nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

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!

Find more posts tagged with

Quick Links

Comments

Dubgal72

aquinn wrote: »

One month down, many more to go so don't hold your breath.

What news on stretches so?

Read this and weep

(not tears of boredom hopefully!)

log week beg Mon 9th May

Mon
Complete rest

Tue
7 miles, hill and trail in Ballinastoe Woods.

I love this run :cool:

We ran along the undulating road for a 15 min warm up and then hit the trail. It starts on a rocky lane, immediately steep enough to change your stride to 'hill style'. The lane continues on for 15 mins. All. Up. Hill. Then down for 7 mins or so, quite steeply so we're certainly not jogging. And you know what they say about what goes down....

On the long first uphill, I noticed myself, H and S had synchronised our footfall. The light skid as we hit the gravel and cadence of our hill stride seemed to have the exact same sound and rhythm as the Ethiopian clip I posted above. It's a never ending incline so trancing out certainly helped

Up up up again, down a little, up again, down a bit and up again....then fly back down to the start. This was a hard run but certainly did not empty the tank. Would have loved to extend the loop to 8 miles but really, not wise on the first run.

Did I mention....I love this run :cool:

All the bits and bobs and bums behaved very nicely today. Plenty of stretching of calves, hip flexor, plantar and piriformis on waking, stand up Myrtl etc prior to run and general stretching after. Allllll good

PM
Mmmmm....think I ran out of time and just did minimum heel drops, knee bends, (maybe piriformis, cobra and pigeon pose before tumbling into bed. Could have done a bit more hip etc.)

Wed
45 mins, mostly on grass. Started off fine but the wet grass certainly reminded me I had run up and down a lot yesterday

Stretching done prior and post (very thorough) run

Thur
Track 6x100m, walk back recovery

Thorough warm up:
20+ mins v easy jogging
Limbering (ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and arms)
Stretching (short holds) all muscle groups
3 laps striding straights and jogging bends in lane 4
Stand up Myrtl

1.5mi warm down.

As my fellow training partners prepared for their 6x1000m session, I joked that coachy had left off one of my zeroes. I wasn't joking after the session. Those six 'puny' little 100s really took it out of me and I felt wrecked on the warm down

Must have done them right so. As coachy said, they're like the short hills we do (short, huh?!) - all about power and speed. Probably did these at 95-98%, easing off with any tenseness as was conscious of tearing a tense muscle*. Also focused on relaxed and correct form/drive/posture.

*(My butt tensed up a bit so after every two 100s, I eased out my priformis with a side hip stretch and short pigeon pose which kept things loose throughout. Really. Have. To. Keep. On. Top. Of. This.)

Walked and shuffle jogged back to start of each one but could have taken longer if I hadn't run out of time on warm up (school session waiting to start). It was lovely to have such a long and thorough warm up.

PM/before bed usual heel drops, knee bends, rear leg lunge, pigeon pose and cobra etc but not too thorough.

Fri
Complete rest apart from usual heel drops, knee bends etc first and last thing. These really help ease out the plantar and calves

Planned hour of yoga and general strength didn't materialise. Early night won....

Sat
AM heel drops and problem area stretching of hip and piriformis. Chi running limbering exercises (ankles up to neck/shoulders). I used to do a form of these years ago, very old school, and did them when I started back two years ago but let them drift. I think they're quite useful - especially the hip swivels - so will be incorporating them into my routine again. May even do a chi running course soon.

1 hour 'empty' (coffee and 4-5 nuts) on road and trail. Legs a bit meh in places but gorgeous morning for a run on the cliff trail. Inner heel twinged a bit sharply later in the run but ok now. Plantar a bit stiff, may be related to that....

followed by

-Calf, quad, hip, piriformis, cobra, back, abductor and adductor stretching done post run plus:
- Calf foam rolling
- Myrtl, complete routine 5-10 reps each move. I used this demo: http://youtu.be/2GLrKr54yA0
- 7 min strength routine (3xsets) http://youtu.be/ioELqxr-Q_w with modified rear leg lunge,
- followed by 5x cobra and child's pose.
- DS core, 10 reps ea move
- yoga sequence (shortened)

Sun
14.7 miles, on road, morning run, nearly 'on empty' (coffee, small pitta bread and slight hangover).
v hilly run around old Enniskerry, through Kilmac, up (again and again) over Delgany woods, oh ye goddesses the views....around Killruddery demesne and back down Windgates. The sky, the sun, the views, the hills*.....
Coffee and brunch with clubmates after. Happy days are made of this. Happy birthday to me :cool:
*we did the synchronised Ethiopian footfall thing again on one hill

- Heel drops and knee bends on waking
- Limbering set and short-hold stretches prior to run
- Stand up Myrtl and general stretching post run. Hip tightened up towards end but nothing restrictive like on last week's long run.
- shortened yoga sequence, focusing on priformis, hip and back

Weekly breakdown, about 40 miles
5 days running incl
1 hill run
1 speed and power track session
1 long hilly run
1 mlr
1 rec run

All the supportive stuff done, not as much during the week and I could feel the difference.

denis b

And a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Dubgal72

denis b wrote: »

And a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Thank you! Not belated, still today

Firedance

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Thank you! Not belated, still today

Seeing as I was late with the first one - happy birthday !!

glad you had such a super run to make the day even better.Loving the Ethiopian footfall

This Fat Girl Runs

Aw it's your birthday?! If I'd have known...!! Happy birthday, hope it was a good one!

Murph_D

Still an hour and 17 mins left, so happy birthday to you.

diego_b

Happy birthday Dubgal, hope it was a good one for you!

Kennyg71

Happy Birthday

Mulberry

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Thur
Track 6x100m, walk back recovery

Happy birthday! And - did you time those 100s??

Dubgal72

Firedance wrote: »

Seeing as I was late with the first one - happy birthday !! glad you had such a super run to make the day even better.Loving the Ethiopian footfall

This Fat Girl Runs wrote: »

Aw it's your birthday?! If I'd have known...!! Happy birthday, hope it was a good one!

Murph_D wrote: »

Still an hour and 17 mins left, so happy birthday to you.

diego_b wrote: »

Happy birthday Dubgal, hope it was a good one for you!

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Happy Birthday

Thanks all, was in denial C but now the TWO pairs of Birkenstocks might make more sense

Mulberry wrote: »

Happy birthday! And - did you time those 100s??

Thanks Mulberry

No, for a few reasons: firstly (and ahem, most importantly...) coachy told me not to bother, just to go 'all out'. Secondly, they would have been hand timed so pretty inaccurate over 100m. I was also doing them from a rolling start and the 'wrong way', i.e., wind assisted as the headwind was too strong the right way...

Congrats on your fab PB, you're flying. Looking good for Leinsters!

Chivito550

6x100 with walk back? Are you turning into a sprinter? Cheeky 400 at Leinsters?

Dubgal72

Chivito550 wrote: »

6x100 with walk back? Are you turning into a sprinter? Cheeky 400 at Leinsters?

In an effort to avoid all accusations of sprinterism, I attempted a short shuffle jog on each of these walk-backs

I would love to try a 400 but probably not a good idea on the day of the Leinsters...knowing me, I'd pull a hamstring or rupture my tendon. There are a couple of 800 TTs lined up for training in June and pretty sure a 400 was mentioned too. I'll make sure I have someone to time these, rather than relying on my stopwatch. Maybe a graded meet might work.

Dubgal72

log week beg Mon 16 May

Mon
Complete rest from running
PM: dynamic pigeon pose courtesy of James Dunne. (We've kinda been seeing each other lately. In a very caj sorta way....) Followed by push/pull sequence, side hip stretch, rear leg lunges, knee bends and heel drops. These are my current 'essentials'. Am sure there should be a couple more on there but this is manageable on a daily basis. Not too many of each, either - 5-10 except heel drops which are about 30.

Tue
On waking: usual heel drops, knee bends etc

Track session: 2x2mi tempo with 2 min rec (aim 6:20 - 6:30 per mi or 1:34.7-1:37per 400)
Actual 1) 12:51 (6:27.2 per mi or 1:36.3 per 400 av)
2) 13:14 (6:39 per mi or 1:39.2 av)

No idea how I slowed so drastically. In hindsight - stupidly - I decided not to check the watch at all, whereas a quick glance at 400 and 800 might have provided more constructive feedback. There.
Although the second set was tough enough, I thought I had the tempo and effort right. Ah well. Coachy warned it would be tougher on the track....

- Warm up: (50-60 mins)
Jogging
Limbering set
General stretching all muscle groups
Strides
Stand up myrtl
Drills

- session 30 mins

- warm down 10-15 mins incl stretching

Ca 8 miles

Wed
On waking, heel drops, knee bends, rear leg lunge and cobra

Unscheduled rest

PM ?

Thur
On waking, heel drops and knee bends

Limbering set followed by 6.5mi easy, some on grass. A bit meh in places so took shoes off and ran for about a mile in bare feet. Thorough general stretching after and stand up Myrtl 5-10 reps each move.

PM thorough hip, lower back and piriformis stretching incl pigeon pose, push/pull and cobra followed by usual heel drops and knee bends before bed.

Fri
On waking: heel drops, knee bends, rear leg lunges and....emm maybe a few cobras. Yes, definitely did a few cobras.....

Track session 6x300, 200 cont jog/walk rec

I really like the warm up routine I am currently following. You have to allow time for it. Including a warm up jog, it can take 50-60 minutes. Unfortunately today, I was slightly pushed for time but because the weather was warm, I was able to cut corners on the jog (15 mins instead of the usual 20+) and reduce the number of reps of each move.
I can really feel the difference in my limbs and by the time I get to the drills, I feel they move fluently (for me!) and effortlessly.

Anyway, ftr, it goes like this:
- Jog 15-20 mins
- Limbering set (ankle swivels, knee, hip shoulders, neck and arm swings)
- General stretching - shortish holds - of all muscle groups incl some yoga-based stretches
- Strides 4-6 x 100m with jog/walk back
- Stand up Myrtl routine 5-10 reps each move
- Drills (I use the Dathan Ritzenhein demo on You Tube, not all of them, anything from 3-8 drills)

This was a weird session. The aim was 60 secs per rep (mile pace) with 200m rec but coachy said you'll probably do them faster....He also reminded me after the fact that the focus this month is on strength and endurance, not speed....

The first one came in at 57.3 but felt like it should have been faster. A quick mental calculation told me it was about the same pace we were doing for our 400s pre-relays. Actually, it was slower - a 74 sec 400 works out at 55.5 sec 300. Wtf?? How were we doing that?? Fire me now!!

The next three came in at 58.xx but this was ok as I was slightly hampered by my hip tightening up. I was also experimenting with distributing the effort as it is a long time since I have done 300s on the track.

By the time no 5 came round, I decided to put the foot down a bit and this came in at 57.1
I gave no 6 some welly and this came in at 55.xx Better.

It wasn't until later that I realised the 400s had 400 RECOVERY gah and these had half the recovery.... :rolleyes: At the same time, I wasn't flat out. Could I have done a couple more? Yes, if I hadn't floored the last one.

Some stretching and 1mi w/d

PM nowt

Sat
On waking, usual heel drops, knee bends, rear leg lunge, cobras and pigeon poses

Slightly unscheduled rest. Well, not really a rest. Was trying my new school run transport out....22k from Goatstown to home...It handles surprisingly easily and the 7 gears are just enough for the steepest of the hills I will have to encounter. Even with two kids, it doesn't take that much out of you.(see below...

) School run is 6km each way. Now just have to break the news to coachy....he's all about the rest between sessions.....

PM
- 3xsets of seven minute strength routine. Except this was five minutes, I left the two plank moves out. I don't really believe in planks..... Followed by 10x non-hold cobras and brief child pose.
- Night time heel drops and knee bends.

Sun
On waking, heel drops and knee bends

Afternoon 45 mins v easy. Oops legs feeling that cycling. So it does take a bit out of you....Did another 18 km today on the bike here and there just because it is fun and legs felt a bit weak and sluggish on this run. Not sure whether to commit to buying this now. Will it get in the way of recovery from 'real' training....?

Post run:

- 20 min yoga sequence focusing on hamstrings, (left v tight) hip and lower back
- myrtl routine, 5 reps
- gen stretching incl pigeon pose etc

Weekly breakdown 26 miles incl
4 days running:
1 tempo
1 speed endurance track session
2 easy/recovery days
.....a few hardcore heavy cycle days
1 sore bum

All S&C, stretching, mobility and rehab boxes ticked. I am getting good at this :cool:

laura_ac3

Good week done. You'll get used to the bike

Quick question and sorry if I missed it a while back, what exactly are the knee bends? Are they beneficial for the calf/foot?

Dubgal72

laura_ac3 wrote: »

Good week done. You'll get used to the bike

Quick question and sorry if I missed it a while back, what exactly are the knee bends? Are they beneficial for the calf/foot?

Hi Laura - don't tell Firedance I'm up this late, please - yeah, the chiro I used to see during training for, and just after, DCM recommended them. He had just been to a conference and said this was probably the most significant injury prevention exercise he had come across.

Like most things, I did it for a few weeks then let it go until recently. The idea is that you do them up against a wall and gradually, you move out as your bend increases. I can feel them working my calves and along with the heel drops, I think they are keeping the PF at bay. I have stopped using the heel/foot splint at night too.

Then again, PF is very contrary and could have been on its way out anyway....I have come across a few accounts where PF goes when it's ready to go and not before.....

How is yours lately?

Dubgal72

Ps so I should get the bike, yes???? I do love it.....

laura_ac3

Contrary is one word....I would turn the air blue if I used the words I wanted to use to describe it

I'm getting on ok. I find proper footwear all the time is making a big difference and rolling a sliotar under my desk for a lot of the day makes a noticeable impact, compared to the days I might forget. Still wear the splint when I feel it niggly and ice bottle it to (although I could be better on that front).

One thing I definitely need to improve is my ancillary exercises. I was great with them for a while but I have fallen out of a routine for many reasons of late. Got an exam out of the way yesterday so no excuses timewise from tomorrow, I'm very impressed with your dedication towards them. Feel free to nag me

As you say, I'm not sure it goes until it really wants to but I've so far found a manageable point where I can recognise a flare up and what works for me.

laura_ac3

Oh and yes for the bike!! That saddle pain goes after a while

And I'm sure if you need a total rest day for whatever reason you can work around that, the overall benefits must outweigh the alternatives?

Firedance

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Hi Laura - don't tell Firedance I'm up this late, please - yeah, the chiro I used to see during training for, and just after, DCM recommended them. He had just been to a conference and said this was probably the most significant injury prevention exercise he had come across.

Like most things, I did it for a few weeks then let it go until recently. The idea is that you do them up against a wall and gradually, you move out as your bend increases. I can feel them working my calves and along with the heel drops, I think they are keeping the PF at bay. I have stopped using the heel/foot splint at night too.

Then again, PF is very contrary and could have been on its way out anyway....I have come across a few accounts where PF goes when it's ready to go and not before.....

How is yours lately?

She could well have told me, but as I was tucked up in bed (polishes halo) I wouldn't have seen her message. TUT TUT TUT TUT

PS: get the bike, I saw someone in Sandycove yesterday with something similar, looked brilliant, good for your health, good for the environment etc and sure it can only serve to help the legs - lots of people cycle on recovery days!

denis b

Great work there DG.

A big +1 to cycling for urban areas. Only advice I can usefully add is to watch out for cross winds with that bike when you are starting off. The low centre of gravity(kids weight) will help to provide some stability but it needs a little practice. Judging by your log I dont think that that will defeat you

Dubgal72

laura_ac3 wrote: »

Oh and yes for the bike!! That saddle pain goes after a while And I'm sure if you need a total rest day for whatever reason you can work around that, the overall benefits must outweigh the alternatives?

This is great, nobody has said don't get it. I'm in

(like i needed persuading...)

Firedance wrote: »

She could well have told me, but as I was tucked up in bed (polishes halo) I wouldn't have seen her message. TUT TUT TUT TUT

PS: get the bike, I saw someone in Sandycove yesterday with something similar, looked brilliant, good for your health, good for the environment etc and sure it can only serve to help the legs - lots of people cycle on recovery days!

Tick, another yes :cool:

denis b wrote: »

Great work there DG.

A big +1 to cycling for urban areas. Only advice I can usefully add is to watch out for cross winds with that bike when you are starting off. The low centre of gravity(kids weight) will help to provide some stability but it needs a little practice. Judging by your log I dont think that that will defeat you

Thanks Denis, yes, I noticed a little gust of wind crossing over a junction yesterday. I suppose the thing to do would be to use caution/leave at home on very windy days.

So the dilemma is....

I returned the trial version yesterday with a heavy heart but armed with spondoolicks to buy my own brand new version. Until, out of curiosity, I tried a less cute looking - and more expensive version - and oh maaaan. It is a dream. Lighter, more manoeuvrable, bigger box, more responsive brakes, better kick stand, better gears.....like Astrid of TheDutchBikeShop said, it is the difference between driving a Fiat and a Beemer.....and the price equivalent too. :eek:

FBOT01

Dubgal72 wrote: »

This is great, nobody has said don't get it. I'm in (like i needed persuading...)

Tick, another yes :cool:

Thanks Denis, yes, I noticed a little gust of wind crossing over a junction yesterday. I suppose the thing to do would be to use caution/leave at home on very windy days.

So the dilemma is....

I returned the trial version yesterday with a heavy heart but armed with spondoolicks to buy my own brand new version. Until, out of curiosity, I tried a less cute looking - and more expensive version - and oh maaaan. It is a dream. Lighter, more manoeuvrable, bigger box, more responsive brakes, better kick stand, better gears.....like Astrid of TheDutchBikeShop said, it is the difference between driving a Fiat and a Beemer.....and the price equivalent too. :eek:

Personnally, I think you should knock the whole bike thing on the head and go with the Beemer. With a school run like that I'd said that you would need an X5 at least. I know plenty who could get away with nothing smaller than an X3 and they would only have a school run of 3-4km all in so for 22kms a day nothing short of an X5 would do

Krusty_Clown

Just *cough* putting this up here *link*. Definite Sub 5 on the cards in the next 6-10 months.

Singer

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Just *cough* putting this up here *link*. Definite Sub 5 on the cards in the next 6-10 months.

Nice time! Where was the tracking device concealed though?

Firedance

Brilliant

and lol on the Garmin link!!

annapr

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Just *cough* putting this up here *link*. Definite Sub 5 on the cards in the next 6-10 months.

Wait a minute... A pacer AND a garmin????

Brilliant time... Well done Ash!!

Dubgal72

FBOT01 wrote: »

Personnally, I think you should knock the whole bike thing on the head and go with the Beemer. With a school run like that I'd said that you would need an X5 at least. I know plenty who could get away with nothing smaller than an X3 and they would only have a school run of 3-4km all in so for 22kms a day nothing short of an X5 would do

Deffo! Done. Except my school run isn't 22km so....(that was the journey from bike shop to home...)

Dubgal72

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Just *cough* putting this up here *link*. Definite Sub 5 on the cards in the next 6-10 months.

Thanks and thanks. Sub 5 is the dream alright. Was just talking to Richard and of course he mentioned Denmark in August 2017. Your name came up too

Singer wrote: »

Nice time! Where was the tracking device concealed though?

Haha I concealed him two paces ahead of me. Until the end when I concealed him two paces behind me

Firedance wrote: »

Brilliant and lol on the Garmin link!!

Hehe. See below

annapr wrote: »

Wait a minute... A pacer AND a garmin????

Brilliant time... Well done Ash!!

Thanks all. I know, my 'timing' is impeccable, eh?!

Dubgal72

Ps too fecked to write about it tonight. Basically it went:

First 200m: really? REALLY? Wtf
Next: I can't do this
Next: yes you can
Next: I can't do this
Next: yes you can
Next: I can't do this
Next: yes you can
Relax, focus
Relax, focus
Blur
Blur
Blur

Bungy Girl

Well done ! See, I wasn't far off with my sub 5 was I

? That is seriously fast going.