The main thing is keeping the main thing, the main thing

Wednesday 18th: 5.25m @ 8:46 pace.

Although this was just a recovery run, delighted to have got it done as the weather was rotten and I really could have come up with a million excuses not to do it.

Also glad to see that AVB's sacking has had a positive impact at WHL

Friday 20th: 4.08 @ 8:31 pace - nice recovery run with the dog in Porterstown. Haven't ran with her as much this training cycle and possibly will only get 1 or 2 easy/recovery runs a week with her, if even that.

Sat 21st: 15m @ 7:53 pace.
Timed this well enough to avoid the rain, but the wind was still blowing in a lot of places - again down the PP.
Set out with the intention of doing a negative split run, with the 1st half done slower than last weeks run.
The 1st 7.5 miles were done @ 8:03 pace (felt much slower) - not too sure if I was tired from the run on Thursday, but the 1st half felt like a slog.
I took a large part of this run outside the park, down Conygnham Road, North Circular, Manor Street and back up by the old PP Racecourse and back in. The downside of doing that is that most of it is on concrete - need to watch that.

Took a gel and some water (1st time this cycle taking gels or water during a run) at the half way point and it was like an EPO shot (not that I know what an EPO shot is like, but you know what I mean) - done some quick miles (3m@7:15) at that stage and the legs felt strong.

Coming back up the North Road, the drag and the wind were making it a bit difficult and the pace dropped in the last 2 miles to 8:15's - the earlier quick miles, the PP hills & the wind taking their toll.
2nd half was 7.5 @ 7:42 (all inside PP)

Overall while I was tired on the run, I felt a lot of benefit in the 2nd half as the pace changed, it could have been an almighty slog had I have kept going for the full 15m at the one pace.

Just made it home before the heavens opened.

15.06 miles @ 7:53

Monday 23rd Dec: 3x(800/600/600) - 90 sec Rec / 3 min between sets - 5k Pace (5:50)

2.35 warm up jog down to PP.

Done the intervals on the Furze / O.Survey roads (the route of the Tom Brennan 5k).
Wind was blowing so some reps would be inconsistent.

Set 1:
Int Time Pace
800 2:58 5:57
600 2:06 5:43
600 2:10 5:52

Set 2
Int Time Pace
800 2:53 5:48
600 2:06 5:43
600 2:11 5:54

Set 3
Int Time Pace
800 2:55 5:52
600 2:08 5:47
600 2:09 5:49

A tough workout with the breeze blowing into your face on some reps.
Happy to have been within a few seconds of the planned pace on each rep.

Legs felt it on the last rep - don't think I'd have done another rep.

4.1m Jog back home (8:43 pace)

total miles: 11.49

career_move wrote: »

Great work RK

RK would've bailed on that workout.
Guy was such a loser

Tuesday 24th: Planned recovery run didn't happen.

Wednesday 25th: Planned rest day - looked after my carb loading, protein intake, iron levels and antioxidants.

Thursday 26th: 2x20 @ Marathon Tempo - (6:50 +/- 10 secs) - 8 min recovery

Was up and out by 10am for this one. Even though I didn't have breakfast, I cant say that I ran this on empty!

2.25m down to the P.Park - very slippy out so had to rethink my planned route for this.
Done the 1st MP part on the trails down the North road towards Garda HQ.

Knew this was being done a bit too fast, but went with it as it was downhill & it felt good.
Part of the trails was like a cross country run with the muck, others were rock hard. Seen a crowd on bikes take a tumble down the north road (about 7 of them came off fell)
Was coming past Garda HQ with about 2 mins of the 20 left and had to stop as the roads by the zoo were so slippy.

1st part: 18 mins @ 6.23 pace. (far too fast - but a different sort of tempo workout)

8 min recovery jog.

2nd M.tempo effort was up Chesterfield, turned at Furze, up O.Survey road and up to Farmleigh.
Felt much more controlled doing this, held the pace a lot better and felt strong up the drag.
Done 22 mins on this one to make up for the 2 mins lost earlier.

2nd Part: 22 mins @ 6:43 pace

2.2m jog back home.

Total: 11.04m @ 7:43 pace.

Monday 30th: 3x2k @ 10k pace (6:05ish) - 3min R

Up early (for someone still on their holidays) for this one, knew it was going to be tough after a weekend of yet more debauchery.

Very light breakfast and set off to PP.
2.35m warm up (inc some strides) to the O. Survey road and off on the 1st rep.
Found the pace after a couple of mins - tough into the wind, but grand when its on the back.
Rep 1 in 7:33 (6:06 pace)

Rep 2 was tough, a good portion of it into the wind & rain. During this one, I was thinking of leaving it at 2 reps - "sure 2 is grand" - "given the week that's in it" - "you've had a tough week" - "is that wine you can taste in your spit?" - all went through my head, well maybe not the last one :P
Rep 2 in 7:38 (6:10)

Set out on rep 3 with the intention just to finish it at whatever pace I could.
1st part into the wind, last half mile the wind at my back.
Found it incredibly tough at the start, but got into it by the end.
Slower, but not as slow as I feared.

Rep 3 in 7:46 (6.16)

If I wasn't on Boards, I'd have left it at 2 reps and not done the 3rd one.
Delighted to have got the 3 done - breaks a bit of a barrier with me and these types of longer interval repeats.

Jogged back home (2.3m) - great to get the run done before the family have even woken up.

total: 8.8m @ 7.41 ave

Here we go with the year in review,
Out with the old and in with the new.

I started 2013 with a lot of vigour,
Wanting to run more, and a lot quicker.

The year started well, with Tom Brennan 5k,
1st time meeting ‘real’ Boardsies, so what a great day.

The 1st few months were focused on short stuff,
No real training plans, just really off the cuff.

Then came 5k plans, park runs and the odd race,
My big mistake was the lack of aerobic base.

Race of the year was the fantastic Beer Mile
Pirates, Zombies and hookers? Brought on a smile.

The summer months brought some PB times
Maynooth 10k and the 5 miler…. (Dunboynes).

The Clontarf half, a sub 1:30 it was not,
The day ended up being very very hot.

Then the 10 miler, where I pipped CL,
She took her revenge, Athlone (1:27) was hell.

DCM training went well guided by Road Runner,
Then I got injured, it was a bit of a bummer.

4 weeks off, and then the year ended well,
An 18:11 PB at the Donore Jingle Bell.

In 2014, a Sub 3 attempt is the “main thing”,
Nothing else matters, for AuldManKing.

So thanks to you Boardsies, for supporting me
I wish you a great ’14, and many a PB!

The blurb on the plan says the the 'distance runs' ( the 5-7 milers) can be run at whatever pace you like. All depending on the way you feel.

That's said, I'm trying to have a hard/easy type of plan, so it helps.
Having the dog with me today did slow me down a lot, but I'll be doing a lot of these runs as recovery type runs.

Once the plan settles down a bit and I get used to it, I might run one of the distnce runs as an easy run.

Are u logging in your blog? Can u resend me the link?

TRR wrote: »

jesus quirky you're getting narkier as the year draws to a close, you need a new years resolution to be nicer

But you're right about recovery runs, a brisk recovery is not a recovery.

Relax lads, Belcarra is off a bit. The plan is flexible enough for recovery runs.
I've been doing them all as recoveries, following the hard/easy concept.
Plan is good.

The recovery runs/ easy runs call for:

" This is your typical daily run, which we suggest be three days per week for most people. The length and pace of your distance runs will vary from person to person and how you feel at the time. The distance runs in the schedule are the most flexible in terms of your training. If you're feeling tired, then cut back on the distance and pace of the run. Likewise, do the same if the weather conditions are poor. This day is a great day to do some alternate form of exercise if you cross-train. "