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Target Practice

Dubgal72

Hi boardsies, Ososlo (blame her) pointed me in the direction of Training Logs and suggested that I might like to add one. So here I am.

You can probably guess from the log title that I am shooting for some targets. You might also guess from my user name that I am female, with affiliations to Dublin and am aged 32. I am also not a mathematician.

Back in the 80s my 'previous life', I ran a lot for a teenager. Skip a few decades and I am again running a lot. The interim, not so much. My twenties I spent running away from running, my thirties were spent running back to running, away from running...and mostly drawing to a standstill.

In many ways, I feel like a dinosaur or like I have entered a different century in my reincarnation as a runner (ok, actually I have. Push comes to shove I have entered a new millennium...).
I only found out what a Garmin is this last August, I have no idea what VO2 max is, my HR Max is uncharted territory and I am still sketchy re aerobic and anaerobic fitness details.......
I am going to relearn how to run 'by feel/effort' (actually that's going well, slowly but well) so won't invest in a gps watch just yet. I will get a HRM and definitely buy a stopwatch. The other details I hope to fill in via you guys.

I picked up my asics last Jan and decided (cue eyeball roll) to....run the marathon. As a bucket list thing. So yeah.

I'm glad I did, me and running are back together (*violins*).

And of course the marathon bit me. In the bum and badly. 23 minute positive split anybody?! But along the way I hope I have banked some endurance and have definitely dipped my toe into the beginnings of some quality session work.

For 2015 my targets are:

5k sub 20 mins (Current 21:38)
10k as near to 40 mins as I can (None official)
10 miles as far below 75 as I can (Current 78:04)
HM 1:35. (Current 1:41:08)

Would also like a crack at the track, 800m, 1500m and 3000m for old time's sake.

All advice and suggestions very welcome, thanks in advance. Nagging 'have you done your core exercises this week??' especially welcome!

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Bungy Girl

Dubgal72 wrote: »

And the forestalling of chocolate BG! Some willpower

I am sooooooh close to crumbling into a big chocolately heap!

SamforMayo

Bungy Girl wrote: »

I am sooooooh close to crumbling into a big chocolately heap!

https://twitter.com/father_ted_/status/458164770932133888
Like this?

Dubgal72

Now now I'm sure BG is more like this

Maybe 'before' and 'after'?

http://youtu.be/iFGCZZV4dxs

Bungy Girl

SamforMayo wrote: »

https://twitter.com/father_ted_/status/458164770932133888
Like this?

Yes:o

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Now now I'm sure BG is more like this Maybe 'before' and 'after'?

http://youtu.be/iFGCZZV4dxs

Dubgal you are too kind but it's Sr. Assumpta all the way. Never understood people who can have one square of chocolate and put the rest back :rolleyes:

Dubgal72

Log update from Jan 10 2015: "A very unproductive week"

Saturday 10, nothing: preparing to travel

Sunday 11, nothing: travelling...and drinking

Monday 12, 7.5 miles/ one hour of very wet, sodden, hungover running.
This run took place in the morning (I know, how brave was I?! Yes, I was sober...) starting along a very gorgeous, quintessentially quaint Devonian village road. Think thatched cottages, ducks along the winding river and orchards. About a mile into the run, the road leaves the village and inclines quite steeply for over a mile, very nearly two. This is where I first noticed my hangover

At the halfway point, I cut in across the commons along a wooded trail parallel to a stream for a mile or so. Then across a field where the rain had taken its toll and there was no way of getting across dry. Here I spotted a happy shaggy lurcher with a squirrel in its mouth. I probably felt a bit like the squirrel at this stage.
After the field, I picked up the Tarka Trail (I used to live here so was revisiting familiar territory) which winds its way over three bridges across the River Torridge. The river was very brown and swollen after the recent rains. I myself was wet through at this stage which was particularly cruel as all I could think of was 'waterrrr....waaaaterrrr'. Stupidly I hadn't taken anything to drink grrr.
From mile 4or 5 I really felt the pinch although had probably maintained a decent enough pace up till then. With about a mile to go, after a slight decline where I probably leaned back too sharply, I got a ferocious stitch, a real cramp which drew me to a standstill. I cannot remember the last time I got a stitch....aged 12 probably. So the last bit saw me limp home leaning forward, soaking wet but quietly pleased with myself

Tuesday 13, nothing: funeral attended and straight into a boozy dinner that evening

Wednesday 14, nothing: hadn't dried out my runners from Monday's run.
By the time they were semi dry, the country lanes were too dark to risk running in. But no alcohol. *goes to polish halo*

Thursday 15, 4 miles recovery run.
I mean this seriously...stormy winds approaching Dublin made landing in our rust bucket Flybe mini plane impossible so we were buffeted up to Belfast where for several hours minutes approaching Belfast City Airport I wrote my obituary. Seriously.
So by the time I got home and missed the club session I hauled my reprieved ass out for a four mile run jog. Ouch this hurt. I am never drinking again.

Friday 16
8x50m form hill drills on a perfectly steep gradient.
The club had done an unspecified hills session last night. I didn't attempt to make up this session as I planned on a hardish tempo run in the morning. Instead I did some form/hill drills including a thorough warm up of strides and technique/warm up drills. Didn't feel great on the warm up and warm down, felt like I needed a can of oil on the first warm up stride but the hill drills themselves were good to shake the legs out.
The steep gradient meant I could concentrate on good form and speed followed after.
Yesterday and today have really drummed home how drinking is not a runner's friend. No more back to back drinking for me if I want to do well this year and achieve my targets.
Hopefully tomorrow and a long run Sunday will redeem a shameful week

For all the non-productivity of this week, tonight our club took home from the Athletics Wicklow Star Awards ceremony (among quite a few other awards!):

The Sean Byrne Ladies Masters Cross Country Trophy

So all in all, "A Productive Week"

Ps a nice round up to an erratic week:

Saturday 17 5k club tempo run, 9am (yes 9 bloody am)

Left the house at 8.15am and jogged the three miles to the local park. Did some warm up drills and a few strides waiting for peeps to turn up. Conditions were blinkin freezing and icy in patches so had to reel in the high skip drills and strides a bit.
Five foolish brave warriors in total set off to the other side of the park for another mile to the starting point. Any other day I'd say at this stage I was over-warmed up but today....
At the start, I discarded the hat and wind jacket but kept on the DCM long sleeve, tights and t-shirt and optimistic shorts underneath. The tarmac'd path was slippy in places, slidey in others and damn treacherous in spots. We did 2x2k loops followed by a 1k lap. The first clubmate came home in just under 21 minutes followed by yours truly about 30-40m behind so happy enough with that considering it was a 'no breakfast running on empty' run. It wasn't a tempo run in the strictest sense, a little bit harder but not quite a time trial.
1.75m warm down
8.5+ total

After tomorrow's club 10 mile run, I may change the verdict on this week's running to "Not so bad after all"

career move

Nice work Bambi

Dubgal72

career move wrote: »

Nice work Bambi

Pretty much sums it up

Mimojo

Dubgal just wanna say loving your training log, makes for some great reading, inspirational stuff!! Keep it coming!!!

Dubgal72

Mimojo wrote: »

Dubgal just wanna say loving your training log, makes for some great reading, inspirational stuff!! Keep it coming!!!

Aw *big foolish grin* that's really kind thanks. Not bad reading yourself either. Just caught up on yours from the last week, we should arrange some identifiers for after Raheny. Maybe set up an intimidating corral around the chocolate zone?

I think we should persuade Bungy Girl to tell her guests she is a really crap runner and took two hours to complete the course....think ya can do it BG?!

Murph_D

Mostly stitch-free running? Lucky you - I get them quite often, sometimes in the middle of a race. Have never figured out how to prevent them (apart from slowing down!)

Dubgal72

Murph_D wrote: »

Mostly stitch-free running? Lucky you - I get them quite often, sometimes in the middle of a race. Have never figured out how to prevent them (apart from slowing down!)

Yeah, it really was aeons ago I last got one. No idea what keeps them away so no help there, sorry! This was a real baddy, literally a cramp in my abdomen. In this case I reckon severe dehydration might have caused the cramping...

Bungy Girl

Dubgal72 wrote: »

I think we should persuade Bungy Girl to tell her guests she is a really crap runner and took two hours to complete the course....think ya can do it BG?!

They are running guests so I might not get away with that the same way I would if they were couch-based folk

I will take a quick nosey around the prosecco and chocolate zones before I head away anyway!

Bungy Girl

Murph_D wrote: »

Mostly stitch-free running? Lucky you - I get them quite often, sometimes in the middle of a race. Have never figured out how to prevent them (apart from slowing down!)

I used to suffer really badly with crippling stitches during races (not so much during training; it tended to happen when I was out of my comfort zone and short of breath). The only thing that worked for me was strengthening my abs (they were weak as a kitten

) and learning better breathing through Pilates. Very rarely get a stitch now and if I do I can control it by improving my posture/form and breathing properly. I think, in my case anyway, it's caused by spasms in the diaphragm due to not getting enough oxygen. In other cases it can simply be down to running too close to eating so maybe experiment with different meal timings ?

Mimojo

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Yeah, it really was aeons ago I last got one. No idea what keeps them away so no help there, sorry! This was a real baddy, literally a cramp in my abdomen. In this case I reckon severe dehydration might have caused the cramping...

Bungy Girl wrote: »

They are running guests so I might not get away with that the same way I would if they were couch-based folk I will take a quick nosey around the prosecco and chocolate zones before I head away anyway!

No one told me about a prosesso & chocolate zone, this race sounds AMAZING!! I will def be hanging nearby, new race "strategy"...run towards the free chocolate!! Would be great to put faces to the names alright, albeit I shall be finishing a lot slower than most, so save me some goodies please!!

Dubgal72

Sunday 18 Jan "from write off to right on"

12.75m lsr

Left the house at 10 and jogged the three miles to the park. Could feel yesterday's tempo ever so slightly but knew if I kept the pace at easy and recovery it would be grand. Met a group of five or six from the club, set off on time and did a loop up Killiney Hill and back through Ballybrack. Apart from a surge up Killiney Hill, took it pretty easy. Hip a bit tight so plenty of stretching on it today.

Week ahead plan:
Easy fartlek planned for Tuesday, club session Thursday and two day taper for Raheny (easy runs in between).

Week total 37.75

Dubgal72

Monday 19 Jan
Rest...BUT I did a full session of core recommended by Tom Joad (finally!), thanks TJ! I really like these, I think I am going to get on very well with this lil sesh. I'd say I looked a very comical sight on some most of them, especially the press-ups. That manoeuvre is going to take some practice

The words pathetic and puny came to mind... This is going to be a 'solo in the kitchen' session for some time

Tuesday 20 Jan

Fartlek session: the aim of this was to stay relaxed and do what the word means: 'play with speed' (although frankly, I think something has got lost in translation...maybe the Scandinavian mentality has a slightly more malicious sense of humour?)

Warm up of 1.75m, easy/steady pace
Fartlek of 9k (4x2.25k tarmac'd laps in park).
I decided to structure it using a pyramid in mental preparation for some pyramid interval sessions that I know are heading my way in the next month or so.
This was 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m surges etc. with equal recoveries/ease back.
I got to the downward 300m on the 3rd set when I ran out of time/laps. I considered finishing the set which would have brought me up to a nice round 10k of fartlek but good sense prevailed... :cool: (sorta wishing I had continued now, writing this) Felt ok, nice to have a session where I could tell myself to ease off a few times

Warm down 1.75m easy (all continuous running)
9.2 miles

Bungy Girl

Now that's a fartlek session! My 2 miles of 'speed play' (more play and less speed methinks

) looks very puny by comparison!
Good on ya for getting the core session done too. All the hard work done now, roll on Sunday

Dubgal72

Bungy Girl wrote: »

Now that's a fartlek session! My 2 miles of 'speed play' (more play and less speed methinks ) looks very puny by comparison!
Good on ya for getting the core session done too. All the hard work done now, roll on Sunday

Hmmm....hurdling over logs and fallen trees somewhat balances things?!

Dubgal72

I am sure KNOW I have never had so many (bright) running shoes :cool: Meet my new babies, Saucony A6 who will be christened this Sunday in the Raheny 5. Remember that feeling as a kid when you got new runners, how they made you run faster.....:D

Ososlo

Dubgal72 wrote: »

I am sure KNOW I have never had so many (bright) running shoes :cool: Meet my new babies, Saucony A6 who will be christened this Sunday in the Raheny 5. Remember that feeling as a kid when you got new runners, how they made you run faster.....:D

Congratulations on the new additions! love them! Well jealous! Just as well I'm heading off to AK now to replenish stocks with my DCM mentor voucher:D

Dubgal72

Ooh happy spending!!

( kerist, you mean you still have it, that's willpower

)

adrian522

Have a pair of A6 as well, they are seriously light. Good for shorter distances but wouldn't use them for anything longer than 5 mile/10K.

Dubgal72

adrian522 wrote: »

Have a pair of A6 as well, they are seriously light. Good for shorter distances but wouldn't use them for anything longer than 5 mile/10K.

Haha race ye

Yeah she recommended anything up to 10k and probably the occasional 10 miler (not planning many of them!). Do you warm up in yours or...?

adrian522

I tend to ye, too lazy to bring multiple pairs of shoes to one race....

Ososlo

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Ooh happy spending!!
( kerist, you mean you still have it, that's willpower )

Yeah I'm just using it on stuff I actually need and not just spending for the sake of it. It'll keep me going in shoes for most of 2015!!!
Got a lovely new pair of Brooks St5s

Dubgal72

Wednesday 21 Jan
Double day

Ran home (4.25 miles) after dropping the kids off at 9.30 and
Ran back (4.25 miles) to pick them up at 2.30
Felt ok after yesterday but pace kept easy.
A few twinges and aches from the core session but that's a good thing really cos I know I have woken up some sleeping muscles

This, and Fridays on a non-race weekend, looks like the best chance for double days at the moment. It's not ideal as they are quite close to each other but both days are usually recovery days. I'll keep the pace at recovery/easy and use as a contribution to my aerobic base. Is that right?!

Thursday 22 Jan
There really needs to be a fanfare symbol for this: I did TJ's core session (second time this week)
AND
a 30 day challenge (still on stage 1, scrapped the adductor stretch after 5. Hate that one, it hurts my knees

)
AND
some of my ancillary stuff. Whoop whoop. I said on Monday and I'll say it again, I think I have found the core session for me. Still look pathetic and comical tho.

Club session in the evening, myself and a group of ladies opted for a steady jog with strides to keep us fresh for Raheny. Tried out my new racing babies, felt really good on the strides and able to reach that top gear on the last 25m of each.
6.5m total

Short term plan is to go under 34 minutes on Sunday, the nearer to 33 I go the happier I will be. Whatever happens, it will be a PB as this is my first 5 miler.

Medium term plans have changed, no longer doing national XC in Tuam, am needed for team in Enniscorthy. Out of the frying pan into the fire :eek:

Form drill hills at medium intensity planned for tomorrow. Rest or two mile jog planned for Saturday.

Good luck everybody running on Sunday, may the wind be in your back. All the way round

Ososlo

Great stuff. Kick start that Round Numbers Table for 2015!!!

outforarun

Just to echo Mimojo's comments above: only recently found this log and thoroughly enjoying it. Good luck on Sunday.

Dubgal72

Ososlo wrote: »

Great stuff. Kick start that Round Numbers Table for 2015!!!

Thanks Os...it might all go pear-shaped (head cold brewing too) but as I said, It'll be a PB anyway

outforarun wrote: »

Just to echo Mimojo's comments above: only recently found this log and thoroughly enjoying it. Good luck on Sunday.

Thanks ofar

I've been reading yours too and enjoying it, especially your Milano exploits! You're going well.

Bungy Girl

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Short term plan is to go under 34 minutes on Sunday, the nearer to 33 I go the happier I will be. Whatever happens, it will be a PB as this is my first 5 miler.

I predict :

32:59

Have a feeling you're going to smash it in those new shoes

Best of luck!

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Medium term plans have changed, no longer doing national XC in Tuam, am needed for team in Enniscorthy. Out of the frying pan into the fire :eek:

Gosh, that sounds intense. No pressure, wha'?