Just Do It
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Great stuff! The kids party season is back in full swing since the schools have returned. Clearly none of the parents are runners with some of the times they are booking them 😂
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Looks like a typo in that line about your 3 hour run being 8 mins longer than what's planned for DCM!
A few Irish Times articles led to be looking up a former Irish Olympian on Strava and I see we both follow you. That must have been quite the day accepting that follower request!!
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Not commenting on your first point ha
In regards to your 2nd point. Same locality. Cross paths a few times a week whether it running or fact kids in same clubs, albeit diff age group. Top man, puts a lot back in via volunteering coaching kids etc.
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Monday 4 miles @8.03
Dawn jog around the quays
Tuesday approx 11.4 miles including a small warm up and cooldown
Difficult session this but good sense of satisfaction after. 15 mins at MP, then 15 mins at HMP followed by 15 mins at approx 10 mile pace and finishing with 15 mins at MP.
In a group of 6 initially for this and the first 15 mins was a tad hot and was fearing the pinch later on. The first 2 miles were done on DCM route from Clonskeagh, - to RTE via Roebuck. The pick up for HMP then happened initially on a drag up through UCD so this involved a bit of work to get on pace. Towards the end of the HMP we had become a group of 4. The pickup again, I was able to negotiate fine but was concentrating on my own paces now as the group of 4 began to fracture and we all finished separate in a line of 4 stretched out before regrouping for the last 15 at MP. It's a great session for mirroring running on tired legs at MP at a tricky point of the DCM route. I actually found the hardest part the first 5 mins at MP again second time around before I was comfortable enough in the rhythm for the last 10. Nice one to finish feeling okayish but leggy and ticked off!
Wednesday 7 miles @8.14
Took in most trails and routes through marlay for a lunchtime run
Thursday 11.71 miles @7.49
Met up with club coaches for part of their long run and took in a mixture of XC and path routes through both local parks
Friday 4 miles @8.25
More of a recovery / easy type spin
Saturday about 8-miles in total including short w/u and c/d
16 x 2 mins session on the track at approx 10 mile pace. This was about a solid consistent effort and not adventuring towards 5 or 10k pace despite feeling like perhaps I could have here.
Sunday 22 miles @7.16
Out early morning for this . I decided to do a loop out towards the coast and make my way into the city before returning back on and picking up a small part of DCM route. The message was not to expense too much effort here and lean towards easy. With that in mind, I just did 6 separate MP paced miles sandwiched in between 2 easier miles to add some effort. Busy day afterwards with lots going on so didn't actually to get to sit down until about 9pm. Ended up falling asleep on the couch shortly after then to end the week. I have reverted back to Hi 5 gels now as i feel they are easiest to get down me at MP. Brought an electrolyte tab and stopped at a garage at one stage to pick up a bottle of water to mix.
Approx 68 miles
Focus this week is more on MP miles with a tempo effort session too but a lot lighter on volume and to keep myself somewhat intact for taper madness
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Mon Oct 9th - 6 miles @8.08
Tues 10th - 9.1 miles @6.50
6x7 mins off 1 min runmute . Heavy legged effort where i couldn't hit allocated paces.
Wed 11th - 4.1 miles @ 8.10
Thurs 12th - 15 miles @7.07
This started with 9 miles @ faster side of easy, before picking up to MP for 5 miles followed by an easy last mile.. The message for me in last few weeks of the block is to run the MP stuff at more like MP minus 10 seconds. The idea is for MP to feel that bit easier on the day. I was joined by club coach for about 10k before doing the faster stuff on my own. Much happier with how this went than Tuesdays effort.
Fri 13th - 6.22miles @8.11
Lunchtime jog before bringing the young lad to that sh1tshow qualifier against Greece.
Sat 14th - off
Sun 15th - 10 miles @7.27 progress run down to MP
50 miles for week
Mon 16th - another off day
Tues 17th - 8.21 miles @ 7.49
16 x 400 at pick up effort off 45 secs. It worked out somewhere between HMP and MP for me
Wed 18th - 5 miles @ 8.16
Thurs 19th - 4.35 miles @ 8.34
Fri 20th - 4.11 miles @ 8.01
Sat 21st -10.5 miles @7.1
This included 5 miles at MP which went reasonably well again although never felt fresh as such.
Sun 22nd - 3.1 miles @ 8.14
35 miles for week
Mon - Off
Tuesday - 6.23 miles @ 6.48
1 mile warmup followed by 4 miles @ MP with just over 1 mile as cooldown. This felt really good. Again, i went with the MP approx minus 10 seconds. This is the last session now - Couple more runs now maybe with a few strides to take me up to Sunday.
Had a few anxiety filled days as a vicious enough stomach bug has made its way through the house bar me. I'm hoping it already just deflected off me, or at this stage touch wood - I just wont get it.
Looking forward to race day now and hoping the weather plays ball! Plan is conservative enough start anyway and we will see where it goes from there.
Post edited by Lambay island on11 -
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Very best of luck, D, on Sunday. I'm defo a fan of a conservative start, especially in Dublin! You have all the hard work done; now go enjoy it😊
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Well done for going to the Greece match. I'd been to all the other home qualifiers this campaign but drew the line after Netherlands. Best of luck on Sunday.
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Tell me about it! There was a time when I was an avid supporter and frequented some away games etc. The young lad has a keen interest in soccer these days but I can't imagine he will be knocking on the door to go again soon.. ha. On that note have a free adult and child tic now for new zealand friendly if you have any interest 😀
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Thanks for the offer but I'd need to have the boys draw straws for who gets to come/not come. Happy to sit at home with a tin until next year anyway.
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All the best on Sunday D. Some great racing and times already this year and another savage block of training for this one has ya in great nick, hope ya nail it.
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DCM 2023
Training had gone well, especially in the last couple of weeks, I could see things were coming together, where paces were getting hit and legs were feeling as good as they could be.
With that in mind, I locked in with myself early in the week that the sub 2.50 was going to get attempted barring any huge wind or freaky weather.
I'm going to keep this short.
I got myself in a good position in the wave 1 pen just ahead of the 3.00 balloons. I chose not be behind them as didn't need the added stress of passing that large group at any stage. National anthem came on and this point decided to jump a barrier out of pen to relieve myself in the empty portaloos. Got back in the knick of time as the herd got called up to start line.
The plan was to run approx 1.25 something in the first half and try to come back below 1.25 in the 2nd half.
I started out maybe a little bit hot but at the same time, I felt very comfortable so wasn't worried about that. There was a couple of club guys near by who had similar targets in mind and heard bits of chatter in people around me that they all had similar targets so I knew I was in the right place.
I spent a couple of miles thinking I needed to go to the toilets again which was enhanced a bit when i saw a couple of people do just that in the Phoenix park. I put it down the a bit of nerves and let it slide which was the right decision looking back. Think it was Lazare here that gave me a shoutout as I turned onto Chesterfield Avenue.
All my other thoughts in that first half were all positive and attempted to smile(finisher pix may contradict this when i see them) as I was really enjoying this trip and wanted to bottle all the positive vibes as went past all the great support and cheering zones. It may have rained during certain sections here but I wasn't really noticing. I noticed that there was very little wind if any which was ideal!
Halfway mark - 1.24.13 in 324th position
I was managing the fueling well too, which in the past hasn't always been great. 3 gels(1 caffeine), electroylte drink and chewing on salt tablets got me through first half. I only carried 5 gels but had the option of 6 which I will get too shortly. Turning after the walkinstown roundabout with the significant cheers despite the wet weather there too brought " a great section" of the route where pace can be picked up without hopefully not having to work harder. I was really enjoying this as I made my way picking up some places here and there and generally just feeling good and keeping that smile ticking over. A big shout out from Wottle was shortly followed afterwards by PY kindly handing me over that 6th gel with a Garry Ringroseesque type handover. Next was the club manned Water station near Orwell where felt like a celebrity going through there with the noise. I met more familiar faces going down Milltown past the Dropping Well as I prepared myself for the next two more challenging miles up through Clonskeagh. I ran most of this section in a group of 2 with a Derry runner which was welcome as we urged each other along up that drag. I was really looking forward to Roebuck Road as my family was there and got a great reception there along with an electrolyte drink handover from my wife which was more like a forwards hand off, as opposed to the previous one, but kept it intact despite a little wobble 😉
Despite the downhill nature of Nutley lane, I never like running on that road approaching 24 miles in a marathon due to speed ramps. Its possibly a bit of mind games too but as i turned off at Vincents hospital the left hamstring tightened very sharply and very quickly. I immediately feared the worst and let out a roar of "shite" to the shock of a few spectators taking shelter at the nearby bus shelter. I slowed down quite a lot initially and fake smiled my way back here. Thís wasn't happening today. A few people passed me for the next mile as now and again if I got too close to 6.30 min mile pace it was feeling like it could lock. I found a pace about 6.45 that the leg accepted and now I knew I was getting home and as much on my terms as possible. I really appreciated the purple mile and the edged smile was now turning to a full on grin and started to ramp up the crowd with hand signals and I was simply just loving this now. Crossed the line with a 2nd half of 1.23.58 with a slight negative split for a combined total of 2.48.11 and 234th position I was and still am delighted with this.
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Top class stuff D, absolutely brilliant performance and so well managed throughout. Great to read reports and see times posted that you know are reaped from such a consistent base of quality training. Looking forward to seeing what you do in 2024! Enjoy the bit of downtime, very well deserved.
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What a brilliant run! Top class effort.
I thought you were going to go down a tale of woe ot the end with the cramping and end with a heroic failure - but No - wiped it out of the park!
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Lovely stuff. Hopefully I might get back in shape to join you on those sessions we never actually got in all those *checks messages*, Jesus, YEARS ago! You've had a cracker of a year.
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Congrats D, that was some run. To finish in the top 250 is some company to be keeping, and I've no doubt you're not done yet. Brilliant.
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Congratulations D, top class run by you! Hope you're still enjoying the buzz🤗
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As the dust has now settled on DCM, just penning a few thoughts to read back on.
The year was split into 2 for me
First few months of the year I got in the best condition I have ever been in with consistent training and regular racing.
It resulted in PBs in 5k, 5 mile, 10 mile and Half Marathon. 10km PB potentially could be a low hanging fruit. What seemed like an innocuous ankle injury initially, it ultimately derailed me for months. I raced the Madrid Half in April when I knew I shouldn't have - lesson learned hopefully.
I'd very little base going into DCM training due to this, but this particular block went as well as it could do and there was perhaps still muscle memory there from the earlier part of year. I don't think, I got myself in the same condition as March but perhaps now 'running experience' showed me that if things go right there should be a PB there in the marathon. The signs like when sessions started to get harder and I went from dreading them to embracing them. They were not all completed with flying colours, but they were all completed, nonetheless. There was one hour session in particular that I knew as I finished - " this was the one" that gave me belief.(15 mins at MP, 15 mins at HMP, 15 Mins @10Km, 15 mins @MP)
I have often thought about doing different marathon plans and I would like to give Hansons in particular a go at some stage. The reason I haven't as of yet is that the structured club based marathon plans have really suited me and I pretty much always had a solid group to run the sessions with. Out of the 3 other guys I regularly did sessions with, we all got a PB(11 mins,9 mins, 9 mins and me 6 mins) ranging with finishing times from 2.43 - 2.50. Some decent chunks there for all who had previously gone sub3. In fact, there were quite a few more under 3 hrs and a lot of other PB's too from the group. These group sessions targeting the same race are invaluable as you simply bring each other on. There will always be at least a few around one's pace.
I am considering of deviating away from DCM and looking at alternatives where It may involve more training on my own which would bring in other plans, but not making any concrete decisions right now. At this stage, I don't think I will target a spring marathon and will probably look more at the shorter circuit with a foreign half maybe incorporated in there. Until injury this year, I was really enjoying that route. I will prob swerve cross country as I don't think I like it but that could be due to the fact, I have never raced well at any of them. I love making ground in races but that doesn't really happen in XC, its more about holding you own position as there's very little passing on softer ground. The grá may yet come for that discipline.
I don't think I could have got any more out of DCM on the day this year. I probably lost approx a minute in the last 2 miles where I had to manage a bit of cramp, but I minimised the loss there if anything. I have come away now thinking that I know there is more there with a few minor tweaks and maybe a flatter route too. I was a few KG heavier than last years DCM as the diet wasn't brilliant in the block. That would be my first change/tweak anyway.
I often think, what would my ultimate goal time that would make me stop running marathons. I've come to the conclusion, there is none. As long as I am able and enjoy the training and race day, I will continue to do them whatever that results in.
I've done a few short jogs since DCM and have noticed a little pinch come on in my knee while running so I have started to do some exercises to strengthen all around it. With that in mind it will be a very gentle comeback to running as I need to be careful with that particular knee as there is very little cartlidge left in it. Apart from that I feel I have recovered well.. I have an entry for Jingle Bells but I'll play that one by ear closer to time.
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Congrats again. Interesting reading your thoughts post marathon. I was all ready to suggest an XC race or two until I read that specific paragraph. Enjoy the buzz of chasing on the roads alright and see your point about more holding what you have in XC. ah sure I'll suggest it again anyway...
I won't give you any tips on how to run XC but I've found the enjoyment is the whole being part of a team where even one spot can make a massive difference in team scoring. We got 3rd place team in the Meath Seniors last year with myself getting the 4th spot after nearly dropping out on account of being sick the week before. We got in by 2 points, so every single place counted. It's a different kind of buzz but going by your training partners times there you could have the makings of a very strong Masters team at the very least not that I want to be lessening our own chances 😂 Our masters were 6th in Leinster last year but we're hoping for better this year.
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ah yeh, I get the team side indeed and as i say its not a complete lost cause for me - prob just need a good experience of one really. Unfort 2 of them are still young bucks so not masters yet. The 2.43 guy is and the guy you met at Trim with me last year who finished beside us that day- He's blitzed every race since and went sub 34 at Dunshaughlin!
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Recap of 2023
An Interesting enough running year for me with a collection of highs and Lows.
My last post I refereed to a what seemed like some minor knee pain/pinch which turned into about 6 weeks or so hiatus between DCM and Christmas.
It was a weak tendon that required recuperation and building strength in the muscles around the specific area. I probably would have gotten away with maybe 2 weeks out, if I was disciplined with the strength work.
Things got flipped in November for me when my father took a turn and I ended up spending a lot of time in and out of ICU at his bedside. Against all the odds really(where we had pretty much said our goodbyes), he has managed a full recovery, so to speak. That period took a lot out of me both physically and mentally and as you can imagine the strength work went out the window. I really missed just been able to get out for a jog now and then to clear the head through this, not that it was front and centre of my thoughts. I comfort ate and drank too much as a poor substitute. We got a 2nd chance here and I feel blessed that I have been able to say so many things to him in the aftermath that would have gone unsaid. To go from where we were, to get out for a Christmas drink with him, still seems so surreal.
As mentioned previously , I had 2 sections of the year in terms of running with an ankle injury that kept me out for months separated in between.
That first section of the year I ended up getting PB's at 5 mile(Raheny), 10 mile(Trim), Half marathon(Bohermeen) and 5k(Streets of Kilkenny) before pushing myself in to one more race in April(Madrid Half) when really I should have known better with the ankle playing up the week prior. I was able to race well here but at a significant cost.
3ish months later I was able to resume running regularly with only one target(DCM) in mind. The plan was to slowly build up fitness again and hopefully smoothly transition into a Marathon plan. I never put any pressure on myself and If I wasn't in a position to run this race, I would have pulled the plug at any stage knowing at the very least I'm building fitness for things to come. I had planned to run the Dublin half at MP but as it got closer, I decided I wanted to race it to see where I was in terms of prep. It wasn't as swift as Bohermeen or Madrid in the earlier part of the year but it wasn't far off and I still had time before DCM. It turned out to be ideal as it gave me the confidence to have a crack at sub 2.50. I ended up getting 2.48 for my 5th pb of the year there to cap a successful albeit unorthodox year of running.
Moving on to the now - I'm back running since a couple of days before Christmas. The knee has behaved so far but felt like I was back at square one where all my running attire felt pasted on to me with the extra timber I had put on. Slowly since, I'm starting to feel a bit more at ease now and completed my first session as such on Saturday (7x 900 metres) which went well all things considering. My only race I have currently signed up for as of now is Trim at the start of February simply to have a target to get fit for. I'm hoping for a quite an uneventful remainder of January now.
Onwards and Upwards
Cheers
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So happy to read you got out for a drink with your dad, the best Christmas present ever! Cherish it all, life is so precious💛
Very best of luck for 2024; I've no doubt you'll be back to peak shape in no time!
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Jan - Mid march recap
I have been consistently running approx 45- 55 mile weeks since beginning of the year so constantly building has been very much a positive.
I have ran 3 races in that period with mixed results
Raheny 5 mile 28.42 which I was relatively happy with as had only really put in 3-4 weeks training prior to it. It was about 7 seconds off the previous year PB which I accepted gladly as sub 29 was target.
Trim 10 mile. This came a week later and I felt Raheny gave me some good confidence going into here to see if a PB was possible. PB from this course last year was 58.19. The wind this year compared to 2023 in my opinion made this a far harder prospect after warming up on the last 600 metres of the course which was into a strong headwind. I started off quite aggressive with the wind on my back and basically had to hang in as much as i could in the middle miles when the wind was dead against. I actually came in at 58.48 about 30 seconds outside last years effort. I think in the conditions though I ran a stronger race as I was a couple of places further up the standings this year.
Last year I did 2 spring half marathons along with competing in the shorter stuff for the Peugeot series. I have decided to skip the longer stuff this spring and concentrate on building and throwing in a few shorter races to limit injury breaks like I suffered last year. I was originally going to compete in the Portlaoise 5k on paddy's day but I saw the club were sending a very strong team down there anyway, so chose the more local option in Tallaght for a 5k. I hadn't been solely targeting 5k pacing in training which I think is something that may have caught me out a bit here. 5k in my opinion is a real learned discipline and probably the hardest to get right. I find I need 2 or 3 races in a short enough space to get right or even close to right. I wasn't expecting to get near my time(avg3.14 pace) I ran at Kilkenny a year ago but I did feel confident I would go sub 17.
Splits went like this for a 17.19 final time
3.18
3.19
3.22 - writing on the wall
3.35
3.33
It was a fast enough start but felt I was working too hard from the first km really. I found a mini group of 3 there and kept pushing on the 2nd km but even on the downhill, I was ever so slightly slowing down, although effort was increasing. You never really feel great in a 5km race but I was waiting patiently just to feel even a tiny bit stronger. It never came though and if anything I was sweating up more and coughing lots. I had a rough night sleep the previous night with a cough but that wouldn't usually effect me much. At this stage I think it simply got in my head that this wasn't going well and I'd be better off stepping off the gas to fight again. The truth was, I was subconsciously looking for excuses in my head as I approach the climb. The pace dropped considerably in that 4th km and it wasn't by choice. My legs just felt heavy and i was breathing hard. I hung in with one Cru guy through this section and when it flattened out and entered towards the track, I assumed id be able to kick it up a gear. I ever so slightly increased speed on the track but my heart wasn't in at that stage when I realised id be the wrong side of 17, I trundled in more that finished strong. Mixed emotions coming out of it, but I believe it will bring me on and have an idea where I can improve next time. Nice to meet up briefly with a few boards heads pre race too.
I plan to race Dunboyne 10km this weekend but at the min I cant seem to shake this cough I have had for a week now. Its been an age since I raced a 10km so want to go into it feeling right! if not, I may pull the plug. I was hoping to return to streets of Kilkenny 5k on Good Friday but turns out I'm at a wedding that night. Enfield may be the next target for that distance. Really enjoying just running and having no real ultimate targets at the minute. I like the idea of just been fit enough to jump into any training block if any particular race comes calling.
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Monday - 12 miles @7.39
I have been a bit shy on anything longer recently so was determined to get out for 90 mins and forget about the previous day's race. I was one of the few head-the-ball's out this early on the Bank holiday with @Wottle been another. We passed each other early in our respective runs.
Tuesday - Double runmute 6.10 miles @7.55 + 6.2 miles @8.04
I usually do UCD session on Tuesdays but not this weeks as it falls between 2 races. Rumutes suited here and was padding the mileage early in week to have a quieter lead up to Dunboyne later on.
Wed - 5 miles @8.10
Evening jaunt around trails and Marlay.
Thurs - 6.29 miles @7.17
I think I did 10 x 60 seconds @ 10k pace and possibly another 4 @30 seconds. I didn't program it in, so that is just guessing looking back at the run. I must have been away in my own world for that one as very little memory of it.
Friday - Off
Saturday - 5.68 miles @7.34
I jogged up and back from Marlay Parkrun. I started off towards the back and just slowly progressed per km before finishing last 800 at planned 10k pace .
Sunday
National 10k Dunboyne
I had a busy morning here trying to sort out the under 9's, which was probably a good distraction pre race. I only for sure decided after waking up that I would do this race. I still have a very annoying cough but it hadn't been keeping me up at night like previously.
I arrived in plenty of time and parked up in the primary school and used the distance down to the start line as a warmup.
It is quite a tight start with a lot of people trying to get to the front. I positioned myself okay in the pen, probably could have done with been a few yards further forward in hindsight.
The usual stampede of a start as we ran towards the town - Great crowds out watching here was very noticeable. My legs felt a bit heavy as I looked for some space but was probably more mind tricks. I have one "soft pb" possibly 2 but 10km was there for the taking anyway and haven't raced one since Dunshaughlin 2022. PB(current 35.40) was the minimum I wanted but was hoping I was feeling well enough to go sub 35. This meant it was a target of 3.30 per km with the hope of dipping below that for last km.
I noticed going past 5k marker on road, I was spot on 17.30 on the watch - splits on the watch were 3.27, 3.29,3.30, 3.29,3.26
I ended joining and alternating positions for the 2nd half of the race with a work colleague of mine. I think this helped both of us(helped me anyway) as we closed in and caught a few groups together. At one stage, I thought I actually got away from him at the 9km mark but to hear the slapping of his runners just off my shoulder as we turned towards the track entrance. I knew my watch was off with the markers from early on but I thought when we were going to go on the track, my tiring brain thought it was going to be a 100 metre run up anti clockwise to the finish line. I assumed my sub 35 was looking good. Anyway, we know what they say about Assume. Instead, it was the clockwise 300 metre finish and I was tiring. My work colleague went by here and despite a mini fight back, I couldn't quite get him. I beat him on the chip time though, which I was sure to tell him ;-). splits for 2nd half 3.26, 3.32,3.34,3.31,3.31 for 35.06 which was a 30 odd second PB which I have to be happy about. I left the sub 35 out there but I'll be back for that. I loved the route and great decision to bring National 10k there.
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