Target Practice

First session to report here :-)
Since the marathon, I haven't taken a complete break, I've been getting out 3-4 times a week and on days where I would have gone for a 6k recovery run, I've had a day off. 8 days ago, I felt I blew off the last of the marathon cobwebs with a 4.5 mile plus strides run, followed by a fartlek plus hills session with the club on Thursday.
This morning's session included 6.75k fartlek but more what I call 'old skool' fartlek. I did a few of these in the late 80s and hated them because, unlike interval training' you don't get much of a rest. The idea was to keep a steady base pace and surge at designated points. No stopwatch this morning so ran by feel over tarmac'd parkland on a 2.25k loop
I surprised myself by enjoying this (even running solo) but should have focused on keeping the effort as even as the pace. The first lap was comfortable, the second lap was comfortable/hard enough and the third lap was hard. Managed to stay relaxed and keep some form.
Each lap was 2.25k and the surges ranged from 150m to 400m. The recoveries/return to base pace were, if anything, shorter in distance than the surges.
Pleased with this one, legs were jelly at the end but after some gentle stretches I was ready for an easy 3 mile recovery home.
Hip niggled a bit on the last mile so back to physio this week.
2.5m warm up
4.25m fartlek
3m warm down
T 9.75 miles

Nothing much to report since Tuesday:

Wednesday:
4 miles easy, felt yesterday's session in my legs.

Thursday:
4 miles steady incl 3*150m strides at 70-80% effort. Legs fresh but wooden if that makes sense. Not happy about hip but didn't make an appt with physio. I think I had 'if I ignore it, it will go away' syndrome.

Friday:
Had 3*1k fartlek session planned but 1) didn't get out till after dark and 2) hip niggled enough for me to cut my run short. It probably had a lot to do with the 'wooden ness' yesterday. Didn't really enjoy this run, felt fresh at the start but it was wet and quite dark so was constantly on alert watching where I was going. When the hip started to niggle, I tensed up a bit more.
Was going to do the fartlek session tomorrow but will rest. Going away on Sunday so won't get much (any?) running done next week.
Total: 8/9k

Aims while away:
Start the 30 day challenge I signed up for 10 days ago...
Restart core exercises.
Rest/don't stress.
Go to physio on return. Immediately!

Total for week:
4runs, 22.5 miles. If I post a run for tomorrow, shoot me.

Physio says....go! He's not too concerned about my hip but will see me next Tuesday for a final tune up. My hips were out of sync, left side 1cm longer/shorter(?) than the other. A tug here, a push there, a drill here, a press everywhere followed by a laser blast = new me.

Rest day today and he promised me I'll be sore tomorrow :-/

Ososlo wrote: »

Great news now go get that 21 mins!:D

Really have no idea if that's realistic at this stage but I'll give it a lash!

Got myself a brand new shiny pb for 5k: 20:33. Over the moon. Race report to follow...tomorrow.
Lovely to meet you career_move, adrian522, cianc and yabowsie

Ososlo wrote: »

Woo hoo!!!! Fantastic Dubgal! You're gonna do great things to that 10 Round Numbers table next year:D
Enjoy the celebrations!

No pressure?! If i'm going down, you're coming too *osospeedy* ?!

Race report Jingle Bells 5k 2014

Such a good atmosphere on boards yesterday as positive race reports started to come in from the Park and Waterford. Such a contrast to post-DM reports a few weeks ago...congratulations everyone!

Previous PB: 21:38
New PB 20:33

I went into this with the vague hope of dipping under 21 minutes. An ongoing niggly hip meant I hadn't had a solid block of training for a couple of weeks but on the other hand, I knew the training for the marathon was still in the bank. Preparation on Friday was relaxed to say the least and involved two helpings of salty stew and half a bottle of red that night. I got as far as working out loose kilometre splits which were made redundant as I forgot to grab my dad's stopwatch getting out of the car...

Warm up consisted of a good 24 min very easy jog followed by strides and phase one of drills (simple kick backs). Clearlier has linked to a series of drills which I am gradually going to incorporate into my training and racing warm up routine.

A few of us commented on (ok grumbled at) some runners sheer bloody incompetence at lining up in the correct area. Lady with a rucksack on your back....you are NOT going to break 20 minutes for 5k. Marching man....however fast you march you are not going to march 5k in 16 minutes...
I had intended to start a little back from the sub 20 group but probably ended up at it cos no way was I starting behind these optimists.

Jingle Bells started us off (and yes it was in my head still at 3k, lovely rhythm to run to :-).

The first 500m did not feel good, my legs felt like jelly, no rhythm and I panicked a little as I had no idea whether this was due to going too fast or too slow. I copped myself on and reminded myself that I felt like this at the start of the FD 10 mile and told myself to relax. Which I did, checked my breathing - not too laboured - and gradually found my stride.

Each kilometre found me pushing a little more, something I was pleased to be able to do. Of course each kilometre was hurting a little more but I felt strong with no hip niggles (ok, confession: I popped a couple of nurofen at 9am). The wind along Chesterfield Ave was not particularly bothersome and for the first time this year, I was successfully playing the 'reel em in' game.

As we turned down the Glen Road, I muttered to a girl on my shoulder that we should catch the group ahead of us, which we attempted to do. It took longer than expected but between us reeling them in and their group fragmenting, we did it. She broke clear and eventually finished 10-15m ahead of me, fair play.

As we descended the Glen, I was digging in and telling myself that this downhill was my REWARD for the FD 10 and HM finishes UP this hill in August and September. And yes, I relished it, despite the pain.

Finally, the turn off for the finish came into sight. Since I started to race in August, any finish has been miserable maintenance but today, while not a full on sprint, I was able to raise the pace and do a final reel in, yay. I also felt today that I was beginning to get some 'bite' back in racing, looking back at the last few races, I have maybe been a bit namby pamby when the race starts to hurt.

It wasn't till the finishing strait that I knew I was under 21 minutes as I heard a time called for a finisher ahead. Wasn't sure by how much until I got my text from champion chip...chip time 20:33.

Happy out, satisfied that I had run to the max on the day. Blissed out afterwards with the sensation of my legs feeling relatively normal compared to the recovery after 10 mile, HM and marathon.

Great to meet some fellow boardsies in Ryan's afterwards and putting faces to usernames (had to re calibrate after a while, I had assumed yabousy ;-) was pconn...)

New target:
Sub 20 within next two 5k outings....and 19 by the end of 2015.

SamforMayo wrote: »

Super Race! Looking forward to seeing that time falling soon!

Great when a plan comes together isn't it?! Thanks :-)

Bungy Girl wrote: »

Well done, super time. You are where I want to be so I'll be reading this and trying to pick up some tips!

Thanks, we may well be picking each others' brains!

annapr wrote: »

Well done on Saturday, Dubgal! only discovering your log now but will definitely keep an eye on it, enjoyed your report and looking forward to seeing you smash that 20 min barrier! sorry I didn't get to meet you on Sat, maybe next time!

Thanks annapr and congrats to you too, fantastic chunk off! About time you started a log too?

Wednesday 10 December

5.45pm 10 miles easy-steady

This was meant to be a lsr but parts were run at a steady pace for a few reasons: one was my mind wandered and I found myself picking up the pace unintentionally, a second was that in parts the rain and wind were so fecking vicious I just wanted to get home and dry. The land side of my face got a right icy slapping running along the seafront. As soon as I decided to put up with the misery of it, my face numbed up nicely. Magic :-)
I was tempted at one stage to cut the second, inner loop short but didn't and was happy when I measured the run on mapmyrun to the entrance of my estate at 15.99km.

Thursday 11 December

Club session: hills, 6 miles total

Warm up (incl jogging the long way to the club) 2.5 miles
3 shortish hills (70m?) easy pace to open the legs up
3*120m hills, continuous jog to start recovery
3*200m hills, continuous jog to start recovery
1*250m hill This hill killed me. This, and the previous three levelled out which throws the stride and makes it difficult to maintain momentum. I was chasing a guy which helped, managed to stay off his shoulder til the last one when I started to feel dizzy the last 30 or 40m.
Steady 400m relay to finish off (the coach's 'sting in the tail'). I didn't go all out on this but had recovered from the weirdness on the last hill rep.
Warm down, v easy.
Good session. Wine and bath now