A Slow Journey to Faster Times

Chivito550 · 03-11-2015 12:19AM

Mrs Mc wrote: »

Great report P really felt for you approaching all those hills. It's over now chalk it up ... You still ran a marathon which as I novice I salute you it's all about Boston now no hills there !

Except the most famous of all marathon hills, Heartbreak Hill.

Murph_D · 03-11-2015 12:27AM

Yep, not a great race but a very decent read. Could see something was up from the tracker alright as your 5k splits got slower - assumed you were just enjoying the scenery but understand now that wasn't the case. No one respects the distance more than you so this must have hurt. But I've no doubt the experience will stand to you and that you will build something good from it.

Murph_D · 03-11-2015 12:41AM

Gavlor wrote: »

Your report, whilst depressing, is very refreshing given the amount of scrotum tickling that has been going on around here of late!!

Cosy! I know they do things a bit differently where you're from, but when I'm reading the logs I try to keep my hands on the iPad.

Gavlor · 03-11-2015 12:44AM

Murph_D wrote: »

Cosy! I know they do things a bit differently where you're from, but when I'm reading the logs I try to keep my hands on the iPad.

Who mentioned hands?

jake1970 · 03-11-2015 07:59PM

Very honest report as always P.

yaboya1 · 03-11-2015 11:25PM

Thanks for all the nice words. I just received this email:

"Dear Peter,

Congratulations—you Got Your New York On.

Yesterday, you were amazing. Indomitable. Unstoppable. You took on Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan, and you triumphed, finishing the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon in a time of 3:33:28."

I guess they didn't read my report

yaboya1 · 03-11-2015 11:29PM

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Y 'assed out ace but quit yo buggin n git yo booty chillin & cuttin the rug. Fasho you can freestyle fresh at the Raheny 5. You ain't played out jus yet. Aight?! Straight.

I have absolutely no idea what this means :pac:

My rough guess is: 'Sort yourself out and come back fresh with a pb in the Raheny 5'.

Close?

yaboya1 · 03-11-2015 11:34PM

Gavlor wrote: »

Your report, whilst depressing, is very refreshing given the amount of scrotum tickling that has been going on around here of late!!

I haven't really been following any logs over the last few months so like chivito I was a bit shocked when I saw your finish time on the NYC thread. There's not much I can say that the lads haven't covered already bar this:

In the boozer after DCM last year my overriding memory of you is the way you were asking everybody and anybody to run Boston, the best marathon ever, once in a life time etc etc. I think you need to sit back and dip into that enthusiasm. I'd be inclined to use NYC as base training and knuckle down for Boston. If you defer now you might never do it. Who knows what's around the corner.....

You're totally right about the enthusiasm. If I get that back, it's more than half the battle. Going out to run sessions on windy, rainy, cold nights is easy when you want to do it.

"If you defer now you might never do it. Who knows what's around the corner...."

I think I may have actually said those exact words. Are you deliberately quoting me?

Murph_D · 04-11-2015 12:51AM

Plus deferrals aren't allowed anyway. :pac:

pgmcpq · 04-11-2015 04:18AM

Just finished reading your report. Yeah ... other than my target was nowhere near yours, and my training was pretty good ... I was nodding in agreement as I read most of that. Good to meet you after. Bottle the disappointment and use the feeling to fuel Boston training.

yaboya1 · 10-11-2015 11:04PM

I've made the mistake of going on post-marathon binges with no running before, so I decided it was for the best if I didn't do that this time. I don't deserve a break after last Sunday anyway :rolleyes:

Monday & Tuesday were out due to travelling/sleeping/jet-lag, but I got back into it on Wednesday. I'm a firm believer in the HADD training, so am going back to that ahead of Boston. I've decided to get a solid month of easy aerobic running in first, before I go back to following the same sort of plan I stuck to for Hamburg. Since Wednesday, I've just been running at certain heart rates for set amounts of time. I don't have distances or splits, I have HR's and workout lengths. That's all I'm going to worry about for the moment.

Wednesday 4th November - 35 minutes Recovery
35 minutes @ 113bpm avg

First run since NYC. Hamstrings & quads very sore, but calves, feet, lower legs and upper body fine. Obviously didn't try hard enough on Sunday.

Thursday 5th November - 35 minutes Recovery
35 minutes @ 108bpm avg

Hamstrings and quads still a little sore, but much improved from Monday. Everything else fine.

Friday 6th November - 60 minutes Recovery
60 minutes @ 115bpm avg

Down in Cork City for this around Pairc Ui Chaoimhe and the reservoir for this one. Soreness gone from the quads. Hamstrings still a little tight. No other issues.

Saturday 7th November - 75 minutes Easy
75 minutes @ 135bpm avg

In rural Cork for this. I intended the average HR to be lower, but the extremely hilly route prevented that. Once I'm below 135bpm though, it's ok. No soreness anywhere.

Monday 9th November - 50 minutes Easy
50 minutes @ 129bpm avg

Back in work today and ran home afterwards. Hamstrings a little tight again, but more due to Saturday's hills than the marathon I think? Mostly running uphill into the very strong wind, but happy with the consistent effort. Nice and mild out for November.

Tuesday 10th November - 50 minutes Easy
50 minutes @ 128bpm avg

Very similar to last night's run, except with a much lighter breeze blowing. Beautiful again outside. How long will that last? Body all good.

yaboya1 · 11-11-2015 01:11PM

Wednesday 11th November - 90 minutes Easy
90 minutes @ 130bpm avg

Weather didn't seem too promising looking out the window this morning, but I left it until after 10am by which time it had cleared up nicely. Lovely again out there now. Is it really Winter?

yaboya1 · 12-11-2015 08:34PM

Thursday 12th November - 60 minutes Easy
60 minutes @ 124bpm avg

Nice run in the blustery conditions out there this evening. My most enjoyable one in a while.

yaboya1 · 13-11-2015 08:11AM

Friday 13th November - 45 minutes Easy
45 minutes @ 126bpm avg

Done before the sun came up.

Duanington · 13-11-2015 11:18AM

That's some turnaround in training over the past week or so P - well done, keep it up!

DukeOfDromada · 14-11-2015 09:25PM

yaboya1 wrote: »

I'm a firm believer in the HADD training, so am going back to that ahead of Boston. I've decided to get a solid month of easy aerobic running in first, before I go back to following the same sort of plan I stuck to for Hamburg.

Sounds like a good plan.

dublin runner · 14-11-2015 10:41PM

How long are you planning to use HADD for?

Myles Splitz · 14-11-2015 11:04PM

yaboya1 wrote: »

Monday & Tuesday were out due to travelling/sleeping/jet-lag, but I got back into it on Wednesday. I'm a firm believer in the HADD training, so am going back to that ahead of Boston. I've decided to get a solid month of easy aerobic running in first, before I go back to following the same sort of plan I stuck to for Hamburg. Since Wednesday, I've just been running at certain heart rates for set amounts of time. I don't have distances or splits, I have HR's and workout lengths. That's all I'm going to worry about for the moment.

Just regarding HADD. I was wondering would it be worth while to get Vo2 max and LT testing done?

Might be a way of sticking to principles of HADD while making it more specific to you that the absolute numbers quoted in the PDF

yaboya1 · 15-11-2015 10:34AM

Saturday 14th November - 50 minutes Easy
50 minutes @ 129bpm avg

Run home from work late last night in the cold, wind & rain. Enjoyed it though.

yaboya1 · 15-11-2015 10:35AM

Duanington wrote: »

That's some turnaround in training over the past week or so P - well done, keep it up!

Thanks D. I see you're gradually getting back to it yourself. Where are you going for the sub 3?

yaboya1 · 15-11-2015 10:36AM

DukeOfDromada wrote: »

Sounds like a good plan.

I'm hoping it is......

yaboya1 · 15-11-2015 10:37AM

dublin runner wrote: »

How long are you planning to use HADD for?

As long as it takes for me to do myself justice in the marathon. It won't harm my other distances either, as I learned in 2014.

yaboya1 · 15-11-2015 10:41AM

Myles Splitz wrote: »

Just regarding HADD. I was wondering would it be worth while to get Vo2 max and LT testing done?

Might be a way of sticking to principles of HADD while making it more specific to you that the absolute numbers quoted in the PDF

I've never even thought about it tbh. Do you think it's something I should do?

Since I'm way off full fitness, if I was to go tomorrow would that give me different values than when I am? My HMP feels like my 3-5k pace atm.

Myles Splitz · 15-11-2015 11:31AM

yaboya1 wrote: »

I've never even thought about it tbh. Do you think it's something I should do?

Since I'm way off full fitness, if I was to go tomorrow would that give me different values than when I am? My HMP feels like my 3-5k pace atm.

If you were to go in the values would be fairly accurate for 6-8 weeks depending on mithochondrial development. I would say get a week or two more training done and will probably give you fairly accurate results to work off for Dec/Jan-Feb. At that point could always retest or if you are planning on going back to P & D it might not be as necessary

yaboya1 · 15-11-2015 01:04PM

Sunday 15th November - 120 minutes Easy
120 minutes @ 132bpm avg

Lovely morning out there for a run. Felt like I was slowing/fading badly in the last 30 minutes. It was uphill and into a headwind, but I took on the same conditions last night and felt fine. Feel like it may have been more down to dehydration. I'll stock up on some water now.

Duanington · 15-11-2015 11:32PM

yaboya1 wrote: »

Thanks D. I see you're gradually getting back to it yourself. Where are you going for the sub 3?

Ha ha - it'll be a while yet P, next Autumn at the earliest

yaboya1 · 16-11-2015 04:31PM

Monday 16th November - 120 minutes Easy
120 minutes @ 130bpm avg

Similar run to yesterday, except the HR was slightly lower and wasn't climbing in the final quarter of the run. Very happy with this. Pretty cold outside. You'd want to be fairly moving to break a sweat. I ran some of this along the canal. Although it was open today, there are signs along the towpath (between the new bridge and Lock 9) saying it will be closed between now and February. Murph will be devastated :pac:

Firedance · 16-11-2015 04:35PM

yaboya1 wrote: »

Monday 16th November - 120 minutes Easy
120 minutes @ 130bpm avg

Similar run to yesterday, except the HR was slightly lower and wasn't climbing in the final quarter of the run. Very happy with this. Pretty cold outside. You'd want to be fairly moving to break a sweat. I ran some of this along the canal. Although it was open today, there are signs along the towpath (between the new bridge and Lock 9) saying it will be closed between now and February. Murph will be devastated :pac:

he's not the only one! I've only discovered the canal and now its closing for the winter? does the same apply from Clonsilla towwards Maynooth do you know P?

yaboya1 · 16-11-2015 04:50PM

Firedance wrote: »

he's not the only one! I've only discovered the canal and now its closing for the winter? does the same apply from Clonsilla towwards Maynooth do you know P?

I think it's only the section I mention (about 0.5m stretch), but it was supposed to be closed today and it wasn't. Who knows?

aero2k · 16-11-2015 09:41PM

yaboya1 wrote: »

Saturday 14th November - 50 minutes Easy
50 minutes @ 129bpm avg

Run home from work late last night in the cold, wind & rain. Enjoyed it though.

That's the secret of success right there.

I want to complement you on a great race report and an honest post mortem - you didn't get what you wanted because your training wasn't good enough. It's easy for me to see because I've been there - I went from 3:22 to 2:54 in 18 months, and then back up to 3:23 (actually 3.30 if you include the stop at the medical tent) two years later. Somewhere along the line I had fallen out of love with running and it was becoming a chore - yes I had some physical problems but they're still there and they haven't prevented a steady line of improvements from that nadir - I think I just for got to enjoy it, and got stuck in a rut.

The bad performance in London was the nudge I needed to decide that I didn't want that to be the way it all ended, that I could do better - I just needed to be patient, put the work in and stop trying to rationalise short cuts by telling myself great stories about past exploits. Trying a succession of book based programs helped give me the mental change I needed, heading south to Cork let me try a new course while still in a "home" environment as I could stay with the in-laws.

I know I have a habit of dropping into other peoples' logs and talking about myself - I hate doing it but it's the easiest way to make the case for patience and self belief. Time is on your side, I foresee greater heights ahead, if that's where you want to go.

A Slow Journey to Faster Times

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