Is it Now?

donothoponpop

No running for a while, had a bad cough.

Fri 6 miles hilly

Met with mymojo, GoHard, and PosNeg, this morning for a very blustery recce of Annagh. No problems for PN running straight up the initial climb, leaving me to carry a heavy carpet up myself (to be used at a crossing point). The other two will be racing, so took it handy going around, but for some reason I felt the urge to take on PN (one of the best descenders ever) for some of the downhills. Managed ok for most of the grassy bit after the ridge, when he blew by me to the end.

Into the forest, and this was made for mymojo, she was in her element running here. A quick lesson on optimal downhill running from PN, and we were at the climb for home. Very windy retaking the ridge, thankfully at our backs. Which is faster, and by how much, ploughing through those pools, or skirting them through the trees? Two grown men acting like 8-year old boys finding out:)

Finally we were at the best part, the last downhill section. This is broken into three sections, and I raced PN down the first bit. Could hear him behind me all the way, and just kept him off to the end. GoHard did a reasonable impression of someone who wasn't racing this in two days, as he belted down too. The next downhill section is the best, down a curving muddy trail, and I ploughed down at a fair clip. Hit a branch and went spinning, but thats no problem here, mud cushions all, really its a place to run. Could hear PN on my heels, I was running this as fast as I could go. Suddenly, he took me on the inside, and belted down, at an amazing rate. It was astounding to see the gap open up as fast as it did, I upped my pace to a sprint, not caring about falling or slipping, just trusting that running fast was the thing to do. All the good it did me was to slow the rate he was getting away. When you see a great downhill runner tackling the same terrain as you're running, its a served lesson. I had once ran with Kiwirunner off Djouce, we skipped along down the stones for a bit, until he just took off, leaving me slack-jawed. Today was steeper, and even faster. Great to see how its properly done, its the best bit about mountain running.

donothoponpop

The last few days have all been about directing the race. Running was reduced to bursts of marking, demarking, scouting. etc. Very happy with the reaction the route got, great crowd, and a desire to run Annagh hill again next year it would seem. Also, its a lot harder organizing these races than running in them but I'm very glad I did, it was a worthy experience.

Thurs 10th Feb 6 miles hilly

Day one of a more structured training regime, which should have me fit for the start of the Leinster Championships. I realize now that I'm more interested in running against the mountain than running against the watch. By which I mean, hillrunning, with its varied terrain, views, fast descents; holds a lot more appeal to me than training for marathons does (all I seem to do there is look at the watch and hit numbers). So the target this year is some decent performances in good races, and hopefully getting fit for some shorter (mile-10k) road races as an aside. Longer marathon stuff can wait till later in the year.

Ran up Ballycumber with PN, 33 minutes from his house to the trig point. Slow, steady, all the way, a lesson in short, steady, leg turnover and regulating the breathing. Great views from the top, and I arrived there with puff intact, ready for a fast downhill if needed. The biggest aspect of hill running I need to work on is the uphills, which I tend to giant-step up, gasping for air. A more efficient method apparently is to take small steps. Seemed to work.

donothoponpop

Mon hour hill run

Day one of a more structured training regime (ahem!), phone goes, hill run in 10 mins? No time to think of an excuse, out the door to meet a ready-to-go PositiveNegativ for another stretch up a different route of BallyCumber. No real warm-up as such, so my breathing was cack from the start (forgot the inhaler). Tried to run up the steep part of the hill, but was gasping at this stage, had hit O2 deprivation or VO2max or was just shagged, one of them. Glad I did the run though, as it sets a bit of a benchmark for next time (when I will run all the way).

donothoponpop

Mon pm 4 miles recovery

Running with the last gasp of the day, by 2 miles in I was chasing my shadow in the moonlight. Cold, still air, slowly up a hill, this was as short as they come, but a fantastic end to the day.

donothoponpop

Wed 6 miles hilly

I had 14 hours of non-homogenous second-order differential equations from yesterday, that needed to be expunged from my short-term memory, and running is a great way to do that. Ran up towards Annagh hill, and did a run up the ridge road, fairly steep for about 2k. My uphill technique is being improved, I'm attempting to run with much shorter strides, focussing on increased cadence. Once the breathing is lost, lactate starts building, so the idea is very much to focus on keeping breathing under control. Felt good at the top, full of running, so will try and work on this uphill technique for a while,

ultraman1

will nxt week be ur first lr:D....

donothoponpop

ultraman1 wrote: »

will nxt week be ur first lr:D....

Yep, first in a while (and you can put that S back please:D)

donothoponpop

Thurs Tonelagee & the lake race route recce.

Thankfully, the upper half of Tone was in cloud, so you could delude yourself that the initial climb wouldn't be as long as it is. Runners were soaked from the start, and splashed up along the grimy bog. Before too long, the familiar uphill pain meant I had to walk/run the rest of the way to the top, as PosNeg skipped on ahead into the cloud. Ice was abundant as we ascended, my toes frozen. Uphilling is by far my weakest part, but runs like this are all about working on that, and running a bit further next time.

The descent from the trig point gets very steep, very fast, and the only way to handle this wet boggy angle was to lean back, almost "sitting" down the hill, if that makes sense. Visibility down at the lake was very poor, 20m or so. We tried a few routes back up and around, what you gain in height and track, you can lose in distance, so its a decision maker, this one. Legs were shot on the steep return climb, resorted to the "hands on knees" walk up. Come the race I should hope to run the whole way.

Downhill was great, fast as you like, worst thing that could happen was a mouthful of bogwater as you planted your face deep into the ooze (didn't taste too bad). Skipping through the heather, leaping down the grass, reached the point of no return a couple of times, great run today!

donothoponpop

Fri 3 miles steady

Three miles in the wind and rain, splashing through a dark forest after dusk. Magic.

ultraman1

donothoponpop wrote: »

Yep, first in a while (and you can put that S back please:D)

ill take the L away and put the S in its place...

donothoponpop

ultraman1 wrote: »

ill take the L away and put the S in its place...

Dude- I have one of the 25 precious Golden Tickets. No amount of slagging will make me give it up- "FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS ULTRAMAN".

You messed up big time by inviting me, so its your fault that all the marshals will still be on the course at dusk, and I still insist on walking the final two loops... slowly, eating sandwiches.

By the way, there's no truth to the rumour this is payback for what you did to IMRA marshals in the WW relay:D

Slogger Jogger

one of those marshalls still hasn't been found.

RacoonQueen

donothoponpop wrote: »

Dude- I have one of the 25 precious Golden Tickets. No amount of slagging will make me give it up- "FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS ULTRAMAN".

You messed up big time by inviting me, so its your fault that all the marshals will still be on the course at dusk, and I still insist on walking the final two loops... slowly, eating sandwiches.

By the way, there's no truth to the rumour this is payback for what you did to IMRA marshals in the WW relay:D

I fancy a nice 25k that day, I'll be slow enough to pace you! :pac:

donothoponpop

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I fancy a nice 25k that day, I'll be slow enough to pace you! :pac:

You know I've got the hots for you RQ. Chasing you adorned with balloons and I might collapse

donothoponpop

Sat 13 miles Dublin plod route with a sneaki loop of Cruagh

The best decisions are made late at night, after a bottle of wine. Would Krusty be up for a run tomorrow? You bet your little sockes he would, and an offer of the Plod route that has served the Rath guys so well, was snapped up. Glorious sunshine, a great spring day, we hit the road at an easy enough pace. Climbing I was using my short steps, and seemed to do the trick. The route was very muddy in places, and there were a lot of walkers and families in the hills (not used to that in South Wicklow!). I felt full of running after we summited Cruagh, the short steps paying dividends.

A nice downhill, and the climb to Tibradden began. About to pass two walkers, I missed my footing and hit the hard granite steps, gashed my hand, and pretty much knocked the wind from my sails. KC likes this stony section, and skipped along at a decent clip, but its not my favourite, and I found it hard to get going again. Brilliant views all around, if you were going to be a collection of sentient atoms somewhere in the Universe today, Tibradden was as good a place as any. A nice downhill all the way back to Marlay, great run and nice to finally see that route, and be kept entertained by chat along the way. 2 hours for the half marathon, didn't find it going.

donothoponpop

Sun 6 miles easy-ish

The old legs were a bit tight today, felt like they needed a stretch, and I was very glad to get out after studying vectors all day. Ran the Railway Walk r≈<3,pi/4> trying to keep the pace down to easy, turned at the new extension bridge, and ran back -r≈<3,3*pi/4>.

Weather was nice and brutal, wind and rain, dark when I finished.

donothoponpop

Mon 21st Feb Hour hill slog

What brave little soldier ran faster on his easy run yesterday than he should? This one, meaning I had truely fecked up the purpose of an easy run, trying to convince myself that I was doing great running faster than I should. The upshot was I was wrecked today, when I should have been better, recent hill runs staying in the legs. Couldn't run up, hesitant coming down, yet felt like I could run 20 miles on the flat- this tells me that the hill muscles are complaining, stay off them for a while. (I need a break from trying to keep up with the hill sadist PN anyway;)

donothoponpop

Mon pm 4 miles easy

Couldn't sit still thinking about how much I walked this morning, so decided to take advantage of a free 40 minutes this evening. 4 miles, very slow, moved right back to a jog as soon as I noticed the pace picking up. Need to remind myself that a recovery run is just that, its not an occasion to slap yourself on the back for running faster than you should. Save that for the hard days.

donothoponpop

Fri 3 miles easy

Pre-marathon ritual, 3 easy miles down by the river. 50k race tomorrow, good luck to anyone racing. My goal will very much be to complete the distance, plod around in 4:30 would do me. It's the first- and last- time I'll get an invite to a race, couldn't turn down Anto.

donothoponpop

Sat 25 miles trail

Well, I didn't make the full 31 mile distance in the end. The organization by Ultraman was superb, a very slick operation indeed, and bodes well for next year when he takes it "live". A gaggle of Boardies at the start, and I settled in from the off with Menoscemo and GoHard, who both were looking to run around 4:30. The pace on the first few laps felt too easy, and any effort was just to hold it back a bit slower. 10 laps of Donadea Forest Park, a very nice setting in which to spend a few hours running.

Laps 4 and 5, and things started feeling a bit more serious. We were now at the half way point, all feeling good, but the easy pace wasn't feeling quite so pedestrian. Noticibly, the couple of small hills on the course seemed to grow a bit, too. Chatting as we ran, the race felt well within reach- even if we were going a bit faster than our 4:30 finish. At the start of lap 7, I went looking for my bag, to grap some gels. It had been moved from the brief rainshaower, so I lost a minute on the two lads looking for it. Popped a gel, and took off after them. The gap seemed to close a bit, but I never made it up. Felt a bit nauseous from the gel, but took another at the start of lap 8. The gao was still there, and by halfway round, I felt sick, crampy in my legs, and knew that was my race done. Slowed to a jog, and called it a day after 8 laps. Propably could have kept going, but it would have been a slow hobble. Anyway, I'm happy enough to have run 23 miles easy enough (and then 2 not so easy), given I've no real longs runs done in a while. The bottle of red last night probably didn't help, but I'm out of excuses. Had a great day, well done Anto, and well done GoHard and Meno for making it round in 4:20. Nice to meet some new faces out there too.

gerard65

Drinking the night before a 50K race:eek: Its a thin line between.....!

Abhainn

I was hoping you would have done the extra 2.2 k made up the marathon distance.
But 25 miles is nothing to be looked down on.
Good seeing you again

Krusty_Clown

The endurance kick will strand to you in the hills. Next time we should all have a bottle of red the night before, just to make it a fair contest.

jeffontour

I feel hard done by having not had a bottle! Didn't even have a drink last night. Did have the post long run exhaustion combined with adrenaline rush which had me wake every 30 minutes through the night. A drink would have dealt with that I think!

I hope you're doing the ww ultra now that you have a good long run in the bag now dpop!

donothoponpop

gerard65 wrote: »

Drinking the night before a 50K race:eek: Its a thin line between.....!

Yeah, if there's one constant in this log I should look at to bring down times... but runnin' balances the drinkin':)

Abhainn wrote: »

I was hoping you would have done the extra 2.2 k made up the marathon distance.
But 25 miles is nothing to be looked down on.
Good seeing you again

Good to see you too Joe (and I never even mentioned the WWR once!).
TBH I had considered running the extra mile and a bit to make up the marathon, but knew if I did that I'd finish the whole 50k. My legs were seizing up from cramp, (lack of long runs lately), so while I'm disappointed not to have finished, I'm very happy to have got in a good long run, and still have the legs to train this week.

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

The endurance kick will strand to you in the hills. Next time we should all have a bottle of red the night before, just to make it a fair contest.

I'll have two. It's my only excuse:o Feel like I got great benefit from the run all right, will draw on some of that endurance during the Circuit of Avonbeg.

jeffontour wrote: »

I feel hard done by having not had a bottle! Didn't even have a drink last night. Did have the post long run exhaustion combined with adrenaline rush which had me wake every 30 minutes through the night. A drink would have dealt with that I think!

I hope you're doing the ww ultra now that you have a good long run in the bag now dpop!

Had my best sleep in months last night;)

I've entered the WW Trail (well booked the bus), but admit to having looked up details of the Ultra. It's amazing how soon your body forgets the pain

donothoponpop

Sun 2 miles easy

Had a great sleep last night. The legs don't feel too bad, mild tightness at the base of the hamstrings, an area where I felt cramp during the race yesterday. Looking back, I'm happy with how the run went, and with my decision to bail after 25 miles. I know I could have hobbled around those other 6 miles, and finished under 4:30, but my legs would have been wrecked for a while, and training out the window. There's only so far zero long runs will bring you before the muscles start to eat themselves, and I'm more than happy to have got 25 miles out of them without any problems. I'd certainly shell out the bucks to enter next year, it was a great race, and Ultraman really knows what he was doing.

Two miles easy today, running forest trails after the kids. No real problems, could pick up speed if required, and felt like I wanted to keep on going. Tomorrow, and the sort of run I can do, will be the real test as to how the legs are.

RacoonQueen

donothoponpop wrote: »

I've entered the WW Trail (well booked the bus), but admit to having looked up details of the Ultra. It's amazing how soon your body forgets the pain

Go for it, you might even still nab an entry for the Conn Ultra!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Well done on sticking it out for the 25miles considering you have not done many LSR's in the last while.

donothoponpop

Mon 9 miles steady

No real problem with the legs at all, a bit tight behind the knee, but less so than yesterday. Hit the backroads of Carnew for a run through dusk. I had the lamps with me, but didn't turn them on until half way through. No moon, so as it got darker I chanced smothering the light for a bit and running under starlight, with the last whisper of day reflecting off far away western clouds. Magical.

Something has been kick-started by that long run on Saturday, I feel raring to go, more so than quite a while. Will try for decent milage and effort over the next few weeks, and I've decided to give the WWUltra a lash.

RacoonQueen

donothoponpop wrote: »

Something has been kick-started by that long run on Saturday, I feel raring to go, more so than quite a while. Will try for decent milage and effort over the next few weeks, and I've decided to give the WWUltra a lash.

Great to hear.