May 2013 Update
Righto, been slack on updating this blog but I’m happy with the site, traffic is up a good bit so maybe it’s time to revamp the site a bit more and organise the training plans into excel sheets, watch this space. A quick summary of the races I’ve run in the past 6 weeks are
13th April County Senior 10k Time 37.02
28th April County Intermediate 8K Time 29.20
10th May Summer League Start 1 mile Time 5.10
And that’s it, been a busy few weeks moving house so I’ve not fully concentrated on the training as I did say in January, just didn’t have the focus or desire to train hard for some reason after the senior race. I was happy with the senior, really pushed hard and broke the sub 6 minute mile all the way round, knocked 40 seconds off the Mysport 10k which is great.
Used the intermediate as an experiment to see how long I could hold onto the front pack and also to see what it’s like up there, I lasted just under a mile and a half with the front runners before suffering all the way home, one of the most unpleasant experiences I’ve been through running, particularly when the legs turned to jelly in the last 500m, the lactic acid taking it’s full revenge for the early spurt. But that race did return my first team gold medal, Farmer and Conall did fantastic finishing 1st and 4th respectively , me 9th and John Foley 10th which was great for the Slaney Olypmic team.
Finally I did a 1 mile race which I was a bit unhappy with, again ate too much and I’ve been adjusting my diet a lot over the last few weeks having found out I’m lactose intolerant. That means I cant have milk or butter or anything with those ingredients, my system cannot digest the lactose and so that explains why I felt so bloated in the Dublin marathon last year till mile 15th, I had porridge made with milk! Also reducing a lot of sugar from my diet which is tricky but I know worth it.
I’m taking a few weeks off now to rest and rejuvenate. My running has been sluggish lately and that was coming off the peak of the training so a break will be nice, off to Italy for a week which will be great and then back to look at getting ready for Dublin 2013, breaking 3 or bust.
March Update
To summarize the last 6 weeks, some good constant race performances but ought to be doing a bit more speed training. Below are the races run recently
- 7th Feb My Sport 10 Km – Time 37.40
- 14th Feb County Novice 6 Km – Time 21.47
- 3rd Mar Ballycotton 10 miles- Time 63.28
- 17th Mar Davy Fortune 5km – Time 17.52
- 24th Mar Hope&Dream 10 mile – Time 63.52
I learned something in each of these races, the most important was the MySport 10K where Kevin helped me push past mental barriers and push harder than I knew or wanted to know is possible.
The plan was to run hard ALL the way round and then he cycled alongside for the most of the last 1km and asked me to push harder at certain points. Although very uncomfortable, it was possible and I was delighted with that result and more importantly the ability to push like that and not collapse.
Then in the County Novice, my preparation was lax and also my attitude. Racing is very different from chasing a time and I made the mistake of not staying close enough to the leaders on the 2nd lap. I didn’t push as much as I ought to on that lap and this was evident in my ability to burst at the end, I’d saved too much for the sake of being comfortable.
Ballycotton was an experience, the build up and atmosphere is electric, again the plan was to run hard all the way round. I ate too much for breakfast and am starting to think I can do without loading up with food before a race. Happy with that pb there.
The Davy Fortune 5k was a nice quick race, not entirely sure on the time as my chip time didn’t register nor did I stop my watch, I was happy with the performance, I did push hard and ate very little that morning.
Finally, the Hope&Dream race is a tough examination of where you are fitness wise. It was bitterly cold, about 4 degrees but an amazing turnout and feel to this race which in itself warming. There’s a lot of hills on this course, I just haven’t put in the speed work or miles over the last 2 weeks and had to dig deep. I really struggled with a stitch around mile 7. Got home a few seconds slower than Ballycotton and so will focus now over the next 2 weeks in working hard to get ready for the Senior 10K, head down.
Week 6 Training plan for next few weeks
February 2013 Week 1
Mon 4th – rest
Tue 5th – 10 min warm up/down. 30 min tempo
Wed 6th – 40 min easy
Thu 7th – 10-15 min warm up/down 8 x 2 min hills off jog back recovery
Fri 8th – 30 min easy
Sat 9th - rest
Sun 10th – Enniscorthy 10k
Week 2
Mon 11 – 30 min easy recovery
Tue 12 – rest
Wed 13 – 10 min warm up/down 30 min tempo
Thu 14 – 40 min
Fri 15 – rest
Sat 16 – 10-15 min warm up. 8 x 2 min hill repeats
Sun 17 – 80 min
Week 3
Mon 18 – rest
Tue 19 – 10 min warm up. 30 min tempo. 10 min warm down
Wed 20 – 40 min
Thur 21 – 10-15 min warm up. 8 x 2 min hill repeats. 10 min warm down
Fri 22 – rest or 30 min easy
Sat 23 – 15 min warm up/down . 4 x 5 min threshold off 2 min recovery
Sun 24 – 80 min
Week 4
Mon 25 – rest
Tue 26 – 10 min warm up/down. 35 min tempo.
Wed 27 – 40 min
Thu 28 – 10-15 min warm up/down 10 x 90 sec hills.
Fri 01 – rest
Sat 02 – 15 min warm up/down 5 x 5min threshold
Sun 03 – 60 min
Week 5
Mon 04 – rest
Tue 05 – 10 min warm up/down. 20 min tempo
Wed 06 – 25 min easy
Thu 07 – rest
Fri 08 – 20 min with 6 x 30 sec pick ups to 80%
Sat 09 – rest
Sun 10 – county nov ice road
Week 5 Update
Did the Dungaravan 10 miler on Sunday and happy out with that race, got home in 64.15. The weather was bright and breezy and we were very lucky that it stayed dry course was flooded the day before. Again the plan was to start off at a fixed pace and finished progressively stronger.
I started at a pace of 6.40 mile pace and upped that bit by bit to doing a 6.25 at mile 7. I’d a bit of stitch which all of a sudden went at mile 8 and I felt great. I pushed well and finished with a 5.40 mile at the end which gives me great confidence that this training is working well.
I was very very tired after the race, I did do a recovery run on Tuesday and then did a really silly thing, I played astro football on Thursday and have not run since with a groin strain. What’s done is done and so I’m concentrating on healing properly now with plenty of rest and massage and hopefully be ok for the Enniscorthy 10Km next week, one step forward, one back!
Week 4 Speed Work
Fairly cold week of training , went well. I didn’t race the 10k because of the Dungarvin race next week. Instead I did 10 miles easy. Got a new pair of racers, Adizero Adios runners which are for racing short distance,up to 10 miles.They’re from the same family as the runners I used in the last marathon, the idea is that if those runners worked well, so will these. The main focus this week is preparing well for Sundays race by doing a good bit of speed work.
Sparkly New Racers
Monday- 6 mile easy
Tuesday- 6 x 800m and 6 x 400m, 90 sec recovery
Wednesday -8 mile easy
Thursday- 7 miles Fartlek, 2 min spurts
Friday- 10 min warm -+, 20,15,10 min threshold off 2 min recovery
Saturday- Rest
Sunday – 10 mile Race in Dungarvin
Week 3 Speed Work
Week 2 of speed work went well, the 14 mile long run was easier than last weeks long run of 12, my body is getting used to the long runs a bit more. It’s still a lot of time spent running each week but the legs are feeling good. On Tuesday I did get the shakes during the 6 miler and halved that. It’s tough some days going out into the dark cold after work. Once I get get going though it’s feels great just to be out there.
Monday- 7 mile Fartlek
Tuesday- 6 mile easy
Wednesday -10 min warm -+, 8 x 1 km @ 5k pace off 2 min rest
Thursday- 8 miles steady
Friday- Rest
Saturday- 3-4 miles with strides
Sunday – 10k Race
Stretching – It Really Matters
For years while playing soccer and running, I’ve gone through a mindless warm up routine of stretching. An odd hamstring stretch here, a quick jog on the spot and then off I’d go, I thought sure only Olympians need to stretch properly. Ignorance was bliss. Strangely enough, this routine made me feel better, as if I’d covered myself against any future injury. As I roll into my thirties, my body is letting me know this belief is not the case.
From hanging around runners who I can see are improving, as well as chatting to sports therapist, I now know that stretching is not only important and vital in order to stay healthy but is also essential for improvement.
One fact that really struck me about stretching was that it is vital to hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Any stretch below this time is not effective as the body has “load detectors” (Golgi tendon organ, where muscle meet tendons) and these load detectors need time to be overridden in a sense.
So my old 3 or 4 second stretches were not effective at all, anything less than 30 seconds will not make a significant difference in lengthening muscle fibers and tissue. On doing some research on the web I can see there are other theories on how to stretch. But I’ve tested this 30 second stretch for the last week and discovered a noticeable difference during recovery, it’s not as sore and I’m moving easier, especially after speed sessions.
Stretching before you run can increase flexibility, and that can improve performance by helping your joints move through an increased range of motion. The main stretches I focus on are:
1. Hamstring 2. Glutes 3. Quads 4. Calves
Below is a video which runs through each of these stretches and it also includes an IT band stretch which I get by way of massage each week.
Stretching should always be done when your muscles are warmed up for at least five to 10 minutes, preferably right after you have run. Avoid waiting too long after running or else your muscles will cool down and won’t be as flexible. Stretch your muscles to the point of their greatest range of motion without overextending them, holding the stretch for 30 seconds. You should feel the muscles pulling but not to the point of feeling pain. Avoid bouncing up and down as you stretch. Stretch both legs evenly, one after the other.
Week 2 Speed Work 2013
Right Week 1 was a toughie, the long was a particular shock to the system! Another week of speed and some long miles too to get the speed up.
Monday- 6 mile easy
Tuesday- 6-7 mile easy
Wednesday -10 min warm -+, 6 x 1 mile @ 10k pace off 3 min rest
Thursday- 6 miles easy
Friday- Rest
Saturday- 10 min warm-+, 15, 10,5 minutes threshold off 2 min rest between each 3 sections
Sunday – 14 mile @ 7.45 mile pace
Week 1 of Speed Work 2013
Right, no better time to start a program than new years. My goal is to focus on doing well in the Ballycotton 10 mile race on Sunday March 3rd, 2 months away. Kevin has done out a plan for the next 4 weeks to get my speed up, his philosophy of training faster to run faster makes sense to me! There’s a good bit of mileage and it will be different from the marathon training, shorter distances but with more intensity and variety. Along the way there’ll be more races thrown in but with the real focus of getting to Ballycotton in fantastic shape. Below is week 1 schedule
Monday- 6 mile easy
Tuesday- 10 min warm-+ ,7 mile fartlek,12 x 1 min fast/slow
Wednesday -10 min warm -+, 2 x 10 min threshold
Thursday- Rest
Friday- 6 mile easy
Saturday- 10 min warm-+, 16 x 400m off 75 secs rest @ 5k pace
Sunday – 10-12 mile easy
