Raheny Race Series

belcarra

I see the Raheny Winter League is starting again tonight with a 3 mile race.
Anybody here heading down to it??
I'll be trying to make most of these 11 races.

The 2013-14 Annual Winter Road League

All competitors are asked to wear high viz gear and the use of headphones is strictly prohibited.

Registration takes place in the Raheny Shamrock clubhouse between 7.15 and 7.45. There is light refreshments available in the clubhouse after the races.

The race entry fee is 7 euro per race or 50 euro for the series. All Races begin at 8pm

SnappyDresser

Yeah do them every so often. The course is 1 mile loop on a mix of tarmac and concrete residential road. Can be a little hard on the body but the course is flat and fast. The level is from fast club runners to plodders and everyone is made to feel welcome. The races are handtimed often by the legendary Pat Hooper or Sean McGoldrick. Definitely wear a high viz vest or high viz armbands but the street lighting is very good.

HelenAnne

Were you there Belcarra? I was. Maybe we will meet at last?? If you ran, hope it went well, I enjoyed it tonight.

belcarra

HelenAnne wrote: »

Were you there Belcarra? I was. Maybe we will meet at last?? If you ran, hope it went well, I enjoyed it tonight.

No Helen, I was hoping to but with an important 40 min tempo run this evening I decided I'd better give it a miss last night. Possibly race 2 next week but defo the others after that!

How did you go yourself? I seem to recall you were close enough to my times last time I ran this series.

HelenAnne

belcarra wrote: »

No Helen, I was hoping to but with an important 40 min tempo run this evening I decided I'd better give it a miss last night. Possibly race 2 next week but defo the others after that!

How did you go yourself? I seem to recall you were close enough to my times last time I ran this series.

I did the 3 miles in 20.52 last night. My best on that course last year was 20.19, so I'd love to get back to that over the next few months. I was delighted with last night though. I think it was the first race I felt really good in since the marathon. I've been having a few problems with asthma, but was fine last night. really enjoyed it and felt I tried hard.

HelenAnne

i008787 wrote: »

Yeah do them every so often. The course is 1 mile loop on a mix of tarmac and concrete residential road. Can be a little hard on the body but the course is flat and fast. The level is from fast club runners to plodders and everyone is made to feel welcome. The races are handtimed often by the legendary Pat Hooper or Sean McGoldrick. Definitely wear a high viz vest or high viz armbands but the street lighting is very good.

Definitely wear hi viz or bright top. The 29A bus drives on part of the route so when you hear a bus coming behind you you feel more confident knowing it can see you!

Also, there's tea, coffee and biscuits for all in the clubhouse after each race.

belcarra

HelenAnne wrote: »

I did the 3 miles in 20.52 last night. My best on that course last year was 20.19, so I'd love to get back to that over the next few months. I was delighted with last night though. I think it was the first race I felt really good in since the marathon. I've been having a few problems with asthma, but was fine last night. really enjoyed it and felt I tried hard.

My best over the 3 miler back early last year was 20:27 (21:10 being my only other 3 mile time) so we were definitely close!

I'd be hoping to go close to 19:30 this time around (& sub 12:30 in 2 miler). Might take a bit of this shorter training first though as I've definitely noticed my speed has been lost with all the miles I've put up this year.
That's the main reason I want to do these races so that I can get some much needed quick leg turnover back in the system.

HelenAnne

Hello!

Did anyone else do this this week? It was a 2-miler, and next week is 3 miles again.

SnappyDresser

Did the 2 miler in 13:18. My best time on the 2 mile is 12:42 and for the 3 mile 20:06. I am just doing the fast stuff these days including the parkrun every week and hoping that my times go down by doing the 2 races a week. Definitely for the fast times you need to go out very fast, have a relatively wind free night, not too cold and someone around you to hang with to race. Sometimes the races you find say on 2nd lap that one is on ones own and naturally one's time slips a bit...:)

HelenAnne

i008787 wrote: »

Did the 2 miler in 13:18. My best time on the 2 mile is 12:42 and for the 3 mile 20:06. I am just doing the fast stuff these days including the parkrun every week and hoping that my times go down by doing the 2 races a week. Definitely for the fast times you need to go out very fast, have a relatively wind free night, not too cold and someone around you to hang with to race. Sometimes the races you find say on 2nd lap that one is on ones own and naturally one's time slips a bit...:)

You were just ahead of me so - I could see you the whole way, and yes, we were both on our own, which can be hard. I was 10 secs behind you on Wednesday. Well done!

belcarra

Made my debut in this year's series last night. Mild night but lots of rain and therefore surface water made the few tight corners 'interesting'!
Finished in 20:14 which I am reasonably happy with but will be aiming to see a decent improvement on that in 4 weeks time for the next 3 miler.
Next up though is the 2 miler in a fortnight.

belcarra

Good to run into Killerz again last night (after bumping into him randomly on Monday!) and finally getting to say hello to HelenAnne! Failed to get to meet Eoinin though!
Ended up with 12:57 for the 2 miles. my run lacked focus at the start and I think I went off a little too quick which caught up with me over the second half of the race.
Didn't realise it was HelenAnne chasing me down at the finish but thankfully I managed to hold her off!
Great running by Killerz saw him take second on the night and only pipped by a few seconds to top spot!

Next up (apart from the 5 miler next Sunday) is a 3 miler on February 5th.

eoinín

belcarra wrote: »

Good to run into Killerz again last night (after bumping into him randomly on Monday!) and finally getting to say hello to HelenAnne! Failed to get to meet Eoinin though!

I was chatting to Killerz after the race and he vaguely pointed at a group of runners and said "that's Belcarra from boards!". So that was about the closest I got to saying hi!

HelenAnne

belcarra wrote: »

Good to run into Killerz again last night (after bumping into him randomly on Monday!) and finally getting to say hello to HelenAnne! Failed to get to meet Eoinin though!
Ended up with 12:57 for the 2 miles. my run lacked focus at the start and I think I went off a little too quick which caught up with me over the second half of the race.
Didn't realise it was HelenAnne chasing me down at the finish but thankfully I managed to hold her off!
Great running by Killerz saw him take second on the night and only pipped by a few seconds to top spot!

Next up (apart from the 5 miler next Sunday) is a 3 miler on February 5th.

I thought you were coming for tea & biscuits after, otherwise I would have jogged over and said hello instead of keeping on cooling down. I was mid-chat with my running companions about where we felt worst in DCM 2013 .

Wel done, I didn't know that was you I was chasing either. Wish I'd run 3 secs faster & broken 13, but happy enough.

RedRunner

belcarra wrote: »

Good to run into Killerz again last night (after bumping into him randomly on Monday!) and finally getting to say hello to HelenAnne! Failed to get to meet Eoinin though!
Ended up with 12:57 for the 2 miles. my run lacked focus at the start and I think I went off a little too quick which caught up with me over the second half of the race.
Didn't realise it was HelenAnne chasing me down at the finish but thankfully I managed to hold her off!
Great running by Killerz saw him take second on the night and only pipped by a few seconds to top spot!

Next up (apart from the 5 miler next Sunday) is a 3 miler on February 5th.

Had to forego last night in favour of an 18 mile long run. :eek: Hope to make the 3 miler on Feb 5th though. I'm running in Raheny 5 though too. I probably would have been just behind you both if I'd run last night, going by my last 2 miler.

FBOT01

belcarra wrote: »

Great running by Killerz saw him take second on the night and only pipped by a few seconds to top spot!

Nice work Killerz

Killerz

What I learned from last night's race:

1. My training seems to be going okay
2. My 'introducing people to each other' skills possibly need some extra work :rolleyes:

Lovely evening for a run and nice to catch up with you guys again.

newbygirl

Killerz wrote: »

What I learned from last night's race:

1. My training seems to be going okay
2. My 'introducing people to each other' skills possibly need some extra work :rolleyes:

Lovely evening for a run and nice to catch up with you guys again.

If you live out that way you you should do the Parkrun in St Anne's. It's not exactly a race, more like a gathering of like-minded individuals striving to achieve a nuance of common good.

eoinín

newbygirl wrote: »

If you live out that way you you should do the Parkrun in St Anne's. It's not exactly a race, more like a gathering of like-minded individuals striving to achieve a nuance of common good.

Very nice compliment!

Killerz is actually the Run Director in St Anne's Parkrun and, along with the dedicated core team there, has really created a great, welcoming, fun event. Any runners living nearby should definitely check it out.

Macanri

Killerz wrote: »

What I learned from last night's race:

1. My training seems to be going okay
2. My 'introducing people to each other' skills possibly need some extra work :rolleyes:

Lovely evening for a run and nice to catch up with you guys again.

Alright Killerz,
I was running with you until you pulled ahead on the 'black road' section of the 2nd lap. Didn't realise it was yourself. So you home from Canada for good?
See you next one - you'll have a big target on your back

Killerz

newbygirl wrote: »

If you live out that way you you should do the Parkrun in St Anne's. It's not exactly a race, more like a gathering of like-minded individuals striving to achieve a nuance of common good.

Excellent - glad to hear it is reaching the parts that I hoped it would!

eoinín wrote: »

Very nice compliment!

Killerz is actually the Run Director in St Anne's Parkrun and, along with the dedicated core team there, has really created a great, welcoming, fun event. Any runners living nearby should definitely check it out.

Aw shucks. You say all the right things! Getting the event up and running smoothly is also thanks in no small part to yourself eoinin.

Macanri wrote: »

Alright Killerz,
I was running with you until you pulled ahead on the 'black road' section of the 2nd lap. Didn't realise it was yourself. So you home from Canada for good?
See you next one - you'll have a big target on your back

Was it your good self that took the lead for a bit after the first lap, possibly wearing a black top?

I am back for good from Canada, moved back in Sept 2012 - seems like I was never there!

Macanri

Killerz wrote: »

Was it your good self that took the lead for a bit after the first lap, possibly wearing a black top?
I am back for good from Canada, moved back in Sept 2012 - seems like I was never there!

Yea that was me. See you at the next one.

belcarra

Not sure what happened the last race but it seemed to be moved to a different date?
Anyways, I'm planning on going to the 2 miler tonight.
Sub 12:45 is the target...(12:56 last time out).

tobsey

belcarra wrote: »

Not sure what happened the last race but it seemed to be moved to a different date?
Anyways, I'm planning on going to the 2 miler tonight.
Sub 12:45 is the target...(12:56 last time out).

The race was on the 5th alright but took a while for the results to go up. I guess the date on the results page shows the date they are added rather than the date of the race.

I've done two of these and looking forward to tonight. I've tended to go off too slow each time. I've been stuck just above 21m for 5k for the last while so hope to get below 14 tonight and then keep that pace up over 5k.

HelenAnne

belcarra wrote: »

Not sure what happened the last race but it seemed to be moved to a different date?
Anyways, I'm planning on going to the 2 miler tonight.
Sub 12:45 is the target...(12:56 last time out).

I will not be doing it. Stupid calf injury!

You know tonight's a 'no watch, guess your time in advance' race? The cup goes to the person who most accurately predicts their time.

belcarra

HelenAnne wrote: »

I will not be doing it. Stupid calf injury!

You know tonight's a 'no watch, guess your time in advance' race? The cup goes to the person who most accurately predicts their time.

That calf seems to be keeping you out for a fair old time! Any positive signs on the horizon?

Is that just a voluntary thing because I'd have no desire in winning this, just looking for the fast session to be honest. So keeping an eye on the watch might be required...
Effectively I guess I'm asking do I have the choice of opting out of the 'Guess your time race'?

HelenAnne

Did they let you opt out? (Didn't see this until now, sorry). Well done anyway, saw the results, you did well! I was going to come down and watch, but I have a cold and cough AS WELL as my many leg injuries so I thought an hour on the stupid exercise bike would be a better use of my evening.

I've only had the calf strain since Saturday, did it while running along gently testing out the other knee and ankle that I hurt in the IMRA race. It's been a bad month, running-wise

PS Killerz if you are reading this saw you looking very cheery in Donadea in FIT mag. (And they called your pink t shirt purple)

belcarra

HelenAnne wrote: »

Did they let you opt out? (Didn't see this until now, sorry). Well done anyway, saw the results, you did well! I was going to come down and watch, but I have a cold and cough AS WELL as my many leg injuries so I thought an hour on the stupid exercise bike would be a better use of my evening.

I guesstimated my finish time as 12:45 on the night and finished in 12:52. I wore the watch but only looked at it the odd time (it's on loan from a friend while my watch gets repaired and even after 2 weeks I still haven't set up the display as I like it so struggled to make sense of the info most of the time!). Nobody told me to remove it but I did feel a little guilty as I didn't notice anyone else wearing theirs!

Having said all that I went straight home afterwards (had to watch Arsenal get beaten:cool:!) and wasn't around for the prize-giving so never would have got it anyways.
As it turns out somebody hit their time spot-on so no issues!!

Might catch ya at the 1 miler in a fortnight?

RedRunner

Hi Helen. Sorry to hear of your injury woes. Speedy recovery.

Id love to be testing myself on these races but London is the main thing right now. Hopefully can do the Summer series.

Killerz

HelenAnne wrote: »

........


PS Killerz if you are reading this saw you looking very cheery in Donadea in FIT mag. (And they called your pink t shirt purple)

Yes i am reading this! I saw the pic, very disappointed they called it purple.

belcarra

Any of the Raheny gang able to say when/if this is kicking off this Winter?
Website has no mention of it yet...

belcarra

While at the Fit4Life 2 miler last night it was confirmed that the Winter League is starting next Wednesday at 8pm with a 3 miler.
As regards last night's race, it is clear I have a serious amount of work to do over the Winter!!:cool: