Back to the slog

Well its that time of year where we ditch the spikes for the long sleve tops and leggings, of course im talking about good oul winter training. This year im determinded to get a good base to set me up for indoors/outdoors next year.
With the guidence of Sean this year and the training partners im hoping to get the milege higher and improve my strenght

My first week i just ran, i was joined a few times by UCD vice captain peter fitz. Runs with him are always enjoyable and was also joined by eoin dunne for one or two. Its always easier to have people to run with.

My week two didnt start great because I woke up monday dying with a cold one my first day back to college! fun times no doubt. So monday was sacraficed as a rest day.
Tuesday I draged myself out for a nice 7miles, We have a loop in tymon we normally do, we all meet up and run to the spawell loop and just loop back,its about 50mins give or take a few mins. Iv been watchless since my strap broke so im waitin for my new garmin to come on monday.
Wednesday I wasnt expecting a session but got the nod about 4pm off sean to do 2mins on 2mins off by 6 with a few miles warm up and cool down. The first one was a bit fast but then i just settled into a rythm but nevertheless it hurt like hell!
Thursday I was joined by Eoin Dunne for a nice relaxing few miles we even managed to show our faces down at the club to do some investigation!
Saturday session was such a tough one, Luckily I had company for this session with Brian Connelly. I was due to do 2x10min tempo with 2mins jog recovery. A session i was dreading. Brina was doin an 18min straight through session so i joined him for the first 10mins and then headed around for my second rep alone. My second rep I felt alot stronger. We decided to do this one in Kingswood park which iv never been to and I have to say it was perfect to do this session.
Sunday we are due to do 10miles (12 for brian) so were going to do a loop of our rathfarnham loop which is 10miles on the dot. If things keep up like this I fell ill be the sort of shape i should be in to hit some of the times I know I can do! Till next time :)

So I was really pumped about getting in a solid weeks trainin just so i can have a good shot at getting me a pb, unfortunatly work doesnt care much for my running and I was in work 10-5(but had to stay on till 6)
Mondays we have our delivrys so im lifting trays apon trays on beer all day with no break!! Still once I finished I was determinded to head out, Knowing a good run would set me up for the week. The second I got in I put my head down for a nap and BANG I woke up and it was half 9, I was shattered so already I had used my get out of jail card of one day off rest! Not good..

Tuesday I had the hole day Off work, which was perfect, Got my run in and it felt pretty easy, 6miles or so in tymon at about 5pm which was perfect!

Wednesday Sean had me doing 2x2,2x3,2x2 all off 90seconds. It was a nice day on the tallaght track, the times were a bit up and down. Sean had asked for the second half of this session to be pushed a bit so I took it easy on the first two 200m. But I took the first 300m a bit hard and therefor I paid for it on my last 200m.
The spilts were,31,31,44,43,30,29

Legs didnt feel great, but Ill take it, move on. Ill just run for the rest of the week and hit a session on saturday and 9-10miles sunday. Sean said saturdays session will be something fast. Im looking forward to whatever it is

Starting to find some form...

This has been a good week by my standards, a good few miles and SB by over seconds and a good session all in the bag!!

After a rest day on friday I was fresh and ready for my session on saturday, I was ment to have a pace maker but unfortunatly he is ending his season so he gave it a miss. The session went like this,

2mile warm up,stretches,drills,strides
600m-1.31
(5min recovery)
6x150 (75m easy/75m all out)
(250m jog easy recovery)
1mile cool down

I was happy with how this went, Id love another crack at it with a few lads but for now ill take it and move on,

Sunday had me running lonesome again as my milege buddy rob fitz ran early and as I work in a bar I get in from work at 4am so getting up in the morning for me is a hard, very hard chore. Anyway I was told to hit 80-90mins running, keeping in mind I havent ran over 50mins nearly all summer I underestimated how hard this was going to be, After 5miles I was fucked!! Running on your own is very hard.. I had to cut this run short to 9miles, still the longest single run iv done all year and a wake up call for what will be coming this winter under the new coach!! I was probly a bit exicted after I watched Ciara Mageen fantastic run in the World Juniors in Canada.

One of my good friends Rose-anne Galligan is a big rival for Ciara's, Ciara still has the edge of head to heads but Rose-anne won the latest head to head at the nationals in santry, Its great to see Womans Middle distance in the country be at such a high level. I better get my ass in shape if im ever going to challenge Rose-anne..

Got the ball rolling

Monday
Well after the leagues on sunday I took a day off, more the fact that I had work and was wrecked.

Tuesday
I got in 6miles with Rob Fitz and then did 2x150 strides

Wednesday
RACE
2mile w/up
2.06 ( seasons best )
1mile c/down

Thursday
6miles at a nice clip averaging around 7min to 7.15 pace with rob fitz

Friday
Rest day

Ok so the race on wednesday was a bit of a breakthrough for me this year, After getting injured it took me a few weeks to get back the fitness I had lost through injury, Lately I have felt able to run a pb but it just hasnt happened. So I was delighted to finally run a decent time, but I was disapointed that I didnt run tactically well, I should have gone through 400m faster as I left myself alot to do on the second lap. It was a race I should have got a pb from.

I was due to go to watch the Europeans in Barcalona but I cancelled it due to work so I might get another shot at getting a pb by the end of the year!!

Hard week number 2

Well last week went pretty well. After racing for 2 weekends in a row it was nice just to get some good training in and watch a race. We went out early sunday morning and watched the Gerry Farnham race which was pretty good. Good races but the tallaght lads will come good when it counts im sure. We are slowly but surely turning heads in the team battle. Anyways this next week is pretty solid hitting high enough milege with three sessions, hills, tempo and munichs with a long run. Ill be joining up with pete fitz on tuesday for some hills. Tempo will prob be on my own and munich then with the group(pete,luke,fitzer)
My next race isnt till the intermediates but I might run the dublin seniors if im needed but thats not very likely but iv time to get some training down.
Here is the plan for the weeks training:

Monday-
12miles and core
Tuesday-
Morning run
Helfire hills
Wednesday-
12miles and core
Thursday-
Morning run
Tempo 3x7mins
Friday-
Rest
Saturday-
Munichs
Sunday-
Long run

Things so far are going good. Im feeling good in sessions and im starting doing tempos. The hills this week will be increased from 5 to 7 so that will be interesting to see if I can stay up with peter for most of them. Our team mate luke has been on the shelf this week after he got some blood tests, hopefully we will have him back for some runs and fingers crossed he gets good news for the tests.
Anyways ill edit in my trainin after iv completed it. So till then.. Enjoy

Im back, welcome to cross country

Ok im back, sorry for not updating this over thee summer but I did update a blog on boards.ie and that was fun. But im coming back to this page because its a lil more private and its a better way to keep track. Speaking off track.. My track season in the summer went quite well in the end although I wasnt happy with it I was happy to re-write a few of my pbs.
One of the biggest runs was my mile race were I ran 4.42 this just came as a suprise I wasnt really expecting much. I also ran 2.05 for the second time in my life aswel with a good 2years inbetween the two times I ran that. And I ran it in the national seniors in the heats. I was happy enough even tho I totally gave up after 700m. Ill put the video up with this post.
Now that im back into full swing of things, im back 10weeks and iv put in some solid training up untill now. And hoping to keep it up now till the indoors. This winter my milege has gone higher then ever before well into the 60s and 70s, and the weeks of races it is still in the 50s which is mad to think i never ran 50miles before this winter. Im trainin 6days days a week. Normally I double tuesday and thursday with 3sessions a week and a long run. Iv been doing the sessions with the lads from my club like peter fitzsimons(13th dublin novice) Jeetun(2nd in last years dublin novice) Luke coleman(16.40 5k runner) Sean fitzpatrick(young runner 4.48 last year) And I run most of my miles with Eoin Dunne(8.38 3k) Tracey Williams(european u23,junior cross country member) and some of the younger crowd in my club now that this year im dipping my hand into coaching. With my main training partner from the last time I was here leaving for america i still have a good group of people to run with. Ok so a lil bit of my training:
Week 1
Day 1 - Rest(back from athlone)
Day 2 - 30mins + drills & strides
Day 3 - 30mins + Core
Day 4 - 30mins(steady)
Day 5 - Rest(athlone)
Day 6 - Rest(athlone)
Day 7 - Rest(athlone)
Weekly milege = 12
Average Weight =
Total Milege = 12
Week 2
Day 1 - 40mins + Core, sit ups, medicine ball
Day 2 - 40mins + drills
Day 3 - 40mins + Core, sit ups
Day 4 - 40mins* + drills &strides(2x200m 33sec)*
Day 5 - Rest
Day 6 - 40mins(not great)
Day 7 - 40mins(park route)
Weekly milege = 36
Average weigth = 68kgs
Total Milege = 48
Week 3
Day 1 - 50mins + Core, Sit ups, Medicine Ball, Push ups
Day 2 - 40mins + drills & 2x200m in 32,33 with 1min recovery, 2laps cool down Day 3 - 50mins
Day 4 - 40mins + drills & 4x150 with 50m jog rec, 2 laps c/down
Day 5 - Off
Day 6 - 40mins steady
Day 7 - 50mins
Weekly Milege = 42miles
Average Weight = 68kgs
Total Milege = 78
Week 4
Day 1 - 60mins(9miles)+ Circuits
Day 2 - 50mins(7.5)+2x200
Day 3 - 60mins(9miles)+ Circuits
Day 4 - 50mins(7.5)
Day 5 - Off
Day 6 - 45mins(7)
Day 7 - 55mins(8.5)
Weekly Milege = 48.5miles
Average Weight = 68kgs
Total Milege = 126.5

That was my first few weeks, and here is my last 3weeks of training:
Week 6
Day 1 - 70mins(10)
Day 2 - 10min w/up, 3x5x400m(track)Avg 74s,1min rest between,3mins sets,10min c/down
Day 3 - 70mins(10)
Day 4 - Am:30mins
PM:10min w/up, 5x1k(3.30,3.23,3.20,3.14,3.07) 10min c/down
Day 5 - 40mins(6)
Day 6 - 1hr 45min run, 16mile run with luke,peter and jeetun! Hardest run of my life!
Day 7 - 15mins w/up, 4xMunich loop, 15minsc/down
Weekly milege
Week 7
Day 1 - 50mins(7.5) + core
Day 2 - Am:30mins
PM:15mins w/up, 5x2min helfire hills,15mins c/down
Day 3 - 50mins(7.5) + core
Day 4 - AM:30mins
PM:15mins w/up, 3x1k off 1.40sec(3.20,3.21,3.23),15mins c/down
Day 5 - Rest
Day 6 - 35mins(4miles)
Day 7 - RACE(17.45 5k)
Week 8
Day 1 - 50mins(7.5) and core
Day 2 - 15mins w/up, 5x2min helfire hills, 15mins c/down
Day 3 - 50mins(7.5) and core
Day 4 - 10mins w/up, drills, Strides, 3xmile(5.41,5.44,5.35)400m jog rec,10min c/dwn Day 5 - Rest
Day 6 - 45mins(6)
Day 7 - RACE Dublin Novice 6k 15min w/up, RACE, 10mins c/down
So this weeks im getting my milege up to the 70s if possible and 3sessions, helfire hills, mile reps in tymon, and munichs with a long run sunday. Im just going to train away and not race for awhile. I have alot more training to be doing till I can compete at cross country again. Last weekend was a bit of a shock to the system. This week so far has gone like this:
Week 9
Day 1 - 50mins+strides(8.5) and Core
Day 2 - Am:30mins
PM:25mins w/up, 5x2min helfire hills, 25min c/down
Day 3 - 70mins, 4x200m strides, 200m jog rec, total time running 80mins and Core(12)
Day 4 - AM:30mins
PM:3miles, 5mins on (2.30 off),
4mins on(2mins off),
3mins on(1.30 off),
2mins on(1min off),
1min on
3miles cool down
Day 5 - Rest
Day 6 - 3mile w/up, 4x1200m tymon loop, off 2min recovery, 3mile c/down
Average time: 3.56,
Times: 3.55,3.37,3.56,3.52
Day 7 - 90mins(14) with fitzer in the pheonix park
Weekly milege= 65miles

Time to rock n rolla

Well im back, sorry for the delay. I have been injured ever since the Mile in the graded, i got pushed and twisted my ankle. It was hard to take considerin i had 500m left and i was on for a sub 4.40 mile for sure. I know im fit its just whether or not i can get over this ankle thing before all the good races go by.
It didnt help that last tuesday one of my friends hurt my ankle even worse playing football.. Its still a lil brusied so im taking things slow. But im positive im nearly in the clear.

I attempted the Graded 800m last wednesday, to no afail. Dropping off after 400m. Im not too worried about that, i know i am in PB shape for sure its just finding the race and time to do it..
After the mile in the graded i took a few days off, it worked out well because i was down in athlone helping the Community games. Since then tho i have been back running, iv done one session since then and this was the reason why i tried the 800m, The Tallaght Track is no finished so i had to do a session on it.

I was joined by Sean Fitz and we did 10x400 with every 3rd one in 64 and the rest in 70 and the rest was 2mins. It was grand, felt good.
Since then i have just ran,

1st of June - Monday
40mins with anto,4x200m strides

3rd of june - Wednesday
Graded 800m(went through in 61)

4th of june - Thursday
40mins with Sean Fitz, 4x200m(27s)

5th of june - Friday
40mins with anto and peter fitz

7th of June - Sunday
50mins with anto

So last week wasnt a great week by all means.. I havent had any pain in my ankle this week so im going to train hard on it this week to test it. I havent lost too much fitness just need to get a few miles under me first. The Leagues are this Sunday down in antrim, if im not needed im goin to guest in the 800m or 1500m maybe both im not sure. So Then this week im goin to hit high enough milege, get a few doubles in and iv a session tuesday. Depending on how that goes ill see what event ill run on Sunday. So this week started nicely, I decided to do a double Mon,tues,wed,thur. On monday i did

8th of June - Monday
9am - 40mins
6pm - 20mins, Cricuits, 20mins
(12miles)

9th of June - Tuesday
15mins warm up, 4x400(61,63,64,63) 4x300(46,44,44), 2x200(28,27), 10mins cool down

10 of June - Wednesday -
9am - 45mins(6miles)
6pm - 30mins(4miles), Hurdle practise

11th of June - Thursday
10min warm up, 8x100m hurdle practise, 5min cool down

12th of June - Friday
40mins steady around Tallaght Village

13th of June - Saturday
30mins steady around the running club and village

14th of June - Sunday(National Leagues Rd.1) antrim
Finally the National leagues, i really love doing these events as its the only time of the year were the hole club compete with each other. This year we feel if we get all our top runners back and fit we could have a shot of Promotion this year.
Our first Step was round 1 up in antrim, we had a decent enough group a few northern teams, sligo, sli cluann, olympian Youth.
The trip up was a bit of a long one but all the same enoyable. The first track event of the day was Sean Morris in the 110m hurdles, Moe finished 4th in that and got us off to a decent start. We Knew our field events were going to be our downfall but Sherife pulled a big throw out of the bag to get a 2nd place. I was next up in the 400m hurdles, i ended up in 5th after nearly falling coming into the final 100m(thanks to a certain Clonlife girl) and i finished in 68 which was around what i wanted but im sure i can run quicker for the next round if im picked.
Our 4x100m team was very strong but they hadnt done any baton changes yet, and somehow we managed to get to the last leg in the lead but we were just caught at the end and finished 3rd. A bit more practise and we can win that for sure. Up next was Thomas fitz who only the day before ran a huge personal best to run 3.51. Tom like a few others made it back in time to help us out, and that he did winning the race in 3.57 winning not only our group but the premier Divison. Nicely done! Ciaran ran a strong race in the 400m and finished 2nd with a PB 52.06. The steeple chase was our next track event and again i stepped into that. Knowing that there was 4 in my divison i just jogged it and got around, although i found it tough i ended up with a time of 11.55, not happy but i finished which is saying something. 200m was up next and Bolger was in this, coming down a distance for this one and ran a solid opener with 4th. Our day got even better when anto leighio who the day before ran a pb 1.51.8 won our divisons 800m in 1.57 and sean then ran a smart race to win the 5k. The last event of the day was the 4x400m relay, with us missing our top sprinter National Junior record holder brian gregan we managed to send out a every strong team. Bolger ran the first leg and passed the baton in first with a split of 51.9 to ciaran mackey(52.0) Jk was next as he was the replacement for grego ran a solid leg for him after his first race in alomost a year handed the baton onto Anto in 2nd but anto having the 800m the day before and today in his legs cudnt catch 1st and we finished 2nd.
Our points tally for the day was 91 and that got us 4th in our pool. Knowing we can do better in some field events and a more baton practise in between now and the next round we have one foot in the door to making the final in Tullamore on the 8th of August