute jog. 8 x 400 (at pace specified) with a two-minute recovery jog in between each. Cool down with a 10-minute jog.

Speedwork Times:
400s--HMP, minus 75 seconds, divided by 4
800s--HMP, minus 65 seconds, divided by 2
1600s--HMP, minus 45 seconds
For example, a runner who is targeting a 1:30 half-marathon would be running at a 6:52-per-mile pace. Their 400s would be run at 6:52 minus 75 seconds (5:37), and divided by 4, or 84 seconds.

Tempo Runs:
The tempo run does two key things for you: "It enables the runner to keep running at a faster pace," says Pierce. "And it also trains the runner to keep running beyond his or her comfort zone, which is what a runner must do in a race." The key here is a good relaxed warmup jog, then a gradual shift into your tempo pace, followed by a relaxed cooldown jog. Do tempo runs on a well-marked trail or stretch of road to avoid the monotony of the track.

Sample Tempo Run: Jog 10 minutes. Four mile tempo. Jog 10 minutes.

Tempo Pace: HMP minus 15 seconds.
For example, our 1:30 half-marathoner would perform his tempo run in 6:37.

Long Runs:
Without the strong, steady, endurance-boosting long run, speed workouts and tempo runs would gradually wear you down. Start at seven miles and work up to 12, which is short enough not to warrant extended recovery, but long enough to give you that all-important "mileage confidence" for race day.

Sample Long Run: 10 miles

Long Run Pace: HMP + 30 seconds per mile
For example, our 1:30 half-marathoner would run his long run at 7:22 per mile.

Other Days: Take one day a week off. "Two or three days a week, cross-train for 30 to 40 minutes, gradually upping the intensity of that swim or bike as you get fitter and your ability to recover from the runs improves," says Pierce.

The Plan




WeekTuesdayWednesdaySat/Sun WEEK 1. 4x400 3-mile tempo 6-mile long run. WEEK 2. 4x800 4-mile tempo 8-mile long run. WEEK3. 3x1600 5-mile tempo 10-mile long run. WEEK 4. 6x400 6-mile tempo 6-mile long run. WEEK 5. 3x1600 4-mile tempo 10-mile long run. WEEK6. 4x800 8-mile tempo 8-mile long run. WEEK7. 6x400 6-mile tempo 10-mile long run. WEEK 8. 4x1600 8-mile tempo 12-mile long run. WEEK 9. 3x800 3-mile tempo 6-mile long run. WEEK 10.4x400 2-mile tempo Half Marathon.

Wed 1st jan 2014
4 miles 35.50 8.57/mile
Just went out to log miles and didnt take much notice of pace,

Sat 4th jan 2014
2 mile fast paced session.
Done a 1 mile warmup and had intended to do the 2 mile session at about 8.20\mile pace which would be the pace i would be planning to do as part of my half marathon plan. But i settled in a faster pace early on of between 7.40/mile and 7.20/mile. I hit the mile marker in 7.32/mile which surprised me as i was travelling comfortably. At about 1.3 miles done the pace had dropped to about 7.50/mile to 8.00/mile but i quickened over the last third of the mile up to a pace of 7.00/mile and hit the 2 mile mark in 7.40 which gave me an overall time of 15.12 and an average pace of 7.35/mile. Delighted with this as i hadnt planned it. Its probably no harm if i did 2 of these sessions per month along with the half marathon tempo sessions as i will certainly help to improve my 10k time. I have a LSR planned for the morning with 2 running buddies so its great to be grtting out again after missing nearly 3 weeks.;)

Tues 7th jan
3 miles
Kept no time on this just got out and ran. Lovely night for a run.

Wed 8th jan
1 hour circuit training

fri 10th jan
1hour circuit training

mon 13th jan
10k LSR
56.00 average pace 5.35/k
Had intended to run this at a slower pace of about 5.50 to 6.00/k but locked into a faster pace earlier on and ran it comfortably.

21th jan
8k 50mins
started back with the local club and just kept it steady as there was people with different abilities so we all just stuck together.enjoyed it all the same as its great to be back training with the group

thurs 23th
5k tempo 25.10
started with a 5.25 k increased pace all the way and finished with a 4.40 k
average pace 5.09/k

fri 24th jan
1hr circuit training

SamforMayo wrote: »

Hi john , 5 km in cross Molina on feb 22 if your interested. Is Ballina your club? My young fella started athletics there last week and I might join too? Wouldn't make it every week is it worth joining?

Ballina is my club. i can only manage 1 evening a week due to work .they cater for all levels. Mention it to them when ur down next time.will try and make that 5k

Wed 29th jan
5k
No time kept.Forgot to charge the watch.

Fri 31st jan
5k 26.40 pace 5.20/k
Started this with a first k of 5.40 and finished with a k of 4.40. increased pace all the time. Just really logging miles these days but will probably start a 10k training plan in the next week or 2 in the lead up to my first 10k of this year that i am planning to do in early march. Feeling an awful lot stronger these days.Probably a lot to do with have lost half a stone since xmas and plenty of strength training. Plan to lose another half stone and get downto just under 12 stone. :cool: