"The dream is alive, I can run up the hills every night..."

RoyMcC

Rainbow you are an inspiration. Don't be disappointed - what you've done over the last number of months is brilliant. Now award yourself a few days break and then onwards and upwards.

asimonov

Great stuff RK. There's a long way to go to Dublin and you've a great half already done. Make sure you reward yourself for the hard work you've put in.

rainbow kirby

asimonov wrote: »

Make sure you reward yourself for the hard work you've put in.

Does ice cream count?

xebec

Congrats on your longest run yet! You should be very proud of finishing - the time is secondary... You'll have no problem with full marathon distance in 4 months!

asimonov

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Does ice cream count?

Only in huge amounts, with chocolatey stuff on top..:-)

rainbow kirby

asimonov wrote: »

Only in huge amounts, with chocolatey stuff on top..:-)

NYOM.

RacoonQueen

Well done RK. I imagine with the heat out there it must have been tough. Last years Dublin half was sweltering too and was a disaster for me. Enjoy your rest and recuperation after today.

rainbow kirby

I don't get much R'n'R after this... I'm moving across the country tomorrow, and I've only just started packing! :eek:

littlebug

welcome to the wild West RK:D

i've just read your log fro start to finish and it's great! i'm still at that horrible... "jaysus will I ever do 5k in under 30mins" etc phase so it is really encouraging to to read someone's progression from that point.. thanks!:)

rainbow kirby

Not sure of exact distance (because I don't know my way around Galway at all!) but I think I did about 4 miles this evening. Fell flat on my face after about 25 minutes and took all the skin off my knees. They sting like a mofo now.

But I managed to stop my stopwatch within about 2 seconds of hitting the deck, so it's all good. :pac:

Was damn good to get out though, even if it's only for 40 minutes, running kills the homesickness a bit.

beamgirl

Congrats on Half finish, keep up the good work!

rainbow kirby

DAMN I needed that. Pretty much got off the bus back here and headed out for 5 miles, which ended up being relatively quick by my standards (9.37/mile). Legs just felt free and it was wonderful, weather was perfect too when I headed out at about 9.30.

It's actually a little scary just how much my running affects my moods, I'm so much calmer and happier when I get out for a good run, and it just makes me feel so much better about things. I can honestly say that the least homesickness I felt this week was when I got out for a run on Wednesday night, and it made me feel so much better for that night.

I also finally entered the Adidas race series, despite the fact I don't know quite what way my shifts in work will go. Hopefully I'll be able to do all the races, but I don't know for certain yet. Fingers crossed, because I'd love a new 5 mile PB (I think I can go a little better than the 46.21 I ran at Raheny in January, though I think I'm losing a little speed as I push for distance), and I'd like to think that conditions in September might be more condusive to a 2:10 HM than they were in June!

rainbow kirby

8 miles today (10.10/mile pace). That felt like bloody hard work, so to reward myself I'm off to Mao in Dundrum for dinner with a friend. One could say that I was just working up an appetite

rainbow kirby

My job is making me hate humanity, Galway and to a lesser extent myself. </emo>

However, running soothes the brain pain, and after realising that moping on the couch with my laptop won't make me feel any better I headed out for 3 miles (10.04/mile pace). I do feel a little better now, but all I'm living for is the weekend, Dublin, and a sweet 9 mile long run.

rainbow kirby

Um... I think I could be easily on for a 5 mile PB next week...

5 miles this afternoon, average 9.00/mile pace, but the first mile was closer to 10.

rainbow kirby

Still feeling the after-effects of running rather quickly (well for me anyway) yesterday, so today's 4 miles were done very slowly (10.40/mile pace). Glad to get out before the rain hits later though, but it's seriously humid at the moment. I look like someone poured a bucket of water over my head.

Hopefully 9 miles tomorrow, I'm switching around long runs because of the 5 mile race in the park next weekend.

rainbow kirby

9 slow miles today (10.40/mile pace). I need to schedule my runs better next week and not be cramming everything into the weekend, because I'm still feeling the effects of the fast run on Friday.

More to the point, I need to get a permanent move back to civilisation...

RoyMcC

Excellent running progress Rainbow - but do I get the vague impression that your move to the wild west isn't working out? If you've really given it your best shot then I'd say cut your losses. All the best.

rainbow kirby

Well put it this way: I have no friends down there - nobody further west than Maynooth really - and I hate my job with a fiery passion. I'm also finding it incredibly difficult to get to know people at work, there is something incredibly insular about almost everyone there and it's like they don't want to be seen making friends with the one Dub...

I've been spending my weeks just living for the weekends when I can get back home. I know I haven't been there long, but I just hate it and want nothing more than to come home. I'm applying for jobs back in Dublin, hopefully I'll get something soon.

RoyMcC

Then life's too short. If you know you've made a mistake then I'm all for correcting it rather than just soldiering on. I hope it works out for you soon. Best wishes.

osnola ibax

RoyMcC wrote: »

Then life's too short. If you know you've made a mistake then I'm all for correcting it rather than just soldiering on. I hope it works out for you soon. Best wishes.

+1, I have to agree with Mr. McC. Life is too short to be unhappy, sounds like you are a true blue. Work can ne like that sometimes. I remember starting a job in Dublin when I was 19 and noone in the office would talk to me for the first three months. Then I made one of the fú(*ers laugh and word spread that the new guy was alright. Can't blame them I suppose, bunch of sheep. From then until this day, I always try to make new people feel welcome and get to know a bit about them.

At lease you'll be on home turf this saturday, setting a five mile pb in the park woohoo!

rainbow kirby

osnola ivax wrote: »

At lease you'll be on home turf this saturday, setting a five mile pb in the park woohoo!

Damn right! Hoping for sub-45, which I'm relatively confident of because I was able to average 9.00/mile pace on Friday for 5 miles, after doing my first mile in around 9.45. No matter what though, I want to beat my 46.28 time from Raheny back in January.

littlebug

Rainbow would you think of joining the galway city harriers? www.galwaycityharriers.com You could get some weekday runs in/ get to know local routes and meet people with the same craziness interest.
Galway is a great place but only if you've got people to enjoy it with

rainbow kirby

I work shifts - so it'd be a little too awkward to commit to running with a club out there, unfortunately.

Seriously just considering moving back to Dublin and going back to college in September to try and get my masters...

rainbow kirby

Fcuk me, page 3 and my last post was yesterday morning!

Anyway, 4 miles this evening, didn't time it. Felt like absolute crap the whole way around, legs felt heavy and I felt tired. It feels like someone tied weights to my legs when I came back down here yesterday.

I also think I'm starting a cold... my first one in a LONG time. Blargle.

rainbow kirby

3 miles tonight (10.10/mile pace). Felt a bit better than last night, but my legs are doing that thing where in the week before a race they remind me of every little niggle they've had this year. There was also a bit of snot rocketing too...

In other news, I'm coming home. For good. On the recommendation of the occupational health department at work, they genuinely fear for my mental health if I stay there. The only reason I wasn't on night shifts this week is because of them. My last day is tomorrow, and I'm moving a ton of stuff across the country via GoBus on Friday afternoon. Now to find a job in Dublin - so if anybody knows of anything (even pub or shop work) let me know.

gerard65

Sorry to hear it did'nt work out after all, but if you were that unhappy its for the better. Hope you get something soon, I'll be back in the job market as well at the end of next week:(

rainbow kirby

Well I just realised I forgot to log Thursday's run. 3 miles (10.03/mile pace), moving swiftly along, not much to say about that.

Time for the good stuff. Irish Runner 5 Mile this morning

Didn't have the ideal preparation for this, what with the whole Galway shenanigans. I've been running like pure ****e for about the last 3 weeks anyway. Got home yesterday at about 6pm and just chilled out for the evening, but still didn't get asleep until about 3am - not ideal when the alarm is set for 7! Got out to the park relatively early, and just walked around for a bit. 10am is early on a Saturday for kirby's brain to be working.

I started reasonably far back, I was hoping to pace 8.30-9 minutes a mile and I didn't want to either be in anyone's way and was hoping to avoid the walkers. Started out relatively quickly, fueled by Arch Enemy's "Blood On Your Hands" coming up on my iPod as I crossed the start line. I started fast, even with the merry dance that the first mile of any mass participation event is I hit the 1 mile mark in 8.19. Surprised myself by also doing the second mile in 8.19 - and said to myself "Let's try and hold this". Mile 3 felt tough, but I hit 3 miles in just outside 25 minutes (fast for me because my 5k PB is just over 26 minutes!). Mile 4 was where the mental games started, mostly because I realised at that stage that I could slow down to 10 minute pace and still get a 5 mile PB - so I just tried as hard as I could to hold the pace I was at but it was tough. Hit 4 miles in just outside 34 minutes (bit of a slowdown, this mile was just under 9 minutes) and I was really feeling it at this stage. Kept telling myself just to keep going, that the end was in sight. Started feeling like I wanted to puke my guts out with about 400m to go, was trying to kick for the line but felt like hell. Crossed the line in 42:something, threw up the horns and instantly dry-heaved. Almost puked again, and then realised "Oh hey, I forgot to stop my watch". My watch time is 42.58 after 2 rounds of dry-heaving after crossing the finish line before remembering to stop it, I think chip time should be about 42.30 (roughly 8.30/mile pace).

Huge PB for me over the 5 mile distance - my previous was 46:28 from the Raheny 5 back in January. I'm a rather happy kirby right now.

Some things about the organisation could have been a bit better though, a VERY long wait for shirts and goody bags just at the finish line. I ended up taking a shirt in a bigger size than I wanted (medium rather than small) just to try and get through a little quicker. Also, drinks in bottles please, I skipped the water station today because I hate drinking from cups while running SO much.

Edited to add: Chip time is 42.35.

xebec

Brilliant!! I'm delighted for you after the tough time recently!! Onwards and upwards from here

Bally8

Wow RK excellent stuff out of you. Well done you should be thrilled with yourself

Oh also Im glad you made a decision you are happy with about Galway. Its a beautiful city but you were so right not to stay there being so miserable