"If I'm not out there training, someone else is."

Thursday 4 miles recovery (9.13 min pace)

Handy one in the morning before work to loosen out the legs. A long day between work and treatments meant that it was nearly 11 by time I was ready to head out for second run but ended up falling asleep instead

Friday 8 miles easy (7.14 min pace)

Out with tRR after work and before treatments for a handy one had half heart-idly said I would try get out after treatments but by time they finished I knew I didn't have it in me so took the mileage hit and got an early night

Saturday 3 miles easy, 6x1k w/2.30 jog rec, 3 miles easy + 45 min gym

Splits 3.24, 3.20, 3.19, 3.21, 3.28, 3.27

On the grass for this one for first XC session of the year, loop itself is a good XC simulation as you have 200m climb levels off and steady for next 600 and then climb last 200m so all about holding a decent effort in between the hills.

I had kinda said to myself that 6-8 reps would be the aim with 3.20-3.25 being general target (about 5 sec per k slower than I would be aim for on track given hills) Went pretty well but as I worked through the reps I knew that I had underestimated the course a bit early on as I was blowing out my ass by the time I got to the 5th rep with the legs shot after 800m I laboured on. Dug in the last one and held on for dear life but I knew I was cooked. Good session though and these sort of ones will definitely stand to me over the winter.

Sunday 18 miles easy (7.17 min pace)

Met up with tRR and dublinrunner for this in the park, nothing to major to report, faded a little around 13/14 but pushed through and finished comfortably tired to round off a solid week. Mileage was down a tiny bit but given the week that was in it with a 6 day work week and a full book of treatments I will definitely take missing mileage aim by the difference of a short morning run, Quality was there which was the main thing

Ososlo wrote: »

I don't know if you've seen the rave thread but be prepared as I think you'll have to give up the running altogether with the business that'll be coming your way soon you won't have any time for it or maybe take on an assistant!

Had a quick glance alright, always nice to get good feedback though any more and I will probably have to get a treadmill into the living room my head won't fit out the door to go running :P

theboyblunder wrote: »

What are the targets ecoli? Just xc?

Also thought id try a running question before these disappear off the forum altogether

I can see the benefits of the good VO2max session (1k reps) and of course the lsr, but was wondering about the thinking behind the 8 miler? Seems to be too slow to be near your LT, but too short a run to be a good steady state effort.

Not being a d*ck. Genuinely interested.

That's the plan, get away from chasing times for the winter and just get good solid training done with a few hard race efforts to come out strong next year, it is a tactical move with regards consistency. I got complacent after my racing spell in Apr this year and kinda disappeared so I am looking for something to keep me focused through the winter without having me hit good times so that I can hopefully get consistent good training right through next year and avoid that complacency by almost tricking myself into getting in better shape than I think, also think the XC will stand to me mentally for when I go attacking road races again as it will build a bit of character

The 8 miler is more a AeT session. Found these great for fitness last year so the aim is a good MP effort for up to an hour. These were one of the biggest factors I feel helped me when it came to 10k training earlier in the year. The progressive nature is more just a person thing taking me a bit of time to get into the session.

The training over the winter will definitely be a case of keeping all systems in check

theboyblunder wrote: »

I thought AeT is only PMP for elites (ca. 2h race pace). Still, I get ya, MP session.

Best of luck with the goals, might run an XC or two over the winter myself.

Was waiting on one of you scientists to call me on that one Generally I play it a bit on the conservative side for course profile, tiredness and other factors so play it safe with MP as a target pace (although normally ends up a little faster than target due to progressive nature)

Should do Intermediates is on in November in Tymon so its a perfect race off the back of the marathon

Tuesday 12 miles (7.06 min mile pace) + 1 hour gym work

Into PP to meet TbL for training on this one, initially this was going to be a fairly handy day however someone had other idea's and by the end I was down at tempo pace (chasing him around rather than the other way around for most of it) a decent run for myself so was happy with it

Had a spare hour before evening so down to gym and got a decent solid workout in, cut the squats short as I was fried and just stuck with a maximal effort single set of 5 for a new PB on the rack (now lifting BW and 1/3 )

The bonus round evening run was attempted after treatments but was shortly put back on the shelf as I was done for the day and not forcing mileage beyond 70 for this month and just focusing on consistency and building month by month

Thursday 3 miles easy, 4 miles tempo, 3 miles easy

Tempo: 4 miles in 23.31 (5.53 min pace)
Splits: 5.55, 5.51, 5.54, 5.51

Last session splits (4/9)
Tempo: 4 miles in 23.38 (5.55 min pace)
Splits: 5.58, 5.56, 5.54, 5.50

Looking in comparison there is little between these sessions on paper but I am really happy with this session and think it showed a decent improvement as the last time I ran it I was on relatively fresh legs and feeling good. Tonight's session was a stark contrast, hamstrings suffering with a decent amount of DOMS tired after a full day of treatments and work. Despite not feeling great for this one the splits were consistent and I didn't feel I was having to force the effort to keep the pace on track and was still controlled

Tuesday AM 1 mile easy, 4 x 2.5 miles* @ MP w/ 2 min rec, 1 mile easy

Splits:
Rep 1: 6.01 min pace (6.01, 6.02, (6.00) )
Rep 2: 6.06 min pace (6.06, 6.05, (6.07) )
Rep 3: 6.02 min pace (6.03, 6.00, (6.03) )
Rep 4: Approx 2.2 miles @ 6.03-6.08 pace

This was part of my boardsie double date for the day, first up was session with dublinrunner. Ran this one in the Park. Sluggish enough start but we got into it quick enough and ticked along nicely, aim was 6.05 but running around Furze Road and down the North Road.

Second rep was a different matter as we were up Chesterfield ave into the wind. Despite the drop in pace we were digging in hard on this one and I was pushing it just to try and hold pacing waiting for the garmin to give us some good news. Respite on the next one as we were repeating the loop of the first rep, DR gaining a bit of a gap, despite legs starting to feel the session I was still holding back a bit as I wanted to keep the pace where it was trying to focus on holding pace whereas over the session where as DR was focusing on effort.

Last one we both knew was going to be hard and when setting up the garmin for the last rep it randomly switched off so I was gonna have to run blind and rely on DR. Got going and was working a little more than I would have liked at the start for the target pace, guessed it was just that stage of the session, DR started to gain a little lead at this stage and I was starting to flag. Decided to turn after a mile or so onto the acres and despite it helping I was already digging in. Hurting bad I just kept saying to myself dig in. I thankfully had the stop watch so I had an idea where I was in terms of the overall rep but was ready to give up after 8 min (reps were in around the 15.15 mark)
At this stage it was a solo run for both of us I was a good bit behind. I really dug in and tried to get back onto his coat tails and to my surprise the gap close ever so slightly, Just wanted to get to 12 min atleast then I knew I was on for there abouts for 2 miles. Got there and said to myself "just hold on another min to ensure you definitely got 2 miles done" (at this stage I was hurting so bad I figured that slowing to 6.30s was not out of the realm of possibility. I got to 14 min and body just said stop so pulled the plug.

Eventually saw DR stop about 300m up the straight. I was a little disappointed I had fallen apart so bad on the last one till I got talking to him to hear that we started out on that rep too fast anyway (5.37 pace) had a 6.07 mile and then coming down by the US embassy for the next mile he was dropping 5.50s so the reason I felt I was working too hard was because I was

All in all a session went well despite not managing the last bit of the rep I still got a great workout

DarByrne1980 wrote: »

super session. Do you do these sessions before work? i guess its not during a lunch break as they would seem to take to long

Unfortunately due to the nature of my work, lunch time running is not feasible. My lunch is usually ate at the desk given the reactive real time nature of my job it just causes me less headaches in long run to work as I eat

In terms of sessions between my full time job being shift work and sports therapy being by appointment on a day by day basis I have to be very flexible with my training and get it in when and where I can. Not usually a morning person for runs with 10 being about the earliest I can manage to get any sort of quality done but my sessions can range from anything from a 10am start to a cheeky midnight tempo depending on how I am fixed (to be honest usually I work better in the PM ones than the AM

dukeraoul wrote: »

You are completely mental Ecoli- I love how you suggested doing my session w me Weds- wonder how that would have went ???

Well I thought it was a better idea than this afternoon:D

God loves a trier though :P