Sub-5hr Gaelforce West Log

KoemansCC

Still down with a virus but still managed to do a core workout x 25 reps and I felt every single one of them...

KoemansCC

Thursday:
Type: Bike (60-70% effort)
Time: 60 mins
Steady cycle...

Distance: 28.17k (Static bike)
Time: 01:00:07
Avg speed: 28.2kh
Avg HR: 66% of max
Max HR: 73% of max

Still not 100% but managed the hour, spent 20 mins in the sauna trying to sweat out the badness...

Tomorrow: Brick session

KoemansCC

Saturday:
REST DAY Road run

Distance: 4.39k (GPS missed first k)
Time: 00:22:45
Avg pace: 05:11/k
Avg HR: 71% of max
Max HR: 92% of max

Didn't make it out yesterday as still under the weather, did a fast-ish 5k this morning to test the legs/lungs...felt reasonably OK so should be sound for next Saturday, that's the end of the running training just a couple of easy sessions on the bike left...roll on next Saturday, I just hope it's not too warm/humid...

KoemansCC

Sunday
Type: Bike (60-70% effort)
Time: 90 mins
Steady cycle...

Distance: - (Turbo trainer)
Time: 01:30:03
Avg speed: -
Avg HR: 66% of max
Max HR: 77% of max

Used a turbo trainer with my good bike so no speed or distance as the clock sensor is on the front wheel, a sweaty one...

KoemansCC

ONE week to go

No plan for the week, just one or two easy sessions on the bike and maybe a long walk Thursday to loosen the legs...

Monday: Steady cycle

Distance: 30.77k (Static bike)
Time: 01:00:50
Avg speed: 30.4kh
Avg HR: 67% of max
Max HR: 85% of max

Good cardio workout that included 3 x 3 minute big ring intervals, feeling really good and fresh now...

KoemansCC

Wednesday: Easy cycle

Distance: 27.29k (Static bike)
Time: 01:02:21
Avg speed: 26.3kh
Avg HR: 43% of max
Max HR: 58% of max

Thursday: Long walk

A longish walk out Salthill on the prom, lovely day but the odd heavy shower...

Well, that's the last of the training done, all that's left is to pack the kit and check the bike tomorrow morning, looking forward to the drive to Leenane and Westport tomorrow evening, lovely countryside but promised very wet I think.

Best of luck to everyone taking part Saturday, I'm in the 06:00 wave (race no. 808)...

centre back

hope you break the 5 hour mark bud, am certain you will have a smile on your'e face when you get your'e print out sat morning!!

LaHaine

Best of luck KoemansCC. All the hard work will pay off for you on Saturday. No doubt about it.

Enjoy it!

nerraw1111

Best of luck lads. Don't panic, it's a long course and the training will stand to you

snailsong

Good luck to each of you . I registered this evening, no delays.I'll be making an attempt at the 5 hours too, only 1 hour and 7 minutes to shave off last year.:) Bring it on.
I'm in the 6.00 wave as well, 903. say hello if you see me.

former

KoemansCC wrote: »

Wednesday: Easy cycle

Distance: 27.29k (Static bike)
Time: 01:02:21
Avg speed: 26.3kh
Avg HR: 43% of max
Max HR: 58% of max

Thursday: Long walk

A longish walk out Salthill on the prom, lovely day but the odd heavy shower...

Well, that's the last of the training done, all that's left is to pack the kit and check the bike tomorrow morning, looking forward to the drive to Leenane and Westport tomorrow evening, lovely countryside but promised very wet I think.

Best of luck to everyone taking part Saturday, I'm in the 06:00 wave (race no. 808)...

Thanks for posting such a great log. I've learned a lot from your organised approach to your training, Best of luck tomorrow

KoemansCC

Finished the race about one o'clock, took me 05:50...bit disappointed to be honest, didn't think I had a chance of breaking 05:00 but thought I'd at least come in under 05:30...

Report and tales of woe to follow tomorrow...

centre back

well done fella! thats a good time!

KoemansCC

Great race again and very well organised as are all Gaelforce events, conditions on the day were perfect and couldn't have asked for a better build up, well done to Peter for a herculean performance and to everyone that took part. As I said above I'm a bit disappointed not to have come in under five and a half hours but to be honest looking at the splits it was never there on the day for me, not sure if it was an off day or not but I never really got going...I had one minor major achievement on the day; managed to cycle the entire bike section, all the way up Sheffry and the entire Skelp (although I nearly came over the handlebars on one occasion), had to walk some of these sections the last two years...

The only thing that confused me this year was the amount of cramping, in 2009 I got some calf cramps going up Sheffry but nothing else, last year I had no cramps at all...this year I had bad cramps in both calfs and feet up Sheffry and cramps in both thighs going up CP (never had a cramp in my thighs before!!!!), even at the end I got a cramp in my hand eating the fecking soup!!! Not sure why I cramped so bad this year but it didn't cost me any time, I'd just love to know why it happened this year and not last year...

Splits versus targets from earlier in the log

                                              Target       Actual(Diff)
Stage 1: Beach, Trail and Road Run            01:12:41     01:29:02(+16:21)
Stage 2: Kayaking across Killary Harbour      00:10:10     00:08:38(-01:32)
Stage 3: Trail and Road Run                   00:18:11     00:24:57(+06:46)
Stage 4: Cycling                              01:36:52     01:44:37(+07:45)
Stage 5: Mountain Run/Hike        Up          00:40:42     00:49:52(+09:10)
                                  Down        00:22:56     00:34:33(+11:37)
Stage 6: Cycling                              00:36:41     00:39:03(+02:22)

Total time                                    04:58:13     05:50:42(+52:29)

Anyway, one of the main positives and targets of this log was to remain injury free throughout and that's been achieved...the other positive is that I will keep up the training now and not stop like I did the last two years immediately after GF. I'm probably going to do a Galway Bay half-marathon in 5-6 weeks so I'll start training for that tomorrow (that's seems easy now), I've a few other small road races planned in between as well.

I'll probably put this log to bed for now and start a new log to focus on running for the winter as that's where I need to improve the most, if I decide to go Gaelforce again next year I'll start it up again or start afresh...

Feelings for the last couple of days

Never again, never gain, never gain, never gain, never gain, see you all next year

Head The Wall

There's more than one race in the year, Achill Roar in 3 weeks has a similar enough course but no reek, you should be in good shape for it after all your training. It's another chance to see were you just on an off day or not.

There's the added bonus of fabulous scenery, sunshine the last two years and the best after party

Well done on the race and log

former

I was thinking the same thing - there are several races to choose from over the nexr 2 months or so - Achill was great fun last year.

snailsong

KoemansCC wrote: »

Great race again and very well organised as are all Gaelforce events, conditions on the day were perfect and couldn't have asked for a better build up, well done to Peter for a herculean performance and to everyone that took part. As I said above I'm a bit disappointed not to have come in under five and a half hours but to be honest looking at the splits it was never there on the day for me, not sure if it was an off day or not but I never really got going...I had one minor major achievement on the day; managed to cycle the entire bike section, all the way up Sheffry and the entire Skelp (although I nearly came over the handlebars on one occasion), had to walk some of these sections the last two years...

The only thing that confused me this year was the amount of cramping, in 2009 I got some calf cramps going up Sheffry but nothing else, last year I had no cramps at all...this year I had bad cramps in both calfs and feet up Sheffry and cramps in both thighs going up CP (never had a cramp in my thighs before!!!!), even at the end I got a cramp in my hand eating the fecking soup!!! Not sure why I cramped so bad this year but it didn't cost me any time, I'd just love to know why it happened this year and not last year...

Splits versus targets from earlier in the log

                                              Target       Actual(Diff)
Stage 1: Beach, Trail and Road Run            01:12:41     01:29:02(+16:21)
Stage 2: Kayaking across Killary Harbour      00:10:10     00:08:38(-01:32)
Stage 3: Trail and Road Run                   00:18:11     00:24:57(+06:46)
Stage 4: Cycling                              01:36:52     01:44:37(+07:45)
Stage 5: Mountain Run/Hike        Up          00:40:42     00:49:52(+09:10)
                                  Down        00:22:56     00:34:33(+11:37)
Stage 6: Cycling                              00:36:41     00:39:03(+02:22)

Total time                                    04:58:13     05:50:42(+52:29)

Anyway, one of the main positives and targets of this log was to remain injury free throughout and that's been achieved...the other positive is that I will keep up the training now and not stop like I did the last two years immediately after GF. I'm probably going to do a Galway Bay half-marathon in 5-6 weeks so I'll start training for that tomorrow (that's seems easy now), I've a few other small road races planned in between as well.

I'll probably put this log to bed for now and start a new log to focus on running for the winter as that's where I need to improve the most, if I decide to go Gaelforce again next year I'll start it up again or start afresh...

Feelings for the last couple of days

Never again, never gain, never gain, never gain, never gain, see you all next year

Thanks for the log KoemannCC. No need to be despondent about your race. Some days it just isn't there. Perhaps next year some more training on the course would be helpful. Give me a shout if you're about and maybe I could go do some of it with you.
I found your breakdown of the splits invaluable and it was the basis of my plan to beat 5 hours. It went like this:

Run 1 Target 1.12.41, actual 1.14.50. Didn't feel great on the run so I was prepared to take the hit for 2 minutes and hope to get it back later.

Kayak Target 10.10, actual 7.57. Got in with a friend who's good in the kayak and regained the 2 minutes, game on.

Run 3 Target 18.11 actual 20.20. There goes the 2 minutes again but not too upset as I expected this split to be very hard to achieve.

Cycle 1 Target 1.36.52 actual 1.31.29. Ahead of schedule for the first time and finally believing I could do it. The cycle was probably a bit easier than last year as the wind wasn't as bad on the bog road.

Reek up: Target 40.42 Actual 40.57.
Reek down: Target 22.56 actual 19.05. Local knowlege helped here. Was shown the best route down on a training run recently. Got terrible cramp just before the dibber at the bottom, had to stop for a minute to sort it out. Felt great to be on for the 5 though.

Cycle 2 and 800m run: Target 36.41 actual 37.11. Elated crossing the line, months of training and planning paid off.

Total 4.51.45, 209th place, and 1 hour 15min faster than last year.

A friend was also working to those times and he finished in 4.57 despite a fairly serious injury with 2 weeks to go.

I hope you're happy that your plan at least helped someone to beat 5 hours, probably a few I'd expect. Hopefully next year it wil be you.

Thanks again,
ss.

KoemansCC

Monday: Road run (New 10k PB)

Distance: 10.00k
Time: 00:53:00
Avg Pace: 05:18/k
Avg HR: 82% of max
Max HR: 93% of max

Well back training after an deserved extended rest, have done zero training for the last 8 days and found it tough to get back into it. Set out for an easy-ish run at 05:30/k target pace but felt really fresh and there was a spring in my step so opened it up a bit...knocked 01:49 of my best 10 k time but feel a bit stiff now.

Going to give Achill a miss as I can't justify taking time off and being away that weekend as I'm volunteering for 3 days the previous week for the Ironman in Galway. I might give the Conquest 10k or half marathon a lash on Sep 17 as it's more local and it looks really technical over 4 mountain peaks http://http://www.connemararoughdiamond.com/ As I said earlier I will also be doing the Galway Bay half-marathon on Oct 01, going to get out for a few long runs next week...

Bugsy2000

C'mon, get off your arse & stop feeling sorry for yourself!

KoemansCC

New log here