3 hours and a baby - a low mileage marathon?

TRR wrote: »

What now? least you could have done was told us about this so we could have mustered a raid to come up and steal a couple of cans!

Cans we can manage on our own. When we need class A substances and getaway cars, we know where you train. Well, hardly ever train.

TRR wrote: »

Wouldn't it be terrible if this turned out to be your marathon time and the athlete formerly known as drquirky ran 43 seconds faster

If quirky is 40 seconds down the road from me in the last 5K its over for him

TRR wrote: »

Well done on the sessions front. You're banging them out and great to see they don't conger the same levels of dread! What's the rest of your weekly running like, just handy aerobic runs?

Cheers TRR. Yip, MLR on wed, easy mon, thurs and fri.

TRR wrote: »

PS TBB are you doing those "400s" on your "club's" 350 metre grass track or a real running track?

Worse than that. Stretches of road. Old school.

Billy Mills wrote: »

Hey Sister.

I'm up to 70 miles a week- racing 6k tomorrow night and have a detailed plan to own you at DCM. Just thought I'd drop in and say hi...

Toodles :)

Good to have you back!

Like the name - living in the past is something you will have to get used to

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I'm not one for consolation messages - so I won't give you one. Every time I've been forced to race through a chest infection though, or on the recovery path from a chest infection, I've run poorly (usually team cross country, or I wouldn't bother participating). It's difficult to put your finger on the root cause, as the legs feel fine, the head can feel fine, but it's only when you're half way through the race that you realize you're struggling with oxygen deprivation. HR is higher, energy levels are depleted faster and as a consequence, a far greater urge to pack it in. Your race is what it is, but if you line up for another 10k in the build-up to Dublin you should be optimistic about running much faster.

Cheers KC, thats exactly what it felt like. I didnt feel great for a while after too, so think youre right.

aero2k wrote: »

Sorry, only finding this now.

Yes it was me that called out to you - I was feeling comfortable but really struggling to increase the pace, if that makes sense, and you had a gap before I realised it. I know you weren't happy with the time but you did look to be running well - I wasn't just being nice. I didn't really realise how much I was slowing as I was just trying to hang on to the group I was with - I only noticed that myself and the lady runner had got detached when the gap was fairly large.

I should point out that the lady runner wasn't being sheltered - she ran at the front of the group or alone for the entire race.

I was also a bit disappointed with the time but took some comfort from a reasonably quick last 0.27 miles, and the fact that it was my third race in a week.

Hope to see you again in a race soon - bring the tow rope!

Hadnt seen you for ages, good to see you back out in the roads. Three races in a week is hard core. Im doing the 10 and probably half, i'll keep a eye out the next time.


Week 21st-27th

75.9 miles inc. 11.87 with two brothers and a sister on saturday around the reservoir and 20 on the sunday.


Tuesday 29th

Overall: 10.14 miles

1.56 mile w/up, 2 x 20 min tempo, 5 min rec., 1.79 mile c/d

Rep 1: 3.38 miles in 19:39 (5:48/mile)
Rep 2: 3.35 miles in 19:35 (5:50/mile)

Aufwiedersehen 400s. Au revoir jelly legs and scrunchy face. Arrivederchi session dread. Sayonara phantom dump reflex.

Heeellllooooooo tempos. Lets never fight again.

Was pleased enough with this, course wasnt perfectly flat. Felt hard enough, but not flat out. We went out in the direction of tallaght AC, waited until the smell became unbearable (10 mins) and turned around. A generous 5 mins recovery and out again. Not much of a fade second time around. Enjoyed this.

Week 11th-17th

Just one session this week on the tuesday

Overall: 11 miles

1.5 mile w/up, 2 x 20 min tempo (5 min. rec.) 3 mile c/d

Rep 1: 3.39 miles in 19:17 (5:41/mile)
Rep 2: 3.35 miles in 19:10 (5:45/mile)

Faster than last time. Pleased with this.The next day my right quad was a bit sore, so I didnt do a hill session and was advised by the coach not to run an LSR at the weekend. Quad cleared up quickly.

Tuesday 19th

Overall: 10 miles

1.5 mile w/up, 3.45 miles in 19:23 (5:38/mile), rest as c/d

Just the one rep this week with the race on saturday. Too fast, I stayed with one of the faster runners. No biggie with just one rep.

Saturday 20th

Frank Duffy 10 mile

My 10 mile PB was 1:00:37. Recent races (5 mile and Fingal 10K) had both indicated a 60:XX, but i'd felt good on recent runs (despite tweaking my calf during the week going downstairs in the middle of the night), and i'd had an infection the week of the 10K, so I thought that getting under 60 would be a realistic target.

I was on sisters pearse driving duty. Picked up pvincent, jcsmum and raycun. I have to disagree with Ray. My jerky, whiplashy driving style had a becalming effect on the passengers: when you travel with me, pre-race anxiety is replaced by silent prayer and final texts to loved ones. Got there too early and parked way too far back, so there was lots of time for taking turns plaiting jcsmums hair, painting pvincents nails and arguing about ray's daughter's communion dress.

Met the assembled sisters, warmed up properly this time and got to the start line. Met DrQ (its a crying shame that hes a decent skin in real life, id love to make a hate-figure out of him) and AMK there and we were off soon enough. I had a rough arrangement to run with a clubmate at 5:50-5:55ish, so I set off down chesterfield at 5:50. He pulled away quickly enough so I let him go. I really wanted to control things in this race and put in a proper effort in the 2nd half. The start seemed especially chaotic to me, people haring off with heavy breathing, criss-crossing like crazy. Reminded me of the charging loose horses on nana-visits as a kid. Reached the first mile marker at 5:49 feeling fine. I held this pace down the avenue and around onto the bottom of the north road.

As the road rose a little and we faced into a light wind I gave up some time and kept the effort level constant. Second mile was 5:54. Third mile was one of the most challenging of the race for me. I felt good, but it was tough mentally to keep a constant effort and watch people pull away. I got some wind shelter from a heavy-breathing goliath up this road. When I tried to take a turn, he pulled alongside me. Physics calling goliath, come innnnnn goliath.....This happens a bit in races. A bit weird. Mile 3 was 6:00, mile 4 took 6:07. I was feeling good as we swung around onto chesterfield avenue with the average pace at 5:57, and started to overtake people again as we approached the hairpin. On this little stretch I met a chap who was moving at my pace. Chatted quickly, we both wanted sub 60 and agreed to work together.

Around the hairpin at 4.5 miles and were into a glorious stretch of the course. Down chesterfield avenue we started to stretch it out with the wind at our backs. Mile 5 was 5:57. At exactly 5 miles we ran into a little group of runners. Not quite together, not quite apart. One of them recognised me from the fingal 10K and reminded me that I got him in the last 400. Not the most auspicious of starts to the conversation, but I chanced my arm and shouted out that we could work together all the way down the hill and into the wind outside the park. Instantly our disjointed little group became a tight phalanx of 5, moving in lock step down the avenue. This was great. I didnt have to concentrate too much, and the pace started to rise. Nobody wanted to drop off and there was a bit of encouragement here and there. Mile 6 was 5:52, and as we moved down wellington road and a steeper downhill. I forced the pace a little, everybody still together. Mile 7 went by in 5:47.

One of the lads didnt know about the course change - when we went out of the park and he realised we were skipping the hill and s-bends he expressed an impressive amount of unconfined joy for a man moving at LT pace, which made most of us laugh. Out of the park now and I was feeling strong. Small gaps started to appear in the group as we faced the little wind. I was feeling good and tried to hold pace rather than drop off. I saw a tallaght runner in the distance. Excellent. Mile 8 was 5:43. We lost one group member as we caught him, and as we turned into the park my companion since 4.5 miles started to fall off. Felt a bit sad for him, he'd been right beside me at every step for 4 miles. Hope he made sub 60. Now there were three of us. I didnt attack the hill, just put the head down and kept the (hard) effort constant. The two lads started to pull away, but I wasnt going into the red too early. As the incline eased they came back. Past the 9 mile marker (6:03).

I was tiring, but not catastrophically. Caution to the wind now, the three of us caught quite a few as we went. A few hundred yards into the final mile the chap from Slaney AC fell off and it was just myself and the chap from the fingal 10K. He can hear me, and tried to go from a long way out. Im starting to falter but am hanging on. I completely focused on his singlet and ignored everything else, closer and closer to the line, form starting to wobble, just as we saw the final turn in the distance I caught sight of another tallaght AC guy about 30 yards in front. Not quirky unfortunately. I literally saw red all the same Team comp, captain and all that. Threw everything (and I mean everything) I had to get past my old rival and get on the shoulder of the new one. Caught him quickly, but he heard me (or smelled the perfume I tried out in the car) and responded. I was in all manners of pain and tried in vain to sprint, but i'd blown my reserves to get to him (about 200 yards before the line) and he pulled away easily enough. Maybe this was naive tactically. Im still learning about 'racing' other runners. I should have tried to catch him more slowly I suppose. A lesson for next time. I held pace (I think). Massive shouts from assembled sisters on the sidelines (tallaght lad got zip). Announcer called out my name and the club and I was over the line. 59:07. Initially I was just annoyed with myself for not catching the tallaght lad. But that was replaced with satisfaction with the time soon enough. Final mile was 5:43.

Overall, I'm happy with this. Controlled my effort, last mile was faster than 10K pace despite the hill etc. No mental collapse or desire to drop out this time. Have been thinking about whether or not I was too conservative in miles 3-4 and missed out on 58:XX. Tbh I dont think so, would say if I did. If id pushed there into the wind I wouldnt have had it later on.

Lots of PBs from the sisters. Happy car going home.

Smackdown update: DrQ/dukeraol was well ahead of me, 37 seconds up the road, just ahead of my clubmate. That is a lot of time, but considerably less than the 1+ min he has on me over 5K!

Tuesday 26th

overall: 11.19 miles

2 x 20 mins, 5 min rec.

3.46 miles in 19:38 (5:41/mile)
3.41 miles in 19:36 (5:45/mile)

A little windy and warm, stayed with a faster clubmate for the first rep and was a little behind on the second. Tried not to race.

Sunday 31st

21.00 miles in 2:23:45 (6:51/mile).

Crappy run. Didnt get out until 1pm. It was pretty hot and I did not run well. Had to stop several times.

78.6 miles for the week.

Tuesday 2nd

Overall: 11.50 miles

2 x 20 mins, 5 min rec.

3.40 miles in 19:31 (5:45/mile)
3.42 miles in 19:38 (5:44/mile)

Had the company of a clubmate for the first one, but he was racing at the weekend was was the only one running at my pace for the second. Usual rolling route. Happy to do the second one a tiny bit faster than the first.

Sunday 3rd

22.00 miles in 2:33:01 (6:57/mile)

0.68 mile w/up @ 6:57/mile
3.20 mile climb in 25:01 (7:50/mile)
4.10 mile descent in 25:42 (6:16/mile)
4.17 mile flat inc drinks @ 7:07/mile
3.20 mile climb in 24:56 (7:49/mile)
4.10 mile descent in 25:48 (6:19/mile)
2.59 miles flat in 17:09 (6:38/mile)

Very happy with this. Fastest average for two cruagh climbs, first time I ran the second faster than the first, fastest ever second climb. Good to get a quality LSR in after last week.

79.53 miles for the week

Tuesday 9th

Overall: 10.57 miles

2 x 20 mins, 5 min rec.

3.44 miles in 19:35 (5:42/mile)
3.40 miles in 19:34 (5:45/mile)

Nice conditions. Had the clubmate again for one of these and was running on my own on the way out for the second. Felt strong and maybe could have pushed some more.

Saturday 13th

Marlay Parkrun

I wasnt looking forward to this. Coach wanted me to run a 5K as fast as I could. I usually spend saturday with the little one, so despite it being a crap course, I chose Marlay as I could get up and back as quickly as possible. For me, running a 5K PB is like breaking your record for cutting the grass, or getting rid of jehovahs witnesses - its something unpleasant youve learned to do faster than before, but not something you get excited about. In fact, im probably more proud of my evangelist shunting record (0.4 seconds): 'sorry no god' [close door].

Ran to the race as my warmup and was feeling a bit heavy legged, but not too bad. There were loads of people there, 493 to be exact, a lot of them doing that frankly ridiculous-looking mass warmup - slapping the hands with their knees. It looked like Micheal Flatley had rearranged the Can-Can into some kind of spandex raindance. There wasnt a breath of wind, but it was already getting quite warm. Met Gringo78 on the line, good to see him getting back into shape, a few words from an amusing starter and we were off.

I have never seen a parkrun start like it. I was determined to give a good, honest effort and had gone out fast (for me anyway), but after 100 yards I reckoned I was in about 30th place. I must have missed the memo that the second parkrun of the month is 'amphetamine sunday'? One kid went off in front like he knew something the rest of us didnt, and I thought this wasnt going to be my day. Ignored the watch for a bit and tried to work my way up through the concert field. My the time I got to tenth I had a quick glance - 5:17 pace. I was actually running fast, it was just that everyone else was too. By the time we left the field for the little wooded bit I think I was in 7-8th place. The kid was still way out in front and still giving biochemistry a massive two fingered salute.

Got a shout from WB Yeats as we left the field and I latched on to the back of a group of 4. Pace was still 5:20 ish and the breathing was starting to labour. I stayed with them for a bit until I realised they were slowing. Mile 1: 5:29. The three lads were running abreast and I admit to getting annoyed for a microsecond before realising that its not really up to them to get out of my way in a race! Eventually got around them and now was in 4th. Things seemed to happen quite quickly - the poor kid out in front was starting to experience the reality and full glycolytic horrors of his pacing and was coming back to us fast. Before I had a chance to think about how I would try to get clear I had passed the three of them and was in front.

Was I pleased? Was I f*ck! It was 1.4 miles in and we hadnt even turned for the hill yet and im on my own. With my inherent mental weakness over shorter distances this is exactly where I didnt want to be. Then something ususual happened. I didnt start to feel sorry for myself. I was hurting, but I wasnt thinking of dropping out. I wanted a good time, the coach and two clubmates knew I was running and I didnt want to go back with a crappy effort, hiding behind a 'win'. So I tried to work hard up the hill. I could hear footsteps for a while and then nothing. At this point, the chap on the bike was brilliant. Really need to thank him. He helped ask pedestrians to move, he kept shouting encouragement, and he looked around so much I thought he might crash.

When I got over the hill I knew the PB was on. I took maybe 50 yards to recover and then tried to catch the bike as hard as I could. Mile 2 was 5:46, and after that I stopped looking at the watch for a while. I was really straining, one or two pedestrians gave me a smile as they made way for me - I could tell what they were thinking: 'how can someone who looks that ungainly be winning?' By the time we got to the concert field I was dying on my feet. There, I found WB Yeats, who shouted that I was looking strong. Twice. Two big fat lies of course - I was nearly with O'Leary in the grave myself at this point - but it was brilliant, and it worked: I picked it up for the last 0.8 K. Mile 3 was 5:21. I thought I might be close to sub 17 and went as hard as I could for the line (4:43 pace) but it wasnt to be. 17:05 -12 second PB.

As I said, hard for me to get excited about 5Ks. Not to bothered that I missed 16:XX and not delighted with time either. I'm happy that I worked very, very hard and didnt collapse mentally when in the lead like last time - two volunteers in the finishing chute (who no doubt are used to the face of lactate overload) asked me was I ok, and I was so tired I was almost sure that I saw a horse shortly after the finish.

It also now means ive run a PB at 5K, 5m, 10K, 10m and half marathon this year. Hopefully I can add one more.

To cap off a nice morning I met an old college friend I hadnt seen for years and we caught up on a c/d.

Sunday 13th

23.01 miles in 2:43:49 (7:07/mile)

0.66 mile w/up @ 7:02/mile
3.20 mile climb in 25:48 (8:08/mile)
4.10 mile descent in 27:02 (6:34/mile)
3.20 mile climb in 25:30 (8:02/mile)
4.10 mile descent in 26:08 (6:22/mile)
0.87 miles flat @ 7:02/mile
1.26 mile climb in 9:42 (7:42/mile)
4.84 miles downhill/flat in 32:16 (6:40/mile)

Was heavy legged from the race, so I took it easier on the climbs this week. I wanted to do something I hadnt before, so went up and down cruagh twice, and then went up again (had never done three climbs before) as far as Mt Venus Rd, and turned left down to kilmashogue, and home. Very happy with this. Longest LSR so far and felt strong past 20 miles.

Its a dream to do 3 cruagh climbs in one run someday. Getting closer to being able to try. Legs were ok on the third uphill part today.

80.04 miles for the week. First time over 80!

AuldManKing wrote: »

"Well done"

FFS tell me im doing something wrong or so help me ill 'do a CL'

ecoli wrote: »

Hatred of the TAC abuse of you guys seems to be fueling you nicely, fair play capitan

Ha! Cheers. I tried, but the rivalry is over. I was hoping you would step in for him, game of thrones style

Murph_D wrote: »

Nice run in Marlay. We had a Bros Pearse winner at St Anne's yesterday too. Is this a coordinated attack?

Thanks. That was terry049. No concerted attack, just strength in depth St. Annes is a great course. Ran it twice, but far away unfortunately.