Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.

adrian522 · 12-04-2014 2:07pm

Friday:

A rest day finally, really had to force myself into it though.

Saturday:

BHAA 10K @ the K-Club.

A few words on the race. i can't say enough nice things about this race. Great atmosphere, great facilities before and after and the spread really needs to be seen to be believed. All for for just €15. I really don't think I'll ever run a big commercial race again.

Anyway, probably wan't properly rested and still dealing with a little bit of a chesty cough but nothing too bad, I set off at a qucikish pace hoping to be able to hang on through 6.2 miles.

After about 2.5 though it became apparent that I wouldn't hang on so I needed to slow it a bit, before picking up the pace again in the end.

For a first run of the year it wasn't too bad and gives me a good idea of where my fitness level is and also something to aim for.

My garmin time came out as 52:19, but my official time will be a bit slower than that as I wasn't really sure where the official start line was.

Regardless of my times my HR reading indicates that I was working as hard as I would have liked with my HR hovering around 94% of max for most of the race and peaking at 100% right at the end.

Either way I was 30-45 seconds outside of a PB but happy enough with my mornings work.

Big thanks to everyone involved in organizing it.

1. 8:05
2. 8:33
3. 8:26
4. 8:49
5. 8:39
6. 8:23
7. 1:23

Avg Pace: 8:27.

adrian522 · 13-04-2014 5:03pm

Sunday Easy Run/Recovery Run

5.25 Miles @ 10:12 m/m

Not feeling to much soreness from yesterdays run so decided to get out for a few easy miles. Been trying to shorten my stride and increase my cadence in order to get away from the heavy heel striking that is apparent from the soles of my shoes.

Nice day today, sunshine but a strong breeze. Even saw a chicken wandering around one of the housing estates!

Watched the London marathon earlier, need to figure a way to get there next year, need a fake time, a fake address and a fake ID. Any ideas?

Hit 33 miles for the third consecutive week. Daniels reckons you should stay at the same mileage for 4 weeks then up it by 1 mile per run per week and stay at that for another 4 weeks.

Anyway pretty comfortable at this mileage where I will stay for the next week anyway. Quietly creeping up the 1000 mile challenge table!

After yesterdays race Vdot went from 36 to 38 so my training paces will increase accordingly.

Weekly Totals:

Mileage 33.51
Time: 5:33:21

adrian522 · 14-04-2014 6:49pm

Monday

60 mins Easy Pace 5.54 Miles @ 10:50m/m

Not much to say today, easy paced miles were pretty slow, but you get thsat some days, especially on a Monday.

adrian522 · 15-04-2014 7:25pm

Tuesday

Daniels Phase 2 Quality workout

So I've decided to move onto phase 2, as I feel I've done enough base building at this stage.

As I've moved the VDOT up by 2, my paces will be a little faster.

This workout involves 15 min easy, followed by 4x(200m with 200 recovery, 200m with 200 recovery, 400m with 400 recovery) and finishes with 15 mins easy.

It's a nice workout and replaces the 8x400 from phase one, splitting some of the reps into 200's but keeping the overall distance the same.

It's a tough workout but I'll stick with these for the moment.

Paces - target 200m - 0:54 Target 400m 1:48

200 - 51.8
200 - 51.3
400 - 1:48.2
200 - 49.0
200 - 49.3
400 - 1:49.2
200 - 47.9
200 - 52.1
400 - 1:48.9
200 - 50.8
200 - 51.7
400 - 1:46.6

Total 6.8 Miles

adrian522 · 17-04-2014 8:37am

Wednesday

3 Miles @ 10:55 m/m

Recovery run yesterday evening. Bit of a panic after this run yesterday, I felt pretty bad all through my legs, knees giving pain, calves also as well as shins. I'm hoping it was just a symptom of the tough session on Tuesday, but I was pretty concerned about it a possible injury last night.

Hopefully nothing too serious.

Krusty_Clown · 17-04-2014 9:46am

1) Saturday 10k race (close to PB pace)
2) Sunday: trying to shorten my stride and increase my cadence
3) Tuesday: Hard session vdot moved up by 2
4) Wednesday: pretty concerned about it a possible injury last night.

Seems like a lot of 'stuff' happening at the same time. Would you not forget about trying to force stride/cadence changes, as these will happen naturally as your pace/strength increases anyway? Maybe also, consider moving up by just one vdot and then move up another one in a few weeks time? Better to improve more gradually, than get injured more rapidly!

adrian522 · 17-04-2014 10:06am

New pair of runners in there as well :eek:

adrian522 · 17-04-2014 10:20am

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

1) Saturday 10k race (close to PB pace)
2) Sunday: trying to shorten my stride and increase my cadence
3) Tuesday: Hard session vdot moved up by 2
4) Wednesday: pretty concerned about it a possible injury last night.

Seems like a lot of 'stuff' happening at the same time. Would you not forget about trying to force stride/cadence changes, as these will happen naturally as your pace/strength increases anyway? Maybe also, consider moving up by just one vdot and then move up another one in a few weeks time? Better to improve more gradually, than get injured more rapidly!

You are of course correct, I'll leave the changing of the mechanics for the moment and maybe step back the paces in the hard sessions for the next few weeks.

I could probably schedule more rest days too.

adrian522 · 17-04-2014 7:07pm

Thursday

45 mins easy plus 8 Strides

Much more enjoyable run today. Seem to be able to run at a lower HR recently than before(72% of max). No real injury problems today.

4 days off work now, hopefully some good beer and some good coffee will be consumed!

Total 5.36 Miles.

adrian522 · 18-04-2014 3:36pm

Friday:

15 mins Easy(10:49)+20 mins Threshold(8:35)+5 Strides(20 Seconds with 1 min recovery)+15 mins Easy(10:22)

This is a fun session, however I actually forgot I was supposed to be doing strides after the threshold bit and started into my easy running before my garmin reminded me about the strides.

Lovely sunshine is great, but a combination of a few beers last night, an espresso with breakfast and warm sunshine don't make for a great combination.

Anyway, very nice run, a good work being done this week.

The mileage total for the year ticked over 250 miles today which is a good milestone.

5.87 Miles

adrian522 · 19-04-2014 7:48pm

Saturday - Long Slow Run

12 Miles @ 10:48 m/m

I'm very happy with how training is going at the moment with my only concern with possibly doing too much. I've done more miles than I intended this week, but I really wanted to do a long run this weekend as I didn't get one in last weekend.

Overall I've 38 miles done when I was aiming for 33 but I had intended upping it next week anyway.

Tomorrow will be a rest day anyway as I need to drive from Kilkenny to Limerick and back and probably won't get much of a chance for anything.

Weekly Totals:

Miles: 38.58
Duration: 6:40:08

adrian522 · 21-04-2014 1:35pm

Sunday Rest Day

First day off in a little over 1 week.

Monday 60 mins Easy Running

5.74 Miles @ 10:28 m/m

Good run today, quite enjoyable. A little faster than usual, probably due to running with someone else which I normally don't do, but still the effort felt easy and the HR monitor confirms that so happy enough.

adrian522 · 22-04-2014 3:47pm

Tuesday looks like it will be a rest day again. The plan calls for a session today but various aches and pains have me persuaded to take a day off today and maybe do some core work and get back to the running tomorrow.

Have to start listening to the body at some point.

adrian522 · 23-04-2014 6:50pm

Wednesday

15 mins Easy + 4 x (200m+200m+400m) + 15 mins easy.

Good session today, fresh from my day off, and didn't seem as tough as the previous week. You run 200,recover for 200 etc. The 400's seem a lot harder than when you just do 8x400 but I'll stick with these for the moment.

Feeling a little bit of tightness in my calf, thinking about investing in a foam roller rather than just stretching.

275 miles for the year now. I'll break out a celebratory ale when the 1000 mile challenge spreadsheet puts my "Year Total estimate" over 1000 miles. Currently stuck on 888.

SamforMayo · 23-04-2014 9:35pm

I got a foam roller a couple of weeks go. definitely a good buy. Took a bit of getting use to.

adrian522 · 24-04-2014 7:44pm

Thursday 45 mins easy running (9:57 m/m) + 8 Strides (20 Secs with 1 min Recovery)

Continuing along to the plan. A few aches and pains as per usual, nothing too serious.

Tomorrow will hopfully see another session.

Looking to do a race the bank holiday weekend, need to decide between a 5K and a 5 Mile. Decisions.

adrian522 · 25-04-2014 6:54pm

Friday

15 Mins Easy (10:12) + 20 mins Threshold (8:28) + 4 Strides + 15 mins Easy(9:52)

Same Daniels session as last week. The threshold pace is a bit of a struggle but I guess that's the point.

Not sure if there should be some recovery between the threshold piece and the first stride or you should jump straight into it?

Anyway good workout, still alternating between my old(support) shoes and my new (neutral) shoes. Still a bit of soreness, hoping it's just the legs getting used to the new shoes!

Onwards!

adrian522 · 26-04-2014 2:45pm

Saturday

3 Miles Recovery/Easy 10:00 m/m

Decided to get out for some recovery miles this morning. Nice bit of wind and rain put there but nothing too bad thankfully. Feel good after it. Even managed 15 mins of Core work into the deal.

Trying to do some core exercises for 15 mins on my easy days, or at least 3 days per week. Hopefully it will be of some benefit.

adrian522 · 27-04-2014 12:33pm

Sunday

Long slow Run 13 miles @ 10:20 m/m

I wanted to increase the distance from the last few weeks which has maxed out at 12 miles so I planned on 1 extra mile.

I wanted to run a different route so looking at my Google maps, I figured I was about 3 miles from both the Phoenix park and Marlay park. I settled on the Phoenix park grabbed a water bottle and a gel and off I went.

All went well on the way over, didn't get lost or anything. I stashed my water bottle inside Chapelizod gate and went on my way. I had intended coming back for water and the gel after a total of 6 miles but made a mess of that and it was close to 10 miles by the time I got back there.

I probably was running too fast for this run also, I wasn't paying attention to the watch but probably should have slowed down a bit more.

Whatever the reason I started suffering with cramps in my calf from around 9.5 miles and the last few miles were a bit of a struggle. Anyway hopefully lesson learned.

I'll need to figure out a better water strategy, though I do hate carrying water while running.

Weekly Totals:

Miles: 40.18
Duration: 6:42:28

adrian522 · 28-04-2014 7:41pm

Monday 60 mins easy running

6.13 Miles @ 9:47 m/m

The run was fine once I got out there, but it took all my willpower to get out at all, came home from work and slept on the sofa for an hour, finally managed to do a bit of core work and get out the door.

Hopefully the motivation will return tomorrow.

adrian522 · 29-04-2014 8:46pm

Tuesday

15 mins Easy + 4 x (200m+200m+400m) + 15 mins easy.

I'm obviously getting fitter as this session gets a little easier every week.

The intervals add up as it comes to nearly 7 miles in total. It remains a tough session but I find I am recovering better from the effort than before.

Not sure if I should bother with a race this week or carry on with the training and get another long run in.

Anyway, glad to get this one done, these sessions feel like money in the bank when they are all done.

Time for a nice espresso to round out the evening.

Paces (target: 0:54/1:48)

200 48.3
200 49.1
400 1:48.2
200 52
200 50
400 1:44.9
200 49.9
200 49.5
400 1:47
200 47.9
200 49.1
400 1:46.4

Total:

6.91 Miles.

adrian522 · 30-04-2014 8:12pm

adrian522 · 01-05-2014 7:59pm

Thursday:

45 Mins Easy (9:47 m/m) + 8 Strides (20 Secs with 1 min Recovery)

Nice run in the rain, started off with 15 mins Core work and then took the Foam roller for a test drive.

Tomorrow the plan calls for the second session of the week, I'll skip it if I'm racing on the weekend, still undecided on that.

adrian522 · 02-05-2014 7:13pm

Friday 5 Miles very easy 10:21 m/m

Decided to have a crack at the BHAA 5 mile up in RTE tomorrow. I'm going to do it without any taper to see how I get on, and then have a proper go at the Terenure 5 mile in 2 weeks time.

I'll also try to get out for some miles on Sunday morning to keep the weekly mileage on target.

SamforMayo · 02-05-2014 7:51pm

adrian522 wrote: »

Friday 5 Miles very easy 10:21 m/m

Decided to have a crack at the BHAA 5 mile up in RTE tomorrow. I'm going to do it without any taper to see how I get on, and then have a proper go at the Terenure 5 mile in 2 weeks time.

I'll also try to get out for some miles on Sunday morning to keep the weekly mileage on target.

Best of luck tomorrow, have you raced this distance before?

adrian522 · 02-05-2014 10:06pm

Not since last May.

45 mins then but had a bad day, due to having a few pints the day before and a takeaway curry to finish the evening. Then I went out way too fast etc.

Figure 42:xx mins should be doable tomorrow then hopefully take another min or 2 off in the Terenure 5 mile in 2 weeks.

That's the plan at least.

SamforMayo · 02-05-2014 10:26pm

Sound s good, enjoy it:D

adrian522 · 03-05-2014 12:58pm

SamforMayo wrote: »

Sound s good, enjoy it:D

Chip time 39:11.

Good run, happy with that.

adrian522 · 03-05-2014 1:53pm

Saturday BHAA RTE 5 Mile

As above came out at 39:11, or 39:03 on the watch.

Anyway my Garmin is giving this as short also so not sure what to make of the time. My pace came out at 8:03m/m

I started out running a steady pace and trying to keep my breathing in check and I stayed pretty comfortable for most of the race, on the last lap and a half I started to feel the pace a bit more but managed to stay at the pace I was going.

I passed a good few people on the route who looked like they were fit enough so happy with that. I even passed one lad in a singlet, so that either makes me a real runner or him a fraud, not sure which, maybe both.

Splits from the watch(any excuse for a table!):

Mile|Time
1|7:47
2|8:00
3|8:11
4|8:13
5|6:52

Watch clocked it at 4.87 miles.

SamforMayo · 03-05-2014 5:05pm

Great result, well done

adrian522 · 04-05-2014 12:33pm

Sunday

Long Slow Run 11 miles @ 9:59 m/m

Nice run this morning, pretty enjoyable for the most part. My HR monitor has given up the ghost completely, I'm thinking the issue is with the battery, at least that's what I'm hoping.

This run moves me up the 1000 mile spreadsheet into the section that projected to make 1000 miles by year end, my 1000 mile estimate date: 30/12/2014.

Weekly Totals:

Miles|39.93
Time|6:24:33

Ososlo · 04-05-2014 3:59pm

well done on the race yesterday adrian. Delighted for ya:D and a bit jealous:D
Just wondering if you're following a plan at the moment? It seems like a lot of stress on the body racing all-out a 5 mile race yesterday and doing an 11 mile run today:eek: Just wondering!

adrian522 · 04-05-2014 7:37pm

Thanks, yeah, it's a lot of stress I guess, but didn't feel too bad after the race and actually good have run a few miles last night but held off.

I guess 11 miles might have been a bit much but they were easy miles, maybe 7 or 8 would have been better?

Ososlo · 04-05-2014 7:47pm

adrian522 wrote: »

Thanks, yeah, it's a lot of stress I guess, but didn't feel too bad after the race and actually good have run a few miles last night but held off.

I guess 11 miles might have been a bit much but they were easy miles, maybe 7 or 8 would have been better?

Personally, I'd only ever do a recovery run the day after a race and no more than 3-4 miles or so. I might do a recovery run the evening of the race but I'd still run easy (and short) the next day. I'd do the recovery miles about 3- 4 mins per mile slower than race pace. I am quite cautious though:)
I would consider both those two runs fairly hard sessions even though you ran today's easy as it was quite a long run. Just think of the bigger picture.
Well done again on the race

adrian522 · 04-05-2014 7:50pm

Ososlo wrote: »

Personally, I'd only ever do a recovery run the day after a race and no more than 3-4 miles or so. I might do a recovery run the evening of the race but I'd still run easy (and short) the next day. I'd do the recovery miles about 3- 4 mins per mile slower than race pace. I am quite cautious though:)
I would consider both those two runs fairly hard sessions even though you ran today's easy as it was quite a long run. Just think of the bigger picture.
Well done again on the race

Thanks, 3-4 mins per mile slower would have me running at 11-12 min per mile which would seem crazy slow.

But I take your point about taking it easy after a race.

I'm not that experienced at working races into my training sessions.

Ososlo · 04-05-2014 7:57pm

adrian522 wrote: »

Thanks, 3-4 mins per mile slower would have me running at 11-12 min per mile which would seem crazy slow.

But I take your point about taking it easy after a race.

I'm not that experienced at working races into my training sessions.

General consensus would be to run very easy and short the day after a race unless you're very experienced.
I run my recovery runs at the paces above as they really help my legs feel super afterwards. The slower the better in my opinion. The Kenyans often run theirs at 9min/mile pace so that's my excuse:pac:

adrian522 · 04-05-2014 8:03pm

Cool, will try that after the 5 mile in 2 weeks time.

BTW the plan I'm using is the Jack Daniels Blue plan.

Essentially you do about 4 weeks on each phase, I plan to do 1 more week on phase 2 before moving onto phase 3.

Phase 3 is the toughest phase.

I'll be doing a marathon plan starting around the start of July. Probably one of the BAA plans.

Edit: I'm also adding more to the Sunday long runs than the 60-90 mins suggested in the plan.

SamforMayo · 04-05-2014 8:25pm

adrian522 wrote: »

Thanks, 3-4 mins per mile slower would have me running at 11-12 min per mile which would seem crazy slow.

But I take your point about taking it easy after a race.

I'm not that experienced at working races into my training sessions.

Hi, I think Ososlo is right regarding that been two hard runs together and risking injury. I know I was advised against it on here before as I am also not very experienced at fitting the races into the training plan. But sure we are learning the whole time. I think you can afford to have a lower mileage week when including a race.

Ososlo · 04-05-2014 8:26pm

That's an interesting plan you're currently doing. I like the way it has options on rest days. I agree that the 20mins tempo/threshold run is quite hard that you mentioned a few posts back. I always find those types of session difficult but it's great training for marathon endurance and strength. You'll be set up really nicely for your marathon plan when it starts.
Don't be afraid to run the easy runs along with the recovery runs really really easy too if you feel like it. It'll stand to you!

adrian522 · 04-05-2014 8:27pm

Thanks, yeah, probably should have cut back a bit.

Realistically, 5 miles Friday, race Saturday, then 11 miles today was probably pushing it a bit.

Ososlo · 04-05-2014 8:27pm

SamforMayo wrote: »

Hi, I think Ososlo is right regarding that been two hard runs together and risking injury. I know I was advised against it on here before as I am also not very experienced at fitting the races into the training plan. But sure we are learning the whole time. I think you can afford to have a lower mileage week when including a race.

yeah, really good point there too Sam. Most around these parts would drop mileage considerably the week of a race.

adrian522 · 04-05-2014 8:30pm

Ososlo wrote: »

That's an interesting plan you're currently doing. I like the way it has options on rest days. I agree that the 20mins tempo/threshold run is quite hard that you mentioned a few posts back. I always find those types of session difficult but it's great training for marathon endurance and strength. You'll be set up really nicely for your marathon plan when it starts.
Don't be afraid to run the easy runs along with the recovery runs really really easy too if you feel like it. It'll stand to you!

Generally if I'm running on one of the rest days I'll just do 3 miles at recovery pace rater than repeating one of the earlier days as suggested by the plan.

It's mad how the threshold run for 20mins @8:33 seems so difficult, yet you do a race and run 5 miles at 8 mins per mile pace and feel quite comfortable for most of it.

adrian522 · 06-05-2014 7:54pm

Monday:

No running, no strength or core work, no cross training. Just recovery.

Recovery from a hangover mainly and eating a lot of good food.

Tuesday:

60 mins Easy Running. 6.18 Miles @ 9:43 m/m

Felt good today after the initial shock to the system that I was out running again. Even managed some strength work before heading out.

donnacha · 07-05-2014 2:55pm

adrian522 wrote: »

Cool, will try that after the 5 mile in 2 weeks time.

BTW the plan I'm using is the Jack Daniels Blue plan.

Essentially you do about 4 weeks on each phase, I plan to do 1 more week on phase 2 before moving onto phase 3.

Phase 3 is the toughest phase.

I'll be doing a marathon plan starting around the start of July. Probably one of the BAA plans.

Edit: I'm also adding more to the Sunday long runs than the 60-90 mins suggested in the plan.

I might have to steal your plan

Was up past 1am last night reading the JD plans in the book trying to work out how I'll incorporate them into my own race plans ahead. The book appears to have very long plans - and not very long LSRs!!!

adrian522 · 07-05-2014 3:21pm

donnacha wrote: »

I might have to steal your plan Was up past 1am last night reading the JD plans in the book trying to work out how I'll incorporate them into my own race plans ahead. The book appears to have very long plans - and not very long LSRs!!!

Yeah, his theory is that 150 mins is the longest you should run and he tries to get the same effect as long runs by having a lot of quicker paces in the middle of the long runs.

It all sounds very well in theory but is the main reason I discounted his plans for my main marathon plan.

adrian522 · 07-05-2014 8:01pm

Wednesday

15 Mins Easy + 4 x(200m+200m+400m)+15 mins easy

Time for this workout again, and feck me that wind was past annoying. I was running the intervals in a circuit so every second interval was into this really strong wind and it made some of them very difficult.

Got through them in the end though.

5 Mile time should have me upping the Vdot again but I think the general advice is to stay on your vdot level for 4 weeks before moving up so that's what I'll do.

Total 6.93 Miles.

SamforMayo · 07-05-2014 9:26pm

The wind was a disaster this evening, I don't know how we stuck it all winter!

adrian522 · 07-05-2014 9:37pm

I always say to myself "You'll be racing sometime in weather just like this so just get used to it now" but tonight I was tempted to call it a day pretty early, glad I got through it though.

adrian522 · 08-05-2014 8:40pm

Thursday:

So i had intended doing 4 mins easy + 6 strides, but a trip to the physio and a session of "Dry needling" has put a stop to that.

I now need to figure out how to organise the rest of the week.

I had planned a session tomorrow, easy day Saturday and long run Sunday. But having missed today I'm now thinking, easy run tomorrow followed by a few more easy miles on Saturday and long run Sunday.

What do you think?

SamforMayo · 08-05-2014 8:47pm

adrian522 wrote: »

Thursday:

So i had intended doing 4 mins easy + 6 strides, but a trip to the physio and a session of "Dry needling" has put a stop to that.

I now need to figure out how to organise the rest of the week.

I had planned a session tomorrow, easy day Saturday and long run Sunday. But having missed today I'm now thinking, easy run tomorrow followed by a few more easy miles on Saturday and long run Sunday.

What do you think?

Sounds sensible to me!

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.

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