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Timber!!

overpronator

As you may have guessed from the title this thread is going to be my training log!

Bad jokes out of the way I have found the training logs on here to be both extremely educational and motivational. Furthermore they brought home to me what required to properly improve and the work people put in to do that, I have great admiration for many posters on here and hopefully with chat and feedback through this thread I can improve bit by bit.

About me, I'm a 30 year old male with a pretty sedentary job. In the past I played GAA at a good, sometimes very good level but succumbed to injury and more accurately apathy and pints in my early to mid twenties. The most exercise I got over a 5 year period consisted of five a side a couple of times a week thinking that was keeping me fit, the usual nonsense.

I started running properly about 18 months ago when I "trained" for the Irish runner 5 miler in the park. That involved going up there once or twice a week for the 3 weeks before the race and tearing around the course as fast as I could:). That progressed to the remaining races in the race series where through the graduates 2012 thread I picked up some basics, got some long runs in and got myself around DCM12 just under the 4 hour mark at 3.54

Last year I got more structured and followed a Hal Higdon type plan for the Limerick marathon. I had a tough day finishing in 3.36 blowing up around 20 miles chasing 3.30. I did the race series again last summer and followed a Hybrid plan of P&D which I supplemented with Meno's midweek long MP sessions in place of VO2 max workouts for the last 5 weeks and got around in a comfortable 3.26.

My current PB's are

5k 19.48
10k 41.00
10 Mile 68.45
Half 1.34.03
Marathon 3.26.51

The goals for this year however ambitious, were (and still are) a sub 40 10k and a sub 1.30 half.
The little matter of the London Marathon 2014 has gotten in the way of specifically focusing on these goals. I hadn't intended on doing a Spring Marathon this year but myself and my GF got offered a spot so I couldn't turn it down really.
I'm currently following the 12 week P&D plan up to 55 miles and have been just doing slow base building for the month before the plan started. I will follow the structure of the plan quite closely but will add more mileage depending on how I feel but will again supplement some of the VO2 max workouts at the end with longer marathon specific efforts as I think it was these sessions from Meno's graduates plan last summer that made the difference for me in DCM 13.

From my PBs its clear that my endurance isn't really where it should be yet so hopefully another marathon cycle with more fast finish long runs, sessions Ive never really gotten to grips with will help with that.
Ill post again later with a summary of what ive been up to for the last 3 or so weeks, hopefully this log will keep me more active on here for feedback as im sporadic enough when it comes to posting but love to lurk!

Comments, feedback and general slagging welcome.

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overpronator

Lovely easy 7 miler in and around the phoenix park at dusk this evening, 8.20 ish pace. It's great to be be back running in the park after work, no nicer place to be.

overpronator

Session last night was 5x1K at 5k pace off 2 mins active recovery.

I've only ever run a couple of parkruns and the last one was nearly a year ago so 5K pace isn't something I'm familiar with. The goal was to keep the first one under 3:50 mins and go from there. They went

3.45 (6.03)
3.47 (6.06)
3.42 (5.59)
3.40 (5.56)
3.27 (5.35)

The first number is time/km and the number in brackets is the pace/mile as that's the only reference to pace that I really understand! I really enjoyed this session, it felt fairly controlled apart from the last rep which I went hard on. Aside from one session of 800s last year I've never really done any speedwork before so its something that hopefully ill be able to do alot more of over the summer months.

BeepBeep67

overpronator wrote: »

The first number is time/km and the number in brackets is the pace/mile as that's the only reference to pace that I really understand! I really enjoyed this session, it felt fairly controlled apart from the last rep which I went hard on. Aside from one session of 800s last year I've never really done any speedwork before so its something that hopefully ill be able to do alot more of over the summer months.

TMI :P
Glad you're finding the training stimulating!

Gavlor

So that's where the log title came from!!

overpronator

Poor choice of words alright, it took me a second to see where I'd went "awry". Not a euphemism!

overpronator

I finished out last week with a 12 mile MLR at a very easy pace as the legs were a bit tired from the "hard" 1k repeats the day before!
Saturday was a 22 mile long run and I ran this at a decent effort. The first 7 were easy, around 8.30 pace, the next 6 I ran steady, somewhere around 7.50-8.05 min pace for the 6 , this fluctuated a bit with the terrain and a mile up the khyber hill in the park slowed me a bit. Then from miles 14-20 I hit for a wee bit quicker than marathon pace, paces for these miles were (7.25, 7.27, 7.24, 7.14, 7.15,7.03, 7.06). I ran the last 2 miles home easy as a warmdown. This was a nice confidence boosting run and I felt good on it, but it was tough on the legs as my calfs were both fairly bruised the next morning which hasn't happened before. I managed a slow shuffly recovery run Sunday and they felt alot better afterwards so hopefully nothing too serious.
The days are ticking by now so hopefully I can keep it between the ditches for the next few weeks!

career_move

That was a mighty run on Saturday - fingers crossed everything goes well for you on the day!

overpronator

Last night was an easy windy 7 miles, this was an ignore the watch and keep it easy job. My legs felt really weird and I just couldn't get my stride going, id say I looked something similar to the camel below!

Tonight was 4X1200m off 2 minutes rest, the reps went

4.41 (6.15)
4.27 (5.57)
4.32 (6.03)
4.27 (5.57)

I found this difficult and I probably should have done a few strides to loosen up as the legs felt heavy on the first rep. I was glad to get going for the final three and they would all have been sub 6 minute mile pace but for about 50 deer which got in my way at the end of rep 3, inconsiderate pricks! My own fault for doing sessions on the path along the acres road and magazine fort in the phoenix park in almost complete darkness!

overpronator

12 mile Mlr around 8.20 pace I think on Thursday, felt wrecked all day before it but as soon as I got going I was loving it which was a nice surprise. Postponed a recovery run last night and today's final 20 miler as I can start to feel a head cold kicking in, I'll see how I am tomorrow but I really want to get this one in to round off this block.

overpronator

Got an easy 5 in last night and a steady enough 20 in today, 53 for the week. Tough going and glad that's the last 20. Taper time!

yaboya1

Have you decided on your final target for London?
3:10-3:15?

overpronator

That's a good question and one I havent made my mind up on, I think 3.10 is out of the question, I think I'd need to be running faster over the half and have a higher weekly average to go after that. I do think I'm in the shape to run under 3.20 so I'll probably run the first 10k at 3.19 pace and assess it from there. I'm very wary of blowing up and have suffered cramps in the 3 marathons I've done so far so that's at the forefront of my thinking at the minute! I want to get to 20 miles and be able to really go for it .

BeepBeep67

Is Mrs O recovered enough to run?

overpronator

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Is Mrs O recovered enough to run?

Yep, she knocked out a 22 miler yesterday so its all systems go for her. It was looking dodgy for a while but thankfully she's managed a few solid weeks and feels good.

overpronator

8 miles last night with 5x600 off 1.30 active recovery thrown in. I did these up on the acres road/magazine fort lap in the phoenix park. Splits were

2.06 (5.33)
2.10 (5.43)
2.10 (5.44)
2.08 (5.36)
2.07 (5.34)

I stupidly went too fast in the first one and paid for it a bit over the next two into the wind but I got my act together for the final two to finish out the session. Its just a 4 mile recovery run tonight thankfully to shake this one off.

The plan calls for an 8-10k tune up race this weekend, the day before a 16mile LR. I wouldn't back myself to recover too well from a race as I'm creaking a wee bit at this stage, even a park run might be pushing it I think. Would anyone have any suggestions for a session for Thursday or Friday night before a 16 mile long run at the weekend? Would something like a 5 mile tempo or maybe 10-12 miles @MP be worth it? I don't want to run the risk of going comatose in these final taper weeks.

overpronator

Quick update, I took a couple of days off at the end of last week as the legs were in fairly bad shape which needed some rest and foam rolling but the 16 miler on Saturday went well and I felt strong with the days off either side of it.
Monday I did eight miles easy, this felt fairly good as after a couple of miles of ignoring the watch as I tend to do on these runs I looked down and surprisingly was moving at marathon pace without much effort so I kept it going for six miles, a nice run but we will see see how I go over 26!
Last night was the last speed session before the big day, 3x1 mile. I did these up on the acres road lap in the phoenix park again, paces were 6.05, 6.01, 5.54 with a few miles warm up before and cool down for a 9 mile session.
It's all easy running from here on in apart from a couple miles at MP next midweek. Training has gone pretty well I think with over 600 miles in the tank after I do 12 at the weekend. Starting to get a bit nervous now if I'm honest!

Beef

What's the target for London?

overpronator

Beef wrote: »

What's the target for London?

My pb from DCM 13 is 3.26 and this was a fairly controlled run on a good day for me. I think I'm capable of running under 3.20 if my legs play ball, I've suffered with cramps in all 3 of my previous marathons so anything could happen!

yaboya1

overpronator wrote: »

My pb from DCM 13 is 3.26 and this was a fairly controlled run on a good day for me. I think I'm capable of running under 3.20 if my legs play ball, I've suffered with cramps in all 3 of my previous marathons so anything could happen!

You're definitely capable of 3:20. I followed the same plan as you for Seville in February and ran 3:08. The times you're hitting in training are very similar to mine, especially the last two VO2 Max sessions.

Good luck!

overpronator

yaboya1 wrote: »

You're definitely capable of 3:20. I followed the same plan as you for Seville in February and ran 3:08. The times you're hitting in training are very similar to mine, especially the last two VO2 Max sessions.

Good luck!

I followed your log alright and your performance in Seville was fantastic, I think you nailed a much faster half time to me so I think I'm still a long long way back from you overall! I toyed with the idea of 3.15 but ill hopefully be going under 3.20 pace by 18 miles and if I have anything left Ill get stuck in from there.

overpronator

Last double digit run yesterday, 12 miles really easy, felt like crap but that's in the water around here these days!

Gavlor

overpronator wrote: »

Last double digit run yesterday, 12 miles really easy, felt like crap but that's in the water around here these days!

There'd be something wrong if you were flying!! save it for the day. That's what I'm telling myself anyway

overpronator

6 miles easy last night 8.20, very much keeping a lid on the pace as marathon pace seems to just fall out of the legs right now even though they're still feeling heavy and slow! tick tock tick tock

career_move

overpronator wrote: »

6 miles easy last night 8.20, very much keeping a lid on the pace as marathon pace seems to just fall out of the legs right now even though they're still feeling heavy and slow! tick tock tick tock

That's a good sign! Best of luck

overpronator

career_move wrote: »

That's a good sign! Best of luck

Cheers CM, it'll probably be a different story by 20 miles !!

Beef

Best of luck on Sunday overpronator. Can't wait to see how you fare out!

career_move

overpronator wrote: »

Cheers CM, it'll probably be a different story by 20 miles !!

Keep your mind focused and your legs will follow

statss

do you wanna post your number so we can track you? I think you might break my PB pf 3.17. give it socks.

overpronator

statss wrote: »

do you wanna post your number so we can track you? I think you might break my PB pf 3.17. give it socks.

Yep its 55096, I think I'm in that kinda ballpark alright Statss but would be very happy with sub 3.20, so hopefully the legs hold up for me! Im gonna get stuck in, give it all I have and most importantly enjoy the experience come what may.

yaboya1

Very best of luck on Sunday.
I'll be tracking you along with all of the others