Often becomes easy when the easy is often..

scotindublin · 01-11-2022 7:01pm

Cracking effort on Sunday and like others have said you were absolutely buzzing when you went by me in Chapo.

You should be proud of what you have achieved, look back at how far you have come from being part of out little Wubbles Wonders crew in 2017.

There are so many positives to take from Sunday and some areas of improvements which folks have identified above, but you know what you went out and ran your own race and enjoyed it......you crossed the finish line in one piece that's the most important thing.

One of the joys of marathon running is that as we get that little bit older we can still improve our times, in running terms you are still a relative newbie so there is massive scope for improvement.

You can still achieve whatever you want from running, a little bit of structure and consistency gets you a long way. It's probably to early to be thinking about marathons for next year but if that's on your plan recover well, tackle some shorter stuff to build up the speed in the legs then rip out a solid endurance block and you will smash it.

Once the dust settles go back through your training log and try to identify areas for improvement, be totally honest with yourself and they will be easily identified.

Take the next week to rest up and just enjoy some easy running and I will hopefully see you at the start of December.

Well done again, you just completed a other freaking marathon.

Lazare · 01-11-2022 7:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119820544#Comment_119820544

Thanks so much C, for that and for the support at Chapo. It was great to see you there, I actually thought I had missed you so was delighted.

That's super solid advice. I'm more keen than ever now to build on it and implement some good structure.

Can't wait to toe the line at Jingle Bells.

Kellygirl · 01-11-2022 8:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119818801#Comment_119818801

Sounds like it was a handbag you needed with all that stuff 😂. I found the belt good too for the most part but around Terenure I couldn’t get one of the bottles to stay in it for some reason. Also when the bottles were all empty it was spinning round me. It’s definitely not too big so not sure what that was about. Was glad to get it off me later.

Lazare · 01-11-2022 10:21pm

Yeah, couldn't wait to whip it off.

Your tip re the Tailwind was inspired btw, it worked so well for me, never had an issue filling the flask.

Murph_D · 02-11-2022 8:36pm

Ah, "the belt". Mine worked well. It has little pull tabs for opening it when you're putting stuff back in. I found it useful when trying to stick the empty gel wrappers back. I did notice a discarded soft flask on the course at some point - could have been yours!

Swashbuckler · 02-11-2022 9:47pm

Ye should look into the decathlon shorts. Best things I ever bought! Can't find the link but @Lambay island bought them recently.

Lazare · 02-11-2022 11:43pm

Ah the belt was grand in fairness, it did it's job for the most part, the stuff I dropped didn't have a detrimental effect.

I will check out those shorts though P, cheers.

Lazare · 03-11-2022 12:18am

In a good place right now, this post big block big race phase where it feels like the world is your oyster.

So many choices of paths to take.

The immediate thing is Donore's Jingle Bells. Hopeful for that, hopeful for a pb. Best is 19:52, on that course from 2019. Have been a bit off my 5k best since then but haven't been feeling as fit as I do now since either.

Will throw in a 5k specific session or two between now and then, but am banking on the residual fitness being enough.

After that I think my main focus will be to not drop volume in December like I usually do, not to the degree I usually do anyway.

I'm considering a couple of things to target then. Bohermeen and Manchester marathon are on the radar. A pb attempt at Raheny will be a part of whatever it is I'm doing, be it a block or a base phase.

The recent DCM half is up there in my top 3 races ran. I keep going over the last mile in my head and how good I felt, how strong I finished. I think a 90 min Bohermeen could well be an ambitious but achievable goal.

Then there's the other option of Manchester (April). A fast flat course for another crack at a BQ.

I'll spend a bit of time deciding.

As for now, I'm going to head out tomorrow for an easy few miles. Can't wait to get fully back into it. I ran a 5k recovery on Monday, headed up to Citywest to collect the van. First 500m or so were a painful shuffle. Considered turning around but knew the muscles would loosen and they did. DOMS are almost gone now, just a bit of them left in the quads. Can walk down the stairs at last haha.

Lazare · 03-11-2022 11:27am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119820292#Comment_119820292

Sorry E, for some reason I missed your post until now.

Likewise, your company that morning and for a good chunk of the course made things so much easier.

Lazare · 04-12-2022 11:42pm

Not a lot to report for November, a scaled back, low volume month, not necessarily on purpose, a good sprinkling of laziness, but no major harm I don't think.

Been looking forward to Jingle Bells for a good while. I was excited to see what the Summer's work would do for me.

My fourth time running it and I've never not hit a PB at it. Not only is it the perfect course for a PB it's the perfect time of year too, right at the end of months of solid work.

My 5k pb was set here in 2019, 19:52, my second and last time to go sub 20.

I had ran a tune up race at Corkagh parkrun in 2019, two weeks out, and ran 20:51.

Ran Corkagh two weeks ago in 20:16 for a parkrun pb so the confidence was up. I figured 19:4x was definitely doable, based on that tune up (I mentioned a while ago that I had set my parkrun pb just before JB '19 but I got that wrong, it was May 2019).

Parked up in my usual spot near Islandbridge and jogged up to warm up. Had a lot of pre race nerves, and my spiky HR on the warm up wasn't settling them. I'm not sure about you guys but I feel the nerves before a 5k are a different animal to those before a longer event. I think it's the fear of the pain lol.

Met Sean and Elaine at the bag drop tent and hung around for a work buddy. S & E in good form, and I was so happy to see them both. Sean had told me the previous night that he was gonna aim for a low 20 min, which made for a weird switcheroo between us both. He was sandbagging though 🤣

Got into the start pen, asked a couple of guys what time they were aiming for, they told me 17:30 so I squeezed backwards until the answer to that question no longer humbled me.

Gun and we're off. A small bit of congestion, a few folk out of position, but nothing too bad. I got around those I needed to and settled into things, avoiding clipping for the first 600 or so metres.

I had visualised 5x 3:5x kms so when the first one beeped at 4:02 I was a little disappointed. We're on Chesterfield now, coming up to a mile in. The pain has come on which is good. A PB effort 5k needs to hurt a lot and it needs to be hurting after a mile. The problem though was I was looking down at 4:10km pace. Had a ton of negativity swirling around at this point. This is hurting and I'm nowhere near the pace I should be. WTF. Thoughts of 'failure', of the Summer's work not actually being enough, or maybe I took too much of a backseat in Nov, dropped all that fitness.

Then I remembered that Chesterfield is an insidious drag, it eased off the negativity and I dug a little deeper. Km 2 beeped in at 4:00.

Kept that sort of effort and pain and pace until the 3km marker where the watch beeped 4:02 again and then something seemed to really switch in me. The downhill obv helped but I just felt this burst of confidence. I began to realise now that a PB was on the cards. Was repeating 'You're built for this' over and over in my head. Started picking people off, one by one, getting stronger and stronger. Km 4 beeped in at 3:51 and I gritted it up and just raced. Didn't look at my watch, just kept my eye on the next target to pass.

Sean passed me around here but I had no idea. Elvis could have reappeared to the world in his Vegas costume on the Upper Glen Road and I wouldn't have noticed. All I saw was the runner in front of me.

I heard someone in the crowd shout that the finish line would come into view as soon as we hit the upcoming bend and that drove me on more. I normally have a finish kick but when the gantry came into view I couldn't give any more. That gave me a lift mentally because I knew I had left nothing out there. Hadn't glanced at the watch since the 4km marker. Crossed the line and hit stop. Couldn't believe my eyes when I looked down at 19:36. Talk about a high. I'm still buzzing from it. Last km was 3:41.

A really interesting race in hindsight, a lot to learn from it. I think having that experience of banishing negative thoughts and turning things around will really stand to me.

So happy with this year, I feel I've surpassed what I had thought possible.

Onwards.

Lazare · 05-12-2022 12:01am

19:37 chip btw, for accuracy. For actual PB.

Watch read 19:36:9. Bloody rounding 😀

Murph_D · 05-12-2022 12:06am

Well done C - another great account of the race, adding to my ROMO. 😁 You had a good bit to do with 2k to go so that’s a great finish - and your ability to rationalise that first km split on the fly was the impressive. Wish I had that ability. Congrats on a great PB.

Lazare · 05-12-2022 1:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119957558#Comment_119957558

Thanks so much D.

A real pity you weren't there. We'll get to race together at Raheny.

coogy · 05-12-2022 2:29am

Well done again C, impressive stuff and a great way to cap off a fantastic year!

scotindublin · 05-12-2022 7:09am

Brilliant effort and result C, delighted for you.

Pity I didn't get to see you during the race.

AuldManKing · 05-12-2022 9:44am

What a great run and a great read.

The nerves thing - I get some terrible nerves before races, I think a lot of people do - but people like us who have an online profile on boards and Strava probably add to our own nerves! I managed to crack mine a bit pre-covid, but certainly felt nervous leading up to this race, even if it wasn't a goal race for me. I think I need to race more to help with them - I just keep on telling myself - "no one cares about your time except you!"

Congrats on the PB.

Lazare · 05-12-2022 2:38pm

Thanks very much guys.

@AuldManKing so true A, putting ourselves out there certainly adds to the nerves. Can also drive you too. I remember when I first broke 20 this thread really helped me on the last 500m or so, wanting so bad to come on and say I did it.

Laineyfrecks · 05-12-2022 3:39pm

Absolutely chuffed for you C, you ran a great race & got a well deserved PB for it 😊

Lazare · 05-12-2022 4:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119959596#Comment_119959596

Thanks so much E 😊

ariana` · 05-12-2022 4:55pm

Wow, great to read the full report and realise what you overcame to get that PB! Super performance. It's not easy in a 5k to overcome the demons when they set in so early, super job and a really well deserved PB. Great to see you finish the year on such a high too!

Bluesquare · 05-12-2022 5:00pm

Great race report . Well done !

Mr. Guappa · 05-12-2022 8:21pm

Congrats C. That's great running and it can't be easy going to the well again and delivering once more so soon after Dublin. Great to see your progress this year... long may it continue!

Lazare · 05-12-2022 9:46pm

Lovely comments, thank you all so much, and thanks for all the amazing support and encouragement this year. You guys are great 😊

Swashbuckler · 05-12-2022 11:47pm

Brilliant run C. You've had a fantastic year.

Kellygirl · 06-12-2022 9:48am

Great to read the report after knowing how thrilled you were post race the other day. I’m really delighted for you. What a year you have had …. You deserved the great time and I’m delighted you went down to the 19:36 from the expected 19:40. Nice finish to the year.

MisterJinx · 06-12-2022 10:20am

Well done @Lazare . Super running and a well deserved result. Great race report too, 5K's hurt and you could feel it all through your report

skyblue46 · 06-12-2022 2:11pm

Great run! I have to admit I can only sit back and admire your ability to withstand pain and demons. It is something that I simply have the inability to do.

Dubh Geannain · 06-12-2022 2:21pm

Congrats C. You deserve the spoils for all your training and mentality.

Lazare · 06-12-2022 8:03pm

Thanks so much folks, lovely popping in and seeing these comments.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119963372#Comment_119963372

Ah I don't know about that S, selling yourself way short there.

Lazare · 27-12-2022 12:21am

Just pulled the trigger on a Bohermeen entry.

So that's the target.

12 week block should be good I think.

PB is 1:33:44

I'm a few nitro surges in right at this moment but am I bonkers to consider targeting a 90 min?

Often becomes easy when the easy is often..

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