Is it Now?

ultraman1

donothoponpop wrote: »

, I've been PM'ing another poster and im fat and slow. I'm 41, .

does ur missus know about this....

donothoponpop

ultraman1 wrote: »

does ur missus know about this....

She knows I'm fat, she knows I'm 41, she tell's me I'm slow whenever we watch Mastermind.

She encourages me PM'ing strangers, on the offchance someone will bite.;)

donothoponpop

Xmas Day Goal mile race. 5:31.

This was the first hosting of a Goal mile race within striking distance of my house, a couple of laps around the GAA pitch in Craanford. Its a great facility, they have a hard cinder surface on the perimeter. The organization was excellent, from the measurement, to the wave starts, to the refreshments.

A quick look around the skinny malinky's warming up, told me this would be no Carnew Santa dash type field. The announcer said their would be three runs, the first for anyone looking to finish around 5 or 6 minutes, the second for slower runners, and the third for walkers and joggers. Slieve Buidhe had turned up in force, and its great to see such a decent turn-out for an inaugural local race. I was aiming to get under 6 minutes by a second or two, so went in the first wave. The gun goes, I'm with a group of 8 or 9 at the head. After 400m or so, my Garmin says I'm running 5:00 pace, thats too fast, so I ease of a little. Breathing is increased, legs starting to hurt, the wind is whipping into my face, and all I can think of is a recent PM from a Boardie who was discussing his races. He's much faster than me, but he says he still feels sick from anticipating pain on the starting line, he still fights the urge to drop out of all races. His words have had me questioning my own lack of ambition.

So I start sucking up the pain, and keeping the legs going. There's a big gap ahead to the guy in front, I'm not going to catch him. But I'm going to close the gap. 600m to go, gasping at this stage. I hear footsteps and heavy breathing closing down from a runner behind me. I remind myself that he's hurting too, so I up the pace to interval level. Can't go much faster than this. Watch says I'm looking at a 5:35 finish pace- that's way quicker than I expected. A runner spectating shouts encouragement- "Go on, he's closing, fight the wind, you can get 5:30!". I'm decide its only pain, I'm going to respond. The last bend and straight is into a fierce headwind, and I felt close to puking. Now I'm really fighting, but every stride is a stride closer to the end. I give it everything I've left, and the timekeeper calls 5:31 as I cross the line. (Garmin says 5:34 for the mile)

I'm very happy with that time, I had expected to be a few seconds over or under 6 minutes. What this means, is I have a mark to work from. That mile time is going under 5 minutes in 2012. I could have gone faster today had I been fighting a runner on my shoulder. Certainly could have gone faster had I been a 10 or 15 kg lighter, and with more interval training.

But that's for next year, for today I'm thrilled with my time, and my race. Diets etc can wait until the New Year. Let the feasting begin! Merry fecking Christmas everybody!:D

Krusty_Clown

Great running d'pop, and a superb way to get your xmas day off to a solid start. Now drink, eat and be merry.

Dory Dory

donothoponpop wrote: »

I decide its only pain...

. Well done on your performance and perspective. Great mental savagery.
Merry fecking Christmas dpop.

donothoponpop

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Now drink, eat and be merry.

It was going to be a cup of tea and an early night, but you're the boss. Enjoy the skiing, we'll get out on a run when you get back. Try to fatten up/slow down, when you're out there

PositiveNegativ

5:31 Not bad for a fat lad.

BeepBeep67

Well done, we'll have to set up a summer challenge - although there's a vicious rumour circulating on the Interweb saying your official time was 5:41!!!

donothoponpop

Could you do me a favour BB? Please spend the rest of your Xmas eve explaining this data to the interweb:p (didn't press stop after line). It's very important.

I'll take the official timekeeper's word over some shiny-domed M40, ta very much. I accept your gauntlet, sir, and look forward to applauding your effort over the finish line this summer.:)

No more Mr. nice guy. Just beat my father-in-law three straight pool games. Usually I toss him a bone. Not any more, fight fight fight gets the win.

BeepBeep67

Ah now don't open the Garmin debate

There was a great atmosphere this morning in Craanford for there first GOAL Mile! Tom Hogan was in 1st place in 4-44, Paul Gibbons 4-50, Myles Gibbons 5-01, Lahcen Aouissar 5-10, David Leonard 5-12, Bernard Fortune 5-23, Paul Joyce 5-41, Joe Kehoe 6-25. A great turnout for a great cause. Well done lads

Plus I heard it was net downhill and that someone from Clonliffe measured the course

donothoponpop

[IMG]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1Ry3mNrWX1U/TveP7ac6NOI/AAAAAAAAAfo/kOENGBr9lq8/s400/Picture%252014.png" height="291" width="400"[/IMG]

BeepBeep67

Your likeness is remarkable - happy christmas, must meet for a trot on the hills.

donothoponpop

Mon 26th Dec 4 miles easy/steady

Its amazing how different pace appears after running fast. 4 miles in the forest, at recovery pace. The effort didn't seem too bad, but I knew from my leg turnover that I was running a lot faster than usual. Slowed it down each time I noticed, but in the end gave this up, finishing fast.

I think I can take the pain associated with short, hard, effort, a lot better than I can take the pain from long, endured, effort.

Slogger Jogger

Good run yesterday, well done.

"I think I can take the pain associated with short, hard, effort, a lot better than I can take the pain from long, endured, effort. ". Bad timing for that conclusion just before the AON

donothoponpop

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Good run yesterday, well done.

"I think I can take the pain associated with short, hard, effort, a lot better than I can take the pain from long, endured, effort. ". Bad timing for that conclusion just before the AON

The shorter stuff I can "compete" in, as much as that means anything. I've natural speed, don't have natural endurance. The AON will just be an endurance slog, a lot will be walked, the fun part of it is looking at the map and taking 100m off here, 100m off there. It's about keeping going against the conditions, and is more about personal achievement than competition.

To be honest (MASSIVE caveat, I've never done it in one go), it should be achievable in 6-7 hours in decent conditions, for an average runner. That's on paper, and I've huge respect for the record holder... but I reckon it could be ran in 4-5 hours by someone not extraordinary. Its only 55k, the offroad hasn't much climbs, and you can run 50% of the offroad stuff.

Famous last words...:)

ocnoc

It takes balls to call a spade a spade.

Thats the attitude all mountain races should be looked at.

donothoponpop

Tue 4 miles steady

The best laid plans go awry during these days 'tween the 25th and the 1st...

An intended meetup in Avondale was truncated when I got a better offer of running over Croghanmoira. Alas, this was abandoned at the 11th hour, so I went to the forest at dusk. A steady 4 miles, weaving between the trees. Leg turnover was pretty decent again, and I feel like I have a bit of power to call on these days.

donothoponpop

Wed 40 min hill run

Met with PosNeg and SloggerJ, for a varient up around Annagh route. This was an orienteers loop, initially through the forest, then hit the trail again, to hit the summit. A little ridge shimmy, before heading down through forest again, very steep, crashing through branches, jumping down to slide on the angled ground, out onto mud, all the time, fast fast fast down down down. I totally suck at uphill running, but can travel fast downhill with the best of them.

Back contouring across forest, I left the guys here as those pine branches were threatening my €1000000 jacket. Back down along the final downhill for the Annagh race route, which was positively tame in comparison to the earlier forest downhills.

Dory Dory

Suck at uphill? Fast at downhill? With all this talk about you being a fat lad, Newton's laws of motion come to mind. Of course, we'd be disproving a few things.... The run sounds like it was a blast.

donothoponpop

Dory Dory wrote: »

Suck at uphill? Fast at downhill? With all this talk about you being a fat lad, Newton's laws of motion come to mind. Of course, we'd be disproving a few things.... The run sounds like it was a blast.

That's it in a nutshell- I can run against both these guys for a lot longer on the flat, whereas they break ahead of me much sooner running uphill. Too much blubber (thankfully it's starting to come off). Added momentum on the downhills, and padding for a fall, is the only benefit.

ocnoc

Less blubber however makes it easier to change direction at speed... Something essential for rapid descending.

Then again, just throwing yourself at the descent on a wing and a prayer can be surprisingly effective! I find hating oneself to be conductive to good descending technique

...which might also explain why track athletes are **** at it

donothoponpop

ocnoc wrote: »

Less blubber however makes it easier to change direction at speed... Something essential for rapid descending.

Very good point. I had a lesson in this tonight, watching PN slalom between the trees as I knocked off a lot more branches.

Weight will be my no.1 priority for Jan, speed for Feb.

Dory Dory

Happy New Year dpop. Is it now? Or not? Stay tuned after this commercial break........

donothoponpop

Dory Dory wrote: »

Happy New Year dpop. Is it now? Or not? Stay tuned after this commercial break........

Happy Noo Yeah to you too Dory Dory! I love this time of year, fresh start, clean slate, and all that. I decided to change my log title, was mulling over possibilities, when from nowhere my daughter asked me "Is it Now"? Not "Is it, now?" (as in, "Get yer hands off ya fecker, that's my pint!". "Is it, now?" **meleé ensues**), but she was asking was it now now. Wow, is it, now? No, I know, it's now now, no? Or is now now now? Now now, I said, no-one knows if now is now or now, you know? Now is now. Or is it now?"

Figuring I had now put that to rest, I decided it would a decent title make. I have a lot of goals for this year. Life-defining, etcetera, and they will be now or never.

donothoponpop

Sun 1st Jan 2012 10k steady

Torchlit along the forest, until I doused for the half moon. My feet are used to running in dark now, eyes have adjusted to low light, instinct is sharp and honed. The pace was steady, and I upped it for the return leg, finishing with a nice stride of good length and form.

PS Cheers to all the good folk who voted me Poster of the Year, I should say it means nothing, but I'm really chuffed!

menoscemo

donothoponpop wrote: »

PS Cheers to all the good folk who voted me Poster of the Year, I should say it means nothing, but I'm really chuffed!

Ray's post really swung the vote for me. You should buy that man a pint. Maybe you could invite him as your partner to the pacers do

RayCun

Well I still owe him a pint for organising the Boards tops :pac:

Dory Dory

donothoponpop wrote: »

Happy Noo Yeah to you too Dory Dory! I love this time of year, fresh start, clean slate, and all that. I decided to change my log title, was mulling over possibilities, when from nowhere my daughter asked me "Is it Now"? Not "Is it, now?" (as in, "Get yer hands off ya fecker, that's my pint!". "Is it, now?" **meleé ensues**), but she was asking was it now now. Wow, is it, now? No, I know, it's now now, no? Or is now now now? Now now, I said, no-one knows if now is now or now, you know? Now is now. Or is it now?"

Wow....there is nothing I can add....

With that being said, my hubby and I are possibly heading to Ireland in July...if so, think we can try to hook up for an orienteering adventure session with you and some of the mountain goats?

donothoponpop

Dory Dory wrote: »

With that being said, my hubby and I are possibly heading to Ireland in July...if so, think we can try to hook up for an orienteering adventure session with you and some of the mountain goats?

Absolutely:D Check out the IMRA calendar for races around then, If that doesn't suit, there's loads of trails we can meet up on.

Dory Dory

donothoponpop wrote: »

Absolutely:D Check out the IMRA calendar for races around then, If that doesn't suit, there's loads of trails we can meet up on.

I'm so psyched at the prospect of dusting off my compass and reading some maps with you lads. And, of course, there better be a pub involved at the end of this adventure.