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Eye of the Tiger Beer.
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Swashbuckler wrote: »Ah man can't believe I missed the throwback culchie disco hall. Sickened.
That was a fun report and captured the essence of the 5k very well. They're not easy are they. Very hard to get just right.
One thing is for sure if you go off too quick you'll know all about it soon enough. Well done on the time. Not bad for a distance runner
Swashbuckler wrote: »By the way with a 5k time like that, sub 40 should be a breeze
Yeh, I ran 39:23 not long after my last 18:45 two years ago, but also 38:55 after 18:39 last year - which also was a 5k that didn't go well, I reckoned I was in 18:30 shape at the time. 5ks have so little margin for error, especially for runners like me who have relatively underwhelming shorter distance like 800m/mile PBs (my 5k vdots have always been my best distance though). Even in my recent 5k sessions 3 or 4 seconds per km make the difference between a rep I'm delighted with and one I'm disappointed with. I should probably think about doing some training for distances like a mile to just get faster, though not this side of DCM etc.
I didn't really comment on the overall race setup - Na Fianna and the Kia Race Series definitely put on a good show here, plenty of fast runners (nearly 200 sub-20 folks according to their social media), a good atmosphere and overall a well ran race (maybe aside from the start, though I'd been warned about it).0 -
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Slowly getting back into the swing of things...
Rivervalley parkrun was a lot of fun this week as the Polish Runners Club Ireland showed up in force with a bouncy castle, traditional garb, an Olympic athlete and lots of runners! Given my recent form I had expectations of nothing more than a good effort. The start in Rivervalley always seems to be a surprising and low key "so-and-so is doing their 100th run today ok 3-2-1-go" and that caught myself and others off. I didn't have the hunger to bomb downhill at the start, but made my way up past a few folks once things got down to the river. A few places were exchanged over the remaining two laps, I was nowhere near podium but happy enough finishing in 9th in 20:35 or so... but the lead lady decided to overtake me at great speed in the finishing chute, well after the finishing line, and grab the token! I declined to make a scene out of it and poured water for runners instead. The official record states that I finished 10th, but I know better! A few folks from the club were along and I had some brief chat before jogging home. Rivervalley's a very enjoyable parkrun - small enough to be on first name basis with a lot of the organisers, the run reports on Facebook are a highlight of the weekend and a tough enough course to excuse any slowish pace
Date|Distance|Pace|Notes
5th June|10.1 miles|8:05|Felt surprisingly fresh after a day of walking around London, and went home faster than usual.
6th June|10 miles|8:40|Felt less fresh running home. I think it was warm?
7th June|5.1 miles|9:09|Lunchtime jog around the TCD grass track chatting with a co-worker
8th June|5.8 miles|not very fast|I was plodding back to Swords after work and didn't feel amazing so hopped on a bus. Then I was informed that we were having pizza in the brother-in-law's place which happens to be on the other side of denis_b's forest, so I got off the bus and went exploring. I slowly made my way through the forest and found a way to the other side of the lake and in to the housing estate. Fun!
9th June|7.4 miles|?|Rivervalley parkrun etc.
10th June|12.3 miles|9:02|Down in Dunmore East for Saturday night, so got out for a very enjoyable longish run mostly along the coast. Lots of ups and downs along cliff walks, down steps into coves, up more steps out of coves, and lots of rolling hills. Very nice part of the world and a very enjoyable run. I was utterly parched at the end, and the most hills I've done in a long while.
Total: 51 miles. Acceptable.
Next week: Well, I already have done a commute and club session. I won't spoil how the club session went, stay tuned for next week's update! I was thinking of doing the BHAA TCD race on Wednesday, but I really need to be doing stuff that's relevant for the SF HM (6 weeks!!!), so that's out the window. Next next week will probably involve the Howth IMRA race.0 -
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Another two week mega catchup post.
I am most definitely NOT feeling the joy of running right now, energy levels are generally low and a niggle in my upper left leg (somewhere around where it attaches to the rest of my body). The niggle is nearly mended by now anyway. That said I'm posting logs containing 14 days continual running, so it's not all bad - but it's just not great stuff overall.
The highlight of the last two weeks was running IMRA Howth. There was a good gang from work going so it was a decent social event. I didn't feel great heading out and warming up, and decided not to utterly ruin myself. There was a course change from last year, a chaotic and hilarious Braveheart-esque sprint down past the 18th hole before turning at the Transport Museum and then back up past Howth Castle where it started last year. It spread the field out a bit, but it was still pretty slow going up the first set of steps and climbs where I was, eventually passing out some folks who must have gone out very hard. The first climb up to the top didn't feel as awful as last year, though I was definitely taking it a bit easier. When I got to the top I experienced a bout of jelly legs which took a minute or two to recover from. Winding around the top went ok, it kind of just felt like going through the motions rather than the thrilling experience I've had at my previous two IMRA races. Maybe Run The Line actually gave me some more experience at this type of running, and also this was the first mountain race I've done on the same course which is possibly a factor. Not much to write about for the second loop, a few people fell behind me, I lost a place or two and overtook one or two people. Unfortunately the small group I was just behind went the wrong way about 500m from the end, and we lost nearly a minute retracing our steps. Enjoyed the finish, which is pretty easy as it's all downhill.
I finished in 50th position, same as last year but 5 minutes slower. The new start added on just under 4 minutes for me, so I definitely did take it easier. Recovered quickly and didn't feel too sore afterwards - the pints in the Deer Park Hotel might part of that though. Anyway, still good fun and nice to continue my one-a-year IMRA race tradition
Date|Distance|Pace|Notes
11th June|9.1 miles|8:50|A regular Monday commute
12th June|9.5 miles|?|Cru session - 8 x 600s, jog around to the 600 start for recovery. 2:09, 2:14, 2:16, 2:16, 2:17, 2:19, 2:23, 2:23. Not great. First session since Bob Heffernan, definitely not sharp.
13th June|9.1 miles|8:53|Another commute
14th June|5.3 miles|8:42|Partial commute. Not in the mood.
15th June|2.5 miles|8:58|A short stint of solo parenting meant leaving work early, but in the end I couldn't get out early enough to do a decent run. "Better than nothing" I told myself.
16th June|7.9 miles|8:34|Got out when I could. Probably should have done a session but wasn't in the mood.
17th June|14.8 miles|8:27|Cashed in some Father's Day tokens for a lie in followed by getting out to the Phoenix Park for a nice jog around.
Total: 58.4 miles
Date|Distance|Pace|Notes
18th June|9.1 miles|8:55|A commute!
19th June|6.1 miles|8:35|Another cr@ppo partial commute.
20th June|6.6 miles|?|IMRA Howth as above.
21st June|9.1 miles|9:09|Legs a bit tender but otherwise comfortable slow commute.
22nd June|5.5 miles|?|My kid's school had organised some charity run thing, and I was working from home, so I went along with my better half. It was just a bunch of teachers and a few parents, nothing serious. The kids lined up to cheer us out of the school and on the way back which was a good laugh, loads of high-fives etc. The groups quickly settled and I went along with a friend of my wife who is in the local club and one of the mothers who runs with Raheny. We did 5k, sub-8 minute mile pace though felt a little bit tougher due to being in the middle of a warm day and the additional effort through chatting! Jogged home afterwards. Legs still felt bad before and after due to IMRA.
23rd June|9.1 miles|?|Malahide parkrun - 20:31. Thought I had put in sub-20 effort but was miles off. Blaming it on IMRA and the steady miles the day before. Caught up with clicker afterwards and had a natter.
24th June|14.2 miles|8:40|After an aborted Junior Parkrun with the 4 year old (he claimed he had a stitch) I set off on a slightly hungover and slow run in the sun. I spent most of it in the shade of the trees in Malahide Castle which made things a lot more civilised. Still slow though.
Total: 60 miles
Next week: Life is starting to ramp up in busyness ahead of heading off to SF, so there'll be a bit of winging it. Also, the heatwave!0 -
Another sub-par week. I think by now I'm officially in recession!
Tuesday had a woeful aborted session at Irishtown stadium. I decided it was time to start running with the marathoners, and it was the infamous W session up for tonight (3 sets of 5 laps around the 8th : 5k, HM, 10k, HM, 5k pace). First set were 1:42, 1:52, 1:48, 1:53, 1:48... hmm, bad last one there. Second set: 2:01, 2:06, 2:07... ok, this is garbage. I did a few more laps and then abandoned when I saw murph and aquinn looking like they were finished their sessions and jogged over to the quays with them. Didn't feel great at all afterwards. I put it down to the heat and maybe having the IMRA race in my legs.
Volunteering at the Docklands 5k was a good non-running running thing to be part of. I was handing out t-shirts and numbers at registration at lunchtime on race day, and then did some marshalling at the race, which included holding the tape at the start line, disassembling the starting gantry and throwing it in a van, picking up some rubbish and then standing at a curb 500m from the end directing the poor souls at the end of a 5k race to not run into the curb (one lad ignored me entirely and hopped onto the curb and over the path for a bit... why?). Gave some random shouts of encouragement to the runners too, including to my better half who ran a 5k PB despite the woeful heat. Overall a great event to be part of though I have to admit to a little bit of FOMO after 3 years of PBs there
Date|Distance|Pace|Notes
25th June|9.1 miles|8:57|A grand easy commute home.
26th June|8.6 miles|?|Jog over to Cru, session as above, jog to the quays. Woeful.
27th June|4 miles|8:52|Another commute that I hopped on a bus on. This is a bad habit I've gotten into.
28th June|3.7 miles|9:21|Early miles before work.
30th June|6.7 miles|?|Pacing sub-25 minutes at Rivervalley parkrun. Helped a few folks on!
1st July|14.2 miles|8:29|2 hours to, from and around the confines of the nice shade at Malahide Castle. Ran against the start of a small 10k race at one stage! Gave Clicker a shout out the second time I ran against them.
Total: 46.6 miles
June total: 225 miles
Next week: Will probably bump the club session in favour of watching the England match, but will endeavour to do something useful before jetting off to SF on Saturday.0 -
Yeh, I ran 39:23 not long after my last 18:45 two years ago, but also 38:55 after 18:39 last year - which also was a 5k that didn't go well, I reckoned I was in 18:30 shape at the time. 5ks have so little margin for error, especially for runners like me who have relatively underwhelming shorter distance like 800m/mile PBs (my 5k vdots have always been my best distance though). Even in my recent 5k sessions 3 or 4 seconds per km make the difference between a rep I'm delighted with and one I'm disappointed with. I should probably think about doing some training for distances like a mile to just get faster, though not this side of DCM etc.
I think you would benefit from some faster stuff even this side of the marathon. Nothing crazy but maybe a few 200's(4-5 @ Mile pace) after a tempo or just adding in a few 150m accels(50 accel, 50 sprint and 50 stride out with full recovery) Should help with your economy which will help your marathon pace as well. Small things but should really help with having some zip in your stride.0 -
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You do it to yourself, you do
And that's what really hurts
Is you do it to yourself, just you
You and no-one else
You do it to yourself
SF Marathon Race Report!!!
I'd signed up for one of the half marathons that were being run as part of the SF Marathon, and this was a sensible race to do, given that I've signed up for Dublin and want to PB (and BQ?) at it. However followers of my log and Strava will well know that recent running has been mostly rubbish. I have a few excuses, but they're not very interesting and they don't really matter. So I got to choose between a half-marathon despite not being well trained and a good time unlikely, or a handy marathon with no real pressure. I go into the marathon by showing up to race expo 5 minutes after it opened and requesting to change races. The SF Marathon is blighted by the existence of no fewer than 4 other races happening in and around the same course - an ultramarathon, a 5k, and two halves which approximately cover the first and second halves of the full marathon course, but more on this later.
As with the other USA marathon this year, this one also started at 5.30AM, though it was a lot easier to get to the start line and was a lot smaller and casual in general. As usual I showed up pointlessly early (around 4.40), and I filled the time getting a bad coffee from a 24 hours 7eleven and taking layers off to get ready for the race. The weather wasn't bad - about 14 degrees or so, though with a lot of fog and mist, and randomly directional wind from the Pacific. I dropped my bag, and walked over to the A pen, where I got in without even showing a number (it was pinned to my Crusaders singlet, underneath a sacrificial t-shirt). During the week I picked up a pair of Adidas racers, having only brought over a run-of-the-mill pair of Brooks Ghosts to the USA, and decided to wear them to the marathon, along with a relatively thick socks.
Going in to the race, my plan was as follows:
A goal: Fastest marathon this year
(sub-3:21)
B goal: Faster than 26.2 at Donadea?
C goal: Finish the damn thing alive and uninjured! (maybe that's the A goal really).
The start part 7:30, 7:28, 7:33, 7:21, 7:29
After some commentary, the USA national anthem (I declined to take a kneel) and an over-elaborate setup for the start being indicated by the champion bell ringer from the SF cable cars, the race started exactly on time. No fuss or congestion. Just reminding myself to follow the race line and sussing out who's around me. Mostly flat here other than a mild 75 foot bump which acts as a mild precursor to what's ahead. The course was already to change between road, path and uneven path. Looming in the distance and getting closer with every step is the Golden Gate Bridge, which is logically located a good bit above sea level. I looked around - I had the 3:15 pacers about 20 metres ahead of me with a good group around them, and then a long distance behind me before anything resembling a group. I decided to get closer to the 3:15 gang, not that I wanted to finish then, but to get a bit of shelter while heading up to, over and back over the bridge.
The bridge! 7:48, 7:53, 7:16, 7:59, 7:25, 7:34, 7:30
I've run over the Golden Gate Bridge before, when I was over here in SF last May. It was as amazing as you could imagine running alongside a motorway while being completely surrounded by fog is. The bridge is a huge attraction to runners doing the SF marathon races... though for terrorist and logistical reasons only the marathoners were permitted to go over the bridge this year, and even then only on the footpaths along the side. There was a minor 2 mile long hill to get up to the bridge (over 200 foot). The fog wasn't quite as bad as the last time I'd run over the bridge, though between running faster than usual and the wind, I was starting to get quite wet, and the wind was very blustery, coming in from all directions, though mostly from the side where the Pacific Ocean was. Also the bridge is far from flat! There are a few drags, coupled with the dampness and battering from the wind meant that this wasn't totally comfortable and I could feel it using up more energy than I wanted to be expending at this time. Once we got to other side of the bridge, the course went around a carpark and then down along a hill path which was far from a smooth surface. Also the hill was pretty steep and a bit uncomfortable to run down at speed - something you'd expect to get at an IMRA race rather than a city marathon. After passing under the bridge, we went back up the 100 foot hill and headed back over the other side of the bridge. I tried to speed up a little here and take advantage of the slight downhill. Once off the bridge things got a bit more uneven as we ran on some park paths and then some more downhill which went on for an unreasonably long time and was tough on the legs. Downhills were no longer my friend.
Half way and Golden Gate Park: 8:02, 9:45, 7:08, 7:32, 7:46, 7:56, 7:45
After the park was some running around suburbia in Richmond. There were a few long drags uphill here and it felt pretty tough! Then some more downhill and then entering Golden Gate park, which is SF's equivalent of the Phoenix Park. I'd been holding on to do a toilet visit, and decided to stop at the mile 14 toilet. The early start had meant that I'd had no "movements" so far, and things were starting to get a bit movey down there. I took my time in the toilet - it was probably just 2 minutes but felt like about 30. The "second half" had started a bit earlier, and it wasn't long until we ran into the back of the race. This added some additional complications as most of the runners were wearing headphones, running in pairs etc. meaning a good bit of repositioning to make progress. It wasn't all bad, but the lack of clear road and not being surrounded by people running at your pace is offputting, especially since I was starting to work to keep pace. The miles were going past fast now though, I was feeling as if I'd finish the race in one piece. Every so often I'd latch onto a fellow marathon runner and try to furrow our path through the crowd together, but I didn't end up building any long term relationships. There was a good deal of up and down in this park too, though nothing too steep or painful.
Down to the city: 7:55, 7:44, 7:46, 7:47, 8:30, 8:10, 8:22 (7:54)
It felt like there was a change in atmosphere when we left the park and got into the Haight. There were plenty of locals out supporting, the half-marathoners around me were getting faster, we'd done all the uphill running and we were getting close to the symbolic 20th mile. Some absolutely crazy steep downhills then happened, and I don't think my legs really recovered. They were too steep to take any real advantage of, and my calves, quads and core shuddered with every step. Street management was kicking in here, with a bunch of alternate routes used to send people away from the default course and I ended up at the front of the pack some running down empty roads. There were some surprising hills on this part (they didn't seem that bad on the course map, but at this stage in the race, everything is a problem) and I could feel myself slowing down... I didn't work so hard as my life depended it, but I was doing a good deal of work to keep going. My calves were getting pretty sore, which is standard practice for wearing racers for me, and this was getting to me a bit. As the half-marathon pack dissolved a bit it was easier to run with fellow marathoners, and I had a half-decent mile or so with two ladies who were focussing hard on the last few miles. I guess I hit the wall around here - not a total detonation, but sub-8 miles were now out of the question, and I ended up dawdling at a water station losing about 30 seconds. I was overtaken by the 3:25 pacer with 3:15 on the clock, so I made it my business to stick with him, or at least not completely lose him. Downtown SF was still wet and cold when I reached the finish. Not a moment of glory, but content with my effort and how it went.
Finish: 3:24:54. Positive split of over 5 minutes :rolleyes:
So, not awful. Yeay, I did another marathon. I enjoyed a lot of the run, and got out of it what I put in both on the day and in terms of (non-existent) training. I think I ran it a lot better than Disney, despite being a good bit slower. The hills were cruel to me. I might have been better off wearing more cushioned runners, and not bothering with racers.
Fuelling:
My fuelling plan was simple - eat well the day before, have a good breakfast and then avail of the plentiful fodder on the course. There were a lot of water stations, and every one had some electrolyte juice available, and a couple had various Gu products (I went with a mouthful of chews both times). I think it was more the legs than fuelling that contributed to the slowdown.
Marathon review:
SF is an expensive race. It has so many hills, so unless you're improving fast a PB is probably unlikely. The Golden Gate bridge is fun to run over, though comes with getting blasted by fog and wind. There aren't a lot of competitive marathoners doing it, and sharing the course with half-marathoners is annoying. The support on the course is sparse at the start (it is 5:30 after all) but improves as you go along - I ended up getting about 5 "Go Crusaders, yeh!" shouts, though all from Americans (still helps at the time!). However it is well organised and marshalled, and if you're in this part of the world it's not the worst thing to do.
Post-marathon:
I got changed back into civilian clothes (cramping badly when putting my jeans on in the jacks!) and claimed my free beer in the beergarden area they had setup. I hung around for another beer while the awards were being handed out, and ended up chatting to another marathon finisher who works in Fitbit and we had a great chat (he wasn't offended that I was wearing a Garmin). There was a bit of discolouration under my left toenail, but that appears to have gone away. My calves, hip and quads are damn sore, in that order. I clearly missed my A goal, but I'm more than relaxed about it given my attitude to this race.0 -
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Wubble Wubble wrote: »Brilliant report B. You seem to have a particular inclination towards these random American marathons. Wait till aquinn sees this Very appropriate Radiohead lyrics at the start.
My strava comment wasn't a compliment anyway.
I don't know how you managed that at all. The course profile, ouch.
Not right to leave the half and then go off and enjoy the full. Nuts.
I think I'm actually speechless. A marathon in SF and on a whim?
Congratulations?
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The Black Oil wrote: »Was on holidays there a few years ago in winter time, before I was training properly for anything. Great report which brought me back to thinking about the city. You can see Alcatraz from the GG, iirc. How as the beer?
I could just about see Alcataz from the bridge through the fog, though to be honest I was focussing on the running more than the view! The beer was good, though the sour they had on tap tasted even better. There was also chocolate milk being handed out after the medals which tasted utterly amazing at the time.Wubble Wubble wrote: »Brilliant report B. You seem to have a particular inclination towards these random American marathons. Wait till aquinn sees this :eek: Very appropriate Radiohead lyrics at the start.
Thanks! Not sure I want to be known as "the American marathon guy", though I wouldn't mind doing Boston (though won't qualify before the 2019 application).Nice one, B, sounds like a nightmare course really (if scenic), so I'm impressed with your performance. Solid!
Thanks! It could have been worse - it didn't get sunny as it usually does near the end.Some man! What's your plan for Dublin?
Maybe a marathon every week? :pac: Some actual training anyway, for second go at sub 3:10.Congratulations?
I don't think there's much to congratulate here alright - other than the dubious magical merits of the marathon distance, it just another mediocre race, which appears to be my thing for 2018 so far.0 -
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Any tidbits of advice for the Frank Duffy course next weekend?
Put in the training and don't f!ck it up on the day!
Course recce notes here
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=107903073&postcount=240 -
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Put in the training and don't f!ck it up on the day!
Course recce notes here
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=107903073&postcount=24 0
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