Week 10 - Last Week of Training

So, after nearly 3 months of training - we're at the final stretch for Dundalk 10k & Half Marathon race. This week has been a pretty light week in terms of training for me and hopefully everything over the past few months will see me through come Wednesday evening.

Here's a rundown of this week's training.

Monday - 3 Miles
Wednesday - 3 Miles

If I've learned anything doing this training, it's that your training plans don't always make their way from paper to the road. I'd planned one long run over the last two weeks that didn't happen, mainly due to work, college and real life getting in the way.

Monday was a nice casual three miles, nothing major to report - I was just looking to keep things ticking over without doing anything new. Wednesday, I was planning something a little longer, but that didn't happen at all as I only had enough time for 30 minutes which wasn't ideal but better than nothing.

I've a new found respect for everyone who has been training for the race - there are a lot of sacrifices that have been made, irregardless of the level you're at. When I used to see people out road running in all weathers, I thought they were a little bit crazy, after training for a few months - I can confirm that Yes, they actually are crazy - but it's the satisfaction in the discipline of training that keeps them going.

On Sunday, I picked up the race pack for the day, which included details on the race, a timing chip and a nice bright running t-shirt which will come in handy when running at night. Fair play to all the organisers and helpers - it was a very smooth process and will make things a lot easier on race day.

With this being my first half-marathon and first race of a notable distance, there are a few things I'm keeping an eye on. My overall goal at the start of training was to finish the race, I'm pretty sure I'll be OK with that one - but you never know on the day what could happen so I'll be doing a couple of things to prepare myself. Overall I'm trying to keep things as close to what I was doing in training as possible, so trying anything new is out the window. First of all, with the great weather we're having - making sure I'm well hydrated in the build up to Wednesday and to take on some water during the race. Another important thing is to make sure I'm sticking to the race plan, which is to keep running at a comfortable pace up to ten miles and then see how I feel for picking up the pace - but I'm not concerned about getting a fast time, there will always be someone quicker and probably someone slower than me - my race is with myself and I'm just hoping to cross the line with a smile - see you Wednesday!

Entry 9 - Tuesday 26th April 2011

The weeks are flying by at this stage, and with less than 10 days left until the race, I'm feeling in pretty good shape. This week wasn't too bad but slight strain picked up midweek meant I didn't get a good long run completed. Here's a rundown of this week's training:

Monday - 3 Miles
Wednesday - 5 Miles
Saturday - 3 Miles

I was planning this week to get a nice long run on Wednesday.There were a couple of reasons for this, firstly to get used to running a longer distance mid week and also to see what it was like running for that length of time in the evening. With that in mind, Monday was a nice casual three miles - with nothing major to note, I have been feeling a slight strain in my left ankle after about 20 minutes for the last few outings - but nothing that I couldn't handle.

On to Wednesday, which I was hoping would be a dry run in terms of the actual race. I was aiming for anything around 10-12 miles so set off at a nice steady pace. After about 30 minutes I was getting that pain again in my ankle. It's nothing too sore that would stop you from running, just a little uncomfortable. I decided to keep going and see if it would disappear - which has happened before, but if anything it got worse. I made a quick change to the route and looped back home. More prevention than anything, which was a bit of a downer considering I'd been building up to this session all week. I took the spare time to work on stretching and good warm down.

I've been busy most of the last few weeks with finishing a part-time masters, and quite enjoying a break from the books every now and then with a run. Saturday was a nice day for that as I was getting nowhere with writing part of my dissertation and just decided to go for a run to clear my head a bit. After Wednesday I was a little more cautious but got through the three miles in good shape with no pain.

I've been finding it a bit harder recently to make time for training, and have this niggling feeling in the back of my head that I could be doing more, I guess most people training for the race would always find a bit more comfort in extra training. I'm not going to worry too much about it though. The plan until race day is to take it a little easier and taper off in terms of total miles. I'd still like to get one more long run maybe this week - but I'll not be too worried if it doesn't happen.

Entry 8 - Tuesday 19th April 2011

This week week has been pretty good, I was due to run a few miles shorter and found it a lot less tiring than previous weeks. With the race day down around two weeks - I'm feeling in pretty good shape. The sun was out for the majority of my training which presented some new challenges. Here's a rundown of this weeks training:

Monday - 3 Miles
Thursday - 5 Miles
Sunday - 5 Miles

For some reason I was raring to go on Monday, it's been a while where I've felt that way and this was a good solid if not spectacular run. There always seems to be more people out running on a Monday than any other day, I'm not sure why that is - but I definitely felt that it was a great way to start the week and means I don't have to cram runs into the end of the week.

Thursday was just a case of putting the head down and going through the run. I didn't particularly feel like running but keep going anyway. This is where the music comes in handy, as it takes your mind off things and helps relax.

I made a few mistakes on Sunday, the first one was a very short warm-up - just a few basic stretches and a light jog before starting off. This meant I wasn't fully ready for the run. The other big mistake - was running out in the sun with no sun-cream or enough water beforehand. About 20 minutes in I was in a bad shape, my head was pounding and the heat was killing me. You'd think I'd have learned something by now? Anyway I took a slight detour where the road was shaded with tree's and cut back home so I wasn't out for too long.

Over the last two months, I've learned a good bit about what I can and can't do and although I won't be setting any records (just casually lowering your expectations, readers) - I should be in a good enough position to at least finish, which was my initial goal. If the sun shines as brightly as it did over the weekend, I'll definitely have to run a little slower - so it's good that I learned that this week.

The plan for the next two weeks, is to keep up the frequency of training and just do one more longish run of around 12 miles. The closer to race day, I'll be taking it a good bit easier - I'm looking forward to that bit!

Entry 7 - Tuesday 12th April 2011

21 days to go! With less than a month left, this week was a good week even if it didn't go exactly to plan. Here's a rundown of each run. [Editors note: Nice pun Barry!]

Monday - 4 miles
Thursday - 5 miles
Saturday - 5 miles

I was keen to get out on Monday and start the week on a good footing. I was a little short on time, so set out for a four mile lap around Haggardstown. This is a very familiar route now but never seems to get any easier. Midway through there's a hill which I swear seems to get steeper each time.

Thursday was the same route as Monday but with a slight detour to extend it out a bit. I definitely felt the extra mile even if it's a distance I've handled pretty well in previous weeks. One thing I noticed out on Thursday was the amount of other people out running, almost everytime I'm out now I'll meet other runners, which is great to see.

Saturday was an absolute gorgeous day. It's been a while since we've had weather that good and I'd forgotten what it was like to run in warmer weather which was a big mistake. I was really struggling with only a few minutes into this. If I'm honest this was probably the least enjoyable run I've had so far. The hotter weather made it very difficult to breath and even though the distance was not huge, I found it very tough to make it through the full route. I made the big mistake of not being fully prepared and going out around 1pm when the sun is at it's hottest, rookie mistake and I'll know that for again!

I'd planned on a long run on Sunday but that didn't happen, probably due to the experience of the previous run. I'll aim to get it right for next week, probably looking at ensuring I've drank enough water if the good weather keeps up. I read somewhere that you can't out-train a bad diet - so I'm making a concerted effort to keep on track over the next three weeks until race day.

There are only a few more weeks left until the big day, so I'm trying to make sure I get every session in during that time. Before this week I was happy enough that I'd be able to finish but who knows what could happen on the day - if Saturday was anything to go by, I could just find it a real struggle. Hopefully I've picked up enough experience of running over the last few months to get me through.

Entry 6 - Tuesday 5th April 2011

29 days to go! For the most part, this week was a return to normal training. The hangover from the cold was still holding me back a little, but I managed to squeeze in enough running that it wasn't a total lost cause. Here's a rundown of a shortened week of training:

Wednesday - 2 miles (very easy)
Friday - 4 miles
Sunday - 3 miles

Looking back over my original training plan, I should be around 15-20 miles for this week. If there's one thing I've learned so far is that the miles on paper don't always translate to miles in the legs. I don't think I can be too hard on myself though as I've had a few small setbacks since I've started.

On Wednesday, I had a chance to help out Brianán Mc Bride on her world-wind promotional tour for the Dundalk Half Marathon. This involved a radio interview with Dundalk FM - to have a chat on how the training was going and to give a novice perspective on the race. It was a lot of fun and helped me focus a little more on the next few weeks to ensure I've enough training done.

On Wednesday afternoon, I went out for the first run in about 10 days and found it tough going, previously I'd been running every 2-3 days so it took a while to get back into the swing of things. Even though the distance was short and the pace was easy, I was happy just to get back running - something I'd never thought I'd hear myself say.

Friday was another shortish run and this time it felt a lot easier than Wednesday. This was just a short loop around Haggardstown and back. On Sunday I was beginning to feel a little sore but got out for 3 miles. Ideally Sunday should have been a long run but I was finding it tough to keep going, so a shorter run was better than no run.

So, with around four weeks to go - I'm looking to put in some real quality sessions with a view to getting three good runs building up to a nice long run of around 11-12 miles at the weekend. I don't want to try and force too much running into the last four weeks but focus on getting quality over quantity. So with the race in sight, I'm going to try and clean up the diet a little and cut out any rubbish over the next month which will be easier said than done, but we'll see how it goes!

Entry 5 - Tuesday 29th March 2011

This week has been pretty frustrating with no running at all as I've been sidelined with the cold. It's a bit disappointing but I suppose it's better to have it over with now rather than closer to the race and the extended rest will hopefully get me over the niggles I've been having.

Without any training to write about, I thought I'd talk a bit this week on motivation to run and some of the things that keep me going when I'm struggling.

There are three things that come in really handy for me, first up is my GPS watch - this tracks the distance, speed and pace I'm currently running and really helps measure each run. It can also hook up with a Heart Rate Monitor to show how hard (or not!) your heart is working. I find this can be a bit of a hindrance most times and prefer to focus on just the distance and current pace outputs. These watches can be pretty pricey - the model I have was over €200, although similar results can be achieved with knowing the distance of your run and stopwatch but I'm a sucker for gadgets. What gets measured gets done!

The second thing that I find helps is music. I usually only listen to my MP3 player on longer runs, and it's a mix between podcasts and upbeat music. There are some special running albums like Ministry of Sounds 'Running Trax' which have mixes that also include warm-up and warm-downs. If you're struggling and one of your favorite songs comes on - it can definitely help to keep you going!

The last thing, and this is probably the most important - it's your own motivation. When I first started running last year, someone told me that running was mainly in your head and a psychological battle. I thought this was complete rubbish as it was most definitely a physical battle I was fighting with the soreness and pain of not being able to run very far. As I've passed each small milestone like running for more than 60 seconds, more than 5km, more than two hours - it's your own motivation and confidence that keep you going. I've found that your body and head are telling you to get back to bed, and wondering what the hell you're at - but once you've convinced them to keep going - running becomes much more enjoyable and rewarding.

There are a couple of small quotes, sayings and advice that can help keep you inspired - here is one which always makes me smile.

"Every morning in Africa, a Gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest Lion or it will be killed. Every morning a Lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest Gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a Lion or a Gazelle... when the sun comes up, you'd better be running!"

Entry 4 - Tuesday 22nd March 2011

Back to normal this week, with some great weather and new routes to run, I managed to get out 3 times as well as add in a nice long run at the end of the week. Here's a rundown of each run:

Monday 3 Miles
Saturday 2 Miles
Sunday 9 Miles

The week started off well with a good paced three miles through Blackrock. The weather was great with a nice breeze and it was good to see lots of other runners out as well. Someone told me that the etiquette when meeting another runner is to up the speed a little and make it look like you're not suffering in any way at all. This would be OK if I wasn't meeting other runners every two minutes, so I ended up switching from effortlessly gliding along with a big smile to gasping and grimacing in pain.

On the days in between runs, I've been trying to keep stretching to stay injury free. I'd like to be able to add in an extra run each week but don't think that's possible just yet. Wednesday was a bit of a lost cause because I just couldn't find the energy to get out, making lots of excuses to try and put it off. Finally I went out for a slow few miles but couldn't wait to get back home.

Over the last few weeks, I've steadily built up the number of miles each week as well as the distance in a single run. Last week I ran around 8 miles, and was keen to add another mile onto that. The thought of having to run the distance in one go is a bit daunting, and I don't think it will ever get easy. It's not just the distance, but also the amount of time - there's not really much to think about when you're out running which can be a blessing and a hinderance. To relieve the boredom a little, I usually listen to some music or radio but this can be tricky enough when running on roads because you have to be aware of traffic.

Going into Saturday, I've had some foot pain, just a small niggle - but it can start to get annoying when you're running for 2 hours with a small niggle. Out of all the longer runs I've had, this was probably the most enjoyable as I've become more used to running for longer so know what to expect. I ended up taking in most of Haggardstown and Blackrock, which are nice areas to run in. Afterwards, a well deserved soak on the bath helped sort out most of the soreness. With a longish run like that, it might be another few days before I can run again without any discomfort, but I'm looking forward to it already.

Entry 3 - Tuesday 15th March 2011

After a slower week last week, it was good to get back in the swing of things with some steady running. This week started out slowly but built up to a great run on Sunday.

Monday 3 Miles
Saturday 2 Miles
Sunday 8 Miles

I was a little cautious on Monday's run, having eased off last week while my ankle was acting up. Thankfully the stretching last week has helped and a nice easy three Miles got me back in action. The most important thing on this run was just to keep the pace nice and easy.

I knew coming into this week that I was going to be fairly tied up midweek with no option to get out running, so I took the opportunity to continue stretching & strengthening exercises. This is just a case of spending 15 minutes twice a day going through some exercises to improve flexibility and build up confidence on my weaker ankle.

It might seem that I'm being overly cautious, but I'm aware that I don't have a massive amount of prior fitness to call upon. To give you an example, most active adults who play GAA or soccer regularly will find the transition to running easy enough as they should have a good level of fitness already. Contrast this to myself, and well - it's a very different story!

I was planning to go for a longer run on Saturday, until I remembered that the rugby was on, so instead I cut back to just a short two miles before settled in to watch the game. Maybe I should have kept running!

On Sunday I wanted to get out and put in a nice long run. I didn't have any particular route in mind and have become a little bored running short laps, so just went outside the house, turned right and kept running. I ended up going through most of Haggardstown, coming out towards the traffic lights, and back home on the Dublin road. It was a good run, with thankfully no real pain.

I'm beginning to get used to longer runs now, even though the pace isn't going to set any records - I feel I'm comfortable enough running at a slow steady pace. I had a chat with Robert at Felda before starting out and he gave me some great advice on keeping hydrated and trying to figure out what works best for me.

It's one of those things I'd never even considered, for the half-marathon I'll be running for over 2 hours and would need to keep my energy topped up. Under that advice I've been sipping water around 40 minutes, a glucose drink 20 minutes later, and this week I tested out an energy gel as well. These are small palm sized packets, where you rip open the top and suck out the contents. I felt a bit odd doing this while running, but did see an improvement after taking it as I felt more refreshed finishing the run than I have been in the past. I'm not sure if they'll become a regular fixture but with around 50 days to go, I've enough time to test out a few options to see what works.

Entry 2 - Tuesday 8th March 2011

This week has been a mixed bag in terms of training, one which started out great but ended having to skip the weekend run in favour of stretching due to a sore ankle.

Monday 5 Miles
Wednesday 3 Miles
Friday Stretching (lots of it)

The plan this week was to put in two runs early on and a 6 miler at the weekend. My plan involves alternating longer runs every second week of at least 8 miles with shorter 'long' runs of around 6 miles.

I eased into the start of the week with a good paced 5 miles on a lovely sunny Monday morning. It's the kind of weather where there's a nice breeze and it makes running really enjoyable, doesn't always make it easier though. Afterwards I cooled down in the gym with 15 minutes cycling followed by plenty of stretching. Having run my longest run the previous week of 9 miles - I've been feeling slightly stiff before and after runs on my right ankle.

Stretch, stretch, stretch!

Wednesday was another lovely morning, and this time a shorter run of 3 miles was in order. The stiffness and soreness experienced on Monday was still there even after a good warm down and stretch afterwards. Stretching is one of those things I've never really bothered with until recently, my 'warm-up' usually involved throwing odd shapes (Editors note: see picture above) followed by bizarre lunges and hopping about - well that's what one onlooker described it as before sitting me down to show me how to do them properly - possibly out of pity or embarrassment or both, I'm not sure.

Training smarter...

Being relatively new to running, one of the downsides is that there is a greater risk of injury due to increasing the running workload where your body is not used to it, and mine definitely isn't. Armed with a better stretching technique and a greater understanding of what part of my body is taking impact and how to lessen the chance of injury, I decided to skip the third run of the week in favour of a full stretching session. There was also the lure of pizza and a night out at the cinema which also helped convince me I was better off resting up!

The pain I've been having is a re-occurrence of damaged foot ligaments from almost two years ago and comes back occasionally in the form of a dull pain. Some stretching exercises I got from the physio have helped keep it under control and I know better than to keep running on it until it's sorted itself out, so I'm not too disappointed to miss a training session and I'm already looking forward to getting back into the swing of things next week.

Entry 1 - Wednesday 2nd March 2011

This week marked the official launch of the Dundalk Half Marathon which gave me a timely reminder that the event is less than ten weeks away. I managed to make it out for three runs this week, progressing up towards a tough long run on Saturday, but it wasn't easy.

Monday 3 Miles
Wednesday 5 Miles
Saturday 9 Miles

As a 28 year old with a ten year absence of regular exercise, each time I'm out running usually involves learning something new - whether that be something mental or physical. This week I've found it slightly harder to motivate myself to get out and run. To give you a quick example; when running alone, there is no-one to help drive you on or motivate you to keep going, and similarly there is no-one to disapprove if you cut a session short, so it's basically down to yourself. I tried to overcome this by thinking that putting the miles in now will make it more easier come race day. Well that's the what I kept saying to myself anyway.

Monday's run was a relatively easy 3 miles, I'd run the same distance the previous two days with one of them being RTÉs Operation Transformation 5k in Phoenix Park. Running in a large race with over 3,500 entrants left me on a buzz and looking forward to the Dundalk Half Marathon in May.

Wednesday involved another run, this time up to five miles, and it definitely felt tougher than I imagined but I felt great coming to the end of it - I'm sure that's a sign that I'm getting fitter, isn't it? Afterwards I met up with the race organisers & supporters, along with running legend Catherina McKiernan to officially launch the race in the town square. With two distances available; both Half-Marathon and 10k, there is something for newcomers and existing runners to choose from.

I mentioned earlier that each outing involves learning something new, and on Saturday I found out that the answer to Wednesday's question is definitely not that I'm getting fitter! This was the main run of the week and my planned route involved six laps of a familiar local route on the Dublin road. My training is based on running a long slow run each week, and on Saturday the target was nine miles. The logic behind running a slow run is that by running at a pace of around 2-3 minutes per mile slower than normal it helps build up physical endurance as well as help you mentally prepare for increased distance. This was best explained to me as laying down building blocks for running longer distances at a sustained pace. I'll try not to disagree with that, but it's definitely a lot tougher than the shorter distances earlier in the week judging by the pain my legs are in.

Luckily I've stumbled across a great recovery method, one which involves lots of stretching - mainly across a couch in front of the TV with a cup of tea and chocolate biscuits. It's been working so well that I spent most of Sunday doing it!

Next week, I'm hoping to keep the pace going and adding in some gym sessions as well, stay tuned

We've got a new blogger for 2011 - Here's a little bit of info about Barry Hand

Hi Barry, First of all welcome to the team!... Can you gives us a quick outline of your Training or race history, if any?

After a gap of at least 10 years I only started doing any kind of regular exercise last year, since then I've entered one or two short road races which has spurred me on to run longer distances.

What has motivated you to enter our race?

There was a great buzz around the town leading up to last years event and watching from the sidelines motivated me to enter this year. I'm getting married in June and always promised myself I'd get fit and run a proper race before then, time's running out and I've no more excuses!

What are is your goal? Is it a quick time, completion or something else!!?

Right now it's completing the race in one piece, I'm sure closer to the day I'll be looking for a quick time but overall of all I'd say it's the prospect of testing myself by doing something I never thought possible.

What advice would you offer beginners? How did you start?

I only started running last year, and couldn't run around the house let alone around Dundalk! I started out run-walking, so running a short distance then walking and slowly building it up to more running, less walking. My advice to beginners would be to just get out there and give it a go, Dundalk is a brilliant location for running with loads of scenic routes, running clubs and great sports facilities.

Can anyone do it?

If I can do it, anyone can. I couldn't run more than ten seconds this time last year and have built that up to nearly two hours now.

How do you motivate yourself to train during the week?

I know that the effort put in now will make it more enjoyable come race day and I always feel good after a run so I try to stay positive and remember that it's never as tough as I think it's going to be.

Lastly, how often do you train and are you working off a program?

Right now, I'm running at least three times a week, which is two shorter runs of around 30 minutes each and a longer slow run at the weekends. Robert at Felda has helped me create a plan which includes core and strength training to put some focus on getting the best training that works for me.