The main thing is keeping the main thing, the main thing

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Have you tried the fuelcell TC?

No - but am on the look out for another good training shoe - the ZF3's have over 300 miles on them, so its a case of get a new pair of them or try something different. I'd love to try something different.

Monday: 30 min easy jog to the Khyber and 10 Hill Sprints up the trail at the bottom of the Khyber - 30mins back.
Defo needed the stones for this one!!

7.3m

Tuesday: Easy run at lunch time in the sun - great to be in T-Shirts this weather.

No Pilates this week - so done some other stretching and activation routines - took about 15mins total, but felt great afterwards.

7.2m / 8.06 pace

Wednesday: Session: 2x20mins. (1st set at 6min/mile - 1nd set at 5.55)

This was always going to be a milestone session in my mind at least - when I 1st took up with the coach - he asked me if I was capable of a 2x20min session at T pace - I laughed and said no - (despite doing a 2x2m + 1m recently) - I wasn't confident of executing it.


I prepared well for the session - also doing some activations prior really helps.
The last few tempos I've done - I've had sore quads afterwards for a couple of days - so I wore the 4%'s to help with this.

A 20min WU including 4 strides and I was ready for the off.

The 1st set felt very controlled, despite a too quick 1st mile and constant slowing down in later miles (that wouldn't be a concern in the next rep ) - the 1st 20 mins finished in 5.54 / 6.01/5.56/ 5.57 for the last bit - Average 5.57.

5mins recovery - 8.10 pace.

2nd Set saw me around the same 2m loop then go off to the OS road for the last mile - the 1st 2 miles were fine and most of the 3rd mile was also fine.

There is 'something' about coming near the finish - whatever the session - you start to have the negative voices - its actually mad how the brain works.
Anyhow - coming to near the end of the 3rd mile - I'm feeling it - I'm saying 2-3 more mins - just keep it going.
The brain is saying: "just call it at 18mins - what's the big deal about 20 mins anyway."

I keep gong - the 3m clicks and I know I've just over 2 mins - I start counting my breaths to distact myself and before you know it the final 30 secs are upon me. I finish the 2nd 20 mins with a 5.50 / 5.55/ 5.54/ and 6.04 for the last 2+ mins.

I sit down in the sunshine with a smile - something I've not done in a while - thinking that I've just ran two back to back sub 18.30 5k's.
I've not done a session like that previously at that pace - so happy with the progress over the last few weeks.

I'm interested to see how the next few weeks play out as the midweek sessions change.

total mileage: 12.2m (ave pace 7.01)

251 miles for March & Starting April with a rest day.
Excited for the future.

ariana` wrote: »

It's lovely to see you so enthused about your running A. You seemed a little bit tormented there for a while if I may say so! And great progress already... it's exciting to see where you're going to go

thanks for that - a lovely thing to take the time to say.

Swashbuckler wrote: »

There are three certainties in life. Death, taxes and AMK running the first mile of a session faster than prescribed.
Great week. Glad you like the fuelcell as much as me.

I just seen next week's long run.
Suffice to say, it won't be done faster than prescribed. And I'll be wearing the Next %.

Monday: I've a week off work this week, sound in the knowledge that I'd be doing nothing and going no where. Heaven after a couple of hectic months in work.

Parked at Whites Gate and ran down to the Khyber, listening to Americas Irelands greatest sports hero on RB - (joking about his twang)
Being an ex Metro head myself, I've met him a few times, and he lives down the road - the stories are legendary, I do think he is perhaps Irelands greatest ever sports person.

Anyway, the area around the Khyber was busy with people up & down the 2 hills I use, so had to wait and nearly alternate which hill I'd use.

12 Hill sprints today - very much controlled, with walk back recoveries.

Back to the car then for 7.66 miles.

Tuesday: out about ten'ish - ran down to the park, was going to go back home along the canal, but met a running buddy doing her cooldown - so ran a mile or so with her - back home then.

7.1m @ 8.38 pace

Went out to the War memorial Gardens with Mrs AMK and the Madra - had a lovely coffee and Brownie in the lashing sleet, sitting on a grass verge.

Dont you just love Ireland in the spring!


Had a review with Coach - all going well on both sides - some of the paces that he's talking about are scary, but when I see the way the sessions are planned and how the all connect up - it makes perfect sense and gives me a strong confident feeling that what we are doing will work.

Having this trust in the process is Gold.

Currently in a 'super base' phase, probably as fit as I've been aerobically, and going to get fitter, then faster. Then we'll start on a Marathon plan for Berlin (fingers crossed) - with a backup for San Sebastian.

I done a couple of workouts as Pilates isn't on this week. I done a Myrtil Routine, some Glute work and also Scullions Abs workout - (he's so weak at them its unreal for an Olympic athlete)

Wednesday: Session Day. 20mins@6 / 10mins@5.55 / 2x5mins@5.50.

So after last weeks 2x20min's - the midweek tempos start to get broken down again, but faster.
Knowing that there's a progression & rational to these is helpful for the overthinkers like me!

The guidance was to try to run the paces - just 'cos you can run quicker, it doesn't mean you should. (This is something that Luke always said as well).

The route was the 2mile North Road/Chesterfield loop.

20min warm up with Strides and was off.
I was wearing the Fuel Cell's again - I really love these shoes - I wanted to see how they performed at faster than MP.

The 1st 20min stint was 5.56/6.02/5.58 and 6.02 for the last bit - I had a 5 min recovery back to the CK Gates.

The next 10min stint was on the same loop - the 1st mile beeped in 5.52 (goal 5.55) and the next 4 odd mins was in 5.55.
Another 5 min recovery.

The recovery paces aren't set - but its mad to be running at 8 min miles and feel like its just above walking pace.

The 1st 5min set had me a little worried halfway through - I was finding 5.50 difficult, but found my rhythm half way through - finished ok despite the crowds down by the Aras. 3 min recovery to the triangle on the North Road.
For the 2nd 5 min, I went down the North Road to avoid the crowds and make it a good 2+ miles to the car to avoid shortening the cooldown (it was lashing at this stage).
This rep felt very good - the downhill drag helped a lot but was still avoiding walkers, dogs on extendable leads, cyclists......
this rep was 5.47. (goal 5.50)

20 mins back to the car - wet, but happy with the session.

13.2 miles in total - a decent volume session.

Thursday: Rest day.
No Pilates on again, so repeated the routine from during the week with the Myrtl (this is so good for people of a certain age!! ) - Scullys 2nd Abs session and a Glute workout.

I'm going to reduce the Pilates to once per week as I was finding it a bit tough to balance everything (and tiring overall) - I'll do the shorter workouts as an alternative to the 2nd class.

Hung a coat rack today - the week wasn't entirely lost

Friday: A midweek trip over to the War Memorial Gardens (Drinking coffee in the sleet......) did show up a path I'd never seen before - so took a trip over there today to find out more about it.
It leads to a bridge over the Chapelizod bypass into Liffey Gaels GAA pitch - there you go.

Legs in a good place today but the stomach was a bit iffy later on - My wife reckoned it was due to me thinking about my big workout on Sunday (I get dicky tummys before races too - my wife calls it my detox time as I really do clear my system TMI - I know....I know)

However - the workout wasn't occupying my mind that much - I reckon it was something I ate on Wed/Thurs.

I wanted to run 65 mins as well for CF ('65 roses' day) and managed that nicely - just having to run 20 yards past the car to do it.

7.93 miles 8.12 pace (65 mins)

Saturday Session: 2mWU / 10m at 6.15 / 2 CD.

The dog done its best to make this a challenging workout by getting me up at 3.30 so he could clear his system (what a house I have.......) - took me a while to go back to sleep, so my plan of getting up at 7 was gone.
I finally got up abut 8.30 and the tummy was in overdrive again - without the help of coffee.
I thought about canning the workout until Sunday, but went with the thought process of seeing how the warmup went before deciding.

Finally got out about 10.50 - I was wearing the Next% for the 1st time since Bohermeen in March 2020 - what a weird shoe - I forgot how odd these feel.
I brought the NB Fuel Cells in the car just in case.

On the warm up I was thinking of all the excuses I had to either not do the run or do a bad run or do half a good run - not a good place mentally to be in.

Then I thought about flipping it all on its head - Wouldn't it be good to do a great workout despite all the excuses.
Wouldn't it be great to do probably the best workout of your running career while not 100%.
Wouldn't it be great to bank this session in your mind for the next time you feel like this.
After all - if I had a race today - I couldn't put it off til tomorrow.

I done my strides and felt super confident.

Mile 1 from CK gate - down the OS and onto the Furze - felt like I was jogging. The coach gave guidance to run the 1st mile at 6.25'ish and run into it - but seriously, I felt like I was cruising and it took me to purposely slow down from 6 min miles to have the 1st mile beep in 6.13.

The next 2 miles were ok - 6.16 and 6.13 - I was cruising down the North Road feeling good - mile 4 in 6.04 - $h1t - put the brakes on Alan - too fast.
Mile 5 was in 6.13 and then I turned up Chesterfield - the breeze was meant to be 9 mph - but it felt so much stronger - I turned upto the zoo car park and back onto the North road. Mile 6 was 6.20 and mile 7 was 6.18 - my 2 slowest miles of the day.
One I turned off the North Road - the effort levels dropped again and I decided to not go back up Chesterfield - so turned backdown C;'Field and towards the Polo grounds - Mile 8 was 6.14 and I was recovering. Mile 9 was a net downhill and resulted in a faster paced mile of 6.01, before finishing on the Chapelizod Road in 6.12.

Quite happy with that - 62.07 mins for a 10 miler in training. And a mental memory to use again.

2m cool down back to the car - happy out!

14.3 miles total

Sunday: nice paced run in the PP mostly on grass.

7.5m at 8.20 pace.

58 miles for the week.

Down week this week coming with no midweek session and a light'ish weekend session.

TRR_the_turd wrote: »

How do you find the NB fuelcells? I have a pair but am unsure about them. Have only ran in them a couple of times but have found them to be a bit “wild”. Zero grip if it’s wet/damp and near impossible to take a corner at speed in them.

I love them (the TC version) - but not yet wore them in damp conditions.

They are the only shoe that I get the 'cheat' feel from bar the Next%/4%.
I do think they are best from HM up - maybe a bit too 'soft & squishy' for faster stuff - but ideal for MP I think.

Ironically, my major grip with the Endorphin Speeds is their lack of grip on wet/damp surfaces. They don't have the 'pop' that other shoes have.

Right now I'd say the Fuel Cell are my fav shoes - but yet to try them in the wet.

Back in Black wrote: »

Some serious work going on here. Some of the sessions and paces are eye watering to me!!!

That 10 mile @ 6:15 in particular is very impressive.

The new approach is working really well for you obviously.

Ahem...........it was 6.12