08-02-2010, 08:39 PM,
(This post was last modified: 08-02-2010, 08:40 PM by Seafront Plodder.)
|
|
|
Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
I was always going to Connemara, that was a given. Claire has never been to Ireland, and I’ve been often enough to know that the craic is worth the trip alone. 
No, what was weighing heavily on me was whether I would go and actually run the half-marathon I’d entered. Time was a-marching and I’d become an A* grade procrastinator. An arm injury sustained in December had curtailed my tennis for most of January and obviously I couldn’t run with a dodgy arm, so general sloth and work dominated. And here we are in February, just about two months from the gun and my few treddie sessions in November were all I’d undertaken between the Brighton 10K and about 6pm this evening.
The other day Mr Swede of this parish phoned me from Lisbon airport (or was it Houston) whilst he was awaiting a connection home, to enquire how my training was going….He knew the answer as well as I did. Grrr… 
So tonight was the (re)start. Yes I know that my periods of err….race recovery are somewhat legendary, but tonight I donned the gear and huffed the seafront for two miles, and bloody easy it was too!
See, the thing about lengthy lay-offs is that one tends to forget the fantastic post-run endorphin hit. Maybe it’s why runners have to up the anti, but whatever - It’s here with me now and it’s WOW.
I’ve been in this game long enough to know that I’ve got to build on this, and yes my recent record of continued plodding isn’t exactly great. But I did two 10K’s late last year, basically on the back of bugger all training I’m well aware that the half is a different kettle of oysters.
It’s a start though…So c’mon guys, kick my ample lardy arse and don’t let up until I’m up to at least 10 miles….please. 
|
|
|
22-02-2010, 02:02 PM,
(This post was last modified: 22-02-2010, 08:08 PM by Seafront Plodder.)
|
|
|
RE: Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
Quick update to say that I ground out a 10K yesterday along the Worth Way (No sign of EG though). Claire whizzed up and down on her bike for an hour, acting as a mobile water station.
Could have gone further but I don't want to upset my finely tuned training schedule... 
Set the iPlod to 'Latin' genre, and was entertained for an hour by the likes of Santana, Gloria Estefan, Los Lobos and bizarrely Joe Cocker! Not sure quite how he got in there.
A midweek treddie session is on the cards followed by upping to perhaps 8 miles next weekend. I've had a quick shufty at Saint Hal Higdon's novice schedule and the longest run on that is only 10 miles, so I'll see how I go.
|
|
|
|
22-02-2010, 08:36 PM,
|
|
|
Sweder
Twittenista
|
Posts: 6,577
Threads: 420
Joined: Nov 2004
|
|
RE: Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
Come ... come to the hills ...
Excellent news SP.
Any time you fancy a little slow hill action, I'm your Huckleberry 
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
|
|
|
|
25-02-2010, 08:25 AM,
|
|
|
RE: Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
A 30 minute run on the hamster wheel at the local gym last night. My god those places are dull to run in, even with the iPod drowning out the awful MTV rubbish piped in. Sadly a tottyless affair also, so I amused myself by occasionally (and furtively) glancing at a local meathead on the weights.
Well I say 'on the weights' but he seemed to spend most of the time posing at himself in the floor to ceiling mirror, stopping just briefly to grunt some enormous weight into the air momentarily, before it crashed down onto the mat with a loud Klang. Perhaps wisely I kept my thoughts to myself, and plodded on. 
This all bodes well for upping the distance to a 90 minute run planned err...sometime this weekend, hopefully.
|
|
|
28-02-2010, 10:01 PM,
(This post was last modified: 28-02-2010, 10:02 PM by Seafront Plodder.)
|
|
|
RE: Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
My last run of this distance was way back in 2005. It was shortly after that I announced on this forum that the marathon mojo was well and truly lost.
The reluctant training runs prior to the 10K’s of Almeria, Crawley and Brighton were exactly that, very reluctant . But with a half in Connemara on the horizon I had to take stock, and go one of two ways. Do a couple of pre-race plods and wing it.....or, devise a plan.
Having run for an hour last weekend, I cunningly consulted the diary, and reckoned on 6 weekends before the race, and that allowed me to add 15 minutes to the long run each week, culminating in a 2:15 run the week before. Step back’s were a luxury I could ill afford.
So, today was all set for 75 minutes. I swished back the curtains this morning to be greeted by pissing rain. Ok so it was forecast, and strangely this time I didn’t dive back under the duvet and seek solace in a toasty err....special friend. Nope. Up, breakfasted and raring to go in half an hour or so.
The Worth Way once again provided the route, only this time I had to double back for 10 minutes to obtain the distance/time the schedule demanded, puffing up to the door 82 non-stop minutes later.
Strange how increasing the distance brings back forgotten niggles though. I recall I used to get a dull groin ache on longer runs, and that returned today. Never anything to stop me, but a niggle non-the-less. And I should have cut my toe nails...
Set the Iplod on shuffle, and the first track to pop in was Don McLean’s Vincent. Undoubtedly a classic, but running music?? No, track du jour was Confidence Man by Jeff Healy. I just hope that’s not too much of an omen...
|
|
|
|
01-03-2010, 12:22 AM,
|
|
|
El Gordo
Administrator
|
Posts: 4,591
Threads: 302
Joined: Feb 2003
|
|
RE: Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
(28-02-2010, 10:01 PM)Seafront Plodder Wrote: My last run of this distance was way back in 2005. It was shortly after that I announced on this forum that the marathon mojo was well and truly lost.
The reluctant training runs prior to the 10K’s of Almeria, Crawley and Brighton were exactly that, very reluctant . But with a half in Connemara on the horizon I had to take stock, and go one of two ways. Do a couple of pre-race plods and wing it.....or, devise a plan.
Having run for an hour last weekend, I cunningly consulted the diary, and reckoned on 6 weekends before the race, and that allowed me to add 15 minutes to the long run each week, culminating in a 2:15 run the week before. Step back’s were a luxury I could ill afford.
So, today was all set for 75 minutes. I swished back the curtains this morning to be greeted by pissing rain. Ok so it was forecast, and strangely this time I didn’t dive back under the duvet and seek solace in a toasty err....special friend. Nope. Up, breakfasted and raring to go in half an hour or so.
The Worth Way once again provided the route, only this time I had to double back for 10 minutes to obtain the distance/time the schedule demanded, puffing up to the door 82 non-stop minutes later.
Strange how increasing the distance brings back forgotten niggles though. I recall I used to get a dull groin ache on longer runs, and that returned today. Never anything to stop me, but a niggle non-the-less. And I should have cut my toe nails...
Set the Iplod on shuffle, and the first track to pop in was Don McLean’s Vincent. Undoubtedly a classic, but running music?? No, track du jour was Confidence Man by Jeff Healy. I just hope that’s not too much of an omen...
Great stuff, SP. It made me feel all nostalgic (and not just towards your own running )
As discussed before, you've got a decent underlying fitness and you just have to condition your legs to the pounding of the road, and you'll be OK. Not sure if I understood you right, but I hope you're planning on a couple of midweek shorter plods as well as the lengthening weekender?
I think Hal Higdon's rule was no more than 15% increase per week on the long run, so you should be OK.
Well done.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
|
|
|
01-03-2010, 11:10 AM,
(This post was last modified: 01-03-2010, 11:10 AM by Seafront Plodder.)
|
|
|
RE: Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
I'm currently doing 1 midweek run EG, on the dreaded treadmill. Probably not enough but don't want to appear too keen... 
|
|
|
08-03-2010, 01:42 PM,
(This post was last modified: 08-03-2010, 01:44 PM by Seafront Plodder.)
|
|
|
RE: Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
Long run step up was deferred due to time constraints this weekend, so hope I can do it tomorrow - 90 minutes.
Reckon I'm overdue a call up to the GB Davis Cup team after we failed abysmally against that giant tennis nation.....Lithuania.
But if 4 hours of tennis followed by 17k cycling up and down the Worth Way yesterday doesn't count as cross-training then I'd like to know what does. Stiff in many places today.
|
|
|
11-03-2010, 02:30 PM,
(This post was last modified: 11-03-2010, 02:33 PM by Seafront Plodder.)
|
|
|
RE: Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
My last weekend longee didn’t happen…….again.
Saturday was spent in an Indian restaurant kitchen watching experts conjure up Chicken Boona, Pilau rice with bombay aloo and nan before our eyes. We then had the opportunity create our own versions. Man there’s some spices going on there I’d never even heard of. Tasted yum though.
A marathon 4 hour tennis match on Sunday morning followed by a 17k bike ride left me unable to stand let alone run, but late yesterday afternoon I finally made it out there.
Preparation wasn’t perfect, as Tuesday evening saw me being frog-marched to the pub to take part in a local pool doubles competition. Many pints later I weaved home, only to wake yesterday with a thumping head. Nevertheless, taking advantage of Sweder’s enforced lay-off I nicked his garmin to measure the distance yesterday, but frankly was appalled to find that in 92 non-stop minutes I’d only covered 7.5 miles.
Now this is somewhat of a blow to my hopes of winning in Connemara as I reckon that puts my predicted finish time close to 3 hours, but hey ho.
I’m still on course to add 15 minutes to each week’s run, culminating in a 2:15 plod the week before we go, but finding any time to run for 1 hour 45 mins this coming weekend will prove impossible (again). Saturday I have golf followed by the flix to finally watch the much-lauded Foot Locker, while Sunday’s mummy’s Day followed by a tennis match.
So once again weekend long runs have become deferred midweekers, but I’m pleased I’m doing it. Yesterday was the longest I’ve run since competing in the Reading Half back in 2005.
Finished off last night watching a quite brilliant performance by Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart. Tis a thought-provoking yet satisfying film. Recommend it.
Onwards!
|
|
|
|
11-03-2010, 05:37 PM,
|
|
|
RE: Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
Cheers m'dear. I only recall one very steep section around 1:10, otherwise it seemed pretty flat. Unless I inadvertantly hooked onto a hot air balloon somewhere.
Thanks for doing that. 
|
|
|
11-03-2010, 05:43 PM,
(This post was last modified: 11-03-2010, 05:48 PM by Sweder.)
|
|
|
Sweder
Twittenista
|
Posts: 6,577
Threads: 420
Joined: Nov 2004
|
|
RE: Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
It's hardly Ben Nevis - max climb is 35 metres or so 
You'd be surprised - obviously - how much street circuits undulate, albeit very gently at times.
I remember running in the (dreadful, soul-less) Silverstone Half. The F1 race track looks fairly flat on telly but there were gert big hills on the thing. Good on you for getting out there again.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
|
|
|
|
Cancel (the) Connemara Kop-out
