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Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard

chickey2

I saw this quote on Runners world recently and thought it was a good one. I've been lurking around here since just before DCM 2015 and have loved reading the training logs. The thing that stands out is the ones who run consistently and sensibly are the ones who are doing really well, so that's what I want to try and do!

Background
I'm a 39 year old female, with a full time job and two kids (so always short on time!)
I stared running a couple of years ago with the Couch to 5K. I hadn't run since I was in school and even then it was just laps of the pitch during PE and I hated it. When I did the C25K though I loved it. I kept at it and did the womens mini marathon in 2013 (1hr 19 min!) and was thrilled with myself. I went on holidays then and fell out of the habit. In January 2014 I started again, redid the C25K and got up to 10K again. I signed up for the Frank Duffy 10 mile and the half marathon in the Dublin race series as an incentive to keep going and got some plans off the internet and off I went. After the half I was talking to a friend who was running the Dublin marathon and encouraged me to do it too despite the fact it was only 4 weeks away! I thought feck it, I can run half and walk half, so I signed up, and started on week 18 of a 22 week training plan! In hindsight it was madness, but somehow I managed it and finished DCM on a total high. It was just before the marathon I came across this forum. After DCM I joined the graduate thread on here and got some great advice from Clearlier and learnt a huge amount from lots of posters here. So now I want to train properly and consistently and see how well I can do.

PBs
5K-24:19 Tallaght 5K May 2015
10K- 51:36 K Club April 2015
10 mile - 1:33:48 Frank Duffy 10 mile August 2014
1/2 Marathon - 1:57:31 Race series September 2014
Marathon - 4:33:56 DMC October 2014

I've been following Clearliers Graduate plan and my recent goals were to improve my 5 and 10K times (which I did!). I'm going to do the Race series again this year and try and improve on the 2014 times. I've just ordered the P&D book so am looking forward to getting it and having a proper read of it.

Future plans
Do the race series, but this time stop at the half! I'd like to do it in 1:50 if I can. I can't do DCM this year for various reasons but I just put my name in to the London 2016 ballot today. If I don't get in to London (chances are I won't) I'll do Limerick instead so either way I'll be planning for a Spring marathon. My goal would be sub 4h.

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chickey2

I wasn't going to bother updating my log as its just embarrassing, but I'm hoping my embarrassment will be as kick up the arse for me! Only did two runs last week. I've a list of excuses which I won't bore you with.

Mon 9: 5km recovery. I'd only done 10 km as my lsr so hardly needed a recovery but did a nice slow 5 k and quite enjoyed it. 5.0 km @7:05 HR 156

Wed 10: 20 minute tempo. I hadn't done a tempo in ages and wasn't looking forward to it. Had to do this on a commute. Set out at 6:15 am in the pitch dark and pouring rain. I was on the warm up when I realised my watch was on auto and couldn't be bothered changing it so decided to do 4km tempo rather than time. Did 3 km warm up, 4km tempo and 4 km cool down. Tempo paces were 5:29/5:42/5:30/5:41. Despite not looking forwards to it I ended up really enjoying it. Got thoroughly soaked and ended up with a cold :-( Total 11.7km

Thur-Sun: no running (insert excuses here)

Managed a nice 10 km easy today so felt a bit better. I need to pick a race and train properly for it. I'm doing jingle bells but didn't have time to follow a proper plan so didn't stick to it. I was thinking of raheny 5 mile but just realised its on my sons birthday so might have to negotiate! Any other good races coming up in 2016?

Firedance

Tang started a thread in the events forum with a list of 2016 races, I can't link from my phone.

Hope the cold is better & you're raring to go this week

chickey2

Bit of an improvement this week.

Mon 16: 10K Easy. As I'd messed up the previous week I didn't know what to do today so decided to just get out and run! I headed up to the reservoir which always makes me feel better. I didn't bother looking at the watch just ran easy and took in the scenery. I saw a little red squirrel which I haven't see in years. Got home feeling much better.
Total 10K @6:33 HR 158

Wed 18:I had a day off work so decided to head out as soon as I'd dropped the kids to school. It was absolutely pouring with rain but I insisted we walk! Poor kids got soaked. Sure it'll harden them up! I was planning on doing some intervals so had pre programmed the work out on Garmin connect. I stupidly forgot to transfer it to my watch. I realised this as I was trying unsuccessfully to avoid huge puddles. I was so tempted to turn back home but I had a stern talk with myself and kept going. I abandoned the interval plan and just turned the watch on and ran. Once I got going I was grand. As I came to a hill I used to do hill repeats on, the rain stopped and the sun came out. I took it as I sign and did 8 short hill repeats. It's been so long since I did these as most of my runs these days are commutes so I have to keep going forward as I have to get to where I'm going. I was so glad I did them as I'd forgotten how much I like them.
Total 7k @7:09 (not really accurate as that includes recovery) HR 166

Fri 20: 4*4min intervals @5K effort. I eventually got my workout sent to my watch so did these on my commute in. I love the way I don't have to look at the watch, it just vibrates when I need to stop/start. I decided not to check my pace, I'd just run by effort and see after what I'd done. The interval paces were 4:53/4:46/4:56/4:49. I was really happy with that. My 5K PB is 24:18 which is 4:52 pace. I really tried to run the intervals at an effort I could maintain for 5K but it's hard to tell unless you actually run it!
Total 11.7K @5:54 HR 166

Had a crazy weekend as I had to work and had loads to do at home so didn't get out.

Weekly total 28.7km. Better than last week but still not enough!

chickey2

Trying to find time to update my log is as hard as it is finding time to run! At last I managed to do four runs last week.
Mon 23: 12k easy. Up to the reservoir again. Don't really remember much else about it! It's getting very quiet up there thus weather.
Total 12km @6:40 HR 154

Wed 25: commuted home but decided to run to the red cow and get the luas the rest of the way. Garmin told me I was in Dublin16! Took it easy as I was tired.
Total 6.3km @6:49 HR 169

Fri 27: 20 min tempo. Did this on the way into work. I'm so sick of running in the dark! The tempo bit was good but it was downhill which makes it easier. I hadn't set the watch for this, just ran tempo for about 20 mins. Garmin said it was about 5:15 pace.
Total 12km average 6:12 HR 161

Sun 29: I nearly didn't make it out due to the weather but after reading about people doing Run the line and xc this weekend I felt bad and headed out about 4pm! It was a run of two halves, first half was downhill with the wind gently pushing me along on in full daylight. By the time I turned back it was getting dark and now I was running uphill in to the wind. About a km from home it was fully dark and the heavens opened and I was pelted with hail. I was sdo glad I got out though.
Total 7km @6:27 HR 157

Weekly total 37.3km mainly easy running.

So next Saturday is jingle bells. Its not a target race (just as well) and I'm not expecting a pb. I've just not done enough speed work recently. I'm struggling a bit to get motivated. Interestingly, I had a look back and it was the same last year and the year before. I guess I just don't run well in November and December! At least i had the excuse of the marathon last year.
I also just realised today that my work Xmas do is on Friday. I was sure it was the following week. I've never run a race with a hangover, I doubt its much fun! I might even drive to the party to stop me being tempted. Problem is parking would cost more than a taxi home. A girl at work claims she drank jeigermiester til 3am and then ran a pb in a half marathon next day. Can't see me doing that!

Murph_D

Ah you'll be grand. Christmas is only once a year, you can race any weekend!

chickey2

Murph_D wrote: »

Ah you'll be grand. Christmas is only once a year, you can race any weekend!

Yeah, I like that attitude! I'll just treat it as a warm up session for Ryan's!

Firedance

so BG is out, aquinn has a night out on the friday, you and I have done no 5K specific training, anna is just getting back from marathon recovery. Murph, it'll be all on your shoulders to bring home a big PB we can all celebrate -

Murph_D

Firedance wrote: »

so BG is out, aquinn has a night out on the friday, you and I have done no 5K specific training, anna is just getting back from marathon recovery. Murph, it'll be all on your shoulders to bring home a big PB we can all celebrate -

Such sandbagging. But yes, I will be going for it. Anything with a 20 in front of it will do.

aquinn

Murph_D wrote: »

Such sandbagging. But yes, I will be going for it. Anything with a 20 in front of it will do.

Cool, very good D. I hope you are starting your carb loading from today to bulk up to protect those behind you as more wind gusts due. Thanks from those suffering behind you hungover. Much appreciated.

Firedance

best of luck in the morning, its gonna be wet!! see you afterwards..

Hannibal Smith

Loving the racing on a hangover!! Best of luck tomorrow!!

chickey2

Thanks guys but I'm not sure I'm going now. Too much conspiring against me. Hangover, hormones, horrible weather, won't have the car so would have to go public transport and get soaked. I'm just tired and miserable ðŸ˜¢
I've my stuff all laid out so I'll set my alarm and see how I feel in the morning.

I only got out once this week. I did 1/2/3/2/1 min intervals @5k effort and barely managed 5min per km so I'd be lucky to get a 25 min 5k.

Better go and get ready for this party. I'm going to be such a party pooper!

Bungy Girl

Best of luck if you do decide to go!

aquinn

I hope all is well.
Happy Christmas.

chickey2

Thanks aquinn! Still alive, just caught up in Christmas craziness!
Going to head to the goal mile tomorrow but will run with my 8 year old so I've no idea what time we'll do.
Merry Christmas everyone.

chickey2

Its been a while since my last proper update but I'm eventually back running again. I'd like to say it was circumstances that prevented me from running but to be honest it was my own fault. After reading about Firedance and what she did but kept on running I finally copped on and got back out.
Before this week my last run was December 2! Anyway, I'm back and I'm running DCM this year so I need to plan. Since I've had a break of over a month I decided to ease in gently so am following the Base training plan from Faster Road Racing. It's a 10 week plan of mainly easy runs which will bring me up to 48km per week. Then I'm going to use the 8-10k plan from the same book. That brings me to June and the race series 5 mile. I'll probably do a few Park runs as tune up races.
Then I think I'll try the meno marathon plan and hopefully smash my record from 2014. I'll also do the other race series races.
So that's the plan. I'm almost done week 1 and feel so much better already. I really need to address my diet too which isn't great. Way too many chips :-(

Mon 11: 6km easy. I decided to ignore the watch and just run easy and worry about the stats after. HR was a bit high despite feeling like it was an easy run (it should be <158) I'm probably just unfit. 6km @6:38 HR 164

Wed 13: 5km easy. Done on the evening commute which is all uphill. Ended up doing a bit longer than planned and HR was high again. 6.4km @6:52 HR 171 (way too high!)

Fri 15: 5km easy. Did this during my morning commute. I jogged to the luas, then got off at kylemore and ran in from there. It was cold but lovely. As it was dark the street lamps lit up the frost so I could see the dark ice patches and avoid them. I noticed my cadence was higher for this run than the previous ones this week. I guess I took smaller steps to avoid slipping. I'll have to remember that! My HR was spot on today as well. 1.6km plus 4.1km @6:22 HR 157

laura_ac3

Good to see you back at it. Good luck with building back the base.

Firedance

welcome back! had been on my mind to check up on you but never got around to it in the end

great to see you back at it and making plans for DCM already, looks like good plans there too to build back up slowly

Bungy Girl

Welcome back!

annapr

Bungy Girl wrote: »

Welcome back!

+1. Love that you've got the whole year mapped out! Watch out for those icy patches!

Dubgal72

Yeah welcome back, DCM this year?! Best of luck, another reason to come out and cheer

chickey2

I'm not doing too well at logging but I am still running! My youngest broke the tablet so I'm browsing boards on the phone which is a pain.

So I'm on week three of the Base building and still doing easy runs. Next week I start throwing in some strides which I'm looking forward to as I'm a bit bored of slow runs. And they are slow! Trying to keep my HR low but it's hard. My "long" run was 11km on Sunday. It's definitely harder building up after a lay off than it is building up from the scratch. The first time I did 11km as a long run I was thrilled, now it's "just" 11km. I shall persevere though and trust the plan.

I can't find the details of last weeks runs but they weren't very interesting. Only three runs: 2 x 6km and one 11km, all at easy effort.

annapr

chickey2 wrote: »

It's definitely harder building up after a lay off than it is building up from the scratch.

You are so right about that!

chickey2

I'm still on the phone so being very lazy with updates, but I am I've been very consistent with the plan for the last two weeks so all is good!

Did the full 4 prescribed runs last week, 6/6/5/11km and then this week it was 6/8/6/11 all easy running except 6x100m strides during the 8km run.

So that's 4 weeks of the plan done and I'm feeling great. I can feel the strength coming back to my legs. I've gotten in to the routine now which makes it so much easier to get out. No more excuses! The luas strike almost fecked up my plans but I was determined to get out and I did.

My speed is still slow but I'm just trying to stick to the HR zone. Some days it's easy and other days not so. I was flying on Friday but today's lsr was tough.

aquinn

What's going on then? It's my morning to stalk people. How is amazing new watch and what have you been up to?

chickey2

aquinn wrote: »

What's going on then? It's my morning to stalk people. How is amazing new watch and what have you been up to?

I feel so special, I have a stalker!

My amazing new watch is going great now that I've figured out how to use it. I'm trying to run by feel and then just look at the stats after but it is handy to set broad max and min HRs so I know if I'm totally off.

This week started well, 8km on Tuesday, 10km with 16min@LT on Thursday and 6km easy on Friday. The 16 min LT was hard but I enjoyed it. I did it using HR (80-90% of max). My pace was a good bit slower than LT was last year, but that's to be expected. I woke up on Saturday feeling a bit off so decided to miss my usual swim and have a lie in. Was supposed to do 13km on Sunday but my rest on Saturday didn't work and I woke up feeling awful, sore throat, sore head, temperature. Looked out the window and went back to bed.

Today I felt a lot better but I had a hairdressers appointment and I couldn't possibly go for a run after that! Got a good workout by walking around the shops spending my birthday money! Think I'll just write off Sunday and stick with the plan. This week is a repeat of last weeks anyway (except 6x100m strides instead of the 16min LT run)

chickey2

By the way, it is just me or does everyone have a Vichy ad at the top of the screen saying "Menopause is inevitable, but accelerated skin aging is not":eek:
Every time I open boards it greets me! I'm guessing it's personalised advertising

Firedance

he he, I had to check that I hadn't stepped into TBL's log with all those excuses

I"m just kidding, glad you're feeling better!

Firedance

chickey2 wrote: »

By the way, it is just me or does everyone have a Vichy ad at the top of the screen saying "Menopause is inevitable, but accelerated skin aging is not":eek:
Every time I open boards it greets me! I'm guessing it's personalised advertising

ugh, I hadn't copped the personalised bit, I hope you're wrong :eek:

Bungy Girl

chickey2 wrote: »

By the way, it is just me or does everyone have a Vichy ad at the top of the screen saying "Menopause is inevitable, but accelerated skin aging is not":eek:
Every time I open boards it greets me! I'm guessing it's personalised advertising

I'm getting it too :rolleyes:.