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Last of the Summer Wine
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Lambay island wrote: »The hope is what kills you
I'm debating a back up for the back up with the virtual DCM, although not so sure I could put myself through that.
What’s the Plan A?0 -
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Hanson ‘Galway Bay’ Week 8
Galway Bay looking less likely all the time. But there is always hope!
Tue 21 Jul
Speed: 3 x 1609 (600 jog recovery)
The now regular 6:40 meetup with C and G. This time, I made a conscious decision in advance that 5-10k pace was acceptable. The result was a much more controlled session than last week - hard but still possible to think about form and about trying to embrace the effort rather than be a slave to it. Or something. Lively discussion afterwards about pacing, and plumbing.
Feel free to disregard as I did the beginner plan, but I always thought it 5-10k pace. 5k pace for the shorter reps slowing to 10k pace for the longest reps. It's a long time ago now, so I might well be misremembering.0 -
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Week 8 cont.
Thu 23 Jul
11.23k @ MP (80% HRR)
Unlike last week, I was well prepared for this important session. Rest, hydration and sleep all better than usual. Up the Royal Canal into the wind, naturally a few secs slower than the target 4:46 pace, but more than making up for it on the way back. No problems at all, feeling good. Total with WU/CD - 17 kms.
Fri 24 Jul
9.8k recovery @ 5:55 (63% HRR)
Legs pretty tired after yesterday, just tipping around town.
Sat 25 Jul
16.1k @ 5:39 (59% HRR)
In Westport for a couple of days. Found the Greenway entrance at the Quay and headed off on an out-and-back, accompanied for the first section (the parkrun course, essentially) by the mrs. Tough enough route with a long drag. Wasn’t expecting the greenway to be as hilly as it was, but what a facility.
Sun 26 Jul
16.2k@ 5:34 (61% HRR)
Further exploration of Westport, starting with a tour of the Big House and out then on the main road west, again with the benefit of a very well kept pedestrian/cycling greenway, well away from the traffic. Croagh Patrick loomed in the near distance, for the Reek Sunday that was in it. Returned to the Harbour area via the coast road, again on a well paved footpath and even a boardwalk section on the Bay. A final mile around the harbour, circling the pet food factory - a former fishmeal plant, and a gigantic eyesore right in the bay. Very Irish piece of industrial planning, but it didn’t spoil a fabulous run. Westport runners have plenty to be proud of.
So that completes the first half of the plan, with 51 miles this week. Definitely starting to feel stronger and the HR data has been encouraging this week. Hopefully it's accurate!
This week: 82 kms (51 miles)
This year: 1,958 (1,217)0 -
Hanson ‘Galway Bay’ Week 9
Into the second half of the plan this week. So far, so good. Starting to feel that marathon plan tiredness. Good to have the others to bounce things off - we are all feeling the miles, with even the easy runs sometimes feeling like a chore.
Mon 27 Jul
9.6k easy/recovery @ 5:42 (57% HRR)
An early 6 miles around Westport in the rain. Some swanky digs around this town! I think I found W4.
Tue 28 Jul
Speed: 5 x 1k (400 jog recovery)
For the last two speed sessions on the plan, Hanson lets you choose whichever ones you feel will deliver the best benefit. I chose the 5x1k workout, as it was the one I missed on the skipped week. Back in Donegal for a few days so took to the Glenties track again for this one. Harder to pace without C and G to work off, but after a flaky enough first rep I got the feel for the pace, and the workrate felt right. The usual locals out for their morning walk on the track, and they all had a friendly wave for the interloper.
Splits: (target ~4:08)
4:07 4:09 4:07 4:08 4:03
The way Hanson is structured with the rest day on the Weds, this session sometimes feels more like the end of the weekly cycle. Glad to have it done, and I look forward to the day off.
This week: 22 kms (14 miles)
This year: 1,980 (1,231)0 -
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Week 10 cont.
Wed 5 Aug
Rest.
Thu 6 Aug
17.5k with 13 @ MP (86% HRR)
To the Phoenix Park. Warmed up with C down Chesterfield before we went our seperate ways for the MP miles. The toughest part of the run was the first couple of miles up the Military and Glen roads then through the Glen itself. Don’t usually run this section in the Westerly direction, and the Glen has a tough climb out. Consolidating down the North Road, then a final push up Chesterfield to finish near the Visitors Centre. I thought this went well, fairly controlled, but, like some of the earlier MP sessions, the HR in the final miles suggests I’m not doing a lot of these sessions at a sustainable pace. Some of it could be weather related (a very warm morning), but following further reflection over the weekend, maybe time to drop the target pace a little, and see how it goes.
Enjoyable breakfast after. We followed the quite complicated routing arrows and distancing rules at the Visitors Centre.
Fri 7 Aug
11.k recovery @ 5:56 (no HR monitor)
A running-related weekend, on hols with C and P in Roundwood vicinity. Following a round of golf (!) on the way down, we hit the Vartry reservoir for a shakeout before dinner. C had prepared well, but a wrong turn led to an extra km and much discussion about how such an error could possibly have happened.
Sat 8 Aug
Mountain running ~ 9.6 miles (no HR monitor)
The planned route through Luggala and up Knocknacloghoge (easy for you to say) had to be abandoned as the Estate gates were closed, ostensibly for covid reasons. Hmm. We left the car park and several dozen disappointed walkers and headed for nearby Djouce mountain instead, running up on the Wicklow Way sleeper path with a detour to the summit. Amazingly we bumped into DenisB near the summit and again on the other side, eventually joining him for a mile down to the Dargle River where he assured us the water was safe to drink. I took a welcome sup, carfully upstream from two lads who had jumped in to cool off, then we set off on the homeward leg back to the car park. I don’t do much mountain running, and in truth we walked most of the uphill bits, but it was a spectacular morning and early afternoon, and a most enjoyable variation from the usual fare.
Cash only at the carpark ice cream van, unfortunately, so no 99s.
Sun 9 Aug
16.1k easy @ 5:51 (no HR monitor)
Out early for the final run of the weekend, around both lakes of the Vartry Reservoir, with a few photo stops to enjoy the scenery and the handsome engineering and architectural features. Amazing that this was all created more than 150 years ago by men with little more than picks, shovels, horses and carts. Most enjoyable, despite last night’s dinner and beers.
And that ends a decent enough week at 83k (52 miles).
This week: 83 kms (52 miles)
This year: 2,142 (1,331)0 -
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Hanson ‘Galway Bay’ Week 12
Week 12 - almost two thirds of the way through the plan. Have to say the ramp up of mileage seems to have been achieved without too much trouble and I’m feeling pretty good, although the sessions and long runs are certainly challenging. This week’s news doesn’t make it any more likely that the Galway race will go ahead however. I wonder will they make a call soon, or will they wait til the Sept 13 re-evaluation. Tricky. Will carry on anyway - there will be something at the end of it, no matter what happens.
Mon 17 Aug
10.3k recovery @ 6:38 (49% HRR)
A slow recovery jog around the south west city centre chatting with my now regular Monday buddy, SS. A few ears might have been burning.
Passed the old Coombe hospital, and the new Coombe, which isn’t on the Coombe.
Tue 18 Aug
Strength: 4 x 1.5 mile (800m jog recovery) (Avg rep appx 81% HRRx)
Back in Donegal for a week or so. Drove out to Inver beach and did these reps on the course I screwed up the last time I was here. It wasn’t long enough, necessitating a few deviations down side roads and a final cooldown on the beach. The target for these was 11:18 average per rep, over a course with a fair few drags and drops.
Splits:
11:23 11:04 11:13 11:14
Happy enough - it was a wet but happily not too breezy morning. Wouldn’t have minded a swim at the end, but the tide was miles out during my cooldown. Getting a bit itchy for a race at this stage - no tuneups in the plan, of course, which is probably just as well. Mileage is getting up there - definitely the highest ever at this stage of the year, and more than 200k ahead of the required mileage to hit this year’s 2,000m target
This week: 27 kms (17 miles)
This year: 2,256 (1,402)0 -
Week 12 cont.
Wed 19 Aug
Rest.
Thu 20 Aug
14.5k @ MP (79% HRR)
After waking in the middle of the night listening to Storm Ellen howling outside, I was delighted to wake to what sounded like a relatively calm day, but I soon disovered there was a bit of wind about as I set out on my hilly route around the nearby townlonds of Calhame, Loughmuilt, Tullinteane, Gilbertstown, and a few more. Like last week, I decided to run to HR. Unlike last week, I didn’t manage to come close to M pace (now 4:47/k) after the first few downwind and net downhill miles.
A few weeks ago, I ran a 7m tempo on the seafront where I flogged myself (and failed) trying to maintain MP into a stiff wind. Today I just ran completely by HR and didn’t worry about not making the pace. I trust from previous runs, tests, etc that I know where M effort is, around 80% HRR, and if conditions conspire to produce a slower run at that effort, so be it. I trust that the stimulus is what it should be, and it will be alright on the night.
Average today for the 9 miles was about 4:55/k (7:55/m), which equates to about a 3:27 marathon, and if I did one in conditions like that, on a course like that, I suppose I would be happy enough.
In other news, Galway Bay organisers finally emailed participants to say the race was still a possibility, but they are also suggesting a possible spring 2021 postponement. So not quite putting us out of our misery yet.
This week: 47 kms (29 miles)
This year: 2,275 (1,414)0 -
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Week 13 cont.
Tue 25 Aug
Strength: 3 x 2 miles (800m jog recovery) (Max 85% HRR)
Not in a rush to get out of bed on the last full day of the holidays, listening to the rain pounding down all night. The gas man arrived unexpectedly early to service the cooker, so I hung around, glad of the excuse to postpone the session. The wind was getting up - at one stage the poor man went outside to his van and narrowly avoided an encounter with the lid of the barbecue, lifted by a strong gust and propelled about 10 metres through the air at head height. None of this boded well for my session, and I dithered over where I might get some protection. Eventually headed for the Mountcharles Pier where there’s just over a mile of flat road that I hoped might be somewhat sheltered from the NE wind by the tall trees in the adjacent Hall Demesne (home of the Conyngham/Mountcharles gentry that gave the village its modern name, before they consolidated in Slane). I was wrong about the shelter, and after a foolish choice of a looped first rep featuring some steep uphills and downhills, I settled into the job at hand running lengths of the pier road, impressing some local strollers as I huffed past several times during the effort.
Splits:
15:04 15:07 15:05
These sessions are 10s faster than MP so the target was 15:04 for the 2m reps. Under the circumstances I’m delighted with that - it was tough going (mentally more than physically) from the start. Relief of course in the downwind parts, but the net effect of the headwind is always harder. Was buoyed by the memory of some very gruelling sessions along the same road a couple of years ago during my 800m phase - told myself these ’slow’ miles were a piece of cake in comparison. Whatever works!
This week: 30 kms (19 miles)
This year: 2,347 (1,459)0 -
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Hanson ‘Galway Bay’ Week 14
Five weeks to go… the body is starting to creak a bit, with a few twinges, mostly around right foot and also feeling the right hamstring occasionally. But it’s make or break time in the schedule, and there’s bound to be at least a little blowback. This old frame has been pretty resilient of late, but 60-mile weeks are rare enough for me, historically. If nothing breaks this week or next, I should be OK.
Mon 31 Aug
11k easy @ 5:39 (64% HRR)
Dropped the older boy at GAA and headed out along the seafront and onto Dollymount beach. Not much to report, except that I was tired and had another couple of jabs under the little toe area of my forefoot. But not something that persisted, thankfully.
August total: 419k (261m) - runningest month ever, as the Yanks might say.
Tue 1 Sep
Strength: 2 x 3 miles (1m jog recovery) (Avg HRR 83%, Max 91%)
Effectively a pair of 23 minute runs at IAT pace, so this is always a bit of a daunting session. The sun was beaming down on the seafront, which had one of those crosswinds that always seemed to be slightly against, except for the last couple of kms. Target 4:41/k (7:32/m), so 22:36 per rep.
Splits:
22:29 22:31
After the usual creaky first km trying to get a feel for the effort, I was able to knuckle down and get the job done, which will do nicely enough. Felt easier than last week’s version, which probably had more do to with the absence of storm conditions than anything else.
This week: 27 kms (17 miles)
This year: 2,444 (1,519)0 -
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shotgunmcos wrote: »That 2x3m session was one of the 3 main sessions last year that gave me confidence in my training. Nicely done despite the creaks... get the foam roller out
Cheers M. What were the other two? 0 -
Cheers M. What were the other two?
One was not part of the plan. After a flu, I missed 2 weeks. Trained by HR only to gauge where I was then did 14 with 2, 3 and 5m at Marathon effort (HR driven). The paces were decent and I took confidence that the 2 weeks missed was a blip.
The other was the final 10m Marathon Tempo. I felt knackered that morning and had to grind it out but felt comfortable with the uncomfortable. As tough as it felt, I felt I had the legs to grind out more. In a tired way, a deep satisfaction of feeling fit and just a little undercooked.0 -
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Week 14 cont.
Wed 2 Sep
Rest. The plan is so relentless that these days off just feel wrong.
Thu 3 Sep
19.7k inc 14.5 @ MP (83% HRR)
Up at dawn for this one, hoping in vain to avoid some of the wind. Bumped into Ferris during the warmup and turned to run a few hundred metres in the opposite direction (the direction I’d be finishing in) and got a good inkling of what would be in store. We parted ways and I turned back to the more forgiving downwind direction, debating whether to seek shelter somewhere along the way. Two miles in, I crossed towards St. Anne’s Park, then changed my mind and decided to tough it out. It was a lovely fresh morning, and I tried to enjoy as much as I could before I turned for the second half, waving at Ferris and FBOT soon afterwards. ‘Piece of cake!’, I lied as I went past. It was a grim effort home. Tried to lean into the wind and let gravity do some of the work. Surprised myself by losing less time than expected, and almost enjoyed the last few kms. Needed every second I’d gained on the way out, but hit the MP number (4:47/k) in the end.
This week: 47 kms (29 miles)
This year: 2,464 (1,532)0 -
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Hanson ??? Week 16
Well, we have been put out of our misery again, with Galway Bay postponed til May 2021. This happened during my Tues session.
Mon 14 Sep
10.9k easy @ 5:40 (61% HRR)
6 easy miles from the GAA club again - deviated towards St. Anne’s this time, which was quite busy with many kids and adult sports training going on, and many strollers enjoying the balmy conditions. Was thinking this would be the first run of less than an hour in several weeks, but I miscalculated the route and ended up being out for almost an extra km. On retrieving the GAA kid, I found myself joining in a fruitless search of the darkening pitches for the coach’s lost car keys (and our lad’s dropped fitbit). No luck on either count. Enjoyed the run though - although legs quite tired.
Tue 15 Sep
Strength: 4 x 1.5 miles (800m jog recovery) (No HR strap)
I am delighted to be back in the office, hopefully for a while as working from home doesn’t really agree with me. I’m also starting a new job contract, in the same place as the last job, so the new office is also the old. One of its features is that it’s in the attic of a four storey building with no lift, so I’ve been reconditioning my legs to the stairs. It’s in Trinity College, and one of the perks is having a grass track available during the summer months. I hadn’t expected to find the track marked out at all this year, considering there isn’t really any demand, but sure enough it was lined and looking quite inviting, although the grass is a little longer than usual. Anyway I decided it would be wrong under the circumstances to do this session anywhere else, despite the sweltering lunchtime heat. I found all of the reps tough, to be honest. The legs were still quite heavy, but hit the target pace (7:31/mi) quite well. This would have been an easier session on a road or a real track, but it’s good to be back in the auld environs.
Splits (target 11:16):
11:14 11:14 11:15 11:15
Enjoyed a sandwich in the same College Park afterwards, watching an Asian runner in long sleeves and long trousers running laps. Quite a few laps. When she finished, she retrieved a raincoat from a nearby bench. I suppose acclimatisation takes a while.
This week: 28 kms (17 miles)
This year: 2,628 (1,633)0 -
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Week 16 cont.
Wed 16 Sep
Rest. While I’ve definitely been feeling tired lately, the day off still gets me a bit antsy.
Thu 17 Sep
21.1k inc 16.1 @ MP (76% HRR)
Second of the 10-mile MP sessions. I felt good on the way out the door, having checked resting HR just after waking - everything normal, despite the usual spotty sleep. Properly dark when I went out the door, but a pleasant morning with not much wind. Warmed up and started the MP at the usual spot, a little before the Baths. Was wearing ’The Shoes’ again today, and although the noise was annoying me (anyone remember Gerald McBoingBoing?) they seemed to be helping me cut through the gentle headwind nicely enough.
Met Ferris coming back in the other direction at about 4.5 miles, so he must have only started a few minutes before me. No sign of KennyG this morning though. I just plodded through this one, lost in thought for most of it, and it felt like the route was eaten up in no time. I was keeping an eye on the watch, and while never more than a second or two off the pace, I tended to fall asleep the odd time and have to inject a little pace, including in the final km. Ferris joined me for the last couple of hundred metres, having completed his cooldown, and we had a little chat about the various options that might be open, or closed.
The run was a good one - on target, consistent pace, low HR - an average of 162 this week, or 76% HRR, easily the lowest yet. There’s no doubt that the shoes make a difference
This week: 49 kms (30 miles)
This year: 2,649 (1,647)0 -
Week 16 cont.
Fri 18 Sep
Rest. An unscheduled rest day, just to step back a little.
Sat 19 Sep
17.6k @ 5:38 (no HRM)
An 8am meet-up with Ferris and FBOT. We did a circuit of St. Anne’s then headed out the coast, looping through Baldoyle and Balgriffin back to the Park. Great to have the company and the route was enjoyable too - the absence of a footpath on the backroad to Balgriffin kept us on our toes. Lots of new house/apartment construction encroaching on the cabbage fields of North County Dublin. Felt good on this one, and with FBOT in the group, I didn’t have to do much of the talking.
Sun 20 Sep
20.7k with 16.1k steady @ 5:11 (71% HRR)
As we are rewinding to week 14 next week in order to stretch the plan out to accommodate an alternative marathon possibility, I felt I could deviate from the scheduled 10 easy and make up for some of last week’s abandoned steady LR miles. I asked Garmin Connect to generate a route heading North at the outset, and I was intrigued to find it bringing me home from the airport via a road I don’t think I’ve ever even driven before, never mind negotiated on foot. Hence I discovered the delights of Stockhole Lane, an interesting stretch which had my HR up a few beats as I had to dodge traffic when the footpath ran out for a couple of miles. Interesting road, which contains among its landmarks hayfields, a couple of halting sites, and the HQ of the Athletic Union League, which brought back memories of being a left winger back in my football years (still a bit of a lefty, it has to be said). It’s always great to discover new parts of the city and its hinterland. It was also great to finally be going downhill after the long climb up the old airport road. Completed the 10 miles in the grounds of Beaumont Hospital, and jogged the rest of the way back to D3.
Felt very strong this morning. I think having breakfast before this run definitely helped - most of the sessions and LRs to date have been done on empty.
This week: 87 kms (54 miles).
This year: 2,688 (1,670)0 -
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