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Send in the Clowns - BAC 10K Challenge
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A little bit of trivia for you
(I am re-reading Bertie Messitt's biography From Boghall to Bethlehem and Beyond)
Willie Dunne of Donore Harriers came 42nd in the Rome 1960 Olympic Games marathon. He ran 2:33:10. Pretty sure he went on to run 2:17. Just sayin
Well done 0 -
Was he hundreds of years old when he ran 2:33:10 though?A little bit of trivia for you (I am re-reading Bertie Messitt's biography From Boghall to Bethlehem and Beyond)
Willie Dunne of Donore Harriers came 42nd in the Rome 1960 Olympic Games marathon. He ran 2:33:10. Pretty sure he went on to run 2:17. Just sayin
Is the book good? Would love to read it, but doesn't seem to be available anywhere [hint, hint!].0 -
Krusty_Clown wrote: »Was he hundreds of years old when he ran 2:33:10 though?
Is the book good? Would love to read it, but doesn't seem to be available anywhere [hint, hint!].
Haha I'll pass it on, actually Suzanne can, I promised it to her first
It's a really good read, I keep getting the urge to post paragraphs on A/R. A few pages in, Bertie detailed about how he was drug tested in Rome, a huge surprise to the naive Irish, that anyone would run for anything but the love of it. He mentioned how there were rumours of Russians and steroids even back then.
Lots more quotable stuff re a solo marathon time trial mid June, a 15 mile road race the end of June and the marathon trial itself early July :eek:
Anyway, I won't spoil it for you....0 -
Krusty_Clown wrote: »Was he hundreds of years old when he ran 2:33:10 though?
Is the book good? Would love to read it, but doesn't seem to be available anywhere [hint, hint!].
I'll bring it with me on Sat0 -
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KielyUnusual wrote: »Dubgal or Beepbeep, I'll leave it up to ye to update this so that the legend lives on.......:)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertie_Messitt
Ah deadly, nice one KU. I'll get my dad on the case. Bertie introduced him to running aged 15 and now the pa is one of those typical 'amateur running statisticians'. I have all Bertie's stats and achievements typed up already on my PC somewhere.
Actually Beepbeep, email pending
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Notwork Error wrote: »He fired the gun at a race in his hometown that I was at last year, he was really sick at the time but still came out and braved the wind and rain even though he could barely stand, tough as nails! Great story, letsrun done a big write-up on him about the 1964 Tokyo Olympic marathon where he went with Abebe Bikile a couple of years a go as well, must try and dig it up.
Found it: a good bio on his life
http://www.letsrun.com/2002/hogan.html
Thanks for that NE. 'The Split' in Irish athletics was hugely significant. Officialdom (I'm thinking BLE) especially never seemed to promote certain talented and hard working athletes. He mentioned that he got the cold shoulder because he worked in England when still declaring for Ireland. Nothing much changed for decades apparently; Sonia stated in her bio that she got the same treatment.
Comfortable and all as your log is KC, I'm taking my bifocals and craft beer glass of red and slippers over to the main page with this, I have an idea 0 -
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Krusty_Clown wrote: »November 16-22: 66.1 Miles - The week of the gales
Mostly continued the process of just ticking over. Not quite ready to introduce the idea of quality training just yet (the head's not in the right space yet), outside of some strides, but I find that between the easy runs and the hills, I'm not losing too much ground. Ideally I'd like to have jumped into ecoli's continuity sessions (which I found great last year), but it's been a long year with lots of miles and lots of sessions, and I feel that trying to hit some hard sessions and missing the mark would be pretty counter-productive, so I'll bide my time, jump into a few races for a bit of stimulus, and I'll know when the head is right. Speaking of races:
Sunday 22nd: Stook 10 mile
A couple of days prior to the race, the easy mileage was getting to me, with feelings of guilt and 'blunting', so I decided I'd head down to Stook for the Gowran AC 10 mile race, which I'd really enjoyed when I'd last visited a few years back. I certainly wasn't in good racing shape, but truth be told, I wasn't really down to race, I came down to continue the pattern of only doing running that I enjoy, and this race fit the bill quite nicely. Two days earlier, I'd headed for the hills above Johnny Foxes in pursuit (and achievement) of finding some snow, but I could feel those hilly miles in the legs, but that mattered little. It didn't matter if I came 5th or 55th, I wanted some fast running and some racing fun. Great to catch up with Asimonov, who had been alerted in advance that Slogger Jogger and I were nearing Dungarvan and he was there to greet us as we headed towards the community centre.
Loads of Boards folks and running buddies and a few new acquaintances helped whittle away the minutes before the race and soon Abhainn and I were headed along the course for a couple of easy warm-up miles. A couple of the heavy-hitters had had to pull out of the race due to injury and forced absence, and I greeted the news with a little bit of remorse, as it meant I'd likely be closer to the front of the race, and would have to treat it a little more seriously than I'd planned. I just didn't think I was in the right mental shape to thrash myself in a race environment, but nothing for it but to see how the race shook out.
The same wonderful race start, with cigarette-smoking farmer astride his quad bike complete with firearm, ready to shoot anyone who stepped over the starting line, or announce the start of the race - whichever came first. Shots ringing out, we were off and immediately I was thrust backwards, in around 10th place amidst the usual initial race hustle. It was difficult to pick out the more competitive runners in the leading pack, but sizing them up, I felt there were about 3/4 contenders, based on body shape, shoe selection and breathing patterns. The early pace dropped off very rapidly though, and I soon found myself drifting to the front, with one of the contenders and Abhainn just slightly behind. Glancing at the watch, the pace had dropped off to something that was just way too slow as we hit the village, so I picked it up and was surprised to take an early lead. I was soon joined by the other runner and we ran side by side for the next few hundred metres. I thought I recognized him as the winner of the Roscommon 10 mile race, which would put him in comfortable 52/53 minute 10 mile shape, so when he surged ahead, I didn't respond at all and let him open a gap. Looking back, this was an absolutely key moment in the race. If it was a game of cards, he had just limped in with a small raise, and I responded by surrendering the game. In hindsight, I don't know if I would have had the fight in me to go shoulder to shoulder for the entire race (particularly as I assumed (incorrectly as it turned out) that he was a 52 minute 10 mile guy), but when he picked up the pace, I didn't respond and focused instead on maintaining second place.
Over the next few miles, the leader chased the leading car, I chased the leader, and I could hear other runners chasing me. I didn't want to look back, but could hear another runner just metres behind. Occasionally as we rounded a bend or a turn in the road, I'd steal a glance, but all I'd catch was the fact that the runner was wearing a singlet. I hoped it was Abhainn, as if anyone was to overtake me and knock me down a spot I'd want it to be him, but I couldn't be sure (and not knowing, probably helped spur me onwards).
The pace was neither ground-breaking, nor easy - it lay somewhere in between. But we all knew the hill lay before us, and the hill of Stook is without question, the most significant feature on the route. I had run well up the hill on my last visit, but had responded very poorly after cresting the hill and finished badly. This time, I hoped to do a little better on both sides of the slope, so eased back a little, just before the climb began in earnest. Meanwhile the leader had been widening the gap (probably 500m at the 5 mile mark), and on the twisty-turny route, I was no longer in touch. I could hear the next runner occasionally - at times he'd seem close, and then there'd be silence. The hill took it's toll, with the pace dropping initially to 6 minute mile and then to 6:50, before picking up a little as it evened out. There was still further climbing to be done, but I recover quickly and the brief flat ground gave me a moment to catch my breath and pick up the pace.
Finally, to the cheers and screams of some terrifying bystanders (Asimonov's family and friends in fearsome garb), I crested the hill, with a cup of water in my hand and blinded by the sudden appearance of the sun, I almost ran straight into the ditch, narrowly avoiding a prickly encounter. I hit the downhill with one goal in mind - to do some justice to the 'flying mile' this year. Hitting the final stretch of a 10 mile race, it's difficult to rise up the spirits to try and run your fastest possible mile, but I figured I'd give it my best shot. I leaned forward, increased my cadence as much as I could, and felt myself surging forward at breakneck speed. I crossed the second mat for the flying mile, in a recorded 4:53, gaining some ground on the leading runner, but certainly not enough to have any impact on the outcome of the race.
The final mile was about getting to the finish line as smoothly and quickly as possible, without surrendering the 2nd spot, and I arrived back in the village of Dungarvan relieved to have maintained the position, crossing in under the finishing gantry in 58:13. Certainly not a time a great time by any standards (I ran 54:27 earlier in the year, and couple of low 57s on flatter courses), but I was looking for the 'race experience', without having to put in the eye-bulging race effort and that's exactly what I got. The front runner finished a deserving winner in 57:34 (a decent time on a tough course), and confessed afterwards that he struggled over the later miles and fully expected to be over-taken, but the results had been written in stone within the first 500m of the race, when he made the bold move to take a dominant position, so fair play to him for holding out for the well deserved win. Abhainn crossed the line shortly afterwards, confirming that he was indeed the singleted figure just behind me. It was great to get two Sli Cualann lads onto the podium, even if it was largely because of the marked absence of the front runners. While not a great personal performance, it was a fantastic race experience and if you'd offered me 10 miles at marathon pace before the start of the race, I'd have bitten your hand off for it. Hats off to the Gowaran AC team for another great race - certainly one that will have a continued presence on the race calendar (though I don't think I'll ever learn to love that hill).
Summary: 10 miles in 58:13, @5:49/mile.
there were about 3/4 contenders, based on body shape, shoe selection and breathing patterns.
This used to be my approach to dating
All the best for 2016, you'd an impressive 2015
TbL0 -
LOL. I set that one up for you, just to see if you were still breathing!ThebitterLemon wrote: »there were about 3/4 contenders, based on body shape, shoe selection and breathing patterns.
This used to be my approach to dating
(not really!).0 -
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Man, oh man. Reading those workouts over breakfast on a Monday morning. Have you tried the Kiprop ones yet KU??
(Sorry for going on a slight tangent)
I don't think I've ever hit 1200 at my intended race pace in an actual race so don't think I'll be attempting it in training. Some of those splits are just incredible though. He's in a league of his own these days. 0
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