Be still my beating heart

barryoneill50 wrote: »

Just put the old rusty bucket to one side and get those pendulums swinging and you shall be floating along nicely......

ha ha no problem getting me pendulums swinging it's getting me arse outa the bucket that's the challenge:D;)

Friday 5 December
AIS, LM pre run
6 miles easy
A bit too fast for easy but I was feckin freezin and it was net downhill. Neck not sore today and glute tenderness completely gone.
Didn't stress about the running form tonight but did try to maintain an upright posture with head up and chest out. But not too much ;-)
6 miles @ 9:41 avg pace

Saturday 6 December
AIS, LM pre run
6 miles easy
Woke up with a sick stomach. Dunno why. Touch and go for a while but felt a bit better as the day went on. Today was to be Long Run day. Drove to Phoneix Park. When I got there I realised I forgot my Garmin. Didn't have any other watch to measure even the time running so headed home again. Decided to scrap the long run and just did my easy run instead in local park thinking that maybe in hindsight it was better not to do the long run with 'stuff' on an iffy stomach.
Stewards setting up the park for what must be the novice cross country. Lots of activity to keep me entertained!
6 miles @ 9:39 avg pace

Sunday 7 December
AIS, LM pre run
20 mins easy, 60 mins HEAE (high end aerobic effort (2hr race effort), 20 mins easy)
Long run with stuff today. Sleep was terrible last night and stomach not great either this morning.
Did this locally. The idea was to run the HAEA at 2-hour race effort and not wear the watch at all. We all know that's not going to happen now don't we;), as I need:rolleyes: my stats for review and preview (mainly to keep account of my mileage) so I covered up the pace display and just had the clock on show.
This is the way my long run is going to be structured every week for the next 6 months so I was told to 'get used to it'!
It took me a while to get into any kind of rhythm and I hadn't eaten enough for breakfast. I found an old bagel in the freezer which I toasted but it tasted vile and didn't help my stomach issues so I couldn't finish it.
The run definitely got better as it went on and I put in what I would describe as a low-ish-level hard effort where my breathing was a little heavier than usual but still very controlled and my body felt very relaxed. I did have an inkling of a stitch here and there so I had to wind down the effort a bit to keep it at bay. Ate a little too close to the run I think. I'll get these things right when I tackle it again next weekend. All in all I'm happy enough with it and look forward to doing it again next weekend.
11 miles daily total
Weekly total: 58 miles

Can't wait to get stuck into Week 2 of this new schedule with a little bit of progression in 2 of the sessions. Feeling good and handling it all very well so far. Taking Kinnetica 100% Recovery after all my harder sessions and longer run for the past 2 months now and I think it seems to be doing the trick!

Monday 8 December
AIS, LM pre run
6.5 miles easy

I let the WORLD Atlas of Wine (a very large heavy tome) fall on my right toes on my way out the door to do this:( The pain was so bad I felt a bit sick. It didn't hurt me when running thankfully, but it was very sore and bruised to the touch and later that night in bed.
6.5 miles @ 9:47 avg pace

Tuesday 9 December
Strides Session: 3 x (6x40 sec @ mile effort off jog-back recoveries) 4 mins jog between sets & 3 mins @ 2 mile effort
AIS & Lunge Matrix pre run

No sleep:(. Went to bed extra early so I'd feel really refreshed this morning but alas it wasn't to be. Had to be up early to be at a meeting and to do a training session so knew I had to be at the top of my game this morning. But as per usual, when the pressure's on, the body lets me down

I was zombie-like all morning but managed to do what I needed to do at work despite the tiredness but the pre-run nutrition/hydration was abysmal. I only ate a small bag of brazil nuts and a handful of seeds and a cup of coffee all day and headed out to do this at 3:30pm. I wanted to do it in the local park while it was still bright so I had no time to eat properly. I had no water all morning either as I was too busy to be visiting the loo! so was a bit thirsty heading off. Wasn't sure what to expect for the session but as often happens in these situations, it turned out fairly well in the end.
My mile pace is just under 7 min/mile so even though the paces don't look very consistent the effort felt even at the time. Focused on good running form and a nice upright posture. I preferred today's session to the same strides session I did last week as I did it in the daylight so I could actually see where I was going and the paths were lovely and even and straight and quiet unlike last week when I had to watch my footing. Therefore I felt a lot more relaxed and in control. I really enjoyed it overall and felt good throughout.
Took 4 mins jog recovery when the 3 sets were done and then onto the 3 min effort at 2 mile race effort.
Hard to judge this one and might have run it a bit fast. What I found on this rep was that my arms started to feel really weak and tired about 2 mins in. The lack of food was probably kicking in but not sure why my arms felt so weak and not my legs or any other part of me The last time I remembered feeling this sensation in my arms was when I did the 1 mile TT last year. Weird...

All done by effort, no Garmin watching...
Set 1:
6:26, 6:43, 6:38, 6:45, 6:36, 7:02 (pace)

Set 2:
7:15, 6:47, 6:49, 6:53, 6:48, 7:05

Set 3:
6:40, 7:02, 7:04, 6:57, 6:59, 7:03

3 mins @ 2mile effort: 7:03 (the last 20 seconds of this were wind assisted so that might account for the faster pace than last week)

Couple of miles cool down at 9:57 & 10:02 pace

9 miles total @ 9:34 avg pace
Myrtl routine post run

barryoneill50 wrote: »

First set a bit fast was it?

Yeah defo barry. Didn't feel it at the time though.
Obviously I felt fresher at the start and a bit more tired as the time went on but the effort felt the same.
Oh to have those lovely even splits that so many Boardsies seem to be able to manage... To me it's impossible unless I'm watching the garmin!

Netwerk Errer wrote: »

Just a thought on the tired arms O. You might have been pushing too hard on the reps and getting tense. What you want to remember during workouts is to keep relaxed and fast. Practicing workouts should be all about getting comfortable and efficient at that given pace.:)

Yes 'fast and relaxed' is being drummed into me on a daily basis:) and I am really focusing on relaxed running form. I really don't feel I'm tensing up my arms but maybe I am.
I didn't feel it last week during the same session so it could possible have been the lack of food. I'll keep an eye on it!
Cheers!

Wednesday 10 December
AIS, LM pre run
am: 35 mins easy
A windy few easy miles.
10:07 avg pace

pm: 40 mins easy
AIS, LM pre run
A windier few easy miles
10:08 avg pace

Thursday 11 December
2 x 15 mins at LT (60 min race effort) off 5 min jog recoveries
AIS, LM pre run
Wind wasn't too bad tonight. It was mainly coming from the sides on the route I fixed on so it didn't bother me too much except for short periods here and there but I kept the "fast and relaxed' mantra in my head and didn't tense up and force the effort.

Warm up, 9:32, 9:37 (it's always a good sign when my warm up miles are at a nice decent pace)
First 15 mins: 7:59, 8:12 (pace)
Second 15 mins: 8:10, 8:08 (pace)
I only remembered when I finished the session that I was supposed to pick up the pace for the last 3 mins to 10k and then down to 3k effort. Oh well.... I can't be perfect and infallible every night:)

Cooldown, 9:45, 8:52, 9:30, 9:41 (pace)
Felt good and strong tonight despite my very poor sleep "pattern" of late.

9.5 miles @ 9 min/mile avg pace
Myrtl post run

Will take 2 easy days before my long run Sunday.

Friday 12 December
6 miles easy w/6x25 sec strides
AIS, Lunge Matrix pre run
Nice relaxed relaxing run, focusing on running tall with light feet.
6 miles @ 9:42 avg pace

Saturday 13 December
am: 35 mins easy
AIS, LM pre run
First really frosty, icy slippy run of the year for me. I can't even walk on the paths without slipping let alone run on it! There were people whizzing past me in park without slipping and falling. Not sure what kind of shoes they must be wearing
Stuck to the grass. Luckily there were some nice frozen mucky paths mapped out in the grass from the XC last weekend which suited me fine to follow. Super slow run but enjoyed it once I stayed off the concrete. Picked up the effort for 3 mins to about 10k effort towards the end and was surprised to see it was under 8 pace despite being run on the grass which I always find tough.

pm: 5 miles easy w/6x25 sec strides
AIS, LM pre run
This was one of those runs that I just wanted to go on forever but I have my long run tomorrow so it would have been silly to do much more today. Everything felt fluid and very easy tonight. A nice feeling Pace looks too fast for an easy run but it was a breeze tonight.
5 miles @ 9:31 avg pace
Myrtl routine post run

Was looking at my Garmin stats earlier. My average running pace was 10:51min/mile for the month of January 2014. It's gotten gradually faster each month and it's now at 9:34min/mile for December and I'm running much more and I've never felt better so I must be doing something right!
Looking forward to my long run with HEAE work tomorrow

Sunday 14 December
60 mins at HEAE (2 hr race effort)

Had a fantastic sleep last night and a lovely relaxing morning in bed watching the Euro XC. A great start to the day! It's the simple things...

This was one of those perfect runs where everything felt A-1. 20 mins warm up and I was feeling good. It was nice and cool but not as cold as recent days so a teeshirt was perfect.
The haea part of the run just felt effortless today compared to last week. I did feel I was working a bit (on the cusp of a hardish effort) but it was still very manageable and I thoroughly enjoyed it and was sad when I had to stop at the end of the 60 mins Could easily have kept that effort up for another hour so I think I got the effort spot on today. My form felt very good and I feel it didn't falter as the run went on. I held back a bit during the windy stretches to ensure I focused on 'relaxed' posture.
It was a great run all in all:)
It was pitch dark by the end of the 60 mins so I couldn't do as much of a cool down as I wanted as I just didn't feel safe in the park and the car was parked in a very quiet spot so I didn't want to leave it too late jogging back towards it. I could barely see where I was going either! Must get a headlamp.
11 miles @ 9:12 avg pace

Weekly total 59 miles
Another solid week which I really happy with and hope to mirror that again next week before things start getting hairy with xmas and weddings and everything that goes with it...

Dubgal72 wrote: »

You're revving up the mileage, impressed. No caveat about injury from me cos your routine is so thorough I'd say it's the least injury-prone schedule going. Nice.

thanks! Yeah all the ancillary stuff is defo paying off. Not a niggle since February! Can't complain.

Wednesday 17 December
Absolutely fukkin wrecked. Woke at 3am and tossed and turned until 8am when I had to get up. Just one of those really bad nights I have so regularly when there's no particular reason I can't sleep.
Getting through the day was a struggle to say the least and slobbery auld fellas arriving in my office lunging at me for Christmas kisses were not greeted with my usual seasonal joviality:rolleyes:. Save it for your lucky wives! I kept my door firmly closed for the rest of the day:)

Took a rest day from running as really didn't think it'd benefit me in any way, physically or mentally. First one in 18 days so I shouldn't be feeling so guilty!

Thursday 18 December
AIS, Lunge Matrix pre run
3x (6x40sec @ mile effort off jog back recovery) 4 mins between sets & 4 mins @ 2 mile race effort
Fairly windy out there this morning but am told to do reps with the wind in my favour where possible as the idea is to get used to running 'fast and relaxed' and it's impossible to remain relaxed and keep good running form when running into a stiff breeze so I did that where possible.

Set 1: 6:49, 6:35, 6:56, 6:56, 6:47, 6:56
Set 2: 6:59, 7:03, 6:59, 7:05, 6:56, 7:03
Set 3: 6:49, 7:06, 6:59, 6:33, 6:40, 6:57
Then 4 mins at 7:13pace (about 30 seconds of this was into the wind but it wasn't too bad and I really focused on relaxing throughout the rep)

I felt very fresh on the warm up and for the first set. The day off did me good I think. I felt I might be coming down with something yesterday (slightly swollen glands) but when I woke this morning I felt a million dollars and my legs were raring to take off. The cr4ppy feeling yesterday was obviously due to tiredness and nothing more.

The second set felt a little bit more like work but all very manageable. Felt really good on the third set and had to be mindful of not going too hard.
The 4 mins at 2 mile race effort was tough enough but sustainable. It was a bit slower than last week's 3 min effort (efforts at end of the strides section of the workout extend by one minute each week) but I did feel I was very unfairly assisted by a very strong wind behind me during this secion last week so today's effort I feel is a more honest reflection of where I'm at for 2 mile race effort.
9.5 miles total
Post session workout consisted of scrubbing floors, cleaning toilets, cleaning fridge, putting away washing, and finishing a little bit of artwork so I think I'll skip doing the myrtle routine!
Next few days will be touch and go on the running front as the first of three sets of visitors are arriving tonight so there will undoubtedly be alcohol on the agenda and late nights but I'm damned if I'll be missing my long run on the weekend! My house, my rules. They can come with me if they want!
Luckily tonight's guest, my brother arriving from NZ wants to go for a run tomorrow.

yaboya1 wrote: »

Nice session.
Just as a matter of interest, how do you know what your 1 & 2 mile race paces are? I can't remember you running any races of that distance (could be wrong). Do you base it off McMillan/Vdot or is it totally based on perceived effort?

Hey thanks. It's my favourite session of the week!
All my runs are run to perceived effort. No clock watching allowed.
I did a one mile time trial during the summer however and it was just under 7 mins but I do feel I've improved a lot since then.