Last Year of My Twenties (C25K and Beyond)

Hannibal Smith · 07-05-2014 10:09PM

Do you mind if ask you how you 'cracked' the breathing? I started thr couch to 5k last Jan ..but because I didn't have a timer or earphones I ditched the plan and just started using landmarks like lampposts etc. In November I ran a 10k in 58 mins

Im still here a year and a half later and I'm still trundling along. Though I push myself to go faster each time, I cant to 10k without stopping to catch my breath after 5-7k.

Any tips you could pass on would be great!

SeanPuddin · 07-05-2014 10:43PM

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

Do you mind if ask you how you 'cracked' the breathing? I started thr couch to 5k last Jan ..but because I didn't have a timer or earphones I ditched the plan and just started using landmarks like lampposts etc. In November I ran a 10k in 58 mins

Im still here a year and a half later and I'm still trundling along. Though I push myself to go faster each time, I cant to 10k without stopping to catch my breath after 5-7k.

Any tips you could pass on would be great!

That's a good question. Please take this response sensibly, I have a similiar 10K time.

I think there are two points to 'cracking' it; Slow down and then consistency.

Slow down
90% of your runs should be a nice oul plod. I have a few mates at an extreme level of fitness that have told me from day 1 to slow down. Any time I asked them for advice I got the same line with emphasis on slowness. It wrecked my head now that I think of it.

There are no pacing guidelines just slow down. I've heard you should be able to maintain a conversation, but I found even then you can slow down more. The pump should be barely ticking over. Your calves should tell you when to stop not your lungs.

I often ran at 7 min/km and yes it's soul destroying.

Consistency
Get out and do this pace as often as you can. 4, 5, 6, 7 times a week. Plod. Obviously speeding up now and again helps but make this slow pace your goal. Study your heart rate. Keep it low and increase the kms.

Cracking It
For me everything came together when I could come from breathlessness or threshold back to recovery without walking. I was able to judge my pace and slow down to a point of recovery. I'll never forget that feeling, I felt I could run forever.

While I apologise that all sounds a bit self-helpy I can't think of a better way of explaining it. Analyse your running history and see if it ever matched the above.

Ososlo · 07-05-2014 10:46PM

SeanPuddin wrote: »

That's a good question. Please take this response sensibly, I have a similiar 10K time.

I think there are two points to 'cracking' it; Slow down and then consistency.

Slow down
90% of your runs should be a nice oul plod. I have a few mates at an extreme level of fitness that have told me from day 1 to slow down. Any time I asked them for advice I got the same line with emphasis on slowness. It wrecked my head now that I think of it.

There are no pacing guidelines just slow down. I've heard you should be able to maintain a conversation, but I found even then you can slow down more. The pump should be barely ticking over. Your calves should tell you when to stop not your lungs.

I often ran at 7 min/km and yes it's soul destroying.

Consistency
Get out and do this pace as often as you can. 4, 5, 6, 7 times a week. Plod. Obviously speeding up now and again helps but make this slow pace your goal. Study your heart rate. Keep it low and increase the kms.

Cracking It
For me everything came together when I could come from breathlessness or threshold back to recovery without walking. I was able to judge my pace and slow down to a point of recovery. I'll never forget that feeling, I felt I could run forever.

While I apologise that all sounds a bit self-helpy I can't think of a better way of explaining it. Analyse your running history and see if it ever matched the above.

you explained that really well Sean. Fancy a job on the novices' thread?:D Looks like you've really 'cracked it'!

SeanPuddin · 07-05-2014 11:01PM

Ososlo wrote: »

you explained that really well Sean. Fancy a job on the novices' thread?:D Looks like you've really 'cracked it'!

I have enough jobs at the moment!

When I waffle, I more than likely am drinking copious amounts of wine, going bottle for bottle with the young fella.

martyboy48 · 08-05-2014 12:25AM

SeanPuddin wrote: »

Thanks Sam I'd like to think so too. Roll on next week!

You're going well Sean. On next weeks race, do you have profile of the course?? I'm not around to do it but any race I did around there had a few hills in it so at least you're getting used to them now

That hill in Loughrea was tough alright, the legs were crying out for a rest...
Good luck next week, I'm sure you'll do well again

SeanPuddin · 08-05-2014 12:40AM

I did the Maree 8K back in February, very hilly and exposed to high wind. Thankfully the course is different.

Profile (I may have this backwards again)

Looks good to me, think there's room to improve on my time certainly.

Hannibal Smith · 08-05-2014 06:33AM

SeanPuddin wrote: »

That's a good question. Please take this response sensibly, I have a similiar 10K time.

I think there are two points to 'cracking' it; Slow down and then consistency.

Slow down
90% of your runs should be a nice oul plod. I have a few mates at an extreme level of fitness that have told me from day 1 to slow down. Any time I asked them for advice I got the same line with emphasis on slowness. It wrecked my head now that I think of it.

There are no pacing guidelines just slow down. I've heard you should be able to maintain a conversation, but I found even then you can slow down more. The pump should be barely ticking over. Your calves should tell you when to stop not your lungs.

I often ran at 7 min/km and yes it's soul destroying.

Consistency
Get out and do this pace as often as you can. 4, 5, 6, 7 times a week. Plod. Obviously speeding up now and again helps but make this slow pace your goal. Study your heart rate. Keep it low and increase the kms.

Cracking It
For me everything came together when I could come from breathlessness or threshold back to recovery without walking. I was able to judge my pace and slow down to a point of recovery. I'll never forget that feeling, I felt I could run forever.

While I apologise that all sounds a bit self-helpy I can't think of a better way of explaining it. Analyse your running history and see if it ever matched the above.

Thanks for the reply seanpuddin. It really does make sense and usually I stop because there's nothing left in the tank...I dunno is it lungs or legs lol.

I was grand plodding along but after googling etc I read I was supposed to speed up my 5k so my 10k slow down is faster lol so i been trying to speed them both up...maybe that's the problem. Maybe I need to slow down.

Thanks for the advice!

SeanPuddin · 08-05-2014 08:35AM

Try keeping the heart rate under 130 and see how you get on. If you're going too slow and you're bored it's about right.

Hannibal Smith · 08-05-2014 11:23AM

SeanPuddin wrote: »

Try keeping the heart rate under 130 and see how you get on. If you're going too slow and you're bored it's about right.

Okay...will keep an eye. ..thanks again. Good luck with your 8k next week!

SamforMayo · 08-05-2014 09:25PM

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

Thanks for the reply seanpuddin. It really does make sense and usually I stop because there's nothing left in the tank...I dunno is it lungs or legs lol.

I was grand plodding along but after googling etc I read I was supposed to speed up my 5k so my 10k slow down is faster lol so i been trying to speed them both up...maybe that's the problem. Maybe I need to slow down.

Thanks for the advice!

Definitely slow it down. Your times will start to fall naturally as you begin to run further and with more consistency. Then you can start introducing a bit of speed. Good luck, stick with it and it will get easier.

SeanPuddin · 08-05-2014 09:30PM

Thursday 8th
35 minutes recovery run at 6:15min/km avg. Wrecked and I have a niggle in my right shin. So that's that another day off and I'll put in the runs this weekend.

SeanPuddin · 11-05-2014 09:31PM

Friday 9th
Went out for a LSR as I thought the niggle was gone. Quickly turned into a recovery run. Shortly after it turned to misery, luckily I wasn't too far from the car. Right leg is in rag order. 6km done.

Had great intentions to go to the first Galway parkrun, maybe next week. Might even give the Maree 5K a miss

martyboy48 · 11-05-2014 11:43PM

SeanPuddin wrote: »

Friday 9th
Went out for a LSR as I thought the niggle was gone. Quickly turned into a recovery run. Shortly after it turned to misery, luckily I wasn't too far from the car. Right leg is in rag order. 6km done.

Had great intentions to go to the first Galway parkrun, maybe next week. Might even give the Maree 5K a miss

Ah that's a balls... The shin again is it? Hopefully you'll be on the mend soon.

Parkrun is pretty cool, course needs a bit more signage or something(think i took a shortcut going by reviewing mapmyrun

) but they are going to sort that out. Always looking for volunteers by the way

Have you registered and all that jazz?? It's a nice run with people of all abilities which I like the most. It's so relaxed, run/jog/walk it at any pace.

I see Maree ac have their 5k route on their facebook page.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/413291288 if you're not on FB, I see it's created by someone who posts here on occasion

SeanPuddin · 11-05-2014 11:54PM

martyboy48 wrote: »

Ah that's a balls... The shin again is it? Hopefully you'll be on the mend soon.

Parkrun is pretty cool, course needs a bit more signage or something(think i took a shortcut going by reviewing mapmyrun ) but they are going to sort that out. Always looking for volunteers by the way Have you registered and all that jazz?? It's a nice run with people of all abilities which I like the most. It's so relaxed, run/jog/walk it at any pace.

I see Maree ac have their 5k route on their facebook page.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/413291288 if you're not on FB, I see it's created by someone who posts here on occasion

Cheers Marty.

Yep if you extend your right leg out, just above where the top of a normal pair of socks comes to, at the left most part of the shin bone. Just under the bones edge, definitely muscular. Been foam rolling and massaging for the last while. Some pain. I'll see how more rest goes.

I had the barcode and all printed out. Was going to run it with my eldest in the buggy for the craic, but I could barely walk! I'll be up when I can! Couldn't make head nor tails of the route map.

SeanPuddin · 17-05-2014 08:17PM

Took a weeks break and rested. Went stir crazy, even watched the Maree 5K race from the sidelines. Bah!

Friday 16th
Cycled to and from work. 22km total.

Saturday 17th
Pushed my son around the Galway parkrun. Way tougher than I thought, that buggy was not made for walking never mind running.

Was able to keep a lot of weight off my right leg though so it helped.

May get myself booked into a physio as the pain is still there. Feck this.

SamforMayo · 17-05-2014 08:26PM

SeanPuddin wrote: »

Took a weeks break and rested. Went stir crazy, even watched the Maree 5K race from the sidelines. Bah!

Friday 16th
Cycled to and from work. 22km total.

Saturday 17th
Pushed my son around the Galway parkrun. Way tougher than I thought, that buggy was not made for walking never mind running. Was able to keep a lot of weight off my right leg though so it helped.

May get myself booked into a physio as the pain is still there. Feck this.

Best get it checked Sean. Keep at the cycling to keep the fitness up if that s not bothering it!

martyboy48 · 17-05-2014 11:53PM

SeanPuddin wrote: »

Took a weeks break and rested. Went stir crazy, even watched the Maree 5K race from the sidelines. Bah!

Friday 16th
Cycled to and from work. 22km total.

Saturday 17th
Pushed my son around the Galway parkrun. Way tougher than I thought, that buggy was not made for walking never mind running. Was able to keep a lot of weight off my right leg though so it helped.

May get myself booked into a physio as the pain is still there. Feck this.

Ahh was that yourself

I was volunteering today, I think I may have jokingly told you that you should have got a lightweight buggy

There are a couple of short steep climbs only a few meters in length but it must have been tough pushing the buggy

Seriously though, I hope the injury gets sorted soon. It must be getting very frustrating now with it still at you...

SeanPuddin · 18-05-2014 12:16AM

martyboy48 wrote: »

Ahh was that yourself I was volunteering today, I think I may have jokingly told you that you should have got a lightweight buggy There are a couple of short steep climbs only a few meters in length but it must have been tough pushing the buggy

Seriously though, I hope the injury gets sorted soon. It must be getting very frustrating now with it still at you...

Yea the course wasn't too bad, the buggy was hopeless though ha. Whereabouts were you located, I'm guessing you were the last marshall of the lap? I was fecked after 2k couldn't hear any of the banter after that! Very well organised thanks a lot Marty, I'll be up again surely.

martyboy48 · 18-05-2014 02:33AM

Aye, more or less opposite end of starting point, I made ye go back up towards the starting area to complete the first bit(the short loop) of the run, when ye came back to me I sent ye to my right(yer left), out for the first of the two longer loops.
Do call again, and get the friends and family involved, sure it's all a bit of craic at any level. I actually had a blast having the craic with various people around the course. Some great characters around the place.. Volunteers are always welcome too

SeanPuddin · 18-05-2014 11:14PM

I might bring the two seater buggy next time! :eek:

SeanPuddin · 21-05-2014 07:41AM

Tuesday 20th - 5K Series - Claregalway
Thunder and lightening and torrential rain must have stopped 5 minutes before this race. After two weeks rest I was dying to get out, a hurricane wouldn't of stopped me!

I knew the first km was all uphill so I set out easy trying to stick at around 5min/km. After reaching the top there was a short downhill and a left turn. The leg was holding up grand.

The rest of the course was neither up nor down and dead straight lengths. I actually liked it this way as you could see the turns up ahead in the distance. Leg was still grand so I pushed on as much as I could.

By the last corner with 500 metres to go, I lost the mental game and walked briefly. When I say briefly it was about 3 seconds as I got a slap on the back and told "Keep going I've been following you all night!". Without thinking I was running alongside my saviour, thanking her. She was wearing an Athenry AC top, so whoever you are thank you again, I owe you a drink!

24:08

1 5:03.0
2 4:57.5
3 4:44.7
4 4:45.0 (I'm claiming a neg split regardless)
5 4:36.7

Not a bad time considering the lack of running lately.
Edit: I'm bloody delighted actually.

SamforMayo · 21-05-2014 06:58PM

Well done Sean, hope that the leg is good today and you can get back to fully.

SeanPuddin · 21-05-2014 07:21PM

22km of cycling to and from work again and plenty of stretching all day. Feels good now.

SeanPuddin · 23-05-2014 12:32AM

Thursday 23rd
Slipped out just before midnight for a 5K recovery run at 5:45min/km avg.

SamforMayo · 23-05-2014 10:14AM

SeanPuddin wrote: »

Thursday 23rd
Slipped out just before midnight for a 5K recovery run at 5:45min/km avg.

Cinderella!!!!

SeanPuddin · 25-05-2014 11:47AM

Saturday 25th
15km at 5:50min/km avg. A bit hot for a LSR but whatever.

SeanPuddin · 25-05-2014 07:24PM

Sunday 25th
After a night on the sauce and a few silly smokes I had to sweat out the badness.

35 mins of recovery @ 6:05min/km avg. A few niggles but good to stretch the legs after yesterday's LSR.

Weeks End: 30km

SeanPuddin · 27-05-2014 10:10PM

Tuesday 27th - 5K Series - Galway Racecourse
I had been working myself up for this race for the past couple of days after my LSR on Saturday. PB time Seanie boy.

All day I listened to Judas Priest blaring in my ears. I snarled at everyone at work and read just about every training log on this site. To say I was up for it is an understatement, I was frothing at the ****ing mouth.

I jogged the course in reverse to warm up about 2km and realised that the heat was going to be an issue. It was warm and I had no water. This was a 2 lap race finishing under the racecourse stadium, two giant fecking circles. This wouldn't be pretty.

Out I went for the first km and settled into a nice rhythm pumping my arms and trying my best to get into a routine. 2km all good. 3km found us back at the 1km marker again and things were getting tough, but I pumped my arms and sang Painkiller inside my head, man I love that song. By this stage I had cotton mouth and was swallowing dust. 4km and I could see the stadium but I knew I was running out of steam quick, 4.4km and things were laboured, I got up the last climb and took the last turn. I was finished, I had to walk, counted to 15 and got going again. Up to the finish line was another short drag I couldn't manage it and collapsed over the line to two lovely ambulance ladies.

23:13

1 4:35.4
2 4:35.7
3 4:39.7
4 4:26.8
5 4:50.2

25 second PB, and not far off my sub 23 goal. I'm eating mikados here happy as a pig in ****.

Darren 83 · 27-05-2014 10:14PM

SeanPuddin wrote: »

Tuesday 27th - 5K Series - Galway Racecourse
I had been working myself up for this race for the past couple of days after my LSR on Saturday. PB time Seanie boy.

All day I listened to Judas Priest blaring in my ears. I snarled at everyone at work and read just about every training log on this site. To say I was up for it is an understatement, I was frothing at the ****ing mouth.

I jogged the course in reverse to warm up about 2km and realised that the heat was going to be an issue. It was warm and I had no water. This was a 2 lap race finishing under the racecourse stadium, two giant fecking circles. This wouldn't be pretty.

Out I went for the first km and settled into a nice rhythm pumping my arms and trying my best to get into a routine. 2km all good. 3km found us back at the 1km marker again and things were getting tough, but I pumped my arms and sang Painkiller inside my head, man I love that song. By this stage I had cotton mouth and was swallowing dust. 4km and I could see the stadium but I knew I was running out of steam quick, 4.4km and things were laboured, I got up the last climb and took the last turn. I was finished, I had to walk, counted to 15 and got going again. Up to the finish line was another short drag I couldn't manage it and collapsed over the line to two lovely ambulance ladies.

23:13

1 4:35.4
2 4:35.7
3 4:39.7
4 4:26.8
5 4:50.2

25 second PB, and not far off my sub 23 goal. I'm eating mikados here happy as a pig in ****.

Great time Sean, well done

SamforMayo · 27-05-2014 10:54PM

You header, you don't do things by halves!! Well done. Tuam next week?

Last Year of My Twenties (C25K and Beyond)

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