Wednesday 23 September 2015

Confidence roller-coaster

Monday, August 31st: 7.1km Recovery (6:16/km)
Just an easy recovery run with Roisin to get back into things.

Tuesday, September 1st: 5.6km Easy (6:02/km)
This was meant to be a Tempo session for Roisin but she was still knackered after Saturday so we pulled the session early doors and just jogged home.

Wednesday, September 2nd: 12.1km Easy (5:19/km)
Pace was back to Easy again on this solo run and managed to get a slightly more impressive distance in!

Thursday, September 3rd: 12.5km Steady (5:10/km)
Now that last weekends HM race is beginning to leave the body I went out at lunchtime for this run along the Grand Canal and threw in some quicker paced stuff on the favourable surface alongside the canal.

Friday, September 4th: 10.0km Easy (5:33/km)
This was planned to be my LSR for the weekend but almost from the get go I felt jaded and awkward. Managed to complete 10km and called it quits at that stage.

Saturday, September 5th: 33.0km LSR (5:09/km)
I felt much better this morning when out for my second chance at my LSR. Immediately the pace was tasty and I thought about holding back a bit but gave in to a pace that felt ok. I took in the Poppintree Parkrun @ MP as part of this run after about 4.5km before continuing on at approx 5:05/km thereafter.By 27km things were beginning to get a little tougher so I slowed down a little bit to about 5:25/km. However, this was a bit too late as by about 30km I was really beginning to fall apart! I made it as far as 33km but quit at that, 2km short of goal distance.

Pretty disappointed afterwards but tried to reason that it was all a bit quick just one week after Tullamore and that if I had ran at a more suitable ‘Easy’ pace then I’d have managed the trip no problem.

Sunday, September 6th: Rest Day
The AI SF replay with the Dubs was on last night so all-in-all felt it was a convenient time to call in a rest day.

Week Summary:
RTW: 6 from 7 days
DTW: 80.3km
DTY: 2,209.5km

Monday, September 7th: 7.1km Easy (5:41/km)
Another lunchtime run but this time easier and shorter.

Tuesday, September 8th: 11.6km Easy (5:34/km)
This was a tempo run for Roisin after last weeks cancelled session. Altogether more straightforward and she could have ran for longer.

Wednesday, September 9th: 22.7km MP run (21.7km @ 4:39/km)
After my own dismal sessions last week I felt it would be good mentally and physically to do a 20km @ MP run this evening. So, I parked in Le Cheile’s track in Leixlip and after a 1km warm-up to get onto the canal path I started into the MP bit in a Westerly direction. The terrain was a mixture of grass and trail before opening into a better gravel path. Once the far side of Maynooth it reverted back to trail/grass. All this meant it was a little tougher than a main road equivalent and this was confirmed when I detoured via Carton House on the way home and for the same effort I appeared to be going a few seconds quicker. Ended up with almost 22km @ MP in the end so well happy with that as I could easily have done a few more on the day.
Confidence somewhat restored!

Thursday, September 10th: 15.4km Easy (5:34/km)
John joined me for this run as it was supposed to be a 20km run on tired legs. As it was I felt 15km was enough on the night as the weather turned and even though the legs were fine for further kms the mind was just bored!

Friday, September 11th: Rest Day
Took a rest day to recover from past two days.

Saturday, September 12th: 7.4km St. Anne's Parkrun (20:35)
Fancied giving a parkrun a proper blast, however on the morning itself it tiryned out to be a bit breezy. The legs were still a bit tired from Wednesday and so it was that at halfway in St. Anne’s I kinda gave up a little. I sped up again over the last km but by that stage I’d voluntarily given up about 20 seconds. A sub 20min was not in the system today so I think I made the right call in the end!

Sunday, September 13th: Rest Day
Not sure why as I can’t remember but took today off!

Week Summary:
RTW: 6 from 7 days
DTW: 64.2km
DTY: 2,273.7km

Disappointment in Tullamore HM

Monday, August 17th: Rest Day
After being away in Powerscourt and running on both Saturday and Sunday I decided to just take today as a rest day.

Tuesday, August 18th: 6.5km Recovery (6:20/km)
Very relaxed Recovery run with Roisin.

Wednesday, August 19th: 12.7km Tempo: 10 x 840m laps @ (4:15/km) (6:12/km)
A 2km warm-up as ever and then the longest Tempo Run of this plan – 10 laps at 4:15/km. I changed direction after 5 laps in order to avoid any niggles that might result in 4 ninety degree corners on each lap.

Thursday, August 20th: 11.6km Easy (8.3km @ 5:15/km)
This was Roisin’s Tempo run for the week and I used it as an easy run after last night’s session.

Friday, August 21st: 15.0km Recovery (6:24/km)
Myself and Roisin used this run as a recovery for the past couple of night’s sessions, and in advance of my LSR tomorrow.

Saturday, August 22nd: 35.2km LSR (5:33/km)
Second last really long run of the plan called for a 35km jaunt! Met up with John at 9am and we trotted over to Poppintree Parkrun for its 9:30am start. Just jogged around this in 25:52 or thereabouts in my 41st parkrun and then continued on for a tour of the Northside. John was beginning to wane around 15km and soon after the same problems started to grip me. Turned out I was just starving really and when we go to 23.5km we were back at my place where we had a quick morsel of food before going back out. John’s run was complete after 25km but that was fine as I was much more energised with my newly acquired calories and they managed to power me on for most of the remaining 10km. Must say though that with 1.5km remaining I started to go real low on energy again so I was happy when I got back home and the run was done. If nothing else it was a timely reminder about getting a proper breakfast before the big raceday!

Sunday, August 23rd: 11.0km Recovery (6:17/km)
Roisin was doing her LSR of 34km this morning so I joined her for the last 11km to keep her company. Very wet weather but had at least stopped raining by the time I got out!

Off to Croker afterwards to watch Tyrone narrowly lose out to Kerry. L

Week Summary:
RTW: 6 from 7 days
DTW: 92.0km
DTY: 2,076.1km

Monday, August 24th: 8.1km Easy (5:33/km)
Went for a very easy lunchtime run at work. Legs feeling heavy from the 61km over the past three days.

Tuesday, August 25th: 9.5km Intervals: 5 x 2:30 @3:55/km
Threw in a short interval session of 5 x approx. 600m @ 5k pace. Kept it short for a number of reasons but mainly because it’s the first structured interval session for a while and also having one eye on next Saturday’s HM race in Tullamore. The session itself went well but having completed the 5th rep without too much fuss I was happy not to have to do any more!

Wednesday, August 26th: 7.6km Recovery (6:17/km)
Similar run to last night’s but ran this with Roisin at her pace. Much slower but still a steady pace in the end.

Thursday, August 27th: Rest Day
Time for a rest day!

Friday, August 28th: 5.0km Easy (5:27/km)
A nice easy 5km in advance of the race tomorrow.

Saturday, August 29th: 22.9km Tullamore HM (1:35:45)
Kinda disappointed with this race. I was aiming for sub 1:33 but struggled to keep on pace for the first half into the breeze and slight incline. After turning at mile 6 the breeze was sorely missed as it got very warm and I just couldn't maintain race pace. Pushed it to the finish but little to no reward. Decided to abort 3:15 plans in Berlin and aim for 3:20 instead.


Sunday, August 30th: Rest Day
Pretty tired after yesterday’s run so just took a rest day instead. A poor mileage week but will just write this one off and start afresh tomorrow!

Week Summary:
RTW: 5 from 7 days
DTW: 53.1km
DTY: 2,129.2km

Friday 4 September 2015

Ticking along...

Monday, August 10th: 10.9km Easy (5:28/km)
Joined Roisin for her Tempo session this evening which consisted of a 2km jog followed by a 2.5km (3 laps) tempo @ 5:15/km, a 830m recovery lap and then 3.3km (4 laps) @ 5:15/km before jogging home.

Went down to the club for the first time in ages to see what they were doing. Turned out the session was totally wrong for me (in my eyes at least) with too many reps of too quick a pace. Would be great for 5km training but not so good for where I am in my training. Perhaps if I had progressed up through the reps week-by-week but aftert this evening I decided to continue do my own thing training plan-wise.

Wednesday, August 12th: 15.3km MLR (5:42/km)
Needed add a few midweek kms so ran an out and back course towards Barrystown (Kilbarrack) for this. Nothing much more exciting than that.

Thursday, August 13th: 11.0km Tempo – 9 laps (4:20/km)
Tempo run this evening and after the past couple of days I was a little tired on the jog down/warm-up. Managed to just about get through the session. Must be smarter about easy/hard day allocation if future!

Friday, August 14th: Rest Day
Was going to go out for a short recovery run but then other stuff got in the way so by the time I could have gone out I decided to leave it as I was running long in the morning anyway.

Saturday, August 15th: 31.2km LSR including Hartstown Parkrun 22:11 (15.4km @ 5:06/km, 10.8km @ 5:36/km)
I ran from the house via Ballymun, Finglas and Ashtown before hitting the canal tow path before continuing on to Hartstown for their parkrun. Took the run across fairly steady paced so was beginning to feel it a bit on arrival.

As it was I was a couple of mins late and as I ran through the park I could see the field starting on their way across the pitches. About 2 mins had passed when I crossed the start line so I was picking off lots of others during the first half of the race. This slowed down a bit in the second half but I still managed to finish in 15th position of 65 and in a watch time of 22:11.

Afterwards I ran with Stephen (home on holidays from Philadelphia) to the Phoenix Park to see out my run at 31.2km. I was well happy to have been finished as I was getting extremely hungry over the last 5km…I guess that’s what happens when having only one protein bar before setting out!

Sunday, August 16th: 15.9km MLR (6:25/km)
Myself and R were down in Powerscourt for a couple of nights for her birthday so we had a 16km run to complete on the Sunday. Still tired from the previous day’s run we kept to the grounds of the Hotel including their riverside walk which was very pleasant indeed. Well, apart from the quite severe hill in the middle of it all!

A nice run to round out the week! If I’d realised I was so close I would probably have fitted another 2.5km in to bring it up to 100km!

Week Summary:
RTW: 6 from 7 days
DTW: 97.5km
DTY: 1,984.1km