A Slow Journey to Faster Times

AuldManKing wrote: »

Maybe have a plan B incase 6 weeks out, the 4@lt or 8 @mp don't go to plan.
I was going to suggest a recovery week at some stage, but I guess you'll cater for that.

If the LT feels hot, I read somewhere that keeping it all at MP isn't a bad thing or even 5-10 SECS faster than MP can make a good difference.

Gotcha.
Like I said, it's pretty loose. If I feel I need a recovery week, I'll take it. I won't be a slave to it like I so often am. I should know in the first week or two if I'm going to be able to handle the increased miles at said paces. If not, I can do something like you suggest.

The main thing for me now is to get to the start line fit, healthy and capable of running a respectable time

Murph_D wrote: »

Is the second last week a little bit much? 10 @ MP a couple of days after your 7 @ LT?

Time will tell I suppose. If needs be I'll back off a bit, but to tell the truth if I get that far on target I'll be happy. When I was training for Berlin I ran a 12m (with 7LT) on a Friday, followed by a 22m Long Run two days later which I finished with 4m @ MP. Sometimes I think I find it easier that way?

AuldManKing wrote: »

I think FBOT is becoming the running equivalent of the F*&k buddy :pac:

Aka TbL MK II

Wednesday 2nd September - 65 minutes Easy (with 1m @ LT)
7.5m @ 7:52p/m average, 1m @ 5:56

Woke up at 7am with what felt like a really bad head cold, to compound the sore throat I've already got. The soaking last night probably played it's part there. However, the running parts of my body are in good order and I'm nowhere near as unfit as I thought, now that I've taken the shackles HRM off :P. The runs the last few nights have taken absolutely nothing out of me, so with that in mind I decided to tick this week's LT session off this morning. I made the decision to run the LT mile in the middle knowing I'd need to keep something in the tank to get back home, rather than completely flogging myself and finishing with a shuffle. 6:09 would be about the pace I was looking for based on my 10m pb from last year. Instead of checking the pace every five seconds, I upped the effort until I felt I was going the correct pace. Started to feel the burn about 400m in and had a glance at the watch. 5:46! I eased off a bit, but comfortably held it under 6:00. Already fancy holding two of these next week. FBOT01, I'll give you a shout for the 12 with 7 . Few easy/recovery miles tomorrow, rest Friday & Saturday and long run Sunday. Already feel like I'm making good progress after being down in the dumps less than a week ago .


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:19
Mile 2 - 7:53
Mile 3 - 7:55
Mile 4 - 7:39
Mile 5 - 5:56
Mile 6 - 7:47
Mile 7 - 7:57
Mile 8 - 7:56
0.5 - 3:52

Sunday 6th September - 130 minutes Easy
16.63m @ 7:49p/m average

Had to pull out of a group run this morning, as I couldn't be sure I'd be able for this and didn't want to let anyone down. I've been dying the past two days and couldn't have run if I'd wanted to. The only parts of me doing any running have been my eyes and nose. I was hoping I'd feel up to it after a decent night's sleep, but couldn't be sure. When I awoke, I felt a bit of an improvement so decided to give it a go. Was supposed to incorporate a couple of MP miles into this, but knew that was unlikely and accepted it would be a bonus if I managed them as well as the 'Long Run'. I brought my leap/dublinbike cards as insurance, but had no intention of using either. In the end, I got the entire run in but wasn't up to doing the MP miles. Struggled a bit in the second half, but I feel that's more down to my general health than my fitness. Took in a loop of Croke Park before heading back up the quays for another nine miles in the PP, then out the gate and home. Job done. Great atmosphere around the stadium and in the city ahead of today's hurling final, even though it was only 10am.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 7:40
Mile 2 - 7:42
Mile 3 - 7:39
Mile 4 - 7:39
Mile 5 - 7:44
Mile 6 - 7:45
Mile 7 - 7:47
Mile 8 - 8:04
Mile 9 - 7:59
Mile 10 - 7:55
Mile 11 - 7:33
Mile 12 - 7:26
Mile 13 - 8:01
Mile 14 - 8:14
Mile 15 - 8:01
Mile 16 - 7:49
0.63 - 5:04

Wednesday 9th September - 60 minutes Easy
7.35m @ 8:10p/m average

Just a nice trot home from work. It didn't seem warm out, but I got pretty hot during this run. Never felt like I was working too hard though.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:11
Mile 2 - 8:15
Mile 3 - 8:24
Mile 4 - 8:04
Mile 5 - 8:14
Mile 6 - 8:02
Mile 7 - 8:05
0.35 - 2:48


Thursday 10th September - 60 minutes Easy (with 2m @ LT)
6m @ 7:58p/m average (2m @ 6:07p/m average)

Can't say I was looking forward to this. Although I've just about shaken off the bug I had last week, I'm still a little chesty and my airways aren't fully cleared. I decided to go ahead with it anyway. Breezy enough out there this morning too, which would also make it tougher. I ran down the canal to Phibsborough and then back up the NCR to the PP, with the intention of running the two LT miles as soon as I hit Chesterfield Avenue. What happened there was a good example of how your mind can play tricks on you (good/evil, confident/defeatist).

I had been gradually speeding up in the warm up miles, fully aware that my LT miles would have to be much quicker, but since I wasn't feeling as good as last week (comfortable 5:56 mile), I bargained with myself to hit an effort I believed I could maintain for two straight miles, rather than hitting 6:05-6:09 pace (as I had done with FBOT01 a few weeks ago) and dying in the first mile. Anyway I did this and looked down after about 400m to see the pace at 6:26. A little disappointed with this, my more confident side told me I wasn't trying hard enough. So I upped it a little bit (now 6:17). My head then started telling me I might as well try and hit below 6:10 since I was close enough now. So I pushed a little bit harder (down to 6:08 now). The defeatist in me said there was no way I could hold this for the remaining 1.5m. Just get through the first LT mile and we'll call it a day You're a bit under the weather, the wind is blowing, no shame in getting half the prescribed workout done. So I made a deal with myself to see out the mile and then just go back to easy pace for the remainder. Really struggled to hold it before the watch beeped at 6:08. Eased off a little bit immediately, but kept it at a reasonable clip for the next few hundred metres. Another glance at the watch. 0.18 of a mile in - 6:21 pace. The confident side comes out again. You're already more than halfway through this (2m) and not far off matching the first mile's pace. A little bit more effort and you'll do this. No need to make excuses. I put the head down and ploughed on. 6:16->6:11->6:07. The defeatist can't win now. I've only got 25% of the entire LT section left and I'm moving faster at this point (6:04) than at any other stage of the run. I think I start to accelerate knowing the quicker I see out the mile, the earlier I can ease off. I get to the last 0.05 of a mile and give myself a tiny break knowing it's job done. Watch beeps at 6:05. Back down to what felt like a jog for the two miles home.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:08
Mile 2 - 8:04
Mile 3 -7:58
Mile 4 - 7:40
Mile 5 - 6:08
Mile 6 - 6:05
Mile 7 - 8:09
Mile 8 -7:55

Some observations:

1 - I found a 5:56 mile relatively easy last week. Knowing this made it easier to go through with this even though I wasn't feeling as good today. If I hadn't run a mile at a similar pace last Wednesday, I'm not sure I would have got this done on target. Knowing you can do something, as opposed to hoping/thinking you can makes a huge difference imo. In saying that, I know for sure a third mile would have been beyond me today. Baby steps.........(Wtf was I doing trying to complete 6 of these with FBOT01 a few weeks ago?)

2 - I got through the 12m (with 7m @ LT) session from P&D's plan 5 days after I ran my 10m pb last August. I wouldn't be able to do 7m at that pace atm because I'm not in the same shape. I guess I probably should be allowing for that and the target shouldn't be as aggressive (maybe 6:20p/m?). In saying that, I do feel it gives you huge confidence when you can hit an aggressive target knowing you're not in pb shape, and it certainly makes you fitter. I always felt the VO2 Max sessions brought me on a lot for Seville and I just ran them as fast as I could at the time, because I wasn't entirely sure of my 3/5k potential.

Tomorrow will definitely be a rest day, possibly Saturday too. Sunday is 50/50 regards a long run, but if I don't fit it in I will definitely get it done on Monday.

Sunday 13th September - Rest

Definitely won't get out at all today now, but will fit the long run in tomorrow morning for sure. Anyone fancy joining me?

Killerz wrote: »

Enjoy the trip and please pass on my best wishes to F and T!

Will do. I might be around the following Saturday morning (26th) in St Annes if you need a pacer?

Saturday 19th September - 125 minutes Easy
16.55m @ 7:33p/m average

Needed to get a long run of some description in today, as circumstances make it virtually impossible in the next three days. I also needed to avoid the heat and be back in time for the breakfast cut off. That meant a 7:10am start. I went easy on the alcohol last night and was in bed relatively early. Hit the road in perfect running conditions this morning. Dark & cool. However as soon as the sun came up, it got very hot very quickly. Was very comfortable for most of this and feel a 3:10-3:15 marathon in New York is about the least I should expect all going well. Possibly faster though. Another reasonable week almost ticked off. May get a short recovery run in tomorrow.


Splits:

Mile 1 - 7:32
Mile 2 - 7:45
Mile 3 - 7:46
Mile 4 - 7:52
Mile 5 - 7:50
Mile 6 - 7:43
Mile 7 - 7:36
Mile 8 - 7:36
Mile 9 - 7:32
Mile 10 - 7:32
Mile 11 - 7:29
Mile 12 - 7:22
Mile 13 - 7:20
Mile 14 - 7:22
Mile 15 - 7:24
Mile 16 - 7:21
0.55 - 3:59

All confirmed:

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