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Starting at the Very Start

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Tuesday 12th April
    5km
    40.39mins

    Post call run. Ran what felt like very easy but was happily shocked to see the time when I looked at 4km and saw it was much faster than usual, especially cuz I slowed hugely for a min to cross a road and didn't press stop. Felt confident enough to take in a steep hill that had me stopping for breath first time I tried to walk up it, turned out going down the gravel on the far side was harder!

    Wednesday 13th April
    8x400m at mile pace
    Splits: 6.41, 7.06, 6.46, 7.12, 6.53, 6.34, 6.41, 6.26

    Wasn't feeling this one at all. Long day at work and have never enjoyed this session. Only got through them by telling myself I'd stop after the next one each time. Was happy to survive the 8, but a bit horrified when I saw the splits after... I've run 5km at those speeds before and really struggled with these ones. Thought they'd be more respectable. If I was to force myself to take any positives from that it would that at least I stayed steady during the interval rather than sprinting and then limping around the rest. And no more intervals on the plan thank god!!
    Total 8.77km in 77mins


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Thursday 14th April
    5km
    44.27min

    Wasn't feeling this run either! Legs felt heavy and fatigued from the minute I started. Hoping I'm just feeling the effects of taking Tuesday a bit to enthusiastically and coming towards the end of a tough plan. Hoping tomorrow's rest day will sort me out or I'm in for a very long weekend!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Saturday 16th April
    8km
    70.35mins

    Plan called for 8km fast today. Post call this morning after a fairly horrible night. I know I talk a lot about being post call and tired, and it probably sounds like excuses (sometimes it probably is!) but I dunno if anyone can really understand how fatigued and lifeless you can feel after working 24hrs straight with few breaks.
    After very little sleep due to a driving lesson ( test Wednesday :-/) I strongly considered leaving this run slide. Decided at the last minute to just go for it, get the distance in and see how the 'fast' thing went! Realised very quickly that is no real energy, when I tried to pick up the pace a bit I couldn't sustain it, not because of breathing or sore legs, just no energy. Got the distance in so better than nothing. And overall I probably felt better than Wednesday and Thursday

    12km tomorrow is the last hard run of this plan. Then step back week before the race on Sunday. Little bit disappointed that the wheels came off a bit this week after it going swimmingly until now. Still... I got all the runs in and mostly as the plan said. So can't be too sad. With the amount of time I've spent running, even if the km's aren't very high cuz I'm slow; my body is bound to be a bit tired I suppose!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,007 ✭✭✭✭The Muppet


    We all get days that it just feels tougher than others and thats without working 24 hour shifts, honestly don't think I could run after one of those . Your dedication to do so is inspiring

    The best of luck Wednesday


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    The Muppet wrote: »
    We all get days that it just feels tougher than others and thats without working 24 hour shifts, honestly don't think I could run after one of those . Your dedication to do so is inspiring

    The best of luck Wednesday

    Thanks! Ah I dunno about inspiring, but I appreciate it anyway. Feel a lot better after a nights sleep. Most days after call I'm not too bad but some days the tiredness is overwhelming. They're good days for nice easy running, but as I found out yesterday not a day for the tough stuff :)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,007 ✭✭✭✭The Muppet


    This running lark is not easy at all . I m lucky in that usually I have plenty of time on my hands to easily facilitate getting a run in and i work reasonably regular hours so i do think its inspiring to read others logs here with people rearing young kids or working irregular hours and the tiredness that comes from those things juggling their time just to fit in a run . That takes real commitment an dedication.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Sunday 17th April
    12km
    1hr50

    What a difference from the same run last week! Was a few mins slower but I felt like I cudda ran all night :) found a path I didn't know existed from castlebar to turlough along the river after 4km, ran that until I needed to turn around to come home. Made the whole run fly by, even if I was running snails pace. To go from home, out and back wound be about 15km, my next aim for a long run!
    So all the hard runs done for this plan. All going to plan this time next week I'll be celebrating a pb and a driving licence. Will either be a very good or very bad week :p


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Not a great week for getting the runs in, despite them being short and easy, but at long long last have a driving licence :)

    Wednesday 20th April
    3.5km
    31.38mins

    Monday was rest day and Tuesday I spent dealing with car disasters so didn't get out. 2miles easy. Felt tired and legs were sore which is odd considering the 2 day gap. Put it down to mental fatigue from the driving test!

    Friday 22nd April
    30min tempo

    Work Thursday night, then back to Dublin Friday morning, got out late enough in the evening. 10mins easy (9.57min/km), 15 hard (7.27min/km, realistically was 10mins at 8.15ish and 5mins at 6.30ish, when I looked at the watch realised how slow I was going, and that I wasn't really pushing myself). Legs felt heavy and tired until I forced myself to pick up the pace. Done 10min slow cool down instead of 5 to give my legs a chance to loosen out

    Saturday 23rd April
    3.5km
    32.25mins

    Last run on the plan before race day! Probably should have left it but didn't want to finish the plan by missing a run, and thought I could do with stretching the legs a bit before tomorrow. Felt kinda sick when I got up so between that and race tomorrow I kept this very slow. I surprise myself sometimes with how slow I'm able to go while still doing the running action :p quick trip up to the shopping centre after I realised that I'd left my sports bra in mayo! Big thanks to the lad in elverys for the 20% off even though swords elverys wasn't really doing it for the 1916 run! Took the sting outta the 50e purchase!

    So end of plan race tomorrow at the crack of dawn. Hoping for 33.xx, looking forward to it but little bit nervous cuz I've put an awful lot of effort into this plan! No matter how tomorrow goes I'll have 2 pbs during the plan, and 3 mins off my time.

    Signed up for the woman's mini marathon too :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,007 ✭✭✭✭The Muppet


    The best of luck tomorrow and enjoy and congratulations on the driving licence.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Sunday 24th April
    Dublin Remembers 1916 5km
    35.31mins
    6.42, 6.51, 7.17, 7.15, 7.33

    Not a pb today, not even close. Kinda only realising how disappointed I am as I type this...

    Woke up at 6.20, quick bit of porridge and out. Only thoughts at this stage were that I was mental for thinking this was a good idea :p stomach felt crampy, was hoping it was nerves but really knew it wasn't. Got to town, walked up and down to try warm up a bit until I bumped into a friend and headed to the start area.
    Had a feeling all week that this might not go too well, and that was confirmed at 300m when I was out of breath, glanced at the watch expecting a 5.xx speed, only to see 6.50 ie slower than the pace I was aiming for. Tried to keep it up but couldn't. The whole way down oconnell st all I could think was don't stop and walk, just keep going. I've stopped bringing music to races but could have done with it here to distract me a bit. Tried to relax and just enjoy it given that the pb was probably out, and I did. The way up the quays was lovely, but I was still struggling. Hit km 4, in other races I've been able to push on and make up time here, tried but it didn't really work... And then I saw the hill up to the Royal hospital! Struggled to keep going and then tried to sprint when it flattened out at the end.
    All in all a very enjoyable morning but disappointed by the result. Not really sure what happened. Part of me thinks the plan was just a bit too hard for me the last 2 weeks and I've struggled with fatigue from that, I didn't feel great this morning, I'm not a morning person at all, I didn't really eat/drink before, my diet has hit the wall the last few weeks, especially this week I've eaten so much crap... But really that's probably all just excuses to make me feel better. Looking back, I think in the races where I've got pbs I've made myself push through the pain I felt today, whereas today I eased off and the effort was a bit less.

    Gonna give myself another easy week, just run what and when I want while I prepare for another exam. Gonna give Parkrun malahide a good go on Saturday, maybe that's my time for under 34! After the exam I'll figure out how I'm gonna prepare for the mini marathon (double today.... Eek!!!)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,080 ✭✭✭✭Maximus Alexander


    Don't be too disheartened, you can't get a PB every time you go out. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Tues 26th April
    3.5km
    34mins

    Managed to squeeze in an almost glacial 30mins during a study break between the random attacks of hailstones. Gonna just enjoy running and Parkrun this week, worry about beating times again in a few weeks :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Wednesday 27th April
    5km
    42mins

    Another squeezed in study break run. Finally an easy run where all the km splits stayed at 8.xx
    Not sure what happened last week but it seems to have gone away :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Thursday 28th April
    4km
    35mins

    Another study break run... Can't remember anything about it so can't have been very exciting!

    Saturday 30th April
    4km
    36mins

    More of the same. Had planned on doing Parkrun this am but decided I couldn't spare the time... Then didn't pull myself out of bed til 9 to study anyway so shudda just gone!

    More of the same til Tuesday is over... Then back to some kind of structured plan!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Sunday 1st May
    3.5km
    29.45mins

    Getting bored of these now... Hopefully will have time for something longer on Tuesday evening


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Monday 9th May
    5km
    45mins

    Bad bad week! Didn't get out once despite big plans. After the exam was absolutely wrecked, then a surprise call shift, then a bit of pain in the foot and a lack of motivation
    Finally dragged myself out tonight, 5 very slow km's around castlebar. Gonna try get back into the swing of running regularly for the rest of the week and back onto a plan for the mini marathon then... Any suggestions on what plan is be grateful! :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Tuesday 10th May
    5km
    43 mins

    Out again tonight, not half as much of an ordeal dragging myself out tonight. Felt very slow but managed to pick it up a bit at the end. The heat is something else trying to run, and this is mayo. Gonna need a plan for running in Florida in a few weeks :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Saturday 14th May
    8.5km walk (2hrs)
    8.5km run (1hr16min)

    Had planned to get up for Parkrun this am, but the car breaking down half way back to castlebar from Westport, and the hr wait for the axa man to come put paid to that. In an effort at procrastination I decided to walk the castlebar to turlough greenway to avoid all the work I need to do! Didn't really think about how long it might take, just set off. Realised it was taking way longer than I actually had but the stubborn park of me wanted to get to the end! Brainwave.... I could run back, and then wouldn't need to go out later on! Had a nice coffee in the museum of country living and headed back. Didn't really know how far the distance was, and hadn't got the watch so used strava. It doesn't talk to me so I didn't know how far or how fast I'd gone until I got back to the front door. Lovely run (and walk). Lots of up hills of different gradients and back down, and amazing scenery with very few people around. Great way to enjoy the weather. Next time I'll try run there and back with a break and maybe someday there and back without stopping

    Now to do some work.... Or maybe not!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Sunday 15th May
    5km
    45mins

    5km around lough lannah in glorious sunshine. Days like today and yesterday make me think that maybe a small bit of me might miss this place when I'm back in the big smoke come July! Very slow, half because the sun was a bit energy sapping, and half because I was just looking round at the scenery!

    Only 3 weeks now til the mini marathon so no time to get much of a plan in. Just gonna try tip away with mostly 5km and get a couple of 10km in to be a bit more comfortable with the distance


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Very very bad week and a half. Somehow didn't manage to get out once. So disappointed in myself for that. Last week was really tough workwise, 3 calls in 8 days and an annual assessment coming up, and just knackered and unmotivated in general. Then was in achill for the weekend, did a 40km cycle so at least that was something... Was feeling that until today. Annoyed that I've probably lost a lot of the benefits of the plan I did by being crap at life since it finished! So back to it now....

    Wednesday 25th Jan
    5km
    46mins

    This was tough.... Probably my slowest 5km to date. Never really got into it and my legs didn't feel like they knew what they were at! Hopefully that ll sort itself out in a run or two or the mini marathon will be a nightmare


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,911 ✭✭✭tailgunner


    I find that the first couple of runs after a break are always a bit weird. Wouldn't read too much into it, just stick to easy running for a few days!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Thursday 26th May
    5km
    44mins

    Tailgunner was right, tonight felt like my legs kinda knew what they were at! Still a bit more effort and laboured than I'd like compared to a few weeks ago. Have to try 10km tomorrow or the weekend to make sure I can still do it!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Friday 27th May
    5km
    40.41min

    Back up from mayo this am for my annual assessment, in and out in 5mins. Happy days! Thought I'd get home early but it was fairly late so headed out for 5km instead of the 10 id planned. Happy with this one. Took it handy until the last on which I pushed and did in 7.15, which is fast for me by any standard

    Undecided as to whether to (try) get up for Parkrun or to leave that for a few weeks and get 10km in tomorrow afternoon... Decision will probably come down to if I can pull myself outta bed in the morning


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Saturday 28th May
    10km
    88.12mins

    Decided last night that I don't have the control/experience to run parkrun as easy rather than chasing a pb, and that the more sensible option would be to take the opportunity to get 10km in before the WMM, given that that should be the aim at the minute.
    House hunting in Dublin all day so out this evening. Great evening for it. Didn't think much about the route and ended up along the estuary in malahide as always, think this added to the mental toughness of this run as I kinda subconsciously thought I was half way when I was only 25% done, and finished when really there was 3km let. Was hoping for under 90mins and just about managed it. But it was tough. My last km was my fastest thou, so maybe not as tough as my mind thought at the time!

    9 days til WMM and I'm absolutely PETRIFIED!!! :p


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    Sunday 29th May
    5km
    40.26mins

    Just back from a Sunday afternoon run with my Mum along malahide estuary. Anyone that knows our family will tell you what a crazy sentence that is... This time last year she was 6 stone heavier and I couldn't run. After a lot of convincing she joined a local c25k group 6 weeks ago and is flying.
    Felt like I was chanelling ososlo and firedance and everyone on here when I spent the first 2km telling her to slow down :p first time I've had someone to run with, was suprised how much breath you actually need to hold a conversation!!!

    Rest day tomorrow, have a spa day planned with some friends from work before we all leave castlebar, so no running. Gonna try 10km on Tuesday, 5km Thursday and Saturday and then the big one on Monday!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,080 ✭✭✭✭Maximus Alexander


    That sounds lovely Fifa, fair play to both of you. Hope you get to do many more runs together. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    That sounds lovely Fifa, fair play to both of you. Hope you get to do many more runs together. :)

    Thanks! Funny enough we both independently looked up parkruns in Florida for our holiday! Were contemplating the 90min drive to the closest one, although it starts at 7.30 so not sure how the rest of the family will feel about that!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,007 ✭✭✭✭The Muppet


    FIFA2004 wrote: »
    Sunday 29th May
    5km
    40.26mins

    Just back from a Sunday afternoon run with my Mum along malahide estuary. Anyone that knows our family will tell you what a crazy sentence that is... This time last year she was 6 stone heavier and I couldn't run. After a lot of convincing she joined a local c25k group 6 weeks ago and is flying.
    Felt like I was chanelling ososlo and firedance and everyone on here when I spent the first 2km telling her to slow down :p first time I've had someone to run with, was suprised how much breath you actually need to hold a conversation!!!

    Rest day tomorrow, have a spa day planned with some friends from work before we all leave castlebar, so no running. Gonna try 10km on Tuesday, 5km Thursday and Saturday and then the big one on Monday!



    Lovely location for a run on a warm day fifa there's usually a nice breeze along there.

    That's an impressive weight loss by you mum you must all be very proud of her .


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 437 ✭✭FIFA2004


    The Muppet wrote: »
    Lovely location for a run on a warm day fifa there's usually a nice breeze along there.

    That's an impressive weight loss by you mum you must all be very proud of her .

    So proud! It's been a whole lifestyle change, so hopefully the running will help keep it up! My mam can make pretty much anything under the sun from porridge... I think that's her secret :p

    Yeah great place to run, I know your out this way a bit, I've often wondered was I running past you :p it's a pity you can't go the full way around the estuary without running on roads thou, that would be some run :)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,007 ✭✭✭✭The Muppet


    FIFA2004 wrote: »
    The Muppet wrote: »
    Lovely location for a run on a warm day fifa there's usually a nice breeze along there.

    That's an impressive weight loss by you mum you must all be very proud of her .

    So proud! It's been a whole lifestyle change, so hopefully the running will help keep it up! My mam can make pretty much anything under the sun from porridge... I think that's her secret :p

    Yeah great place to run, I know your out this way a bit, I've often wondered was I running past you :p it's a pity you can't go the full way around the estuary without running on roads thou, that would be some run :)

    Porridge yum yum I was raised on the stuff before they invented ready peek.


    It is a pity but there are plans to build a walkway beside the railway track from malahide to donabate. That would open up some nice routes for lsr.

    I often wonder myself when meeting other runners if they post here .

    Sunday mornings I used to head over to malahide on the main road and back along the estuary it's 8 mile abd one of my favourite routes for that length of run .there's not much scope on it to add miles as there is no footpath beyond Portmarnock and the road is too dangerous.


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