Off the Fence....and looking to go sub 3 hrs

Monday 25/08/14:
8.79m @ 07:47 avg pace (VO2 Max w/5x600 RI 75secs)

Got the watch set-up right this week so no tech excuses. I kicked off with an easy enough wu 3.67m @ 08:07 avg pace. I started my intervals out past the Causeway and heading towards Sutton direction. I was into a decent headwind on the way out and didn't really notice the corresponding benefits when I turned at Sutton. Did 3 reps on way out then 2 back.....2.58m cd @ 08:28 avg pace. Target pace for the intervals was 05:45 or thereabouts and managed to be "thereabouts". Reps 2 and 3 were the hardes and rep 5 felt the easiest. Rep 5 also turned out to the slowest. I put that down to lack of concentration when I didn't have the wind to fight. I was pretty control throughout this and no major problem. Another one ticked off.

1 – 02:12 (05:53 pace)
2 – 02:11 (05:51 pace)
3 – 02:08 (05:45 pace)
4 – 02:08 (05:44 pace)
5 – 02:13 (05:56 pace)

Tuesday 26/08/2014
14.55m @ 07:40 avg pace (Med Long - Progression)

This was the toughest day in a long while. I normal take the early morning Pilate class in my stride but it took a lot out of me for some reason today.

From the minute I got out of the bed I felt very tired all day and wasn't really looking forward to this run but eventually I zipped up the mansuit and headed out the door. Had considered not doing the usual progression pace but first section went OK so I upped the pace more to keep the head in the game than anything else. Leg reluctantly did their bit but main thing is they did their bit. Job done.

Had to take a 15min power nap before walking the dog.

Wednesday 27/08/2014
6m @ 08:40 avg pace (Recovery)

This should have been a double recovery day but when the alarm went off at 6:45 every part of me said no.....so I rolled over and took an extra hour in bed as my first recovery run. When I did get up I felt much fresher and when I hit the road later in the day I was very glad of my earlier choice. In the big scheme of things I think the extra hour in bed did much more for my recovery than the 4 miles I missed would have.

Thursday 28/08/2014
12m @ 07:35 avg pace (Med Long - Progression)

I was actually chomping at the bit to get out today and when I did get out I won't say I was feeling fresh as that would be a lie but I have felt fresher than earlier in the week. Mind was certainly up for it and the body just kinda played along doing its bit. enjoy this run even though I made a bad call on the direction which meant that I finished with the last 4 miles into a decent wind. I actually noticed this early on but was too stubborn to change my route. Regretted it briefly when I approached the coast through Baldoyle and got a taste for what I had in store for the next 30mins or so. Found a rhythm and a few targets to chase along the coast and it all passed pretty quickly.

Segments broke out as follows:
4m | 07:52
4m | 07:39
4m | 07:15

blockic wrote: »

Not too bad at all!

Two double digit runs midweek are always a sickener!

Cheers Blockic. Yep happy to get them done. This morning felt like groundhogg day. I thought it was Wednesday again!!

Saturday 30/08/2014
20m @ 07:02 avg pace (Long Run w/15@MP)

I was originally looking at heading to Tullamore for this one but after a discussion with Ferris B and reading KC's report from Longford last week I decided to go with the viewpoint that these sessions are better run solo than in a race environment. I cheated a little and had the company of Ferris B for the first half of the MP miles.

Headed out pre-breakfast with a 06:45 avg pace target for the MP miles. After a 3.84m wu @ 08:05 avg pace I linked up with Ferris. I had a 7.5m loop planned out for the MP miles so that I left myself the option of taking on water or a sports drink if needed at half way. Ferris had done this session last week but decided to join me for some MP in place of his scheduled tune-up race in advance of his long run tomorrow. Miles 2 & 3 of each loop were uphill and into the wind while miles 4 & 5 were downhill but still into the wind. The rest were flat along the coast and with the wind. Loop one went well and other than one fast mile when we bumped into a friend of Ferris's we were there or thereabouts.

Said goodbye to Ferris after loop 1 and he headed off for brekie and left me to it. When I turned at the end of the Howth Road for the 2nd time and started uphill into the wind I knew I was in for a few tough miles with none of the distractions from loop 1. Next 2 miles were the slowest of the day but was still in control and knew I had plenty of time to pick up the lost time.

After a good day at the office last week in the FD the key thing for me today was to hit the targets here at MP effort rather the HMP or 10m effort and with last week fresh in the mind I knew what I was comparing to. I did this by focusing on form in the last couple of miles and picking up the lost seconds slowly rather than forcing anything. I was happy that I finished strongly.

Post run I headed up to lend my support at St Anne's parkrun where both Killerz and Murph_D were doing their bit on the volunteering front. Another good turnout in St Anne's. Finished off the morning with coffee with the parkrun crew........next up was U15 Girls GAA Championship match. We had a nice win and my youngest scored a cracker of a goal. Good day all around:D

Splits for the day were as follows:
wu 3.81m | 08:05 avg pace
1 | 06:45
2 | 06:47
3 | 06:47
4 | 06:34
5 | 06:43
6 | 06:44
7 | 06:41
8 | 06:40
9 | 06:44
10 | 06:50
11 | 06:48
12 | 06:44
13 | 06:38
14 | 06:37
15 | 06:36 (15m @ 06:42 avg pace)
cd 1m | 07:59

Very happy to get today's session done. Another good week in the bank. 4 weeks to go and I am pretty much where I would have hoped I'd be 14 weeks ago when this cycle kicked off. One more big week before taper so need to keep doing the basics right and try to put myself in the best place to take advantage when it matters.

tang1 wrote: »

The hay is in the barn as they say, your training cycle has been great to follow, really solid stuff. Shows hard work pays off, nothing silly now.

Cheers Tang. Enjoying the training and no plans to do anything silly:)

Monday 01/09/2014
6m @ 08:57 avg pace (Recovery)
4.36m @ 09:13 avg pace (Recovery)

Double recovery day. The second one was late this evening after a pretty substantial feed. Should have just found a downhill route and rolled!

Wednesday 03/09/2014
14.22m @ 07:53 avg pace (Med Long - Progression)

Since Murph_D recent post about the view from Howth I have had a longing on me for a trip to the Summit. So instead of jumping in the car which would have been the sensible thing to do 3 weeks out from a goal race I decided to head out there tonight as part of my MLR.

I haven't done any real hill work in a long time and it really felt like it. I did have sense enough to give up the pace progression in the middle section and just toddle up the hill instead. Even at 08:50+ it was not as comfortable as I remembered it earlier in the year. I had a couple of hamstring niggles on the way up but the view was definitely worth the trip on a glorious evening. One of those "it is great to be alive" moments and I even stopped momentarily to take it all in.

When I returned to flatter terrain I upped the pace and headed homeward smiling all the way.

Segments broke out as follows:
5m | 08:02 avg pace
4m | 08:25 avg pace
5m | 07:18 avg pace

The hamstring gave out a little about the hill and the ice was called into action for the first time in a while........like I said probably should have driven 3 weeks before goal race:mad:

Thursday 04/09/2014
8:03m @ 08:07 avg pace (Gen Aerobic)

Hamstring was still quite tender after yesterday exertions so the plan was to just get this done and ticked off at somewhere between 08:00 and 08:15 avg pace.

It is amazing how so much can change in 24hrs. Less than 24hrs before this run I was bouncing along with a smile on my face embracing the wonders and now I just wanted to "go to bed, cover my head, etc, etc."

More ice applied to hamstring by way of precaution.

yaboya1 wrote: »

Getting all metaphorical here, but you're almost at the summit of the training plan.
After the 17 miler next week, it's a nice downhill run to Berlin

Even better than that after my 20miler tomorrow I will be reducing the mileage for the first time in ages so happy days are close at hand:D

Friday 05/09/2014
5m @ 08:42 avg pace (Recovery)

Nice easy recovery run ticked off.

Saturday 06/09/2014
20m @ 07:40 avg pace (Long Run - Progression)

Original plan was to do this one with Ferris but he ended up being otherwise occupied. So after a morning of volunteering at parkrun and supporting on the sideline of another win for the U15 Girls in GAA I headed off for a solo effort. Headed southside as far as Dalkey and back. Lovely afternoon for a run. Stuck with the progression format to try to keep the head in the game. Last big one before taper starts sorted. Segments worked out as follows:

7m @ 07:58
7m @ 07:40
6m @ 07:18

Sunday 07/09/2014
Rest Day

Morning golf before grabbing a sambo with Ferris who you will be glad to hear was looking fit and healthy. Hopefully, he will be back on the road soon.

Tuesday 09/09/2014
1hr Pilates Class
Rest Day

This ended up being an unplanned rest day. It was supposed to be a 12mile MLR but I got some precautionary treatment on the hamstring in the morning that included dry needling:eek: It was my first time for this and it was a little more painful than I expected. The discomfort lasted throughout the day so I decided to restrict myself to walking the dog rather than running to ensure a good recovery.

Wednesday 10/09/2014
12m @ 07:41 avg pace (Med Long - Progression)

Usual 3 stage progression format for this run. Warm but very pleasant evening. Stuck to the flat Coast Road out as far as Howth and back.

Segments broke out as follows:
4m | 08:01 avg pace
4m | 07:41 avg pace
4m | 07:20 avg pace

All good. Legs loosened out after the first mile or so and I had no ill effects of yesterdays needles.