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Dublin City Marathon Training 2017 8th Aug 2017

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I intended to start this DUBLIN CITY MARATHON 2017 Training Blog on Sunday but I was just too tired😴😴
After a Spring of ok results (not quite what I was aiming for but hey…) I decided to enter DCM. Target very simple – to break 2.40; that is; around 6.05 per mile. Simple to type not so simple to do. I’ve done it b4, but in Barcelona and Rotterdam. My fastest Dublin is 2.41. And they were 3, 4 and 7 years ago. I’ll be 45 when DCM 2017 comes along so that’s perhaps a factor for me to consider😨😤.
I’ll try keep blog weekly. But today I’ll go back briefly over the last 3 weeks (since the Mullingar 10 mile race – which did NOT go according to plan).
Monday July 17:- 6 miles recovery paced run on canal paths. Around 8 mins per mile. Felt ok ish
Tuesday – 3 very easy miles 8.20 per mile – the tiredness from Sundays race kicked in today; hence only 3 miles.
Wednesday – 7 easy pace c 7.50
Thursday – 9 easy (7.30) bar one at 5.50 pace. Felt surprisingly good!
Friday – oh jesus why did I run that fast mile yesterday – 8 miles at 7.35 pace felt exhausted, legs like lead. Had very hot Epsom salts bath afterwards – a first for me. Perhaps not a good idea in retrospect as I had to do a target paced run the next day ie a hard run.
Saturday – 10 miles including 5 at 6.03 per mile on moderately undulating course. Legs felt very heavy and breathing laboured from 2 miles of the target paced run. I’m thinking this fatigue residue was from the 10 mile race just 6 days ago so fairly happy to be able to keep 6.03 miles. Average heart rate was 170 – which is too high for what I wanted so theoretically I should have slowed down the pace to say 6.15 which would have reduced average heart rate to mid 160s. (My max is 185 or 6).
Sunday – long slow run just over 18 miles along canal paths. Average pace 7.17, average heart rate 136. This run felt surprisingly nice easy and controlled bar the last 2 miles. It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep can do for you.
Total mileage this week = 62
July 24 – 4 miles easy pace (7.40)
Tuesday – 10 easy (7.54); ave HR 128
Wednesday – 10 miles including
3 x 2 miles anaerobic threshold run. That is; with heart rate maxing at 172. 3 mins jogging recovery between each. Average paces were 5.59, 5.53 & 5.55. At anaerobic threshold I hoped to be able to sustain a pace of 5.45 or faster but the figures (and how I felt) tell me I’m tired. Could be from 18 miler on Sunday or a poor nights sleep or a combination of these. 4 mins jog after the 3×2 miles, and then 4 X 100 metre sprints at 90% effort.
Thursday – 6 easy pace (7.45) felt ok.
Friday – 7 very easy pace (8.25) – legs felt reeeelly heavy, felt exhausted like how the hell am I gonna do speed session tomorrow?
Saturday – good sleep, good nutrition, Boom! 6 mile target paced run in exactly 36 minutes ie 6 min per mile on slightly hilly course with a bit of wind too. Max heart rate 175 (near the end and up a hill), average 164. Nice. 10 miles total.
Sunday – 20 miles slow run 7.24 per mile average HR 135. The first 14 or so we’re fine the last 2 or 3 were tough. Very tired after and the next day.
Total mileage = 67
Monday 31st – 1 very slow easy mile (feel fairly “shuck” today.
Tuesday – 10 easy (except one in 6.05)
Wednesday – 8 including the excellently organised Clonard 4 mile race in 22.04 ie 5.31 per mile average heart rate 173, max 183. A good mid week blowout. Happy enough considering the previous weekends mileage.
Thursday – 10 very easy (7.40 pace; Ave HR 128) on Mullingar Greenway.
Friday – 9 (7.34 pace; ave HR 125) – felt a helluva lot easier than LAST Fridays run.
Saturday – 13 including a 50 minute target run (actually 6.12 per mile = 8.1 miles). Felt more tired than last Saturdays run even tho it was on the same route and slower by 12 seconds per mile albeit 2 miles longer. However….ave HR was 163; max 173 (last Saturdays were 164 and 175). Perceived fatigue Versus Actual fatigue???
Sunday – 20 miles Ave HR 135; 7.37 pace. Ok for 12 miles or so but the last 4 or 5 were horrific! A late night didn’t help, but also an old injury has started to rear it’s ugly head…I have had Gilmores Groin aka Interrupted Groin aka Sports Hernia since 2011. I never had surgery on it as I had it in conjunction with Osteitis Pubis and adductor longus degeneration but the Consultant said it would not heal itself tho he was reluctant to surgically intervene. He suggested CORE STRENGTHENING. Anyway the OP cleared up (sort of) and the Hernia improved enough for me to function so I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best…I’m still hoping.

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