After some solid training before the US trip, it all took a bit of a turn for the worse.
The few days before went well, and the trip was only supposed to be the standard out and back, 3 days all in total. As Thursday was a long day getting there, there would be no running, but a run planned for Friday.
As it turns out, there was an unexpected issue with the aircraft, which meant going nowhere fast until Monday night! At least I got my planned run in on Friday, a beautiful easy 9 miles along the Seattle coastline.
After a nice surprise trip to a Billy Joel concert on Friday night, and a few complimentary beverages, I wasn't in much shape for a run Saturday. Sunday I set aside the afternoon, and again a slightly shorter 6 miles easy, a 30 minute gym session on some light weights, followed by two fast miles on the treadmill.
As I was not going to make the virgin night run, I hoped for the local club 5k on Tuesday night.
I flew back to Ireland on Monday night into Tuesday, landing back in a sunny Dublin just after 4pm.
When I got home I had hoped for some time to sleep, and I got a little cat nap of about 40 minutes and went and signed up for the 5k. Unfortunately, as I strolled over to sign up, I realised I had gotten the start time wrong by 30 minutes, and it was a quick dash to get changed and make it to the start line.
This was the first short race I had done in a very long time, and I was a bit unsure how I would fair out. I looked around for some familiar faces, trying to position myself with those whom I had previously compared well with.
At the off, I set the watch for a 6:10 mile pace, and mile one was 6 minutes flat. This felt pretty comfortable, and I had forgotten how much the adrenalin of a race helps your performance. The route is a particularly rolling route, with practically no flat segments, and a net uphill gradient.
At mile two, I was still going well, and the hard segment never arrived. I finished at 18:39, 2nd M40, 28th out of a field of 315. While nothing great, I was pleasantly surprised.
The effort was constant throughout, and I managed a pretty solid sprint finish.
A 6 mile easy recovery on Wednesday, wife's turn to get out after work on Thursday. Friday, 1 mile warmup, 10k at 39:37 and I was quite pleased with that too, two miles easy to finish.
Saturday, a 9 mile at 7:20 and then a 9 mile bike ride. Why? I ran out to a friends house and cycled home!
My planned long run Sunday didn't happen as I got a short notice call to go to work which scuppered the rest of the evening.
Today no run either as I had a very eRly start and a long day in the UK. I am consoling myself that the routine should stabilise now, and the weather is forecast good for the rest of the week, so plenty of long runs for a high mileage week in the last 5 days is on the cards.
Monday 30 May 2016
Sunday 15 May 2016
Not Marathon Training
As recovery continues, it seems I am finding it difficult to come out of marathon mode.
I know I should start to focus a bit more on some faster pace stuff, but when the weather is so good as it has been this week, I just want to go out and take advantage of it. This, combined with the habit now of high mileage (relatively speaking compared to some), saw me clocking up 60 miles this week.
Monday was an easy 10k recovery after Sundays 16 miler.
Tuesday I decided to try and up some tempo speed. I started off with an easy 3 mile warmup, and then set off at a 6:30 pace hoping for 6 miles. The first mile was very tough, as I checked the watch, I couldn't believe how hard I perceived the effort to be to keep just on pace. It felt like I was running closer to 6 minute pace. Mile two I was starting to re-evaluate how long I was going to be able to maintain the pace, and was beginning to consider breaking it into 3x2. I pushed on for three miles, and the effort got a lot less as I settled into the pace, and my breathing rhythm adjusted. By mile 5 I was cruising along, and upped the pace a bit. On mile 6 I decided to try for a sub 40 10k, and I just tipped in at 39:57 on the watch. I was very happy with that, it had been a while since I was able for a sub 40. The funny thing was, at 6:30, I knew I could have comfortably kept going much further.
Wednesday another easy 10k.
Thursday I went out for some hill repeats. It was a hilly 4 miles to the hill in question, 8 reps was about 1.5 miles. My mistake was forgetting I had to make it home! It was a fairly painful run home with 9 miles for the session.
Friday again an easy recovery, Saturday 9 easy miles, and Sunday two hours at an easy pace, which incorporated a beach segment and some hills. I only did 15 miles in the two hours compared with 16 last week.
I am away to the US this week, so mileage will definitely be less. I have signed up for the Virgin media 10k next Sunday, my first short run in quite some time.
I know I should start to focus a bit more on some faster pace stuff, but when the weather is so good as it has been this week, I just want to go out and take advantage of it. This, combined with the habit now of high mileage (relatively speaking compared to some), saw me clocking up 60 miles this week.
Monday was an easy 10k recovery after Sundays 16 miler.
Tuesday I decided to try and up some tempo speed. I started off with an easy 3 mile warmup, and then set off at a 6:30 pace hoping for 6 miles. The first mile was very tough, as I checked the watch, I couldn't believe how hard I perceived the effort to be to keep just on pace. It felt like I was running closer to 6 minute pace. Mile two I was starting to re-evaluate how long I was going to be able to maintain the pace, and was beginning to consider breaking it into 3x2. I pushed on for three miles, and the effort got a lot less as I settled into the pace, and my breathing rhythm adjusted. By mile 5 I was cruising along, and upped the pace a bit. On mile 6 I decided to try for a sub 40 10k, and I just tipped in at 39:57 on the watch. I was very happy with that, it had been a while since I was able for a sub 40. The funny thing was, at 6:30, I knew I could have comfortably kept going much further.
Wednesday another easy 10k.
Thursday I went out for some hill repeats. It was a hilly 4 miles to the hill in question, 8 reps was about 1.5 miles. My mistake was forgetting I had to make it home! It was a fairly painful run home with 9 miles for the session.
Friday again an easy recovery, Saturday 9 easy miles, and Sunday two hours at an easy pace, which incorporated a beach segment and some hills. I only did 15 miles in the two hours compared with 16 last week.
I am away to the US this week, so mileage will definitely be less. I have signed up for the Virgin media 10k next Sunday, my first short run in quite some time.
Sunday 8 May 2016
Further Recovery
Recovery workouts continue.
Wednesday was a rest day. Thursday I decided to test the legs again.
With one mile warmup, I started into a planned 8 miles, at roughly a tempo pace ( for my current state) which was to be 6:50. It all started easy enough and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it felt. This surprise did not last very long. After 3 tempo miles, the pace became a lot tougher.
By the time I hit 6 miles, the effort was more of a 10k effort pace, and I almost finished there. However, I was determined to push it out, and while the last mile was a struggle to stay on pace, I finished the full 8 at the planned pace, for a small cool down with just about 9.5 miles.
I was pleased that I managed to finish, but disappointed at how hard the effort was towards the end.
On Friday, I went out for an easy 6 miles. Within the first mile I started to get a sharp pain in my knee, which quickly spread to my hamstring.
I could have turned around, but I was curious to see how it would develop, or disappear. After 3 miles, while the pain had subsided, it was definitely much better. At the end, it was still there and I was glad to finish. I spent a good while stretching out the hamstring trying to work out the pain.
I also self massaged the leg over the next day, and didn't run on Saturday. I think it may be my legs telling me that I was trying to run too hard too fast.
Today was long run day. I have been doing a little bit of reading lately, and I am going to try and mix it up a bit with these. As I was still in recovery mode, I just ran easy, no faster than 7:37, and many towards the 8 minute mile pace. The route was also quite hilly. Another addition, is that I am going to start experimenting with using energy gels. Today I used cliff shots, one at every 4 miles with some water, and they had no adverse effect. I probably didn't push myself hard enough to see any benefit from them, and i finished 16 miles at 2:05, quite an easy pace. But I didn't feel in the least bit nauseous afterwards, which is the very first time I haven't. It will be interesting to see when I get back to the 20 mile runs if I can utilise them and see any benefits.
Every week will have at least one 2 hour run from now on (hopefully).
The legs were quite tired at the end of the run, if I had a flat road ahead I could have kept going, but I couldn't face any more hills at that point.
49 miles for the week was a pretty good result I think, three weeks tomorrow after Boston.
That's by far the most miles I have run so soon after a marathon, and I hope puts me in good shape to start pushing a bit harder soon enough.
Wednesday was a rest day. Thursday I decided to test the legs again.
With one mile warmup, I started into a planned 8 miles, at roughly a tempo pace ( for my current state) which was to be 6:50. It all started easy enough and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it felt. This surprise did not last very long. After 3 tempo miles, the pace became a lot tougher.
By the time I hit 6 miles, the effort was more of a 10k effort pace, and I almost finished there. However, I was determined to push it out, and while the last mile was a struggle to stay on pace, I finished the full 8 at the planned pace, for a small cool down with just about 9.5 miles.
I was pleased that I managed to finish, but disappointed at how hard the effort was towards the end.
On Friday, I went out for an easy 6 miles. Within the first mile I started to get a sharp pain in my knee, which quickly spread to my hamstring.
I could have turned around, but I was curious to see how it would develop, or disappear. After 3 miles, while the pain had subsided, it was definitely much better. At the end, it was still there and I was glad to finish. I spent a good while stretching out the hamstring trying to work out the pain.
I also self massaged the leg over the next day, and didn't run on Saturday. I think it may be my legs telling me that I was trying to run too hard too fast.
Today was long run day. I have been doing a little bit of reading lately, and I am going to try and mix it up a bit with these. As I was still in recovery mode, I just ran easy, no faster than 7:37, and many towards the 8 minute mile pace. The route was also quite hilly. Another addition, is that I am going to start experimenting with using energy gels. Today I used cliff shots, one at every 4 miles with some water, and they had no adverse effect. I probably didn't push myself hard enough to see any benefit from them, and i finished 16 miles at 2:05, quite an easy pace. But I didn't feel in the least bit nauseous afterwards, which is the very first time I haven't. It will be interesting to see when I get back to the 20 mile runs if I can utilise them and see any benefits.
Every week will have at least one 2 hour run from now on (hopefully).
The legs were quite tired at the end of the run, if I had a flat road ahead I could have kept going, but I couldn't face any more hills at that point.
49 miles for the week was a pretty good result I think, three weeks tomorrow after Boston.
That's by far the most miles I have run so soon after a marathon, and I hope puts me in good shape to start pushing a bit harder soon enough.
Wednesday 4 May 2016
Post Boston Recovery
For the week after Boston, things were fairly predictable. Very sore legs on Tuesday which was mostly spent resting, and on Wednesday I was back at work. I got a few strange looks from some of the people at the meetings where they did not know I had run a marathon two days earlier.
By Thursday I was much improved, almost back to normal walking, and by Friday I was fine. Fine being a relative term, I was still very conscious of the marathon on the legs, but nobody would have noticed.
Saturday was the first day I ventured out for a very short easy two mile run on grass. I probably could have done more, but I had the kids with me and they got bored.
I didn't run Sunday, and Monday was another easy two miles.
On Tuesday, I ventured a little further, with an easy 6 miles, average around 8 minute miles. The same on Wednesday, a little faster but at the same effort left if around 7:50 average. Thursday the same, and on Friday I decided a little test of recovery was in order. After an easy four mile warmup at almost 8 minute miles, I ran 3 miles at 7:10, 6:55, and 6:45. It felt fine, and I did 3 easy miles home to finish at 10.
I took a break Saturday, I know Friday wasn't particularly far or fast, but I wanted to ease back into it and not risk injury. Sunday I did a very hilly 9 miles, which I hope to insert more of in my programme.
Monday was back to easy 6, and on Tuesday I decided on a further test of recovery. An easy 1 mile warmup, and I started into 4 miles tempo at planned 6:30 pace. 6:20, 6:23, 6:24 and 6:19 to finish.
My legs felt fine, it was my fitness at speed I struggled with, I suppose it has been a while since I strung a few fast miles together. Two miles easy to finish was 7 in total. I believe that while obviously I am not fully over the marathon, I am almost to the point where I can start some harder training again.
I haven't dwelt too much on My Boston performance, only too say I am still scratching my head a little. While it was a hot day, and all the other things I mentioned, I was fairly sure of where I was before I started. I believe I have a good idea of where I am most times when it comes to likely performance, and while trying for a sub 3 at Dublin last year was always a risky gamble, I honestly believed I was in better shape than then where I ran 10 minutes faster.
No point in dwelling on it, but I would be keen to test myself over a distance sooner rather than later. If I have a fitness there associated with the training, I would like to maintain it and try again sooner rather than later. I suppose it's finding the balance between getting the last marathon out of the legs somewhat, and not losing fitness. Even a 3:15 to 3:20 would almost vindicate my thoughts.
Time to start looking at close in options.
By Thursday I was much improved, almost back to normal walking, and by Friday I was fine. Fine being a relative term, I was still very conscious of the marathon on the legs, but nobody would have noticed.
Saturday was the first day I ventured out for a very short easy two mile run on grass. I probably could have done more, but I had the kids with me and they got bored.
I didn't run Sunday, and Monday was another easy two miles.
On Tuesday, I ventured a little further, with an easy 6 miles, average around 8 minute miles. The same on Wednesday, a little faster but at the same effort left if around 7:50 average. Thursday the same, and on Friday I decided a little test of recovery was in order. After an easy four mile warmup at almost 8 minute miles, I ran 3 miles at 7:10, 6:55, and 6:45. It felt fine, and I did 3 easy miles home to finish at 10.
I took a break Saturday, I know Friday wasn't particularly far or fast, but I wanted to ease back into it and not risk injury. Sunday I did a very hilly 9 miles, which I hope to insert more of in my programme.
Monday was back to easy 6, and on Tuesday I decided on a further test of recovery. An easy 1 mile warmup, and I started into 4 miles tempo at planned 6:30 pace. 6:20, 6:23, 6:24 and 6:19 to finish.
My legs felt fine, it was my fitness at speed I struggled with, I suppose it has been a while since I strung a few fast miles together. Two miles easy to finish was 7 in total. I believe that while obviously I am not fully over the marathon, I am almost to the point where I can start some harder training again.
I haven't dwelt too much on My Boston performance, only too say I am still scratching my head a little. While it was a hot day, and all the other things I mentioned, I was fairly sure of where I was before I started. I believe I have a good idea of where I am most times when it comes to likely performance, and while trying for a sub 3 at Dublin last year was always a risky gamble, I honestly believed I was in better shape than then where I ran 10 minutes faster.
No point in dwelling on it, but I would be keen to test myself over a distance sooner rather than later. If I have a fitness there associated with the training, I would like to maintain it and try again sooner rather than later. I suppose it's finding the balance between getting the last marathon out of the legs somewhat, and not losing fitness. Even a 3:15 to 3:20 would almost vindicate my thoughts.
Time to start looking at close in options.
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