Saturday, October 12, 2013

Training Diary for Monday 30th Sept to Sunday 07th Oct 2013


Le Cheile A.C Novice & Masters Team.

Monday September 30th. HRV= 62 White.

Mon 30th A good jump since yesterday and shows signs of recovery but I know my legs are still repairing and I won’t rush back into normal training.  Went for an easy 5K after work and had a relaxing evening which included an online Q&A for http://www.runinthedark.org/training/.   I’ll avoid the Gym until next week to allow the race recovery and adaption.
Plan for tomorrow is unsure but I expect to run.

Tuesday October 01st. HRV= 66 White.

Tues 1stDidn’t feel like I had a lie in and woke feeling tired.  Took the opportunity for an easy / short lunchtime run and could feel my legs starting to loosen up towards the end, 8.5K in 37 minutes.  Got text message after work to ask if I was running and ended up with a second easy run of 9K in 40 minutes.  It was an effort to stay slow with the second run and had to watch the pace rather than heart rate as that seems to be back to normal and remained low for the most part.  The dark evenings are becoming more obvious and I’ll soon need to work on a winter plan as routes will need to be changed.
Plan for tomorrow is a lunchtime run and I’ll go be feel.

Wednesday October 02nd. HRV= 73 White.

Weds 2ndA great result but still feel like my legs are recovering so I’ll continue to take it easy for the next few days which means no Sprinting but may increase the pace slightly.  I’m hoping to get back into the hills on Saturday to build on the Training Effect from last Saturday and try hold onto that improved leg strength by maintaining what I’ve got.  Easy lunchtime run but finished a bit faster than planned partly because I can feel the legs getting back to normal and sometimes it can be hard to stay disciplined.  Out for dinner after work and had a few drinks seeing as it’s an easy week.
Plan for tomorrow is undecided but I’m hoping for an early night.

Thursday October 03rd. HRV=65 White.

Thurs 3rdNot surprised with the drop after the day I had yesterday and I expect that this is more because of the night out than the training.  Easy lunchtime run similar to yesterday and finished the day with 5K on the Track after coaching and included 6* 100M strides to loosen out the legs.  Feeling good and surprised to cover the distance in just under 20 minutes.
Plan for tomorrow is undecided as I’m thinking about the Parkrun on Saturday and there’s also the Cross Country on Sunday.  Parkrun would be leisurely but the XC is a Race..

Friday October 04th. HRV= 59 White.

Fri 4thMuch lower than expected.  Easy lunchtime run of 5K with the weekend in mind.  Relaxed for the evening and went to bed early
Plan for tomorrow is the Parkrun as I’m committed to volunteering after finishing.  Intensity will be decided tomorrow.

Saturday October 05th. HRV= 77 Green.

Sat 5thThe early night paid off and I woke before the alarm to a great result.  Plan for today is a bit mixed as I’m unsure of what to expect but I’m hopeful of a sub 18 finish.  Stood towards the front and expected a fast race as there were quite a few new faces and a lot of club singlets.  Started conservatively with the aim of going through the first k in 3:30 but felt the pace was a bit slow so I took the chance and went to the front and pushed it to suit what I wanted.  Went through the 2nd K in 3:35 and that’s close to my usual and I’m still feeling ok with an extended gap.  Slowed down to 3:39 as I hit the 3K mark and then dug deep to try keep the lead in preparation for the slow drag to the finish.  Hit the 4K in 3:32 and from here to the finish I just tried not to slow too much and did just enough to keep the lead.  Crossed the line, changed my Tshirt and helped out with scanning the rest of the field.  Stayed around for a few minutes after it was all over to chat and eat biscuits and then it was off to the hills for an 8.5K Recovery run while my daughter was training.  Probably not ideal prep for tomorrow’s race but the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing and my main thing is a few months away and I can’t afford detours every other week.
Plan for tomorrow is the Novice & Masters Cross Country County Championships..

Sunday October 06th. HRV= 75 White.

Sun 6thPerfect and all is good.  Went out for a short run before breakfast to loosen out the legs and work up an appetite as the best time to consume carbs is post exercise because glycogen uptake is an exercise induced response and the muscles are more responsive post exercise.  Finished with a walking cool down and then it was my usual porridge mix of a volume relative to the time to race. Got a lift to the venue and arrived in plenty of time to watch the junior athletes put in some great performances while still having time to check out the course and watch the Novice & Masters Ladies race start. Had a quick Team chat and then found my position close to the front and got into a good position quite quickly.  Shortly after the first straight I found myself bunched in with a group of 5 and struggled to break free and when a gap presented itself I sprinted through and forced the pace a bit too much and felt the pressure as I tried to recover without losing my position.  The course was 2 3/4 laps with a few sharp hills and tight turns and on the start of the second lap I remember thinking how glad I was that it was only 1 more full lap before the short lap.  It’s a bad sign when these thoughts enter your head so I tried to focus on improving my position with the limited time available rather than wishing it to end.  I started to close the gap on a pack up ahead and knowing that I’m always caught on the sprint finish I made an attack on one of the hills, recovered at the top and attacked again on the next hill to really push it out.  Made up a few places and before I knew it I was heading down the straight to the finish.  Conscious of how many times I’d lost ground at this point in a race I tried to put in a finishing kick and managed to hold it to the end.  Crossed the line in 5th place (I think) and led my Team to Silver in the Novices Race, Bronze in the Masters Race and an individual Gold in the Masters 40-44 category.
9854566226_f96a4b2172_cMy son was watching and he later told me that I was in 11th place starting the last lap and he was hoping I’d make up a position to get a top 10 finish and was surprised to see how strong I was towards the end but he also told me that if the finish line was 10-20 meters further away then I’d have been caught as the gap was closing fast.  Must do more speed work!
Plan for tomorrow will depend on Recovery and includes the online Q&A .

Weekly Summary:

WeeklyA great week and finished with 2 good races.  Low volume but high intensity and Recovering really well.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Training Diary for Monday 23rd to Sunday 29th September 2013.


Monday September 23rd. HRV= 75 White.

Mon 23rdTaper time and this is a good start.  Short lunchtime run of 8.5K at an easy pace that picked up towards the end.  Rested after work and had a relaxing evening which included an online Q&A for http://www.runinthedark.org/training/.
Plan for tomorrow is an early gym session.

Tuesday September 24th. HRV= 69 Amber.

Tues 24thLower than expected and will be cautious today.  Early Gym session of only mobility work consisting of Foam Rolling & Stretching.   Didn’t run at lunchtime as i needed to stock up on supplies for the race a pick up a pair of running shoes thanks to Salomon Running.  Managed to fit in an after work 10K while my son was training and ran a flat route with one of my training partners recovering from a recent half marathon.  Finished the day with a spinach & onion omelette and a double serving of Cherryactive.
Plan for tomorrow is undecided but will try include an early night.

Wednesday September 25th. HRV=64 Red.

Weds 25thMuch lower than expected or would like but then again it could also reflect my training Peak.  Today will be rest with attention paid to Recovery and it’s my first day off in 63 days and a total of 943K.  Didn’t get to bed as early as planned due to some unexpected tasks that needed doing.
Plan for tomorrow is undecided but I’m hoping for an early night.

Thursday September 26th. HRV=61 Red.

Thurs 26thNot good and totally unexpected after resting yesterday.  Will take it easy again today but might do a short easy run this evening with a few short sprints depending on how I feel after work.  Went out for a short run of less than 10K and threw in a few 150M sprints and happy with the leg turnover.  Was careful not to get carried away.  Early night with a serving of Cherryactive.
Plan for tomorrow is an early start for my flight to the Isle of Man.

Friday September 27th. HRV= 74 White.

Fri 27thAn early start for a flight to the Isle of Man.  The plan is for an easy enough day and will try for an early night.  Got picked up by ‘Mark Murphy’ of Manx Fell Runners and took the opportunity to see part of the route from the roadway while junctions were being marked and then went to the hotel feeling like I needed to study the map a little bit better as visibility today was quite poor and I needed to work on a few escape route before they were needed.  Met with the editor of Trail Running Mag and went for dinner before retiring shortly after 10 pm.
Tomorrow is Race Day.

Saturday September 28th. HRV= 61 Amber.  Race day!

Sat 28thBad start to Race Day but the show must go on.  Early start yet again for a 5:00 am pick up to the start line and a 08:30 am start.  Started off conservatively keeping an eye on my heart rate knowing that I’m not fully rested and it’s a long way with some tough climbs.  Tried to keep HR below 150 bpm as knew this would be very economical and reduce my needs to refuel.  All went according to plan and ran well with strong climbs but made a few mistakes with route selection when leaving more than 1 of the peaks and this cost time and effort but never did I feel the need to stop although I was forced to walk on a few occasions.  Found the last climb extremely tough as I’d miscounted and thought the second last was the last one and this was tough both mentally and physically.  Made up a few place at the start of the last climb so it wasn’t just me that was suffering and that gave me the incentive to stay strong.  Had a clear unchallenged run to the finish and crossed the line in 14th place with a time of 6hr49min and that’s 1 hour longer than I was predicting but having ran the course it’s a time I’m happy with and it’s only 2 months after the 24-hr Irish Championships.  Crossing the finish line we were handed a bottle of the local beer ‘Okells’ and that in itself was worth the effort.
 Plan for tomorrow is unknown but hopefully I’ll get a chance to check out some other local routes.

Sunday September 29th. HRV= 52 Red.

Sun 29thThe day after and a lot lower than I expected but guess the post-race prize giving celebrations have added to it.  Legs feeling good and no hint of the DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) although I always prefer to feel sore after a race as it shows the effort was made. Two members of the Manx Fell Runners offered to do a sight-seeing tour and today was spent touring the Island and this ended a perfect weekend and I’m very grateful to the warm welcome and hospitality offered by the Manx Fell Runners and I’d highly recommend this race as it’s a hidden gem.  I plan on doing a more detailed race report shortly.
Plan for tomorrow will depend on Recovery and includes the online Q&A.

Weekly Summary

A great week which ended with a very tough, enjoyable and challenging race.  I’ll spend the next few days taking it easy and recovering and will wait until my HRV goes above 70 before resuming training.  Cross Country next week??…

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Training Diary for Monday 16th to Sunday 22nd September 2013.


Monday September 16th. HRV= 76 White.

Mon 16thA good start to the week but I can feel the fatigue in my legs and some tightness around my ITB (illiotibal band) and have booked a massage for Thursday.  Easy lunchtime run of 8.5K and that’ll be all for today as I’ve an online Q&A later for http://www.runinthedark.org/training/
Plan for tomorrow is an early gym session.

Tuesday September 17th. HRV= 77 White.

Tues 17thEarly Gym session of mostly mobility work and a slight increase in lifted weight with the Back Squat and improvements is always good, 5 sets of 5 @ 47.5kg (+2.5kg).  Squat weight has increased by 7.5Kg over the last 3 weeks and feeling more manageable which is a good sign and although 47.5Kg might not sound like a lot my lifted volume from this session equals 1187.5Kg.  Legs starting to feel much stronger again and there’s no signs of any discomfort around the knees or lower body.  Didn’t have time for a lunchtime run as I was stocking up on some items for next week’s race and when I got home it was raining quite heavy which meant overdressing and having to change my run plan.  Went for a local hilly loop and included some fast paced reps along a forest trail but fading light and the bad weather meant having to cut it short as I didn’t want to risk a fall or twisting an ankle.  I was starting to enjoy picking up the pace to try beat
Plan for tomorrow is an evening Steady Track Session with even pace and maybe an earlier Recovery Run.

Wednesday September 18th. HRV=81 White.

Weds 18thA great result but I can feel the DOMS from yesterday’s strength session and although that’s good as it show’s I’ve lifted enough to stress the body it also means altering my run plan for later as I don’t want to slow down my recovery and adaption to the strength work. Took the opportunity to do a lunchtime Recovery run and stayed slow and flat for an easy 6K with a walking finish.  Climbing a set of step towards the finish had me feeling like a newborn giraffe.  Legs started to loosen up as the day went on and only noticed the improvement when I started to think about my next session.  Made a slight alteration to the session and instead of the usual steady state run I went for an easy to steady warm up followed by 5*800s at an average of 2:45 per rep.  Finished with a long cool down and then it was coaching for an hour with an opportunity to stretch.
Plan for tomorrow is an early gym session and a lunchtime massage.  There’s a coaches meeting after Athletics which will more than likely mean a forced rest day from running but that’s no harm.

Thursday September 19th. HRV=82 White.

Thurs 19thA great result and makes me want to run later so I’ll make sure to be prepared if the opportunity presents.  Early Gym session and it’s a repeat of last week with a set of 3*3 Deadlifts @ 95Kg, 3*3 Strict Press @ 25Kg (-10Kg) plus 3 sets of 5 Pull Ups (+1).  It felt very manageable compared with how I felt last week and that shows improvement on me without having improvement on the bar.  Stress / Rest / Adapt.  Lunchtime massage and not half as bad as I was expecting which is good but my left leg was much tighter than my right which is the opposite to what I was thinking and that’s not so good as it means there was a possible problem developing that I was unaware of.  Won’t leave it as long before next massage.  Managed a short run between Athletics finishing and the coaches meeting starting and made the most of my limited time.  Did a quick but easy warm up of 2K and on every lap after than I threw in a 100M sprint with a 300M recovery for 5 laps before finishing with a cool down to end the session with 5K in 21 mins.
Plan for tomorrow is a short recovery paced lunchtime run or rest.

Friday September 20th. HRV= 87 White.

Fri 20thA great result and I’m putting this down to last night’s session followed by a good night’s sleep and waking without an alarm.  Feeling good but legs still recovering from the strength training and the tenderising from yesterday’s massage.  Easy lunchtime run of 6K with very low heart rate and with that a very easy pace.
Good night’s sleep and feeling good but a little creaky in the legs department but you’re supposed to feel that way during times of heavy training.  Decided against a lunchtime run but knowing it was my only option I changed my mind and went out for an easy 8K in the hope of loosening out my legs and aid recovery.  Took a few minutes before it started to feel easy and at that point I was wishing that I’d stayed closer to work.  Finished with 8.5K in just under 40 minutes and not looking forward to standing on the side-line of a football pitch this evening.
Plan for tomorrow is similar to last week with Parkrun for a time trial and a short but fast Trail Run.

Saturday September 21st. HRV= 79 White.

Sat 21stManaged to wake without the alarm and started the day with a Beet it shot.  Very happy with high score and if my legs feel up to it I think I’ll be chasing a PB today.  Arrived at the venue a bit later than usual and had barely enough time to do a worthless warm up as it was hardly worth the effort.  Made my way to the start line and didn’t recognise any of the usual faces but there were a few club singlets and that’s a good sign as it means a race.  The pace started much faster than I expected and rather than risk getting caught out I dropped back slightly and settled towards the back of a group of about 5.  Moments later the pace started to slow down as the lead runner wasn’t able to maintain what had started and I found myself almost tripping up as I tried to adjust my own pace.  I noticed a gap and went for it and forced the pace with a comfortably hard push to break up the pack.  When possible I took a quick look behind and could see I had a lead of maybe 50 Metres but unfortunately I was on my own and I seem to work better when chasing rather than being chased but it’s still good for self-discipline to be able to hold onto a lead.  As I approached the end of the first lap I was told that I had created a big gap but it was still only half way so I tried not to falter.  My concentration started to go soon after and I found it tough going from 3-4K and just wanted it to be over and although I tried to push on for the last 1K I just didn’t seem to have the extra gear but did manage an attempt at a sprint finish to cross the line with a comfortable lead.  A good result and a confidence boost but slower than last week.
My daughter’s training was cancelled and that also meant my hill run opportunity was cancelled but luckily I managed a local run of 12K which was flat but better than nothing.
Plan for tomorrow is a Medium distance Trail / Hill run concentrating on climbing.

Sunday September 22nd. HRV= 75 White.

Sun 22ndA great result but feeling like I could do with a lie in.  Ran as planned and did 18K with almost 780M of Ascent over one of my usual routes with some good climbs.  Took my time and made a few stops to take in the views and refuel with wild berries.  Finished the day with a short recovery run of 5K.
Plan for tomorrow will depend on recovery but limited to lunchtime as I’m busy with an online Q&A in the evening.

Weekly Summary

Weekly 1A good week finishing with a first place in a tune up 5K race and a medium distance Trail Run.  Noticing the results of my reduced volume in my HRV scores and the Taper proper starts tomorrow.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Training Diary 9-15th Sept 2013




Monday September 09th. HRV= 80 White.

MondayAnother good result after a tough session which has me wondering if I need to start increasing the intensity. Not sure what to do today but got an offer of some company for a lunchtime run and just let it happen.  Started at a comfortable pace but could certainly feel it as the run progressed and know I would have slowed down if I was on my own, finished with 11.2K (7 Miles) in 46 minutes.  Didn’t have a run opportunity after work as I got late notice of a ‘Code of Ethics’ course at the Athletics Club and I’m feeling better about the lunchtime session.  Do what you can when you can.
Plan for tomorrow is an early gym session.

Tuesday September 10th. HRV= 75 White.

TuesdayEarly Gym session of mostly mobility work and a slight increase in lifted weight with the Back Squat and improvements is always good, 5 sets of 5 @ 45kg (+5kg).  The discomfort I was feeling behind my knees last week has gone and only realised it when asked by my Trainer.  Unsure what to do later and trying to decide on either a hilly continuous run or a session of Hill Repeats.  Change of plan and went for a shorter than usual lunchtime run as I was told it would also be shorter than usual.
Plan for tomorrow is an evening Steady Track Session with even pace and maybe an earlier Recovery Run.

Wednesday September 11th. HRV=61 Amber.

WednesdayWoke during the night with very bad pains in lower stomach area it kept me awake for over an hour.  Fell back asleep eventually and then woke feeling very tired with the alarm.  Not surprised with result but putting it down to lack of sleep and feel ok to continue with training as normal while keeping myself under observation.  Also feeling the DOMS from yesterday’s strength session and this could help with keeping the training controlled.  Skipped the opportunity to run at lunchtime to benefit from the extra rest ahead of the usual Wednesday night group session.   A slight change of pace and plan for this evening to accommodate those recovering from recent races and preparing for upcoming races.  Session consisted of a steady 10K at a Pace no quicker than 4:15 per K and no slower than 4:30 per K.  This meant a conscious effort to stay slow and we finished the 10K with an avg of 4:15 followed by a few faster laps to loosen out the legs.  Finished the evening with a coaching session and much neglected stretch.
Plan for tomorrow is an early gym session, lunchtime recovery run, coaching after work and then a repeat of last week’s 3*1K interval session.

Thursday September 12th. HRV=67 Red.

ThursdayA late night and early morning might be the reason for this but I’ll be taking it easy just in case.  Early Gym session with a slight increase on last week including a set of 3*3 Deadlifts @ 95Kg (+5Kg), 3*3 Strict Press @ 35Kg (very tough) plus 3 sets of 4 Pull Ups.  Skipping the Lunchtime run and will reduce the volume / intensity of this evenings session.  On two minds whether to run or not but settled for a few easy laps with 4* 400M at a faster pace included.  Total distance of 5K and then it was home for an early night.
Plan for tomorrow is a short recovery paced lunchtime run or rest.  Busy after work.

Friday September 13th. HRV= 70 White.

FridayA good night’s sleep and feeling good but a little creaky in the legs department but you’re supposed to feel that way during times of heavy training.  Decided against a lunchtime run but knowing it was my only option I changed my mind and went out for an easy 8K in the hope of loosening out my legs and aid recovery.  Took a few minutes before it started to feel easy and at that point I was wishing that I’d stayed closer to work.  Finished with 8.5K in just under 40 minutes and not looking forward to standing on the sideline of a football pitch this evening.
Plan for tomorrow is a return to the Parkrun for a time trial and a short but fast Trail Run.

Saturday September 14th. HRV= 64 Amber.

SaturdayAlmost a lie in as most of my weekend mornings have had early starts over the last while.  Still woke early but went back to bed after checking my HRV and used the opportunity to take a Beet it shot.  Not too concerned about the Amber as today is low volume but high intensity and that seems to stress the body a little bit less and recovery is quicker than when it’s a longer steady paced run.  The plan for today’s Parkrun is to run with my training partners from the Wednesday night session (Aidan & Martin) with Martin setting the pace.  From the start we were at the pointy end of the field along with one other runner that I got talking to and knowing he was of a similar ability told him we’d be working together for an even paced run.  The first lap went well and we held the group together but shortly after half way Aidan started to fall back and was struggling to keep contact.  I took the easy option and tried to bring him on rather than staying with the other 2 and then on the final straight I pushed on knowing that Aidan would be the next finisher behind me.  Finished in 3rd place with a Season’s best of 17:54 and we got a 1st, 3rd & 4th for the club.  Went home for breakfast and then dropped my daughter to her training session before heading to the hills for a short but intense hill run starting with a relentless 5K uphill and then turning to retrace my steps for a fast quad hammering descent.
 Plan for tomorrow is a Long Trail / Hill run concentrating on climbing.

Sunday September 15th. HRV= 76 White.

SundayA great result but my legs are feeling the effects of yesterday and the weather seems a bit rough so I do a double take knowing it might not be a day for the hills.  I go back to bed thinking I need to go but thinking back to last Friday when I had a close call due to leg fatigue I think it’s the right choice.  When I finally get up I get caught up watching the Great North Run and the weather gets even worse and I almost miss my Long Run opportunity.  Eventually I notice a break in the weather and take my chance for a long run and just run without any plan on where to go and make it up as I go along to arrive home 30K later.  It felt a bit tougher than it should have and that makes me think I needed it more than I realised.
Plan for tomorrow will depend on recovery but hope to do a steady state run at lunchtime as I’m bust with an online Q&A in the evening.

Weekly Summary:

WeeklyAgain it’s another good week but would have preferred more time in the hills and not happy to have missed the long run opportunity on Sunday.  Fitness is definitely improving and my Parkrun time trial resulted in a Season’s best without a lot of effort and without a Taper.