A Slow Journey to Faster Times

Thursday 22nd January - 60 minutes Easy (including 1m @ Raheny 5m pace)
6m @ 8:24p/m average (135bpm avg), 1m @ 5:43p/m average (166bpm avg), 0.41m cd (136bpm avg)

I was at a bit of loss over what to do tonight. Going into last weekend I was bouncing, confident I was ready for an assault on sub 29 in Raheny. However, a rough weekend, some postponed runs and an unplanned rest day had me feeling a little less optimistic. I was toying with the idea of doing a Steady session, but I knew it wouldn't have any positive impact on Sunday's performance and could well damage it. I didn't want to leave my race out there this evening, but equally wanted some assurance that I'm not being unrealistic about my target at the weekend. I set off after 9pm, still not knowing what I was going to do. My first mile felt pretty effortless and reminded me how beneficial a rest day can be (planned or otherwise). I've been feeling fatigued all week and the day off really seems to have freshened me up. I came across some dangerous surfaces after that and needed to be careful, slowing right down where necessary to avoid an unnecessary fall. I made up my mind about halfway through the run that I'd do what I've listed above. This would prove I could hold the required 5 mile speed, but not tax me enough to affect my race in a negative way. The race pace mile wasn't easy, but it was nowhere near as difficult as I was expecting. I feel if I had to choose one way or the other, I'd definitely back myself to go sub 29. Bring it on!


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:04
Mile 2 - 8:22
Mile 3 - 8:32
Mile 4 - 7:55
Mile 5 - 8:39
Mile 6 - 8:50
Mile 7 - 5:43
0.41 - 3:56

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Best of luck. You'll be grand See you after, hopefully less than five minutes after

Best of luck to you too.
Five minutes after?? The women's winner normally beats me in these races

I ran this race in 2013, but had to miss it last year as it just didn't fit into my training with a marathon to run four weeks later. I was delighted to be lining up again yesterday.


Pre-Race

Training has been in and out lately. I've had a couple of solid weeks, some not so solid, promising results in my 2400m test in mid-December, but also a heavy Christmas in between along with a rough weekend last week. I didn't really know what to expect tbh, so I decided to aim high and shoot for sub 29.


The Race

Loads of familiar boards faces were present pre-race yesterday. Too many to mention in fact :pac:. Lined up at the start with FBOT01 & WithCheesePlease about 15-20 minutes early, bringing back fond memories of Berlin last September . Also met Wubble Wubble for the first time. After a bit of a build up from the commentators we were eventually under way just about on time.


Mile 1 (5:54)

As usual there were plenty who started in front of me who shouldn't have. I will never understand this mentality. Can't do anything for your confidence having people streaming by you from the start. I remember how I felt in Mile 23/24 in Seville when it was happening to me and it's not a good feeling. I decided not to look at the watch until I had some sort of control over what pace I could move at, rather than while I was being hindered by slower runners. One idiot in particular I felt should have been disqualified. Not only did he start too far up the field, but he had a massive pair of headphones on which seemed to make him completely oblivious to his surroundings. He drifted right as I passed him on All Saints Road almost putting a guy who was coming behind him on the other side straight into a parked car. Disgraceful & dangerous! Anyway, I remember passing FBOT01 along here hoping (but not entirely confident) that I wouldn't see him again until the finish. I glanced at the watch and saw 5:49 showing as my mile pace. Almost bang on. When we hit the slight uphill onto the Howth Road my pace dropped slightly but I was happy enough to see that mile out below six minutes.

Mile 2 (5:54)

More out in the open during this mile, the pace slowed to above six minutes and although I pushed on and overtook a few people, it was a fair effort just to get it back sub 6. I was really starting to struggle already and knew this was going to be a painful experience. Spotted Ferris B in the crowd and gave him a shout (Isn't it supposed the be the other way around? ) I managed to hold the same pace as the first mile, but it was much harder.

Mile 3 (6:05)

Aaaah! I'm dying out here. Got hit by a hidden headwind in this mile. Absolutely knocked the stuffing out of me. The watch was showing 6:28 pace at one stage, but I managed to haul it back considerably without quite getting to sub 6. I knew now that a sub 30/new PB would be a big ask, especially with that killer hill in the final mile. However I convinced myself that toughing out a such a time in my current state could do nothing but positive things for my mentality in future races. It couldn't be possible to be in this much pain again.

Mile 4 (5:57)

A very welcome downhill in this mile as we moved along Mount Prospect Avenue onto the coastline. I let the hill take me and my pace accelerated into the low 5:40's for a minute or two. I knew sub 29 was unachievable now, but the decline allowed me to relax slightly without slipping above sub 30 pace. I knew all too well I'd need any reserves I had left for the killer hill coming up at the start of mile 5.

Mile 5 (5:57)

The early part of this mile nearly finished me. I got a shout out from both Red Runner & Ferris B here, but I don't know if I even made eye contact (Sorry lads!) I certainly didn't respond verbally. I also heard Mr Stew roaring encouragement and think I saw menscemo jogging back down the hill to offer support too. As I got to the top of the hill the watch was reading 6:11 pace. I still had about 1km to go and I was almost dead on my feet. I felt if FBOT01 had come alongside me at that moment, I would have just let him go ahead without a fight. I was completely spent. 6:11 wasn't going to be good enough for a sub 30, but 30:xx was respectable right? I couldn't move any faster. But then we took the left turn and you could hear the commentators over the PA system. I started to smell the finish line. I miraculously began to speed up on what had been completely dead legs a few seconds earlier. One by one, I started to pick off anyone within a reasonable distance in front of me. As we moved up the road parallel with the finish line, but in the opposite direction I was in the clear of the mini group. I vowed not to let anyone pass me on the run in. However, a guy in a purple shirt had other ideas and pulled one of my own moves on me as we hit the final bend. He flew past me on the outside, took the inside line and was 6-7 yards ahead before I had any chance to respond. I chased him to the line, but I couldn't get him back. My focus on him had taken my mind of the unbelievable pain I'd been in two minutes earlier though, and I crossed the line arms aloft knowing I had gone sub 30.

Official Time: 29:51


Post-Race

FBOT01 was over the line almost directly behind me and although his watch read 30:00, we were confident he had broken the arbitrary barrier. Official times later confirmed this. I'm certain he'll smash the sub 3 barrier in the marathon next time out too. Met & chatted with another few boardsies before heading back home and devouring the monster goodie bag. Special mention to both Killerz & Dubgal72 who absolutely annihalated their pre-race targets. Super, super running.


Thoughts

Although I had set myself an original target of sub 29, I'm not downbeat at all about this result and actually really happy with my new PB. I feel when I get back into a consistent run of training that I can take a chunk of this time, possibly in Terenure where I normally run 4minute+ PB's .
In the meantime I have the Enniscorthy 10k on the 8th February, while if I'm feeling good during the week I may decide on a jaunt down to Trim next Sunday for their new 10 miler. Nothing like racing. Puts manners on you and finds you out for how good you are. I'll be back.