Is it Now?

RacoonQueen

If you'd done a recce for this recce you would have known which way to go.

donothoponpop

PositiveNegativ wrote: »

There's no excuse. It was the start of the run, you were fresh, under no pressure.

You went the wrong way because you were too lazy to ensure you went the correct way.

I'll go and hide now.

No need to hide, you're right, it was laziness/not ensuring. The surprising thing (to me) is how easily this happens- you drop your guard at one junction and you're half way up the Spink. I can see how one small error is compounded by another, and another... end of relay.

RacoonQueen wrote: »

If you'd done a recce for this recce you would have known which way to go.

That's my epitaph.:)

Krusty_Clown

I love getting lost. It's the best thing about running. Even when I pre-define my route, it's a real 50/50 at every junction.
Recce's on the other hand?! We all live in fear of being smote smited smitten(?) by Donothoponpop. When the gods themselves fall, they fall hard.

Slogger Jogger

Trying hard to make the picture of dpop smiting himself disappear from my head...

donothoponpop

Fri 10k including 6x475m uphill intervals

I had to run these intervals alone, one more than last week. It's much easier in company, the pain is shared a bit more, and you don't want to crumble and lose face. So after a 2k warm-up, myself and my remorse of conscious flagellated and smote my way up the trail incline. There was a strong headwind to add to the mix, and by two runs in I had hit the puky feeling. Three is halfway, got that done, and started the lies. One more and you can leave it easier for the next. Got it done, fifth will be the last, I promise you, so better make it a goody. Done. Back down for the sixth (the real final one). You're not going to leave anything out there, are you? Fastest time of the lot (all six around 1:52, into the wind, so overall I'd say a greater intensity than last week). Jogged back 2k.

TFBubendorfer

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Trying hard to make the picture of dpop smiting himself disappear from my head...

The mental picture of KC being smitten with dpop isn't any better ...

donothoponpop

Sat 21k hill run

Met up with my secret admirer for a recce of leg 7 WW relay. There was quite a lot of activity in the hills today, we bumped into some of the LeCheile crew at the carpark at ironbridge, and passed others out while running. Great to see such preparation.

Anyway, we took off at a steady pace, yesterday's intervals meaning I was going to notice this run no matter how slow it was. Pushed into the forest, I was going to test how smitten KC was, by the blooming Rhododendren bush, but alas it's time had passed, its brilliant pink petals fallen to the forest ground. I'm too much of a romantic for things not to be perfect, so it will be another 50 weeks before I try my luck again;)

Back to the running. The first crest was gained, and we took it handy going back down the other side. I was waiting to see how Krusty would handle each junction, and he took each one correctly. However, a momentary lapse when we were chatting, and he missed a turn. I let us run on a bit, before pointing it out, lesson learned, easily done, could happen to a bishop. Out onto the road again, this time he was more astute, and got every turn without incident. Down the grassy downhill- the one point in the run where I felt my legs had any strength. Along the backroads, noting each junction, and cross the river for the real start of the leg.

It's a slog up this long flank of the hill, just a matter of keeping it going, which KC was managing far better than I. He ran ahead and waited at junctions, until finally we were over, with only 5k to go, mainly flat. Once you exit the beech forest, its very easy to go amiss, as you have to clamber over the correct unmarked gates. Back down the hill, cross the Real Finish at the river, and upwards for the killer last k. Finished in 1:53 or so, which was a little slower for me than when I recce'd this a couple of weeks back, and today felt much harder. Which just means that I did my uphills yesterday at a decent intensity, so I'm pleased enough with the run today. As ever, it's great to run these recce's with company, its one of the best parts of the WWR. Three weeks to go!

donothoponpop

Sun 12k at 5:07 pace

Hit the backroads while visiting outlaws in Cavan, for an hours worth of "dodge the lunatic driver". Seriously, it was an early Sunday morning, little traffic, backroads; and yet almost every car that passed sped up as they whizzed by me.

Otherwise it was a decent enough run, swirling gales and driving rain, interspersed with sun, four seasons sort of day.

donothoponpop

Tue 12.9k loop in 57:20

This is the 8 mile 12.9k loop that aims to chart progress over the weeks leading up to the relay. The aim is to take a minute off each week, starting with a 60min run a fortnight ago. Pretty gusty today, we (PN and me) were tacking into the wind throughout the run. From the start, it felt a bit tougher than usual, in that the chat was a bit quicker, in shorter bursts. Up to the half way point, aiming for 4:30 pace, came in just ahead.

On the return, we picked it up ever so slightly. It was feeling more like work (as it should), and the chat dropped off. With 3k to go the week-rested:p PN upped the pace significantly, while I just put the foot ever so slightly on the gas a bit. Last couple of k felt like I was working a bit, and I came in ahead of pace, for a 4:27 average, overall 40 seconds ahead of target. Happy to finish it, it was a tough enough session in the end, and a very useful one to see how progress is coming along.

donothoponpop

Wed 8k at 5:12 pace

The legs were feeling a bit heavy from yesterday, so I dragged them out for a run into the blustery evening. After a couple of k they felt better, it got the blood circulating again. Nice and easy all around, on the hilly backroads.

donothoponpop

Thurs 11k including 7x 475m uphill intervals

This morning, I woke up thinking of ways to get out of these intervals. Sure everyone needs a break sometimes, I've been training hard for a few weeks now, a skipped session will probably help my overall fitness, anyway I've loads of work that needs doing...

Email sent to my training partner- no dice today, can we defer the intervals until tomorrow, I've no motivation for them. His curt reply-"Will you have more motivation then?" B*stard. See you at 12:30 so:D

Slow jog down to the start to warm up, then blast into these- uphill into a fierce headwind, the resistance element of these sessions was to the fore today. First one done in 1:50, jog back down. Second, 1:52, felt harder. The third was a similar time, and I was starting to feel it. Time to bring out the porkies. Just one more and call it quits- 1:55, into a gale. Number five, take this one easy if you need to- 1:57. Right, just squeeze out number six, its harder than last week because of the gale, so do six and let the extra wind be your resistance- 1:59.

Jog back down, PN (who was running faster and at different start times from number 3 or 4) asks is that it? Sure that's it. Silence. Jogging. Nearly at start again. Feck it, turn to make the required seven, start striding up the hill again. Into a fierce headwind. Keep up the effort, don't leave anything out there. 200m to go, dig deep, up the pace slightly, fight into the wind. There's the tree finish in the distance, pick up the knees, swing the arms, tree getting closer, fight the wind, tree nearly here, last bit of effort, pass the tree, 1:51.

Slow jog back to the car, very happy that these are done and dusted, and another useful session ticked off.

ocnoc

donothoponpop wrote: »

uphill into a fierce headwind

When busting ones ass in Wicklow, its dark, its cold, its been pissing rain for 2 days straight, yet you still mashing out the two hour runs in terrain.
Sessions on **** days don't just build leg strength. They build mental strength. The most under looked and under trained side of mountain running.

When did you last race in "perfect" conditions?

If its a ****ty day. The wind is hollowing. Ground is wet. People are suffering all around you. You feel good and alive because you trained on the ****tiest of days.

You may curse him now, but thats when you'll thank pn.

PositiveNegativ

Didn't want the bloody things hanging over me for another day. As dpop says the wind added an extra level of difficulty to today's session, certainly much harder than when I joined him two weeks ago.

Happy with my clustering, it took a few to settle before my form collapsed on the 6th rep. No 7 was for the company and the head training.

1:50 1:47 1:43 1:41 1:39 1:41 1:52

WWR Leg 6 is beginning to look a little shorter...

donothoponpop

Fri 9k hill run, 45 mins

I was pushed for time coming back from Dublin, but managed to fit in a 45 recce of leg 5, with the brain switched on this time. Just over a k of flat running, tourist dodging, then hit the steep steps up by the waterfall. Its tough going here, you have to be careful not to overcook the legs. The trail after is very runnable, at a meandering sort of incline. I kept the legs going at a steady pace, until I was 4.5 k from the car park, and was happy that the fatigue levels were not too much.

Ran down again at an easy pace, worst thing you can do is a fast hard downhill the day after intervals.

donothoponpop

Sun 40 min steady

Dropped my little swan to her ballet rehersal, and took the opportunity to explore Enniscorthy. Not a great idea dodging church-exiters and boy racers among the narrow streets, so I turned and headed up Vinegar Hill, which afforded a fantastic panorama of Enniscorthy town & environs.

donothoponpop

Mon 13k heavy legs

The stomach wasn't in great shape today for some reason, and I found the first couple of k very hard on this loop. Sweat was pouring from my brow before long, and I found it difficult to keep up a moderate pace. A few k in, I decided not to fight the tide, and resigned myself to an easy run, dropped the pace to 5 min kilometers, but still found it very difficult for the rest of the run, which was spent picking up heavy legs and feeling every impact in my joints. This easy Carnew loop was a lot harder than it should have been, and felt a lot tougher than its average 5:08 pace. 13k in 65 minutes, must have a bug of some sort.

ocnoc

donothoponpop wrote: »

Mon 13k heavy legs

The stomach wasn't in great shape today for some reason, and I found the first couple of k very hard on this loop. Sweat was pouring from my brow before long, and I found it difficult to keep up a moderate pace. A few k in, I decided not to fight the tide, and resigned myself to an easy run, dropped the pace to 5 min kilometers, but still found it very difficult for the rest of the run, which was spent picking up heavy legs and feeling every impact in my joints. This easy Carnew loop was a lot harder than it should have been, and felt a lot tougher than its average 5:08 pace. 13k in 65 minutes, must have a bug of some sort.

unless it was a specific session, drop the pace down.
The easy days are meant to be easy and the hard days are meant to be hard!!
No point flogging yourself day in day out. You need time to recover.

(I am aware there is a small element of the pot calling the kettle black)

donothoponpop

Since last year, "hard runs hard, easy runs easy" has worked in training. But easy pace should be under 5min/k. This was slower and it felt tough. Any slower and I'd be going backwards (which my Garmin started doing at the end of the run when I looped back, it started taking distance OFF!).

Reckon I'll take two or three days easy running and see what happens.

(*sorry I accidently put my reply into your post as an edit)

ocnoc

I duno if I fully agree with that.
6 out of my 17 runs in May were slower than 5min/k.

Doesn't appear that I'm racing slow.
Train to race, don't race to train.

If the legs wants/needs a slow day to just tick over, give it a slow day.

donothoponpop

Tue few k easy, strides

Wed Projectile mathematics, which involved zero running.

Thurs 21k hill run

After not feeling the love on Mon, I took a couple of easy days. Today I met with Krusty, who was running his twelfth recce of his WWR leg, sound man. Unfortunately I drew the short straw on the B team and have to run this monster.

This was a late evening run, we started at about 8pm. Up the first climb, I was in trouble straight away. Gasping for air half way up, with a wheeze to boot. I hadn't taken my inhaler. Luckily KC is an expert on asthma, and went through the causes, symptoms, and effects of the infliction (I have been diagnosed with exercise induced asthma). My heart rate shot up, and the core is working overtime to just get enough oxygen in, meaning the muscles (and performance) suffer. We ran down the hill discussing this, so he ran back for a k or so, leaving me to continue on at a slower pace, to recover the breathing.

Once I had it back under control, it was a different run. Felt stronger than I have in ages on those second slog climbs, and was well in control along the flat grassy section (by now KC had caught up again). We ran towards the setting sun, turning a corner to see it just disappear behind a far off mountain, in a fiery red sky. Magic. Quick downhill, cross the river and curse those carparkers who added the extra climb, and onto the road. Turned for the killer 750m climb, and I had strength enough in the legs to run this well. I was a lot happier at how I ran the second half of this recce.

So a lesson learned, better now than on raceday. I think I know how to pace this race, and will certainly bring the inhaler on the day.

donothoponpop

Fri 10k easy-hot!

My legs were stiff this morning, to be expected. An easy 10k to stretch some life back into was in order- the pace was benign enough, but boy was it hot out there! It was like running in France, on the Railway Walk and new extension. On the return, I was sweating profusely, but the run did the job.

donothoponpop

Sun 5k steady

Mon 10k hillbrook loop, steady 46 mins

Another run without the inhaler, another run noticing breathing issues if I up the ante. I purposely left it at home today, as I wanted to keep this hilly 10k loop at a manageable effort. The first half is the uphill, and there was plenty of oomph in the legs when needed. The only limiter was breathing, and as I said, that's ok today. Hit the half way point at 5:00min/k average, then upped the pace for the return, this half at 4:30min/k average, and it felt like I could run faster if needed.

I've been looking at MapmyRun breakdowns of leg 7, and have been attempting to cut the run into sections, and hit specific time goals for each section. It's a tough leg to pace; if you go off too fast, you're struggling up the second hill. Might try a half recce tomorrow, to see if those time goals are accurate.

donothoponpop

Tue 11k easy

Dinner was cooked for me- a rarity!- and I was about to sit down when the phone went, Slogger Jogger and his band of Merry Men were doing a recce of leg 8; did I want in? If I'm not there at 7:30pm, don't wait for me, I answered. Maybe I had a gob full of pasta at the time, he must have misheard me, because as my car came screaming into the car park at 7:29pm, a barrage of empty vehicles was all that greeted me.

No hassle, maybe they just set off, so I followed at a canter, still licking my lips from dinner. Up over the first gate, and along the Muskeagh boreen, which was dry and compact, save for the carpet of cow, sheep, and rabbit sh!t which patterned the trail. Up over a bump, turn the corner- an into a herd of cattle blocking the way. They moved soon enough, and I jumped over the next gate. Down into the forest, and I could look down a kilometer or so for signs of other runners. No such luck, so I continued onto the road. Down to the first bend, heard dogs barking up across on the hill, and my tracking skills figured runners were about 1k or so ahead of me. On I went, but no luck catching up. At 5.5k into the run, I had a choice to make- turn for my car, or go on another 4k hoping to catch them in the car park? I turned, figuring I'd have an 18k round trip if I missed them.

Going back was sublime, I cruised right down to a slow easy pace, and drank in the rain-cleared views of the countryside. Back into the boreen, did the cow stand-off again a couple of times, and enjoyed the rest of the run back down to the car. I really enjoyed this run, despite missing the company. Leg 8 will be a lot of fun on the day, those cows will feature in some reports yet!:D

donothoponpop

Thurs 5k easy

Easy-peasy lemon squeezy run in Tomnafinnogue forest, after the rain. Legs felt strong. T minus two.

donothoponpop

Fri 3k easy

T minus 1. There's been a lot of organization for the relay this week, so much so that I haven't sat down to consider how I'll run this leg 7. I have a fair idea, and there's not huge pressure being on the B team, so it feels strangly sublime at the moment.
There are, however, Shakespearean-type portent-filled thunderclouds hanging over the South Wicklow hills, interspersed with magnificent refracted sun beams. This is my first time racing in 2011, looking forward to it. Don't blow up on the first hill, keep her lit along the road, and eat the pain climbing the fields. If I've anything left in the legs, I'll enjoy the long run-in, and the stinger climb isn't so bad after all those uphill intervals.

Here's to a great race, if things go Boards way, I get a drink from PeterX, yum.

RacoonQueen

Best of luck to both boards teams tomorrow. Hope all your hitleresque orders pay off. :pac:

BeepBeep67

donothoponpop wrote: »

Fri 3k easy

T minus 1. There's been a lot of organization for the relay this week, so much so that I haven't sat down to consider how I'll run this leg 7. I have a fair idea, and there's not huge pressure being on the B team, so it feels strangly sublime at the moment.
There are, however, Shakespearean-type portent-filled thunderclouds hanging over the South Wicklow hills, interspersed with magnificent refracted sun beams. This is my first time racing in 2011, looking forward to it. Don't blow up on the first hill, keep her lit along the road, and eat the pain climbing the fields. If I've anything left in the legs, I'll enjoy the long run-in, and the stinger climb isn't so bad after all those uphill intervals.

Here's to a great race, if things go Boards way, I get a drink from PeterX, yum.

Feel the pressure, we have a target to hit, your guesstimates would have had us 3rd last year and I expect to see you no later than 2:30pm.

donothoponpop

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Best of luck to both boards teams tomorrow. Hope all your hitleresque orders pay off. :pac:

All the shouting and pointing, its not the real me, I'm a big softie at heart. Tickle my belly next time you see me RQ.:)

donothoponpop

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Feel the pressure, we have a target to hit, your guesstimates would have had us 3rd last year and I expect to see you no later than 2:30pm.

You betcha. The B team is coming in under 8 hours.

BeepBeep67

donothoponpop wrote: »

You betcha. The B team is coming in under 8 hours.

Make that 2:22 so