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Target Practice
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Sat
7.5 miles, easy pace and effort
Time pressures (:rolleyes:) meant an hour or thereabouts only. Legs felt grand after Thursday; not completely bouncing around but strong enough throughout, pace easy. Lovely running in the steady drizzle although my shorts chafed ever so slightly. Note to self, these are dry-weather shorts only!
Sun
7.5 miles, same route as yesterday but included 1.5mi/11x20 sec strides bang in the middle. First bit of pacier work in a few weeks. Felt a bit wooden on the first few but by the last few had loosened up. Hip slightly stiff but running tall and focusing on form helped.
More time pressures....plan was 10-11 but could only manage an hour or so again.
Weekly breakdown: 48 miles
5 days running incl
1 lsr (18)
1 tempo (chalked up :rolleyes: )
3 easy ( gen aerobic?) runs, 1 incl strides
So a semi step back week: no doubles, no aqua/cross and less intensity generally. Third week of base building proper (50/54/48). Will try maintain/increase mileage at 50+ ( despite visitors) this week and next week definitely a step back /taper week in advance of Blessington Lakes 10k. Just go to register for that.....
Now for a boards break, over and out
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log w/beg 24 August 2015
Mon
Rest, needed
Tue (early enough, 9am)
9.5mi incl 4m tempo @7/m/mi pace. Still a bit meh. Better than last week but effort for pace a bit higher than desirable. Didn't enjoy it anyway. Sleep still crap and a lot of alcohol was consumed Sunday night. Excuses or reasons?
Wed
11 mi trail/road/hill/trail This was fun!
Prior arrangements had been made for this otherwise would have backed out due to another late night tipping me over the edge of sleeplessness-induced grump. Was also worried about yesterday's tempo slowing me down in the rather speedy company of my A/R boardsie group :eek: The route had the potential to be a bit sticky on tired legs but we had agreed on the pace beforehand (in my comfy zone, phew)...and some opt-out points en route if needed.
The route took us along the cliff path to Greystones, back along the road taking in a few (3 to be exact) hills including a steep off-road leading to the top of Bray Head and then looping back to our starting point.
The miles flew in, the rain held off, the views were spectacular - just caught the tail end of sunset from the top of Bray Head - and the descent through the woods in twilight was bloody exhilarating. Really enjoyed this.
Thur
Rest, complete. Gen rehab, strength and mobility booked in for after kiddies bed time but sleep won....I'm reading Paula Radcliffe's biography and she discussed the value of knowing when to pull back and when to HTFU. This was definitely the former although you shoulda heard the internal conversation..... :rolleyes:
(Also start of GI bug or mild food poisoning; really bad cramps and mild dr cotd til Sat so probably good call to rest)
Fri
10k with 8x100m strides. Felt good on this and looser on the strides than last session. All good (cramps towards the end, straight to leithreas at finish)
Sat
Am: 7.5 miles easy, empty run
Meh. Maybe weird GI cramping thing along with the early hour and last night's run may have taken its toll. Stomach didn't feel great the last two and a half/three miles but lasted til I got home
Sun
18miles: the infamous Glencree Run, 2 hours 22 min (avg 7:53 m/mi*)
@ 7:45 am, yup, you read that correctly.....
This went well. Four of us were dropped off at the four mile mark where we met with the marathon group (incl wrstan) who were doing 22. Seven of us set off up through the back of Kilmac and upwards for pretty much eight miles. Ok, some of it was more up than up; the real ascent started at four miles and undulated (always upwards!) getting steeper and steeper. Pace started off at 9m/mi and worked its way down to 8 and we probably pulled back to 8:30 as the elevation gained. The group stretched out the last mile, with yours truly bringing up the rear. We were joined here by another clubmate who caught up with us on his 24 mile run!
The last 800m was super-ouch and I even felt a bit dizzy. That was fine, although as we regrouped, yours truly also got no top-of-the-hill rest :rolleyes: Luckily coachy's other, nicer, funnier, prettier, less grumpy
altogether better half cycled around with us (yes, she is that amazing) and stopped at various points with our drinks lined up. Mine was diluted apple juice which went down a treat, I think the last few days' GI thing may have left me slightly glycogen-depleted. The views here were spectacular, although I had to be told to turn my head and look 
The legs were jelly as we started the descent past the Glencree Centre of Reconciliation but I felt I soon recovered well (well enough) and we hit some quite quick paces (7:15-7:05 miles). Nevertheless, this was tough going but like every long run, there are dips - physical and mental - which you just have to get through. The Sugarloaf and Bray Head seemed very far away but gradually came closer. Approaching Enniskerry village, SF reassuringly told me 'only 5.5 miles to go' to which I replied 'ah great, so about 45 mins then' to be answered by 'eh, no, we're a bit faster than that'.... So no winding up...as we left Enniskerry village, we hit 6:45 pace, 6:35 pace (! :eek: !) with a few of the last miles under or around 7m/mi and the last itself at 6:51, finishing strongly enough. Especially in the second half of the run, I used the TA-activation trick. It works such a treat. It's just like tucking your torso in all nice and tidily and allows you to move forwards, not sidewards. And no hip twinging! At last!
This run was tough but I can really see the value of it: slogging uphill, followed by a fast leg turnover downhill on tired legs. When I was told about this run a few months ago, I thought to myself 'I want to do this'. It was everything I thought it would be
Although I was undoubtedy the least strong runner in today's group I am slotting it into the maxim of 'train with someone faster/stronger than you once a week and train with someone slower once a week too'.
*wtbf?! Legs, body and mind, I love you!
Weekly breakdown: 52 miles
5 days running incl:
1 tempo,
1 mlr incl hills
2 easy, 1 incl strides
1 ginormous killer hilly run
Rehab done but no core. Doubt I'll fit a DS session in this evening, will aim to do them all tomorrow.
I'm not really a huge mileage tracker but this is the first time ever - EVER - that I have hit over 200 miles in one month.....and some people do this in 24 hours????!!!! :eek:
So in honour of the month that's in it, here's a table:
|2013|2014|2015
August|0(no training for anything)|140.5 (marathon training)|221 (XC training)0 -
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Thanks Anna. It is probably the training run I am most pleased with to date. I went through a few journeys on it, physical and mental.Wow that was some week, you are really flying again. That 18 miler was something else! Well done.
Haha good q pconn. We had this discussion ourselves. We think coachy has secretly entered us into the marathon and will just quietly drop it on that weekend...'oh you thought ye were doing the Leinsters?!...no I just need you to take it in turns to pace HB to her target...' :pac:Can I ask DG, why are you doing such long runs? I would have thought for XC the max distance you would be running is 5/6k so 18 miles seems like a very long run. I'm not saying it will do any harm, just that the amount of recovery involved in a run like that might interfere with more XC specific sessions.
Really impressive training by the way, great to see.
Seriously though...it's a lot yes, but I think for me, this base building block will benefit my endurance (currently lacking) enormously. We're also targeting Charleville too so that might make more sense in that context.
Yup. 'S meTA activation? You're full of tricks. :pac: It's the same as the last one...or had the aul grey matter forgotten?! 0 -
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Thanks! Absolutely, the A Team is on the jobKrusty_Clown wrote: »Good luck tomorrow. Remember, Blessington is in Wicklaw', so there's local pride at stake!
ThanksBest of Luck tomorrow.....ENJOY!! I will...until 6k anyway
Thanks Jake. No real time goal tomorrow. Strategy is to keep an eye on the watch for the first km and half way and otherwise just race as opposed to clock watch. I'll be happy to practice racing strategy, have had a few tips from coachy...I might need to make a pace band-type bracelet with his tips on it :pac:Good luck tomorrow Dubgal.
What are your A,B and C goals for tomorrow?good luck tomorrow!! see you there
Thanks! Good luck yourself and see you tomorrow 0 -
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Race report Lakes 10k 2015
Old PB: 42:08*
New PB: 41:55 (third attempt at distance)
8th female o/a
5th female o/35
This was a 'see where you're at race' following a block of high mileage/no speed work base building. The plan was to race over clock watch. We discussed racing it completely by feel with no watch but then decided to check the watch at 1km and then 5km, using these to assess maintaining and increasing pace as necessary.
The focus was to be on racing it: staying in a group, not leading it, reeling runners in as and when and finally, making a break (didn't need that tip today).
The first km felt relaxed enough and clocked in at 3:57, just under the 4km aim but nothing to worry about. I focused on maintaining that rhythm and leg turnover, reciting the mantra 'keep that pace' for the next few km. Overall, it was pinching slightly but nothing to worry about.
2km rolled in and I resisted the urge to look at my watch, instead focusing on the group that had formed around me. It morphed slightly as we settled down and strung out occasionally as each runner found his or her own groove along the slight undulations.
At the 3km mark, I told myself that we were nearly a third of the way there and the 4km mark came quickly enough. If I remember rightly, there was a long decline here. A female passed me here (my cat) and we played cat and mouse for a km or two until she pulled away at the hill after the 6km mark to finish 30-40 secs ahead.
So the 5km mark came and I flicked my wrist for a look: 20:44. This was why I had considered running without a watch. Watch times tend to freak me out slightly if they are too quick or...not quick enough. I was surprised by this as I had really thought I had maintained more pace and rhythm and was expecting maybe 20:20 or thereabouts. With hindsight, I had let concentration dip around kms 2-4. A clubmate (top 5 finisher) explained that it was deceptively difficult to maintain pace on this course due to the undulating route and how this can chop the stride. He gave me a few tips after the race but I think I'll have to ask him to recap as my brain was not working too well post-race
Anyway, unlike previous times (Women's MM and Terenure 5m), I got over this mental blip quickly enough and dug in some more, determined not to lose it mentally or physically at this stage.
Looking back, I spent a lot of time today working mentally as much as physically: keeping in a racing group, watching the movement of this group; deciding whether to go with a splinter or ease off back to the remainder, keeping the racing line, activating the TA (TM ), waving the wand, digging in.... :eek:
There was really great support from local families along the way and this was really appreciated. The water station too was organised like clockwork. I didn't need any, but if I had, there were about 10 volunteers manning the station on either side of the road...seamless
The hill was a killer and was a bit longer than I had thought but got up and over it. Cute signs at the bottom, half way mark and top too
The Glencree run last Sunday was in my mind and I reminded myself that this was peanuts compared to that. I also reminded myself that I recovered pretty well from that on the downhill too (not reminding myself that it also hurt a lot too )
So the legs were jelly-like coming off it but there was a nice stretch downhill where I attempted to reel some runners in. Didn't get anyone today but it was a useful enough exercise.
Funny enough, the second half of the race seemed to go a lot quicker (even though the discomfort levels significantly escalated) and the km markers flew in (relatively...). I caught a glimpse of the lake (and the faraway bridge) out of the corner of my eye and contemplated taking in the scenery but grumpily said f@ck the scenery and ploughed on. The cheerleading team of aquinn and annapr with 500m to go however put a big grin on my face. They are seriously amazing! Thank you ladies, it really made a difference.
I caught something from coachy about 'getting under 42 minutes' with a few hundred to go and put the foot down (something I was planning to do anyway, swear), getting closer to the guys I had been attempting to reel in in the process and scraping under 42 mins for a new PB of 41:55.
So now am in the 41s, next target is 40:xx but I will be patient in the meantime. As coachy said, the training is paying off (PB off no specific work) and the focus is XC. Ok, I'm a little disappointed with the time but I got to practise other racing stuff so it's all good. No team prizes today but fwiw we would have got top female senior team with three in the first 8, well done to my two clubmates who are cheerfully dragging me to better things, week in, week out! Also back in the top 10 placings overall so will.not.complain
It was great to meet HelenAnne at last (not blonde btw, I was convinced I had seen a photo of her sporting a blonde barnet... ), congrats on a great run! Also saw BG looking super honed after her successful block of base building, congrats on the really well-deserved PB. Another PB from Murph, well done! Firedance I suspect also got a PB, well done too! Didn't see chickey2 so looking forward to reading your RR Also spied TRR giving our clubmate dirty looks post race, probably cos our clubbie pipped him - congrats on the podium finish for aul fellas tho And again, annapr and aquinn, support par excellence, thank you
I'd really recommend this race. Seamless from start to finish. Great layout at the finish with abundant fruit, water, goody bags and muffins along the finishing way. Thanks to all the stewards and volunteers who made this happen. I'll be back for sure.
*no PB vino tonight cos of 16 mile lsr tomorrow morning, 8am
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