Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
A Slow Journey to Faster Times
Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
Wednesday 7th May - 60 minutes Easy
6.71m @ 9:05p/m average (120bpm avg)
I took a complete day off from running yesterday, but was still tired and a bit sore today. I got my core work in this morning & played golf in the afternoon, before finally getting my run in after I got home. I took it very, very easily this evening, hoping to loosen out those stiff muscles. My HR is a fair bit lower than normal for these runs, but I still feel fatigued and I think my body is telling me it wants another day off. I might just do that tomorrow depending on how I feel. It's extremely wild out today. Very difficult for running or golf!
Splits:
Mile 1 - 8:54 (118bpm)
Mile 2 - 8:55 (118bpm)
Mile 3 - 8:57 (118bpm)
Mile 4 - 9:04 (121bpm)
Mile 5 - 9:26 (124bpm)
Mile 6 - 9:16 (123bpm)
0.71 - 6:24 (122bpm)
On a separate note, I managed to find a few photos online (attached) from my race on Monday
. 0 -
Advertisement
-
-
ThebitterLemon wrote: »Nice photos P, who'd you borrow the gardening gloves from
TbL
They were half the price of the other Nike pairs in that colour
0 -
-
Saturday 10th May - St Anne's parkrun
5km @ 3:35p/km average (17:54)
I had no intention of running this today, but was feeling guilty after a pretty lazy week with two days off. I decided that if I awoke before 8am with no soreness and without the assistance of an alarm I'd give it a lash. A perfect morning seemed to await me outside when I arose at 7:30. It was on!
Pre-Race
Had a quick breakfast of a banana, bowl of fruit porridge & a coffee, then went back to bed for another little lie down before hitting the road at about 8:50. Got to the park at 9:10 and had a quick chat with Ferris B who was the Race Director this morning. My time goal was sub 18. I had no idea where that would place me in the field as some weeks it's good enough to win, whereas other weeks (like AMK a couple of weeks ago) it might barely get you into the top ten. On the way to the start I heard two lads talking behind me. One of them was targeting 1:20 in an upcoming HM, while the other said he'd run 1:19 in Larne. I knew from listening to this that if I could hang onto their coat tails I'd have a very good chance of hitting my target. I lined up near the front and we were off within two minutes.
The Race
I jumped off in the leading group worrying more about my pace than my position, but the starting area/end of the first lap in St Anne's are pretty sheltered by trees and my Garmin signal had gone. I decided to hang onto the leaders until I got my reception back and then I could gauge how fast I was moving. Once we got out in the open it returned to normal and I could see we were moving at 3:30-3:40 pace. Halfway through the first km and we had already broken away into a leading group of six. I know this is only a 'timed event', but it felt like a proper race after this. The people in the top six never changed, but the order regularly did. I really enjoyed watching the whole thing play out live. I'll try my best to describe it, but as I don't know anybody involved I'll need to use their shirts as an identifying marker.
Runners: Black singlet, White Shirt, Red Shirt, Blue/White Shirt, Blue Orange Shirt, Me.
1k
White shirt takes it up early with Blue/Orange Shirt. Blue/White Shirt a close third followed by Black Singlet, Me & Red Shirt. Less than a second covering the field. Through the first km in 3:39.
2k
Black singlet seems to be moving pretty comfortably just ahead of Me, and having let White Shirt cut out the running now decides to take it up. White Shirt & Blue/Orange Shirt now drop back to 2nd & 3rd. Will they pay for pushing the pace too early? Blue/White Shirt remains in 4th while I stay 5th with Red Shirt breathing down my neck. Second km in 3:37. Seems to be a fair gap behind us.
3k
We come down the avenue for the first time and the top six are starting to spread out a bit compared to the bunching in the early part of the race. Black Singlet takes the turn past the finish with about a 10m lead, while White Shirt is now a clear 2nd, with Blue/Orange Shirt 3rd and Blue/White Shirt 4th. Although Red Shirt drew level with me for a second on the avenue, I managed to hold him off as we came to the turn. Got a little shout out from Ferris which was appreciated. The timekeeper gave us a halfway split of 8:58, If I could hold the same pace for the next 2.5k, I'd hit my target. Easier said than done but still within reach. Coming towards the 3k mark Red Shirt decided to go by me. He did it with such ease that I couldn't really respond. Within twenty yards he was gone 15m ahead of me and looked like he was going to finish pretty strong. I was now in 6th but still on for a sub 18 so I didn't panic. Through 3k in 3:46.
4k
As we came down to the right turn after the tennis courts I noticed that Red Shirt had now moved up into fourth past Blue/Orange Shirt who seemed to be fading following his early exertions. We moved up into the first field of football pitches and I started to gain on him too. I tried to push on past him knowing he was probably hurting badly and may not be able to react. That's exactly what happened as I overtook him just before the second field, although he was hanging onto me as his footsteps were audible for the next 500m or so. After we took the left at the top of the course heading back towards the avenue I could see what I thought would be the finishing order ahead. 1st Black singlet with a healthy lead. 2nd White Shirt, 3rd Blue/White Shirt, 4th Red Shirt, 5th Me and 6th Blue/Orange Shirt. How wrong I was! Fourth km in 3:43.
5k
Out onto the famous St Anne's avenue now. A 900m straight run to the finish. You can see it, but kick too soon and you'll regret it. At this stage I knew I was close to the sub 18 and was determined to go flat out to the line. I was also hoping that I could hold off Blue/Orange Shirt for 5th place, as he was still within striking distance. As we moved down the avenue with about 600m to go, I noticed that Red Shirt had now moved up into 3rd. Blue/White Shirt was weakening and was close enough to me that I could catch him too. This gave me a huge boost and I kicked as hard as I could. I thought if I went by him as fast as possible, he'd assume I had plenty left in the tank and wouldn't fight me. I passed him quickly, amazed I could muster up the energy to manage this as I was knackered by now. Both Blue/Orange Shirt & Blue/White Shirt seemed to be in a worse state than me though, which I guessed would see me home in fourth. 200m to go now and Red Shirt was finishing really strongly ahead. He had now picked off White Shirt for 2nd, but was too far behind Black Singlet to challenge for the win. Himself & the winner seemed to have run the perfect tactical races. White Shirt was starting to panic that I might catch him now. He looked behind him three or four times in the last 50 yards, but I was too far behind for him to worry. Another 50/100 yards though, and you never know..........:pac:. Fifth km in 3:09 (I always seem to be able to speed up near the finish no matter how tired I am).
Garmin Data: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/496451397
(Garmin shows 4.94km, but I think this is down to the tree cover at the end of the first lap and around the starting area.)
Thoughts
I love these parkruns. Thanks to Ferris B and his team of excellent volunteers for another brilliantly run event. Every Saturday they go off without a hitch and run as smoothly as the best club events. They don't really have any competition in regards to value either, considering they are completely free of charge. I'm delighted to finally get the sub 18 monkey off my back and will now focus my concentration on going sub 38 for the 10k and sub 1:23 for the HM. In the meantime I have the Terenure 5 Mile up next tomorrow week. It was one of my favourite races last year and I'm sure it won't disappoint again next Sunday.0 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
Cheers Duanington.
I must have come across you in training. We run around exactly the same areas all the time and even my away days are in Clondalkin/Adamstown.
I'd be surprised if we haven't gone past each other alright, I'm always spotting people that for some reason strike me as a boardsie! I must keep an eye out for the lightening quick fella with the gardening gloves on, I'll say hello next time (I must also get myself a pair - you're motoring these days) 0 -
-
-
-
No running today but having read FBOT'S plan for the next few months, I got thinking myself as to where I can try and achieve my next set of intermediate goals before all focus turns to going sub 3 in Berlin.
This is what I've come up with:
May 18th - Terenure 5 Mile (sub 30)
June 14th - Portumna Half-Marathon (sub 1:23)
July 20th - Fingal 10k (sub 38 (maybe 37 Gavlor, we'll see
))
August 23rd - Frank Duffy 10 Mile (sub 62)
I was looking out for something on either the June Bank Holiday or the following Sunday (8th), but at the moment I don't see anything suitable (Cork HM too expensive, Strawberry HM too hilly). If that changes, I may race one of those days but I'd still expect to follow the above schedule. After that I'll get stuck into the marathon specific stuff.0 -
Advertisement
-
Don't forget there's a 5 mile on as part of the Strawberry half, I've signed up for it myself. You're right the the half is hilly but the 5 mile is fairly flat course from what I've seen and only 15 euro, AND you get a free mug 0
Advertisement