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BQ or Bust!
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Mon 20 Nov
Rest. Would like to be getting out more but recovery is still the name of the game.
Tue 21 Nov
Club session: 8x600 off 200 active recovery.
As last week, a couple of miles warmup jog across the Liffey to Irishtown with Aoife. My usual session buddies were not around so it took me a couple of reps to find a suitable group. Enjoyed this - had decided 2:30/rep was about right, although on checking later with JD, 2:24 per interval would have been more appropriate. So not surprising, perhaps, that it felt comfortable enough. Some 'last rep' shenanigans: a guy in our little group pulled out all the stops in the final 100 and I foolishly went with him, although I never do this usually. Rush of blood. No point in getting sucked in unless you’re going to ‘win’. :rolleyes:
Splits: 2:22 2:21 2:28 2:31 2:33 2:32 2:32 2:25 (Avg 2:28)
Total after recovery jog home: 16.4 km (10.2m)
Wed 22 - Thu 23 Nov
Rest.
Fri 24 Nov
11.5k (7.5m) easy.
Hooked up with Ferris for a few miles along the seafront and out to the end of the Bull Wall. Pace was easy but maybe could have been a tiny bit easier considering we are mountain running tomorrow.
Sat 25 Nov
Run The Line (Short Course)
It’s racing, Jim, but not as we know it.
First time running a mountainy event, so another new experience. I gather this is a gentle enough introduction to the sub-discipline, but it was tricky enough with some treacherous ground to contend with. A central concern was getting the clothing right. Plenty of tights and base layers on display, but most of our travelling crew opted for shorts and long sleeve shirt under the obligatory rain jacket. It was bloody cold, and I took a little convincing having originally opted for an extra layer. Good call - thanks AGYR and Singer.
I was only doing this for some fun and a learning experience, so no pressure, and I was determined to enjoy it. The course consists of a sharp ascent, a stony descent, another ascent, much of it through woods, and a fast descent along a fire road and through the former golf course where race HQ is located. Ferris and FBOT had reccied the previous week and had dispensed some useful descriptions, so I knew what to expect for the first half at least. A steady climb up the former fairways and through some woods, before joining the queue to ascend, mostly at brisk hiking pace, up a muddy narrow trail to the Two Rock summit and the Fairy Fort. Decent enough start, and I was descending fairly nicely but quite wary on the icy, rocky trails, where I was passed by two or three nimbler, braver runners.
The race provided an interesting opportunity to study the strengths and weaknesses of the various types of runner. While I was passed by several competitors on both ascents and the first descent, whenever there was a bit of road or wider trail to run along, I found myself going past these runners again fairly easily, sometimes to be caught once more when the terrain changed. In general though I picked my way through the field when the opportunity arose. Being reduced to walking some stretches was a new experience for me, but it offered a chance to recover somewhat, and I really enjoyed the final two miles where I was able to open it up, go by people and work on lowering the average pace.
Completed the course in about 79 mins which was about what I expected. Had time to get some warm clothes on and see the rest of us finish. Excellent work from AGYR, Anna, Norbert, denisb, Neady, Singer, Killerz, Ferris and a rampant FBOT who is rarely found wanting in the competitiveness stakes, finishing well up the field and well ahead of our travelling groups to take the NS (and SS) honours.
Impressive finish from Singer too, who wasn't far behind and left nothing out there. 
Km Splits (approx):
6:21 8:32 10:24 5:12 5:32 5:25 7:47 7:20 8:36 4:47 4:44 4:01 (4:29)
Mile splits:
10:35 16:00 8:40 9:42 12:02 11:19 7:31 (6:32)
A terrific experience and if I do this again I’ll probably give the longer version a shot. No sign of the results yet. Will update when/if they appear, but I think I gave a reasonable account of myself.
[Edit: results published]
Official time 1:19:23
55th place (of 244)
45th M (of 135)
Verdict: mid-pack respectability will do.
Sun 26 Nov
9k recovery on the seafront.
WTD: 50k (31m)
MTD: 121 (75)
YTD: 2,803 (1,742)0 -
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Thanks for the above good wishes - however this ended up being a pacing week, not a racing week!
Mon 27 Nov
Rest.
Tue 28 Nov
Club session: 3k time trial (pacing)
The usual warmup run with aquinn over to Irishtown. The FFL group had their monthly TT and I was volunteered to pace as the usual guy wasn’t available, apparently. 13 mins is the number that allows FFLers graduate to the big leagues and I was told to hit 110 secs per lap. Maybe I misheard, but luckily I’d done the sums on the way over anyway and knew that 104 would be a likelier target. There were about five potential graduates including Aoife, and I ran in lane 2 to give them a bit more room. Tried to keep pace as even as possible and encouraged the two runners still with me at the bell to take it home by themselves, and they responded well. Followed them home in 12:57 with A a few secs behind. Think she made it, allowing for standard margin of error on manual timing. A good week for her on and off the track.
Splits 0:53 1:43 1:47 1:44 1:45 1:45 1:44 1:37
Jog home to log 11.6k (7.2m) for the evening.
Wed 29 - Thu 30 Nov
Rest.
November total: 133 km (82 mi). There goes the 2,000 goal. Ah well. Recovery more important.
Fri 1 Dec
8.88k (5.5m) easy on the seafront. Legs very heavy, probably due to last night's first-of-season festive occasion. And it wasn't even December yet. :rolleyes:
Sat 2 Dec
Jingle Bells. The Mrs was racing and I was on pacing duty with the elder boy, who was confident that last year's 5k debut time might be breakable. There were some demons to be faced during the run/walk effort but once we hit the 4K mark he perked up and took it home with an impressive sprint finish. Job done. a near-PB for A too, missing out by seconds, in a better than expected performance, so a good day all round. Hopped out of car early to get in another 25 mins on seafront later, so 10.5k total (6.5m) for the day.
Sun 26 Nov
17.2 km @ 5:35 (10.7 mi @ 9:00)
Long run across town, including some busy pedestrian spots, which were not much fun. Managed to take in Lansdowne, Dalymount and Croker en route.
WTD: 49k (30m)
MTD: 37 (23)
YTD: 2,852 (1,773)0 -
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Thu 7 - Fri 8 Dec
No run for three days now, due mostly to laziness, and having some evening commitments. Got the tree up, though, and baked quite a lot of bread.
Sat 9 Dec
8.8k (5.4) inc Fairview parkrun @ tempo
Had made some noises about racing St. Anne’s parkrun today, but after a patchy week and a Friday dinner and drinks outing, that was the end of that. In the end I rolled out of bed with barely enough time to jog the three minutes down to Fairview Park and make the start line just before the countdown. Fairview is not a quick course so I was more than content to just get in a decent workout at somewhere around HM pace. Passed two and passed by one on first lap, then ran the rest of the three-lap course on my own on a nippy but pleasant enough morning. A couple more miles in the Park and Marino and home for breakfast.
Sun 10 Dec
Long run 18k @ 5:17 (11.1 @ 8:30)
Having dissed St Anne’s yesterday, I made up by heading over via the seafront for a circuit of the park. Threw in a lap of the Masters XC course, hurdling the famous log. On the homeward leg, bumped into Killerz at Bull Wall and joined him for the last couple of miles back to Fairview. Enjoyable run. Managed to avoid the drizzle; brisk enough pace; bonus sighting of The Claw in St Anne’s to round out a decent weekend.
WTD: 48k (30m)
MTD: 84 (52)
YTD: 2,900 (1,803)0 -
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Thu 14 Dec
8.9k (5.5m) easy on the seafront. Very cold. Wore the tights for first time in years.
Fri 15 Dec
7.6 (4.7) easy in Fairview Park, taking the 'old' parkrun route. Seemed to be a dog walkers social gathering going on - BG would have loved it.
Sat 16 Dec
St. Anne's parkrun (20:40)
Had decided last week I'd race this. Work night out Weds but otherwise behaved myself. Even got a half-decent night's sleep, so arrived early in St. Anne's after a light breakfast, feeling good. Lined up near the front and got a good start, tucking in to a group, moving to next group after a while thinking pace was a little slow. A bit isolated during third km though, and a few runners started to pass. Mrs Mc called 10:04 at halfway and I knew I'd have to put in a decent shift, but the next 500m is the hardest part of the course for me psychologically and I bottled it. Fourth km was equally slow as I was picked off easily by runner after runner, including all the guys I'd eased past in the first km. Laura gave me a kick up the arse from her marshalling position at end of the back straight, and having had my little rest I was able to pick it up for the final km, but far too late. Nowhere near the 20:21 PB, and nowhere near the target. Oh well. Rubbish. :rolleyes:
Splits (approx; adjusted):
4:01 4:02 4:19 4:18 4:00
Ferris looked at the splits afterwards and declared I need to "grow a pair of balls". While there were at least two sub-20 runners today with no balls at all, I agree with the sentiment. Thanks to to St Anne's crew anyway, another flawless event. Total with warmup and cooldown: 11.7k (7.2m).
WTD: 41k (25m)
MTD: 125 (78)
YTD: 2,941 (1,828)0 -
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Mon 18 Dec
9.5k m@ 5:23 (5.9m @ 8:39)
Stopped off at Phoenix Park on way home for a few miles under the temporary lights, installed presumably for the protection of the late night Festival of Light zoo-goers. Made the mistake of doing a loop up the North Road and around the Aras in near total darkness which was interesting, but happily incident free. Really enjoyed this run: crackling atmosphere around the zoo, tinged with that bite of earthy, damp cold you only get when surrounded by nature.
Tue 19 Dec
Club session: 3k time trial 11:39 (PB)
Ran over to the club with A and C. Tonight we were having the festive watch-free 3k time trial, where there’s a prize for the people who can best predict their time in advance. With my tail still between my legs after Saturday’s parkrun, I declared 11:59, and the coaches didn’t argue with me. My PB is actually considerably slower than that, from this same event last year when I had a decidedly indifferent evening, clocked (possibly unreliably) at 12:38. Was much more committed tonight, however, getting into a good groove on the track and keeping the momentum going, although I think I slowed a little over the final lap and a half (watch free so I’ll never know). There were a lot of us sharing the track, so the start was quite jostly. Ferris passed after 200 and I tried to keep him in sight for the first few laps, knowing that would get me into a challenging pace. Passed a few over these opening laps, passed by one or two strong finishers in the closing laps, but overall I was pleased with the effort and delighted with the time when it was delivered in the pub afterwards over a very pleasant couple of pints and finger foods. It was always going to be a PB, but I’ll take it. 49.5 VDOT is very high for me too, so thats another positive, along with the >75% age grade, my benchmark for a good ‘short’ race these days. Decent night. Total 6.9 (4.3).
Wed 20 Dec
Rest.
WTD: 16k (10m)
MTD: 155 (96)
YTD: 2,971 (1,846)0 -
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ThebitterLemon wrote: »Super time Murph well done, those events sound great and good for motivation and confidence
"Decent night 6.9", was that the number of pints
TbL
Only two pints. Very well behaved. 0 -
Mon 18 Dec
2 Pints is very high for me too, so thats another positive, along with the >75% age grade, my benchmark (1,846)[/I]
You would have cleaned the floor with me with that performance D. Trying to readjust to my new age grading so I'll be watching these things going forward:).
Great run by the way.0 -
Thu 21 Dec
No running. Lazy man’s taper time.
Fri 22 Dec
7k (4.4m) easy in Fairview Park. Still coming to terms with running more than half a mile through the local park on way somewhere else. Had some encouragement on each lap from an amiable enough benchsitter, who was sociable enough not to crack open the first can before his mate arrived on lap three. Every little helps. Feeling a bit rusty but a few strides in the middle woke me up.
Sat 23 Dec
St. Anne's parkrun
A satisfying morning, report below.
Sun 24 Dec
7 easy @ 5:37 (9:03)
Joined M for an easy run up to the Phoenix Park and back. Feeling a little queasy after a late night, so the second half of this (after leaving M in the Park) was much slower than the first. Quite tired by the end, but it’s been a good week - 2 PBs don’t often come along at once.
WTD: 43k (27m)
MTD: 182 (13)
YTD: 2,997 (1,863)0 -
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Sat 23 Dec
St. Anne's parkrun (PB)
After last week’s disappointing effort, the third 5k attempt this year without ever challenging a now 21-month-old PB of 20:21, I didn’t say no when Ferris offered to pace. His offer was quickly matched during the week by yaboya and then FBOT. Now I’m not in these guys’ league in any way, and have failed to live up to a few similar offers (especially P’s) in the past, so I was both grateful and a little wary of the added peer pressure. The least I could do to respect this vote of confidence was to turn up in good shape for the effort. Stayed well out of the way of Christmas cheer during the week, tried to hydrate, and slept quite reasonably (although not as well as last week, and look how that turned out). :rolleyes:
On the plus side, the Tuesday 3k TT had inspired some confidence. Sure, the time was only in line with a 5k in the low 20:xxs, but I knew there was probably a bit more there, and surely the pacer effect would help keep the efforts high. As we lined up, after a decent warmup and strides on the Avenue, it struck me how fortunate I am to have a bunch of running friends so willing to help me get to the next level. But also (as pointed out later by Denis
, I knew I had to repay this faith with a strong run - in many ways the strongest ever - a daunting realization indeed. There’d be nowhere to hide with such close scrutiny. On the other hand there would be much support. I’ve done a good bit of pacing myself at this stage, so I knew what they’d have to do. Can the pacer become the paced? 
With that conundrum ringing in my head, I tried to return to the present and reminded the lads where I’d likely struggle the most. We lined up close enough to the front, getting away well enough, picking through the eager starters quite well, through the first km and into less crowded territory in jig time. Christ, the game was on, it already felt hard, and I felt up for it. I'd forgotten to reset the watch after the warmup which meant I could forget about it and trust the experts. We had joked about a diamond formation and got it going for a while on the Avenue, steaming towards halfway in that easy first flush, although I had to gently nudge a DUHAC singlet out of my spot when she saw an opportunity and slotted into my ‘hole’ in the formation. Such cheek! I tried to be polite: the "sorry" uttered here would be the only word out of me for the entire 5k. And then a shout from DD here, standing on the Avenue cooling down after his own session. Barely acknowledged by me but certainly noticed. Does it add to the pressure? Yeah, but also to the support, and I’m grateful, because I have already startled to realise, holy ****, still ten more minutes of this before I can even start to think about congratulating myself and closing it out. The pinch has started, still on lap one.
I wasn’t overly surprised when the timer shouted 9:46 at the halfway point. OK, a little hot, but you need to make time on the Avenue anyway, and it's good to realise there might be a bit of a cushion for the tough km just ahead. On cue, Ferris is in my ear. The advice is simple, and direct: Dig in. I'm reminded fleetingly of my DCM 2015 pacing duties when I may have dressed that simple message up just a little too much and overwhelmed a pacee or two. All you can do is keep learning, I guessed, a little surreally, as this is halfway through a parkrun with little or nothing at stake. Or is there?
It's early in lap two, the point on this course, where I always struggle the most, on the rare occasions that I actually race it. I usually convince myself at this stage that it’s OK to back off, when you need to be doing the exact opposite, digging in, staying in the game. It starts to hurt like hell. Jesus H. I try to channel what I consider my best race so far, Raheny 5 last winter, where I managed a very consistent, satisfying, strong effort through considerable discomfort.
P is driving the bus, creating plenty of space. Ferris is reminding me to run the shortest line. I feel myself starting to drop off a few times, but am able to snap out of it and stay with what now seems like a slightly larger group. Perhaps I'm starting to hallucinate, but it seems we've picked or rather swept up a few more runners along the way. While I am confident I’ll be able to finish it out if I get to 4k in reasonable condition, I am also chastened by the memory of being at that 4k point time and time before, always behind the pace, never able to punch it, finish it. Will today be different? A bout of the dry heaves (sorry lads) somewhere around the back straight, but I’m expecting this and know that this time I’ll be OK. (It used to be stitches, now it’s heaves, maybe it will be something else in future: the trick is to be able to live with it and get through it.)
At the penultimate turn M, who had stayed just behind for a while, maybe to mop me up if I fell off, is back with us as that 4k mark draws near. Yes, the wheels are still on and I know all I have to do is match the others stride for stride, one step at a time. I’m reminded to relax, to get to the goalpost, get to the turn, hang in there, don’t go yet, not yet, relax the shoulders, 400 to go, 350 to go, not yet, 200, go on, finish it out, ding ding, the sound of Killerz and his twins, don’t get buggied, finish it out, do it, done.
I collect the token and immediately roll out of the chute and take a moment. I don’t have to ask, I know it is done. I’ve had a lot of help and I know it. Thanks lads.
Km Splits (approx)
4:05 3:57 4:00 4:05 3:41
Mile splits (approx)
6:31 6:29 6:24 (0:24)
Previous PB: 20:21 (March 2016, St. Annes)
Target: 19:59
Official Time: 19:47
34th finisher (of 381) 1st M55
Age grade: 78.1%
VDOT 50.5
Verdict: Ho ho ho!0
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