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Leader Of The (Mid) Pack
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Fri 1/12 - Rest
Sat 2/12 - Jingle Bells 5k, Phoenix Park
TL:DR Cr@p performance. Sh!te result. Totally deserved.
Pre Race
Since DCM, five weeks ago now, off the top of my head (i.e. without going back over this log or Strava) I'd say I've covered considerably less than 50 miles. No speed work in there either, and definitely a few pounds heavier. College assignments and weekend tutorials, as well as other non running matters, have impacted severely on training. With all of this taken into account, was it realistic to hope that I might take out my PB of 19:43, set in this year's Docklands race?
Anyway, I arrived nice and early to get a couple of warmup laps of the Acres in, the first on my own, the second with clubmates as we were joined by a friend of mine from the BHAA scene. I felt comfortable enough through these.
Back to the car then to shed my layers, although I did manage to show off my "Leader Of The Mid Pack" t-shirt to Sheep1978, and also to Murph_D (pacing the little fella today) en route. At the start, I found TBO, and then skyblue46 found us. As I was moving further up, I spotted Lazare getting stretched for action, and finally I spotted a clubmate behind Sheep1978. Perfect starting spot, if I was any use.
Km 1
Usual craic dodging around kids at the start of this race, but once we settled in, I passed Sheep fairly quickly, and I was thinking, maybe something good might happen today. But then E decided she'd push on a bit. To PB, I would have to go with her (she got 19:38 in the end). Not a chance. Stuffed.
Km 2
I've no recollection of Sheep passing me back, but I'm guessing he did it somewhere in this kilometre. Just at the roundabout, a Waterstown Warrior caught up to me, and I tried sticking with her. That didn't work either, and quite a few other runners passed me through here as well, as I got isolated at the head of a group going into the breeze on Chesterfield Avenue.
Km 3
Left onto OS Road and out of the breeze. To be honest, I just wanted it to be over. A clubmate was at the turn for Farmleigh and gave me a shout. Matters weren't really improving though, with a lot more passing me than the one or two I was passing.
Km 4
Into the twisty section through the trees, and I'm still going backwards. I'm just waiting for the last km so I can roll down the hill. I didn't think today would be perfect by any stretch, but this was horrendous.
Km 5
At last! Finally, I start to pick up a bit of momentum, and even make ground on one or two further down the hill. A clubmate was taking photos and gave us a shout; I was thinking, two more minutes and I'm out. Just as I approached the turn towards the finish line, I could see a Crusader on my shoulder, and started picking it up. Another clubmate gave me a shout, and I left the Cru man behind, and caught one or two more (including a clubmate) although one or two others passed me just before the line.
Time: 20:49 (20:35)
Position: 295/1060 (35th M40)
Compare that to my 20:03 chip time from last year. Desperate. Absolutely wojus. But it's the level I'm at right now.
Actually, I just realised that today was my 3rd fastest ever 5k. Probably more a reflection on how few 5ks I race nowadays than anything else.
Lots of patient clubmates were at the finish, overall quite pleased with their morning's work. Lazare and skyblue came in soon afterwards, followed by a delighted BrownEyes79 (PBs all round!) while I caught scotindublin (looking well in the elf costume :pac: ) before I headed away. I nearly accidentally on purpose left the mug behind on the way out; I didn't feel like I really deserved it. I felt absolutely empty heading back to the car.
From Here to 'Eighteen
Not much going to be happening here the next while, unfortunately.
I was considering a shot at my very weak 10k PB (43:19) in the Aware run next week. However, I won't have the time to train for it at all, so I'll have to very reluctantly let it slide.
Part of me would love to give the National Novice XC a shot on the 17th in Waterford. However, on so many levels I can't justify spending the best part of a Sunday on it.
Which leaves the club XC handicap race, a 6 mile slog around Porterstown, on the day before Christmas Eve. I enjoyed it a lot last year, and I'm looking forward to lining up again. I'm finishing up with work for the holidays the day before though, so discipline (and a favourable handicap!) could be vital
Thanks for reading! J. 0 -
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It's a sh*t when you're not happy and there's probably no talking you around but FWIW i agree with the others that you're being hard on yourself. But look gather perspective over the next few weeks, enjoy some of the silliness of the silly season and then hit the ground running in 2018 with goals and plans to get you there! Onward and upward
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It's a sh*t when you're not happy and there's probably no talking you around but FWIW i agree with the others that you're being hard on yourself. But look gather perspective over the next few weeks, enjoy some of the silliness of the silly season and then hit the ground running in 2018 with goals and plans to get you there! Onward and upward
I have to agree with Ariana and she said it better than I could 0 -
Thanks for all the feedback folks
You're probably right. It's not such a bad result. Given the low mileage, absence of speedwork, and the extra weight, it was asking a lot to even get close to a PB, downhill course and all. It was a great way of showing me just how far behind I am - literally!
With silly season in progress, getting my diet back on track won't be easy, but it can be done - a must if I'm even going to get back to where I was, let alone improve. My running 2018 will start with a gentle parkrun double up, but after that the Masters and BHAA XC races will be coming up fast. No hiding places there eitherThe Black Oil wrote: »Don't recall noticing the shirt. Must get my eyes tested.
Well done for Saturday.
Thanks B, no need for the eye test :pac: At that stage I'd left it back in the car, with just my MSB singlet for cover. I thought I might have time to show it off in Donore, but it wasn't to be I'm afraid.0 -
Since the last update, literally the only running I've done was a crawl out of bed (after a late night playing poker) on Saturday morning, followed by a shuffle up to Porterstown, in which I surprised myself with a sub-22 parkrun. It wasn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but I was just happy that I got out and did it :pac:
I'm trying to come up with some sort of race plan for the first few months of 2018. Particularly as the study ramps up in the coming months, my time for proper training will be more and more limited, so for most of these (with the probable exception of the last two) there will be very little chasing of times involved. Cross is more about positions than time anyway
Starting on New Year's Day, with a parkrun double up between our nearest and dearest in Hartstown, and my own local in Porterstown (no racing either of those :pac:) it goes something like below. Very much subject to amendment, I might add Regarding the 10 mile races, it will be one or the other (more likely Brian Boru); definitely not both.
Sun Jan 7, Dublin Masters XC, St Anne's Park
Sun Jan 14, Leinster Masters XC, Dunboyne
Sat Jan 20, BHAA Eir XC, Cherryfield Park
Sat Feb 3, BHAA Garda XC, Phoenix Park or Sun Feb 4, Trim 10 mile
Sun Feb 18, Rás na hÉireann XC, Oldbridge House
Sat Mar 3, BHAA AIB XC, NUI Maynooth
Sat Mar 24, BHAA K-Club 10k, Straffan
Mon Apr 2, Brian Boru 10 Mile, St Anne's Park0 -
Wubble Wubble wrote: »Since the last update, literally the only running I've done was a crawl out of bed (after a late night playing poker) on Saturday morning, followed by a shuffle up to Porterstown, in which I surprised myself with a sub-22 parkrun. It wasn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but I was just happy that I got out and did it :pac:
Clearly you were too busy banging on train windows frightening the life outa people.
Very jealous of that race list J....0 -
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Not a whole pile to update... only my third four day running week since DCM, but better than nothing at all.
Wed 13/12 - 4.0 miles @8:39/mi
Out to the railway bridge at Castleknock station, before turning around and heading back with the snow in my face. More layered up than usual too.
Thu 14/12 - 3.6 miles @8:23/mi
Carpenterstown loop x 2.
Sat 16/12 - 4.7 miles @8:05/mi
After a chilly volunteering stint at Porterstown parkrun in the morning, when more than once I thought running might have been easier, I made a return trip in the afternoon for some XC work. With the MSB handicap race taking place on Saturday, a recce of the course was long overdue. I got through three laps at a decent enough pace, picking it up for the last few hundred metres. That's more like it! A few sticky spots even at this stage, and some rain forecast for this week, should make it a real test over 6 miles
Sun 17/12 - 5.0 miles @8:15/mi
With my main pre-Christmas drinking sessions out of the way, I made it up to Castleknock Gate for an 8 AM start with three others. A very relaxed run ensued, at a slower pace than I'm used to with this group.
17.4 miles for the week. Like I say, better than nothing. Thanks for reading! J.0 -
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Mon 18/12 - Rest (unplanned)
All the best of intentions through most of this day. However, by the time I got home, walked the dog (we're dogsitting for a few weeks) and prepped the dinner, I'd kind of lost interest in going for a run. I just ate the dinner instead.
Tue 19/12 - Rest (planned)
Last night of the first semester of my final year of college. Only 4 months till the exams :eek:
Wed 20/12 - 4.8 miles @8:33/mi
One of the old loops around D15. Not really tuned into it at all, more a case of getting some running done with a tough race coming up. That said, I got two personal records on Strava going over Troy Bridge
I don't know where I'm going to slot in on Saturday, but unless I'm away very early, it could be a long and painful 6 miles of XC in Porterstown.0 -
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Sat 23/12 - MSB Doyle Cup XC, Porterstown Park
This is one of the club's two annual handicap races. I have to say I was dreading having to run 6 miles this morning, especially after putting away serious amounts of junk food and booze of late, without the training to compensate. I got down early to watch the parkrun, before putting on my spikes and heading out for a warm up lap. Two vets and two ladies were the first few away. Unfortunately, due to some no shows, I was heading away on my own. How favourable would this turn out to be?
Lap 1
I always find it hard to judge pace, even when running in groups. I tried to keep it reasonably steady on the opening spin, catching the vets on the way around the soccer pitch at the top of the park. The only time I raced 6 miles XC before was in this event last year. Halfway through the lap, I caught the ladies, and looking ahead I could see.....nobody :eek:
To say I'm not used to leading races would be an extreme understatement.
The only time I can remember being in such a position was when I got my parkrun first place, in a seven runner field over two years ago now.
Lap 2
Lots of support on the way around, I didn't realise that so many people in the club knew who I was. Anyway, still in a comfortable first place and trying to keep my pacing reasonably consistent. I was holding up fairly well overall, and coming around the track at the end of the lap, I still had a decent lead. It couldn't actually happen! Could it? For future reference, I prefer "two laps to go" to "only half way" :pac:
Lap 3
I started really feeling it coming up to the top of the park on this lap. On the way back down, I could see John Todd was a bit closer on the far side. I didn't spot anyone else at this stage. However, coming up from the bottom of the park, JT and a lad who ran the Clonakilty Marathon in 3:26 two weeks ago, were gaining quickly. I managed to hang on turning around the cabins, but as we headed around the track, both of them caught me, along with another guy who would go on to win it. Aaaah!! Having led for about 3 1/2 miles of the 6, I was now fighting to maintain a respectable position.
Lap 4
Really hanging on now. Legs were sore, and I could feel some pain in my back as well. Who else was I a target for? Passed again on the far side of the soccer pitch, and then I was just trying to hold it together for the last mile or so. Our fastest lady runner whizzed past me just before the sharp right hander through the bushes, and along the bottom of the park, it was the turn of AMK. I had been thinking I might catch John Todd again, but only realised after I'd gone through the bushes that he had stepped off. Near the top of the hill from the bottom of the park, one more passed me, and I had a look back to see if anyone else was gaining. Even though it looked unlikely that I would be caught again, I gave it a decent enough bit of welly coming down the slope to the cabins and back around the track to the finish.
7th place overall, in a time of 44:44. Delighted with that, although my back was quite sore afterwards. Might have to keep a close eye on that. AMK finished 5th, to pick up the Auld Man prize
Nollaig Shona oraibh go léir. Go mbeirimid beo ag an am seo arís.0 -
Christmas Eve - Rest
Christmas Day - Waterstown parkrun
A cold and very wet Christmas morning didn't deter a total of 172 runners heading to Waterstown. I had the rain jacket on for the warmup, and didn't take it off until about a minute before we walked the short distance to the start.
With Saturday's race still very much in the legs, this was never going to be a massive effort, even with such a weak course PB of 21:51, going all the way back to July 2014. Slow and steady was the way to go, letting lots of people tear off down the hill, then picking off a good chunk of them as the route levelled and then climbed back up
I ran most of the second lap with a Bros Pearse guy and a lad in a blue top. Approaching the "gentle incline", I dropped Bros Pearse, but blue top passed me with about 50 metres to go, not that I had any inclination to get involved in a sprint. 22:17 was pretty good in the circumstances. Lots of Boardsies in attendance, including yaboya1 (who scanned my barcode after finishing 5th), annapr and Murph_D (still aglow from his first sub-20) as well as DCM 2017 Graduates quickbeam and choons. Great show from the Waterstown gang, with mulled wine and loads of treats on offer at the finish.
St Stephen's Day - Rest
Wed 27/12 - No running.
Sick wife on Christmas Day. Sick me on St Stephen's Day, early to bed with a Lemsip. Sick puppy today (we had to bring her to the vet - she seems much better now). I'd actually forgotten that the original plan for today was to take on the Fat Turkey Run. Only when I checked into Strava was I reminded of this. Definitely a bullet dodged - that would have been another 25/30 euro down the toilet, as I was in no shape for that (or any) race this morning. I'm feeling a lot better now, thankfully.
Hoping to run Porterstown parkrun this Saturday, and actually give it a proper go for the first time in a long, long time. My parkrun PB is 20:36, set in my 50th back in May 2016, which was an actual PB for me then. I haven't gone under 21 in any parkrun this year. Sure we'll see.0 -
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Wubble Wubble wrote: »Yes, definitely. I really enjoyed running it at the start of this year, as one of 12 MSB men. I finished in the bottom 20%. This time, I want to (a) improve on my finishing position, and (b) not get lapped - the top four lapped me this year.
I've been there watching for the past couple of years and yeah the standard is amazing. I remember working out that I would have been about third last of those who run the full distance.
Maybe 2019 will be my debut! 0 -
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Thu 28/12 - 2.0 miles @9:30/mi
I should have known something bad was about to happen, when on clicking "Record Activity", Strava asked me to choose between running and cycling. I've never recorded any cycling activity on Strava before
Anyway, up to Porterstown I shuffled, and even this was feeling like hard work, as I was getting a pain in my glute, which was occasionally extending down my leg. First lap of the park itself was 8:42.
Second lap of the planned three, I'm just getting to the section at the bottom at the park, not enjoying it at all, when my wife rings. I stop to walk and talk. Try to pick it up again afterwards. No improvement. Pull the plug. Still feeling it for the mile or so walk home.
What this means is that I'll almost certainly have to scrap that parkrun PB attempt, and just ease my way around instead. I'll know very quickly on Saturday morning (i.e. during the half mile stroll from the house) what the strategy is going to be.0 -
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Fri 29/12 - Rest
Unless, that is, you count having to run home from the pub through the pouring rain after watching the darts....
Sat 30/12 - Porterstown parkrun
Good job I didn't try to race this. There were a few very slippy spots, especially entering and leaving the grassy section around the car park extension. The leader took a tumble at some stage, and was still limping when I saw him afterwards. As for me, I started off near the back and gradually moved forward, picking off a good few on the first lap, and some more on the other two. Coming up the hill to the car park for the last time, I had been gaining on a clubmate and a chap in a Dingle marathon top at my leisure. Dingle then decided to take off, as if expecting me to race him. No way pal, I actually don't care about finishing ahead of you. This time
I did think about going after the clubmate, but the slippy conditions going through the grass meant the sensible decision was made, and I coasted home in a time of 23:15. Job done. We'd two milestone parkrunners today (including our first male centurion, on his birthday!) so it was nice to get out for that.
2017 - Ag Féachaint Siar
Apart from the 24 races listed below, I ran 19 parkruns, as well as a paced mile, where I set a PB of 6:03 but missed by sub-6 target. This compares to 57 timed runs in 2016. I have included positions for XC races, as for these events they are probably more relevant than the times.
1/1/17, Tom Brennan Memorial 5k, 20:59
8/1/17, Dublin Masters XC 6k, 29:34 (Position 219/261)
15/1/17, Leinster Masters XC 6k, 27:03 (138/159)
29/1/17, Raheny 5 Mile, 35:17 (course PB)
4/2/17, BHAA Garda XC 4 mile, 28:40 (68/136)
18/2/17, BHAA ALSAA XC 5 mile, 38:01 (76/131)
4/3/17, Carlingford 10k, 44:55
25/3/17, BHAA K Club 10k, 43:53 (course PB)
9/4/17, Great Ireland Run 10k, 45:56
1/5/17, ARC Cancer Support 10k, 44:31
6/5/17, BHAA RTÉ 5 mile, 38:05
16/5/17, BHAA ESB Beach Race 5k, 22:17
20/5/17, IKA Run For A Life 10k, 46:23
14/6/17, BHAA Trinity Track 800m, 2:46
14/6/17, BHAA Trinity Track 2000m, 8:00
18/6/17, Castleknock 5k, 20:49 (course PB)
6/7/17, Docklands 5k, 19:43 (PB)
23/7/17, Fingal 10k, 43:19 (PB)
13/8/17, Rock N Roll HM, 1:38:03
23/9/17, Dublin Race Series HM, 1:44:45
29/10/17, Dublin City Marathon, DNF
18/11/17, BHAA Irish Life XC 6k, 27:00 (PB, 106/195)
2/12/17, Jingle Bells 5k, 20:35
23/12/17, MSB Doyle Cup Handicap XC 6 mile, 44:44 (7/20)
For the first four months, I had study and exams to contend with, and hence reduced scope for training. Tom Brennan was a disaster, where I mentally packed it in after 1 km and allowed myself to be passed by 8 or 9 in the last. The Masters races were very enjoyable - I competed well with low personal expectations, and my teammates were happy with my performance. Raheny was a huge disappointment. I love the race, but I started too far back, and never really pushed myself afterwards. Very happy with my performance in the Garda XC, as I went out hard and hung on as best I could in one of the tougher XC races on the calendar. Having raced five times in the first six weekends of the year, I was at that time the most active athlete in the club.
My laces came undone twice in ALSAA :rolleyes: I got called out by AMK the day after Carlingford, as it was clear in the Sunday morning club run that there was no way I pushed myself in the race. Much happier with my effort in the K Club, a race I love, and not just for the massive feed afterwards The "Great" Ireland Run was one to forget for me. I sleepwalked through the first 9k, and only for a rocket from the skipper at that point, it would have been 10.
Exams took centre stage after that.
ARC is a race I always support. They're the only ones who ever ring me. So so race, and I wasn't well at the end of it. RTÉ 5 mile was a mess, in more ways than one, only a few hours after a stag. I topped up my tan on the beach in Sandymount, before returning to Trinity for the track races. An event which I again really enjoyed, although Murph_D left me trailing a considerable distance behind in both events. I was happier with a course PB in my local race a few days later.
The high point came in early July, when I finally lanced the sub 20 boil, with my best performance of 2017 in the Docklands 5k. Unfortunately, that would be as good as it got for the rest of the year. Although I PBd again in my next race, the Fingal 10k, it certainly wasn't by design, between pit stops and even stopping altogether at one stage. Although my RNR half time was nearly seven minutes faster than my Race Series time, I consider the traffic affected Newbridge House run a better performance as I got an eight minute negative split and felt quite comfortable doing it, whereas I needed medical attention after going out too hard in the opening miles of RNR.
And so to DCM, where immortality beckoned, in spite of missing a lot of training due to illness. All was going well until the wheels came off at the 16 mile mark, but thankfully I had enough sense to pull the plug before literally falling on my face.
Due to a combination of work/college/assignments/laziness, very little training was done for the rest of the year. A satisfactory spin around Ososlo Park brought me on to Jingle Bells. I ignored all the above pointers and still thought I might PB, only for one of our ladies to show me how foolish an idea that was, as she left me trailing before we'd even covered a kilometre. She didn't say it like that though Although I was fuming in the immediate aftermath, in the cold light of day I couldn't have expected much better than what I got. The club handicap was a bit of craic, leading for over half of it in spite of being full of booze and junk food.
Overall, a fairly disappointing year on the running front, apart from the Docklands race, and to a lesser degree the Garda XC and the Masters races. I did however have the pleasure of being the DCM Novices Mentor, and helped in some small way to get a very enthusiastic group across the line. We also won the BHAA 2016/2017 Winter League, so that was a nice little bonus.
Pre-2018 musings to follow later. Thanks for reading! J.0
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