Good hit out today - 27:03 for 4 miler in Coldwood - 25 or so seconds improvement on last year with roughly - possibly slightly less training.
1st mile split in 5:49 which felt so easy - was with a group of 4 others (3rd to 7th place) who finished in 24:13 territory 6:05 pace - I overall averaged 6:45 pace which was decent - I obviously slowed significantly as the miles went by but I am confident with more training, etc I can do this easy in sub 24 - i.e. I am more than capable of holding that pace for 4 miles - it's not that tough of a pace to command - it's simply all in your head. I've said it 1000 times how I get to this stage. I believe in a few short years, if I employ proper discipline I will improve further - but you've got to really want to hurt yourself - once you do the times will be brought down & you'll be rewarded for your efforts.
Looking forward now to the Maree 8km in a fortnight's time - hopefully can have a decent performance here with this landmark race, then look to open out the distances as I head into preparation for 3 10 mile road races back home plus other optional 10 mile + half marathon races here in the UK in the meantime, which will take me into May time where I can kick my training up a notch with cycling also as I hover round the 30 miles a week intensity & see how my body reacts to this level of training.
Looking to be a good year ahead - January has been a decent start to the decade. Onwards & Upwards.
just a note in the world of running - the 36th Raheney 5 miler was on today & the standard was unbelieveable - 34 men under 25 minutes - unbelieveable!!!
Sunday, 26 January 2020
Thursday, 23 January 2020
Stretch
2 mile jog - just to stretch out the legs - legs not feeling great - v stiff sore from soccer & badminton on Tues & Wed nights - when I ran home after soccer on Tuesday - don't think this did me the world of good.
As my watch is shagged, I have to wait till the weekend so I have no time to report!
All good with run so look forward now till sunday.
As my watch is shagged, I have to wait till the weekend so I have no time to report!
All good with run so look forward now till sunday.
Tuesday, 21 January 2020
This be the Verse
Easy, easy run this evening @ 7:30 min mile pace
Had football with the work crowd & ran home - 30 mins flat - 6.4k - Circa 07:30 min/mile pace.
Felt tired enough but was OK overall - just really took my time & enjoyed the process - I didn't fancy going much harder either to be honest - only 3 hrs sleep last 2 nights in a row - just refuse to go to bed - 03:30 as I write this.... on a Tuesday School night - silly boy.
Good to get the mileage in now for Thursday's hard enough session then race on Sunday.
Had football with the work crowd & ran home - 30 mins flat - 6.4k - Circa 07:30 min/mile pace.
Felt tired enough but was OK overall - just really took my time & enjoyed the process - I didn't fancy going much harder either to be honest - only 3 hrs sleep last 2 nights in a row - just refuse to go to bed - 03:30 as I write this.... on a Tuesday School night - silly boy.
Good to get the mileage in now for Thursday's hard enough session then race on Sunday.
Thursday, 16 January 2020
Lullaby
Good Hit out tonight - 10km - No time recorded.
Forced to run to feel tonight which was quite nice really - my watch ran out of battery Monday evening so I have to get a small screwdriver to replace the battery - I will probably retrieve one at the weekend in Atherstone.
Good run tonight - went over the bridge normally 12 mins in - basically breathing normally like I had just gone out the door so happy with that (meaning there is so much in there left to give). Felt good throughout, left @18:25 & back for 19:15 so that's 50 mins minus 2-4 minutes for running up the driveway & getting in the door etc.
Happy with the run, Coldwood now for next week so looking forward now to this - should be a good indicator as to where I am fitness wise - last years time will be interesting to see if I can beat it @ 27:29... actually a ough enough task considering my training - I could well beat it but thing a sub 28 min performance will be a good result - or push hard for 26 something - who knows...
Aim to run now Sunday - might do a longer slow run - just easy 8 miles, tues do my fast hard 7.1km & Thursday do a nice easy 10km & rest up for Sunday then - brisk walking, small cycle if I can manage it. Then step up the distance again the week after & up the mileage a bit - each weekend now do a long run if I can - just 10% per week max... & do a couple of sprint sessions too to allow for speed in the Gort 5km. then it's all distance stuff then till Kilnaboy. then switch to racing several half marathon in the summer for the craic - see my list of Runs in the UK in my diary...
All good chief, all good :-)
Forced to run to feel tonight which was quite nice really - my watch ran out of battery Monday evening so I have to get a small screwdriver to replace the battery - I will probably retrieve one at the weekend in Atherstone.
Good run tonight - went over the bridge normally 12 mins in - basically breathing normally like I had just gone out the door so happy with that (meaning there is so much in there left to give). Felt good throughout, left @18:25 & back for 19:15 so that's 50 mins minus 2-4 minutes for running up the driveway & getting in the door etc.
Happy with the run, Coldwood now for next week so looking forward now to this - should be a good indicator as to where I am fitness wise - last years time will be interesting to see if I can beat it @ 27:29... actually a ough enough task considering my training - I could well beat it but thing a sub 28 min performance will be a good result - or push hard for 26 something - who knows...
Aim to run now Sunday - might do a longer slow run - just easy 8 miles, tues do my fast hard 7.1km & Thursday do a nice easy 10km & rest up for Sunday then - brisk walking, small cycle if I can manage it. Then step up the distance again the week after & up the mileage a bit - each weekend now do a long run if I can - just 10% per week max... & do a couple of sprint sessions too to allow for speed in the Gort 5km. then it's all distance stuff then till Kilnaboy. then switch to racing several half marathon in the summer for the craic - see my list of Runs in the UK in my diary...
All good chief, all good :-)
Sunday, 12 January 2020
Saturday night [Whigfield]
Good Run today - Solid 10km [10.4km...] 46:37
Felt good today - went out easy enough & just had the stuffing in me to keep going. As I am just getting back into it after the awful headcold that knocked me out for 3+ weeks - I was just targeting to get in the mileage & leave it at that. When I was out there I found that my times were roughly on par with what I'd usually be at so I decided to keep pushing & see what happened.
The usual tiring at the end but this is nothing new. Very happy with the run. Below is a summary for how I wish to plan out my Running calandar for this year - Targeting an Autumn marathon this year.
Felt good today - went out easy enough & just had the stuffing in me to keep going. As I am just getting back into it after the awful headcold that knocked me out for 3+ weeks - I was just targeting to get in the mileage & leave it at that. When I was out there I found that my times were roughly on par with what I'd usually be at so I decided to keep pushing & see what happened.
The usual tiring at the end but this is nothing new. Very happy with the run. Below is a summary for how I wish to plan out my Running calandar for this year - Targeting an Autumn marathon this year.
- Coldwood 4 miler 26th Jan
- Gort 5km 16th Feb
- Duhallow 10 miler 8th March
- Craughwell 10 miler 22nd March [Book 16th-20th March 2020 off as 2019 Hols need to use before 31st March].
- Kilnaboy 10 miler (36th Race) 12th April
Then have a choice of marathons - I recommend I do one in the Autumn [possibly abroad...]
Irish Marathons:
- Tullaroan Marathon 30th May (09:30) [Or Ballyhaunis 10 miler]
- Cork Marathon 30th May
- Longford Marathon 25th Aug
- Dingle Marathon 5th Sept
International Marathons [Come back & fill in later]
Moldova 27th September (Chisinau)
Oslo Marathon 20th September
Moscow Marathon TBC September
Budapest Marathon TBC September
Berlin Marathon TBC September
Bournmouth Marathon [UK] 4th October [Will be working near there then]
Lisbon Marathon 11th October
Eindhoven Marathon 11th October
Amsterdam Marathon 18th October
Frankfurt Marathon 25th October
Dresden Marathon TBC October
Gran Canaria November 15th
Need to Join Nuneaton harriers (for the UK) - use the track & do the odd session with them - possibly on a saturday & track sessions also.
Must also Join the Marathon Club of Ireland too [As I had intended on doing last year - but was working too much to do so...]
Must also Join the Marathon Club of Ireland too [As I had intended on doing last year - but was working too much to do so...]
Meanwhile my beloved Maree AC are having their AGM tomorrow 13th Jan to decide if the club will continue - it's a shame really... Park run is a factor but they simply never had the numbers - the youth are not interested & the older members are... well....getting older...
Good times ahead.
Stay hard.
Wednesday, 8 January 2020
Alone Again, Naturally
Cannot believe last entry was 10th November - shame on me... Let's recap
Handed in my notice at work so that threw me off - very stressed out etc. This has all since been rectified so I am back on board, but since mid November the result of all this was that it threw my running off kilter.
Ran Hollymount - lovely course - tough psychologically however... After the 1st loop I wasn't feeling right at all - physically & mentally I was exhausted so I dropped out - could have finished but didn't think it was worth it really.
That was the 18th or something, handed in my notice the following Friday - resolved the issues Week 50 so between then & 20th Dec I ran probably a handful of times. I just wasn't happy with my life etc. so when I am not happy I don't run - it's always been the way for me i.e. if I am not running, something is up with me.
Over the xmas I caught that goddamn awful flu that half the country had so I was out from roughly 15th Dec- 2nd Jan (all my xmas hols!!! - I even took a weeks extra AL as it was owed to me & I was sick then too :-( ) so I ran twice - I ran I think on the 17th where I was off - 10km (4 laps - tough enough now mentally - had the headphones on) in abut 48:40, then a week later I went to do 6 laps but after 18 mins I called it quits (1.5 laps) - I didn't run the FoA - 26th Dec & didn't do the resolution 5km on 1st Jan - so was without a run for about 2 weeks before tonight run.
Tonights run was a simple 7.1km loop that I usually do when on form in just under 31 mins - did it tonight in 33:47. Now I was 7:25 at turn 1 - 19:35 at turn 2 & 16:20 at about turn - then a disappointing 21:30 (usually well under 20 mins here so knew I'd be posting a slow time...) then I got the expected side stitch coming up the hill - it then started raining also - not complaining as the weather is extremely mild recently & all throughout the last 6 weeks - it's been so nice.
So tough run overall but not hard really - time was obviously slower but that's completely expected, as that's off the back of 2 weeks of no running + inconsistent running since early November in general (getting out twice max every 10 days) as well as no cycling at all since early Nov really.
Mentally I was tough but not hungary - I dug in a little towards the end but the session tonight was just ensuring that I don't start to lose it.
That's it for now - have exams work related for my degree on Friday so best get at this now.
Donso [Donski Beats...]
Handed in my notice at work so that threw me off - very stressed out etc. This has all since been rectified so I am back on board, but since mid November the result of all this was that it threw my running off kilter.
Ran Hollymount - lovely course - tough psychologically however... After the 1st loop I wasn't feeling right at all - physically & mentally I was exhausted so I dropped out - could have finished but didn't think it was worth it really.
That was the 18th or something, handed in my notice the following Friday - resolved the issues Week 50 so between then & 20th Dec I ran probably a handful of times. I just wasn't happy with my life etc. so when I am not happy I don't run - it's always been the way for me i.e. if I am not running, something is up with me.
Over the xmas I caught that goddamn awful flu that half the country had so I was out from roughly 15th Dec- 2nd Jan (all my xmas hols!!! - I even took a weeks extra AL as it was owed to me & I was sick then too :-( ) so I ran twice - I ran I think on the 17th where I was off - 10km (4 laps - tough enough now mentally - had the headphones on) in abut 48:40, then a week later I went to do 6 laps but after 18 mins I called it quits (1.5 laps) - I didn't run the FoA - 26th Dec & didn't do the resolution 5km on 1st Jan - so was without a run for about 2 weeks before tonight run.
Tonights run was a simple 7.1km loop that I usually do when on form in just under 31 mins - did it tonight in 33:47. Now I was 7:25 at turn 1 - 19:35 at turn 2 & 16:20 at about turn - then a disappointing 21:30 (usually well under 20 mins here so knew I'd be posting a slow time...) then I got the expected side stitch coming up the hill - it then started raining also - not complaining as the weather is extremely mild recently & all throughout the last 6 weeks - it's been so nice.
So tough run overall but not hard really - time was obviously slower but that's completely expected, as that's off the back of 2 weeks of no running + inconsistent running since early November in general (getting out twice max every 10 days) as well as no cycling at all since early Nov really.
Mentally I was tough but not hungary - I dug in a little towards the end but the session tonight was just ensuring that I don't start to lose it.
That's it for now - have exams work related for my degree on Friday so best get at this now.
Donso [Donski Beats...]
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