The last couple of weeks have been hectic with lots going on so I better try and update now while I have any hope of remembering what training I have done (which has not been a whole lot).
Monday 8th July
19.3K
Avg Pace: 5:33
Avg HR: 131
I think this coincided with the start of the hot weather. Did a couple of my 8K loops with a bit added on. Broke in the new Saucony Guide properly during this run. Legs were a bit tired but I had to get runs out of the way this week when I could.
Tuesday 9th July
This was our usual speed training night. After the usual warm up it was across to the field for a 20 minute tempo run. Although it was warm making it harder than normal this was a disaster for me. What was meant to be 10K pace turned out to be much slower and I finished with an average pace of 4:54 which is around 20 seconds slower than it should have been. I guess you get nights like that where you just feel completely flat. It was then across to the track for 4x200m which were not to be flat out and were completed in 42/43 secs.
Finished off with a nice slow cool down for 9.42K in total.
Wednesday 10th July
Was feeling pretty tired today both in body and mind. Could have done a recovery run but didn't see any benefit at all. Instead headed down to the beach and spent about 20 minutes walking around in the sea to just knee height which was lovely for a change. Had an early night then and set the alarm for 5am.
Thursday 11th July
28.26K
Avg Pace: 5:41
Avg HR: 128??
I knew I was travelling after work for a wedding the next day so it was probably best to do this run before travelling which meant before work. Up at 5am and out the door before 5:30 for this one. The first hour or so was really peaceful with hardly anything on the roads. 6K brought me to the start of my 8K loop which I set out on gradually feeling weary as I came towards the end of it. Even at this hour of the morning it was still quite warm. Took a drink on and set off on the loop again in the opposite direction. The part along the main road was now busy with traffic and I was glad to turn off it. Felt like I was wilting all the time but as it turned out the pace was remaining pretty even. When I got the loop finished I set out on the 6K for home and despite being mainly uphill I felt better along this stretch. I think I just really hate loops and it is also a long time to be out running with no company. Was thrilled to have it done but spent most of the afternoon in work yawning.
Friday 12th July - Monday 15th July
Rest days. Well if you can call them that. Had the wedding of good friends Triona & Eugene and the afters the following day followed by Mumford & Sons on Sunday night in the Phoenix park. Still managed to feel guilty about not running.
Tuesday 16th July
Back into it with another speed session. The focus seems to have switched now to Marathon training and tonight's session was 6x800m @5K pace. These were completed in (3:16, 3:20, 3:21, 3:19, 3:20, 3:20). First one was a bit quick but managed to keep the pace consistent after that hitting most 400's in around 99/100 seconds and maintaining the pace on the second lap. finished up with a slow cool down to bring up to 11.25K for the session.
Gary had a good chat with us as well about the type of training we should be doing for a Marathon and recommended we should be doing a tempo run on Thursday as well as the speed session on Tuesday night. Wednesday should be a rest day with a long run on Sunday. The other days should be filled with easy running.
Looking at how my own training has been going with 10 weeks to go I think I will start to replace the midweek long run with a tempo session which might result in slightly less mileage that day but will get me more used to running for longer at a faster pace.
Thursday 18th July
20K
Avg Pace: 5:25
I was entered for the Fingal 10K on Sunday so while wanting to be fresh enough for that if possible I also needed to get some sort of longish run in this week. Met up with Maurice and did the Balscadden loop at a quick enough pace, did a loop of the college then before meeting up with the rest of the usual crew for the club run. Headed down to the beach to try and escape the worst of the heat. Was tired enough by the finish but no real problems.
Friday 19th - Saturday 20th July
Rest & Golf. Was resting up for the race the weekend which included 9 holes golf on Friday evening. This was my first game since the Captains prize in preperation for a competition on Saturday. Played in the Balbriggan Junior Scratch cup on Saturday shooting 79. Didn't play too well but scored ok and finished tied 7th out of 80 or 90.
Sunday 21st July - Fingal 10K
10K in 45:12
Avg Pace: 4:31
Reports were that this was a fairly flat course and the first 3/4K of the route was fairly familiar to me as most of it ran along the dual carriageway. Although it was a bit cloudy it was still quite warm so didn't do a whole lot regarding a warm up. I had set myself a target of sub 45 with a fallback of getting a PB which meant under 45:26.
Race started pretty much on time and we were off up Swords main st towards the little chef roundabout. This was a slight incline and I was just making sure to get through the first K in around 4:30 i.e. not too fast. Watch beeped at 4:33 which was perfect and we were now out on the Swords dual carriageway. This was gradually downhill for a couple of K so I just tried to maintain the same effort and expected to pick up a bit of time here. The 2nd & 3rd K passed in 4:23 & 4:19 as we passed by Fingallians GAA and breached a slight incline before turning off to the back roads and the first water station. Took on some water and passed the 4k marker in 4:35. A bit of a drop in time but offset by the water stop and slight incline I hoped.
Not sure what happened then but I hit a very bad flat spot where the wheels seemed to come off completely. Felt like I was slowing all the time, and I was. Legs didn't just seem to have anything in them and I seriously considered stopping. I no longer wanted anything to do with the race or running again. The 5th & 6th K were both covered in 4:46. I think I actually started to pick up a little bit towards the end of the 6th K meaning I had been going slower at some point. At this point I think the average pace had slipped outside what was a possible PB and I decided to try and make a long run for home and see what happened. Worst case the wheels would come off completely. Started to feel a bit better then and got a nice hosing from the civil defence to cool off. Managed to piece together a 4:30 & 4:23 for K's 7&8 and we were now almost back in Swords itself. Had by-passed the 2nd water station as there was no point with 2K to go. The only display visible on my watch was the average pace which was now showing 4:32. I knew sub 45 was probably out of range but I had something to try and hold onto. From 8K until 9.5K was slightly uphill or at least it felt it with a couple of nasty inclines. Was trying to pick it up in the last K as best I could and we were greeted with a nice downhill section with about 400m to go. There wasn't too many within reach in front of me but I still managed to pass 2 or 3 people with a sprint for the line. The last 2K were covered in 4:35 & 4:25 for a finish time of 45:12. Mixed emotions with the result. A PB is a PB I suppose and it could have been a lot worse believe me.
So onwards and upwards. Need to get a solid week of training in this week and will give the tempo run a go as well on Thursday. Meant to be doing a 20 miler for the long run but will speak to Gary and see what he thinks as he was suggesting not going over 16 miles as part of Marathon training. Am doing the Rock & Roll 1/2 marathon week after next. Not sure whether I will be racing this or doing it as part of a Marathon pace long run.
Until next time. Happy training everyone.
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