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To Connemara and Beyond ...
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Hope you're on the mend, Nop!
Thanks Anna - I guess I don't need to remind you those Wicklow Mountains aren't getting any less steep, so I need to get some miles / elevation in soon!
Ok, intervention time N. Run 60-90 mins tomorrow and I will mount my high horse and say 'neighhhhhh'. You have been sick...30/35 mins max only tomorrow to shake the legs out, ok? OKKKK?
But, but, but .... ok, I am now suitably intimidated by the prospect of being hunted down by packs of medal-winning Bray Runners when I stay out longer / later than I am allowed.
If I really put the after-burners on, I can go up Quarry Road and come back down past Puck's Castle in about 40 minutes - I should just be about back before I get caught. :rolleyes: Note to self: don't wear orange tomorrow morning, they won't recognize me :P0 -
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Bitta catch-up again.
Tue Feb 16: 40 minutes easy: 7.3km @ 5:26 min/km [4.5M @ 8:45 min/mi]. Same old, same old.
Wed Feb 17: nada
Thu Feb 18: 5M at a reasonable pace: 8.1km @ 5:18 [5M @ 8:31 min/mi]. Day off due to mid-term. Me and my two dorks went to the zoo. It was cold, fresh, and sunny and we saw all the animals we wanted to see. My fella wanted to see scarlet macaws, and my girl the bongos. What's wrong with elephants and zebra's again? Anyway, we walked for hours and had the best time. When their mum came home, I dashed out for a quick 5 miles, loved it.
Fri Feb 19: Pilates, man, I am so unfit. Struggling and shaking and panting and a big red face. Pff.
Sat Feb 20: Hurling match outside in the effing rain and driving wind (and me on the sideline). No running.
Sun Feb 21: 10M LSR: 16.0km @ 5:45 min/km [10M @ 9:16 min/mi]. Up and down the coast to Dalkey and back. Particularly inspired by a certain former DCM Novices mentor who told me she'd done hill-repeats on Strathmore Road. I've ran that a few times and its brutal but very rewarding and really nice scenery. Ran to Dalkey, clocked up an extra loop there, and ran home. Was truly knackered afterwards. Back in my estate, got attacked by some massive dog (his owner just about managed to restrain him). Suffice it to say, he's now had an opportunity to learn plenty of Dutch swearwords, and the right intonation.
Mon Feb 22: nada. Sore left knee today, not good. Mweeh.
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Hurling match outside in the effing rain and driving wind (and me on the sideline). No running.
(
Nop,
I have some experience in this department. Wear your running gear to the game. They always meet hours before the sliothar is thrown in which gives you time to get a session in. Conveniently the games are always played in a park and you get to run somewhere different.
Get back just before the game and then volunteer to be umpire :eek:. Everybody loves an umpire......not.0 -
Nop,
I have some experience in this department. Wear your running gear to the game. They always meet hours before the sliothar is thrown in which gives you time to get a session in. Conveniently the games are always played in a park and you get to run somewhere different.
Get back just before the game and then volunteer to be umpire :eek:. Everybody loves an umpire......not.
Alternatively get a hot chocolate and wait in the car with the heat on
Saturday morning was not ideal hurling weather :eek:0 -
Nop,
I have some experience in this department. Wear your running gear to the game. They always meet hours before the sliothar is thrown in which gives you time to get a session in. Conveniently the games are always played in a park and you get to run somewhere different.
Get back just before the game and then volunteer to be umpire :eek:. Everybody loves an umpire......not.Alternatively get a hot chocolate and wait in the car with the heat on
Saturday morning was not ideal hurling weather :eek: Interesting feedback. I have actually done it a couple of times (e.g. https://www.strava.com/activities/322690526) - granted, in lovely weather. But I always feel a little self-conscious doing so. Some of the coaches are so dedicated and spent so much time getting all this organized for our boys that I feel I have to help out, even if it just to stand on the sideline, encourage, pick up stray balls, etc.
I have also done the sitting in the car and reading a book in peace-and-quiet for half an hour - bliss. At least you're not that visible!
Knee trouble seems to have calmed down again so:
Tue Feb 24: 5+M easy in lovely cold crisp weather. I forgot my Garmin so ran without it - and yes, it does count!0 -
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hillsiderunner wrote: »I'm going to borrow that one of these days!
Nice paces on those training runs.
Cheeky holidays are the best ones.Bungy Girl wrote: »Agree! Those paces are really coming down, nice work!
Thanks HSR & BG. It's probably more to do with the weather being so bad but there's a silver lining at least! 0 -
Bit philosophical while out running today. It's been a hard couple of weeks in work and I typically mull these things over when out. Today was no different.
Between a colleague and I, we decided to cut the umbilical cord to a partner team, as the collaboration (such as it was) resulted in delays, frustration, and more delays only. While this was the right, long overdue call, it all resulted in plenty of agro and (far too much) arguing.
Said colleague, clearly worried about the resulting effects of all the agro (as I faced the brunt of it all), sent me the attached image and said, as I went out for one of my lunchtime runs: "be like the dog, not the man".
The whole situation made me think of an obscure Cranberries song called Daffodil Lament (ironically from their album No Need To Argue). I adored this song when I was in university, long before I moved to Eire. The lyrics contain reference to a difficult but definitive break-up, followed by a remarkably upbeat "the daffodils looked lovely today". So, that has become a bit of my motto over the past weeks: relentless optimism. The daffodils look lovely today. I am probably missing a whole lot of subtle undertones to the lyric, but sure.
Today, as I started plodding up Quin's Road into the hills as prep for the Wicklow Mountains HM (why do I sign up for these things), I really very much wanted to be like the dog. It took a couple of km's but after that, all was forgiven. Well, a lot. Crap as I am at it, I love love love the cathartic effect of running. I finished doing about 15 hilly kms at a reasonable pace - a good enough final test for next week's half marathon.
On, and there was a whole bunch of daffodils along the Ferndale Road as I ran by which made me smile. They sure looked lovely.0 -
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Right, back to running.
March 7: bit of treadmilling.
Nobody to run with and only little time, so I decided on an impromptu interval session indoors. 400m at ~5k pace followed by 400m at ~HM pace - repeated 6 or 7 times.
March 8: 5M easy: 8.1km @ 5:19 min/km [5M @ 8:33 min/mi]
Again deserted by all my buddies (insert small violins here) but I couldn't face the sweaty mess again. So I went out for an easy 5M all solo.
On the way back to work, I spotted a runner ahead, I see him running all the time and he looks like a superb runner - many levels above me.
However, he was going incredibly slow and very deliberate doing so. On my easy pace I was gaining ground on him but didn't want to overtake (it just seemed wrong). So I hung back a bit but eventually decided it was ridiculous and overtook. I fully expecting him to come charging by at some stage but it never happened. :pac:
Anyway - so I guess I'll taper a little for the WW MNT HM on Sunday. From studying treads, race reports and pictures, it seems that one should add ~20% to PB time to come up with a realistic target time. This suggests 2h05 - 2h12 (the latter based on my soft-ish HM PB of ~1h50 - I never did a HM in anger since starting DCM training).
That all said, since I have actually felt really good recently - and inspired by FD and Neady's Kinvara heroic's, I am secretly aiming for <2h.... Famous last words to recall when I collapse over the line in 2h20 or worse... :eek:0 -
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am falling around the place laughing here - whoohoo am inspiration to people way faster than I am best of luck on Sunday
The dedication to your training and the results you get from it are an inspiration to all - regardless of pace! And the "way faster" is quickly disappearing, too! Thanks 0 -
Nop with a really great DCM training block behind you plus all the hard work that you've been doing since then, I predict great things for next weekend and you above anyone will be inspired by the scenery and beauty you will be surrounded by.
I can't wait for the report
I really like your post above about the Daffodils. There's enough doom and gloom in the world, we all need to smell the roses and admire the daffodils a bit more you're a ray of sunshine 0 -
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Just word of caution, maybe misplaced but notice you have not done a lot
Of miles up or above half marathon, so maybe one to enjoy more than race
Especially on tough course, but u know how fit you are at moment, all best again 0 -
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Nop with a really great DCM training block behind you plus all the hard work that you've been doing since then, I predict great things for next weekend and you above anyone will be inspired by the scenery and beauty you will be surrounded by.
I can't wait for the report
I really like your post above about the Daffodils. There's enough doom and gloom in the world, we all need to smell the roses and admire the daffodils a bit more you're a ray of sunshine
Thank you Neady! Not sure I deserve all your praise but very kind of you to say so! I am driving all my colleagues insane with my optimism and references to daffodils.
Tentatively looking at the weather forecast, and it seems that it will be a nice day for it - which will do the scenery no harm at all.A great route Nop and no doubt that you will do really well. Enjoy the day and bring us back some of your inspiration.Best of luck Sunday NOP
Thank you Denis and Mrs Mc!Just word of caution, maybe misplaced but notice you have not done a lot
Of miles up or above half marathon, so maybe one to enjoy more than race
Especially on tough course, but u know how fit you are at moment, all best again
Thank you KennyG. Your words (in their trusted sonnet-form) are wise and I will listen to them. I got some more feedback from FD about the need to respect that +20% guideline so maybe 2h is a tad optimistic (even tho I have increased mileage of late and feel niggle-free and good).
I will indeed focus more on enjoying the scenery and remembering bits for the race-report, rather than swallowing back the lactic acid and aiming to collapse just over the finish-line! Thanks again.0 -
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