Last of the Summer Wine

ariana`

Ah it's good to get the back story. I was tracking you and knew you were pacing 4:10 so was surprised to see you so much ahead of that in the early stages. I'm glad to hear your pacee was happy with their result. Hopefully they also learnt a thing or two about restraint in the early stages! Well done on your own run, it must feel great to be able run the distance so comfortably so soon after your big effort in Chicago!

Laineyfrecks

I just want to come on & say thst I am in Awe of you D! Not only did you smash your PB a few weeks ago you then ran a 2nd marathon. You are one amazing man & it was lovely to have your company for a short time in Mc Grattons & to meet the gorgeous A, you are both such lovely people. I hope you are so proud of yourself 😊

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119818668#Comment_119818668

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119818857#Comment_119818857

Thanks E & E. 🙂

I really should have done a better job on the pacing, but I really enjoyed the run, although I almost felt guilty picking up the pace through the zombie march that I encountered between Clonskeagh and the finish line. It was really an extraordinary sight. Back to back marathons aren't that difficult I don't think, as long as you don't race the second one - although fair play to Wottle for giving it a go. I won't be doing that kind of thing again though, it's not worth it and after reading @Swashbuckler's report I reckon supporting is probably even more fun than tipping around. I still love DCM (very sad to see so many boardsies claiming they're done with the race - it's a challenging but fair course in my opinion). Don't know about McGrattan's though - it might be time to depart from tradition next year!

No running from me apart from a short jog up to my daughter's house on Tuesday to borrow her car. Headed to Donegal for a couple of days and it's probably the first time I've been up there in 10 years where I didn't go out for a run. Might try a parkrun tomorrow, possibly the inaugural Dodder Valley.

In other news, I cashed in the Berlin GFA - can't let it go to waste - and that will be the main focus next year, with London then the following Spring. Looking forward to plenty of short races over the next 6 months or so, and a bit of cross country.

Swashbuckler

Wow. Berlin and London. I am so jealous.....

I'm not sure it's entirely a case of people abandoning DCM. There's so many good options out there for marathons , especially the lure of abroad, its hard to dedicate 6 months every year to DCM

Murph_D

True, but as second tier marathons go, I reckon Dublin must be one of the better ones, especially for atmosphere. It will always be attractive to marathon tourists (once we sort out our accommodation problems). It will always be there for us (hopefully) when the wandering is done!

Murph_D

The post-marathon period has seen me enter the low mileage / high beerage mesocycle, which is now probably likely to continue through the end of the year, although I’m starting to introduce a few sessions from this week with a view to arriving at Jingle Bells in reasonable shape.

Nov 1-6

Only three runs this week. A leggy midweek 20 mins and then a Saturday trip out to Tallaght to run the inaugural Dodder Valley parkrun, which felt harder than the 23-minute plus time. Really enjoyed it though. Got collared beforehand to make a few comments to someone doing a local podcast but have no idea what it was so if you come across it, let me know! A 45-min recovery run then on the Sunday with the mrs, which was very restorative.

Nov 7-13

Seven easy out to St. Annes’s on the Tuesday, stopping to chat to some clubmates on the way into the park. Nothing then ’til a few hungover miles with M and C after we got back home from DD’s nuptials, which was an excellent occasion. 

Mon 14 Nov 

55 mins easy around the Dublin 3, 9, 7 and 1 regions.

Tue 15 Nov

Eased back into the workouts with a 40-min steady run in the 75-80% HRR ‘Sub-threshold’ range. Wasn’t easy by any means but it felt good to be dialling it up in the effort levels again. Toying with the idea of joining one of the gentler club sessions over the next few weeks to get a little bit of speed work in.

• This week: 22k (14m)
• This month: 67 (41)
• This year: 3,141 (1,952)

healy1835

Just catching up here. Big belated congrats on Chicago. It must be so satisfying for it all to come together like that. The fact that you did it on the big international stage as well just makes it even sweeter. Well done Murph 👍

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119879266#Comment_119879266

Thanks a lot Johnny, and good to see you back at it.

Murph_D

The second half of the week was all about continuing the return towards normality, although with the caveat that it’s still only been a few weeks since DCM. However having done that race mostly as a kind of super long run I’m being a good bit more aggressive than if I’d raced it - but also bearing in mind I DID race a marathon only a few weeks earlier again. If you catch my drift. So happy to do some sessions, but still holding back a bit.

Wed 16 Nov 

45 mins easy up and down Griffith Avenue. Had to have words with a taxi driver who had mounted the footpath and was driving diagonally towards a driveway and hadn’t seen me. I tried to be firm but nice about it - this kind of thing is becoming too common around the Northside, by no means the first time. To be fair he was contrite and will hopefully think about it a bit harder the next time, or even just park on the road to wait for his fare.

Thu 17 Nov

7 x 500 @ 3-5k pace

Club session! The Thursday night group is the club’s closest to the entry level in terms of session intensity, so it’s a good one to go to if you want to do your own thing and not get dragged into keeping up with the peer group etc, not that that was ever a big problem really for me - I’m happy to tip along. The way the session is organised you get extra recovery if you’re at the faster end of the group which is probably a bit unfair but perfect for where I’m at, doing a first ‘speed’ session in well over a year. 7 x 500, also quite a low volume, again perfect for a gentle return, and I enjoyed this although the part of St. Anne’s where the club has moved for these sessions was quite sloppy at one end with the recent rain. We were encouraged to finish strong and I obliged in the final rep, holding off a 'rival' who tried to take me in the last 50m. 😉 Portable floodlights worked well, will do some more of these over the next while while also returning to the Winter League races which will be starting up soon. A few kms around the neighbouring roads to bring it up to about 5 miles for the night. 

Fri 18 Nov

Met up with M and D for a lap of St Anne’s and plenty of chats. Fair play to the lads for sticking to close to my recovery pace.

Sat 19 Nov

Sport Ireland Campus parkrun @ MP

Continuing to check off the Dublin parkruns - I still think of Abbotstown as brand new so was amazed to realise they’d had their first anniversary a few weeks back. It was a beautiful frosty morning and the place looked amazing. Bumped into @Wubble Wubble and after lining up near the front we were both surprised to find ourselves leading for about 100m before a dozen or so runners eased past. Tried to run to feel at about marathon pace and managed to reel a few of them back in over the course of the first two of the three lap course. Really enjoyed this - what a setting. Will definitely be back when they return to the regular National Cross Country course, which is out of action at the moment due to a cyclocross event, but the temporary route is still a gem. About 9k for the morning, including a chatty cooldown lap with J.  

Sun 20 Nov

Having run every day this week, and with three sessions of at least moderate intensity I was happy to have the mileage close in on 40 again and not bother with a long run. Dragged the mrs up to the Phoenix Park for a lap of the western end and a warming soup and sambo at the visitor centre. A good end to a good week.  

• This week: 63k (39 mi)
• This month: 107 (67)
• This year: 3,181 (1,977)

scotindublin

Great week D, and the sensible approach after Chicago and Dublin will pay dividends......hopefully spot you at Jingle Bells in a couple of weeks.

C

Swashbuckler

2000 miles will be passed this week. Super stuff.

Murph_D

Another week of fairly normal running this week, trying to get a little more speedwork done in advance of Jingle Bells. Actually Jingle Bells is now in doubt as I may not be around, but with the club Winter League starting up on the 30th there will be a 3-mile race opportunity midweek, so depending on the arrangements I might end up giving that a lash instead.

Mon 21 Nov

5k on the TCD treadmill after a gym session. Trying to get back to my basic S&C routine from a few years ago. Slight frustration - could not get near the leg press machine Everyone in the gym seems to have it in their circuit. Is this a thing?

Tue 22 Nov

40 mins steady (75-80% HRR) with a few miles warmup and cooldown.

Wed 23 Nov 

Rest.

Thu 24 Nov

7 x 500 @ 3-5k pace (75 secs standing rec) 

Back to the Thursday night club session. The St. Anne’s top field was even sloppier than last week, and there were only four lads in our group, probably due to the uninviting weather. Same session as last week, but with shorter recoveries. Combine that with the wetter, heavier ground and this felt a good bit harder than last time. Good to have it done. A couple of miles cooldown around the Raheny roads.

Fri 25 Nov

No running.

Sat 26 Nov

An hour easy around St. Anne’s before the parkrun. Bumped into a few clubmates finishing up so joined them for a couple of miles. Nice morning and the 10.5k was enough to bring me up to 2,000 miles for the year. For parkrun I was down to pace 24 mins and came in at 23:58. One or two people on my shoulder for the first lap but they fell off during the second - conditions were not the best for racing. Felt sorry for the Clontarf half marathon people who’d shortly be setting off.

Sun 27 Nov

100 mins to round off the week, heading out to UCD, entering the campus near the various sports grounds which were absoulutely chockablock with kids' training activities, which is wonderful to see. Wish DCU on the Northside was as integrated with local clubs - their sports ground is often locked up! (Or at least was the last few times I tried to run in). Checked out the new running track which had yet more kids training on it so I didn’t try to jog around and add it to my ‘Tracks of Ireland and Abroad’ list. Next time! 

• This week: 57k (36 mi)
• This month: 164 (102)
• This year: 3,239 (2,013)

Swashbuckler

So are you "off lydiard" for now?

scotindublin

If you are doing Jingle Bells I will be stewarding at the final bend on to the triangle.....expecting to see a multitude of facial expressions at this point

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119928802#Comment_119928802

Well not really, I'm just winging it til the end of the year, not being too fussy about the training. The plan then is to pretty much repeat last year's schedule, adjusted for the timing of Berlin. I'm still doing (shorter) steady runs, just swapping out the second one for a speed session or two over the next while. The club's winter league is a series of 3, 2, and 1 mile races that I enjoy doing so I'll be doing those again as well.

Murph_D

Changed plans - no Jingle Bells as I’ll be in Donegal. Could have resisted the trip but the race doesn’t mean enough to me at this point, and maybe I’m even a bit afraid of it. But it meant I’d be free to give the first Winter League race a bit of lash (not that that worked out very well).

Mon 28 Nov

No run.

Tue 29 Nov

30 mins easy around the usual Marino locations.

Wed 30 Nov 

Winter League Rd. 1: 3m (20:41)

When I say above that I could give this one a bit of a lash, I certainly didn’t seem to have my mind on the task at hand. Was fairly busy today workwise, but the race’s 8pm start leaves plenty of time to get ready and I somehow conspired to arrive without my racing shoes, which meant I had to run in the serviceable but hardly raceworthy ‘everyday runners’ that I had arrived in. I wouldn’t blame the shoes for the performance - more that the error reflected a poor attitude to race prep. I didn’t feel great at any point tonight and had a slow first lap (6:40) followed by two slower ones, finishing in 12th place. More importantly, I let two lads I’d normally expect to beat, and a third runner I ran the first mile and a half with, all get the better of me. 10kms total for the evening including the wu/cd.

Nov total: 179 kms (111 mi)

Thu 1 Dec

40 mins easy on the Marino loop.

Fri 2 Dec

45 mins easy the length of Griffith Ave and back.

Sat 3 Dec 

An hour on the Donegal loop after opting to stay in bed other than drive 45 mins to parkrun. 

Sun 4 Dec

2 hours easy up to Croagh, detouring through some forestry for a little explore. Beautiful morning but again some crazy ignorant feckers on the road. It’s the lads driving HiLux pickups that are as wide as the road who seem least likely to slow down as they gun towards you. [email protected] 

• This week: 65k (40 mi)
• This month: 50 (31)
• This year: 3,303 (2,053)

Murph_D

Well next year is shaping up anyway. I had confirmation the other day that I'm in for Berlin - not a surprise as I had the Q time but you never know what might transpire so it's always good to get the "You're In" email. Commiserations to all who were rejected - almost every one it seemed, including all of my clubmates at Chicago this year. 😔

Mon 5 Dec

Rest

Tue 6 Dec

No running. Still suffering from DOMS after Sundays LR where I obviously overdid the hills and time on feet - legs felt like I'd run a marathon!

Wed 7 Dec

60 mins easy via Beaumont and Santry.

Thu 8 Dec

Club session: 6 x 500m (90s+ walk/stand recovery)

My third club session and yet again there was a set of 500s on the menu in the marshy field. Not very enjoyable to be honest - the ground is just too soggy and I'm getting tired of all the shoe cleaning that has to follow these outings. On the plus side, the cross countryish conditions are no doubt good for leg strength. Most of the reps came in a few secs over 2 mins which is acceptable enough in the circumstances. Only four or five in our little group - the weather (very cold) might be putting people off. Jogged up to Raheny and most of the way home to total about 10.3 kms for the evening.

• This week: 21k (13 mi)
• This month: 71 (44)
• This year: 3,325 (2,066)

Swashbuckler

Great news on Berlin. I must say I'm envious. It must be nice to have a different major to look forward to every year! Is the long term plan to get the full set and that awesome medal?

Do you think you'll stick with a Lydiard approach again?

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119974244#Comment_119974244

It is nice to have those to look forward to alright. The full set is definitely an ambition. Barring disaster London will follow in 2023 which will only leave Tokyo, although there are already plans afoot to expand the series to seven (Sydney, Cape Town, and Chengdu have been mooted as candidates). So it's an ever moving target. Berlin was already checked off of course but it would have been a shame to waste the Q time and the boasting opportunities presented. 😂

Yes, I intend to stick with the Lydiard methods and basically just repeat last year's schedule (unless DD has it copyrighted). 😉

Murph_D

Fri 9 Dec

No running. Don't fancy the ice, not worth it.

Sat 10 Dec

7 miles / 1 hour in St. Anne's Park, mostly on the frozen grass.

Sun 11 Dec

Over to the Phoenix Park with C. The thaw had set in fairly well in D3 but the Park was still pretty icy which put the road running idea to bed. Trails it was. C had 13 at 8:10 on the cards and I'd thought I'd join him for 10 or so, which is pretty much what I did. Effort levels were quite high in places with the conditions, but a good morning's work. We spotted @AuldManKing striding elegantly down Chesterfield Ave while driving home but were too polite to beep. 😉

• This week: 51k (32 mi)
• This month: 101 (63)
• This year: 3,354 (2,085)

Nowhere near the mark in the SB/AMK annual mileage face-off, although I'm in between them on Time on feet and have an edge on both in Elevation Gain (although that's definitely the dodgiest stat on Strava). Good enough for me!

Murph_D

With only three weeks left of the year, I'm mainly just trying to keep the mileage on track for the annual goal, 2200 (3500 kms). I was comfortably ahead of this for much of the year but recent low mileage has used up most of the buffer.

Mon 12 Dec

40 mins recovery, Marino/Drumcondra.

Tue 13 Dec

40 mins easy, Marino/Donnycarney.

Wed 14 Dec

Winter League Round 2 (2 miles): 13:08

After last week's sluggish start to the series, I was hoping to be more with it. Didn't forget the shoes this time, but I found the going pretty tough, just don't have the faster gears at the moment. I did manage to pass 2 or 3 people in lap one while trying to keep touch with a lad I'd have expected to finish in front of, but I struggled to breathe well, not helped by the very cold air. Felt pretty pukey during second lap and finished about 16 seconds outside PB pace. 10k total for the evening.

Thu 15 Dec

No running. Met a running friend for some pints though. 😀

Fri 16 Dec

Another 'no running' day.

Sat 17 Dec

9k inc Shanganagh parkrun (21:48).

Out to Shankhill to tick the last of the Dublin parkruns off my list. A nice chat with local lad @nop98 before the start. Really enjoyed this run on a good course - the idea was MP but I ended up with a more progressive approach, just focusing on people ahead and moving through the field. Loads of kids running this one, which was great to see. A lap of the big loop to cool down, and a short chat with @BeepBeep67 on the way to the car park - reluctantly turning down the offer to join him for a few more miles.

Sun 18 Dec

LR: 2 hours +

Had hoped to meet up with a few folks from around here for a Phoenix Park run, but some last minute stuff meant I wouldn't make it in time and ended up heading out locally - very windy so I abandoned the seafront around Kilbarrack and headed back towards St. Anne's and did a loop in there instead - there was a race walking event happening on the main Avenue which was interesting to have a gander at while jogging along beside the course. Just shy of 22k for the morning.

• This week: 59k (36 mi)
• This month: 160 (99)
• This year: 3,413 (2,121)

Murph_D

Managed to run every day this week - no proper sessions, but a couple of parkruns at steady pace. Otherwise, just trying to keep on track for the annual target with a couple of 40-mile weeks to end the year.

Mon 19 Dec

45 mins easy on a loop around Griffith Avenue and down to Drumcondra. When I was a kid my mother used sometimes take us up here on walks around Christmas time as there were always some impressive Christmas tree displays that she liked to inspect. That's still the case, although most of the lighting is in the front gardens these days. LED technology!

Tue 20 Dec

53 mins easy, a loop through Artane, getting disorientated when I took the wrong turn off the roundabout and ended up running in the opposite direction to what I thought. Couldn't fathom how I ended up at back at Malahide Road when I was expecting Howth Road.

Wed 21 Dec

52 mins easy on the seafront, after hitting probably the biggest work-related deadline of the year. A decade of work coming to a conclusion, or at least towards the final phase: the beginning of the end. This cheered up an otherwise routine plod no end.

Thu 22 Dec

Easy hour back through Artane to get the route right this time, in reverse. Helps to bed in what might become a regular new route, although maybe not great at rush hour, too many road crossings in heavy commuter traffic.

Fri 23 Dec

55 mins easy on the seafront.

Sat 24 Dec

50 mins inc. St Anne's parkrun @ steady. C tried blind pacing 24 mins but we came in a bit hot. Enjoyed the run, good company with DD joining us also.

Sun 25 Dec

I like to do a Christmas parkrun when the opportunity is there and one again Waterstown provided the venue. Bumped into a few clubmates and warmed up with H before enjoying another good tempo-ish effort by the Liffey on a beautiful morning. Another lap to cool down before heading home for a long shift in the kitchen.

Happy Christmas all!

• This week: 64k (40 mi)
• This month: 224 (139)
• This year: 3,479 (2,161)

Murph_D

2022 Recap

Ah, that time of year again. 2022 was a good year for me. PBs have been rare enough in recent times and this year I managed two (10m and Marathon), following up from a HM best in late 2021, so a good reward for the lockdown-era training that had been all about rebuilding aerobic capacity.

The year began as usual with the Dublin Masters Cross Country, huffing and puffing around St. Anne’s in an unspectacular time as usual. It was the first of three cross country races - two more BHAA outings followed at Tymon and Maynooth - all of which felt hard, the way cross country races tend to be. In between though, I had an excellent February day at the John Treacy 10 Mile at Dungarvan, knocking 49 seconds off a PB that had stood since 2016. After completing the club’s Winter League series of short road races, I had a good run in April at the Cobh 10 - super race on a hilly course, definitely the hardest 10 I’ve ever done. Really enjoyed it, probably a better result than the John Treacy, relatively speaking. 

I ran a couple of sub-6 miles, one in the Winter League just before the Road Relays (which I could not run due to Covid) and one at the club’s ‘sports day’ at Morton Stadium, then in June there was a decent half marathon in Cork, about 85 seconds slower than PB but again, not a bad run on an undulating course. Ran a lacklustre Fingal 10k in the Race Series in July. Then in August, the third (and slowest) 10-miler of the year at the Frank Duffy in the Phoenix Park, but by then I was neck deep in marathon preparation for Chicago Marathon, the highlight of the year and a near 3-minute PB.

The racing year ended then with a couple of ordinary winter league races - probably a bit too long after the marathon block to benefit from that particular strength, while also lacking somewhat in motivation, probably. 

Ran a lot of parkruns in 2022 - a total of 29, in 16 different locations, finally completing all the Dublin ones. Next stop Meath. 😁 Most of these were steady runs, around the 22-24 min mark - didn’t race any parkruns or other 5k events this year, probably the first year not to do that.

So can’t complain - a very decent year. Mileage target was 2,190 (6 miles/day), which I hit on Dec 30, allowing a nice rest day today.

Hopefully 2023 will bring a few new highlights. Happy New Year all!

skyblue46

Congratulations on a brilliant year D. Lots to be very proud of in there.

Wottle

Super year Murph and I should have added a column in my log for runner that motivated me most, it was definitely you and your consistency.

Best wishes for 2023!

scotindublin

Great year D and all the best for 2023.

Laineyfrecks

Well done D on a brilliant year & so well deserved for all the consistency & hard work you put in😊

Happy New year 🎉

Swashbuckler

Phenomenal year. Was a pleasure to follow.

coogy

'22 was an excellent year for you D, must be very satisfying!!

Happy new year to you and I'm sure I'll bump into you somewhere along the way in 2023!

Murph_D

Tough going this week, especially the first half of it, recovering from the festivities. Feeling much better towards the end of it.

Mon 26 Dec

45 mins easy around St. Anne’s with C. Turkey and ham stories.

Tue 27 Dec

70 mins easy on a loop through Artane and Raheny. Feeling the excesses of the season on this one, slightly queasy.

Wed 28 Dec 

60 mins easy in Dublin Port. A while since I’d been down here, so it was good to see the progress on the planned greenway. Looking forward to its completion (god knows when) as it will make for a much more pleasant run in these parts, on the other side of the Tolka estuary from Clontarf.  

Thu 29 Dec

Decamped to Donegal. 50 mins easy around the local loop.

Fri 30 Dec

Final run of the year - 6 x 3 mins at around 5 mile pace (3 mins jog recovery). This session courtesy of skyblue. Drove into Killybegs to run along the shore road - a bit of a gale in one direction so some of the reps were wind assisted, some resisted, some a bit of both. Tough enough going but nice to end the year with a session. 

Sat 31 Dec 

A day off, having hit the year’s mileage target during yesterday’s session. No point in flogging it any further! December total: 275 kms (171 miles). 2022 total: 3,529 kms (2,193 miles). Highest annual mileage to date, and about 160 kms more than 2021. Ran 292 days - a bit low but took plenty of days off post-marathon, and also missed two full weeks in April with covid.

Sun 1 Jan

75 mins MLR. Headed down to Mountcharles with A and did a couple of loops of the Station Road / Mountcharles Pier circuit we used to walk for years before running became a thing. A beautiful calm day, not a breath of wind for a change, very relaxing compared to the conditions I’ve had to brave doing sessions here over the years. First couple of miles with A then pushed on to stretch the legs a bit more. A lovely run and a good start to 2023. 

Spent part of this run thinking about running goals for the year - really don’t want to do too much different from 2022. The main target will be the marathon again, Berlin this time. I felt there was a bit to spare this year so it’s reasonable to expect to knock a bit more off the PB, although it’s unlikely the race and all the stuff around it will go as perfectly to plan as this year. But if I can get a bit better at running well under conditions that are not perfectly ideal, I can still hope to shave off a few more seconds.

Mileage wise, I’ll be happy enough to make in the region of 2,200 again.

• This week: 64k (40 mi)
• This month/year: 13 (8)