ARTist in the Spot Light (This week Mick Rice)

Abhainn

Ok I think this guy is one of the legends of Irish road racing.
I personally call him the marathon man. So far he has run 100 road miles quicker than any Irish person. He shows unbelievable selflessness in pacing many races.
A runner who seems to be improving with age, a true gentleman of the sport, I present Mick Rice…

Other Rounds so far:

(shotgun)MCOS
interested
el director
Tunney
TheRoadRunner
Krusty_Clown
Seres
Abhainn


Here we go…

1. Tell us all about your introduction into running.
2. In 2011 you did a 4:29 in the Connemara Ultra, and 7 days later in London knocked out a 2:48 and very rare negative split on the day. That time was just 4 mins outside your best. Your secret please?
3. How many marathons / ultras have you completed?
4. Your finest achievement in running?
5. You’ve ran the Conn 100 a few times now. Briefly can you outline your preparation for a long of this distance?
6. Would you ever be interested in running for Ireland and do you think your country would ever call you up?

Krusty_Clown

1. Ever consider spending 3-6 months focused on running your best ever marathon? What kind of time do you think you could achieve?
2. You've paced a number of sub-3 marathons. Did you ever find any of them difficult?
3. Do you have long term goals? Care to share any of them?
4. Do you do any weights/strength/core training, or just get out and run?
5. Favourite type of running session?

corny

Abhainn wrote: »

Ok I think this guy is one of the legends of Irish road racing.
I personally call him the marathon man. So far he has run 100 road miles quicker than any Irish person. He shows unbelievable selfishness in pacing many races.
A runner who seems to be improving with age, a true gentleman of the sport, I present Mick Rice…

Other Rounds so far:

(shotgun)MCOS
interested
el director
Tunney
TheRoadRunner
Krusty_Clown
Seres
Abhainn


Here we go…

1. Tell us all about your introduction into running.
2. In 2011 you did a 4:29 in the Connemara Ultra, and 7 days later in London knocked out a 2:48 and very rare negative split on the day. That time was just 4 mins outside your best. Your secret please?
3. How many marathons / ultras have you completed?
4. Your finest achievement in running?
5. You’ve ran the Conn 100 a few times now. Briefly can you outline your preparation for a long of this distance?
6. Would you ever be interested in running for Ireland and do you think your country would ever call you up?

Should that not be selflessness or is he really that bad?;)

menoscemo

Hey Mick, is it true that you do not own a Garmin or GPS watch? If so how do you continually get the 3hr pacing exactly right? Is it stopwatch and mile markers? How do you deal with the fact that the markers are often not in the right place?

Mick Rice

:-)

Wow...what an intro...!

When I escape from work, I'll put down some answers.

Jazes, it's warm in here.

TFBubendorfer

What a great choice, I'm delighted!

1. I know you do not do back-to-back long runs when training for an Ultra. So, how do you train for an ultra?

2. Related to 1, what'd the difference in training for a marathon and training for an ultra?

3. Is project 140 still on the cards?

4. I always enjoyed you blog entries, but it's gone very quiet on that front. When will you resume that? And will you put some more quirky stuff in it (the cow went Mu)?

5. If I run a similar race to the Connemara 100, will you apologise for calling me a sissy?

NoGutsNoGlory

when you were running the recent sixmilebridge marathon.. did u keep count everytime you lapped someone????

village runner

NoGutsNoGlory wrote: »

when you were running the recent sixmilebridge marathon.. did u keep count everytime you lapped someone????

He knows he lapped you. I was looking forward to seeing him after every 5 miles.

village runner

How the feic can you run 4 min of a pb for a marathon 7 days after running a fast ultra ???
What makes you think that you can run 4.15 for a tough ultra ?

Slogger Jogger

Great choice. I first met Mick when we were both IT geeks in the public service fado fado. This was long before Mick found he had a talent for running, but we could play a mean 5 a side. Mick was like the duracell bunny on the 5 a side pitch. He'd run all day.

What got you started in running?
What is your favorite distance (you are so damned versatile!)?
Do you think we'll ever get you to do a mountain run (fair warning, Mweelrea next summer).
Would you be tempted to follow in the footsteps of Enduro and PabloT and run the Wicklow way end to end?

Always a pleasure to meet you at races. A true gent.

Mick Rice

Lets give this a shot so...

Abhainn

Introduction into running...

On Christmas Eve 1998 I was sitting at home in Dublin. I'd given up the gargle and my wife had gone home to Clare for Christmas. I was going to spend the big day with my folks in the Smoke and then follow her down before New Years. I was bored out of my mind and decided that the best thing I could think of to do was to go for a 'jog' in the nearby Phoenix Park. Around that time the only exercise I took was a once a week five-a-side soccer game out of work. I ran a couple of miles that day, liked it and basically have been running since.

Conne Ultra/London 2011

I desperately wanted to do both races. The Conne Ultra is, in my opinion, one of the best ultras in Europe and I had a number for the UKA Marathon Championship Start in London, off the back of a pb 2:44 in Dublin the previous year. I had to decide how to reconcile those two things. In the end, I ran as hard as I could in Connemara and was happy with the outcome based on my fitness at the time. Unfortunately I blisterred up very badly in the ultra. I then didn't run a step for a week and lined up in London to take whatever came my way. I had no idea how it would work out. I started out feeling like rubbish, but gradually came to life in the second half. The longer it went the more 'solid' I felt. It was just one of those days. The enforced slow start definitely paid dividends.

How many marathons/ultras?

48 - not sure of the exact breakdown.

Finest Achievement in Running

Being a part of the setting up of the senior section of Athenry AC. Three of us re-established the club back in 2001 and we now have over 220 adult members on the books. Being a part of the club means an awful lot to me.

Getting Ready for the Connemara 100

I've run this three times. The race is a big adventure. The first year, 2009, I hadn't a notion what I was at and just trained marathon style. I didn't do anything longer that 24 - 26 in training. I ran very slowly from the start with the intention of seeing how far I could run before I had to stop and then run/walking it in from there. There was nobody more surprised than myself when I managed to run the entire distance. For the last 12 weeks before the race I averaged 74 miles per week.

In 2010 I ran slightly lower milage but did quite a bit of work with weights to strengthen my lower back, hips and quads. That seemed to pay dividends and I ran strongly throughout. The clock said 14:27:06 at the end and it was probably the best race I've ever run.

2011 I ran even fewer miles and almost no weights and paid a price. I was lucky to get around in the end and survived more on experience than fitness. Despite having sworn blind that I'd never do it again. I'm determined to run it once more and to be as fit and strong as I possibly can be at the starting line. I think it's possible to take quite a bit off the 14:27 if training goes well.

RacoonQueen

Good choice Abhainn. I remember chatting to you at the pacing gig in Limerick in 2010 about the Conn 100. Your story underlined one of the reasons why I think strength and conditioning work is vital for endurance athletes. Yet I still neglect it myself.

1) What are your pb's over every distance?
2) Will you try a 24 hour race again?
3) Do you ever do intervals, tempos, progression runs etc or do you just go out and run?
4) How long were you running by the time you ran your first marathon and first ultra?
5) Favourite flavour of crisps?

Mick Rice

Krusty_Clown

1. Ever consider spending 3-6 months focused on running your best ever marathon? What kind of time do you think you could achieve?

On two occasions in the past, (100k Italy, Nov 2008, 24hrs Helsinki, Jan 2011), I've tried to invest 4-6 months training into a single performance and both times it went completely Pete Tong. Both of those efforts involved not racing on occasions when I would have loved to and that doesn't really suit me. I really love racing and the whole social side that goes alongside it.

The other side of that proposition for me, is that I think I could probably race my optimum marathon off quite a lot of other marathons. I think I've run 11 marathons/ultras this year and there have been eight sub-three efforts in there. I seem to recover quite fast from a hard run and to gain fitness from those runs rather than getting knocked back. A case in point was that I ran my half marathon pb (1:16:10) in the National Half in Ballybofey in 2009 three weeks after my first 100 miler.

I don't think sub 2:40 is out of the question for me, but in fairness, until you actually run the time, figures like that are just trash talk.


2. You've paced a number of sub-3 marathons. Did you ever find any of them difficult?

I've never struggled to make the time when pacing a sub-three, but each and every run over the distance has to be treated with great respect. If you ever take a marathon run of any sort lightly you run the very real risk of getting your over-confident arse kicked. I paced a small group to 3:30 in Berlin in 2007 and didn't treat it with due respect and, even though I made all the splits, I was a sorry boy going over the line.

3. Do you have long term goals? Care to share any of them?

Would like to be able to enjoy it all for a while longer. It's all so transient and at some point I won't be able to do it anymore. I remember someone once telling me that 'You can't keep fitness in the bank', meaning that once you've achieved a certain level of fitness that you have to go out again, and again and re-earn it over and over. If you don't, it just melts away. In the same vein, you can't keep 'running' in the bank, or in your training log -you have to keep on going out and experiencing it. I'd like to be able to stick at it for as long as possible.

On a more concrete level, I was very impressed to hear that the famous coach, Brendan O'Shea had run 100 sub-three marathons and so I've thought that running 50 would be a nice target for me. I think my count is somewhere in the mid 20's, but I'd have to check.

4. Do you do any weights/strength/core training, or just get out and run?

I think weights are a great addition to any distance program. If it's good enough for Haile, it should be good enough for the rest of us. Specifically, squats, deadlifts, good mornings and leg extensions seem to suit me well. The assistance of an experienced weights coach is a great help.

5. Favourite type of running session?

A long run in good company...

or

6 x mile repeats at 5 km pace.

Mick Rice

1. I know you do not do back-to-back long runs when training for an Ultra. So, how do you train for an ultra?

That's a big general question, but...

Ultras like the Connemara 39.3 are really just long marathons and can be trained for as such. My training for Connemara and my training for a target marathon wouldn't be different at all. The difference comes in the pace at which you run the event, not in how fit you need to be beforehand.

Longer race require different strategies, weights are a big help in building strength but speedwork becomes less and less relevant as you go up the distances. For a 100km, I'd still include a component of speedwork in an ultra training schedule, beyond that it's probably more of an injury risk than a benefit. In fairness, I try not to over complicate it, the main thing is to run lots of miles and to enjoy as many of them as possible.

2. Related to 1, what's the difference in training for a marathon and training for an ultra?

If I was to draw one distinction between marathons and ultras it'd be between stamina/endurance and strength. In a long ultra you have to work out a way to keep on going when you've run out of endurance. For me that way is strength, both mental and physical. As you build physical strength, mental strength is encouraged. As you continue to race over longer distances, mental strength is reinforced.

3. Is project 140 still on the cards?

Yes. But I'll have to find the right opportunity. Helsinki was a big set-back for me. I was fitter going into that race than I've ever been in my life. If I'm to have another go at 24hrs it'll have to be at a time and a place where I feel really comfortable with the people around me and the challenge at hand. If that happens, I think 140 miles is possible. I'm going to wait and see if that opportunity arises naturally. If and when it does I'll invest all I have in the challenge.

4. I always enjoyed you blog entries, but it's gone very quiet on that front. When will you resume that? And will you put some more quirky stuff in it (the cow went Mu)?

I had some personal stuff going on during the year that distracted me from almost everything else. I just about kept the running going, but even that suffered. Hopefully things are resolving themselves and I'll be able to get back with the blog. I enjoy writing it enormously. I always feel a little insecure about writing the 'quirky' ones which are often quite personal, but people are very generous in encouraging me to post in that vein and so I'll try to keep that thread running through the blog.

5. If I run a similar race to the Connemara 100, will you apologise for calling me a sissy?

If that race is so similar to the Connemara 100, that it is in fact the Connemara 100, yes I will.

As I said in Sixmilebridge, you know you want to.

Mick Rice

menoscemo wrote: »

Hey Mick, is it true that you do not own a Garmin or GPS watch? If so how do you continually get the 3hr pacing exactly right? Is it stopwatch and mile markers? How do you deal with the fact that the markers are often not in the right place?

The whole GPS thing kind of passed me by. I don't want to sound like an old grump - any more than I actually am one that is - but I like to run by feel and I believe that learning to gauge how fast you're running is a valuable skill. If you can gauge roughly how fast you're travelling then pacing, particularly in long races, becomes quite simple. For 3hrs, I set out to run the first mile in 6:52. If I run 7:00 for that mile, then I try to run a little under 6:52 for the next one. As long as you don't miss any one split by a big margin, it's just a case of continually tweaking the pace you're running at so that you arrive at a late point in the race more or less on target, and then you can wing it from there.

The more you run with a Garmin, the better you'll become at reading a Garmin. The more you run measured distances with a stopwatch, the better you'll get at estimating your pace by perceived effort.

Mick Rice

NoGutsNoGlory wrote: »

when you were running the recent sixmilebridge marathon.. did u keep count everytime you lapped someone????

The Sixmilebridge Marathon (Eddie Murphy Memorial) was one of the best running experiences I've ever had. From top to bottom and no matter what way you looked at it, it was a fantastic event and an absolute privilege to be there.

I wasn't really conscious of lapping people, it was more like meeting other people who were doing the same thing as you regularly. The stewards were really special in the way they encouraged us all day, and the opportunity to chat to different people as the race unfolded made what we were doing all the easier and more enjoyable. It reminded me very much of the very first Connemara Marathon, where only twelve people ran but there was a very similar vibe.

Mick Rice

How the feic can you run 4 min off a pb for a marathon 7 days after running a fast ultra ???

A mixture of good luck, ignorance, innocence, stupidity, bravery and a determination not to read too many copies of Runner's World. Sometimes we don't know what might be possible until we give it a shot. The next time I try something stupid like that, it may well come crashing down around my ears and then again it might not.

In the summer I tried running the Portumna 50km a week after a hard race and less than a day after getting off a transatlantic flight and ended up in the back of an ambulance. There is still a portion of that day that I can't recall at all. I was my first ever DNF.

You win some you lose some


What makes you think that you can run 4.15 for a tough ultra?

I've run under 4:30 the last two years and haven't been in really good shape on either occasion. In 2011 I was just getting going again after a really bad race in January (Helsinki 24hrs) and in 2010 it was a blazing hot day and again I wasn't really fit.

I wanted to set myself a really tough target for the 2012 running because I hear it's going to have a completely stacked field and it would be cool to be able to stand at the start line feeling ready to give it a big effort. I may well look like an idiot at the finish line if I don't get anywhere near 4:15, but I'm getting old enough that I don't care as much about that stuff any more.

Mick Rice

What got you started in running?

When I was a kid I was no good at soccer or GAA. I was always the last one picked for any team. When I discovered that you could run without being selected by someone else, without needing anyone's permission, at a time and a place that suited you best, and for free, I knew that I had found a sport that suited me well.

What is your favorite distance?

I don't really have a strong opinion on that one but it's hard to beat a marathon. They're short enough that you can take a run at them, but long enough to be a real challenge.

Do you think we'll ever get you to do a mountain run?

I did a leg of the Wicklow Way Relay last year and it nearly broke me in half. I have the height of admiration for mountain runners and think they're made of sterner stuff than I.

--amadeus--

Ahhhh yes, Mick Rice, the only man I have ever met who refused a perfectly serviceable toilet with the comment "ahhh, sure I can hop over a wall in a mile or two"

We've only met a handful of times but you have always struck me as someone quite centred and calm. I know you are a spiritual person (albeit in a non-traditional sense). Do you think that Zen and Ultras go together? Does having a spiritual core make you a stronger runner or is there no connection?

rom

What are the 5 best lessons you have learned the hard way ?

aburke

How DO they put the fig in the fig-rolls?

dna_leri

I know you have had articles and books published on Irish running history. Have you always had an interest in this and how did the recent book (on Derrydonnell AC) come about?

Where do you get the time for everything?

Were you ever a member of the scottish labour party?

Marthastew

Mick,
I'm really enjoying your answers to some great questions so far.

I'm sure get asked this all the time and I suppose the real reason I'm asking you this is so that I can possibly steal borrow your answer for my own use..

Why run an Ultra?

Why not?... because I want to... because I can...

Most non-runners can just about comprehend marathon distance but any further and they tend to think it gives them the right to tell you you're crazy etc. I don't really care what people think about my running but I'd love to have an answer that might satisfy them.

I've only just signed up for Conn Ultra so maybe I'm actaully asking you this so you can reassure me:)

Gringo78

Mick Rice wrote: »

. In the summer I tried running the Portumna 50km a week after a hard race and less than a day after getting off a transatlantic flight and ended up in the back of an ambulance. There is still a portion of that day that I can't recall at all. I was my first ever DNF.

Obviously it takes a lot to make you DNF.

I vaguely remember in your Conn 100 race reports that you get quite delirious towards the end - how close do you think you've come to ending up in the back of ambulance in those races? Was Portumna 50k the first time you realised your mind is more powerful than your body i.e that you can drive it over the edge?

BrokenMan

Really enjoying the insight Mick.

Just a few fom me.

What race that you haven't done yet would you most like to do?

You have an amazing ability to race long regularly and still keep yourself sharp. How many marathons a year can an average person run at a reasonable pace (for the individual) without burning out.

You obviously love the sport and are a great advocate for club running. What do you believe is the most important thing that someone can gain from joining a club?

Any more books planned?

Slogger Jogger

Really enjoy the articles in the Irish Runner as well as the race reports. And looking forward to the book you've just penned. Where does your interest in writing stem from?

What was it about Derrydonnell AC that inspired you to write the book?

Slogger Jogger

"Do you think we'll ever get you to do a mountain run?

I did a leg of the Wicklow Way Relay last year and it nearly broke me in half. I have the height of admiration for mountain runners and think they're made of sterner stuff than I."

You still did a respectable time for the leg despite going the wrong way and adding a lot of climb and distance to your run. If you'd taken the proper right turn you'd have had a very good time indeed

NoGutsNoGlory

Mick Rice wrote: »

The Sixmilebridge Marathon (Eddie Murphy Memorial) was one of the best running experiences I've ever had. From top to bottom and no matter what way you looked at it, it was a fantastic event and an absolute privilege to be there.

I wasn't really conscious of lapping people, it was more like meeting other people who were doing the same thing as you regularly. The stewards were really special in the way they encouraged us all day, and the opportunity to chat to different people as the race unfolded made what we were doing all the easier and more enjoyable. It reminded me very much of the very first Connemara Marathon, where only twelve people ran but there was a very similar vibe.

i would have to agree, sixmilebridge was special. i ran it in 3.01, ran DCM in 3.01 three weeks earlier so was happy enough..

menoscemo

I was chatting to you at Sixmilebridge about the Brooks Green Silence you were wearing. Have you always worn lightweight racers? What shoes do you normally wear for different training sessions/races? Would you risk racing flats for a 100 miler?

Mick Rice

Racoon Queen - (Love That Name :-))

1) What are your pb's over every distance?
Some distances I've only run once, but here's the figures I have..

400m - 1:05
800m - 2:27
1,500m - 4:50
1 Mile - 5:08
3,000m - 10:01
5,000m - 17:09
5km - 17:09
4 Miles - 22:04
8km - 27:26
5 Miles - 28:43
10,000 - 34:28
10km - 34:40
10 Miles - 57:56
Half Marathon - 1:16:09
Marathon - 2:44:31
50km - 3:24:32
39.3 Miles - 4:28:33
54.2 Mile (L to - 7:04:00
100k - 7:50:50
100 Miles - 14:27:06
24 Hrs - 176km

2) Will you try a 24 hour race again?
Perhaps. I'll have to rediscover some love for the challenge first though.

3) Do you ever do intervals, tempos, progression runs etc or do you just go out and run?

Up to about four or five years ago my training was very much of the 'Get out and Run' variety. Since then I've discoverred the joy of all of the sessions you've mentioned and have improved greatly because of that. Once you get over the initial 'Oh Crap!' feeling that can come over you just before you do a big session of hill repeats, that you just know is going to conclude with you dry reaching in full public view while mammys and kids pass by on the way home from school, it can start to be enjoyable in a very weird sort of way.

4) How long were you running by the time you ran your first marathon and first ultra?

1 year (Dublin) and 5 years (Connemara)

5) Favourite flavour of crisps?
Pickled Onion Crispy Meanies - beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Mick Rice

Mr Amadeus - Howdy doody...

Do you think that Zen and Ultras go together? Does having a spiritual core make you a stronger runner or is there no connection?

I do think that the two have a relationship, but like everything else it can work in more than one way. I think running long distances can be used to shake the ego, and the actual act of running can be a meditation. I try to use the little I know about meditation to understand my running better. Running can also be an ego trap for me.

Long before I started running ultras, I was given general running advice about how to work around the distress and feelings of anxiousness that can engulf you in a long race, and that was 'No Brain, No Pain'. That advice kind of stuck with me. A lot of the distress that I've gone through in ultras has been of my own creation rather than pure physical pain. If I can stay in the moment much of the distress that I would otherwise experience just never arises.

Formal meditation, whether it's formal Zen style or any of the other techniques, is aimed at allowing us to gain insight into the relationship we have with the world and I've found it personally useful in terms of understanding the experiences I've had with running.

Mick Rice

What are the 5 best lessons you have learned the hard way?

In no particular order...

1. If, during any long race, you need to lie down and sleep in the rain, before attempting to continue, attempting to continue is a very bad idea.

2. If your shins are continually sore, day after day - stop running! It took me three stress fractures to pick this gem up.

3. Salt tablet and marathons are a really good combination.

4. Running will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through time of no running.

5. When someone that you're running with says "I just have to stop for a second. I'll catch up to you", don't shake hands with them after the run.

Mick Rice

How DO they put the fig in the fig-rolls?

Sideways, using Chuck Norris' credit card.

Mick Rice

I know you have had articles and books published on Irish running history. Have you always had an interest in this and how did the recent book (on Derrydonnell AC) come about?

I moved from Dublin to Athenry in 2000 and I made some contributions to the club web-site around that time. I'd always loved to do race reports and the like. I've always though that the experiences we have at races are so fleeting that it's worth while recording those thoughts and feelings in the immediate aftermath so that they don't fade quite so quickly.

The editor of Irish Runner Frank Greally saw some of the bits I had done on the web-site and asked me to consider submitting pieces to the magazine. I jumped at the opportunity. I'd always had an interest in local history and had read quite a lot about the local history of places in Dublin where I'd grown up. It seemed logical to write about the 'local' history of running. It was a great way of recording some of the Irish running history that was slowly being lost as some of the greatest runners Ireland had ever had either became too old or ill to tell their stories or passed away.

The book on Derrydonnell was sparked when I met one of that club's stars, Tommy Madden to interview him for the magazine. No long afterwards I heard that the club were in the process of pulling together a history of the club and I was asked to pitch in. I was thrilled to do so. It took three years to complete but it's done now. I think most people have been quite pleased with the way it turned out.

Where do you get the time for everything?

Some years back, a fellow runner was telling me that he had no time to train. He explained that by the time he'd watched the soap operas with his girlfriend, and had finished the big meal that the mammy put in front of him each evening, that he found it impossible to get out the door. Another man in the company at the time was going through a messy separation and had to work 8-10 hours a day and then run a house for himself and three kids when he went home in the evening. That second man would get up in the morning at 6:00am to make sure he got his run done before he went off to work. He kept that going through the dark winter mornings and through the pi$$ings of rain.

If you have the motivation, it's usually possible to find the time.

Were you ever a member of the scottish labour party?

Nope, but I know the man you're thinking of :-)

Mick Rice

Why run an Ultra?

Not because I can, but because I'm afraid I can't.

When I stood on the starting line of my first 10k, I wondered, "Will I make it to the end?" and I loved that feeling of uncertainty, of doing something that was out of the ordinary and worthwhile. I loved the feeling of belonging to a special group that did these things. I think ultras are just an extension of that process. I love the adventure, the uncertainty and the slight whiff of danger. You have to ask questions of yourself in an ultra that just never arise in any other circumstances. We live sheltered, privileged lives during which there are not many opportunities to push yourself into such extreme physical circumstances, such as ultrarunning will allow. We'll all be dead a long time so why not kick it a bit while we're here.

The t-shirts are cool as well.

Mick Rice

I vaguely remember in your Conn 100 race reports that you get quite delirious towards the end - how close do you think you've come to ending up in the back of ambulance in those races? Was Portumna 50k the first time you realised your mind is more powerful than your body i.e that you can drive it over the edge?

Right from the very first time I ran an ultra I noticed differences in how my mind and body behaved in the longer races. I can remember in my first ultra, the Connemara 39.3, passing by the 30 mile marker and trying to work out how many miles were left to run. I could quite easily recall the total race distance, but for the life of me I could subtract 30 from 39. In the end, after a mile or two of trying to do that calculation, I just had to settle for the fact that there wasn't long left. After that I knew that ultras were a bit different. I've never halucinated, but often I haven't been able to recall parts of difficult races afterwards. Towards the end of the 100 milers I've had a kind of a tunnelling effect, where I can only see straight ahead and it feels like I'm viewing the world down a length of black pipe. Even I know that this is not necessarily a good thing :-)

Portumna was the first time I went past that 'weird' stage and into unknown territory. I really wasn't in any great physical distress but was just overwhelmed by tiredness and weakness. When I sat in the ambulance afterwards, it was like I was sitting there watching myself sitting in an ambulance, if that makes any sense. It wasn't a smart move to push on when I did, but I had felt relatively normal in the early stages. I pushed on saying to myself thinking that I'd get throigh it.

I didn't, but there's always next year :-)

Mick Rice

What race that you haven't done yet would you most like to do?

Comrades.

How many marathons a year can an average person run at a reasonable pace (for the individual) without burning out.

That's a real toughie because I don't know what average would be in this context and I can really only speak from my own experience. I know some really talented runners whotrain well all year 'round and would struggle with more than a single marathon effort per year.

Perhaps a turning point for me was when I ran the first Connemara Marathon and the first Longford Marathon only a week apart. Before I tried it I was advised by all and sundry that I'd regret it. I really enjoyed both and since then I alway took my own advice on whether I should run over anyone elses. Most of the time I get it right but occasionally, of course, I don't.

I don't think I'm that unusual in being able to race marathons regularly. I just love the whole experience so much that I tend to jump in as often as I can get away with. I've never felt the need to be very careful about how often I race because, if the worst comes to the worst, I can always stop, rest, and then go again. Experience tells me that I'm able to get away with quite a lot.

You obviously love the sport and are a great advocate for club running. What do you believe is the most important thing that someone can gain from joining a club?

Company and mutual support. There's a saying in Alcoholics Anonymous to the effect that, '...to keep it, you have to be willing to give it away...'. I think that applies to running to.

Any more books planned?

There are tentative plans to put out a collection of all of the Irish Runner interviews with the 'Legends of Irish Running' next year. Aside from that I'm waiting for a really good idea before starting another.

Any proposals ?

rom

What time was your first marathon ?

Abhainn

Mick Rice wrote: »

Any more books planned?

There are tentative plans to put out a collection of all of the Irish Runner interviews with the 'Legends of Irish Running' next year.

Now I know one item that will be on my Christmas list next year:)

pgibbo

Very interesting read Mick.

What was your progression time wise and mileage wise for 10k and marathon over the years?
What do you think needs to be done to get more people running XC?
Will you ever do another triathlon?
What athlete do you most admire?
How much emphasis do you put on day to day nutrition and nutrition for recovery after hard sessions?
Other than weights and core work how do you avoid injury?
Are you a fan of stretching or sports massage?
What's your favourite training location in Galway and outside Galway?

Cheers.

aburke

I recently read your book on Derrydonnell AC. Unlike most people, I skipped straight to the end to find out how such a successful club can disappear almost overnight.
Unsurprisingly, a book celebrating accomplishment didn't linger long on failure.
So how did it happen?
And how did it happen so quickly?
What lessons can clubs of today learn to avoid the mistakes?

brutes1

Good thread this one,

Just on the books somethings I would read or might appeal

Cross country - seems to be one of the few races that gets the top athletes out year on year, could be a history, or just memories/stories on the memorable races, or focus on athletes who were legends on the country eg Power/Matthews and further back before my time..

Irish athletes who went to America - what happened next? Did they prosper? What happened if and when they returned, some of their stories ...

On to the questions..

When are you going to attempt a sub 2.40 marathon?

Do you enjoy beating the younger lads in Dublin each year?

misty floyd

Mick Rice wrote: »

4. Running will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through time of no running.

5. When someone that you're running with says "I just have to stop for a second. I'll catch up to you", don't shake hands with them after the run.

That's brilliant stuff Mick, great thread. Could you explain your reasoning behind point 5.

thirstywork2

great thread so far.Mick what race have you not done that would be on your list and why?

rom

#4 is poetry.

#5 i would say is not someone who you want as a running partner or a pacer

dev123

misty floyd wrote: »

Mick Rice wrote: »

4. Running will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through time of no running.

5. When someone that you're running with says "I just have to stop for a second. I'll catch up to you", don't shake hands with them after the run.

That's brilliant stuff Mick, great thread. Could you explain your reasoning behind point 5.

Im gonna assume that the other guy found a quiet spot to relieve himself and may have slashed all over his hand.

I could be way off on this.

misty floyd

dev123 wrote: »

Im gonna assume that the other guy found a quiet spot to relieve himself and may have slashed all over his hand.

I could be way off on this.

ha ha that's it alright. Very good.

guysmiley

Hi Mick!

Do you use Chi Running techniques?

Ever run barefoot (Vibram 5 fingers or similar) over long distances?

What running shoes do you use?

How do you manage long runs in the winter darkness - carry a light, run under lights, or other?

Arr you a Galway GAA fan?

Edit - another few:

Do you think there should be a movement to encourage players from GAA, soccer, rugby etc to get running after retirement?

And do you think field sport players would benefit from road running, or would it slow the, induce injury etc?

Mick Rice

Where does your interest in writing stem from?

Years ago I used to write for the Bohemians FC match programme, which I took as a great privilege. On a couple of occasions around that time there was a fairly strong reaction to pieces I'd written in the programme and I realised then how people will react very differently to the written word than to a conversation.

I've no illusions about my talent or otherwise as a writer, I can construct reasonably readable sentances - nothing more - but there's something very personally useful about taking the time to write down what you have in your head. You can get some interesting answers from asking yourself, "Have I anything interesting to say today?" on a regular basis.

I try to write from a point of respect for others when I do, and on occasions over the last couple of years I've managed to get that wrong. Those were big learning points for me.


What was it about Derrydonnell AC that inspired you to write the book?

Like a lot else, I was just in the right place at the right time. I do think the club's story is special. It was old-school with a dash of magic thrown in on top. So much athletics history slips away unrecorded. It was nice to be involved in a project that tried to preserve one chapter of a larger story.

Mick Rice

I was chatting to you at Sixmilebridge about the Brooks Green Silence you were wearing. Have you always worn lightweight racers? What shoes do you normally wear for different training sessions/races? Would you risk racing flats for a 100 miler?

After my first couple of marathons I made the switch to racing virtually everything in lightweight shoes. In really long events I mix it up a little. In the 2010 100 miler I wore training shoes for about 70 miles and then switched to lightweight shoes to try to give my legs less to lift and I think that worked well. For the couple of 100kms I've done I've also worn racers.

For years I trained in ASICS Kayanos. I had never had a gait analysis done and I had self-diagnosed that I needed a motion control shoe. It turns out I was wrong and after shifting to a motion control shoe (Asics Cumulous) I've had a lot fewer injuries. I suppose the lesson here is to have a gait analysis done, preferably by someone who's not going to be selling you the shoes and so might not give impartial advice.

Mick Rice

What time was your first marathon ?

3:24:36 - Dublin 1999