As the title suggests, it had to happen at some stage, and to be fair, it should have happened a few weeks ago.
This week was 50 miles, which was at least a ten mile increase on recent weeks. There was also a 5k race in there, which I was pleased with at18:39. It was a very hilly course, and a flattish one would have seen me much closer to 18.
Today's long run was slightly longer than planned, I kind of fell asleep for two miles. I went out for 16 miles at planned 7:25 pace, 30 ish seconds of target marathon pace. I brought one bottle of water with some cordial, and placed it at 4 miles out. I had planned to do some loops of a country road course. Once I was out, I changed the route a bit. I lost count of the mile beeps on the watch for a while, and when I was expecting the 9 mile beep, it turned out to be 11, which was a bit of a relief, because I was definitely feeling a bit of effort if it was actually 9 miles. This meant I was going to be out for almost 18 miles.
Mile 15 was actually a 7:15, but I struggled on mile 16. I stopped the watch at that point, to accurately judge the planned run, which showed a 7:20 pace. I was happy enough with that, although obviously the distance needs to increase substantially with a corresponding increase in weekly mileage. I jogged a slower almost 8 minute miles home for the last two.
My legs felt the effort of the run over the next few hours, it's a tired kind of stiff painful feeling that sees you walking like an old man for the rest of the day. Strangely, it's a feeling I have grown to like and dislike, although subconsciously I must like it more to keep subjecting myself to it.
I'm not too sure why that is.
Sunday, 30 August 2015
Saturday, 22 August 2015
In the park with Frank 2015
I put the 2015 in the title because the last time I ran the Frank Duffy 10 mile was 2013, and it certainly does not feel like two years ago.
I wasn't expecting too much today, I figure I am 10 to 15 seconds per mile off a good pace, and I had the bad run in Duleek the week before. I resolved to take this easy, and use it as a tempo training run.
The weather was ideal and as usual, there was a massive crowd, with 4000 runners taking part.
After dropping the bag, and the club photo, I did a bit of a warmup. It was a bit lonely this year, there wasn't many from the club, and the guys I would have normally ran with, the two Brian's, Glen, Stuey, Eamon and the like were all absent.
I took my place at the start, well back from the front, as I planned to go out at a relatively easy 6:40 pace, previous 10 mile was 6:30 pace. At the off, I ran to an easy feel pace, but the watch quickly showed a 6:10 which I knew was typical of the early exuberance of most races, so I resolved to discipline myself and slowed right down towards target. I was astounded at the volume of runners passing me, obviously running to a 60 minute pace, many who must have been deceivingly fit.
Runners stopped passing me at 1.5 miles, and I started passing many early speedy guys from 3 miles on.
6:12, 6:35, 6:35, 6:37, 6:33.
Going through 5 miles I felt very comfortable, amazingly so. I was passing a lot of runners every few meters, even though I was breathing easily. I took some water at both water stops which I normally wouldn't do on a relatively short run. I remember passing 7 miles thinking how much I was enjoying this run, far more than I had probably enjoyed a run in a long time. The 10 seconds or so a mile slower I was doing really made a difference.
6:32, 6:29, 6:27.
I was hardly even looking at my watch at all, just running to a comfortable pace by feel, and looking now, the splits were getting faster. The dreaded last two miles were left to go, and obviously I was not quite so comfortable as I had been earlier, but still feeling good.
6:38, pleased with this for the hilliest mile of the course, and still passing a lot of runners who had run out of steam. The hills did take a bit out of me though, and the effort was much greater after that mile.
Mile 10, 6:16. The fastest mile of the run, save for the first, which really is the ideal way to finish a race. At about half a mile to go, I put what I had left in, and was able to up the pace to the finish, which they sneakily moved a bit I think, and I finished much stronger than I have done in a long time.
Chip time 1:05:04, which is only 30 seconds slower than when I felt I was running mush better.
I am quite pleased with that relatively speaking, of course I would have hoped to improve on a time two years ago, but a lot has happened in between, and life is a lot busier.
If I can put some quality training in between now and the Dublin half, I might have a chance of a decent time for the marathon.
I wasn't expecting too much today, I figure I am 10 to 15 seconds per mile off a good pace, and I had the bad run in Duleek the week before. I resolved to take this easy, and use it as a tempo training run.
The weather was ideal and as usual, there was a massive crowd, with 4000 runners taking part.
After dropping the bag, and the club photo, I did a bit of a warmup. It was a bit lonely this year, there wasn't many from the club, and the guys I would have normally ran with, the two Brian's, Glen, Stuey, Eamon and the like were all absent.
I took my place at the start, well back from the front, as I planned to go out at a relatively easy 6:40 pace, previous 10 mile was 6:30 pace. At the off, I ran to an easy feel pace, but the watch quickly showed a 6:10 which I knew was typical of the early exuberance of most races, so I resolved to discipline myself and slowed right down towards target. I was astounded at the volume of runners passing me, obviously running to a 60 minute pace, many who must have been deceivingly fit.
Runners stopped passing me at 1.5 miles, and I started passing many early speedy guys from 3 miles on.
6:12, 6:35, 6:35, 6:37, 6:33.
Going through 5 miles I felt very comfortable, amazingly so. I was passing a lot of runners every few meters, even though I was breathing easily. I took some water at both water stops which I normally wouldn't do on a relatively short run. I remember passing 7 miles thinking how much I was enjoying this run, far more than I had probably enjoyed a run in a long time. The 10 seconds or so a mile slower I was doing really made a difference.
6:32, 6:29, 6:27.
I was hardly even looking at my watch at all, just running to a comfortable pace by feel, and looking now, the splits were getting faster. The dreaded last two miles were left to go, and obviously I was not quite so comfortable as I had been earlier, but still feeling good.
6:38, pleased with this for the hilliest mile of the course, and still passing a lot of runners who had run out of steam. The hills did take a bit out of me though, and the effort was much greater after that mile.
Mile 10, 6:16. The fastest mile of the run, save for the first, which really is the ideal way to finish a race. At about half a mile to go, I put what I had left in, and was able to up the pace to the finish, which they sneakily moved a bit I think, and I finished much stronger than I have done in a long time.
Chip time 1:05:04, which is only 30 seconds slower than when I felt I was running mush better.
I am quite pleased with that relatively speaking, of course I would have hoped to improve on a time two years ago, but a lot has happened in between, and life is a lot busier.
If I can put some quality training in between now and the Dublin half, I might have a chance of a decent time for the marathon.
Monday, 17 August 2015
I am over 40
For the first time ever, in a chip timed race, I ran over 40 minutes for a 10k.
40:02 to be exact. I was slightly surprised, and not in a good way.
Having ran a 39:30 two weeks before, at what felt like an easier pace, I thought on this beautiful Sunday morning I would be on for a decent time. I went out rather conservatively, first mile only a little fast at 6:13, and went well enough. It was a warm day, and the course probably has no flat bits on it, but is all ups and downs. I think although we started and finished in the same place almost, the downs don't compensate for the ups.
I have also noticed that in all my recent 10k races, my legs get very tired at 4 miles. Not the usual tired you might associate with running a long distance, but a kind of sudden onset of worn out. I am putting this down now to the sketchers go runs I bought at London. The are lovely to wear, look good, but the way they force you to adapt you stride and foot strike, obviously takes it's toll on your legs after a few miles. I am very flat footed so maybe it affects me more than others. Anyway I am going back to my brooks flats to test the theory.
So back to my over 40, tiring badly on the last 1k, I looked at the watch and thought I would just creep in under the 40. As I rounded the corner and saw the clock at 39:56, I knew it was over, and even with the sprint finish, I hadn't made it. I think I got too complacent, thinking that it was a given to turn up and run a sub 40. That will teach me.
A nice surprise, after I had gotten home, I got a knock on the door from a clubmate. Myself and two other club mates won second place team, with a small cash reward to boot!
While I am not running particularly well right now, very much in keeping with the Gerry Duffy school of thought, I am grateful that I get to run, that I am still relatively fit and healthy. My small gripe at not getting my sub 40 10k time is small in comparison to those that have an illness of whatever type to bear. As long as I can go out and enjoy my hobby on a sunny (and often not so sunny ) day, then I am winning.
40:02 to be exact. I was slightly surprised, and not in a good way.
Having ran a 39:30 two weeks before, at what felt like an easier pace, I thought on this beautiful Sunday morning I would be on for a decent time. I went out rather conservatively, first mile only a little fast at 6:13, and went well enough. It was a warm day, and the course probably has no flat bits on it, but is all ups and downs. I think although we started and finished in the same place almost, the downs don't compensate for the ups.
I have also noticed that in all my recent 10k races, my legs get very tired at 4 miles. Not the usual tired you might associate with running a long distance, but a kind of sudden onset of worn out. I am putting this down now to the sketchers go runs I bought at London. The are lovely to wear, look good, but the way they force you to adapt you stride and foot strike, obviously takes it's toll on your legs after a few miles. I am very flat footed so maybe it affects me more than others. Anyway I am going back to my brooks flats to test the theory.
So back to my over 40, tiring badly on the last 1k, I looked at the watch and thought I would just creep in under the 40. As I rounded the corner and saw the clock at 39:56, I knew it was over, and even with the sprint finish, I hadn't made it. I think I got too complacent, thinking that it was a given to turn up and run a sub 40. That will teach me.
A nice surprise, after I had gotten home, I got a knock on the door from a clubmate. Myself and two other club mates won second place team, with a small cash reward to boot!
While I am not running particularly well right now, very much in keeping with the Gerry Duffy school of thought, I am grateful that I get to run, that I am still relatively fit and healthy. My small gripe at not getting my sub 40 10k time is small in comparison to those that have an illness of whatever type to bear. As long as I can go out and enjoy my hobby on a sunny (and often not so sunny ) day, then I am winning.
Sunday, 2 August 2015
Faster, but not for long.
The weekly milage is still not quite where I would like it to be. This weekend I ran the Annagassan 10k. This is the third year I have run it, and it really is a beautiful part of the country.
The plan was to run the first mile a bit fast, somewhere around 6 minutes, as it was all downhill, and I wanted to bank a few easy seconds.
The race was on the day before the Rock and roll half, so the attendance was down quite a bit this year, but there were still a few good runners in attendance.
At the off, as planned, I went out reasonably fast, but comfortable with the downhill gradient. As the gradient levelled off, and I hit the mile marker, it was 5:43? Which I realised was definitely too fast.
I took it back, but the second mile was 6:16, with a target set of 6:20. Mile three was betteer at 6:21, but as soon as I hit mile 4 I started to tire quickly. Two runners passed me and I had no answer. The next mile was 6:36, but I was finding the going tough, and I actually wanted to stop and walk.
I pushed on, was passed by another runner, and I managed to hang onto him for a while.
I finished at 39:45, under the 40, but only just, and almost a full minute slower than the fingal two weeks earlier.
It seems that the lack of longer runs mean that while I am retaining some speed over the shorter distance, once I hit 4 miles, I don't have the stamina to keep it going. So I am going to have to start increasing the mileage again. It's that time anyway to start the programme for Dublin.
I am probably leaving that a bit late, but I am relying on some residual endurance ability at the slower pace from London.
I won't be long finding out!
The plan was to run the first mile a bit fast, somewhere around 6 minutes, as it was all downhill, and I wanted to bank a few easy seconds.
The race was on the day before the Rock and roll half, so the attendance was down quite a bit this year, but there were still a few good runners in attendance.
At the off, as planned, I went out reasonably fast, but comfortable with the downhill gradient. As the gradient levelled off, and I hit the mile marker, it was 5:43? Which I realised was definitely too fast.
I took it back, but the second mile was 6:16, with a target set of 6:20. Mile three was betteer at 6:21, but as soon as I hit mile 4 I started to tire quickly. Two runners passed me and I had no answer. The next mile was 6:36, but I was finding the going tough, and I actually wanted to stop and walk.
I pushed on, was passed by another runner, and I managed to hang onto him for a while.
I finished at 39:45, under the 40, but only just, and almost a full minute slower than the fingal two weeks earlier.
It seems that the lack of longer runs mean that while I am retaining some speed over the shorter distance, once I hit 4 miles, I don't have the stamina to keep it going. So I am going to have to start increasing the mileage again. It's that time anyway to start the programme for Dublin.
I am probably leaving that a bit late, but I am relying on some residual endurance ability at the slower pace from London.
I won't be long finding out!
Sunday, 19 July 2015
The comfort Zone
Fingal 10k today, 38:55. Happy enough with that, and that is the problem.
I can't expect much more, my weekly milage has been poor lately. I did a hill session with Gary O'Hanlon this week, and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, it might be some time before I get to train with Gary again due to work. I need this motivation to get out of my comfort zone.
For the last three years, a sub 40 for the 10k has almost always been a given, just under, always around 39 minutes give or take 20 seconds. I have not really pushed myself any harder than where I am now. In fact, I probably do slightly less to maintain my current level.
I need to get out of this rut If I am to improve, shake myself up. I still believe I was in my best shape just before Dublin marathon 2013.
Diet is a big problem. Goodies are a reward, and the sugar drug has me firmly in its grip.
I need to start building some long runs again. I noticed from today's run that my fitness was very good, my aerobic capacity was constant throughout. It was the legs which started to let me down in the last mile, with no substantial runs for quite a while.
So, mid July, going well, but need more miles, weight is highest in over three years at 10st 10lbs.
Focus, focus, focus required.
I can't expect much more, my weekly milage has been poor lately. I did a hill session with Gary O'Hanlon this week, and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, it might be some time before I get to train with Gary again due to work. I need this motivation to get out of my comfort zone.
For the last three years, a sub 40 for the 10k has almost always been a given, just under, always around 39 minutes give or take 20 seconds. I have not really pushed myself any harder than where I am now. In fact, I probably do slightly less to maintain my current level.
I need to get out of this rut If I am to improve, shake myself up. I still believe I was in my best shape just before Dublin marathon 2013.
Diet is a big problem. Goodies are a reward, and the sugar drug has me firmly in its grip.
I need to start building some long runs again. I noticed from today's run that my fitness was very good, my aerobic capacity was constant throughout. It was the legs which started to let me down in the last mile, with no substantial runs for quite a while.
So, mid July, going well, but need more miles, weight is highest in over three years at 10st 10lbs.
Focus, focus, focus required.
Sunday, 12 July 2015
4 Miles
I have not been putting in the miles recently. I had hoped for about 40 a week, but this week ended up at about 25, mostly due work committmnets. The only good thing is they are mostly fairly decent quality runs. A hard hill run, a tempo session, and and a grass run. The last few were today's 4 miler in Dunleer.
I wasn't expecting much. I had a few weekend glasses of wine on Saturday night, but the run was at 3 so it was ok. As I set off in the car, I realised I had forgotten my garmin. Not to worry, this was a no stress run. I have been running about 6.20's fairly consistantly, so I figured about 25:20. I set off relaxed, didn't push too hard at any stage, and finished in 24:34, which I was very happy with.
I wore my new sketchers go-runs I bought at the London marathon. It was a bit of a risk, as I hadn't done much in them, but I was pleasantly surprised how nice they felt, given that I have very flat feet.
Hopefully a few more miles this week, although the fingal 10k is on Sunday so I want to aim for the sub 40 again for that, and B target would be under 39, but I don't know that I am there yet.
I wasn't expecting much. I had a few weekend glasses of wine on Saturday night, but the run was at 3 so it was ok. As I set off in the car, I realised I had forgotten my garmin. Not to worry, this was a no stress run. I have been running about 6.20's fairly consistantly, so I figured about 25:20. I set off relaxed, didn't push too hard at any stage, and finished in 24:34, which I was very happy with.
I wore my new sketchers go-runs I bought at the London marathon. It was a bit of a risk, as I hadn't done much in them, but I was pleasantly surprised how nice they felt, given that I have very flat feet.
Hopefully a few more miles this week, although the fingal 10k is on Sunday so I want to aim for the sub 40 again for that, and B target would be under 39, but I don't know that I am there yet.
Sunday, 28 June 2015
SSE 5 Miles
The target for the 5 miles was 31:30, actual 31:36. So the target was ok, but the way I achieved it was not great.
I set the watch for a 6:20 pace. The first mile was 5:55, more like a 5k pace. I got carried away and cursed myself, I knew I would pay for it later. By mile 3 I was 41 seconds ahead, and once we hit the hill section I started to struggle. Mile 4 was tough, and I had little left for the last mile. This was in stark contrast to how I had run the last few races, sticking to the pace and finishing strong.
I am starting to feel stronger overall, and hopefully I can start upping the pace in time for some key races. So far I have ran the day before every race, knowing that I am no where near pace shape, so it really doesn't matter whether I am 10 seconds or two minutes away from it.
Today I did 13 slow miles. I didn't set a pace, or target one, average 7:32. It was warm when I set out near lunchtime, and the biggest problem I faced was feeling really thirsty from about 8 miles.
This gave me 39 miles for the week. It is nowhere near marathon miles, and pretty much where I would like to stay mileage wise.
I set the watch for a 6:20 pace. The first mile was 5:55, more like a 5k pace. I got carried away and cursed myself, I knew I would pay for it later. By mile 3 I was 41 seconds ahead, and once we hit the hill section I started to struggle. Mile 4 was tough, and I had little left for the last mile. This was in stark contrast to how I had run the last few races, sticking to the pace and finishing strong.
I am starting to feel stronger overall, and hopefully I can start upping the pace in time for some key races. So far I have ran the day before every race, knowing that I am no where near pace shape, so it really doesn't matter whether I am 10 seconds or two minutes away from it.
Today I did 13 slow miles. I didn't set a pace, or target one, average 7:32. It was warm when I set out near lunchtime, and the biggest problem I faced was feeling really thirsty from about 8 miles.
This gave me 39 miles for the week. It is nowhere near marathon miles, and pretty much where I would like to stay mileage wise.
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