Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Leader Of The (Mid) Pack
Options
Comments
-
Well done on the TT, I know it's not what you wanted but you finished it out! It's hard going when we are not where we think we should be or where we want to be.
Take the positives from this week, you completed your longest run since March
Keep doing what you're doing!0 -
Thanks E, a great run by you around that same triangle afterwards
It might also have been worth mentioning that that was my first attempt at any kind of speed work in two months, which probably resulted in me running out of gas much earlier than expected. 8:01 for 2k in April, when I was running regularly, shows how far I've slipped.
Anyway. Quick update:-
Sun 5/7 - 3.65 miles @9:04/mi
Early start again, in Porterstown this time. Stopped to chat to a clubmate 3 miles into my stint. I wasn't feeling overly energetic, so I decided to cut my run short - the planned route would have taken me over 6 miles.
Mon 6/7 - Rest
I still intend to run the Docklands 5k in Porterstown on Wednesday before work. However, this is subject to amendment
Fan Slán. J. 0 -
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 18,229 CMod ✭✭✭✭
Join Date:Posts: 16975
Not many would lace up with those circumstances. No harm for running to be in the rear view mirror for now. Moderator: Television, Psychology and Dublin County North.
CMod: Entertainment
0 -
-
Thanks to all who replied, most kind of you!
A week has passed since that dramatic episode. This morning, I took another reading, and to my immense relief, my blood pressure was back to "normal" levels.
However, I know I can't afford to get complacent. Hence, continuing reductions in my salt, sugar and alcohol intake should help to keep me on an even keel, and avoid having to go on medication. I mean, I'm still youngish (47), so that hit me like a ton of bricks. Everything from over consumption of sweets and fizzy drinks, to pizzas, to drinking more than pre lockdown, contributed to some extent over time. Like I say, all those are things I have to be mindful of from now on. Fingers crossed I'll be back on the roads sooner than I imagined this time last week. Thanks for reading. Fan Slán. J.0 -
Advertisement
-
Wubble Wubble wrote: »Thanks to all who replied, most kind of you!
A week has passed since that dramatic episode. This morning, I took another reading, and to my immense relief, my blood pressure was back to "normal" levels.
However, I know I can't afford to get complacent. Hence, continuing reductions in my salt, sugar and alcohol intake should help to keep me on an even keel, and avoid having to go on medication. I mean, I'm still youngish (47), so that hit me like a ton of bricks. Everything from over consumption of sweets and fizzy drinks, to pizzas, to drinking more than pre lockdown, contributed to some extent over time. Like I say, all those are things I have to be mindful of from now on. Fingers crossed I'll be back on the roads sooner than I imagined this time last week. Thanks for reading. Fan Slán. J.
Good to hear this J, but I think you're right to remain cautious. I don't think it can be stressed enough how challenging the last few months have been for us all and how it's affected us all in different ways but at least you have identified where you need to rein it in, sounds like good progress is being made!0 -
Good to hear this J, but I think you're right to remain cautious. I don't think it can be stressed enough how challenging the last few months have been for us all and how it's affected us all in different ways but at least you have identified where you need to rein it in, sounds like good progress is being made!
I couldn't agree more with this. I got caught out recently too. Thought i was having a heart attack actually but it turned out to be anxiety related. I was feeling sympathetic towards many in my circle who i felt were far more severely effected than i was & totally ignoring my own mental health until it caught up with me, as it does
Good to hear you're starting to feel better J and see results for your lifestyle changes already, it's always nice to turn that corner and feel things are on the up again, mind yourself.0 -
Time to clear away the cobwebs, after nearly three weeks without any update here.
Sun 26/7 - 3.80 miles @8:20/mi
After 17 days away, I decided it was time to see could I work my way back into a bit of fitness. Parking over by the Hole In The Wall, the plan was to run a variation of "Eugene's Lap". Well after climbing the Khyber into the wind, and with the temperature rising, I decided to scrap the plan to head for Castleknock roundabout, and cut straight across from the Phoenix monument instead. No pain, just a little bit of sensible behaviour first day back.
Mon 27/7 - Rest
Tue 28/7 - 3.99 miles @9:00/mi
"Easy Porto run in the morning sun" as I summarised it on Strava - two laps of the Doyle Cup course.
Wed 29/7 - 4.85 miles @8:27/mi
Comfortable enough run through Laurel Lodge and Roselawn, back via Coolmine and Clonsilla.
Thu 30/7 - "2.79 miles @9:30/mi"
Strava had me down for shorter than I ran here. Five laps of Tír na nÓg, with five sets of strides included - a typical pre race shakeout for me. It's actually closer to three miles in total, so the pace would be nearer 9 min miles. Anyhow, pain free on a wet morning in an almost deserted park.
Good news this morning! I got an appointment to see the doc about my HBP issues. Well, much to my surprise, it's fine! He reckoned our BP monitor needed to be recalibrated, and/or had old batteries which needed to be replaced. Also, for those of you trying it at home - take three readings, and ignore the first one
As you can imagine, I had a spring in my step all the way back home
Sun 2/8 - Virtual Bettystown 5 Mile, Phoenix Park
I'd originally planned this for Friday, but as luck would have it, the organisers extended the deadline for entries by a week, so I decided to throw in a rest day or two.
Parked the car by the Papal Cross, and eased into a warmup during which I was passed by RayCun twice. The man was running an LSR at a considerably quicker pace than my warmup. Nice to spot a few clubmates this morning too. It's definitely something I've missed the past few months - interval training and mid to long runs just aren't the same on your own. Anyway, I had decided to run something close to the old Irish Runner 5 Mile course - looking back, the real start was a good bit further up Chesterfield :rolleyes:
Mile 1
Up Chesterfield Avenue, towards Castleknock (Mountjoy) roundabout. I'm feeling comfortable here, and doing my best to slow down with the pace reading in the low 6s. Swing right towards Ashtown Gate, slight drag but with the breeze behind me now. From the gate downhill, reaching 1 mile roughly opposite the school and the back path into Ashtown Castle. 6:53.
Mile 2
Take the near side of the grass triangle by the Hole In The Wall, heading towards the Phoenix Roundabout. I can feel the wind starting to hit me along the slight drag after you clear the triangle. Already I'm thinking the second half is going to be even harder than I imagined it would be today. Through the roundabout onto Acres Road, heading for the Khyber and a bit of respite. 7:04.
Mile 3
Down the Khyber to start this one off. Quads are burning, and also I'm mindful of what's to come, so I don't go completely hell for leather down the hill. About three quarters of the way down the hill, there's a chap on a bike waving his left arm constantly, as if signalling for me to get out of the way. I wasn't near him though
On closer inspection as I reached him, it turned out he was on a unicycle - no small task going up that hill ! The bottom of the Khyber is roughly half way. Swing right, and then the real fun begins. Military Hill is fairly short, but steeper than a lot of the other hills in PP, and mixed with a tiring body into the wind, it was a cocktail that I struggled to stomach. 7:27.
Mile 4
Even going through the S bends, I wasn't gaining a great deal of momentum. I was feeling too stuffed to raise much of a gallop, even on the straight downhill towards the back of St Mary's Hospital, where Jingle Bells finishes. Before I'd even started up the Upper Glen Road, I was trying to calculate just how much longer I'd be running for. Ten minutes? Eleven minutes??!! UGR isn't anywhere near as steep as Military Hill, but it's a lot longer, and has tended to have a lot more impact on me during races. 7:29.
Mile 5
By now, I'm just trying to make sure I finish. I'm absolutely b******d, and now trying to work out how much of the Furze I'll get to run before I hit the 5 mile mark. I'd like to think I'd have had a bit more fight in me in a real race, trying to make up places (or in this case, stop myself from haemorrhaging positions at a rate of knots!) but today it just wasn't there. Finally, onto the Furze with the wind behind me. I didn't even get a good finish in, instead watching the distance covered as it ever so slowly ticked onto 4.9, and eventually, at long last, 5.0 miles. 8:12, to give me an overall time of 37:08.
My longest "virtual" race effort over the last few months, and I tell you it felt like it. Not an easy course at the best of times, but even so, I could have done with running the opening miles at a slower pace, to give myself a chance in the second half. A little over six months ago, when I was fit, I ran the opening mile of the Raheny 5 in about 6:45-6:50. Today, 6:53. Whereas then my pace improved as the race went on, here I went backwards rapidly. Even allowing for not having anyone to run with, it's a cautionary tale in relation to training and "racing" to your current level of fitness. Just in case I was in any doubt about how far off real race pace I am. But anyway, I'm back healthy and running regularly again, so fingers crossed I'll be properly race fit before too long. Thanks for reading. Fan Slán. J.0 -
Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 18,229 CMod ✭✭✭✭ Join Date:Posts: 16975
Good to hear the medical worry is less now. Moderator: Television, Psychology and Dublin County North.
CMod: Entertainment
0 -
-
The Black Oil wrote: »Good to hear the medical worry is less now.Great news on the HBP front and delightful to see you back running, logging and even (virtual) racing
Many thanks to both of you no health drama this week.
Mon 3/8 - "2.99 miles @8:59/mi"
As per Strava. However, this was a 5k trail around the perimeter of the Heritage golf course. I walked it with my wife, before heading back out and running around it. Plenty of twists and turns, with some nice views. Little did we know at the time, that we were lucky to have booked the hotel last weekend and not this one.
Tue 4/8 - Rest
Wed 5/8 - 4.78 miles @8:39/mi
A Carpenterstown loop, before heading to the grass track in Porterstown to ease my way through a couple more miles.
Thu 6/8 - 6.42 miles @8:35/mi
A reminder of why I rarely run around the D15 roads in the evenings any more. I had to stop and start a number of times due to traffic, both of the vehicular and human variety. Also, very warm and humid starting at 5:30 PM.
Fri 7/8 - 3.56 miles @8:49/mi
My wife found a new local park while cycling last week. This overcast, drizzly morning I decided to check it out. At the end of a newish housing estate, this little park sits across from the last row of houses, alongside the motorway. From now on here, it'll be known as M50 Park. I ran six laps of it (over 500m for each). There's already a Strava segment (0.22 mi) for the motorway side. I laughed when I realised it turned out to be an unintended progression run of sorts - 2:02/1:55/1:53/1:51/1:50/1:46.
The last one was apparently the 7th fastest ever. Sure AMK probably beat that time running with the dog :pac: I'll be back to it - the surface is decent, and it wasn't at all busy - two other runners and two dog walkers during my stint.
Sat 8/8 - 7.57 miles @8:32/mi
Yesterday, I heard that one of the men who got me into refereeing many years ago passed away during the week - a former player, coach, referee and committee member of my GAA club. I refereed football, hurling and camogie for 17 years altogether, only retiring permanently this year. I still have a top which he gave to me fadó (great in the rain in particular) and this morning I wore it to remember him. Some of you may have seen the photo on Strava. Thanks Barney.
As for the run itself, I planned to run 8 miles on 8/8. Didn't quite make it an 8:08 start. Nor did I cover 8 miles in the end. I returned to an old favourite route of mine, through Carpenterstown and Laurel Lodge to the canal, from the 12th Lock to Ashtown and back. With the temperature climbing and my tiredness increasing, I decided that I'd done enough. It was still my longest run in over 5 months (since the Carlingford HM) and all my mile splits were 8:xx.
Sun 9/8 - Rest
Sympathy goes out to all reading here from Kildare, Laois and Offaly. Rough treatment after already having had to put up with so much. Thanks for reading. Fan Slán. J.0 -
-
Mon 10/8 - Rest
Tue 11/8 - 5.03 miles @8:09/mi
This felt really strange to say the least. I've run what many MSBers know as "Eugene's Lap" dozens of times, but virtually all of those have been in company on a Sunday morning. Hence, on a Tuesday morning before work, it took a while to get into a rhythm - 8:26 for the first mile from Castleknock Gate down Chesterfield. However, after that I got somewhere closer to the usual Sunday group pace, with 8:02/8:01/8:12 (Khyber)/8:04 to finish off. Pleased with that outcome.
Wed 12/8 - Intervals, Porterstown Park
This was my first interval session in over three months. The last time (May 9) I banjoed my hammy during a pyramid session on the grass track. Of course I didn't cop that one till a couple of days after. What could be tough enough to get the blood going, but not overreaching this early in my comeback ?
I settled on (3 x 400) + (4 x 300) + (6 x 200) with 200m jog recoveries. That said, during my two mile warmup + strides, I was toying with the idea of shortening the recoveries to half the rep distance, i.e. 150m rec for 300s, 100m rec for 200s. Hmmmm.
First 400 I was averaging around 5:35/mi pace before dying off a bit near the end. Second and third 4s weren't as good. First 300 was decent, but the rest were tailing off somewhat, after starting at paces which I couldn't sustain. Wise decision to keep the recoveries at 200! Huffin and puffin around most of the 200s, but I saved the best for last. It took me a minute or two to get my breath back for the shuffle home to a shower and breakfast before WFH.
Thu 13/8 - 4.63 miles @8:35/mi
This morning I decided to sample a "new" park for the first time. I actually played GAA in what's now Millennium Park (from Blanchardstown SC towards Clonsilla) many years ago, but never set foot in it since AFAIR. With several gates closed early in the morning, I was halfway down the side of it before I found an open gate. Over a mile around the outer paths, plus I took a wrong turn in the forest on the far side. Nice to try something new, although as I approached the homestead on the way back, a fly went SMACK right in the middle of my eye. And people wonder why I often wear shades even in overcast conditions. This kind of thing happens to me when I don't :pac:
Fri 14/8 - Rest
Sat 15/8 - Intervals, Phoenix Park
Another attempt at emulating an MSB run. I threw the car down by White's Gate before shuffling down towards the Polos. While shuffling down Chesterfield, I was passed by Laineyfrecks in mid 5k TT. Not 100% sure of this at that moment, mind. I'll know for definite next time
Anyway, down to the Polos for Plan A, as it wasn't too busy - just a couple of other lads doing similar in the opposite direction, and a lad who may or may not have been Hiko Tonosa running at very easy (for him!) pace. Few strides to get the blood pumping, before getting my breath for the session itself.
Much easier to do this one with company - there were always clubmates around my standard to help with pacing. This was different.
Plan was to run the three sides three times, around 3:00 of possible. Of course, I gave it too much welly on the stand side to start, and although it gave me a few seconds in hand for the looooong (as it always seems to me!) bottom bend, that wasn't really the aim this time. Hence, I came out of it with a 2:53. Sh!t. That's closer to what I would have run with the gang last year, but I'm nowhere near that level of fitness as it stands.
Ok, so how to put it right? Bit steadier coming down the stand side, not so flat to the boards and hanging on for dear life around the bottom bend. Far side I know I'm in better shape, and I maintain this pace for a second rep of 3:02. More like it. Now I feel like I've got my game back, and a 3:01 for the last of these reps proves it. To close it out, I finish with a full lap of 980 metres. I think I ran this in 3:55 or so last time I tried - I'd have to dig back through the archives to confirm. (EDIT - 2:57/2:59/2:55, 3:43 for the lap, 6/7/19). Push hard downhill beside the stand. Dig in around the bottom bend. Pain is increasing up along the far side. There's two lads running around the top bend towards me. They seem to be miles away. Why did I pick this? Through the third side - well into the last minute now. Kick around the bend, down to the finish line. 3:48. Nice one. I'll take it. I felt a lot more energised than I expected on the cooldown as a result.
Sun 16/8 - 8.43 miles @8:52/mi
I wasn't really sure what the plan was for this morning, apart from running a bit more than last Saturday. Hence, back to PP for one I certainly didn't make earlier, and in fact, I changed it several times in running.
I parked by the Papal Cross, with the aim of keeping fairly close in case I needed to come back early or just decided to pull the plug. What was originally intended to be three times around the 15 Acres triangle, turned out to be twice - I wanted to try something a bit more interesting, and having the breeze in my face coming back towards the cross was annoying me.
Instead, I tried a few different takes on the Munich and BHAA Garda XC laps. I hadn't been there at all since the BHAA race, way back on February 1, and my legs weren't slow to remind me of that, particularly on the tricky climb from the bottom of the Khyber up to the trees. Nonetheless, I was delighted with my decision to reacquaint myself with the territory. It may yet bring about some benefit for when the cross country eventually comes back. Who knows.
Either way, a good tester for the legs, as well as my longest run since the Carlingford HM. In addition, 31 miles might not sound like high weekly mileage to most of you, but it's my highest since April, so *another* reason for me to be cheerful, following on from Man City's loss against Lyon - ROFL! Thanks for reading. Fan Slán. J.0 -
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
Wed 19/8 - Pyramid session, Porterstown Park
Life kind of got in the way on Tuesday, which meant I'd an unintended extra rest day before tackling this session. Same session that scuppered most of my running summer - 200/400/600/800/600/400/200, with 200m jog recoveries.
After a two mile warmup and strides, it was time to hopefully avoid another session fubar. Broadly speaking, I started strong, but wasn't able to maintain my starting pace for any of the reps - the pace chart is particularly jagged looking for the 8 and the 6s. That said, I had a nice bit of speed for the closing 200, so overall glad to get it done - hopefully I'll have a better outcome next time. I saw scotindublin's inverted pyramid session the other evening. For those that haven't, it started with the longest rep (1500) and worked down to the shortest (300), then back up to the longest. For me, it may yet be good for novelty value if nothing else.
Thu 20/8 - 6.54 miles @8:48/mi
Not much to add to this one. Run of the mill plod up through Clonsilla to Ongar, then back down the long straight towards Power City, before turning for home. Mile splits were fairly consistent - this time my fastest pace was when crossing at roundabouts on the way back
Fri 21/8 - 2.90 miles @9:08/mi
Round to Tír na nÓg for this one - a windy standard issue "pre race" shakeout with 5 x strides.
Sat 22/8 - Athletics Ireland Virtual Mile, Porterstown Park
I wasn't going to attempt this at all, but given the club might have had a chance of winning something if I did, I decided to give it a bash.
Back to Porterstown, with the aim of getting it done and dusted early, out of sight of any other MSBers. Warmup and strides were ok, breezy but at least the track didn't feel too damp. Expectations? Sub 6 would be a dream come true this morning, but possibly SK's 6:27 (on a p!$$in wet Wednesday night) was more likely to be closer to where I was now. Or was it?
Lap 1
Slowish start, but I picked up the pace as I came to the end of the opening straight, and shot around the uphill back bend in 19 seconds. Fair bit of 4:xx pace in there too. Of course that wasn't going to last, and I was fighting into the wind and up the slope on the back straight, with my pace dropping back drastically. After a promising opening, the wheels were already wavering. 1:39 for the first 409m.
Lap 2
Bit more consistency pace wise here. Trouble was, it was mainly in the high 6s, dropping into the 7s briefly. Although I finished the lap well down the hill, my goose was well and truly cooked. 1:46 (3:25).
Lap 3
To be honest, I just wanted this to be over. I had no fight in me at all. Even slower for most of this lap, pace dropping close to 7:40 near the end of the back straight uphill into the wind. 1:47 (5:12).
Lap 4
Nearly there. I'm really in the horrors. 7:54 pace briefly on the back straight. Just keeping the legs turning to get it finished now. Even my last little burst of speed is a couple of seconds with a top pace of 6:26/mi, downhill with a following wind. I cross the line in 6:59, but it takes me a few seconds to stop the clock, hence the 7:02 on Strava. 1:47 for the last lap.
That went more or less as badly as it could have gone. Pretty soul destroying actually. Just as well I wasn't running it with the lads. One would have lapped me, and two others would have been within ten seconds of doing so. Bear in mind that none of Seán Hehir, John Coghlan or Shane Healy ran it. When you consider that in January I ran a 5 mile race with an average of 6:35/mi (Raheny), the "glory days" seem like a distant memory.
Sun 23/8 - 10.32 miles @8:21/mi
Even after a few Saturday night beers, I decided I couldn't leave my running week on such a low. Hence, try to get back on plan and get a 10+ mile run in to finish it off.
Back to PP, basing myself by the Papal Cross again. Quick chat with some of the Porterstown Panthers who were assembling for their Sunday spin, and off I went.
Instead of last Sunday's Acres/Magazine hills stint, I headed for more familiar non racing territory. Up Chesterfield towards Castleknock Gate, into the breeze to start. Already I was thinking, maybe I should have started with the Panthers, to get me up to speed a bit more gradually. 8:33 for the first mile.
Don't worry, I'm not going to go through each one step by step :pac: That turned out to be the slowest of this morning's miles. Returning to the trails put an extra pep in my step, and even the S bends and Wellington Road weren't too bad today.
It got more challenging once I briefly exited PP, around by the CCJ and up the steep hill on Infirmary Road, into the wind again. Back in at the NCR gate, and past Garda HQ up the long North Road drag. Even with the wind in my face once more, I wanted to keep my splits reasonably consistent, which meant having to dig in a bit more than maybe I'd intended at the outset. Turning left and back down Chesterfield brought some welcome respite, and I went through the 10 mile distance just before the Phoenix roundabout. I even got in a mini sprint finish through the Papal Cross car park
Like I say, nice to get back in the groove, to some extent, with my longest run since the Carlingford HM. 29 miles for the week. Thanks for reading. Fan Slán. J.0 -
Mon 24/8 - Rest
Tue 25/8 - 4.18 miles @8:40/mi
The plan was a nice and gentle(ish) shuffle around two and a bit laps of the Doyle Cup XC course in Porterstown. Well. About half way through the first one, and a dog ran the length of the car park extension to bark her head off at me. Not sure what I did wrong there ? It took her owner an age to get her back on the lead. Once she'd managed that feat, I headed out of the park, for a run of the mill plod up to the Power City roundabout and back via Coolmine. Even that had to be changed a tiny bit. Just as I was approaching the level crossing, the barriers came down. No way was I waiting for potentially three or four trains to go through - "bonus" bit of hill work up the 30 steps, and across the railway line with me
Wed 26/8 - Intervals, Porterstown Park
Sleep has been horrifically bad this week. However, I still thought it would be better to do this early. Back to Porterstown, and after a two mile warmup including strides, I was ready for a bash at another session.
The one I decided on was (800 on/400 off, 400 on/200 off) x 3. Right, come on. Sooner you get started etc. With the body still waking up, I couldn't maintain the same pace for lap 2 of my first 800. Generous? recovery for the 400. Hard around the bends, try to keep the rhythm on the damp and bumpy track. Only 200 jog recovery to the next 800 though - not so generous :eek: Thankfully I had a bit more fight in me today, although the splits for the later runs were slower than the first attempts.
3:19/1:36/3:28/1:40/3:32/1:37 - at least my last 400 was quicker than the middle one.
Thu 27/8 - 7.57 miles @8:32/mi
The main purpose of this run was to try and get some more distance into the midweek stints. Not a very inspiring route in the morning mist, although it was nice to see a clubmate near the top of the long drag from Blanchardstown village past the NSC up to Ballycoolin. 8:07 on the downhill mile down the back of Corduff. What's going on? :pac:
Fri 28/8 - Rest
Sat 29/8 - No running
Inspired by Laineyfrecks cracking the sub-6 barrier, and two of the Porterstown Panthers getting mile PBs on the same route, my original plan was to try the same in an attempt at redemption after last Saturday's debacle. However, between lots of family stuff, including looking after an already anxious dog while my wife was shopping, I never got around to it. Don't worry, it won't be long. Can't be any worse anyway.
Sun 30/8 - 12.48 miles @8:06/mi
Plan - to run further than I had at any stage in almost six months. I chose Corkagh Park in Clondalkin for this task. Why? I could run it in eight loops of approximately 2.5k each, so if I got into bother or just got cranky and decided to go home, I wouldn't be too far away from the car.
The laps themselves were a mix of the Corkagh parkrun course and the IKA Run For A Life laps. Not too hilly, apart from a short sharp climb around two thirds of the way through the IKA lap. I did this entirely by feel, never checking my pace. I needed to work a bit harder in the second half, as well as having to be extra careful to avoid all the families and dogs who were increasing in number as I progressed. Probably not so disastrous to have some time on the grass - easier on the legs and all that. Very surprised to see how quickly I'd run it - five sub-8 miles in there, wow! Maybe I'm not as far behind as I think, although I'm seriously missing running with company and racing to get the old HTFU going.
Mon 31/8 - Rest
30.4 miles for the week, a surprisingly high (at this stage) 125.4 miles for the month.
Best of luck to my erstwhile clubmate, and my chief collaborator on the DCM 2017 Novices Thread, Auld Man King. MSB continues to be the poorer without him, and it was nice of him to go to a country club, as opposed to another Dublin one I won't be calling around to KSU for the pig's head :pac: 0 -
-
Laineyfrecks wrote: »Haha nice to see I inspire someone;) Best of luck with it, I'm sure it won't be a bother to ye
Thanks E, here to help :pac:
Tue 1/9 - 7.57 miles @8:26/mi
A mid morning trip to a breezy St Catherine's Park this time. This was an exercise I'd tried several times previously - three loops with the first being the longest. Starting past the dog run down the zigzag hill and over to the woodland trail. Amazingly I had this all to myself - certainly I wouldn't have fancied having to stop on the ridiculously steep hill at the start of it. Each lap had a run parallel to the railway line, and a brief trip to the Kildare side. Enjoyed that one.
Sun 2/9 - Pyramid session, Porterstown Park
I mentioned in a previous update about scotindublin's inverted pyramid session with DH about two weeks or so ago. Today, I changed my original plan of running the mile again, to give this one a bash. Basically, instead of your standard pyramid, here you start and finish with your longest rep, with the shortest in the middle. Important to note that it's not the same overall distance!
In my case, the plan was 800/600/400/200/400/600/800, with 200m jog recoveries. Right from the start, I had no energy, and even getting through the first 800 was a battle of wills (3:28). First 600 I'm already barely hanging on, and apart from the first 200 it's a bust (2:38). 400 is no better (1:41), and with my legs hanging off me, I'm already wondering if I'll even do the 200. To my amazement, I get through it (46s). Now the reps start getting longer. 400 worse again (1:48) and I don't need to check my pace to know I've slowed down drastically. About 340m into the second 600, I've had enough of fighting through the wind and rain and up and down hills on a damp track, and pull the plug. No point in continuing. I'll come back to it again, no doubt, but today wasn't the best time to take it on. Thanks for reading. Fan Slán. J.0 -
-
-
-
Thanks all. Nothing so challenging in the week plus since elapsed
Sat 5/9 - 8.56 miles @8:32/mi
Back in the West for a few days. If nothing else, it would be a bit of running without any worry about time or pace targets.
This would be the longest run of the trip, on a bright and sunny Connemara morning. Nice sea breeze to push through on the way out to An Spidéal, but I had it behind me coming back, so overall, even though there were a couple of hills to climb, it wasn't overly taxing. As spotted on the gable wall of a pub I passed along the way, "Neartaigh Tú Féin Le Guinness" (Guinness Gives You Strength) :pac:
Sun 6/9 - 4.68 miles @8:36/mi
This time I headed east, down to the end of the pier in Bearna, before turning around and coming back. Drizzly morning into the sea breeze on the way back. Nice relaxed couple of runs in the Gaeltacht. I've been doing an Irish course through work for the last few months (with a Crusader and a Dunboyner, among others - neither are on here) so it was nice to put it into practice outside the usual closed environments. Oral exam two weeks from today - all the classes are finished now.
Mon 7/9 - 4.74 miles @8:31/mi
I've done this particular run maybe ten times over the years, yet the hill on the way out of the hotel grounds (roughly 100 ft in half a mile) always leaves me stuffed. Of course, it's never been anything to do with any of the food and drink I may have consumed the night before
I was mindful of the need to get it done anyway. No way would I attempt it after the sumptuous breakfast, and with school and work traffic getting going, it would have to be more or less as soon as there was sufficient light. Windy start, in the mist and drizzle. Desperate. Bit of respite at the start of the second mile, but some tasty ups and downs before the turnaround point, just in front of the church in Tullycross, from where I got to run the route in reverse. At least practically the whole last mile is downhill or flat although I needed to have my eyes and ears open throughout, particularly with a school coach passing just before the turn back into the hotel grounds. I think I deserved a big brekkie afterwards :pac:
Tue 8/9 - Rest
Wed 9/9 - 3.12 miles @9:04/mi
Having changed base again on Tuesday, it was time for the last holiday run, before the 2 hr plus drive back to D15. I tried to navigate the lakeside trail, but in all honesty it wasn't very runner friendly, due to how narrow and bumpy it was. Besides, it was over a mile from the hotel out the drive to the "main" road and back, with a nice little climb up to reception. My wife was impressed with the hotel (she picked it) and so was I, so we'll probably be staying there again. Thanks to CBG for the route ideas for the next time we're in the vicinity.
Thu 10/9 - 3.98 miles @8:17/mi
Home again, with an early afternoon plod around Porterstown to get rid of some of the dirty petrol - of course I put on "a few" pounds in the course of our latest Western trip. Bit of a pooch parade around the park, but for a change none of them had any interest in me
Fri 11/9 - Rest
Not sure if I'll try a session this weekend. I'll see how the body feels on Saturday morning. Nice to see a few cross country races listed in the calendar. Whether any of them go ahead, or whether I line up in one, would seem - at the time of writing - to be less likely. Of course, I'll only be delighted to be proven wrong - on both counts ! Thanks for reading. Fan Slán. J.0 -
Advertisement
-
Advertisement