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Jen plan looks good Have you any specific targets this year, can't remember if you've already said so, otherwise schedule looks ok, depends i suppose where you want to go this year
Me, as you know is Dublin, won't start training for that until June 26th that'll give me 18 weeks been looking at schedules last night which one do i follow, well been looking at schedules last few weeks.
The long runs look very daunting.
Anyway this week, i have a tough week work-wise every 4 weeks this week was it. Tuesdays are a problem cannot physically run on this day. But one day out of 28 shouldn't be too much of a problem
This week
Mon - 4.16 easy run, to compensate for not running Tuesday
Tue - Work
Weds - 5.8 miles steady
Thurs - 4.08 miles (8 x 1 min fast/ 1 min slow)
Fri - Rest
Sat - 6.89 steady
Sun - 10.6 miles LR steady (9:51 av pace)
makes about 31 miles for the week
Bit more than last week started introducing a bit of faster running as April/May hoping to enter shorter races see if i get my times down a bit.
Mondays and Fridays will either be an easy short run or rest depending on life the universe and all that.
Also hope to get a 2 hour run in at least every other week, i totally enjoyed todays run though i know this won't happen every week.
Just reading the daily thread (Sundays are about the only day I get time!) and noticed your fears of marathon training and that you are pushing up the long run distance again. I think you will be fine. You have 18 weeks preparation before the official preparation, so that is loads of time to build up and try out one or two 18-milers before you *have* to!! You have good mileage, and your long runs are fast! My long run from yesterday, I was averaging 11:30 per mile!!!
I don't really have any targets this year. I am really enjoying being part of a club, and still trying to get my fitness back (and lose a bit more weight still hanging around from the end of last year!) so at the moment it is all about the fitness and enjoyment of it all. The mini triathlon is part of that, and then just see what happens. I will be doing the summer race series like I did last year and over all 3rd lady would be nice for that (over all 4th last time), but would be asking a lot if the very fit ladies turn up at all three races!
I also want to get a good chunk off my half marathon time come autumn too. I have a couple of other half's planned before then, so might get PB's on the way there. It would be nice to be comfortably in the region of 1:40-1:45 for the Cardiff half marathon (October). But I need to be back to the fitness I was last August and then work from there. I guess the summer series will indicate if I am back to where I was. Those three races will be very important to me!!!! (May, June and July).
A 10k PB would be nice too, but 47:35 was hard work (though second half was uphill!). I plan to run the Last Chance on Dec 31st in Exeter just in case nothing better happens in the months up to then!
So in theory, I am laid back, taking things as they come, and hopefully PB's will be a part of that. In reality... I want those PB's! Just don't want to put my eggs in a basket just now!
Jen - yes I've managed another 3 miler (with a few hills). It was slow but I felt a lot better. I have 3 days off work this week and am going to take things very easily. I will build the running up slowly just to be careful. I'm going to do the same 3 mile run tonight as a test of how I'm feeling and then depending on that I will hope to try my 4 mile run again in a day or so. I don't want to push too hard as a friend of mine now has a virus like ME following too much training too soon after the flu!!! PAtience is what its all about. I am finding that I can swim with few problems so am using that to keep my fitness levels reasonable. I'd rather this than trying to recover from a hamstring strain a year or so ago. Now that really was frustrating!
Well, 9 miles quickly becamse 6 miles when I realised i had to rush about this morning and get the train into work. so rather than lug a big heavy sports bag around, i opted for a 6-7 miler. Which became a 6 rather than 7 when I realised I might see Gareth driving around on his driving lession if I cut it short. Paid off - I saw him and I waved like a lunatic at him! His instructor apparently thinks I am mad, but probably only because I am always running when Gareth is out on a lesson - he probably thinks I don't do much else!!!!
I wonder how Dave's wedding plans are coming along.....?????
Just found - Rhayader is on the last day of the 6 nations... i don't think Gareth loves me quite that much to miss that game. Bummer. Still, it is a club outing so i should get some support from elsewhere.
Right, tea & biscuits and bed.
Night all!
Jojo - take care, it's a good idea to focus on swimming.
Jen* - well done on your 13 miles. The mini-triathlon sounds like a good idea. I will email the Montargis people this week as I still don't see any way to enter online. Only three weeks to go!! Are you still up for it?
After a hectic weekend with no time to run I finally did 24.7k yesterday. Even allowing for HM inaccuracy that's about 15 miles and well over the half distance so I feel more secure, even though it took me nearly 3 hours. Hopefully I'll have convinced my legs that 2 hours 10 or so will be a doddle.
Does anyone else fancy an impromptu trip to France????????
jen - well done on your 13 miles and good luck for France
Escargot - great running - you'll have no problem reaching your target
jo jo - hope your 3 miler went ok -
Pammie - great mileage for the week - you sound as if you will be well prepared for Dublin
I am now almost half way through the training plan for FLM and managed 31 miles last wek whichis much more than I have ever achieved.
My long run was 16 miles and I switched it to Saturday as my mum had the children on Friday night and I knew I could run better after a good nights sleep and a bit of a lie in.
I was right as I felt ok during the run and took my usual Lucozade sport drink with a couple of gels - worked a treat - think i completed it about 2hrs 30 so not too bad.
My only problem is I have eczema and very sensitive skin - I do protect it but I still came back from my run with a very sore red face so have just ordered a buff so see if that protects me during this cold spell. The things we do!!!
Also, started to eat more of the right stuff and cut down my portions and have lost 2lbs this week so not bad at all really.
Dunno what tomorrow holds for me. I did 4.5 ish miles around the park today. No one joined me this week, despite email reminders!!! Mind you, it has been snowing here the last couple of days. Unless you go out in the cold regularly, it isn't the most inviting of weathers! It seemed to break for lunch today though. Bright sunshine, warm in places even! Just a bitter wind to contend with. I was off road today though and running through mud and puddles and amongst the trees as much as possible. It was hard (I was a bit dehydrated - need to drink lots of water this weekend!) and I was breathing heavy, but I found myself grinning to myself a lot! I wouldn't say I enjoy it, but I do like the change.......!!!
Racing for the club Sunday - 3 or 4 miles, not really sure, but the ladies team are 3rd in the league at the moment so lets try and get 2nd!
Hope any long rund planned for the weekend go well, and any lurkers out there are doing ok too.
Oh! Planning on sorting us out for the trip to France this weekend too! I'll be there Escargot!!!
Jen* - I'll email you about Montargis after posting this.
It's very muddy underfoot here as well. I have several pairs of running shoes in my front hall waiting patiently to have the mud scraped off but as I've had a busy week it hasn't happened.
Carol - sounds like you are coping really well with the demands of a marathon schedule. Well done on your long run and weight loss. How far are you going this weekend?
Jojo - hope you're feeling a lot better.
Just a very slow 6k for me today. Not sure how far to run tomorrow, two weeks ahead of the half: 15 miles as last week, a bit more, a bit less??
Carol
you sound as if all is going very well for you. 16 miles is a long way. You sound very positive which is good.
Jen
I hope your race goes well for you tomorrow, and that you contribute towqrds points for your ladies team. I have been experiencing the cold weather too. Today the wind was very strong indeed. Like Escargot I have very muddy running shoes and like you Jen I tried to get into the woods on Thursday to get out of the rain and snow. Hence lots of muddy areas and huge almost impassable puddles. But I guess it shows our dedication.
Escargot
I am sure that 12 or 13 would be enough for tomorrows run.
After a few weeks at 46-50 miles a week I have cut down to 30+ this week and run a few more quality miles. Today I ran 15 x 1 min intervals up a shallow hill, I really enjoyed myself. I have a 10k race next Sunday, the first race for 5 months, hence I am a little apprehensive and scared. I have no idea what I am capable of. I guess as long as I can run sub 50 mins at this stage it can only get better as the season progresses. I am also not looking forward to the pain of running a race again:-((
ANyone racing this weekend? How did it go?
Carol - your training looks like its going well
This week i tried the first week of a schedule found in the book Advanced Marathon (55mpw or less) theres been so much talk about the book so am considering using it when i begin Marathon training.
Tried the first week with relative ease though will not be following it 100% until June. I'll not be doing any of the 20 mile runs or marathon pace runs until much later
anway this is how my week went
Monday - Rest (schedule calls for rest or cross training)
Tuesday - 7 miles (10 x 100metre strides)
Wednesday - 4.2 miles (schedule said rest or CT)
Thursday - 5.84 miles steady
Friday - Rest
Saturday - 4.11 miles (Recovery) wanted to go further,
Sunday - 13.1 miles (2:11:53) just a little bit furher than planned
10:04 pace @ 79% mhr avg.
all in all a good week 34¼ miles done about 3 more than last week.
Been thinking might start using my rowing machine again on the Rest/Cross training days. It'll be about twice a week.
This week the plan is
Mon - Rest/Rower
Tues - 8 miles (with 10 x 100metre strides)
Wed - Rest/Rower
Thur - 10 miles Mmmmm
Fri - Rest may run i've 1½hours owing me at work so be coming home early
Sat - 5 miles Recovery
Sun - 13 miles
So we'll see how that goes
Any thoughts anyone.
Ceal - I understand why you would be aprehensive, but I think you will do brilliantly on Sunday. I look forward to your race report!
Me? Well, aside from making real progress in getting to France in a couple of weeks time (Thanks Escargot!x) I did 8 miles yesterday, thinking the sunshine would keep me fairly warm as it had the week before. But no. The wind was horrible. The last mile or so was gently up hill and straight into a cold hard wind. Yuk! Nothing i could do to get my arms warm, so just plodded on. Goodness knows why, but I nearly did another 2 miles because despite conditions, I felt good. But thought I would save myself for today..... Oh good grief.... today......
When we got to club HQ, it was snowing. On the way to the race it was sunny and clear and when we were racing it was fairly non-descript. Very peculiar morning! I was really excited when we got to the race and felt like I had bags of energy. We had 5 ladies entered so it was going to be good. There are about 6 clubs that take part in the Gwent league, and there seemed to be LOADS of runners. Great turn out. Turns out they are all nutters!
3 laps of the loop. I could cope with that, each one would get easier as you learn where you are going...... as we made our way down to the start I notice the feild is quite muddy. To be expected!
We set off, back up a slope we just came down - well at least I would get to run down it again! I like my down hills! I was very much at the back which was fine. I am used to starting at the back and working my way forward. Ha! Not in x-c!!!! I embrace the downhill, but my momentum gets taken away by the thick muddy grass at the bottom! NOOOOOO!!!!
We enter the woods - WATER! I watch people in front and figure it isn't so bad and splosh through, though nearly lose my footing in the water. No falling over though, just some swearing.
Carry on going. What a LOT of mud. Deep mud! Mud you can barely move in! And this sectoin through the woods is up. Eugh.
Coming out of the woods, and !! more water! Getting over taken (ok - lapped!)so I stop to let people pass and work out how the heck I get through this one. Fair drop down into the water see.... I did it though! but now I am very soggy.
Out of the woods and up a hill. Thick heavy muddy grass hill. It goes on forever. It is really hard work, yet people are over taking me!!!! How do they do it!
Back into a bit more woods.
More water!!!! And a really steep muddy verge to get up. Arg!
But eventually some down. Followed by more thick deep mud.
And I had to do that twice more.
I overtook one person because she stopped to walk up the grass hill on the second loop. But it was so energy sapping, and mentally taxing (where do I go? where is the shallowest mud? How deep is that water? Why is no one in front of me?!) it was horrid. I think one reason I didn't like it is because I couldn't be competitive. I couldn't catch people and that is what I love about racing! I don't feel I achieved anything either becuase it just felt like an assault course as opposed to a run!!!
Still, I don't need to worry about entering the next one as it is when I am in France, so phew!
Cardiff - Its in October what date i wonder, its a possibility, depends on how many weeks it is before Dublin.
Is it flat?
***wanders off to find the date for Cardiff***
I'm scheduled for a 16 mile run that day so i suppose with a warm up/ cool down i could do 16 miles.
Question is what pace as i'll be in tapering mode may have to question some wise heads
I just bought plane tickets!
Haven't been to Cardiff since (thinks) about 1989, time i made a return trip.
Can you squeeze in a trip to Scotland too?!?!?
Jojo - good to hear you're feeling better. You'll probably regain fitness much faster than you expect.
Jen* - plane tickets! This is really happening folks.
Your XC sounds like a nightmare. You may get lapped at Montargis (it's two loops) but there shouldn't be all that mud and water.
Ceal - I probably took your advice because although my HM said 23k (14.2 miles) it tends to overestimate and I doubt I did much more than 13 today. Luckily I avoided the icy north wind for most of the distance by taking a woodland route, but headed straight into it for the last 3k. Time was 2:52:38.
Right now it seems impossible I might attempt to beat 2:11 in two weeks' time but maybe rest and a spot of speedwork will achieve miracles.
Escargot - Thanks the question is what effort?
Good session you had today
Thread started in Training so will wait and see what the panel says
Calling Sam!
Pammie needs your help!
Races in Scotland needed!
I haven't a clue what races are in Scotland actually!! Hard ones as the only ones I can think of are Loch Ness and Lochaber marathons.....??
I look forward to the panel saying "go for it pammie! A fast half is just what you need 2 weeks before a marathon!".
Stunning stadium finish.... lovely parks....loads of support....loads of forumites too......
What you achieved is a bl**dy good training run. It sounds as if you love that type of x-country running as much as I do, NOT!!! It sounds as if you needed either x-trainers on or spikes that would have made it easier to get a purchase in the mud. I dislike mud very much. Put it down to experience. I like the fact that you are away for the next one. I wonder how you will get out of the one after that? Maybe the weather will have been kinder to the course next time you have to run such a course. Anyway, well done for sticking it out.
I did a x-country training run this morning that was much like an assault course and I won't tell you how long it took us to run 6 miles.
I did wear trail shoes with extra grip on, but by the third loop they were so caked in mud there was very little grip left!!!
The xc on the 12th March is the last in the series so no more until next winter I don't think. Road runners league is next - bring that on, no problem!!!!!
Perhaps I will learn to love xc, but I doubt it. I don't think I hated it so much, but I can't say I enjoyed it. They are short races at least so if the team is short, I will go along, but otherwise I am staying well clear!
Cross country is a silly idea!! You run around the same muddy course doing laps. Fairwater is a particularly horrible one, Jen. I used to do it in school (when I loved x country) and I still hated that course!!
Go on Pammie - do Cardiff - it's a lovely flat course!!
My trainig is still going well. SLow but steady. I'm enjoying running again and feeling well so I am very happy at the moment!!
I've just got back from honeymoon and thought that I'd check in. It seems that things have been ticking along very nicely in my absence! Jen, Jojo, Escargot and (of course) ceal: You all seem to be training really well at the moment! 8o)
Personally, I love cross country. I think that it is my favorite form of racing and it is a shame that I don't get to do more of it. I love the extra test of strength that the mud and hills gives - seeing all the track whippets surge off at the start only to struggle in the second half 8oD. I guess it's all horses for courses though.
I have not managed to get much training done in the last few weeks, what with one thing and another, so my plans for the next little while are to get my steady mileage back up towards 70mpw and to do a local 20 mile race which is at the end of March. So, in other words I hope to be back in the saddle again nice and quickly.
Have a nice day!