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Making every mile count
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Absolutely nothing to see here.
A weekend away meant many lonely miles on country roads. For a urban boy like me the relentless silence (except the occasional very angry dog) makes quite the change. I still have not found a flat piece of road in Sligo. There only appears to be endless rolling hills, with long long long straight stretches of road. As I said, it makes quite the change. With absolutely nothing to distract the the mind the pace usually creeps up.
So, last week marked the end of the 8-week Magness Plan, although I missed the last session due the the race being a midweek one. I am not done with 5k racing as I know there is a lot more to be slashed off last weeks time. I am still content with the time of 16:44 but I have pushed myself harder in training then on race day. I partly put this down to not knowing the course. I should have gone at least 15 seconds quicker but that's all talk. The only thing that matters is what the clock says. There will be a change of emphasis starting next week, balancing the shorter stuff with a nod-and-wink to half marathon training.
I have an week plan (kindly donated) and it seems to be a natural fit for me so I will go with that. The general outline is:
Session 1: Speed (3k, 5k 10k)
Session 2: HM intervals/MP work
Session 3: Alternating Long Run (easy/steady)
Friday 17/7
Medium Long Run
-13.50 Miles @6.59p/m in 1.34:10
Saturday 18/7
12.70 Miles
AM
6.20 Miles Easy @7.16p/m 45:04
PM
6.50 Miles @6.51p/m in 44:31
-inc. 10x30sec Hill Repeats @1mile effort ~jog recovery
I forgot what session was planned for this so I went will a hill session on a steep hill. The form was going very wonky at the end. A clear sign of a tough session!
Sunday 19/7
9 Miles Easy @7.17p/m in 1.05:39
If I hear one more dog......give me back the city!
WEEK TOTAL: 70.6+ MILES0 -
This week will be called 'moving week', just like the 3rd day in golf but with less walking. Things from here on in will get a bit longer. Anyway, I was tempted to race tonight (2 miler in Raheny) so I gave myself an easy day on the Monday to give myself the option. In fact, I was going to race right up to 4pm but an email from the club coach about that nights session looked the perfect fit. In this case racing would have been the easier option!
Monday 20/7
6.15 Miles Easy @7.06p/m in 43:39
Tuesday 21/7
12 Miles
AM
2 Mile Shakeout @7.08p/m in 14:17 +swim with the pensioners
PM
Club Session
Plan: 6x1 mile @10km ~lap recovery (2.00-2.30min)
10+ Miles -inc. drills and strides
Splits (real splits, not garmin fake splits) :
1. 5:27
2. Called the same as rep 1 (watch mishap)
3. 5.25
4. 5.20
5. 5.17
6. 5.15
Great to have PM from Donore to share the work load with. I found the track very tough on the old calf muscles so I gave myself a walk/light recovery instead of the prescribed lap recovery. I guess that was to be expected after all the laps of the cinder recently. Really good to be back up at the club after my Magness hiatus. PM was sneakily upping the pace from the 3rd rep so I went with him and clung on in places.
While working very hard throughout I never felt completely flogged. One of the big advantages is having someone call the 400m splits. No looking at the watch, makes your job a lot easier and enjoyable.
I made the amateur mistake of taking off my top late on in the session. Note to self: Don't go taking off your t-shirt around a sub 4 minute miler! Felt like a right fat b!stard........
I will see how the week plays out before settling on an outline. I am donating blood tomorrow so that usually takes a day or two to properly recover from.0 -
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Savage session A! Great 5k the other day also (you raced! I had to rub my eyes twice). Seems things are coming together nicely for you at the moment, keep it going but keep racing too. I reckon you've got a very strong 10k in you at the moment, the speed is really there now, you can see it from your training and you've got the strength from all the long stuff so combined that should make for a pretty strong PB
Thanks Conor.
Yeah, hopefully. I will try to make the startline of a 10k before I go away on my warm weather training holiday next month. There's a race down the road from me but it's a race of two half; killer first half, flying second. Not a fast course but I can roll out of bed even later than usual so that's a plus! Not long to go before Charleville. Should be fun. You must be confident with all the great training recently. Will ye give me a head-start? :rolleyes:PM is Rathfarnham (just so you know)
That's right.
How could I forget after the DCM last year?! 0 -
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Saturday 1/8
8.25+ Miles -inc. drills/strides
-inc. 4x1mile @HMP ~60sec rec
Splits: 5.46, 5.43, 5.41, 5.41
Today signals a change of emphasis with Charleville looming on the horizon. I have just checked and I now have 7 weeks to prepare myself. A week of that will have to an easy week as I will be on holidays. I will bring the runners over to Italy and France but it will be tricky. Including a small taper that doesn't leave a heck of a lot of time.
So today I was back to the cinder and back to running in circles. The reps were on reflection a shade fast, especially considering I probably ran slightly over the 1 mile mark (to be sure to be sure). As usual, the garmin pace was a few seconds quick so I ran 4 and a bit laps and took that as the split. I was fairly tired and hungover and with Thursdays race still under 48 hours ago, I played it smart and ran as many reps as felt relatively comfortable. I could have (probably should have) ticked off a few more but truthfully, I didn't really want to. I wanted to simply dip my toe into the longer stuff today rather than flog myself.
Solo mile reps on the track are mentally tough. I may take the next session onto the roads. That way I will keep myself awake!0 -
Sunday 2/8
Long Easy Run
-18.25 Miles @7.07p/m in 2.10:01
Originally planned at 16 but a slight miscalculation meant an added mile or so. For the sheer excitement I added a bit more. Yeah, right.
Runners can be divided into two camps: Submissive and Resistant.
Why, oh why, do some runners dislike being overtaken? Barely half a mile in and I overtake a fellow runner, who responds by upping the pace. I do likewise but the sound of his feet hitting the tarmac still remain for the next half a mile. I just do not get it! Leave me alone!
Anyway, first proper long run in months. I felt pretty sh!te setting out and I slightly improved after 10 miles. I don't find these types of runs hard. That's not saying I find them easy, I go through rough patches and question what the feck I am doing out early on a Sunday morning just like everyone else. I know I benefit from the long easy run but I am still unconvinced. I am going to mix it up and keep the long easy stuff to every 2/3 weeks. In between that I may actually shorten the run, adding some progression/steady sections. I have an awful lot of runs of 2hr+ this year, it's not like I am avoiding them!
WEEK TOTAL: 64+ MILES
So, that was the step-back week. The constant nagging voice regarding my weight was quite prominent all week. Looking back to DCM '14, I was a stone or so overweight. I think I will adjust my diet and clean it up a bit more. It's not an exact science, I do not weigh nor indeed check my body fat %. It's more of a general feeling that my performance would greatly improve if I actively looked at the lifestyle/diet. In turn, my weight should naturally drop. Nothing drastic or measured, just a natural progression of sorts. I have avoided buying a weighing scales but it may be good to have an indicator. I'll see.
It'll be hard. I bloody love food. I am the sort of person who, whilst eating dinner, is already looking forward to breakfast. I ain't joking either! 0 -
Monday 3/8
11.10 Miles
AM: 6 Miles Easy @7.21p/m in 44:01
PM: 5.10 Miles Very Easy @7.34p/m in 38:35
Dialled back the pace on the PM run and took in a few laps (grass) in a nearby park.
Tuesday 4/8
Club Track Session
10+ Miles -inc. drills/strides
Plan: 6 Miles of 6x(800m@MP, 800m @10km)
*Lane 2, so actually 407.67m a lap
Splits (815m):
1. 3.0x, 2:46
2. 3:02, 2:48
3. 3:01, 2:48
4. 3:01, 2:50
5. 3:07, 2:48
6. 3:08, 2:49
Tonight was a complete solo run but very luckily I had the club coach calling out splits (and more importantly counting out the laps!). Magness really teaches you your pace/effort so I wasn't too put out by doing this at my own pace. Usually there are one or two lads around my pace, so it was very strange to have no one around. The track was a hive of activity so that does really help. I really thought I was done after lap 16. The brain lost track so nothing for it but another 4 laps. I kicked for home on the 800m rep, happy to be done. I wasn't. Cue another 4 laps. Tough, tough, tough but manageable. 24 laps of the track is a hard place to be. No way I could have done this even two months ago. Please excuse me for blowing my own trombone trumpet! I lost a bit of rhythm of the latter MP reps due to me miscalculating the lap total, resulting in some lost time. Can't have it all!
Average: 3.04 (6.03p/m), 2.48 (5.32p/m) ~actual paces, not garmin fake track paces!
Total: 6.08 Miles @5.45p/m in 35:020 -
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If you park up at the back of the Supervalue Deansgrange there's a path just behind you down though Clonkeen Park towards Johnstown Road. It's just over a mile from start at Kill Lane side to the Johnstown Rd end and almost perfectly flat. So for 2 mile reps you can run a mile and turn back. Alternatively duck out to the left just before the end of the path and onto Pottery Rd.
There's a lovely new Tarmac path on both sides of Pottery rd all the way back up to Bakers corner and you can run along it with no interruptions which brings you back up close to the start of the route.
Here's a map to explain myself better
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=451057
Definitely easier than doing lap after lap of the cinder track.0 -
If you park up at the back of the Supervalue Deansgrange there's a path just behind you down though Clonkeen Park towards Johnstown Road. It's just over a mile from start at Kill Lane side to the Johnstown Rd end and almost perfectly flat. So for 2 mile reps you can run a mile and turn back. Alternatively duck out to the left just before the end of the path and onto Pottery Rd.
There's a lovely new Tarmac path on both sides of Pottery rd all the way back up to Bakers corner and you can run along it with no interruptions which brings you back up close to the start of the route.
Here's a map to explain myself better
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=451057
Definitely easier than doing lap after lap of the cinder track.
That's deadly, thanks. I'll give that a reccie during the week. Sounds brilliant, thanks!0 -
Saturday 8/8
Long Run
-16.30 Miles @6.21p/m in 1.43:38
~inc. Half Marathon @Steady (13.21 Miles @6.11p/m in 1.21:36)
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/858722839
The plan was to do 13 miles but why stop there? A half marathon sounds much more significant. I was very happy to see the prospect of a decent summers morning waking up so I dusted off the singlet for the first time in what seems yonks! After a quick .75 of a mile warm-up it was time for the off. Let the work begin. With a lot of miles in the legs already I was a bit apprehensive setting out, content if I saw the pace hovering around the 6.30 mark. I checked the watch for the first real time after 4 miles and was delighted to see an average of 6.17. I was now in the groove and felt good. Sure, the last mile was the hardest but I could have gone faster and longer. The effort felt just right. The Phoenix Park was a great choice. No laps.
Progress? I think so. I looked back over my training and saw a very similar run in the park on February 1st. The average pace for the 13.25 miles was 6.15. Today felt more comfortable.
Just a few easy miles to round off a good week. More importantly, it's time for Croke Park. Later should see two great games. I would love to see Monaghan finally make the breakthrough. As for Mayo? It's not the final so they will win, there's no curse in the quarters. Dublin vs. Mayo in the Semi Final. Now, that would be some game!0 -
Sunday 9/8
8 Miles Easy @7.19p/m 58:38
Nice way to round off the week, not that I remember one step of it at this stage!
WEEK TOTAL: 80.65+
Monday 10/8
AM: 6 Miles Easy @7.20p/m in 44:05
PM: 6 Miles Easy @7.07p/m in 42:48
Tuesday 11/8
10+ Miles
AM
3 Mile Shakeout @7.34p/m in 22:45
Laps of Sean Moore Park. That's all. Legs felt very tight and generally fatigued. Roll on the club session later.
PM
Club Track Session
7+ Miles ~inc. drills/strides
Plan: 4x(800,400,800) @5k pace ~60sec b/reps, 3min b/sets
Splits:
1. 2:37, 78, 2:35
2. 2:35, 76, 2:34
3. 2:38, 74, 2:36
4. 2:35, 77, 2:35
The session itself was fine and severed perfectly as a 5k maintenance session. In fact I would say comfortable. The general pacing in the group wasn't great, partly my fault at times. The right hamstring was getting tighter with each set. The decision was made to just sit at the back of the group and see how it felt. I really don't like sitting at the back anymore as I find it tougher as I can't easily dictate my pace. Anyway. a decent session ticked off. I skipped the usual warm-down in favour of a few laps of the inside pitch. Thank God I did. The right leg got seriously bad (7/10 on the scale) and in turn I got a bit worried. It was the inner hamstring rather than the outer hamstring like last time. Fingers crossed.
Wednesday 12/8
Medium Long Run
-12 Miles Easy @7.04p/m in 1.24:57
I set today quite anxious. I decided to keep the run very local to give myself an easy out if things went pear shaped. After all, it is easier to bag a run when close to home as opposed to over 4 miles away! The leg slightly gave out for the first few miles but virtually disappeared there on. I hoped to do 6-8 but it genuinely felt enjoyable so I pushed it out to 12, happy that the effort was spot-on.
A glorious day today. You just cannot beat the coast on a near perfect day for running. After last night, I once again appreciate the feeling of running pain-free. We can all take that for granted at times.
With an easy week next week (holidays), I am sort of playing a small bit of Running Russian Roulette (RRR). I know at this stage I am slightly over-training. The three tough session in 5 days last week was hard going. The body needs a few days rest. Hopefully I can get to Monday intact and enjoy then running when I can. I hope to get 70 miles in but I cannot see myself doing any quality in temperatures hitting 39 degrees! I am tired and very aware that the only thing holding me together is my strength/stubbornness. With that said I feel very very strong at the moment. 0 -
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Trying to limit the damage! I wore the same runners for the entire 9 days. I was surprised the sniffer dog wasn't alerted! A great week.
Monday 17/8
10 Miles Easy @7.24p/m in 1.14:00
Easy? Not quite. Today was a right slog. A run to be ticked off before heading off to Nice, France. I found it tough after the number of pre-holiday drinks in Wetherspoons. I love the traditional Irish pub and all but 2.50 vs. 4.90 for a pint? There is only one winner when drinking local!
So, off to the airport to indulge in the Executive Lounge. Quite honestly the best 20 euro I have ever spent! The flight was delayed by 40minutes. I don't think we have ever been happier at being held up. Guinness, Jameson and G&T's to beat the band. Don't remember much of the flight but as a bad flier that suited me right down to the ground.
Tuesday 18/8
10 Miles Easy @6.55p/m in 1.09:12
What a difference a day makes!
Amazing run by the seafront. A very simple out-and-back-from the hotel but the change of scenery and weather (25+ degrees) made this so enjoyable. The trip out meant passing the airport before returning back. It's quite the sight to see all the aircraft making their approaches so close to the city and seafront. One for the plane spotters (like me!).
Wednesday 19/8
10.75+ Miles
AM
4.25 Miles Very Easy @7.39p/m in 32:33
A similar run to the previous day before breakfast.
PM
45 Minutes Progression: 6.50+ Miles (treadmill)
Two trains, a short walk. Hello Genoa, Italy!
There looked to be no obvious route so with a spare hour I headed to the hotel treadmill. The was very high during this, despite the machine telling me I was going at 60min 10k pace! No chance. A good example of letting the effort dictate the pace, not what a stupid Italian machine tells you. The pace/effort felt like 5k race-pace for the last 5 minutes. A good work-out. 0 -
Thursday 20/8
60 Minutes Easy (treadmill)
-7+ Miles
Another pretty boring run on the hotel treadmill. It honestly felt like like I did 8+ miles but when the treadmill tells you that you went through the 5km mark in 26 minutes you know something ain't right! I know my effort levels at this stage and it felt like 7.10 pace. With a lot of walking each day the legs are paying the price but's down to all the walking. Running is a welcome relief in fact. Genoa has a very different feel to Nice. A really interesting city and not quite the tourist trap compared to most Italian cities.
On to Verona.......
Friday 21/8
9.5 Miles
AM
6 Miles Easy @7.14p/m in 7.14p/m in 43:30
PM
3.5 Miles Easy @6.53p/m in 24:10
-inc. 5x30sec strides @5k effort
Verona is a magical city. It very well be my favourite place in Italy.
A simple out-and-back in the morning proved to be a nice start to the morning. I love seeing the vineyards, particularly as they are so close to the city. The incentive of breakfast helped me get out of bed after another late drunken night. I am averaging about 5 hours sleep a night but interestingly I am finding it very easy to get up and out early. So, the morning an afternoon was spent walking around beautiful Verona. I managed a sneaky little run before dinner and the open air opera. What an incredible experience. Now, it's not for the the faint hearted at 3.5 hours but even if you only 'last' an hour or two it is a must. A cheeky bottle of red during helped of course!
Espressos, wine and good food. I could really go for the Italian lifestyle. 0 -
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Saturday 22/8
60 Minutes
-8.25+ Miles Progression (treadmill)
Hello Riva del Garda.
Different hotel. Different location. Same bloody Italian treadmill.
To stave off falling asleep I upped the pace every 5 minutes. I probably did closer to 10 miles but not too worry. The plan is to hit the climbs/trails with the OH on the bike. Something tells me it'll be fun.......
Sunday 23/8
Long Hill Run
-16.60 Miles @7.15p/m in 2.00:40
In turns out the cyclist couldn't keep up with the runner! I will leave it at that :pac:.
With nearly 2,000 feet climbed I abandoned my companion and forged on ahead. That's the last time I say, ''let's do something together''! A truly spectatlor place to run. A serious climb on tarmac, loose stone and trail.
WEEK TOTAL: 72+ MILES0
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