Training Log Archive: Dooby

Muckross

With company today so started later than planned. Not a great night's sleep, was out later than I thought I might be for a few drinks, and 1 hour less in bed.

Legs felt sore, knees, feet alright. Not that tired after yesterday but pace today was very comfortable. Stuck to grass when the opportunity was there.

Fantastic day for running. Did start with a hat though, felt cold getting out of the car, but put it in my pocket around Muckross House.

Tons of people around enjoying the good weather. Car-park looked very full when we passed through it.

Plan on asking foot lady if the runners I have are the best for my feet whenever I see her to get the orthotics. Small hole on the right shoe at the side so might need new shoes anyway.

I like my new IOF ID, 8080, easier to remember than IRL61.

Headed off to Knocknagoshel in nice time, registered, and did some more note reading in the car before warming up. Ran out the route for aroud 1.5k before turnning, bit a hill to 1k, and a few bends. Took the pace handy.

Came back and changed shoes and did a few strides up the village from the church, lungs didn't feel great.

Then off to the start.

Knocknagoshel 5k

Went to start the watch and history screen was up so spent the first few seconds getting training screen on and starting the watch! Lost around 50m and based on time, 12 seconds to do this. Will add that to 1st km split.

Set the virtual partner to 3.25 per km before the start. Felt a 17 minute time would be acceptable. So kept an eye on the virtual partner a few times, always ahead, maybe by 4 seconds after 1.5km. After that I didn't really look at it again, just raced!

3.22
3.22
3.28
3.24
3.01

The 1st km was uphill, some downhill then up to 2, more up for the 1st half of 3, and then a small bit of uphill around 4 before a downhill last km. Pleased with the splits, they are consistent as the 3rd km had the turnaround in the middle so that would've cost seconds decellerating and getting back up to speed.

Arthur Fitzgerald was in the race so reckoned i'd stick with him for as long as possible. Another chap joined us at the start for maybe 250m then dropped back. Felt ok early and just stuck with Arthur. Under a small bit of pressure approaching the turn around, but kept tight. Had to go around a cone for the turn, and back the way we came. Out and back race.

So had to keep left to avoid the other runners coming against us. Not too many close calls, other runners mostly behaved themselves. On the way back I tucked in even more to Arthur, more next to him heading out. And wasn't feeling as much pressure but I suppose the first part was more or less uphill. Approaching or just after the 4km mark, can't remember, I somehow ended up ahead. Had to be on the slight uphill.

Can't say I planned on this move. But once ahead I just concentrated on the road in front of me and getting the turns tight, and maintaining the gap while resisting the temptation to look over my shoulder. The advice that joshosh was given by his coach which he referenced last Saturday regarding not giving up the lead when you take it went through my head.

Used that as motivation to stay ahead. No checking of the watch but knew HR was on the up, was below 180 early on. Hit the 2nd last bend and felt the gap to Arthur had increased. Knew that once on the main road again it was a straight run to the line of maybe 200m. Through the bend and onto the home straight I ran hard focusing on the line, think i'd more speed if I needed to sprint. But had Arthur beat, by 6 seconds:-)

Impressed with my last km time of 3.01, was downhill, but haven't done any recent sessions of this distance or longer.

My first road win.
And in a time of 16.39, bit faster than expected/[planned. So my shape can't be all that bad. Definitely a nice confidence boost for next few weeks of training.

Ran west past the finish again, at a very slow pace, legs felt ok and not too much pain so warm-down was better than usual. Some serious knee pain on the way home, last 15 minutes of the drive weren't pleasant. Getting out of the car was welcomed. Legs feel fine standing but sitting in the car doesn't work, must look at driving position again.

C • Win 2

A day of rest:-)
Co-incides with a night at the dogs with the work crew this evening. It's normally €10 in but there's an offer for March, you get in to the racing, a burger and a beer for €10, that's if your a man, a woman gets a chicken burger and wine! None of which are any good to me.

Thinking Knocknagoshel tomorrow for the laugh, want to a photo of something too that I didn't get yesterday in that area, so kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Although if the weather is bad i'm staying at home.

Avg Cadence = 87rpm

Managed to get the cadence up by 1 from Monday! Last day of a long stretch of training/racing, rest day tomorrow:-)

More Shameless, Episode 7 of Series 1.

Nice evening out so would have been nice to have been outdoors but legs wouldn't thank me. Really looking forward to new orthotics to help reduce the pains of running.

Speaking of running, must come up with a plan for the weekend, there's a 5k in Knocknagoshel on Saturday and a 5 or 10k in Ballyheigue on Sunday. Now do I want to go racing, hmmm. There's cash for top 3 in Knocknagoshel!

3 laps of the outside with the Purcell's, all 3 of them. Nice easy pace this evening warming up, was happy with that, plus 1.5 laps of the inside but no strides this evening.

Lovely evening for running.

6 * 800m
At least i've company this evening and definitely made a difference. Ran with Rob Snr and Rob Jnr, joined for the 2nd one by a 15/16 year old, decent runner with serious potential, he'd no trouble staying with us.

Recovery was 400m active recovery.

2.36 (2.13 recovery)
2.38 (2.19 recovery)
2.37 (2.21 recovery)
2.37 (2.15 recovery)
2.37 (2.21 recovery)
2.31

I pretty much did all the pace setting, apart from the last one where there was a bit of messing going on. Felt good and very happy with how the session went. Lungs in much better shape this week and HR not bad either. Rob's target was 2.40 but I knew that wasn't going to be the case. A lot of our 800s had a faster 2nd 400 so that's good.

On the last one I started off in front but on the back straight the lads went past, we were a few seconds ahead at 200. I tucked in behind for the time being, wanted to be consistent, but then with 300 to go I moved into the lead again, and in the last 100 Rob Jnr came past but felt there was no need to beat him to the finish. Didn't exactly want to do this sort of time for the last one, wanted consistency, but still wasn't in any difficulty doing it.

My legs felt funny during the 5th 800, not sure what was going on, but were grand for the last.

Around Castleisland to warm down, all the Purcells again along with Siobhan. Rob said afterwards that she pushes the pace, and to be honest she did, but pace was grand and HR also good. More concrete than i'd have liked. Knees not too bad but right foot sore.

Muckross

Managed to not end up doubling back on myself. Tried to keep off the tar and as the run went on this became a priority. Legs felt really bad for the last couple of km, pain in my right foot and knees got sorer. Early on it was just the knees. Kinda want the new insoles at this stage. Thought right achilles could be felt as I went home past Muckross Farm so something that I need to be careful of.

Bit of a breeze blowing but overall it was a nice evening for running.

Run was interrupted in a few places with some trees down so had to take an excursion or 2 off path.

Also took in a run up and around Torc Waterfall, for some climb. Was thinking there are more places I can be running around Killarney, so will try to vary my runs a bit to keep things interesting.

Early in the run I had visions of myself chasing deer through the forest, saw none today, and on the path back from the abbey a duck ended up on the path in front of me, so chased him for a bit! Not quite the same as a deer.

When I got back to the car-park I debated running for an extra 20 seconds to hit the hour but felt there wasn't much point to that, legs were sore enough.

Track session tomorrow I suppose, but could feel my left hamstring this evening early on, so hasn't gone away after Sunday, not sure if track session is a good idea. Will get the wine bottle to it later to see if that helps.

Feeling alright this morning. Going to keep these days of activity going until the end of the week, then some rest.

Monday - Turbo Trainer
Tuesday - Running
Wednesday - Running
Thursday - Turbo Trainer
Friday - Rest (work night out)
Saturday - ? (more rest if i'm racing tomorrow, doing some study too i'd say)
Sunday - Running race, possibly going to Dungarvan for Munster Road Champs, 4 miles, will only travel if we've a team.

Avg Cadence = 86rpm

Had to push to keep the effort going, felt a small bit tired physically but mentally I was up for it. Did a bit of talking to myself at one stage to encourage a bit more effort. Cadence not too bad. Did drop after around 35 minutes looking at the graph, got better as I warmed up, and then finished well.

More Shameless. Got The Wire on the box and people keep on saying it's good so might give that a go as my next bike series.

Good evening to be indoors, weather shite outside, very windy and also wet.

First thing i'd to do when I got home was put on the oven for dinner, cooking a ham in the oven rather than boiling it, to be different. Now will there be leftovers from 650g of ham for a 2nd meal, unlikely! Potatoes and cabbage will of course be on the plate too.

C • It's good. 1