Running mad in 2010

rigal

Great result SJ - all that hard work and consistent training is paying dividends, well done.

Sosa

Well done Slogger...great effort

Krusty_Clown

Fab result. Top three will have to be the next goal. 16 Miles today, and you're planning an LSR tomorrow? You should switch to the Ultra in Connemara. You'll be far better prepared than me anyway!

T runner

Fantastic run SJ that 3.06 to finish shows the amount of strenght you have in your legs. Looking at the pictures you were like a one man apache scalping party on the descent.
Keeping an even pace/effort looked like a great tactic for that race--plenty of running still after Fairy Castle. Keep up the good work-its obviously worth it!

Slogger Jogger

Thanks T. Heres the one man apache in action [c. J Shiels / imra]

When you see the ground conditions its hardly surprising that there were lots of fallers during the race.

ultraman1

well done sj....now to lose the long sleeves and be hard core like the dude behind ya

Slogger Jogger

I was a bit uneasy about this one and I was ready to sacrifice this LSR on the basis of the work done yesterday if the body was telling me this morning to go easy. However, I was surprised to head out this morning and find that the legs were strangely okay. I took a route I haven't taken in ages - a loop of backroads towards Ballinglen, Moyne and picking up the Wicklow way heading north over Sheilstown hill (with magical views) and onto the Aughrim/Aughavanagh backroad to home. An old friend of a run.

After the 1st k where I have to gain 83m alone :eek: I was running easily without soreness. I took it handy for the first half of the run and just enjoyed it. It was almost like a recovery run in parts. The avg pace for the 1st 14k (the uphill part of the run) was 5:19. The Wicklow way was majestic. Frosty/sleet underfoot which was lovely to run on. Views opening up around Wicklow with a white Lugnacoille partially visible through some ribbony low-cloud. Once I peaked on Sheilstown hill, it was literally all downhill and flat from there. The avg pace on the back 14k was 4:40 and I was running well. It didn't compute! The legs should have been suffering but weren't Ran strongly to the end. Makes me feel confident about the marathon training. With a decent taper and rest 42k doesn't feel too bad. The hills I ran today were much worse than anything I'll meet in Conn.

28k, 5:00 pace, 558m ascents
Total for day: 17.42
50 days running this year, 461.65 miles

dapope

Savage run at the weekend SJ. Impressive km splits. Keep it up!

Abhainn

2 great sessions and 1 great race in two days. I have some of what you having thank you

Slogger Jogger

Thanks guys. It must be being off the crisps for Lent thats the secret

Fatigued today and no time, so an easy 8k around Charlesland and Greystones squeezed in after work was all I could do.

8k, 4:55 pace, 96m ascents
Total for day: 5 miles
51 days running this year, 466.67 miles

Slogger Jogger

It was a case of getting up early to run before work or not at all today was pretty tied up. Lacking that extra hour in bed the body was asleep for the first few k and I really didn't get into my running until about half way. Headed down towards Blackrock from Kill of the grange and along the coast past Dun Laoghaire as the sun was rising. Blustery conditions weren't fun to run it. Picked up the pace despite the uphill on the way back. Happy enough in the end but not a run to remember.

11.5k, 4:45 pace, 106m ascents
Total for day: 7.15 miles
52 days running this year, 473.82 miles

Slogger Jogger

Out into the rain this evening but not a lot of time to play with. From Cabinteely down to Cherrywood and towards Ballybrack, looping back to bring me to the 10k mark. Pretty even pace throughout and fairly comfortable.

10.08k, 4:21 pace, 81m ascents
Total for day: 6.26 miles
53 days running this year, 480.08 miles

Slogger Jogger

Headed out at lunchtime in cool but pretty good conditions. Felt comfortable from the off and kept the pace ticked over on a loop from Kill of the Grange, to Dun Laoghaire and back via nearly Blackrock. Breathing was good and running felt comparatively easy at times. Felt strong on any minor uphills I encountered.

Took to the treadie this evening for a light recovery run to bring me over the 10 miles for the day.

Lunchtime: 11.6k, 4:14 pace, 85m ascents
Evening: 5.4k, 4:48 pace, 1.5 gradient
Total for day: 10.56 miles
54 days running this year, 490.65 miles

mithril

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

and my actual position was 4th - my best ever imra finish.

You finished in front of quite a few guys who have consistently gone under 3 hours for the marathon.
What's your goal for Connemara?
With your current form and hill running background you must have a realistic chance of sub 3 there ?

Slogger Jogger

mithril wrote: »

You finished in front of quite a few guys who have consistently gone under 3 hours for the marathon.
What's your goal for Connemara?
With your current form and hill running background you must have a realistic chance of sub 3 there ?

Thanks for the vote of confidence mithril ... I'd be reasonably confident that if I ran a flatish marathon in the coming months I could beat 3 hrs. Conn ain't that baby. I'd need to go very well in the first half of Conn to get to Leenane before the half starts. Then, the race would really start. Certainly I could get to Leenane in under 90 mins but at what cost to the rest of my marathon... The objective for me in Conn is to enjoy it At best, realistically thats probably 10 or 15 mins outside of 3 hrs.. but I won't mind. It'll be marathon no. 20 and I'll make the most of it.

Slogger Jogger

Early morning, handy paced run down to Dun Laoire and back.

Evening run under lovely moon and starlight. Only had to turn on torch the odd time. Lots of hills, but just took it easy as a recovery run before tomorrows run. Did just enough to get me to 500 in 55 running days, 2 rest days. Happy days.

Early morning: 9.16k, 4:32 pace, 64m ascents
Evening: 6.66k, 5:23 pace, 198m ascents
Total for day: 9.83 miles
55 days running this year, 500.48 miles

BeepBeep67

Well done on 500 - how does it compare to last year?

rigal

Great running SJ, are you doing Edinburgh again this year?

Slogger Jogger

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Well done on 500 - how does it compare to last year?

Cheers. I reckon I'm about 2 weeks ahead of where I was last year. I wasn't averaging 9.3 miles a day. Last year I took more rest days and didn't really do 2 runs a day much at all.

Slogger Jogger

rigal wrote: »

Great running SJ, are you doing Edinburgh again this year?

Thanks Rigal. No Edinburgh this year. I'm keeping an open mind as to a summer marathon after Connemarathon. I can keep sharp with hill races and the odd LSR and could potentially target a marathon without a big build up. A good friend of mine is doing Cork so that might be an option.

Slogger Jogger

Headed out at 9am this morning and decided to take in the same route as last Sunday's LSR but this time in the opposite direction. Ran easy for the most part. Took a while to get into my running but once I did the run just flew by. The main hill from near ironbridge to the top of Sheilstown was a case of one step at a time. Once the hill was broached the back of the run was broken so it was a case of winding in the average running speed from there. The views from Sheilstown are fab. They rarely let me down. A bit of a downer this morning was the sign on the barrier into Shielstown which said No Entry.. Shooting in progress, or words to that effect. I ignored it and didnt see any hunters. How they can put a sign up to effect a closure on a national way marked trail is beyond me? Anyway I ignored it and wasn't targetted by crosshairs to the best of my knowledge. Finished with a nice downhill to Annacurra village. Ran the route more than 3 mins faster than last week. Very happy with that.

Early morning: 28.58k, 4:47 pace, 531m ascents
Total for day: 17.76 miles
56 days running this year, 518.24 miles

Slogger Jogger

Todays and last weeks LSR route and elevation...
Roads less travelled by anyone...

donothoponpop

That's a great loop, well done. Surprised you didn't stay on the WW at Ballycumber. Much of a muchness I suppose.

asimonov

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Thanks for the vote of confidence mithril ... I'd be reasonably confident that if I ran a flatish marathon in the coming months I could beat 3 hrs. Conn ain't that baby. I'd need to go very well in the first half of Conn to get to Leenane before the half starts. Then, the race would really start. Certainly I could get to Leenane in under 90 mins but at what cost to the rest of my marathon... The objective for me in Conn is to enjoy it At best, realistically thats probably 10 or 15 mins outside of 3 hrs.. but I won't mind. It'll be marathon no. 20 and I'll make the most of it.

ahem, going on your recent form "at no cost whatsoever" would be the answer to that

Slogger Jogger

donothoponpop wrote: »

That's a great loop, well done. Surprised you didn't stay on the WW at Ballycumber. Much of a muchness I suppose.

Contemplated it.. but I needed to be home to help with the household chores. Another day :rolleyes:

Krusty_Clown

If only the hills in Connemara were three times as high, this'd be the perfect training run! Fair play to ya.

Slogger Jogger

Met up with d'pop and others to run in Glenealy today to get the lie of the land for the race on Carrick mountain in 3 weeks time. Its a tough run but a goody. A contradiction but aren't most races? The hill profile is below. The climb from 2 to 3k knocks the stuffing out of you and you have 6k more to go. Great downhills, muddy single tracks. All good fun.

11.8k, 7.35 miles, 414m ascents
57 days running this year. 525.59 miles

Slogger Jogger

The longer stretch in the evening enticed me out. As did the shame of the 24 pairs of runners.

Ran to Aughrim and back. Recovery mode. Tried to run with as little effort as possible and it proved effectively. Legs worked on the uphills too, when they struggled a bit on the run this morning.

7.03k, 4.37 miles, 113m ascents
57 days running this year. 529.96 miles

Slogger Jogger

Run early doors before work. Bloody freezing. Struggled to get into any rhythm even just for recovery pace until at least half way into it. Still, glad to have done it.

Evening, felt more energetic, so headed out with the headtorch onto the trails towards Aughrim and back. Practically the same run as yesterday evening but done at a half min per kilometer faster pace. Felt good, on the hills too, despite the darkness / tunnel vision from the headtorch.

am: 8.16k, 4:51 pace, 83m ascents
pm: 7.13k, 4.46 miles, 144m ascents
Total for day: 9.5 miles
58 days running this year. 539.46 miles

Slogger Jogger

Ran at lunchtime with a pal who is at the early stages of training for the Cork marathon. He was doing some hill repeats and wanted company so I tagged along. 3k warm up jog up from Cabinteely up towards the pedestrian flyover past Laughanstown (overlooking Cherrywood). Did uphill reps of 250m with 1.45 intervals in between (scarcely enough recovery time). Got tougher each time but got through 7, then a mainly downhill jog back to base. Hadn't set the watch up to time the repeats so don't have splits. Still, if it was tough it must work.

10.01k, 4:57 pace, 205m ascents
59 days running this year. 545.68 miles