ethicalrunner

running firenze 2010

National Half Marathon & Week 4/16 Florence Training

Lesson one I learned this week is that when a coach says its going to be a fun week, it maybe best not to take that too literally. I started the week with a total workout fail – the workout was a series of 8 continuous cycles of short 3k pace / marathon pace intervals – i ended up having to take recovery after 4 of them before finishing the session. I came away from a little gutted that I didn’t have the strength to just work through it – no excuses (and no fun) at all. 

 The rest of the week was pretty much easy running with a few strides thrown in ahead of the National Half Marathon on Sunday.  As my first national half marathon I didn’t really know what to expect from it. I had been through the results from the last two years and it had been won in 2009 in 65’ and in 2008 in 67’ - with runners at my pace coming in and around the 70th  – 80th place, so it was going to be a step up from previous half’s that I’d done with more club runners and fewer fun runners.  The race was hosted by St. Abbans in Carlow  - about 20 or so minutes drive away – so all very convenient and hassle free to get to. A quickly assembled start with a minutes silence for somebody recently deceased, and bang we were off.

I set off with no "must get" time goal - the plan of action was to run the first 15k steady at around marathon pace and then pick it up from there to the finish and see where that got me. The course was a tough two lapper, the elevation was all rises and falls without any significant flat sections and sections of it were buffeted by some nasty winds.  I ran with a club mate, Jimmy who was doing his first half marathon. Keeping our pace in check to the plan it basically felt like we were freewheeling for the entire first lap and our halfway time was called at 40:50;   Jimmy picked up the pace during this 3rd fast downhill 5k split and I lost about 30 yards on him. After we passed the 5k mark as we approached the bottom of the downhills and turned up the hill and into the wind -  i was able to pick it up a bit and finish ok.  In the second lap we passed loads of runners who were fading - it felt great to finish strongly and not have that holding on feeling – my split for  a slightly tougher second half was 39:35. Over all my 5k splits were  19:05   / 19:36 / 18:48 / 18:32 + 4:25 for the last bit

So the second lesson wot i learned this week was that patience plays a major part in pacing longer races  and it’s important to relax and have the focus and strength not to get caught up in racing too early.

Monday 30th: rest

6:34pm Tuesday 31st:  78' Steady /  16.54k / 4:40 pace

6:44am Wednesday 1st: 75' Steady / 16k / - no garmin 

6:41pm Thursday 2nd  62' Steady inc. 8 X Strides  / 13.70km / no garmin

7:05am Friday 3rd;  62' Steady / 12.46k / 4:46

7:31am Saturday 4th: 52:55 ' steady (not including 10 X Strides as per plan)  / 12.19km / 4:44 pace

9:14am Sunday 5th: 80’25” / 21.1K / 3:48
 
Week totals : 6hr17m / 84.63k  / 4'28" Average Pace

Florence Marathon - week 3/ 16.

I went into this week feeling pretty good about my running, all this easy - steady mileage is enjoyable, I seem to have dropped my holiday weight and  and i get such a buzz from getting up and running in the mornings before work.  This week was a 6 day week again and it pretty much all blends into one big easy-steady run - with very little difference between them.   I thought i was going to break the 70mile mark for the first time ever this week - and was a gutted on sunday night when i uploaded my garmin to ascent to realise i had missed it by less than half a mile. This was especially so since i had skipped strides on the saturday as i was suffering from a slight hangover and couldn't face them.

Looking back on my training log from last yeat, it was a year today that i got the calf tear that ruled me out of the dublin marathon. This time last year i was running less than I am now - maybe 60 - 65 per week and yet because i hadn't built slowly and methodically I couldn't sustain it without injury. Now i feel much more capable of running more miles and without it stressing the system too much.  So as long as i can keep this progress going - all the better.

Monday 23rd : rest 

7:13am Tuesday 24th:  78' Steady /  16.54k / 4:40 pace

7:12am Wednesday 25th: 92' Steady / 20.28k / 4:31 pace 

4:23pm Thursday 26th:  65' Steady including 8 X Strides  / 13.70km / 4:38 pace

7:05am Friday 27th;  75' Steady / 16.28k / 4:36

7:31am Saturday 28th: 61' steady (not including 10 X Strides as per plan)  / 12.19km / 4:44 pace

9:14am Sunday 29th: 153' Steady  / 31.98k / 4:47 pace 

Week totals : 110.97km / 8hr44'  / 4'38" Average Pace 

Week 2/16 Florence Marathon Training - More Base.

This last week was a straight continuation of the week before. I am still getting on well with being up early and getting my runs in before work. The only downside is a bit of an energy slump around 3pm, but I think that is just the increase in mileage and should pass.  My routine in the morning is pretty well established, fall out of bed half asleep, into running gear, grind ariosa coffee beans, drink coffee and eat two rice cakes with our yummy homemade natural energy spread, quick slurp of water and out the door. The pace is nice and slow, so i can run, breathe and think all at the same time! 

So all the days were good, except for the long run on Sunday - and I normally eat up long runs for fun. I hooked up with friends just home from Spain and Thailand and we ended up having a rather late night of it, left the car in town and got home at 3ish and after waking around 9, forced myself to run back into Kilkenny to pick up the car along the unopened motorway.  I started off feeling ok, but by the time I had gone half way through my marathon pace segment, i was parched, running into a headwind on a four lane motorway - it didn't feel great at all.

I arrived into Kilkenny City at the end of the marathon pace part of the run and then suprisingly only struggled a little through a 15'

at faster than marathon pace - because i was out of the wind and I knew the hard bit would soon end.  It just shows what an obstacle the wind can be. 

Monday 16th : rest 

7:04am Tuesday 17th:  77' Steady /  16.68k / 4:37 pace

6:36am Wednesday 18th: 93' Steady / 20.24 / 4:36 pace 

Listened to the MarathonTalk.com episode with the interview with Charlie Spedding. I have read his book in the past and it was interesting to hear about his training methods - especially those to simulate surges in racing - doing 1' - 5' hard surges through a long run with 5' rest between each one.

6:47am Thursday 19th:  71' Steady including 12 X Strides  / 14.76km / 4:43 pace

6:49am Friday 20th;  79' Steady / 16.51k / 4:43

7:31am Saturday 21st: 72' steady including 10 X Strides / 13.46km / 4:49 pace

This was the same 50' run as usual, I just stopped to take some photos of the countryside which was looking fab - and then forgot to restart the garmin so lost a K or so.

10:42am Sunday 22nd: 128' Steady with 60min at 4:00 and 15' at 3:48 / 27.61k / 4:20 pace 

Week totals : 109km / 8hr42'  / 4'36" Average Pace 

 

Week 1/16 Florence Marathon Training

At last, its 16 weeks to go to Florence Marathon, and after 6 months of shorter, faster stuff, and a very lazy holiday its time to refocus.  I'm shifting down a gear and starting to build base for what will be a 12 week programme that kicks off at the start of september. The instructions from JB this week, was just to use the time to get fresh again after the summer races and nothing to exceed 4:30 km pace. I tried to wear the soft garmin HRM, but it is a piece of sh1t - it spikes at the start for the first mile and then starts to spike again ( from the technical fabric) after about 6 miles - its back in the drawer again.

Monday 9th August: Rest Day

7:00am Tuesday 10th August: 76' Steady / 16.1k / 4:43 pace /
I took a route on country roads, down towards goresbridge, through Connolly's Redmills and back again. Kept the pace very light, felt good to run at this pace.

6:45am Wednesday 11th August: 96' Steady / 20.65k / 4:40 pace
Pace the same as before - just ran on the soon to be opened motor way.

7:05am Thursday 12th August: 50' Steady + 10 Diagonals (total 68') / 14.33k / 4:46 pace
More of the same, with the added diagonals done on the local hurling pitches.

6:40am Friday 13th August: 76' Steady  / 16.65k / 4:37 pace
Same route as Tuesday

8:40am Saturday 14th August: 50' Steady with 12 X 30' Hills (Total 75')  / 16.65k / 5:07 pace

8:25am Sunday 15th August: 126' Steady /  25.8k / 4:55 pace
This was the highlight of the week, woke to glorious sunshine in the morning and headed straight out the door and up towards the quarry - its pretty much 6k of hills onto a ridge that overlooks the valley. The route then levels out for 2k, before dropping down again over the next 5k. I stopped for water in old leighlin and then headed on out into the country from there, turning around just after the hour mark - cruised home.

Week totals: 108k / 8hrs 39' / 4: 48 pace average.

This week is more of the same; except my long run will be a progression run.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apparel industry edges closer to eco-index

The apparel industry is edging closer to an eco-index that will allow companies to assess the environmental impacts of individual products along their supply chain.

More than 200 outdoor businesses including Timberland, Levi Strauss and Columbia Sportswear are already involved in the industry-wide scheme spearheaded by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and the European Outdoor Group, which last week unveiled a beta version of their Eco Index web-based software tool.

The idea is to help designers benchmark and measure their environmental footprint of their products, by allocating scores in areas such as material types, sourcing, waste, labour practices.

Ultimately, this should highlight areas for improvement, and eventually allow them to make smarter choices at the beginning of the design process on everything from how they choose materials through to sourcing and even recycling decisions.   

"To truly empower consumers, we knew we needed a commitment from the entire industry," explains Betsy Blaisdell, senior manager of environmental stewardship for Timberland, which has already pioneered its own Green Index to rate its footwear products with details of their environmental impact.

"First mover companies only get so far - collaboration is integral to achieving a consumer-friendly, industry-wide standard, which is why we applaud the launch of the OIA Eco Index as a positive step in the right direction."

First environmental assessment tool
While the Eco Index is not a consumer-facing label at this time, it is on track to become the industry's first standardised environmental assessment tool.

It is divided into three levels: guidelines, indicators and metrics. The guidelines offer ways for companies to be more sustainable when making products, while the indicators allow firms to score individual items on areas such as materials, packaging, manufacturing and assembly, transportation and distribution, use and service, and end of life.

The third level, metrics, requires input on the finer details of a product to get specific information on energy and greenhouse gas emissions, water, waste, land use, chemicals and toxics in humans and the environment, and biodiversity.

In essence, it can be used to answer questions like how much energy was used in making a pair of jeans, or the carbon footprint of hiking boots.

The Eco Index framework is also designed to be modular, so companies can start small and work their way through it as they are able based on their level of knowledge and resources.

Sustainability drives business
Sustainability issues are increasingly central to the way apparel and footwear firms are currently doing business.

As well as Timberland with its 'Green Index,' other initiatives include care tags from Levi Strauss to encourage people to wash clothes in cold water, line dry them to reduce energy, and recycle them when no longer required.

Puma also wants to bring 50% of its products in line with its Sustainability-Index (S-Index) by 2015, which includes the production of footwear and apparel using organic cotton and recycled materials.

And Nike has increased the use of environmentally preferred materials, and reduced or eliminated toxics and waste, in its Considered Design performance products.

But while individual companies are keen to understand the impact of what they're making on society and the environment - and to publish that information - this is the first time they are all teaming up to contribute to an industry-wide standard for environmental labelling

The ultimate goal is to make it easier to discuss environmental impacts with suppliers, and allow consumers to compare the environmental impact of products across brands.

“I think so many companies want to do the right thing environmentally but not every company has the ability to understand what the right thing is,” notes Jill Dumain, director of environmental strategy at Patagonia, chair of the US-based Eco Working Group Advisory Council and a member of the steering group of the European Sustainability Working Group.

“We?ve been able to bring together the best minds and the best ideas and come up with an index that is really progressive and that everyone has agreed upon. Partners along the supply chain can work towards the same goal and change within the industry will happen at a quicker rate.”

The Eco Index is currently around 80% complete, and the OIA has set itself the goal of launching the first phase of the tool in early 2011. Companies are also encouraged to trial test their products through the Eco Index.

via just-style.com

Its really interesting to see Timberland driving the sustainability agenda in their market, this is some turnaround for a brand whose positioning has gone from lumberjack, through gangster to now leading the way in ethical outdoor wear. When they bought Howies a few years back, who would have know that that was just the beginning of a major change in the company. Great stuff.