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Target Practice

Dubgal72

Hi boardsies, Ososlo (blame her) pointed me in the direction of Training Logs and suggested that I might like to add one. So here I am.

You can probably guess from the log title that I am shooting for some targets. You might also guess from my user name that I am female, with affiliations to Dublin and am aged 32. I am also not a mathematician.

Back in the 80s my 'previous life', I ran a lot for a teenager. Skip a few decades and I am again running a lot. The interim, not so much. My twenties I spent running away from running, my thirties were spent running back to running, away from running...and mostly drawing to a standstill.

In many ways, I feel like a dinosaur or like I have entered a different century in my reincarnation as a runner (ok, actually I have. Push comes to shove I have entered a new millennium...).
I only found out what a Garmin is this last August, I have no idea what VO2 max is, my HR Max is uncharted territory and I am still sketchy re aerobic and anaerobic fitness details.......
I am going to relearn how to run 'by feel/effort' (actually that's going well, slowly but well) so won't invest in a gps watch just yet. I will get a HRM and definitely buy a stopwatch. The other details I hope to fill in via you guys.

I picked up my asics last Jan and decided (cue eyeball roll) to....run the marathon. As a bucket list thing. So yeah.

I'm glad I did, me and running are back together (*violins*).

And of course the marathon bit me. In the bum and badly. 23 minute positive split anybody?! But along the way I hope I have banked some endurance and have definitely dipped my toe into the beginnings of some quality session work.

For 2015 my targets are:

5k sub 20 mins (Current 21:38)
10k as near to 40 mins as I can (None official)
10 miles as far below 75 as I can (Current 78:04)
HM 1:35. (Current 1:41:08)

Would also like a crack at the track, 800m, 1500m and 3000m for old time's sake.

All advice and suggestions very welcome, thanks in advance. Nagging 'have you done your core exercises this week??' especially welcome!

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Hannibelle Smeeeth

Dubgal72 wrote: »

^^^^ I growled (yes, growled!) at a little fecker crossing my path this afternoon and realised a lap later that 'the rat' may belong to one of the school mammies

Hah..Morto! That happened to me once with one of the mammies from the school..admittedly at a much slower speed

.... but the little yoke made a run for my laces and i let a shout at it. It was attached to an extendable dog lead. She never apologised then, or in the yard and ive borne a grudge with her ever since :pac:

Dubgal72

Neady83 wrote: »

Talk about a week with everything thrown at it, long run, fartlek, rage run, intervals and a tummy bug thrown in for good measure. I'd have been curled up in a ball with that bug, takes mental strength to get over that quickly, kudos.

Are you seeing a difference in your racing or recoveries with all the stretching and mobility work?

Hi Neady, thanks. I think I was just lucky really that it didn't leave me too drained. It nearly left me a pound or two lighter...until Thursday when my appetite came back

The stretching is helping recovery and keeping the PF at bay for sure which allows me to keep to the schedule more or less.
The main thing I feel has been getting my glutes firing properly. I am trying to keep a balance so for every set of sit ups I do, I do a set of squats. Am also keeping the hip flexor loosened as from what I understand, a strong core but weak glutes has a knock on effect there. Didn't realise I had to become a juggler too with all these exercises!!

Hannibelle Smeeeth wrote: »

Hah..Morto! That happened to me once with one of the mammies from the school..admittedly at a much slower speed .... but the little yoke made a run for my laces and i let a shout at it. It was attached to an extendable dog lead. She never apologised then, or in the yard and ive borne a grudge with her ever since :pac:

Hah those extendable leads should be banned! Grump grump :mad:

:mad: Firedance is allowed though cos Woody wouldn't do that....or FD

May as well update/finish off the week:

Sat
2.5 miles v easy just to loosen the legs out. Stiff and slightly sore still from fartlek

Sun
12.5 (just over) @ around 7:50m/mi avg pace
Same route as last week, with an extension through Delgany. Coachy remarked that the pace was 'pedestrian' compared to last week and while it certainly was comfortable and conversational, my legs were feeling the remnants of Friday's session. H, S and myself are feeling all sorts of aches and pains, my hips and left bum cheek are very tight so we've all booked a session in coachy's torture chamber this week :eek: Nevertheless, we managed to wind the run up with a nice fast finish

Full stretching, icing and AIS post-run...even a tiny bit of foam rolling :cool:

PF is behaving reasonably well, No major flare ups but is still 'there'. I really miss walking around in my bare feet though. I have fashioned a night splint out of my 5yo's woolly tights and certainly notice the difference when I forget to put it on.

Two other things I am incorporating into my routine are belly breathing and cutting out/down on dairy produce.
Belly breathing takes a little bit of getting used to but is becoming more automatic over the last few weeks. That, and (re) activating my glutes with squats and hill work are starting to make a significant difference I feel.
Cutting down on dairy also seems to be reducing congestion, especially when running. Dairy is not gone completely, goat and sheep products are still in because of lower lactose but the longer term aim is to eliminate them completely. We'll see. Coachy's nicer, sweeter and wittier half has lots of healthy recipe suggestions and substitutes/alternatives (nutritional yeast is full of b vits and great as a parmesan substitute). They really are the complete package :cool:

Weekly total 32.5 miles incl
1 speed session
1 fartlek run
1 ls/mr
2 short recovery runs, one of which a satisfyingly angry run

Keeping on top of stretching, mobility, rehab (could do better

) and strength work.

Dubgal72

Running log week beg 21 March 2016

Mon
Rest
Hip and inner groin stiffness from yesterday evening eased. Some outer hip and piriformis stretching done in evening as well as the 'push/pull' exercise to stabilise lower back area*

*lie on back with knees bent. Hook and lock hands below knee of raised leg. Try to push knee away from you for long count of 5 then bring knee towards you at a slightly outwards angle and hold for short count. Do both legs.

Tue
Track session (first of the year): 6x400m, 400 jog/full recovery.

There was a bit of confusion re the target. I had read 75 secs :eek: on the schedule, S thought it was 82. We agreed that 82 was far more reasonable for first track session....We established the 400m start line and then realised lane 3 was free so moved in there (it seemed frighteningly close to the start line, more so as the session progressed

)

We were to take it in turns leading each rep out. S laughed at her pace-setting skills, especially for the first rep: 'I always lash them out way too fast' so muggins here volunteered to lead the first one out.

1) I swear I had 80 secs programmed into my inner metronome last year and was able to tell if the pace was off by two seconds either way...so off I went. A quick glance just before the half way mark (we were in lane 3) told me the pace was...ehm quicker than planned

but felt comfortable. A little deadness in the last bit of the finishing straight had me wondering if Sunday's run was lingering in the legs. Nope, 74.5 secs was causing that

Apologies to S and CC...

2) CC led the second one out. 75.xx. (Low 75) Ok, so we agreed that 'alea jacta est'/the pace had been set after this and we'd carry on, maybe pulling back slightly on the next two and just leaving the last two to whatever was left in the legs.

3) S led the third: 75.xx (slightly higher 75)
4) My turn again, really pulled back :rolleyes: 77**
5) CC again, back to 74.x (low 74)
6) S led out for a final 73.68

This was a tough session, no doubt about it and we needed the 400 walked but mostly jogged recovery. However, both S and myself agreed that overall it was a much more controlled session than the ones we did last year: far less oxygen debt, little or no lactic on my part - or 'jelliness' - and there's no way we would have dreamed of hitting these paces last year. ** Can't believe, last year's 'motoring pace' was this year's slowest pace!
Congestion practically zero and I used the 'empty mind' technique again, it really helps. Delighted with this session.

We had the addition of CC to our group this week which really added something good to the dynamic. Hopefully she'll be able to join us regularly. H, our endurance engine also had a satisfying session, she looked like she was jogging while churning out 8x85 sec laps with just 200 recovery.

Checked the schedule when we got home and it was 75secs per rep. Looks like coachy knows what he's on about so....But we are down for 8 reps next week :eek: :eek:

Stand up Myrtl after.

Total incl w/u with strides, two drills, c/d etc: about 6.5mi

Chivito550

Arrgh, I thought when you were looking for the 400m start line, you were going to be doing 400m time trials!

El Caballo

Jesus, that's fairly impressive especially this early in the year:). You'll smash that sub-5 this year, the speed is definitely there anyway. Don't think I would've been able to manage that session at the time when I ran 5.01 last year so you look to be well on track to go a lot faster.:)

Dubgal72

Chivito550 wrote: »

Arrgh, I thought when you were looking for the 400m start line, you were going to be doing 400m time trials!

Yes, but we still needed the same start line, yeah?! No, no time trials yet. I'd live to do a 400 and 800 but might have to bargain some sessions with coachy for something like that.

El Caballo wrote: »

Jesus, that's fairly impressive especially this early in the year:). You'll smash that sub-5 this year, the speed is definitely there anyway. Don't think I would've been able to manage that session at the time when I ran 5.01 last year so you look to be well on track to go a lot faster.:)

Thanks El C. Yes, am really pleased with today's session and it's a good sign for the gradeds etc. I think another cycle of training laid down has made such a difference. The speed was there, now it's being backed up with strength. And I've said it before, but I think those killer hills were the icing on the cake.
We won't be doing it this side of the relays, but wouldn't the real test here be to shorten the recoveries? Today's focus was on speed.

El Caballo

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Yes, but we still needed the same start line, yeah?! No, no time trials yet. I'd live to do a 400 and 800 but might have to bargain some sessions with coachy for something like that.

Thanks El C. Yes, am really pleased with today's session and it's a good sign for the gradeds etc. I think another cycle of training laid down has made such a difference. The speed was there, now it's being backed up with strength. And I've said it before, but I think those killer hills were the icing on the cake.
We won't be doing it this side of the relays, but wouldn't the real test here be to shorten the recoveries? Today's focus was on speed.

Sure will but the basic speed is there already now and you'll have progressed a lot more by then;)

KielyUnusual

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Thanks El C. Yes, am really pleased with today's session and it's a good sign for the gradeds etc. I think another cycle of training laid down has made such a difference. The speed was there, now it's being backed up with strength. And I've said it before, but I think those killer hills were the icing on the cake.
We won't be doing it this side of the relays, but wouldn't the real test here be to shorten the recoveries? Today's focus was on speed.

I would say if you want a good indicator of your 1500/mile time then 8 X 400 with 90s recovery won't lead you too far wrong. So yea shorten the recoveries and increase the number of reps but hey its only March yet

Dubgal72

KielyUnusual wrote: »

I would say if you want a good indicator of your 1500/mile time then 8 X 400 with 90s recovery won't lead you too far wrong. So yea shorten the recoveries and increase the number of reps but hey its only March yet

Jesus really?? :eek: Am wrecked thinking about that session!!

Chivito550

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Yes, but we still needed the same start line, yeah?! No, no time trials yet. I'd live to do a 400 and 800 but might have to bargain some sessions with coachy for something like that.

Thanks El C. Yes, am really pleased with today's session and it's a good sign for the gradeds etc. I think another cycle of training laid down has made such a difference. The speed was there, now it's being backed up with strength. And I've said it before, but I think those killer hills were the icing on the cake.
We won't be doing it this side of the relays, but wouldn't the real test here be to shorten the recoveries? Today's focus was on speed.

Good splits anyway. May aswell throw your hat in the ring for a 400 at graded meets. I'm sure there's a mid 60s run there. Well under the 70 anyway.

Mulberry

Dubgal72 wrote: »

1) I swear I had 80 secs programmed into my inner metronome last year and was able to tell if the pace was off by two seconds either way...so off I went. A quick glance just before the half way mark (we were in lane 3) told me the pace was...ehm quicker than planned but felt comfortable. A little deadness in the last bit of the finishing straight had me wondering if Sunday's run was lingering in the legs. Nope, 74.5 secs was causing that Apologies to S and CC...

2) CC led the second one out. 75.xx. (Low 75) Ok, so we agreed that 'alea jacta est'/the pace had been set after this and we'd carry on, maybe pulling back slightly on the next two and just leaving the last two to whatever was left in the legs.

3) S led the third: 75.xx (slightly higher 75)
4) My turn again, really pulled back :rolleyes: 77**
5) CC again, back to 74.x (low 74)
6) S led out for a final 73.68

Gosh, brilliant to hit 75 (and less) on those, especially on your first session. And I'm very impressed that you were able to remain controlled, no jelly legs etc. Looking forward to seeing how next week goes!

Dubgal72

Mulberry wrote: »

Gosh, brilliant to hit 75 (and less) on those, especially on your first session. And I'm very impressed that you were able to remain controlled, no jelly legs etc. Looking forward to seeing how next week goes!

Thanks Mulberry

Now you're making it sound better than it was, we were/I was wrecked by the end of it. None of the 'capable of two more reps' approach

We have a bit of a reprieve next week, still six reps due to a trial race on the Saturday. Phew

Dubgal72

Tue PM: session in coachy's torture chamber to loosen out calves after track session. Left quad and upper right calf particularly tight.

He also showed me an interesting new stretching technique using a latex rubber band or bicycle inner tube sliced open and cut to size. It involves wrapping the required body part quite tightly so the area resembles a very attractive looking piece of sausagemeat bursting out of its casing. In my case, it was my thigh just above the knee and my foot and ankle. You do a series of small pulsing movements and stretches using - like AIS - a rope to assist the final stretch. Another thing to add to my repertoire....just as I had slimmed down my 'stuff' to a manageable minimum :rolleyes:

Coachy recommends doing this routine before every run and then again a few hours later/in the evening. I am reminded of Charlie Spedding's 'epiphany questions' to himself: 'What do I want?', 'Why do I want it?' and 'How badly do I want it?':

http://www.charliespedding.com/from-last-to-first.html

Can't recommend this book enough. Coachy has it on his 'compulsory reading' list and I have to say I agree. Absolutely riveting read and I raced through it in three days. Will definitely get my own copy as it is something you pick up again and again and again. Spedding's psychology is universally applicable to all levels of running ability. His economic writing style is drily humorous and you suspect just a little bit on the spectrum - but that will come as no surprise to OCD-prone runners everywhere.

He carries you on a journey from his 'out of the blue' third place in the marathon at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 back to his last place finish in a school race (after being given a handicap) and back up through the long, long - and at times discouraging - journey to two Olympic games.* In between, he won the London marathon and held the English record for the marathon from 1985 until it was broken in 2014.

Not only did he go 'from last to first', he also went - similar to Paula Radcliffe - from 'short to long', and discovered that he was literally made for long distance runner. Also reminded me of our own Ososlo

Osolong?

*He had 'a bad day', albeit following injury and less than ideal preparation, in his second Olympic outing and - only :rolleyes: - finished sixth.

Wed:
Did the routine described above pre-run.
Sore and stiff from a combination of session and torture but pf ok so musn't complain. Hobbled out for 35 mins of shuffling.

PM
Small session of squats and sit ups

Thur
Rest. Would have appreciated 30 mins to loosen legs out a teensy bit but didn't happen

Fri
Key session #2 'Wind sprints' session
This version of wind sprints is 6 laps of the track sprinting the straights and jogging the bends. Easy, huh? Wro-ong. Coachy warned that this is a killer session. He's right. Psychologically, it's easy as the laps peel off really quickly but by the fifth, my legs were brimming with lactic about to overflow and my breathing was in ribbons.

Tough session but I liked it. I hope I get another chance at it as today's session was done on the cinder/gravel track at windy Kilbogget in racing flats. I'd be interested to see how it goes in spikes, on a track with proper markers and traction and of course, the absence of floppy puppy labs bounding in front of me. Overall pace is not a primary object in this session, it's more like a killer fartlek session appropriate to mile training.

Total incl w/u, strides (1 long and 3x100m) and c/d 7 miles

Very virtuous full AIS stretching set and stand up Myrtl afterwards

PM Rubber bandit and DS core routines done.

Recovery run today and 10 easy miles tomorrow will finish off the week.

Dubgal72

Sat
4.75 mi
Good, no significant remnants from yesterday in the legs. As well as being a relatively short session, I wonder if all the supplementary stuff yesterday (AIS, Myrtl and rubber routine) sped along the recovery. Have had a throat and chest cough all week but not sick with it, just lingering. Worse in mornings and evenings.

Sun
9 miles, 3 on road and 6 on grass with clubmates: easy to steady pace, conversational. Hip tight (left).
Ok, some parts felt a bit heavy legged but that may be the grass taking the bounce out. Gorgeous morning, a bit blustery but perfect going underfoot. The last few weeks, we have been winding up these runs with a fast finish, anything from two miles out, and ending with a full on sprint. Today's FF 'only' started from about 600m but I felt great with a really strong stride. I think dem glutes are firing

Got the wrong answer to a question I put to coachy on the way out the door:
'So what exactly are we doing onTuesday?'
'It's far enough out from the trial (Saturday), do the 8x400s'
'Ok, in 80?' (It was meant to be 82 we did them in last Tuesday after all....)
'No, carry on with what you were doing'
'So 75s?!' :eek:
'Yeah'

Full rubber bandit session post run and
3 sets deadlifts with 10kg kettlebell, 25 reps ea set
3 sets squats with 2x5kg kettle bell, 15 reps ea set
50 sit ups

Got a lovely recipe idea from CC for vegan no-bake - and no sugar! - energy slices. I adapted it to what was in my cupboards. I am sure there are correct measures but I just lashed in what looked right. They are very moreish and I can even convince myself I am being healthy...right?

- Chop finely or process some nuts, dried fruit and seeds (optional).
I used mixed nuts, raisins and glace cherries with sunflower, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts.
- add some coconut flour. I didn't have any of this so I used ground almonds and a small handful of porridge oats
- melt some coconut oil a d maple syrup - optional - and add some vanilla extract
- mix all the above together and press very firmly into a glass pyrex dish, or similar, lined with greaseproof paper.
- place in the fridge and leave to chill
- when nearly chilled (an hour or so) melt the darkest, purest chocolate you can find - I used Lidl 85% - with some maple syrup (optional) and coconut oil
- pour a thin layer over the tray and return to fridge to set
- when set, cut into small squares and munch at will post-run...or whenever

You can freeze these squares and even eat them frozen. I'm going to get some coconut flour as the ground almonds give quite a strong flavour. I think I'll try a cherry and almond batch next and a date and walnut batch too.

Weekly total: about 30.5
Race sharpening period:
5 days running -
2xkey sessions, both on track
2xrecovery runs
1 longish run

Lots of supplementary stuff: deep tissue massage, stretching, S&C, rehab and mobility but nothing heavy, i.e., no full on gym strength and conditioning, just small 'topping up' sessions.

*************************************

Mon
Rest. Nada.

Tue
Rubber bandit stuff pre-session at home

Key session #1
8x400m with full 400 recovery
Aim: speed
Target: 75 secs
Actual: 72, 76/77, 74, 75, - small extended break - 73, 74, 74/75, 73
(Used spikes this week)

The above figures are only rough, I didn't use my watch today and cogged the figures off CC and S. There were a couple of 73s, a couple of 74s and a couple of 75s and a definite 72 and 76/7 The first one was actually 71.3 but I held back because I thought I didn't feel great. Turns out it was the pace was too hot.*

The second was the usual settling down to pace. TK led off for attempted 75 pace but I knew straight away it felt too comfortable. 76/77 too comfortable??? What are these words doing coming out of my mouth????

It was quite valuable not using the watch today because I think I have 75 programmed into my inner metronome now. For the next few, I was able to guess how near to pace we were. Of course coachy now starts throwing figures like 69s around for future sessions :eek: I made sure to commit him to only four of these. What was I doing even agreeing

This is a tough session, no doubt about it and when you're only on #1 or #2, mentally the session feels very long and tough.
However, as the session progressed, I was pleased with how it felt on the final 100 on each, up until the last one, I felt I was pushing it but on cruise control with another gear to spare if needed. Pain wise, I emptied my mind and ran. Magic. It was more the immediate recovery (20 secs) which hurt. But with two to go it was all good

Psychologically and physically, this session was nearly the equivalent of the Strathmore Road hill session when we did eight of those bad boys.

* Also turns out it's not a cold I have, it's probably rhinitis. That makes sense because although I've had a sore throat and slightly chesty cough on and off for a few weeks now, I haven't been ill with it. No way could I have done this session if ill.

Left hip still a bit tight, only really noticed on recoveries and occasionally towards the end of the session. Got a weird toe cramp on my right foot after first stride during warm up. My runners hypochondriac brain screamed 'stress fracture' but it was ok when striding again. A bit tender after session but ok now. Something else for Myles to look at on Thursday.... PF ok, not a peep out of it until getting out of car quite a bit later. Iced it and full stretching done.

Total incl w/u (2.25mi) strides (.75mi) and c/d (1mi) 8 miles

Easy running for the rest of the week with some strides on Thur/Fri.

Murph_D

I'm not going to ask about this "rubber routine". And imagine not having any coconut flour. :roll eyes:

Great session!

spaceylou

Dubgal72 wrote: »

This is a tough session, no doubt about it and when you're only on #1 or #2, mentally the session feels very long and tough.
However, as the session progressed, I was pleased with how it felt on the final 100 on each, up until the last one, I felt I was pushing it but on cruise control with another gear to spare if needed. Pain wise, I emptied my mind and ran. Magic. It was more the immediate recovery (20 secs) which hurt. But with two to go it was all good
Psychologically and physically, this session was nearly the equivalent of the Strathmore Road hill session when we did eight of those bad boys.

Sounds like a great session DG!!

Having just failed to do a planned interval session properly today because I am basically a wuss - I was wondering, how exactly do you empty your mind? I am relatively good at the auld magic wand trick for longer runs but for short fast stuff (in my case attempted 400s) I really struggle.

Oh and I am definitely borrowing that recipe for energy bar thingys

Dubgal72

Murph_D wrote: »

I'm not going to ask about this "rubber routine". And imagine not having any coconut flour. :roll eyes:

Great session!

Pay attention Papa Smurf

Tue PM: session in coachy's torture chamber to loosen out calves after track session. Left quad and upper right calf particularly tight.

He also showed me an interesting new stretching technique using a latex rubber band or bicycle inner tube sliced open and cut to size. It involves wrapping the required body part quite tightly so the area resembles a very attractive looking piece of sausagemeat bursting out of its casing. In my case, it was my thigh just above the knee and my foot and ankle. You do a series of small pulsing movements and stretches using - like AIS - a rope to assist the final stretch. Another thing to add to my repertoire....just as I had slimmed down my 'stuff' to a manageable minimum

spaceylou wrote: »

Sounds like a great session DG!!

Having just failed to do a planned interval session properly today because I am basically a wuss - I was wondering, how exactly do you empty your mind? I am relatively good at the auld magic wand trick for longer runs but for short fast stuff (in my case attempted 400s) I really struggle.

Oh and I am definitely borrowing that recipe for energy bar thingys

Thanks spaceylou. It's very closely related to wand magic. Ok, not too sure how to describe it but you literally make your mind go blank. Wipe out all anxiety about uncomfortableness, pain, stress - imminent or already there - just wipe it....and relax.

They both go hand in hand, you can't do one without the other but relaxation is the most important part of it all. Relax and wipe

This is a new trick so I'll be interested to see how it transfers to long distances and also if it can be used with the wand..... 'Acknowledge, release, wipe'?!

How many 400s were you doing and what recovery? And what stage did you 'fail'? Did you hit target pace or....? *popping over to your log*

Dubgal72

Tue PM: rubber banding done as well as icing and heat

Wed
4.75mi rec run, effort and pace. Not too bad. Slight stiffness in left calf after track.

PM: may have done squats and sit ups....probably.........

Thur
Rest. Session with Myles Splitz. Clean bill of health. Another 'thing' for hip stabilisation to add to my 'stuff repertoire' *sigh*

Fri
PM easy 4mi incl 4-5 strides

Sat
5 easy miles with a flat out mid section. Rubber banding stretches done prior to run.
Relay trials cancelled due to two of the potential squad being injured. We jogged around the parkrun instead with a section at 'relay pace'. No barcode tho so no result

Hip was quite tight afterwards but a bath and nap helped enormously :cool:

Sun
Rubber banding stretches done prior to 10 easy miles.
Mostly on grass: wet and muddy but firm enough going due to recent dry spell.

Hip and bum (left side) still tight at beginning of run, no power and movement restricted going up the last long hill. I need to get to the bottom of this (lame pun intended)

It may be related to the tightness in my lower back on the right hand side. It feels like something needs to click back into place there.

Weekly breakdown:
31.75mi (5 days' running) incl
1 session (track)
1 Fast pace run
1 mlr
2 recovery day

Mulberry

Well, dying to know - did you do another 8 X 400 last night?

We did 2X(3x400) w 2 min recovery. Very tough! I'm not even going to type in my times. Apart from hijacking your log they're mortifyingly far off yours.

What's your target with these 400s? Assume you're doing the Leinsters on 5th June? What distance do you plan racing? (hope it's not mine!) (Actually, are you a master? Apologies if not!)

aero2k

Dubgal72 wrote: »

... you literally make your mind go blank. ..

My mind tends to be blank a worrying percentage of the time:eek:

I'm also learning my own "rubber trick" but I won't go into the details.

Firedance

Just catching up here - I'm going to try those delicious treats! You can eat without running yes?!

Those rubber bandit stretches are great & hilarious all at the same time

I use an old bicycle tube.

Dubgal72

aero2k wrote: »

My mind tends to be blank a worrying percentage of the time:eek:

I'm also learning my own "rubber trick" but I won't go into the details.

Hi aero

Mine too, you'd think I'd be good at it by now.....:o

Ah now, you can't be keeping secrets, share....

Firedance wrote: »

Just catching up here - I'm going to try those delicious treats! You can eat without running yes?!

Those rubber bandit stretches are great & hilarious all at the same time I use an old bicycle tube.

I generally find eating without running the most digestible way....

They are great aren't they. NOT to be performed in front of a loved one!

Dubgal72

Mulberry wrote: »

Well, dying to know - did you do another 8 X 400 last night?

We did 2X(3x400) w 2 min recovery. Very tough! I'm not even going to type in my times. Apart from hijacking your log they're mortifyingly far off yours.

What's your target with these 400s? Assume you're doing the Leinsters on 5th June? What distance do you plan racing? (hope it's not mine!) (Actually, are you a master? Apologies if not!)

Hi Mulberry. Not pretty, see log update below

Fair play and a 2 min recovery flies by, doesn't it :eek:
The immediate target for these is the national road relays next week (10days). I imagine the next step would be to target race pace for the laps (back to 78/80 sec laps) and shorten the recovery. We'll see!

As you will see below, my body is protesting loudly from the intense block of training involved so I have no idea what's next. The Leinster's are pencilled in but it all depends how the body holds up over the next few weeks. I'd be targeting the 1500 fyi

and yes, I am well and truly a master - have been for quite some time

What's your distance? Must get firedance to introduce us next race. Will you be at the relays?

Dubgal72

Running log week beg 4 April 2016

Mon
1.5mi jog to local physio. Wasn't happy with how hip is behaving. He reassured me that there is nothing structural, rather tired and tense muscles either side of my lower lumbar region were sending ripples of tension into my pelvis (tilting) and hip. He loosened out lumbar region and taped my lower back. Felt great walking home.

Tue
Key session #1
Target: 8x400m at in or around 75sec pace (slightly slower if anything) with slightly less recovery than usual i.e., more jog less walk. Strict instructions for "no heroics"

I could feel my hip tighten during warm up. Not great on strides but better once up on toes.

Track wasn't available so we mapped out a 400m stretch in the local park.
I pulled out after rep #4 and stretched my hip. Just no fun running - not that these sessions are what you'd call 'fun' - no power in my left leg and no fluidity either. I could also feel myself altering my stride in an effort to increase power and once I realised this, alarm bells started to go off. 'Compensatory injury' :eek:

I rejoined H and S on #6, stretching had definitely helped and I took it a bit easier. #7 however, I started to tighten up again so bailed after 200m. Very glad I did as left calf twinged along the upper Achilles area in the afternoon. Icing helped knock that on the head.

The splits were 71 (pacing *sigh*), 74, 76, 77 and can't remember, maybe 77/78

I was still wrecked after this shortened session and quite deflated. Had a chat with coachy and clubmates and we are convinced it is tiredness only. Coachy pointed out that apart from a final (and now optional) key session on Saturday, we have pretty much started to taper now. 30 minute runs only between now and relays, with strides and a few 200s thrown in on strategic days.

It has been a pretty intense block and looking back over the last four weeks, I have had a cold, a gastro bug, a cold and 13 hard key sessions/long runs. No wonder my body is wrecked. I am not going to fight this enforced rest, in fact it's quite welcome. The work is done for the relays and an ease off of intensity will only help.

Wed
45 mins gentle jogging, incl walking on hills. Hip not great but not terrible either. Feel pretty dead and energyless generally. Right foot also tight in the arch. Help!

I think my body is just asking for a bit of a break. It can have one.
Not going to run now until Saturday. Plenty of RICE, baths and hopefully an all over body massage in between now and then.

spaceylou

Mind yourself, and enjoy the rest for the next few days

Dubgal72

spaceylou wrote: »

Mind yourself, and enjoy the rest for the next few days

I will thanks

Am doing a TTTT as we speak

Firedance

Dubgal72 wrote: »

I will thanks Am doing a TTTT as we speak

A what? And shouldn't you be in bed? (An hour before midnight worth 2 after!)

Dubgal72

Firedance wrote: »

A what? And shouldn't you be in bed? (An hour before midnight worth 2 after!)

TTTT?! You missed this?! Not sure what it actually stands for, something disgraceful am sure.....

El Caballo

Firedance wrote: »

A what?

She telling tales from the Turd's tub:p

Mulberry

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Hi Mulberry. Not pretty, see log update below Fair play and a 2 min recovery flies by, doesn't it :eek:
The immediate target for these is the national road relays next week (10days). I imagine the next step would be to target race pace for the laps (back to 78/80 sec laps) and shorten the recovery. We'll see!

As you will see below, my body is protesting loudly from the intense block of training involved so I have no idea what's next. The Leinster's are pencilled in but it all depends how the body holds up over the next few weeks. I'd be targeting the 1500 fyi and yes, I am well and truly a master - have been for quite some time What's your distance? Must get firedance to introduce us next race. Will you be at the relays?

I'm targeting sprint distance myself, primarily the 200M. I've only recently moved to this kind of training for the first time (c. 8 weeks ago) and I think it's the most demanding thing I've ever done. In terms of toll on the body even peak weeks during marathon training don't come close. And of all the sessions I've done, 400m reps are the toughest. Everything needs to be so well aligned, you need to be so relaxed, so fit, so strong, form just right, in the mood, well fueled, rested. That's just not going to happen every time so to read the below reassures me that you're human to be honest! Maybe these sessions are tougher on us masters too perhaps? For me years of sitting badly at a desk are taking their toll and it's fingers crossed that my dodgy right leg will hold it together for the outdoor season.

Yes for sure, I will come and say hi at the the next race. I won't be at the relays (unless I can get there to support) but will hopefully see you at the Leinsters.

I wish there were more people posting on sprint and MD training! It's fascinating and there's so much to learn.

Enjoy the rest, it's well-earned and the timing is right for you.