Leader Of The (Mid) Pack
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Thanks D, third DNF of my "career" actually, following on from DCM 2017, and the 2018 July Clontarf Half. Not the way I wanted to finish my running week. Surely I'll be in better shape for the Dublin Masters three weeks from now, even with Christmas and New Year in between.
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Pity about the DNF J, recoup after that one. On a more positive note first trophy in the bag for Angeball
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Well done J. That Doyle cup sounds like a great club competition. Also Well done on te 150 parkruns that some achievement.
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Aww sorry to hear about your DNF. You won't finish out the year on a low, hope you hit your 1000 mile target this week. Well done on 150 parkruns!
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I think those previous DNFs were a bit more dramatic, as far as I recall! I'm kind of interested in the process when there doesn't seem to be an injury involved. Was it not an option to correct the pace, or even just jog it in, or did the prospect of being passed by your clubmates play into it?
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Thanks C, yes Kyogoal brightened up the evening a number of hours later !
Cheers S, I've had a couple of good runs in the Doyle Cup,
and hopefully many more to come. As for parkruns, 150 at 28 different venues. All 24 in Dublin (including Tyrrelstown, now officially closed) and four outside (Glengarriff, Russborough, Navan and Kilcock).
Thanks AM, I might just sneak over the 1000. Maybe not this week, as a result of the Doyle Cup fubar.
Thanks D, a lot in there, yes you're right the previous two (as well as the 2017 Rock 'N' Roll HM, which I did finish) involved trips to the medical tent, nothing like that here. Looking back, yes I could have dialled it back for a while, and then maybe picked it up again in laps 3 and 4, or just shuffled around and finished it come what may. For the last one, yes there was a bit of that too. I was thinking if I was at my peak there was no way that was happening so early in proceedings - if at all !
It's been a tough few months away from running. Being injured a lot of that time, and not really being in a position to train well for anything as a result, hasn't helped when it comes to in-race motivation. Sometimes I wonder if that's something I'll ever get back, as I alluded to in my Jingle Bells report.
This week, I'm (re)starting the John O'Regan training plan for the Connemara HM, just under 18 weeks from now. Some of you may remember that I originally was scheduled to run this one in 2019 (having stepped back from the full marathon) but had to defer 11 weeks into the plan, and ended up running a 10k PB in the Great Ireland Run instead. Hopefully a genuine goal race can resurrect my racing mojo of yesteryear.
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The Great Western Conn Job Resurrection - Week 1 of 18
And just like that, I'm digging up an old log, in an attempt to bring back some of the glory days of the past. Historically though, sequels tend not to be as good as the original. Maybe this one can have a happy ending at least. If the race goes ahead that is, six years after my first time to run the Connemara Half, in a time of 1:40:40.
This wasn't a bad opening, mind you, given we had Christmas at the end of it.
Mon 20/12 - Rest
Tue 21/12 - 6.03 miles @9:11/mi
The start of the base building phase, kicking off the winter solstice with a longer pre work run than I've been used to of late. Twice around the Carpenterstown loop, followed by twice around the old Porterstown parkrun course.
Wed 22/12 - 6.32 miles @9:12/mi
Three times around the Ratoath stingray lap, towards the end of the longest night. Absolutely wretched conditions, cold, very wet, and windy. Still I felt a bit of satisfaction after getting out and doing it.
Thu 23/12 - 6.40 miles @8:53/mi
Same three laps, except anticlockwise this time, plus it was dry and a lot milder. I also completed this stint over a minute quicker than the day before, in spite of a footwear malfunction - maybe I had a long stop at the staggered crossroads on Wednesday.
Christmas Eve - Rest
Christmas Day - Porterstown parkrun
We had planned to spend Christmas with family in Wicklow, and so Gorey parkrun was originally on my radar for this morning. However, with one of our hosts testing positive for Covid, we knocked that plan on the head. Hence, running plans turned back to home, and the first time ever for Porterstown parkrun to stage a Christmas Day event. Previously, I had run Waterstown parkrun four Christmasses in a row (2016-2019).
Arrived around 9 o'clock, and at that stage there were more volunteers than runners, in dark, wet and cold conditions. Thankfully, as the start time edged closer, more runners came on the scene, including Murph_D, making his first visit to Porterstown. Very happy to guide him through a warmup lap. No sign of aquinn or mister paul as we listened to the RD briefing, before making our way comfortably down to the bottom of the course. P caught up to us roughly a kilometre into proceedings, and decided to abandon his planned threshold run for a more relaxed stint in our company. That is, until we were passing the top of the course alongside the car park, on the last lap. P suggested a sprint finish, and while myself and D were hemming and hawwing, he took off with just two corners to go. D went by me as well, and stayed ahead even with a skid on the grass about 50 yards from the finish. 24:24, 30/97, 6th M45. Great numbers, between the weather, Christmas, and probably a few absentees due to Covid - we'd lost a few volunteers in the days prior, for that reason. A joined us for a cooldown lap. Great to have some of the St Annes gang over.
St Stephen's Day - 3.47 miles @8:25/mi
Back to Porterstown once more, for the GOAL Mile around the MSB grass track. Nice to see so many familiar faces, and in far better weather too. The grass was still fairly sticky, due to a very wet Christmas in D15. I got a bit of a warmup in before heading away with the first lot. Not too bothered with time or pace as I made my way around, but clubmate Nuala kept me honest enough nonetheless, as I crossed in a time of 7:25. I had planned a couple more miles overall this morning, but after stopping to talk to friends near the car park, I decided I'd done enough and went to the car instead. 27 miles for the first week. Week 2 sees a 2 miles @10k ( not 2 miles x 10k 😀) session come into the equation. Thanks for reading! J.
Post edited by Wubble Wubble on12 -
Good to see you on Xmas morning.
And good luck with the Conemarathon block. Yes, many sequels are a disappointment but hopefully yours will be more like Godfather Pt 2. Is this the same plan you followed the first time? Looks tasty enough.
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Thanks D, maybe it will turn out to be an epic that people still talk about nearly 50 years later 😄 Yes, the same plan as before...actually two 10k PBs gathered up during it.
The Great Western Conn Job Resurrection - Week 2 of 18
Closing the book on 2021.
Mon 27/12 - Rest
Tue 28/12 - 6.31 miles @9:44/mi
All local miles, earlyish. I just wanted to get this done, I had no energy at all. Enough to finally clear 1000 miles for the year though 😃
Wed 29/12 - 6.05 miles @8:37/mi
This was the 2E / 2 @10k pace / 2E session I referred to above. I did a few of these the first time around. A very windy morning this time. The 2E was the run from the house to the far end of Laurel Lodge, at the junction with Castleknock Road. Nice and easy even with the wind behind me (9:25, 9:17). Then turn around and straight into the paced miles. I haven't raced a 10k since the 2019 GIR, so between that and everything else I've no idea what my actual 10k pace is these days. Hence, I gave it what I imagined was 10k effort. First mile largely uphill and into the wind, puffing big time past the shops and later directly into the breeze approaching the turnaround point. Obviously I had the reverse of this on the way back, although having to stop at one of the roundabouts, as well as the shops, slowed me down a bit. 7:20 out and 7:17 in was actually better than I thought. Slower than my HMP of 2019/2020, but it's a start. Better next time hopefully.
Thu 30/12 - 6.00 miles @9:04/mi
Over to St Catherine's Park for my final run of 2021. Two loops, the first one including a short but very steep climb on the woodland trail, for what was nominally a recovery run. A couple of other not long but steep uphills too. I hadn't quite reached the prescribed 6 miles on returning to the car park, so I ran up to the old reservoir and back to make up the remaining 0.2 😁
New Year's Eve - Rest
Overall I'm just glad to say goodbye to this one. Running wise, very little apart from getting back parkrunning in September at Russborough House, completing 13 parkruns from there on. I reached the mini milestone of 150 in Porterstown on December 18 - hopefully I'll some day reach another official parkrun milestone. Races were nothing to write home about, but fingers crossed there'll be some epic race reports here in 2022.
On the list as I type, subject to amendment :-
Sunday January 9, Dublin Masters XC, St Anne's Park
Saturday January 15, Leinster Masters XC, Dunboyne
Sunday January 30, Raheny 5
Sunday February 6, Trim 10 Mile
Saturday March 5, Carlingford Half Marathon
Sunday April 24, Connemara Half Marathon
Obviously, with just a week between Raheny and Trim, I'll probably have to decide which one to race. Certainly there's room for improvement on the 10 mile PB front (1:10:31, Kilcock 2019). Not sure if I'll get there in five weeks from now though.
Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh. May 2022 be kind to you and yours, both in running and in life. Thanks for reading! J.
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Happy New Year J, hopefully most of those will go ahead. You just threw me right back into the Cow Park in Dunboyne :) how I miss it!!! Best of luck with your goal for 2022.
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The Great Western Conn Job Resurrection
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Good luck tomorrow J, saw you listed on the start list.
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Very best of luck J😊
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Best of Luck tomorrow .
Quite a list of races you have there with tgr grand finale of Connemara . Would love to go back and do that race one day . My first race ever - before I’d ever heard of a garmin or knew you could run in anything than tracksuit bottoms . It was a bit of an eye opener on the day in terms of the amount of Lycra , and of course the “ scenic “ route . I was told it was hilly but never having been to Connemara previously really didn’t get the scope of it!
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Thanks for all your good wishes!
@The Black Oil great stuff, but no guns will be involved :) @Bluesquare what a baptism of fire ! Thankfully I had a good few HMs under my belt before my first time running the Connemara Half (2016). SIL ran that one with me - her first and still her only HM, although she ran a good few other races before and since.
Right so, time to fill in the blanks.
The Great Western Conn Job Resurrection - Week 3 of 18
Unfortunately, this didn't go as I hoped. At all.
Between Christmas and New Year, I was named as a close contact of a confirmed Covid case. Two positive antigens on New Year's Eve meant I gave the New Year's Day Hartstown parkrun a miss. Subsequently, I had a PCR test which came back positive. Thankfully I got through it all quite well physically, apart from one bad night of symptoms, when I slept for about half an hour, leaving me feeling like I'd drank three bottles of wine. Don't try that one at home kids. So obviously the next day was pretty much a write off too. Grand since then, although it's only since Friday that I'm testing negative again. When the PCR came back positive, I gave the skipper a shout and told him to plan without me this week....so the below aged well 😐️
"On the list as I type, subject to amendment :-
Sunday January 9, Dublin Masters XC, St Anne's Park"
So disappointed to have missed this one. It was all set up for me to run one of my favourite races, for the first time in four years. I think we'd a record turnout of MSB men, so plenty from my club as well as on here to push me. That and trying to avoid being lapped by the Claw. I didn't know till I saw the participant list during the week that he was 35.
Anyhow. I still haven't run a yard in 2022, but I'll be changing that next week. I have entered the Leinster Masters and the BHAA cross country, both taking place next Saturday. Not sure yet which one I'll get to run. Hope to see some of you wherever I end up. Thanks for reading! J.
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Ah what a pain. Hope you’re not too bad J, this whole thing is a pain. Enjoy the first run of freedom.
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That's a balls altogether now J, sorry to hear that but least it has passed now. Fingers crossed you're back motoring soon and no ill effects from it all.
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Sorry to hear this, J, and disappointing not to have been able to lock horns at St. Anne's today. Good that you're over the plague anyway. Looks like everyone's going to get a turn at this one.
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Glad to hear you got through it all OK J. Take care of yourself though.
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Sorry to hear you had to miss out on the race. Can't believe the amount of posters that have got it. Hope you're back into the swing of things pronto.
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The Great Western Conn Job Resurrection - Week 4 of 18
Mon 10/1 - Rest
Tue 11/1 - 5.29 miles @9:08/mi
Better late than never, for my first run of 2022. Easy around the Carpenterstown loop three times, in other words no hills to speak of for my opening outing. No issues.
Wed 12/1 - No running
I'd planned the 2E / 2 @10k pace / 2E session for today, but a very dear furry friend of mine unexpectedly went to Rainbow Bridge, so that plan was abandoned.
Thu 13/1 - 6.45 miles @9:16/mi
Belatedly, I got the session done, at lunchtime around the Ratoath "stingray lap". Not the easiest, with a couple of longish drags, some narrow paths, and busy traffic crossings. All things considered I was happy enough - most of it was actually over HMP, but there were a few little bits in the 6s here and there. Hard to know how hard to push.
Fri 14/1 - Rest
Sat 15/1 - BHAA Bank of Ireland XC, Tymon Park
The original plan was to go to Dunboyne for the Leinster Masters, but family stuff meant this one got the nod. The first BHAA event since March 2020, and my first XC race since their race at Wesley College (22/2/20). That was my seventh race in seven weekends, and it felt like it, but who knew it would be so long before I got to race another ?
Great to see lots of the old regulars (including Mr Skinny) still at it. I got there in plenty of time to collect my number, as well as my prize for finishing 5th in C Class in the 2019/2020 Winter League. I was a bit fitter then. After a warmup lap with a GAA clubmate of mine (regular parkrunner and racer too) I made my way over to the start. Following a few announcements, and a minute's silence for Ashling Murphy, we were away.
The route was changed slightly from that of two years ago - a bench had been inserted in the narrow section we used to start the lap in, so instead we went straight across for three sides of the next GAA pitch. Start was in a different place - 3 1/2 laps or so. From very early on, I knew I wasn't going to do a whole pile here. I was following Ian for most of the half lap, but then he started pulling away, and I couldn't stay with him. In fact most of those I'd usually run with in these races were long gone out of sight. Going down the bank four times was tough. At least I managed to stay on my feet. Shortly before being lapped, I caught up to one of the JDES runners. He then whizzed by me coming down the bank, but I caught him again at the far end of that pitch. One lap left. I got lapped by about seven I think, including third placer Kiely Unusual and the first woman. Dear lord. I didn't really pick up the pace on the last lap, until I turned into the finish field, when I started hearing loads of shouts for Marthastew. Quick look back. She's only a few strides behind, with the JDES lad in between. I got a few seconds of a sprint in, just to make sure I didn't lose any more places.
Time: 29:45 (6k)
Position: 137/178
Category: 25/27 M45
Even allowing for Covid, a session on Thursday rather than Wednesday, and general lack of fitness, that was brutal. Positives :- we won the first team prize in Class D, and I was probably spared the ignominy of finishing last in Dunboyne. Next week, the BHAA XC season continues, with the Eir 5 mile, now taking place on the Tallaght side of Tymon Park. Not sure yet if I can or will go to that one.
Sun 16/1 - 6.20 miles @9:10/mi
Recovery miles around Ratoath, after cakes, treats and alcohol on top of yesterday's race. Job done.
Next
Final week of the base building phase. Hopefully there will be no surprises in store. Thanks for reading! J.
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The Great Western Conn Job Resurrection - Week 5 of 18 ; Flicker Of A Switch
For the first time in forever, I'm updating my log from Page 2 of the catalogue. Delighted to see so many old logs being revived, as well as new ones coming on stream.
Mon 17/1 - Rest
Tue 18/1 - 6.24 miles @9:09/mi
My running week began in County Laois, with two laps of a mostly trail route. Nice to get the legs going after breakfast, with a relaxing bath to follow before the drive home. My Raheny 5 number (222) was waiting for me when we got back to D15.
Wed 19/1 - 5.88 miles @9:31/mi
This was the last of the 2E / [email protected] pace / 2E sessions on the John O'Regan Connemara HM plan. I wasn't too sure how this would go so early in the morning, but it was a necessary evil today. Starting at 6:40 AM, I shuffled to the far end of Laurel Lodge, before spinning around and going up the gears. Little bit more consistent on the way back than on the uphill way out. Not fantastic to say the least, but I got it done - even at that hour you've still to be prepared for traffic crossing, as well as walkers, dogs etc.
Thu 20/1 - 4.81 miles @9:27/mi
Up early again, for some D15 recovery miles. In spite of the mercury only reaching 2 degrees C, I resisted the temptation to throw on tights or trackie bottoms. And as for wearing shorts over them, that's something I haven't done since my much younger GAA playing days, unlikely to ever be repeated 😀
Fri 21/1 - Rest
Sat 22/1 - BHAA Eir XC, Tymon Park
I was hoping for a better showing than last week, as I parked in almost exactly the same spot, before crossing the bridge to the Tallaght side of Tymon Park. Registration area and finish were at the bottom, near the National Basketball Arena. Previously, this race was held a mile or so away in Cherryfield Park, but a cycleway now goes through part of that course. Although this side of Tymon has staged the Dublin Inter XC for a number of years, as well as the 2021 Dublin Novice, it was my first time to run here.
A warmup lap with Stan showed up a few tricky hills, as well as some sections running through pine straw. Overall though, the ground wasn't too bad, with some preferring to run in flats, although I went with the spikes. I had a chat with Murph_D at the start, before we strapped ourselves in for this long (by our standards) 5 miler. Interestingly enough, the men's start (women started beside the registration area) was almost directly across the motorway from last week's race start.
Lap 1
A quick opening if you were feeling up for it, breeze at your back running parallel to the M50 northbound. Fairly flat around a couple of pitches, before a tough climb through the pine while turning to the right, shortly followed by a sharp little rise to the top of the hill. This bank wasn't as steep as last week's, but still I was careful enough going down it. Although I was closer to Bill than last week at this stage, D was already pulling away. At the end of that stretch, turn left, for the long run to the finish, with a sharp little drag about 200m from the line. Just over one mile for the short lap.
Lap 2
Bit of a climb to start the lap, up past the van and beyond for another 200m or so, before dropping back down into the field where we started from. Even here, I was just keeping plodding along. I passed one or two, but I was passed by more than that. Finding it hard to gain momentum towards the end of the lap, even with some support for me out there.
Lap 3
Keep going, resist the temptation to pack it in. Sure I might get a team prize if I finish. Not easy though, especially on some of the more open sections. I got lapped by the winner at the top of the hill, with second placer Kiely Unusual following suit with about 100 metres remaining in the lap. A couple more went by me, including a lad in a Run The Liberties top, and a work colleague. One more time around.
Lap 4
It seemed a lot quieter on the last lap, especially out in the open. Gave shout outs to Caprica and TF, as they were coming out of the starting field while I was dropping into it. Kind of disheartening to see how far I was behind those two. D was long gone out of sight. Having finally gone down the bank for the last time, I had Liberties and maybe one other fella within striking range, if I could raise a gallop in the last half mile or so. Turning the corner for home, I could see that the next fella was only dropping down the hill, so unlikely that I'd lose any more places. With that in mind, although I did close the gap to Liberties a little bit, I wasn't bothered whether I caught him or not. So I didn't. 40:02, 109/132, 23/24 M45.
Few chats at the finish, before a cooldown lap with D and one of his clubmates. Entries opened the other day for the National Masters XC, which this year is taking place in Castlelyons, a few miles south of Fermoy, on February 13. Well if I wasn't sure about whether to sign up for that one or not, this race cleared up any doubts on that front! While I had a little bit more energy than last week, I'm still nowhere near where I need to be to feel any way competitive, so I don't feel the slightest bit of guilt over binning that one off. And although we won a team prize again, I wasn't a scorer this time.
Sun 23/1 - 6.60 miles @8:49/mi
White's Gate at 8 to meet clubmates, for my first run of this type in almost two months. Great to have the company, especially with yesterday's race in the legs. Overall not too taxing, yet although the first four miles were well under 9 mins average, I dropped back to around 9 min/mi for the rest. Plan said 8 miles, but that wasn't factoring in a race yesterday, so I was happy enough stopping when I did.
Next
The plan moves into what JO'R calls its "Strength" phase, with the start of long hill intervals, as well as an extension to the tempo run. I'm entered in the Raheny 5 (sans goodie bag) though, so between that and general lack of fitness, I'll have to seriously think about how I approach the coming week. Hope to see some of ye there. Thanks for reading! J.
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Is that the course that's accessed via the pedestrian bridge over the M50? I did a XC race a few years ago and it's tough going. Pity you won't make Fermoy, hopefully now covid has vanished into thin air some of ye Dubs might travel down to the second capital for some races!
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Thanks AM, yes that's the one :) I'm sure there'll still be enough Dubs headin South for the Masters that nobody else will notice my absence 😃
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Fair play with the XC! I've an entry for Connemara Half too, but suspect it will be more for fun than a time! Do you reckon there will be any Inishbofin races this year?!?
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Ah thanks V, hard to get a feel for it when you're unfit and (in my case) unsure how much of an impact the aul Covid had. Normally I feel grand, just not very energetic or engaged in either of those races 😕
I'm hoping the training plan will help get me into shape for a decent shot at my course PB (1:40) at least. Sure that's nearly three months away 😁
Haven't heard a thing about the Inishbofin races, unfortunately. I'd love to run that half again ! Either way I think we'll be back again this summer 🤞
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Good luck in Raheny tomorrow J, hopefully spot you at some stage.
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How do you find the plan?
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Thanks C, I'll watch out for you. I reckon you're in great shape for the sub-30.
Thanks, I like it. I don't know if you've ever run any of the Connemara races? The fact that the plans are specifically tailored for them, by a coach who's run there numerous times over the years, should be a help for me. When I ran the half in 2016 (worst conditions ever!), I wasn't in a club, and I wasn't following this plan - rather shamelessly stealing bits and pieces from here. I think I'll be able to get all six of the hill sessions done this time - in 2019 I only did three (firstly holidays, and I skipped the other as it was two days after National Masters XC). The hardest session I can remember was the 3 x 2 mile @10k (5 min), in torrential rain, around the wet and lumpy MSB grass track. There's more and more harder sessions as the plan progresses, but that's to be expected, and they're difficult but manageable IMO. Hopefully I'll have a smile on my face as I cross the finish line, just over 12 weeks from now!
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😁 oh I did Connemara. 2016 - full marathon. 3:21 in the end. Remember mostly walking up the final “drag” and going through all weather conditions between start and the half way mark. Never cursed that much in my life during a race 😂😂😂😂😂
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