Middle-Aged Ambitions

slowsteady

The title of this log sets out the aspiration I had starting out and still have. The only minor problem is that then I had 20 weeks of training still to go, today I have none:rolleyes:.

So am I where I wanted to be? Not really, but then are any of us ever where we would like to be? There are always a couple of little muscle niggles somewhere, or maybe a missed interval session or two, an extra kilo above ideal weight, a day too wet, too warm or too windy (or all three, this is Ireland after all:)), always something.

In my case, my shoulder is not bothering me, on a couple of 20 milers it started to ache but I don’t think it will affect my performance this weekend. General fitness is OK, but only OK, 7 weeks ago I had been laid up for the previous 5 and out of this race, so to be OK now is enough. The achilles, which will not go away, is probably the biggest worry but I have managed the last seven weeks and a hard enough 10-mile race without it breaking down so hopefully it should last. Other than that, I am in good shape.

Last year I did my first and last marathon here in the classic 3 hours 59 minutes, 9:00 pace. Never running in any race before I stuck to the 4 hour pacers like glue and they saw me home. Since then I did the Wexford half in 1:43, thanks Meno;), at 8:00 pace and a recent 10-miler in 1:15, 7:30 pace, but lack any real consistency or mileage in the legs. After the operation I essentially had a 4 week layoff, 6 weeks training following the P&D programme, 5 weeks out with the achilles and now 7 weeks with reasonable mileage (290 miles) but overall two very big gaps. LSRs have been limited also, two 20 milers and one 18 mile but nothing much else over 10 miles (by the time I built it up it was time to taper:().

Given the history I have three choices –

Option 1 – 4:00 – Go out conservatively and if happy at the top of Roebuck Road push on and take a few minutes off the PB

Option 2 – 3:45 – Stick to the pacers and have a comfortable run, take the 15 min PB and move on to 2012

Option 3 – 3:30 - Stick to the pacers and hope they will drag me round

First one doesn’t appeal much but, if Monday turns out to be as wet and windy as it could be, it might be the best way to have a good day.

Option 2 has a lot of attractions. I should be OK for pace given the last few weeks, certainly up to 16-17 miles and the bl**dy-minded streak inherent in my genes should see me through if I am still there at Milltown. But 16-17 miles is not 10 and I might not have the batteries to be there.

The last option is fraught with risk. No regular PMP runs, unknown stamina, lack of fast paced intervals and now, dodgy weather. Yes it would be brilliant to get it, against the odds and a real boost for next year (planning another serious target;)) but failure would be the opposite. Reading Meno on his experience in Berlin I now know what will happen if I can’t hold the pace but keep going anyway, not pretty, but if I get so far I should be able to limp home at 9:00-9:30 pace and still get a PB.

Based on the 10-miler McMillan says 3:30 is on but the IAAF tables say 3:40, the latter being more realistic. Both assume a complete training regime. Common sense says either Option 1 or 2. But the thing about common sense is that it is not that common.

Decisions, decisions…

Plan as of now is to do nothing the next two days, see how I feel Monday, what the weather is and go from there.

A crazy notion (and I’m sure it is crazy) is that because the 3:30 pacers are heading up wave 2, to go out with wave 1 at 3:30 pace and if I fall off it somewhat they will pick me up and carry/drag me along to the finish in 3:35 – told you it was crazy – taper madness at work:P.

menoscemo

slowsteady wrote: »

A crazy notion (and I’m sure it is crazy) is that because the 3:30 pacers are heading up wave 2, to go out with wave 1 at 3:30 pace and if I fall off it somewhat they will pick me up and carry/drag me along to the finish in 3:35 – told you it was crazy – taper madness at work:P.

That won't work, I can assure you (from pacing experience) that once someone drops off the pace in a marathon, they don't recover.

Option 2 seems very sensible.

Anyway, best of luck on monday.

snailsong

Here's my not very educated 2c worth, ignore if you like.

I too am missing a few long runs and I might be reaching a bit but I'll try for 3.30.

A few thoughts about option 3:

How soft is your half time, you should be close to 1.35 if you intend to go for 3.30. Hand on heart how fast do you think you could run a half? My half is 1.40 but it was a very hilly course (Achill) and a good while ago. I've improved a lot since then. I might be deluded, we both might.

Can you live with the prospect of blowing up and finishing very slowly, say 4.10 and missing out on what would have been a handy pb? I'm prepared to take this risk.

Can you discipline yourself to reassess mid-race and switch to plan b if necessary. I think this will be tricky as you have limited race experience and its easy to ignore what your body is telling you with the adrenaline and excitement of race day. Also decision making becomes more difficult as you get mentally tired towards the latter stages of a long race.

I think you know what the sensible option is, the question is whether you want to be sensible or not.

slowsteady

Snailsong, I think you have summed it up fairly well and your point about a half time is very valid. The 1:43 half was fairly comfortable, I was pacing with another runner and slipped back trying to help them but was able to pick it up in the last few miles. However my recent 10-miler only translates to a 1:40 half - I was fitter back in the Spring.

I'd like to think I could re-assess if things were not going to plan but by that time it might be too late and the whole thing could end up as a soggy mess somewhere in Dublin 2 (or worse, Dublin 4:o).

The options are play safe or gamble on a win or burn strategy.

Good luck yourself, it will be interesting to compare the reality with the plan afterwards.

belcarra

I think you should opt for option 2.b - stick with the 3:45 Pacers until 20/22 miles and then aim to kick on for the last few miles. This way you should hopefully have a positive attitude for the race (rather than a worrisome alternative if you go at a dangerously quick pace) and at a pace that will avoid you blowing up. Remember that if you go a little too fast at the beginning you'll go lots too slow at the end!

This option would give you a pb of 15-20mins which would be a great performance given the nature of your interrupted training.

Best of luck anyways with whichever strategy you decide on!

slowsteady

Can I do a late edit on the title of the log to read Sub-3:40? Didn’t hit the magic 3:29:xx but it was a good enough day.

Am I disappointed – yes. Am I happy with the time – in the circumstances, absolutely.

Past few days did not bode well, legs felt stiff and heavy, worse than if I wasn’t on taper. At the Expo yesterday I could feel the achilles just walking around and started telling myself who was I fooling with this orange number - swop for a blue anyone?

Got back to the hotel and put the feet up but the legs didn’t get any better as the evening went on. To stop driving myself insane, stoked up on pasta, fig rolls and water and hit the sack early. Had the first pitstop at 3am, topped up the liquids and had a further broken four hours.

Breakfast and off to the start, debating the strategy on the way (said I’d leave it to the last minute). Met Eireann were wrong again, wind was not bad and the rain was holding off so, as anyone who has followed this log may have guessed, I lined up behind the 3:30 pacers. Thinking was - get to half way and try and hang on.

From the off I could feel the left achilles, but nothing new in that, kept relaxed and eventually it faded after about 4 miles.

Just after the first turn into Leeson St, not half a mile gone, I saw someone’s nutrition plan go up in smoke as a bag of Jelly Babies hit the deck to be immediately trampled to death by the following herd.

Sat in the middle between the 3 pacers for most of the first 10 miles but the legs never lost the heaviness. Through Dolphins Barn went to the back of the group and on the Crumlin Road slipped another 50 yards with the congestion. At halfway knew I was struggling with the pace but dug in and tried to close on the pace group. At this point my form started to slip because the shoulder started to shout for attention, straightened up as best I could but from here on it niggled away.

Held the distance to the pacers for miles 14 and 15 but slipped to 100-150 yards on mile 16. Gritted the teeth again and held the margin for 17 and 18 but it was taking its toll. The beginning of the end was on the hill at Milltown when just as I got to the crest the left calf gave a twinge of cramp, eased back immediately and nursed it along but lost another 50 yards on mile 19. Roebuck was the end of the pacers as I had to stop with cramp in the left and twinges in the right, got going again slowly but mile 20 was a 8:47 and 21 a 9:38 - 3:30 was a goner.

The next 6 miles were hard work to put it mildly, Fosters Avenue was a welcome downhill till halfway down my quads started to cramp, quads:eek: – they never gave trouble, until now. By this stage I was nursing both calves and both quads and re-assessing. Re-assessing as in – do I quit now or later – Belcarra’s advice came to mind

belcarra wrote: »

I think you should opt for option 2.b - stick with the 3:45 Pacers until 20/22 miles and then aim to kick on for the last few miles. This way you should hopefully have a positive attitude for the race (rather than a worrisome alternative if you go at a dangerously quick pace) and at a pace that will avoid you blowing up. Remember that if you go a little too fast at the beginning you'll go lots too slow at the end!

This option would give you a pb of 15-20mins which would be a great performance given the nature of your interrupted training.

Best of luck anyways with whichever strategy you decide on!

Menoscemo and Snailsong’s advice now also seemed very sensible – in hindsight - but my decision had been based on the premise that if the worse was to happen I could still do well on 9 minute miles to the finish.

What I hadn’t anticipated was cramp so I teased my legs along the next few miles at 8:40, 8:56 and 9:08. I remember looking at the mile marker on the Merrion Road to see it said 23, I had expected it to say 21, I had obviously lost a few miles somewhere (delirious with the pain:rolleyes:). This was an unexpected boost, but the wheels fell off shortly afterwards. I had to stop with cramp again on Shelbourne Road and then three times up along Grand Canal and Westland Row. Stumbled/shuffled along Pearse Street and came around by the college wanting only two things - not to be caught by the 3:45 pacers and to beat 3:40 so that it read 3:39:xx. Despite the stopping I managed two 9:32s for the last couple of miles so I must have been going OK when I was moving:P

Dread to think what I looked like down the finishing stretch but I avoided the embarrassment of walking and got 3:39:34, a 20 minute PB:D - so I got there, the hard way.

Thanks to the pacers, didn't talk to them much as I knew deep down I was unlikely to be there at the end - but you got me to mile 18 so - Happy days.

Will look back on where it went wrong later, but the one issue that didn’t really bother me was the achilles

belcarra

Well done on the time! And even bigger well done on the last few miles!! I have been in that position where all you want to do is crawl home and it's neither pretty nor comfortable!

In a few days time you'll have forgotten all the suffering and simply be left to reminisce the excellent time you achieved!

Now if I can get near matching you next week in New York I'll be a very happy camper!!

slowsteady

belcarra wrote: »

Now if I can get near matching you next week in New York I'll be a very happy camper!!

Your training has been far better than mine so everything being equal you should be able to show me what might have been.

The best aspect of yesterday was proving to myself that I could dig in and keep going when the whole thing was falling apart, mind over matter.

A conservative strategy is probably the best, especially for somewhere like New York where you want to enjoy the atmosphere. Dublin you can do again, but New York is a once in a lifetime, I jealous already:).

Hope that snow goes away!!

RubyK

Great work slowsteady! You should be well proud, despite everything you got to the startline, and then ran a pb for the finish. The last few miles sound like a tough slog, but you dug deep. Well done!!

snailsong

Well done, that's a great run in the circumstances. Good work on slowing slightly rather than completely exploding. Sounds like extreme mental fortitude for those last few miles.

Sorry I didn't get to say hello, we must have been in close proximity for most of the race. Tbh I was so focussed on keeping my own head right I wasn't at all chatty during the race and the plan to go to the pub didn't materialise afterwards.

I'll post a short report of my race on the novices thread shortly.

slowsteady

Woopee !!

Just discovered I made the qualifying for Boston 2013 by 26 seconds:p

All I need now is the extra 20 minute PB to sign up early - and a new pair of legs:eek:

slowsteady

Recovery 3.5 miles, 28:00, 8:00 pace

Working all day Saturday and 500km round trip to a funeral on Sunday. By Sunday evening my legs were in bits, from doing nothing, so pulled on the gear and went out into a chilly night. Legs were stiff enough but only from lack of exercise and loosened up readily. Didn't warm up properly till it was all over, sore enough yesterday and will give tonight a miss.

Thinking of joining the local winter league to keep me out on the road, fire is very tempting these evenings:rolleyes: - need to book the Waterford half to get some focus.

menoscemo

slowsteady wrote: »

Recovery 3.5 miles, 28:00, 8:00 pace

Well done on DCM, that's a cracking result in the circumstances

But Recovery pace really can't be faster than marathon pace (especially if you want to avoid injury).

slowsteady

Recovery 3.39 miles, 28:53, 8:31 pace

Did this this evening after signing up for the winter league, 5 miles every Thursday evening - to keep me honest, no watches allowed - and to help track progress maybe

Temperature about 15 degrees warmer than Sunday, Irish weather for you, so took it easy, included a decent hill at the end to test the calves. No issues legs felt good, apart from usual achilles twinge, so definitely over any post-DCM trauma.

Haven't managed a mile a day since Dublin and put on 3lbs:eek:, need to get a target or two sorted and put a plan together.

menoscemo wrote: »

Well done on DCM, that's a cracking result in the circumstances

But Recovery pace really can't be faster than marathon pace (especially if you want to avoid injury).

Thanks and I know, I know. Probably if you were to pick out one of my biggest failings it is running recovery too fast - I'll get better, I promise:rolleyes:

slowsteady

Tempo 5 miles, 36:35, 7.19 pace

This is what running is all about:)

First run in the winter league, no watches. Route was one flat mile, mile and half steady climb, mile and half down again and final mile flat.

Took off with the pack and started briskly enough, pulled in a few on the climb but started to feel it myself as we neared the top. Once we started back down the legs felt immediately better and were looser and more relaxed than they have been in months and the achilles was giving no trouble at all - not even a twinge:p. Into the final mile it got a bit tougher and some started to ease past me, those who had paced it better. Came in happy enough and plan to start easier the next time and see if I can get my own pacing a bit better - first for everything!

Feels like Dublin is gone out of the legs so it is on to the next target - Waterford half?

slowsteady

DCM review – where did it go wrong?

A few rambling musings about why I got 3:40 rather than the 3:30 I was looking for.

You learn more from your mistakes than your successes – so lots to learn here then :rolleyes: – seriously, in the circumstances a good result but there are some lessons to learn.

Surgery at the end of May left 22 weeks to Dublin but there was little done in June so serious running started again in July. I followed the P&D 55 programme fairly religiously until a 10k race in early August, the purpose of which was to see where I was at. While I ran fairly conservatively, 47:10 proved far harder than I had expected and the Achilles injury picked up in the last stretch killed all running for the next 4 weeks.

Starting again in Sep proved a struggle as the Achilles proved a persistent problem and cut out any serious interval or tempo work. Overall mileage in the final 2 months was good and laid down a fitness basis which stood up well in the final analysis but comparing it the more consistent training last year was probably better overall.

Mileage|2011|2010
Jan|0|0
Feb|25|0
Mar|78|0
Apr|106|0
May|119|0
Jun|24|0
Jul|163|83
Aug|46|154
Sep|121|164
Oct|191|101
Nov|0|2
Dec|0|0
Total|873|504


Looking at the race itself, I started to struggle with the 8min pace from halfway but according to the Garmin I covered the first 19 miles at 7:56 pace. Now the reality of that was that the Garmin measures short as I was not taking the shortest line (full distance shown as 26.5 miles) and I was perhaps 2 minutes off the pace on the ground. From here on cramp affected me and slowing down combined with stopping 5 or 6 times to stretch reduced the average for the last 6 plus miles to 9:11 pace.

Why did this happen, I took 3 gels and two isotonic drinks but whether the weather affected me I am not sure, I have never had cramp before so the reasons are still unknown. Without the cramps I think I could have got 3:33/3:34 but 3:30 I’d say was beyond me but it would have been nice to still be within sight of the pace balloons going down Nutley Lane – anything might have been possible from there.

Heart rate averaged 151 for the first 20 but dropped to 142 for the slow miles, a sure sign there was more in the tank if I could have translated it to the legs.

The gamble of going out with the 3:30 pacers worked, as I think, barring the cramps, I would have beaten the 3:45 alternative by 10 minutes. Even though going with the 3:30 target was beyond me I was able to draw on a bit character or whatever and keep in range for quite a while so it was good experience for the future.

Lessons learnt – Completing a full training programme is desirable
Tempo and intervals are a big benefit
Consistent training is probably key
Aim high

Unknowns – Will cramps re-occur in longer races?

Plan - Consistent training over the winter and re-assess in Feb after Waterford half and Dungarvan 10 (and two PBs:cool:)

slowsteady

Recovery 5.3 miles, 45:09, 8:37 pace

Legs were surprisingly good after the winter league run the other night. Lovely morning for a run took it steady and stopped slightly short for a chat with a neighbour. Turns out he did Dublin back in the early 80's, PB of 3:21 - a new target:rolleyes: - but not just yet!

slowsteady

slowsteady wrote: »

Unknowns – Will cramps re-occur in longer races?

I was reading Running Times Nov 11 edition this afternoon and came across an article on marathon issues and cramps in particular. In summary, while stating the true cause is not known it rules out hydration as an issue but goes on to say -

"We aren't sure entirely what causes this to happen, but local muscle fatigue is a common thread. Therefore, preventing that local fatigue, or any fatigue, is your best path to preventing cramps.... This can be done by adequate preparation and training, but that speaks to only part of the issue. The other equally important part of adequate training is "appropriate execution." By that I mean you should pace according to your training level, and ensure your performance expectations match your current training status..... it's the athletes who attempt to outrun their training who are most susceptible to cramps, because they're the ones who are inducing the local fatigue by asking their muscles to do more than they're ready for." http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=24321&PageNum=2

In my case, disrupted training and ambitious pacing may well have been the cause. If that is correct I know what I have to do:rolleyes:

slowsteady

Easy 8.31 miles, 1:11:00, 8:32 pace

Shortly after starting the Garmin died so did this as an easy run rather than guess any faster pace. Quads showed they hadn't forgotten Thursday's run.

Nice day, could do with more like it.

slowsteady

Aerobic 5 miles, 38:30, 7:42 pace

2 minutes slower than last week for the same run but happy enough. Why? Howling gale last night, gave blood on Monday and am struggling with a chest infection, so three reasons I would be slower.

Winter league run, probably shouldn't have run but will miss next week and wanted to keep the momentum going. Went out with the attitude that anything under 40 min would be good enough on the day, last run was Sunday morning as work has been pretty mental since then. This is likely to continue for the next few weeks so regular training is likely to be hard to plan.

slowsteady

Aerobic 5.3 miles, 42:57, 8:10 pace

Chest infection didn't get any worse but mucus is still sitting there, voice is very hoarse but as long as I don't cough I'm not too bad.

Needed to go to work today so headed off early and spent the day watching the showers pouring down. Didn't finish till after 4 and by the time I got home and geared up the day was almost done and so was the rain:p.

Legs didn't feel too bad after Thursday but allowed the chest to dictate what was possible. Kept the run brisk and was slightly disappointed not to come in below 8 min. Running in the almost complete dark is somewhat liberating (and slightly crazy?) but enjoyed it nevertheless.

slowsteady

Aerobic 8.3 miles, 1:09:32, 8:22 pace

Chest still felt a bit ropey this morning but as I have a very heavy week at work I wanted to get a few miles in.

Similarly to yesterday I went very much on feel but was more concious of my chest. Still pushed the pace along and breathing settled down after a while. Felt much harder than if I had been healthier and the heart rate reflected this.

Feel good now and hopefully the breathing will be sorted by next weekend's run.

Dull, overcast, comfortably warm, no wind - perfect running weather;)

slowsteady

Aerobic, 6.5 miles, 54:20, 8:23 pace

Heavy week at work came to pass and five days stuck inside made me mad to get out Friday.

Took off like a novice (which obviously I still am:o) not properly warmed up on a chilly enough day, still suffering with a niggly chest and the inevitable happened. Stopped after a couple of miles having run out of breath, pulled myself together, gave myself a metaphorical kick up the ar$e, and started again. Rest of the run was much better.:)

Easy, 7.29 miles, 1:04:28, 8:51 pace

Had planned to do about 10 miles but not knowing the area around Ennis unexpectedly looped back to the hotel too soon. As the chest has not fully recovered I knocked it on the head at that. Much more sensible pacing, warmed up properly and enjoyed it but the breathing felt hard enough although the heart rate was steady enough at 132bpm.

Will pass on a run today and hope the chest has cleared up properly by Thursday.

slowsteady

Aerobic 5 miles, 36:15, 7:11 pace

Winter league run. Plan was to run with the handicap group rather than go out ahead and be passed because I went out too fast. Good plan but with one minor flaw - I didn't tell the rest of the group - within a half a mile they were 100 yards ahead and I didn't see them for the rest of the night:p.

There were a couple of others who were running at my pace so I stuck with them for the uphill first half planning to hit the accelerator on the downhill return leg. Good plan but again I didn't tell my companions and they ran on and left me:rolleyes:.

Chest has still not cleared up fully but the legs were the limiting factor. Overall it was a good run but I am not where I want to be.

slowsteady

Aerobic 10.06 miles, 1:22:30, 8:12 pace

I was torn as to whether to run an easy 5 miles or make this a 10 miler at reasonable pace. As the chest is still niggling decided to go out for a couple of miles and decide from there.

As it was such a nice morning and I felt OK after the first couple I decided to press on with the longer run. I really should have cut back the pace a bit more as it was only 36 hours after Thursday's league run (which was not aerobic:o - at least for me). Legs felt heavy but I gritted the teeth and pushed out to the end. The heart rate showed the effort at 153bpm which would be high for this pace.

Will go out for a couple of easy runs ahead of the Waterford half next Saturday and hope the legs and chest have recovered by then - need a PB to make up for Dublin;)

slowsteady

Log needs a revised title and this week it should read 'Midwinter Madness'.

Waterford half coming up tomorrow so what should be done in the approach? Not two nights running at sub-8 minutes that is for sure:o. I have difficulty running easy pace, which for me should be 9min+ and running in the dark I end up running by feel and much faster than I should as a result.

Been stuck doing very long hours at work for the past few weeks so grabbing opportunity to run has been hard to find. The chest has still not cleared up properly, there is a residual niggle which does not seem to be shifting but it doesn't cause a major problem, more of a nuisance.

Tempo 4.5 miles, 36:06 7:51 pace plus w/u and w/d

Got out Wed night for first run since Sat out along Tramore road where half will be held, has to be flattest, smoothest couple of miles of tarmac in the country - at least that is my excuse for running it so fast:rolleyes:. Cool, dry night but wind was bitter, will need extra layers tomorrow.

Tempo 5 miles, 38:45, 7:45 pace

Last night after Wed was determined to take the Winter League easy so let the group off and thought I was taking it easy and didn't pass a soul for the first 3 miles. It was on the return leg when I was breezing past a guy who will do the half 10 minutes better than me tomorrow that I realised I might just be going too fast! Put the brakes on big time at that point but the damage may become evident tomorrow:eek:.

Not really trained specifically for this but badly want to beat my last one which was just sub-1:45. Plan will probably be to go with the 1:40 pacers and either push on (unlikely:D) or hang on for dear life:p. Not sure what damage the past couple of nights will have done but time will tell.

slowsteady

My fears were realised in this one. Despite the shoulder, achilles and chest I was still reasonably confident that I could do OK, while they are all still around as issues and I have to be concious of each, none seriously affect me in the day to day running - if I was seriously competing over shorter distances they would definitely be factors - but not for longer runs.

It was being stupid during the week and doing two runs too fast, too close to Saturday that the damage was done. I woke up still feeling both in the legs and knew it was going to be a big ask to get 1:40:00.

Registered early, 10.30, and went off for a few easy laps of the RSC to try and get a bit of life into heavy legs. It was cold, hats and gloves were the order of the day that early, bright day, little breeze, looked promising weatherwise. Wandered off to PC World to look at all the tech the kids are looking for for Christmas - Celtic Tiger Santa come back, all is forgiven:eek:. Back to the track and between meeting up with a few faces and a few more laps, got a bit of life into the body and went to the line hopeful but not confident.

Started with the 1:40 pacers and things went fine for the first couple of miles, however from 3 to 5 it felt harder and at the first water station lost 100 yards on the lead pacer and despite trying the legs would not get me back. Long drag from there to 6.5 miles and here I really struggled to hold the pace fearful to look back for the second pacer who was bringing the rear of the train along. They duly caught and passed me on the downhill to the turn at 7.5 miles and I thought at that point my race was done. The legs had no life and I could feel my pace gradually slipping backwards - the Garmin had given up at mile 2, not sure why - so I knew I was on my own from here to the end.

The road is very flat with only one drag on the return and long sweeping bends where you can see a long way ahead. Damage limitation was now to be the strategy, giving up had seriously been on the agenda but the idea of the locals seeing me walking was too much. I dug deep with the idea that if I could hold the slippage to 100 yards per mile I could still get a PB but felt even this was unlikely the way I was feeling. Watching the balloon drifting away up the road was a real DCM deja vu feeling again but I ground out the next 3 miles being passed on a regular basis and catching no one.

By mile 11 the balloon had completely disappeared so I kept up the latest tactic - as each runner passed me I would try to hold on for a while and only let them gradually get away, nothing silly but I needed a target to keep the legs turning. From mile 8 I was looking at the watch, on ordinary time, and doing mental calculations on what was needed to get a PB and reckoned it was possible provided I didn't implode altogether. By the last couple of miles I reckoned I would make it and this gave me the lift to drive the legs on, though they felt like hell. For the last half mile we were directed on to the pavement and it was doing the up and down of the couple of steps that brought the cramp, but it was close enough to the end to tell myself to ignore it, no sprint though, no energy anyway.

Hit the last turn on track to see the clock still showing 1:41:xx so somewhat surprised and pleased to finish in 1:41:35, a PB by nearly 3 minutes. Delighted in the circumstances that I was able to drive it out to the end given the way I was a third of the way into the race but extremely annoyed that I was as stupid as I was during the week. I am sure that cost me a lot of time but will not know now until I run another half - and prepare properly this time:o Have the New Year resolution sorted anyway - train properly.

Legs felt tired all day, worse than after DCM, and still rough this morning, no injury, just wrecked. Will do nothing now till Santa Hat run next Thursday when will give it a lash to see what a bit of rest will do in the meantime.

RubyK

Wow, that was a great time slowsteady and a nice pb. Congrats!

slowsteady

Tempo 5 miles, 36:25, 7:17 pace

Winter league run. Five day lay-off since the half last Saturday. Work has been mental so spent the time largely sitting on my a*se in front of a PC 12-14 hours a day, curious thing is the legs probably suffer for it as they go to the other extreme of doing absolutely nothing.

Cold night but dry. Warmed up properly for a change (usually a mad rush to get there at all) chest had moved on to being a dry cough, so some progress:).

Went out with my handicap group and decided I would stick to them this time - mixed fortunes - some headed on and I couldn't hold on but rest went the other direction. Wanted to get a sub-36 for the first time but it didn't happen. Disappointed as there was not much left in the tank at the end - need to focus the training on a bit of speed work.

975 miles for the year, will get the grand if I have to walk them (does walking count? )

Signed up for Dungarvan 10-miler this morning, goes up a fiver to €20 tonight (is this the best value race in the country? €15 including t-shirt and goodie bag?)

slowsteady

Easy 5.3 miles, 45:18, 8:34 pace

Lovely day for a run, cool - very cool:rolleyes: - no breeze, sun shining.

One way of ensuring an easy run is to have patchy ice in most of the shady areas:) so easy it was. Legs, knees in particular, felt the last run so easy was definitely desireable. Grand run.