Go now before its too late

youngrun · 11-10-2015 08:18PM

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

FFS! You're only a young lad, and you've got serious pedigree going by some of your times.

I've only read the last couple of pages of your log, and I'm far from a expert, but it seems to me like you're only half heartedly getting stuck in.

Suck it up young lad and do yourself justice

TbL

You are on the money there for whatever reason seem not to push myself out there in running and life and work generally , only rare occasions I go out of the comfort zone or into positive aggressive territory , despite knowing there is loads more in there in the tank

Sat p m five easy
Sun a m late night sat and an early start just did twelve or so easy on road picked it up last mile but knee pain so just left it at that

youngrun · 13-10-2015 08:29AM

Mon am ran to work 4km, ran home longer way 8km, both easy. not a fan of running in the dark for the pm run.

Myles Splitz · 13-10-2015 08:33AM

youngrun wrote: »

You are on the money there for whatever reason seem not to push myself out there in running and life and work generally , only rare occasions I go out of the comfort zone or into positive aggressive territory , despite knowing there is loads more in there in the tank

If you can enter a race (preferably 5-10k) and set yourself up with following race tactics. Aim to run 10-15 seconds quicker per mile that the shape you feel you are in. From there just hang on as long as you can.

Sometimes intentionally blowing up in a race can have it's advantages, other times you find you won't blow up but get out of your comfort zone either way you can get the benefit

youngrun · 13-10-2015 11:42AM

Myles Splitz wrote: »

If you can enter a race (preferably 5-10k) and set yourself up with following race tactics. Aim to run 10-15 seconds quicker per mile that the shape you feel you are in. From there just hang on as long as you can.

Sometimes intentionally blowing up in a race can have it's advantages, other times you find you won't blow up but get out of your comfort zone either way you can get the benefit

Good idea
usually terribly short of pace at the start of a race
maybe a parkrun or something would be good for this

youngrun · 14-10-2015 08:42AM

Tues am, 3 miles to work. Pm , jogged 1.5 miles, then 4*1mile on a cross country course in local school off 1 min. This was very tough, working hard at only 6.20 pace rep one down to 6 min miles on a hilly up and down circuit. Reversed direction in middle and didnt realise it was a lot tougher. felt like 90% of race pace or 5.40 road effort so i will take it despite the times not great. jogged home 2+miles.

youngrun · 15-10-2015 09:01AM

Wed am , easy run to work just undr 3 miles . Pm, 2 mile warm up 5*3 mins with 1 min break on grass. heavy legs early on but moving at end, with a training buddy, w/down. Easy today for sure

youngrun · 16-10-2015 09:20AM

Thurs 6.5 mile v easy on grass barely dipped under 8 min mile, two sessions in a row took it out of me .. more of the same today i think.. .Might look for a race this weekend lowkey 5k or something

youngrun · 19-10-2015 12:31PM

Friday 5.5 miles very tired 2 sessions in a row after effects
Saturday 10 min jog then off in the car to run cross country, long drive. First race in 5 months . 8k around GAA fields. Came in 7th of about 30, so okay run, lapped by leader who lapped the field. Probably too easy early on felt like a jog and not enough ground left to challenge 6th place ,

Sunday 12.5mile am slow start and maybe 7 min miles last 4. Pm 10 min jog. Was in Dublin watching Autumn Open XC. Live athletics esp cross country is great

Outside · 19-10-2015 12:52PM

Good running, as per Myles Splitz comments, going out harder might be a good idea and use your endurance then to bring it home strong. Well done!

youngrun · 20-10-2015 08:22AM

Mon 6.5 mile with a pickup last couple of miles to about 6.50 pace

youngrun · 21-10-2015 09:17AM

youngrun wrote: »

Mon 6.5 mile with a pickup last couple of miles to about 6.50 pace

Tuesday the same without the pickup..!

youngrun · 22-10-2015 08:49AM

Wed, time to run a session, so took out the spikes and did a short w/up and into 5*1km on grass circuit off 1 min. Did some on flat and some on hilly loop. Times 3.50 down to 3.34 . Did 3*400 after for a bit of pickup at about 82 secs again 1 min off. 2km warm down. This was the first time all year I felt I could run properly, one of those rare days ...

youngrun · 23-10-2015 09:06AM

Thurs 9 miles around grass and trails loop , easy start, 6-50-7 min mile for last 5 of it, good conditions

youngrun · 27-10-2015 10:42AM

Friday , around 6 miles v slow

Sat , am 2 mile warm up with drills what are they?? ! . 6*4mins off 1 min hilly . Couldnt get up the hills early on desperately weak, but got going and moved up to front group by end . 7.5 km in the pm

Sunday, was running to a usual club meeting spot when I met a group of fast lads and decided , against better judgement to go with them. About 7 of us and 4 of them broke ahead after about 5km at 6.40 mile pace. Stuck with another lad for 14.5 miles averaging 6.45 with the first and last k at a crawl so the rest was 6.40. Hanging on for dear life for a lot of it but felt ok at end. Faster lads were prob running 6.25 pace which is beyond me for long runs at present.
Pm did 10 min jog for some unknown reason

youngrun · 28-10-2015 09:41AM

Mon
In Dublin watching marathon got back and did 4 miles easy in dusk
Tues
About 7 miles all in with 5k that was supposed to be at tempo pace 6min miles but legs were unresponsive and mucky circuit meant it was a slow 20 min so a steady run. Disappointing really but the weekend runs took a lot out of me and the appetite just wasnt there

youngrun · 29-10-2015 09:32AM

Wed . A struggle 6 by 3 min reps on the cross country. Barely able to move on first 3 of them, 6.40+ pace compared to target 5.50-6. Not enough warm up and legs still in deficit from Sat and Sun. got moving on 5 and by 6 was down to 5.50 pace. Very tight legs felt seized up

youngrun · 02-11-2015 10:00AM

Thurs
Not happy with Tues so ran 4km on grass tempo. Again couldnt get below 4min km, whereas tempo should be at 3.45-3.50 on grass. Not sure what it is but the wheels are not turning over
Fri 5 miles
Sat 6 miles , easy 20 min+30 min on grass

Sun, Cross Country race 8km. Long haul drive to Longford with the crew. Great course. Bad run. Reckon I was about 13/14th out of maybe 30. Several guys had beaten a couple of weeks ago I didnt even see they were so far ahead. lost shoes twice in muck but short delays only. Got going on lap 6 of 6 after a very one paced first half.
Seem to be totally lacking any pace at race start despite best efforts and a reasonable w/up. Running 6.20 mile pace first laps and 5.50 at finish . What the hell do I do to improve this ? Do not feel as if I am doing myself justice at all.

pconn062 · 02-11-2015 10:33AM

You seem to be doing a lot of grass sessions, which is great as it will give you lots of strength. However I think you need to get back the feeling of running fast. It might be worth throwing in a few light track session just to get a bit of turnover work. Do you have access to a track or you could even use a flat bit of road. Something like 1,000m/800m/600m/400m/200m starting at 10k pace and working down to 1 mile pace. The legs just seem to be stuck in a rut so this might help, throw in a few extra 200's at the end if you're feeling good. Also, throw strides in a few days a week, and if it helps then do these on the road after your grass runs to get a bit more speed in. Also, to me it seems like a bit of a mental issue as well so simulating a bit of faster running in training might help you break out of the rut and attack the next few races a bit more.

youngrun · 03-11-2015 09:26AM

Thanks yes might try that session this evening or 400s . Can get to a track about 15 miles away .. You are probably right tend to hold off mentally in racs till last couple of laps, though I am a terribly slow starter, will see next time out going to run again Sunday

Mon miles late, 5 easy on grass. Must do a longer run midweek

youngrun · 04-11-2015 10:17AM

Tues 12 k easy . nearly a long run I guess..
Will run session this evening

youngrun · 04-11-2015 06:50PM

Wed
2.5k warm up, 10 by 400 on grass circuit thats ok,in spikes, off 1min, 88 seconds down to 78 last one, 8/9 were the hardest.running with a quicker lad who was 86 down to 76, always 3-4 seconds ahead. Lungs working hard
10 min w/down

youngrun · 06-11-2015 09:57AM

Thurs 5 miles, with 6*150 m hills, v tough on the lungs. great workout though

youngrun · 07-11-2015 01:53PM

Fri a long slog of a run around grass pitches 1hr 35 mins, 8 min miling

youngrun · 09-11-2015 10:10AM

Sat 30 mins am with strides, pm 2 miles
Sunday XC race, 8km in sloppy conditions in Lough key. Again encumbered by a slow start, or maybe I am just in terminal decline. Picked off plenty of people across the laps, maybe 30th place at lap one, 14/15th at end. Not great should have been 6/7th if going well judging by others. Moving well last lap but too late.

youngrun · 10-11-2015 09:31AM

Monday.stormy out and trees down and fading light. very wary running on the road, only did 3 miles or so, body and mind tired post race and 5hrs of driving sunday...

youngrun · 12-11-2015 09:33AM

Not a great week , Tues 50 mins easy, Wed away with work, 500k driving, ran 20 mins in the dark in the witching hours, just to turn the legs over

youngrun · 16-11-2015 09:23AM

Thurs , 5*1k on trails, in middle of run, off 1 min, first one 3.46 last 3.26, something wrong with my start ..
Fri think 50 mins
Sat , went to Dublin bringing up an owl lad running the Masters, and he medalled! in woeful weather. the course was a mudbath the whole way round. Had planned a session but got up to late and when back there were floods around house so had to leave it. 5 miles done watching the races
Sun. Still floods so hopped into town and ran intervals on a couple of grass pitches. Waterlogged but solid , did 30 mins of reps, 1 min/3min/6min , really heavy going on the 6 min reps. About 6 min mileing average. A bit disappointed but the underfoot was bad. 9 miles all up. 4 miles pm easy

Low miles this week 45 ish but some quality.
Down as a sub for the Interclubs next week . Probably running half of what the top half are doing. If I have to run the aim would be to be top 80% in the field and try not get lapped, the life of a back of the packer, neither guaranteed! ...I see O Lionard and Travers are in ...

youngrun · 17-11-2015 10:04AM

Mon 5 miles easy in the dark, not a fan of running late ! . Might try a session later as long as weather permits, massive storm forecast. That is the plan but it might be effort based rather than time focused if its blowing a gale

youngrun · 20-11-2015 09:26AM

Tues ...Out mid afternoon in a storm.Planned reps but useless given the fact the wind was blowing me off the pitches.
Did hill reps in the end , 10*150 metres so a decent workout, jog back . bit of a flu

Wed. Not feeling well, 20 mins 4km

Thurs . 5 miles. with a 3k tempo on the track with another lad. 10.23 ran so not too bad.

Running interclubs sunday and will be looking to have 20% of the field behind me as a best case . Looking at the field and last years this is no doubt the best race of the year and a 36? min 10k shape at the minute for me leaves you right out the back . Still Ill give it a go , we have three young lads running it and a couple of old bucks making the team up incl me. It is a real bugbear of mine that most of our best lads avoid this every year or do road races instead. ..

youngrun · 23-11-2015 12:31PM

Fri 30 mins
Sat 40 mins felt fresh
Both easy

Sunday .....
Interclubs...

Drove up carrying a full team.. Good warm up for a change. Nerves shot looking at the competition. Watched U18s and the women, we had just the one brave lady going and she ran well ..
Into the start, which was a mudbath, couple of hellos, and bang off we were . Bit of a ninny like start for me scared of the muck but soon levelled out after the first turn .

From the off knew roughly where I was going to end up , bottom 30/40 or so , 40-50 miles is just not enough to be competitive for me at this which was my average since mid summer. Down from 70-80 a week in 2009-12 due to athletics organising /coaching work and a bit of bone idleness as well.. . and ran this in 2013 and was v close to top 100 then, but not this time ..

Got moving nicely on the stadium side but the tight turn caught me - and was to each time, losing ground each lap by the lakeside.
think i saw MS ahead on lap one but he just drifted away in front never to be seen again...
End lap one saw one clubmate ahead who had beaten me well in Connacht so motivation to get moving. Ran hard mid race to catch him which I did. He pulled away and an Inishowen lad passed me saying hello . Knew i was in a bit of bother. Kept ploughing on and good support out there from maybe ten from the West.. Clubmate came back into view lap four and by lap five had passed him. the Claw flew past me down by the lake lapping me. The top 7 lads all lapped me. Tried to pick it up on the last lap but not much there.
Finished in the 130s of 160. There might have been maybe 3/4 places more in me had I gone for broke last lap but just not enough work done . Roughly 90 seconds slower than 2013 here on same course, 30+ places
Happy enough though 4th scorer . At the wrong end of the age range for this tbh but a good bit of hard work and am well able to crack the top 100 in this race in a similar sized field next time out.
Great buzz throughout . Some of the supporters were crazy, Raheny notably. Great fun watching Sergio/Freddy battle home straight . Remotivated after this race..!
Looks like the masters next though the novice would be a good workout. Need to up my game and up the miles

Go now before its too late

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