Be still my beating heart

Ososlo · 20-05-2014 07:18PM

Monday 19 May
35 mins easy
No sleep again last night. Terrible day in work. There's a pattern forming of Sundays being my worse nights of sleep during the week. Very unproductive day and making lots of mistakes in work which is definitely due to sleep deprivation and not good for me professionally.

I'm appreciating my recovery runs more and more as my sessions get tougher so sucked the very essence of enjoyment out of each and every step of this one.

Tuesday 20 May
Plan was to do the 400s today. 2nd night with next to no sleep. One of the worst nights in a long time. Headed out to do my session. Full AIS, foam roll, drove to St. Anne's (20 mins), warm up, drills, first 400, couldn't get up to pace. 2nd was a ok but way too much of a struggle. I was weary:( Left it at that. Taking too much out of me. I'm so damn stupid sometimes. There's a lady over on the novices' thread dishing out great advice to runners about listening to their bodies etc. I must start listening to her:rolleyes:. No way was I up to a session today. It can wait. Damn insomnia...
pm
3.5 miles easy. Super slow and stayed very relaxed. Felt better for it.
Had the day off so tried to nap during the day but nothing happening. My body and mind are saying no to sleep:(

A FLOCK of sheep that leisurely pass by
One after one; the sound of rain, and bees
Murmuring; the fall of rivers, winds and seas,
Smooth fields, white sheets of water, and pure sky;
I’ve thought of all by turns, and still I lie
Sleepless; and soon the small birds’ melodies
Must hear, first uttered from my orchard trees,
And the first cuckoo’s melancholy cry.
Even thus last night, and two nights more, I lay,
And could not win thee, Sleep, by any stealth:
So do not let me wear to-night away;
Without thee what is all the morning’s wealth? :rolleyes:
Come, blessèd barrier between day and day,
Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health!

7.5 miles total

SamforMayo · 20-05-2014 09:04PM

Ososlo wrote: »

Monday 19 May
35 mins easy
No sleep again last night. Terrible day in work. There's a pattern forming of Sundays being my worse nights of sleep during the week. Very unproductive day and making lots of mistakes in work which is definitely due to sleep deprivation and not good for me professionally.

I'm appreciating my recovery runs more and more as my sessions get tougher so sucked the very essence of enjoyment out of each and every step of this one.

Tuesday 20 May
Plan was to do the 400s today. 2nd night with next to no sleep. One of the worst nights in a long time. Headed out to do my session. Full AIS, foam roll, drove to St. Anne's (20 mins), warm up, drills, first 400, couldn't get up to pace. 2nd was a ok but way too much of a struggle. I was weary:( Left it at that. Taking too much out of me. I'm so damn stupid sometimes. There's a lady over on the novices' thread dishing out great advice to runners about listening to their bodies etc. I must start listening to her:rolleyes:. No way was I up to a session today. It can wait. Damn insomnia...
pm
3.5 miles easy. Super slow and stayed very relaxed. Felt better for it.
Had the day off so tried to nap during the day but nothing happening. My body and mind are saying no to sleep:(

A FLOCK of sheep that leisurely pass by
One after one; the sound of rain, and bees
Murmuring; the fall of rivers, winds and seas,
Smooth fields, white sheets of water, and pure sky;
I’ve thought of all by turns, and still I lie
Sleepless; and soon the small birds’ melodies
Must hear, first uttered from my orchard trees,
And the first cuckoo’s melancholy cry.
Even thus last night, and two nights more, I lay,
And could not win thee, Sleep, by any stealth:
So do not let me wear to-night away;
Without thee what is all the morning’s wealth? :rolleyes:
Come, blessèd barrier between day and day,
Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health!

7.5 miles total

Your spending too much time with Stazza!

tang1 · 20-05-2014 09:32PM

I know how you feel on the sleeping bit, not as bad as you, but max i get at night really is 3-4hrs. 14 yrs working shift work has me all over the place sleep wise.

Ososlo · 20-05-2014 09:39PM

tang1 wrote: »

I know how you feel on the sleeping bit, not as bad as you, but max i get at night really is 3-4hrs. 14 yrs working shift work has me all over the place sleep wise.

Yeah that must be tough alright. At least you know why yours is f***ed up.
Mine is just a mess for whatever reason ...
My earliest memories are about not being able to sleep and it's a recurring theme throughout my life.
It improved in a big way when I started running but got messed up again.

Ososlo · 21-05-2014 09:05PM

Wednesday 21 May
8 x 400 off 90 sec recoveries
Knew heading off that this wasn't going to be pretty and guess what? I was right. Only way to sleep last night was to knock myself out (not physically;)) but popped a few pills as couldn't handle another night of discontent... Very bleary blurry day.
Wasn't sure if I should do the session due to being so wrecked and don't know if one benefits fully from doing a session if exhausted and not able to hit the paces. Felt a good bit better than yesterday with my few hours of 'pretend' sleep under my belt so decided to give it my best shot.

AIS and off to Phoneix Park. 3 mile w/u. Drills. Roasting hot!
Disastrous from a pacing point of view once again. Even worse actually than last week. Went off way too fast and was around 6:30 pace when checking the watch half way through on the first few reps. And then of course I slowed more and more and more as the rep went on.
I had done half of the first rep when I noticed that I had pressed 'stop' on the watch instead of 'lap':mad: so half a bloody rep done that I had to abandon and start over from the beginning:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:.
7:08 (1:47)
6:56 (1:44)
7:19 (1:47)
7:09 (1:47)
7:18 (1:48)
7:11 (1:47)
7:16 (1:48)
6:55 (1:44)
avg (146-147)

Can't say I'm not disheartened not to hit the paces and there are some dreadful reps in there that I'm very embarrassed posting when the aim was to get them all at 7 pace (and 1:45) and hopefully it is because I'm in the midst of a bad sleeping patch and not because I'm losing fitness... and getting slower... and hopefully it's only a momentary blip in proceedings. Anyways, it's done, I worked hard, didn't slack and got through it.
I notice a distinct lack of smiley and grinning faces in my posts of late since the training got harder! Here are some, just in case I forget what they look like:):D:):):D:D:

7.6 miles total

SamforMayo · 21-05-2014 09:21PM

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK>> sorry for shouting but you cant function let alone run fast without sleep! I really don't know how you are managing.

Stazza · 21-05-2014 09:34PM

First off, if you're not getting enough sleep you shouldn't do these sort of sessions. Even with enough sleep, these sessions are tough; they tax the body - hard. If you go into these workouts already shafted, you are risking injury. Jack the sessions and just do easy runs until the sleeping improves.

With that said, the 1:45 is a rough guide. And given that you're just starting to do these type of workouts, your times are decent. A lot of people on here would have similar discrepancies in their reps. And that's not taking into account the lack of sleep etc.

But here's the thing - right now your body is doubly shafted and it will take more time to recover. You must allow your body the opportunity to recover and adapt. If you don't, your immune system will cave and you'll end up sick/injured. It's imperative that you don't do workouts if you haven't had enough sleep - all you're doing is screwing yourself.

The idea of training is to slightly stress/overload the system then allow the body to recover and adapt so that it comes back stronger/fitter.

If you get away with this without getting a cold or bug or lurgy, be thankful, slaughter some wild beast as an offering to Zeus, and then make sure you're adequately rested before doing another session.

What would you say to one of DCM chaps/chapesses if they were to do something like this.

Consider this a reprimand

p.s.

Ososlo · 21-05-2014 09:43PM

yep I get it thanks. Sometimes it just takes someone else say the obvious. Problem is though, I don't think I slept more than 3 hours any night in January so let's hope this spell doesn't last! Otherwise it'll be be back to full time plodding again:(

Beef · 21-05-2014 10:08PM

Do you remember any sort of trigger for your sleep improvement after January? Even check back through your log to see what lifestyle changes you made around then? You're pretty good to log that kind of stuff generally. Also - take it easy on the sessions as others have said. Running on empty is running the injury gauntlet.

Ososlo · 21-05-2014 10:14PM

Beef wrote: »

Do you remember any sort of trigger for your sleep improvement after January? Even check back through your log to see what lifestyle changes you made around then? You're pretty good to log that kind of stuff generally. Also - take it easy on the sessions as others have said. Running on empty is running the injury gauntlet.

I have another personal log where I keep note of all the lifestyle details etc, and nope, no significant changes in anything that made for improvements from Feb. It comes and goes in waves throughout my life for no apparent reason in the world. Maybe it's to do with the phases of the moon:)
Thanks Beef. Just going to try and forget about it now for a while (easier said than done!) and be more sensible with the training like you and others have suggested.

Ososlo · 24-05-2014 05:16PM

Thursday 22 May
35 mins recovery. Felt grand during day and heading off but felt very heavy or something during the run so was happy it was a short slow one.
10:39min/mile avg

Friday 23 May
35 mins very very easy
Today should have been 4 x 1600s but I didn't sleep well last night and didn't feel wonderful when running at all. Very lack lustre and tired.
11:14min/mile avg

Thinking about insomnia and running lately. It's going to be tricky to figure this out. I didn't sleep a wink the night before DCM and very poorly on the lead up and I managed ok then. I think it's something I just need to work around and I can't put my running life on hold waiting for an amazing run of sleep before I do sessions so I'll just manage it as best I can and put off the sessions when it's really chronic but a good night for me can sometimes mean 4-5 hours sleep whereas for someone else it might be 7-8 - it's all relative. I will be more sensible about it in the future and back off when it's really dire. I got to work with what I have.

Saturday 24 May
4 x 1 mile at 5k pace w/90 sec recoveries
Slept well last night and had a nice lie on this morning so not feeling too bad and felt very rested and refreshed. I have very little work stress to deal with these days so it's great not having that to deal with on top of the sleeping issues.
4 x 1 mile: I have a big psychological issue with this session today. I was dreading it all week to be frank and nearly hoping I wouldn't sleep a wink last tonight so I'd have a good excuse not to do it:p I told the boss during the week that to me this session looked as hard as a 5k race. I remember doing 3 x 1 mile last year and found that really tough but 4:eek:!!!!!! I really didn't think I could anything decent with a session like this and there was no hiding today, I would be left exposed for the running fraud that I am:o
I worked out a few deals with myself beforehand. I said to myself that I'd just try the first mile and if it was terrible I'd switch the run to a long slow 10 mile run. The first mile was hard but not too bad so I decided to push on through.

Target for the mile reps was 7:40-7:45
9:55, 9:37 - Warmup. I usually do my warmups a lot slower (11min/mile) but thought I'd try a new strategy so that going from 11:xx - 7:xx wouldn't be such a shock.

1. 7:50 (windy)
2. 7:47
3. 7:53 (windy)
4: 7:44
Avg: 7:48

Yes I know that once again, I didn't hit target (7:40-45) but it was a lot windier than I had expected so I was working a lot harder into the windier reps 1&3. I felt a bit sick after the first rep but thankfully not for any of the others. I was working really really hard and I've never known 90 second recoveries to pass by so quickly. I kept moving for the 90 seconds but at an extremely slow pace - for the 3rd recovery especially. I was looking for excuses to call it a day throughout, except for the last rep which I was actually kind of enjoying in a sadistic kinda way:D.
To take my mind off the pain in the middle of the session when it got really tough, I used a strategy that I've used before in a race and found good which is to start counting backwards from 30 to 0 over and over again in my head. Worked well for me today.
Putting today into perspective, if you had told me a few months ago that I'd do 4 sub-8 min/miles in a training run I'd have laughed in your face so I am quite happy with today overall. If things continue to improve, I'll be looking at over a 2 minute improvement in my 5k time and that ain't nutin' to be sniffed at:p Yeah this 5k training is the bloody hardest thing I've ever done physically but I'm being challenged more than ever before and the boundaries in my head are a comin' down.
Now I just need to work a bit harder the next time:rolleyes:
9 miles total

tang1 · 24-05-2014 05:28PM

Bravo on the session, your full of determination. Smart decision on calling the sessions on how your sleep pattern is, burning the candle at both ends is never a good idea and can lead to other issues.

Ososlo · 25-05-2014 05:29PM

Sunday 25 May

35 mins recovery
Lovely 2 mile walk on the beach. Would have been perfect for my recovery run but no sports bra on so no go! Did the 35 mins easy in local park later
Legs feel surprisingly good from the 2 sessions during the week but I definitely do feel more tired than usual. I was whacked after yesterdays 4 x 1mile and thought I'd sleep like a very tired runner, but 4am came and I was still reading under the covers:( The 'blessed barrier between night and day' once again alluded me.
Tomorrow has a rare treat in store for me. 10 untainted virginal miles with no funny stuff:D Well, a few strides but that sounds pretty damn good to me! (dependant on sleep tonight of course...)

38 miles weekly total

outforarun · 25-05-2014 10:46PM

Ososlo wrote: »

4 x 1 mile at 5k pace w/90 sec recoveries

1. 7:50 (windy)
2. 7:47
3. 7:53 (windy)
4: 7:44
Avg: 7:48

.....I was working really really hard and I've never known 90 second recoveries to pass by so quickly. I kept moving for the 90 seconds but at an extremely slow pace - for the 3rd recovery especially. I was looking for excuses to call it a day throughout, except for the last rep which I was actually kind of enjoying in a sadistic kinda way:D.

Hi Ososlo, those are super splits for a really tough session. Only last week I did 3 x 1M (well 3 x 1600m) at 5K pace, but off a luxurious 3:30mins recovery. That corresponded to around 60% of interval time. I would have been suffering off 90 seconds recovery and would have baulked at a 4th interval. I think you should be more than 'quite happy' with that session.

Ososlo · 26-05-2014 10:55AM

outforarun wrote: »

Hi Ososlo, those are super splits for a really tough session. Only last week I did 3 x 1M (well 3 x 1600m) at 5K pace, but off a luxurious 3:30mins recovery. That corresponded to around 60% of interval time. I would have been suffering off 90 seconds recovery and would have baulked at a 4th interval. I think you should be more than 'quite happy' with that session.

Cheers thanks a million! Wow I am very jealous of your recoveries:( but maybe it wouldn't have been any easier in the long run - putting off the inevitable! To be honest it was one of the hardest things I've ever done I think (maybe that means I've had a very easy life:D) and in hindsight, yes I am a bit more than 'quite happy' with the results. Cheers outforarun. And guess what? I get to do it all again very very soon...

Laois_Man · 26-05-2014 01:01PM

outforarun wrote: »

Hi Ososlo, those are super splits for a really tough session. Only last week I did 3 x 1M (well 3 x 1600m) at 5K pace, but off a luxurious 3:30mins recovery. That corresponded to around 60% of interval time. I would have been suffering off 90 seconds recovery and would have baulked at a 4th interval. I think you should be more than 'quite happy' with that session.

I second that!

90 seconds recovery for those reps is brilliant. I've never attempted a session like that with recoveries as short as that. I'm not sure I could do it.....It's amazing how very very VERY long a mile feels in these kind of sessions. 90 seconds before starting the next one is mentally and physically brilliant.

HelenAnne · 26-05-2014 01:36PM

Laois_Man wrote: »

I second that!

90 seconds recovery for those reps is brilliant. I've never attempted a session like that with recoveries as short as that. I'm not sure I could do it.....It's amazing how very very VERY long a mile feels in these kind of sessions. 90 seconds before starting the next one is mentally and physically brilliant.

I agree! We were doing 200s last week (6 with 60 seconds break, then a longer break then 6 more, with 60 secs break). For the first few I was thinking, '60 secs is a long break, I could go again now', but by the second set of six I was like 'THAT WASN'T A MINUTE!' at the end of every break. You must have felt that, but much more so, at the end of your 90 secs! Well done! :-)

yaboya1 · 26-05-2014 02:20PM

Another in agreement here.
I think I took 4 minute recoveries the last time I did one mile reps.
That was probably too long, but 90 seconds is impressive (even more so because you managed to maintain the target pace!)

AuldManKing · 26-05-2014 08:03PM

The length of the interval determines the nature of the workout.

Obviously, with a longer interval, you should be able to run the rep faster, so it becomes a V02 max session

But with a shorter recovery, it could be stressing other elements, such as threshold, or it could be used as a prediction workout for a race - I think 4x1m off 90sec is used as a 10k predictor (double and add ~1 min).

So the pace of the rep and the length of the recovery change the nature of the workout.

RedRunner · 27-05-2014 08:00PM

AuldManKing wrote: »

I think 4x1m off 90sec is used as a 10k predictor (double and add ~1 min).

Oooh..now that could be my next session right there!

Ososlo · 28-05-2014 07:00PM

Monday 26 May
Plan: 10 miles easy with 6 x strides.
Was really looking forward to this one for ages as I love running a bit longer and slowly - it's my thing and I never get to do it anymore as all my longer runs are tainted with some sort of painful repetitions! However, I felt awful during this run. From the first step I took to the last, it was horrible and I've never said that about a slow run before - I usually love them. I did it before breakfast but that wouldn't usually cause me a problem. I ran 21 miles on empty last year and felt better than on this run. Slept ok the night before and was well hydrated etc. Still don't know what it was. Waited and waited to start feeling more normal but it never happened so called it a day at 7 and threw in the strides at the end anyway. I didn't feel any worse running a bit faster. Hot, sweaty and weak the whole way through. What a slog...
Total: 7 miles easy (nothing easy about it but pace was slower than my recovery pace)

Tuesday 27 May
35 mins easy
Thought I'd feel dreadful after previous day but I didn't. I felt fine. Did this with my sister but half way through we had to stop to talk to a neighbour (where I come from you'd be shunned for generations if you didn't stop to talk to a neighbour:rolleyes:) so while it was interrupted, it was enjoyable.
2 x great sleeps in Kilkenny to set me up well for...

Wednesday 28 May
8 x 400 at 3k pace 90 sec recoveries
Target - 1:45 @ 7 pace

1:47 (7:05)
1:47 (7:05)
1:45 (7)
1:47 (7:08)
1:45 (7:03)
1:47 (7:05)
1:40 (6:56)
1:45 (7:03)

1:45 -avg

I know they are supposed to be even splits but I just couldn't do it. Dunno why. Yes I reached the overall target for the first time but for some of the reps I just couldn't get my legs to work harder so that's something I really need to work on but I don't know how to fix it as I just couldn't run any faster at those particular times

Got a nice shout out from a topless leathery older running gentleman who shouted at me "go girl you can do it" which put a great pep in my step on the 6th rep! Maybe I was just afraid he was going to start running after me:D
Happy to make the improvement on last week's 400s session overall but still need to start getting these more even. I think part of the problem is that I'm so unused to looking at the watch that I keep forgetting to check it now and let my paces slip. I need to focus more. Must work harder Ososlo... but I did feel like I was killing myself most of the time:(
7 miles total

tang1 · 28-05-2014 07:10PM

Your awful hard on yourself i think, you achieved the average goal time on your reps which what the session is about. Consistency with time on the reps will come to you the more you practise them.

Ososlo · 28-05-2014 07:15PM

tang1 wrote: »

Your awful hard on yourself i think, you achieved the average goal time on your reps which what the session is about. Consistency with time on the reps will come to you the more you practise them.

I do strive for perfection:D
Thanks though. I just hate not being able to deliver 100% on my sessions. Maybe next time!

AuldManKing · 28-05-2014 08:36PM

Wise words Tang, another thing with these reps is that the last one should not be the slowest one. So score 1 for Ososlo.

(remember when there were no 7:xx's appearing on your log?)

Ososlo · 28-05-2014 08:55PM

AuldManKing wrote: »

Wise words Tang, another thing with these reps is that the last one should not be the slowest one. So score 1 for Ososlo.

(remember when there were no 7:xx's appearing on your log?)

ha ha yeah I remember it well AMK;) It's not so long ago...

However, there's always a little bit left in the tank though and that's what I need to route out the next time for these. I really think that a lot of this is mental and it's very important to gain experience of the pain as much as possible so you know you're not going to die from the pain. Otherwise there'd be ambulances all over the Phoenix Park every day scraping dead runners off the paths:D

RedRunner · 28-05-2014 09:16PM

+1 to Tang and AMKs comments.
I'd also add that I find it really hard to judge these speed sessions right myself. I'm putting it down to the fact that I've never really done them regularly so I just need the practice. I'm sure you'll be providing advice on how to do them properly to the rest of us before the summer is out!;)

Ososlo · 30-05-2014 07:19PM

Thursday 29 May
35 mins recovery
Really enjoyable. Even though sleep was really poor the previous night I didn't feel tired and wished it was the day of a longer run as I just felt like running and running and getting faster and faster. Briefly considered throwing caution to the wind and doing my 65 min progression run but knew it wouldn't be worth it for the grief that I'd get doing it the day after a session;) so I made my way home an unsatisfied Ososlo:(

After getting some advice from the good folks over on the health forum (I've discovered that there are other fora on boards.ie:eek:) I've made a few adjustments recently to my diet. I struggle with my protein intake being vegetarian and not a very adventurous one at that, so I started adding some extras into my diet and need to get some more good fats into me also so adding things like avocados and coconut milk/oil. Interesting to see if any major difference to my general health in a few weeks/months.

Friday 30 May
Plan: 65 min progression run
Poor sleep and was a wreck this morning getting up. Only got into a deep sleep about 6.30am and had to get up at 7:30 so was cruelly wrenched away from a lovely dream:(
Long day at work and drove to Phoenix Park afterwards. Couldn't get into the park as Bloom is on so had to find parking elsewhere. Made my way down to 15 acres and sub 10 min/miles were just feeling like too much work so called it a day after 4 miles. So for once I'm listening to my body and backing off and will do this tomorrow after a wonderful blissful night of sleep tonight:) It was a pain driving all the way there for a short little run that I could have done locally but I did make a discovery on the 15 acres and noticed that there are some 100m markers drawn on the path so that might be useful for some sessions. I noticed 100, 200, 300 and 400 markers. Didn't spot any more.
So something positive came of my trip!
Progression tomorrow and 800s on Monday (need to readjust things)
4 miles total
ps - beware of Phoenix Park parking restrictions over the weekend folks...

SamforMayo · 30-05-2014 08:12PM

On the diet topic I finally found a receipe for granola I'm happy with, lots of nuts, seeds so good for healthy fats and yummy. Give me a shout if you want receipe.

Ososlo · 30-05-2014 08:17PM

SamforMayo wrote: »

On the diet topic I finally found a receipe for granola I'm happy with, lots of nuts, seeds so good for healthy fats and yummy. Give me a shout if you want receipe.

Will you just make it for me and post it to me? I'm not able to cook/bake whatever you'd do to granola

Thanks though Sam. Sure pop it up sometime you have the time. You never know, I might get inspired:D

Darren 83 · 30-05-2014 08:30PM

SamforMayo wrote: »

On the diet topic I finally found a receipe for granola I'm happy with, lots of nuts, seeds so good for healthy fats and yummy. Give me a shout if you want receipe.

Can I get the receipe? please

Be still my beating heart

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