BQ or Bust!

AuldManKing wrote: »

Great work - nice report too. Before you get too comfortable - whats next?

Thanks A - will have a go at sub-70 Frank Duffy and a decent HM in race series.

Cork gives me another Boston GFA but I don't think I'll be going back for a while. Thinking maybe Donadea in the spring.

P&D Recovery schedule Week 3 (more or less).

Mon 20 Jun

Rest.

Tue 21 Jun

50 mins easy on the seafront, in the company of Ferris and FBOT. There was some talk of yoga and the Downward Dog pose, for some reason.

Wed 22 Jun

9.3k @ 5:12 (5.8m @ 8:22)

Hit an important milestone today at the office, and celebrated with a run. A weight off my shoulders and a bit lighter on my feet so did this a bit harder than the recovery plan was suggesting. A few celebratory hoots too when no one was looking. Then home to watch the Ireland-Italy game, so a great day just kept getting better.

Thu 23 Jun

Rest.

Fri 24 Jun

Another easy 45 mins or so on the seafront.

Sat 25 Jun

Dungloe parkrun @ LT (23:03)

We are in Donegal and got a chance to try out the “local” parkrun which is only about an hour’s drive away (but handy for Donegal Airport if anyone feels like flying in for it). A quick glance at results for the previous few months suggested there wouldn’t be a big field and that a tempo run could possibly deliver first finisher status, depending on who showed up. However a clubmate who is also relatively local was visiting too, so that wasn’t going to happen. The clubmate took the front from the off, a local runner chasing him. I settled into third spot, thinking the local guy might burn out. But he gave up the chase after half a km though and kept about 50-60m ahead of me for the rest of the run, looking back occasionally to make sure I wasn’t making a charge. I was happy to stick to the tempo plan and didn’t challenge him, although when he made a wrong turn just before the finish (the same one that cost the Mrs a place) I almost caught him by accident. :pac: Decent workout, and always good to get in some parkrun tourism.

4:20 4:27 4:29 4:36 4:25 (0:46)

Sat 26 Jun

60 mins recovery on country roads with the Mrs. She was doing a longer run so turned after a half hour and left her to it. Lovely morning, misty and light rain. At one point a hare was bounding down the road in front of me, saw me, went into the verge and just lay there waiting for me to pass. Cheeky fecker.

WTD: 42k (26m)
MTD: 159 (99)
YTD: 1,534 (953)

Fri 1 Jul

50 mins easy - reverse commute back home for forgotten wallet.

Sat 2 Jul

National Beer Mile 2016

Don’t know why I signed up for this - enjoyed spectating last year so I suppose it was on the checklist as a result. Didn’t do much preparation save for some chugging practice over the past few days. Made the long journey out to Kilbogget, both buses arriving magically as I approached the stop so early enough to enjoy a pre-race coffee in the garage adjacent to the park. Toulouse arrived in too, so time for some chit chat before strolling over to the track. After what felt like an age of standing around it was finally time to get down to business. Chivito was well prepared, handing out bibs and safety pins to the 16 assembled contestants.

Beer 1 felt very slow but in retrospect it was the best split of the night. Got up and running reasonably quickly, finding myself solidly in the middle of the pack. Couldn’t get any wind out though, a problem that continued into Beer 2/lap 2, both of which were pretty slow. Beer 3 was woefully slow, but at last, about 100m into lap 3 I managed to produce an epic belch and from there on things looked up slightly. Although Beer 4 was the second best transition of the night, it still felt like it would never end, and about six people had finished already by the time I’d stuggled through it. Another good burp halfway round the last lap gave me the confidence for a reasonably strong finish by the standards of the earlier laps. 10:43 by the watch, which leaves loads of room for improvement, not that it there will necessarily be a repeat performance. 10th place.

Well done to the champions, Feargal and Carol, race director Chivito, and all the finishers, some of whom sportingly called penalty laps on themselves. Thanks to FBOT and Mrs Mc for looking after the timing and recording, and the enthusiastic support from a few Cru clubmates and others.

Splits (very approximate, culled from the garmin trace - too stressed/drunk to hit the lap button)

0:30 1:34
1:01 1:56
1:07 1:58
0:55 1:42

Sun 3 Jul

13.1k (8.1m) recovery. The less said the better. Hung over and very queasy. FBOT joined me and he’s lucky I didn’t get sick on him.

WTD: 43k (27m)
MTD: 24 (15)
YTD: 1,577 (980)