Just for the craic

wowzer

Wednesday 10th September

4 miles in approx 35 mins

Had to sneak out for this one as there were visitors around due to the JC results. Stupidly left my watch in the kitchen, wearing my shorts and vest I wasn't brave enough to walk through the gaggle of waffling aul ones that had parked themselves in casa wowzer for the day so I had to leave the watch behind. The run was nice and easy.


Thursday 11th September

8.52 miles avg pace 7.48

An easy run home from work. It was a glorious run through the phoenix park. The sun was out but it wasnt too warm, there was loads of runners, walkers and cyclists about which was great to see.


Friday 12th September

8.37 miles avg pace 8.11

An early start to run to work. Again it was a perfect day for a run, the fog in the phoenix park was a sight to behold. It was quite unnerving at times not being able to see more than 10 feet ahead but it was very enjoyable.

Aware that yesterday's run was a little on the quick side for easy running I made the effort to keep this one on the right side of 8 min miles.

wowzer

Sunday 14th September
11.05 miles avg pace 7.42

A little quick to be considered easy, I was running with a lad who will be going for around 2.45 in DCM so there is a big difference between his easy and mine. An enjoyable run all the same.


Monday 15th September

4.57 miles avg 8.21

A nice handy run at lunchtime, nothing really to say about this one.

Wednesday 17th September

5 miles in 40mins approx

With the half this weekend I wanted to do a couple of HM pace miles today, I was planning 2 miles easy, 2 miles HM pace, 2 miles easy. The first 2 miles were dead handy up the quays to Conygnham road. Here i started into my HM pace miles, all was good until i looked at my watch about 400 meters into the HM pace miles. The screen had decided to freeze, stupidly I stopped to try and fix it instead of continuing on. I couldn't get the watch to turn off or do anything and I was very close to throwing the stupid thing under a bus. This made me angry so I just cut the run short and ran easy back to work. Nothing I can do about it now but in hindsight I should have just ignored the watch and continued and try to run at HM pace by feel.

Ososlo

A bit of a slave to the watch are we wowzer:D

Maybe it's a blessing in disguise and you weren't meant to do those HM pace miles today so the legs will be extra fresh for Saturday;)
Best of luck!

wowzer

Ososlo wrote: »

A bit of a slave to the watch are we wowzer:D

Maybe it's a blessing in disguise and you weren't meant to do those HM pace miles today so the legs will be extra fresh for Saturday;)
Best of luck!

I'm a total slave to the stupid thing even though it wrecks my head at times. Plus Im a numbers geek and half the fun of running is checking the stats afterwards, pretty sad!!

Ososlo

wowzer wrote: »

I'm a total slave to the stupid thing even though it wrecks my head at times. Plus Im a numbers geek and half the fun of running is checking the stats afterwards, pretty sad!!

yeah I know what you mean. I'm trying to do more stuff by feel myself but I still HAVE to have it running in the background so I can review the stats later:D
I don't think I could ever just go out and do a run without it!

ELFOYZER

"As mentioned previously I had zero interest in running this one having done no 5K specific training and feeling pretty crap about running in general I had no idea how this would go..."

...and then he runs a 5k p.b.

Don't be frettin Wowzer, I sense another pb if ya just relax and let it happen.

Did you kill anyone on the way back to work? :O

ELFOYZER

"As mentioned previously I had zero interest in running this one having done no 5K specific training and feeling pretty crap about running in general I had no idea how this would go..."

...and then he runs a 5k p.b.

Don't be frettin Wowzer, I sense another pb if ya just relax and let it happen.

Did you kill anyone on the way back to work? :O

wowzer

ELFOYZER wrote: »

"As mentioned previously I had zero interest in running this one having done no 5K specific training and feeling pretty crap about running in general I had no idea how this would go..."

...and then he runs a 5k p.b.

Don't be frettin Wowzer, I sense another pb if ya just relax and let it happen.

Did you kill anyone on the way back to work? :O

Now now elfoyzer as someone who was very nearly on the receiving end of my anger issues last week do you think it wise to goad me ☺

Cheers man, I'll try go out with the same attitude on Saturday and hopefully it will produce a PB.

By the way how's your recovery after your 107 laps of the track at the weekend?

wowzer

Thursday 18th September

4.86 miles avg pace 8.24

A nice handy trot at lunchtime. Suppose I should mention that I threw in some strides seeing as all the cool kids are talking about strides at the moment ☺

All systems go for Saturday.

wowzer

Friday 19th September

3.23 miles avg pace 8.43

Today was just an easy peasy few miles to shake out the legs ahead of the race tomorrow.
Body is rested and my mind is in a good place so hopefully I can run a decent race in the morning.

Ososlo

Nice positive mindset there W! Have the race of your life!

Tom Joad

Best of luck tomorrow Wowzer.

yaboya1

Good luck wowser.
Looks like it should be decent running weather.

yaboya1

Great running this morning.
Well done.

wowzer

1.28.43, PB by 26 seconds

I will do report at some stage over the weekend.

Ososlo

wowzer wrote: »

1.28.43, PB by 26 seconds

I will do report at some stage over the weekend.

ah fantastic wowzer. I was trying to find you in the results but nobody by the name of 'wowzer' by first or last name was listed:D
Brilliant! Enjoy the celebrations!!!!!!

outforarun

Don't eat that Lion bar all in one sitting.

wowzer

outforarun wrote: »

Don't eat that Lion bar all in one sitting.

I got a boost which was commandeered by my eldest the minute I got in the door

Tom Joad

Well done Wowzer - cracking time.

wowzer

Saturday 20th September

Race Series Half Marathon - 13.12 miles in 1.28.43 avg pace 6.46

I never intended running this race as I had such a disastrous result here last year but having gone well in recent races I decided to give this one a go.  I already had my sub 90 for the half this year so there was no real pressure to perform here, I just wanted to go sub 90 again.

After a 1.5 mile warm up I took my place in the starting pen a couple of rows behind the pacers, said a quick hello to OFAR and we were off.  My plan was to stay with the pacers until we got to chesterfield at around mile 8 and push on ahead of them if I could.  And that’s exactly what happened, it was a pretty uneventful run if I’m honest.  It was at the ambassador’s residence when I decided to push ahead. It wasn’t a mad dash I just upped the pace enough to stay ahead of the pack.    

 

Knowing I had some time banked already thanks to the pacers I knew that I wouldn’t need to bank too much more time to allow me my usual drop in pace on the hills.  So it was a case of running steady and grinding it out on the hills.  As usual the hill bit me on the arse and there was a significant drop in pace here but it wasn’t as bad as the 10 mile race a few weeks back.  There was a lad at the top of the hill screaming at everyone and this defo helped spur me on, I heard him say that the pace group were right on our tails so not wanting to be caught by the group I had to dig in here.  I recovered well enough to see it home, I didn’t realise the PB was on until I could see the clock so I managed to put the boot down to ensure the PB.  Crossed the line a very happy man. 

My splits were 6.43, 6.52, 6.45, 6.48, 6.42, 6.47, 6.36, 6.52, 6.40, 6.32, 6.41, 6.59, 7.05 & 41seconds for the .12 mile (5.46 pace)

I want to say that first mile down the Khyber was ridiculous, that road is just too narrow but maybe that’s a good thing to stop you flying down the hill and potentially ruin your race so early on.  Dublin Runner and the other pacers were pretty much spot on with their pacing, just running a couple of seconds under target each mile, cheers men.  I didn’t get to see the lads afterwards to say thanks in person.

Swiped a picture from racepix that I thought I’d throw up here as I don’t usually like race pictures as I always look like I’m in about to die.  I’m one of those runners who runs with their thumbs up, I really need to do something about that :)

outforarun

wowzer wrote: »

There was a lad at the top of the hill screaming at everyone and this defo helped spur me on, I heard him say that the pace group were right on our tails so not wanting to be caught by the group I had to dig in here. 

Saw (and heard!) him alright. "No one's going to give it to you!! You've got this far now see it home!!! C'mon!!!"

Brilliant.

wowzer

outforarun wrote: »

Saw (and heard!) him alright. "No one's going to give it to you!! You've got this far now see it home!!! C'mon!!!"

Brilliant.

He was deadly, he defo pulled a few people up that hill with his encouragement.

Ososlo

Enjoyed your report!
You look very familiar. Our paths have definitely crossed in the park.
What's up next for you?

wowzer

Ososlo wrote: »

Enjoyed your report!
You look very familiar. Our paths have definitely crossed in the park.
What's up next for you?

You're like me so, you never forget a pretty face

Honesty I don't have a clue what to do next, I'd love to tick that sub40 for 10k box but there doesn't seem to anything that suits. I'd like to start training with a bit of structure so I will have to do some research and pick some sort of plan.

Tom Joad

wowzer wrote: »

Honesty I don't have a clue what to do next, I'd love to tick that sub40 for 10k box but there doesn't seem to anything that suits.

I'm in the same boat - trying to find a decent 10k seems to be tough - am drawing a blank between now and Christmas apart from Galway Bay but that's a bit far!!

yaboya1

There's a thread about a 10k on in Longwood on October 19th if that suits? I know nothing about the race, just saw the thread.

wowzer

yaboya1 wrote: »

There's a thread about a 10k on in Longwood on October 19th if that suits? I know nothing about the race, just saw the thread.

Cheers yaboya, I saw that earlier and got excited, I ran it past the other half when I got home from work and she has got something on that day so I can't race.

wowzer

Tom Joad wrote: »

I'm in the same boat - trying to find a decent 10k seems to be tough - am drawing a blank between now and Christmas apart from Galway Bay but that's a bit far!!

Something will crop up hopefully, if not ill just have to wait till next year to get the sub40.
I kind of feel in no man's land at the moment. I need something to focus on or I will let things slide and at this stage I really don't want that to happen.

overpronator

wowzer wrote: »

Something will crop up hopefully, if not ill just have to wait till next year to get the sub40.
I kind of feel in no man's land at the moment. I need something to focus on or I will let things slide and at this stage I really don't want that to happen.

I'm in a similar enough position to yourself, limbo really. Ever thought about joining a club? I think it's something that I really should do but whether I do or not is another thing!

Tom Joad

wowzer wrote: »

Something will crop up hopefully, if not ill just have to wait till next year to get the sub40.
I kind of feel in no man's land at the moment. I need something to focus on or I will let things slide and at this stage I really don't want that to happen.

Yep - I'm in the same boat am flip-flopping between 10k and HM training plans at the moment and haven't settled on what I want to do. Thankfully have a few club races to give me some sort of focus until I decide what's next.