Captain Slog

meathcountysec

7.22Km in 47:42 (6:36 min/Km) around Trim

If 6:37 felt easy last night well 6:36 definitely didn’t today. I’m putting it down to a hillier course. Had determined to “take it easy” at around 7:00 pace but never even got down to that. Slowest was 6:52, fastest 6:24. Had company and that has tended to push on the pace a bit. Where previously I might have eased off the pace as the run progressed when in company I seem more determined to keep moving along with the result as seen above. Good thing/bad thing? Not sure. Mentally its good for me, physically - will have to ensure I do get some “recovery” pace runs in as well.

Littlebug has declared war.:eek: Just because I had the temerity to overtake her just the once.:rolleyes: Seems a bit early in the year for that sort of thing.:o

Still, en guard, Littlebug.:P



Total this Week: 7.22Km
Total this Month: 119.34Km
Total this Year: 216Km
Runs this Week: 1

Average runs per week: 3.51
Average distance per week: 28.11Km

meathcountysec

4.16Km in 27:14 (6:33 min/Km) around Trim

The only thing recovery about this run was the distance. I had a niggle in my left sole so set out for a “slow” “easy” run. My perception of what is an easy pace for me has gone squiffy recently. I genuinely felt I was just trudging along but was surprised when encountering a head wind how quickly it took it out of me.

I’m only updating the average runs and distance on a weekly basis as the mental gymnastics required to deal with mid-week calculations is beyond me while stuffing my lunch in.

Total this Week: 11.39Km
Total this Month: 123.50Km
Total this Year: 220Km
Runs this Week: 2

Average runs per week: 3.51
Average distance per week: 28.11Km

littlebug

Good stuff Captain. It's amazing how running with other people helps up the pace. The next race will be interesting given the recent improvements.

meathcountysec

8.83Km in 59:09 (6:42 min/Km) around Trim

Nice controlled run today. Pace varied from 6:12 to 6:58. I’m going to stop obsessing with pace and run by perceived effort in future. So I perceived that the pace was on the easy side of hard!! I generally don’t consult the Garmin mid-flight and so only become aware of the actual pace on arrival at the terminal building. I felt the effort was consistent throughout and this is reflected in the pace varying with the terrain.

I can be guilty sometimes of trying to measure progress by reference to how far there is yet to go rather than how far I have come. It seems a long, long way now from the 2min run/1 min walk x 10 strategy I adopted in order to just complete a 30-minute session back in August 2007. Yes, I have progressed. And I am proud.:)

Total this Week: 20.21Km
Total this Month: 132.33Km
Total this Year: 229Km
Runs this Week: 3

Average runs per week: 3.51
Average distance per week: 28.11Km

meathcountysec

13.28Km in 1:34:46 (7:08 min/Km) around Trim

Nice LSR around Trim this lunchtime. Had an option to carry on for a further 3K but time went against me so bailed back to the office for a shower and a bite to eat. Perceived effort saw pace vary from 6:50 to 7:24 min/Km as terrain dictated. Kept effort constant throughout.

Total this Week: 33.49Km
Total this Month: 145.61Km
Total this Year: 242Km
Runs this Week: 4

Average runs per week: 3.51
Average distance per week: 28.11Km

meathcountysec

I realised on Thursday after my LSR that I had just run 5 days in a row. No wonder my legs were feeling kinda heavy. So, I decided to take Friday as a rest day and hopefully get in 5 miles or so on Saturday or Sunday. However, the trek to Nenagh for the Leinster Juv T&F Indoors took its toll and on both days I was too tired and cold when I got home to bother.


Total this Week: 33.49Km
Total this Month: 145.61Km
Total this Year: 242.83Km
Runs this Week: 4

Average runs per week: 3.18
Average distance per week: 25.75Km

meathcountysec

7.84Km in 51:43 (6:36 min/Km) around Trim

A glorious day for a run. Sh*g all wind, lovely sunshine, quiet roads. Started off easy enough for the 1st mile, pushed it a bit for miles 2 and 3, and then eased off again for last mile and a bit.

Mile 1 10:39 min/mile
Mile 2 10:08 min/mile
Mile 3 10:19 min/mile
Mile 4 11:06 min/mile
Mile 4.87 10:52 min/mile

Pace felt hard but I think its something I could maintain for a full 5K under race conditions. Will see how that works out on the 14th March.

Total this Week: 7.84Km
Total this Month: 7.84Km
Total this Year: 250.67Km
Runs this Week: 1

Average runs per week: 3.18
Average distance per week: 25.75Km

meathcountysec

6.18Km in 42:43 (6:54 min/Km) around Trim

Nice easy run around Trim at lunchtime. Was determined to keep the effort easy and succeeded nicely. Pace from 6:45 to 7:09 min/Km. Ran down by the river again to try a different loop around the town in order to keep things fresh.

Total this Week: 14.03Km
Total this Month: 14.03Km
Total this Year: 256.85Km
Runs this Week: 2

Average runs per week: 3.18
Average distance per week: 25.75Km

meathcountysec

7.23Km in 47:38 (6:35 min/Km) around Trim

Nice handy run today. Definitely a touch of Spring in the air, or maybe it was just the 3 layers I decided to wear:rolleyes:. Took it easy enough for the first 6K then pushed on till the end. Pace 5:57 to 6:59 min/Km.

Total this Week: 21.26Km
Total this Month: 21.26Km
Total this Year: 264.08Km
Runs this Week: 3

Average runs per week: 3.18
Average distance per week: 25.75Km

meathcountysec

13.15Km in 1:41:08 (7:41 min/Km) at Club Grounds, Frayne, Athboy

Cold, dark, uneven surface, all served to make this a more difficult run than it should have been. This sort of pace should be meat and potatoes to me now. I don’t know what it was; mentally it didn’t provide any difficulty; physically, I started out at too hot a pace and deliberately slowed after the first Km. Maybe I slowed too much? Anyway the pace slowed and slowed, from a 6:31 first Km to an 8:27 last. I wasn’t particularly conscious of the gradual slowing, the pace/effort felt constant. I listened to the radio for the whole time. Too much of a distraction/dissociation? I ended up getting a muscle spasm in my right hip with just 200m to go. Yesterday, Monday, I was hardly able to lift my leg enough to climb the stairs. It’s cleared now, will see how this lunch-times run goes. On the run in to the MSB 5K next Sunday, and with travel for work on the agenda, so an easy week in prospect.


Total this Week: 34.41Km
Total this Month: 34.41Km
Total this Year: 277.23Km
Runs this Week: 4

Average runs per week: 3.5
Average distance per week: 29.26Km

littlebug

Just one of those days mcs you'll be grand for sunday again.

meathcountysec

6.25Km in 41:34 (6:39 min/Km) around Trim

Another glorious day for a run. I hope we remember all these when it’s bucketing down in June/July. No sign of last Sunday’s aberration. Nice easy effort. Was worried about the hip but no sign of that either. Was it a dream? Will I do a Pam Ewing and wake up to find Bobby in the shower? Tune in next week for another exciting instalment of “MCS in Lycra”.

Total this Week: 6.25Km
Total this Month: 40.66Km
Total this Year: 283.58Km
Runs this Week: 1

Average runs per week: 3.5
Average distance per week: 29.26Km

meathcountysec

5.15 Km in 29:51 (5:48 min/Km) around City Centre, Dublin

Mad week at work etc. Didn’t get anything done between Tuesday and Sunday. My club was hosting the Meath Primary Schools Cross-Country Championships on Wednesday so spent my morning hammering flags, untangling rope and cheering on kids!! Thursday was down the country so nothing done then. Thought about Friday but it didn’t happen either. It’s amazing how when you’re away from your usual routine how things don’t just go as planned.

Anyway, Sunday’s run was the MSB St. Patrick’s Festival 5k. A great race, brilliant atmosphere, great spread of talents on show.

Started fairly far back so spent the first 1Km dodging around slower traffic. Got into my stride for 2nd Km and tried to hold on for 3rd and 4th. Paid the price a bit in Km 5 but found a bit more for the last 0.15Km.

Split Paces:

1 Km – 6:06
2 Km – 5:36
3 Km – 5:42
4 Km – 5:40
5 Km – 5:56
5.15 Km – 5:37

Rather than just pacing off other runners I found myself actually overtaking others. So, all in all, my fastest 5K since June 2008. Based on this performance McMillan predicts a sub-50 for Wednesday’s 5-mile race but I’m not so sure. So I predict a new PB i.e. sub 51:43. Anything better will involve a leg transplant between now and then.


Total this Week: 11.40Km
Total this Month: 45.8Km
Total this Year: 286.73Km
Runs this Week: 2

Average runs per week: 3.45
Average distance per week: 27.49Km

shels4ever

meathcountysec wrote: »

5.15 Km in 29:51 (5:48 min/Km) around City Centre, Dublin

Mad week at work etc. Didn’t get anything done between Tuesday and Sunday. My club was hosting the Meath Primary Schools Cross-Country Championships on Wednesday so spent my morning hammering flags, untangling rope and cheering on kids!! Thursday was down the country so nothing done then. Thought about Friday but it didn’t happen either. It’s amazing how when you’re away from your usual routine how things don’t just go as planned.

Anyway, Sunday’s run was the MSB St. Patrick’s Festival 5k. A great race, brilliant atmosphere, great spread of talents on show.

Started fairly far back so spent the first 1Km dodging around slower traffic. Got into my stride for 2nd Km and tried to hold on for 3rd and 4th. Paid the price a bit in Km 5 but found a bit more for the last 0.15Km.

Split Paces:

1 Km – 6:06
2 Km – 5:36
3 Km – 5:42
4 Km – 5:40
5 Km – 5:56
5.15 Km – 5:37

Rather than just pacing off other runners I found myself actually overtaking others. So, all in all, my fastest 5K since June 2008. Based on this performance McMillan predicts a sub-50 for Wednesday’s 5-mile race but I’m not so sure. So I predict a new PB i.e. sub 51:43. Anything better will involve a leg transplant between now and then.


Total this Week: 11.40Km
Total this Month: 45.8Km
Total this Year: 286.73Km
Runs this Week: 2

Average runs per week: 3.45
Average distance per week: 27.49Km

Well done trainign has been going well for you so lots of pb's on the cards for you this year.
Which race are you doing on Wednesday?

Fr. Murphy AC 5 ?

meathcountysec

5.45Km in 37:38 (6:55 min/Km) around Trim

If ever an easy run was called for it was today. After yesterday’s exertions I just wanted to ease back into running in advance of Wednesday’s race. So, nice and handy it was.

Total this Week: 5.45Km
Total this Month: 51.25Km
Total this Year: 292.18Km
Runs this Week: 1

Average runs per week: 3.45
Average distance per week: 27.49Km

meathcountysec

shels4ever wrote: »

Well done trainign has been going well for you so lots of pb's on the cards for you this year.
Which race are you doing on Wednesday?

Ta for that.

Wednesday is the Fr. Murphy AC 5 Mile in Ballivor. I'm also race director so no pressure there:D If anything goes pear-shaped I'll be missing for 50 minutes or so:)

shels4ever

meathcountysec wrote: »

Ta for that.

Wednesday is the Fr. Murphy AC 5 Mile in Ballivor. I'm also race director so no pressure there:D If anything goes pear-shaped I'll be missing for 50 minutes or so:)

Thats a handy way of keeping out of trouble . I'll have to pop down to some of these races in the summer,

meathcountysec

shels4ever wrote: »

Thats a handy way of keeping out of trouble . I'll have to pop down to some of these races in the summer,

And you'll be made more than welcome;)

littlebug

Well done MCS. The extra miles are really paying off. Best of luck for Wednesday.
(shudders at the thought of 2 races in one week).

meathcountysec

littlebug wrote: »

Well done MCS. The extra miles are really paying off. Best of luck for Wednesday.
(shudders at the thought of 2 races in one week).

But they're only little ones:D

Well done on grinding it out in Craughwell.

meathcountysec

12.93 Km in 1:32:33 (7:09 min/Km) along the Royal Canal from Longwood

Was feeling a bit down after missing the race on Wednesday so decided to take advantage of the stretch in the evenings and went for a LSR along the canal after work. Lovely and peaceful, slightly overcast. Looking through my running diary I see that I hadn’t run this route since last September. Without the worry of traffic or other distractions I was really able to zone out and just trundle along in a world of my own.

It was starting to rain as I was finishing but the LSR was in the bag for this week. After the inconsistent week last week it was good to be back in the saddle again.



Total this Week: 18.38Km
Total this Month: 64.18Km
Total this Year: 305.11Km
Runs this Week: 2

Average runs per week: 3.45
Average distance per week: 27.49Km

meathcountysec

7.59Km in 48:11 (6:21 min/Km) around Ballivor

Was determined to get the week and the mileage back on track so out we went at 9.30pm (and hoping to be back in time to watch Match of the Day with No. 1 Son at 10.30pm). Conscious of the time limitation I had placed on myself I pushed this a bit harder than I should, particularly a day after my LSR. Still, job done.



Total this Week: 25.97Km
Total this Month: 71.77Km
Total this Year: 312.70Km
Runs this Week: 3

Average runs per week: 3.45
Average distance per week: 27.49Km

meathcountysec

4.58Km in 30:27 (6:39 min/Km) on Gormanston Beach and environs

Obsessed, me? Never. 4th run of the week coming up!! Just needed a nice easy 7/8Km to round off the week nicely and keep up the averages.

How the Gods conspire against us. Arrived at the beach and set off with the intention of running at a nice easy pace for 4Km then turning back and re-tracing my steps. The Air Corps, however, had other plans. Ben Head and the beach near it was closed off due to a live-fire session so was diverted off the beach by one of Ireland’s finest. He had looked a bit worried that I was going to ignore him and the red flags and cause the cancellation of their exercise. Indeed, an irate member of the public tried to convince me to carry on along the beach but calmer heads prevailed. So ended up running back along the old N1 to Gormanston station so only 4.58Km completed.

Total this Week: 30.55Km
Total this Month: 76.35Km
Total this Year: 317.28Km
Runs this Week: 4

Average runs per week: 3.50
Average distance per week: 27.78Km

meathcountysec

6.21Km in 42:09 (6:47 min/Km) around Trim

A mild, blustery day. 4th day running in a row so wanted to go at an easy pace. Legs had been feeling a little heavy all morning but I put that down to the sprint drills I did at the javelin coaching session last evening. Wanted an easy enough pace and achieved that all right.

Next race on the cards is the Dunboyne 4 Mile next Sunday. It’s supposed to be on a flatter, faster course. The old course was no alpine expedition so they must have found a 4-mile downhill straight!!

Plan for the rest of the week is another easy session tomorrow, a tempo on Thursday, easy on Friday, nowt on Saturday and then see how the race pans out. Previous best is 39:19 in March 2008, so with the encouragement from the run at the MSB 5K I hope to better that. Predictions: happy with sub-39.19; delighted with sub-38.00; ecstatic with anything lower than those.

STOP PRESS

MCS breaks 200 miles for 2010

Total this Week: 6.21Km
Total this Month: 82.56Km
Total this Year: 323.49Km
Runs this Week: 1

Average runs per week: 3.50
Average distance per week: 27.78Km

meathcountysec

7.23Km in 49:37 (6:51 min/Km) around Trim

Another nice easy run. This pace is becoming so much more comfortable its unreal. Bit of a headwind over the last few Km but didn’t impact too much on overall pace.


Total this Week: 13.44Km
Total this Month: 89.79Km
Total this Year: 330.72Km
Runs this Week: 2

Average runs per week: 3.50
Average distance per week: 27.78Km

littlebug

meathcountysec wrote: »

STOP PRESS

MCS breaks 200 miles for 2010

:eek::eek: It's only March and I'm already out of the race!
Best of luck on Sunday MCS- you'll have no problem hitting your target.

meathcountysec

littlebug wrote: »

:eek::eek: It's only March and I'm already out of the race!

Don't give up just yet. I thought I would be eating your dust this year with you training for Connemara. We are all just an injury away from stagnation.

meathcountysec

6.50Km in 38:30 (5:55 min/Km) Dunboyne 4 Mile Road race

After an unremarkable week I wasn’t too confident going into this race. My legs had been feeling heavy all week, a feeling I couldn’t shake off despite not running since Tuesday. The plan for the week had come unstuck, as all good plans do. My back was acting up and I wasn’t sleeping too well either. So, on to Dunboyne.

The day dawned bright, dry and relatively wind-free, perfect running weather. I arrived in Dunboyne in good time and witnessed one of our younger athletes taking the honours in the under-12 race.

Then it was the turn of the fit, the honed, and the wrinklies and distinguished others to take centre stage. The new course brought the runners through the centre of Dunboyne twice, passing close to the finish area at approx 2.5 miles. The only “hill” on the route was in the first mile, but it wouldn’t even deserve that description. The second mile brought us along the new relief road around Dunboyne. This stretch is very open and could be difficult on a windy day, but not today. The return through the village brought us back past the spectators gathered at the finish area so some well-needed support spurred us on. I passed through here at around 27 minutes so the mid-fielders were all cruising in at this stage. Another mile and a bit to go. 5Km came up in 29:50, only 7 seconds outside of my time in the MSB 5K but I was in a different place. More even pacing this time meant that I was still cruising nicely. With about a half mile to go I started to push on mentally. In this way I hoped to maintain my current pace through to the finish. In fact I sped up and covered it in 4:33 as opposed to 4:55 for the previous half. It was in the final half that race-rage showed its ugly head. Some of my protagonists had taken to the footpaths, effectively cutting the corners and gaining distance on me. Normally MSC is a mild-mannered, wouldn’t say boo to a goose sort of chap. For whatever reason time this pe*d me off :mad: and I was determined to wreak revenge on these varmints:eek:. So with a finishing flourish I passed 2 of them in the home straight at a (relative) gallop, in the process nearly colliding with a “mature” lady who apparently believed that finish lines are meant for stopping at, not running through:rolleyes:.

Gasping for air, it dawned on me that it might be a good thing to stop the watch anytime soon. Watch stopped at 38:30, time over the 4-mile distance was 38:16, a PB by 1:03.

Cue delighted MSC:D:D:D, now prepared to forgive all and sundry for anything and everything. I completed my customary warm-down, a slow limp back to the car park, buoyed up by a job well done.

Total this Week: 19.95Km
Total this Month: 96.30Km
Total this Year: 337.22Km
Runs this Week: 3

Average runs per week: 3.45
Average distance per week: 27.13Km

littlebug

Well done MCS Good pacing and great new pb.

meathcountysec wrote: »

For whatever reason time this pe*d me off :mad: and I was determined to wreak revenge on these varmints:eek:.

:D no matter how many times we say we're not actually racing anyone but ourselves there is always one :mad: (or two:p).

meathcountysec

7.24Km in 49:18 (6:49 min/Km) around Trim

Not the most enjoyable run I’ve ever done but I’m glad now that I did it. Cold, wintry, horizontal sleet, a typical spring day!!

A nice easy pace following the exertions of Sunday in Dunboyne. I was a bit stiff after the race on Sunday evening but that had disappeared by now. There weren’t many people out this lunchtime, must have been something good on the telly.



Total this Week: 7.24Km
Total this Month: 103.53Km
Total this Year: 344.46Km
Runs this Week: 1

Average runs per week: 3.45
Average distance per week: 27.13Km