Running mad in 2010

Slogger Jogger

Picking up where I left off in 2009. '09 was a good running year for me. If I do half as well in 2010 I'll be happy.

The primary objective is to enjoy my running and continue to be fighting fit. Goal races for the year so far are the Connemara marathon and the Dingle marathon. The Conn marathon should mean I tick over nicely on the 2010 version of the 1000 mile challenge. I waived a New York entry to this year too, but whether I'll be able to afford an NY trip remains to be seen.

I'd like to keep plugging away on the hills, although it'll be a big stretch to be able to do as many races as last year. It would be good to see more Boards runners in the mix at races.

Today:
The snow overnight made the place a winter wonderland this morning. Took the camera to capture some of the splendor that is my running backyard. 10.34k at 4:48 min/k pace with 212m of snow dusted hills. Despite the snow - the conditions were damn near perfect.

This afternoon, the 'good' weather continued. Another run wasn't really in mind as I wanted to explore more of the wintery surroundings. Took out the trusty mountain bike for some snowy cycling. Where the snow was fluffy progress was sound. Where it was getting icy it became somewhat precarious and the legs were down near the road almost like stabilisers.
17k at 13.2kph with 194m of hard won snowy hills. Took more photos of surrounding area as the evening light started to fade.

Heres my village with the cloud glowing on the horizon:-


The trusty steed, with Croaghan mountain in the background:-

RacoonQueen

Best of luck with the goals in 2010. I waived my NY entry to this year aswell so I might see you there, if I can afford it.

village runner

Best of luck with the new log.
Some scenary up your neck of the woods.
NYC would be class and if its meant to be !!!!
Have you resigned to the fact about breaking the 3 hours for this year ?? You have picked 3 tough marathons there and i remember vyou wrote that you wanted scenary this year and werent that focussed on time.

Slogger Jogger

Snowed in car-wise, but a run was on the cards despite the carpet of snow on the ground. 16k approaching marathon pace was called for. However, the pace bit would have to take a bow due to the conditions. Just running and enjoying was all that could be done today.

Sun was shining and conditions were pretty good. The reflection of the low winter sun on terrain was blinding at times. I ran for the most part on powdery snow, but there was compacted snow and ice at times which took a bit of care to get through. Headed along backroads from Annacurra, across the Aughrim river bridge on the road between Aughrim and Woodenbridge and around into Aughrim from the Ballinaclash side. Did a wonderful little addition of a loop around the Sean Lenihan walk. Snow here was still fluffy for the most part and great for running on. The worse part of the run was running through Aughrim itself where the traffic on the roads and pavements had compacted things to more like an icy consistency. Still, make it home without a slip so happy days.

Today: 16.5k, 4:40 min/k pace, 212m of hills.

No. of runs this year: 2
Total mileage: 16.68

nerraw1111

Best of luck for 2010.

Stunning scenery might make it that bit easier to get the miles in

Slogger Jogger

village runner wrote: »

Best of luck with the new log.
Some scenary up your neck of the woods.
NYC would be class and if its meant to be !!!!
Have you resigned to the fact about breaking the 3 hours for this year ?? You have picked 3 tough marathons there and i remember vyou wrote that you wanted scenary this year and werent that focussed on time.

Cheers. I've put the 3hr challenge to the back of my mind to be honest. I focused on it for Rotterdam and it didn't happen. I didnt focus on it for the other marathons in 09 and it nearly happened. You never know I might do an ultraman and do a sneaky flat marathon if the time is right in 2010.

To be honest I probably don't have the willpower to do a dedicated 4 to 5 months with one goal race in mind and leave other races to one side. I commend others for having the willpower to do that, but I enjoy all my running too much to do that. I'm looking forward to Conn and Dingle - the latter as its something I visualised doing before they even initiated the route down there. On a drive there a few years ago I remember clocking 26 miles around the peninsula and thinking 'interesting!'.

RacoonQueen

Are you running in trail shoes in the snow? I assume you're snow is much softer than what I've got around here though.

Slogger Jogger

Hi RQ. Yep, inov-8s yesterday and Pearl Izumis today. Good grip on the fluffy stuff. Where its icy you nearly have to walk and balance through it - or keep zigzaging along the road to find the none icy bits.

donothoponpop

Best of luck in 2010 SJ. You'll get your goals alright, the "training plan" you write yourself has served you well last year, and should do again this. See you up there.

Peckham

I also have a NYC entry waived to this year - am also unsure about whether or not to do it.

Odysseus

Best of luck with your goals for 10, I'm sure it will make interesting reading.

Slogger Jogger

Saw a stat on BB's training log summarising last years racing days, so I said to myself I'd check my own. 300 days ran in 2009, 82%.

Todays run was tough. Somewhat ambitious for me at this stage in my training but who are we without ambition? I set off running without a clear idea of where I'd run to. I just knew the schedule said at least 20k. Heading on very icy backroads towards Ballinglen but instead of opting for other roads which could bring me in a loop along the Wicklow way (another day), I continued on the backroads to Tinahely. Plan A then, to run through Tinahely and return by the Wicklow way was proposed but not seconded. The plan that did make it was to run along the Railway walk in Tinahely, as mentioned in recent posts by donothoponpop - who has set good times for a bridge to bridge run there. No way I could do a speed challenge today as it has taken me the guts of 10k to get there. Out to the far bridge and back it was at a decent pace (4:20s) (considering this was an LSR overall, after all). The conditions were fab, until some hail stones started to fall. That was God mocking my run, I'm sure of it. At the turn point I was averaging 4:47 per k. Too fast I told myself as theres 12.5k back to the gaff.

The run back wasn't easy. On progressively tired legs the dodging of the bad icy bits on the run became more of a chore and the pace slipped but I didn't particularly care about pace. I was just glad to be able to run (just about) the very bad hill on the backroads with sore legs. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger I suppose. Got back home on hurting legs with a nice last icy downhill k.

Today: 25.32k, 4:55 min/k pace, 388m of icy hills.

No. of runs this year: 3
Total mileage: 32.42

Slogger Jogger

Ha. You are only 24 hrs from your last training log run and you find yourself relegated to page 3 of training logs. Its a tough life on Boards

Today I lived up to my moniker and slogged around a recovery run on icy pavements around Kill of the Grange and Dun Laoghaire. Deliberately slowed down at times and my legs were sore to begin with from previous days running. Little enjoyment in it to be honest. After all its Monday, the holidays are over, its bloody cold and the sun hasn't yet risen :rolleyes:. The enjoyment probably comes with the accomplishment of another scheduled run ticked off. Now.. move on to the next hopefully more enjoyable run.

Today: 10.02k, 5:15 min/k pace, 116m ascents.

No. of runs this year: 4
Total mileage: 38.64

Slogger Jogger

Welcome to the madness of the 1000 mile challenge. You get sucked into it relentlessly. When I got home I had no energy for a run, the legs felt heavy. A recuperating bowl of soup latter and some boards chit chat, and knowng that fresh snow was falling was enough to convince me to head back out.

Very short run this, but running with snow falling and wearing a head torch is a great thing. Its like all these glow worms are encircling you. The legs felt strangely fresh and what started as recovery ended up with a few sprints the length of the car park with the dog trotting bemused beside me. The mind and body are strange things sometimes.

2nd run today: 5.5k, 4:58 min/k pace, 151m of see in the dark ascents.

No. of days run this year: 4
Total mileage: 42.06

village runner

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Ha. You are only 24 hrs from your last training log run and you find yourself relegated to page 3 of training logs. Its a tough life on Boards

Today I lived up to my moniker and slogged around a recovery run on icy pavements around Kill of the Grange and Dun Laoghaire.

You get around. I dont vary my runs as much as i should.

I thought the same re page 3 of boards. Its a sign new logs are starting and folks are finally getting out.
Wait till we get this warm weather................

Slogger Jogger

An early start, a long slow drive to work, and out into the cold to try to run on icy pavements and grass verges of suburbia before work, in the dark before the sun had risen which is somewhat depressing. However, it was either that or no run for me today. So while I have the motivation I'll run when I can. I heard a doctor on the radio this evening saying that anyone who is jogging in this weather is mad. Probably right there. Having said that, for once whilst running in the suburbs, I was wearing inov-8s and they gave me a bit more confidence that I would ordinarily have with regular runners. Felt okay but couldn't push the pace any with the conditions. Most of the run was done on frozen grass verges of a local park, mixed in with 4 laps of the running track Krusty pointed me towards recently just off the N11 near Cabinteely. Track was icy in parts so not possible to do intervals. Some of the pavements encountered were incredibly icy, so it was a case of slow walking in those parts, so some good sense prevailed. This was just a case of getting a few miles in.

Total today: 10.12k, 4:51 min/k pace, 54m of ascents

No. of days run this year: 5 Total mileage: 48.35

Peckham

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

I heard a doctor on the radio this evening saying that anyone who is jogging in this weather is mad. Probably right there.

You should have texted in with a link to a picture of the shoes with the cheese graters....

Slogger Jogger

The car journey home today took 2 hours. It normally takes 1. Such was the slowness on the snowy roads, but I'm lucky I suppose that I managed to get home, without incident, listening to the traffic snarl-ups all over the place.

A no. of hours of snow had fallen on the home place and while a treadmilll run was initially sprung to mind, the thought of running in the fresh snow was something I had to do.

The snow was fairly thick in parts. Between 3 and 5 inches in most places. Ran through forest trail and to the Aughrim community pitches, the head torch lighting up the snowy white carpet ahead of me. Did lots of laps here. A bit of effort was needed to drag the feet through the snow and the pace was slow, but the resistance of the effort should be worthwhile.

At one point I stopped, turned off the torch and just took in the starry, cold stillness and beauty of the snowy scene around me. I noticed too that running through the deep snow threw up little clouds of sparkly snowy dust.

The dog was having a ball. Practically swimming through the snow, throwing himself into it with abandon, having never experienced it before.

Total today: 9.97k, 5:42 min/k pace, 223m of ascents

No. of days run this year: 6 Total mileage: 54.54

Peckham

Sounds like a nice way to spend an evening! Would have loved to have done something similar, but unfortunately what we have in north Dublin is frozen hailstones rather than snow. Frozen hailstones are not designed for running on...or walking/driving/generally moving.

village runner

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

At one point I stopped, turned off the torch and just took in the starry, cold stillness and beauty of the snowy scene around me. I noticed too that running through the deep snow threw up little clouds of sparkly snowy dust.

The dog was having a ball. Practically swimming through the snow, throwing himself into it with abandon, having never experienced it before.

Total today: 9.97k, 5:42 min/k pace, 223m of ascents

No. of days run this year: 6 Total mileage: 54.54

You are mad

Slogger Jogger

Pot calling kettle black. You ran 22 miles on the treadmill

Slogger Jogger

The trails above the house were calling out to me as I set out for this run. They'd be laden with snow and there was a fair chance that they were untrampled by any footsteps so far, and so it proved. This was one of the slowest training runs I've ever done, but a tough one nonetheless and one of the most memorable. Heading off in late afternoon sun the snow on the trails were quite deep in drifts so a lot of high stepping was necessary to keep the forward momentum going. The snow was virgin piste, the only prints in the snow from time to time were deer tracks and indeed I saw some deer up ahead of me on 2 occasions prancing through the snow as if at play. At one point I stopped to take in the view down the Ow river valely of the magnificence of Ballinacor, Croaghanmoira and Lugnacoille, all snowcapped, all bathed in evening sunlight. Cursed myself for not having the camera. More highstepping followed through the drifts until the trail started to turn downhill. Running downhill through snow is quite a joy. Again, it mightn't be the fastest but it puts a smile on the face. As I ran there was more great views this time of the hills poking their heads up and above the icy winter fog that was settling in for the night. When a run is as good as this you scarcely even feel the tiredness after it and you want to run again soon. Incidentally, the red goretex inov-8s are great for running through deep snow. Feet were well protected and were pretty dry still at the end of it.

Total today: 11.2k, 5:49 min/k pace, 277m of ascents
No. of days run this year: 7 Total mileage: 61.5

Took some photos earlier of the village and the surroundings:-

donothoponpop

Sounds like a great run. I was looking at Croughan yesterday from a distance, blanketed in thick snow.

Do your feet get very hot in the goretex?

Slogger Jogger

No. Feet felt fine during run and after. Pace was painfully slow though

village runner

Bet you could sell sand to the arabs........You should work for Bord Failte in wicklow. You sell it well.

Slogger Jogger

Did virtually the same run as yesterday. Slower though as I was stopped sporadically to take photos: This is just one of them..

Lugnacoille towards the end of the evening...


The rest are here: flickr link

Found it tougher than yesterday. Maybe the snow was starting to crust over and its compacted in parts in the lower woods from other walkers and maybe its me getting tired of consecutive days running. The question I kept asking myself was is it easier to run on the virgin snow or run in your footsteps from the previous run (the only footsteps there). The jury is still out. Loading up the photos though I realise how lucky I am to be able to run in this environment.

Total today: 11.88k, 6:02 min/k pace, 316m of ascents
No. of days run this year: 8 Total mileage: 68.89

Slogger Jogger

A morning run to check out the local roads and get some basic provisions from the shop. Just over 8k on snowy roads. Had my first slips of this winter spell, each time whilst turning perhaps too sharply on fresh snow which lay on compacted snow or ice. Still, happy with pace despite the conditions where traction was difficult even in grippy inov-8s.

A lunchtime mountain bike cycle to and from Aughrim was interesting. Cycling on loose snow can be like pedaling through sand or treacle. The steering has its own way of behaving too and there were some hairy moments, particularly on downhills, but it was better than walking and no spills.

Despite a session of clearing snow from the front of the gaff I wanted to do a few more miles but more snow running wasn't on as it was getting late. Seen as the Christmas tree was being dismantled, the treadie could come out from its hiding place where its lain unused for many a week. Unfortunately it still works, so set out with a view to doing at least 10k. Ended up doing 12k, most of which was pretty joyless and the last 2k were tough going. Very happy to finish it.

2 runs today
8.3k, 4:35, 42m ascents
12k, 4:27 pace, treadmill.
Total today: 20.3k
No. of days run this year: 9 Total mileage: 81.5

Slogger Jogger

My running in this weather usually has a no. of purposes. To tick over the miles, to survey the local roads for potential driving and to collect some provisions on the way back from the nearby shop. Certainly in this weather I'm regressing back to the hunter gatherer type for the family - more gatherer than hunter obviously.

Legs were tired heading out this morning on fresh snow that had fallen overnight. Took to the roads again for a wide loop that would bring me back through Aughrim and onto home. Snow was quite runnable. On the main road (or what passes for a main road down these parts) the snow was slushier in parts and running was more of a splish splosh affair. Any hills are hard won in this weather but I kept the forward motion going and as the run went on I found myself contradictorily getting less tired and increasing pace. Quads were feeling it a bit but thats probably a good sign of a good workout. The garmin measured pace has to be taken with a grain of salt (if you can source salt!) in these conditions as its harder to do a decent pace when traction isn't as good as normal. Sometimes its a bit like running on sand... but you get there in the end. Wore my new red inov-8s which did the business again.

13.14k, 4:53 pace, 132m ascents
No. of days run this year: 10 Total mileage: 89.66

donothoponpop

Between the two of us we could start a grocery delivery service=more time running. Oops, gotta go, running low on...(checks larder)... walnuts!;)

Krusty_Clown

Great running (and photos) in tough conditions SJ. Which Inov8s did you get? I wore my mudclaws for a 17 miler in the snow and slush this afternoon. They were great for grip, but the lack of support was quite telling towards the end, particularly when arriving back onto hard roads. Next time I'll bring two pairs - one to get me up to the snow, and the mudclaws for the snow itself. Anyway, keep up the great running and great shots!

Slogger Jogger

Cheers. I'll try - though after this week's photos I'll be doing well to repeat the feat.

Roclite 312 GTXs. Featured
here but the ones I have are all Red.

I also got a pair of X-Talons which are awaiting their first run. See here

Because inov-8s are fairly specialist shoes you'll probably always find them tough on the feet when you hit regular road. I did about 1k of slushy road this morning and I'd a similar feeling, but if on balance your route is soft you'll be okay.